**Quick Update**

Our class will visit the book fair next WEDNESDAY, April 18th.

Welcome Back and Happy Spring (finally!)

Time has flown by and here we are starting the 4th quarter! Please bear with me, this post is long and has lots of important dates and info for the 4th 9 weeks. :)

In reading we will begin a long anticipated study of the book Wonder by RJ Palaccio.  In this book study we will focus on how to treat people who are different, describing characters and their actions, and making inferences. This has been a 4th grade tradition for many years and the kids have been asking when we will read it since the first day of school! I know that many of you have probably seen the movie that came out a few months ago, as a class we will talk about differences between the two and agree not to give ANY spoilers!

Last quarter we briefly began looking at the 4th grade nutrition objectives. We will continue with those by learning to read food labels, analyzing food choices, and learning about the organs involved in digestion. 

In math we will start the 9 weeks with metric measurement, then move on to customary and finding area and perimeter. Then we will cover our geometry unit and spend the rest of our math time reviewing for the EOG's. 

And speaking of EOG's...we will have them on Wednesday and Thursday May 30-31. Over the next few weeks we will start reviewing and practicing to get ready for the EOG's. As a general rule I try to down play the tests, while making sure students understand that it's important to do their personal best. While we will focus on review reading and math concepts, much of our preparation will be test taking strategies. This year both tests will be taken on the computer. Much of our test prep will be on how to "show your work" and not just "guess and click". Many students experience worry and anxiety as we start to prepare for the EOG's, if you notice that your child  is showing a lot of fear associated with testing please let me know. I absolutely  DO NOT want the end of the year to be dominated by test anxiety.

You should have received an email today about our upcoming trip to the Greensboro Science Center. The date for the trip is April 19th. We are finalizing the student cost based on the generous help of our PTA :) and hope to have that amount and permissions slips sent home in the next day or so. Reminder- all parents must drive and meet us there, all students must ride the bus to the museum but may be checked out and ride home with their 
parents.

As you have probably heard the HES Spring Carnival is Saturday, April 21st. Each class is creating a themed basket. The theme for our basket is "Dog Lovers", if you would to donate an item please do so.



Important Dates:

April    12       Picture Day (11:30)
            16-20  Book Fair (we will visit as a class on Thursday)
             21       HES Spring Carnival

May      2     early release, 11:35 (HES only)
             28    no school- Memorial Day

June     7    LaSt DaY oF sChOoL