Link-Up Music Mentor: This past week, we had the privilege to meet a trombonist from the West Michigan Symphony. Our music teacher, Mrs. Bretz, introduced our fourth graders at Georgetown to Mr. Kip Hickman. Mr. Hickman is originally from California and made his way to Michigan when he attended the University of Michigan for his Master’s Degree. He explained what a brass instrument was, showed us some specifics about the trombone instrument, how to “buzz our lips,” and even performed for us. The students especially enjoyed when he played a little piece from Star Wars. 
Thank you!!: Thank you to those who kindly donated tissues and disinfectant wipes to our classroom. We have been diligently working to be aware and stay healthy in the midst of this cold and flu season. We are still accepting donations, but thank those who have attempted to help so far!
Here’s what we’ve been studying in Fourth Grade!
Math: Unit 4: Equations and Word Problems – We completed our unit! The class gained great experience and practice in decoding word problems and organizing their information in the many multi-step word problems. They applied their skills and tackled the problems well. Our next unit will involve fractions.
Writing: Literary Essays – We are now independently developing a thesis, or big idea, as a take away from our readings and are writing a literary essay that contains supporting evidence.
Science: We have continued learning about plants and their structures. The children are enjoying the hands-on approach to our curriculum and are eager to observe, question and illustrate their findings.
Important Information and Reminders:
*Girls Day Out: This year, the outing will take place at BAM! in Holland. All forms and payment are due back to school by Fri., Feb. 16. For more information, or an additional form, please click here.
*Winter Wear: Please have your child dress for the COLD temperatures. Boots are still very helpful when it is wet. Double check that all gear is labeled with their last name.
*Valentine’s Day: Our party and volunteers are set for Wed., Feb. 14, from 2:30-3:25pm. A letter regarding our Valentine Exchange arrived home before Mid-Winter Break with information regarding a Valentine box or bag, along with a class list of friends. If your child is participating, please remind them to bring both to school on Monday and Tuesday, if they have not already done so. Thanks!
*Homework: Read a minimum of 20 minutes every night. Remember to log the time and pages on your reading log and return it to school each day.
*Online Homework: Just a reminder that we have many great educational on-line resources for our students through their Clever Portal. I highly recommend that your child do at least 10 minutes a day of math facts on their Moby Max account. For more information, please visit my past post regarding Clever.
*Math Homework: Please continue to encourage your child to independently try their personal best and return it the following day to school. You will see a two page homework arrive home each Tuesday and Thursday.
*Backpack Snack: Thank you for packing a healthy daily snack for your child.
*Library: Thank you for your support! Please continue to help your child return their library book(s) each Wednesday so that they may check out new books of interest.
Take care and stay cozy in this snowy winter weather!
: ) Mrs. Estefan