Dear 4th Grade Families,

In conjunction with our Service Learning Unit this year, we took a trip to Covanta in Pittsfield last week. Covanta is an Energy from Waste facility that processes approximately 240 tons of solid waste every day, converting it first to steam and then to electricity. We really saw the Energy from Waste cycle first hand. I’m not sure if the photos truly convey the mass of garbage we saw all in one place, but perhaps you’ve heard first hand. I don’t know who was more excited about the trip, the 4th graders or Mr. Gore who joined us – he really was a kid in candy store!
I hope to visit a recycling facility as well by the end of the year. We plan on writing up a brochure explaining where our garbage goes, what happens to it after we throw it away and what can be done with it.

Fractions continue to be the theme of most Math classes. One game that proved lots of fun, was ‘Which one is the Outlier?’ out of a choice of 4 fractions. I always look to include problems with more than one right answer, especially in math which is often associated with precision but also has plenty of room for multiple methods and representations. The class quickly created their own groups of 4.

In Social Studies class we have begun our Create-A-State projects and the creative energy is really flowing. They are just finishing the first of five different maps of the same imagined State- the Physical map. Tourist maps, Road maps, Natural resource maps and Landmark maps are to follow. The are applying their knowledge of map scale, map keys, and different landforms as well as arranging and categorizing which information goes into which map, and how to design and illustrate that as well.

As you know after we finished Maniac Magee the class created their own Tall Tales and enjoyed sharing them with each other. Most everyone chose to share theirs and it is gratifying to see them so absorbed in each others unique compositions. Photos are attached in the slide show below.
Thanks to Kara for introducing the class to Sudoku puzzles and to Neal for bringing in two of his Math board games for us to play.

Again, it was great to see so many of you at Bring a Parent to School day. I’m jealous of you all getting time with Mr. Evans on the pottery wheel in Art Class. I’ll get up there one of these days!
I’m sure you’ve all heard that the Talent Show has been rescheduled for this coming Tuesday, March 6th.

Hope you’re all safe and warm on this snowy day.
Best, Katharine

To view the slideshow on a mobile device, click this link:

https://www.flickr.com//photos/bcdtech/sets/72157693738511125/show/