Student Reporter: Peacemakers, Math, & Veteran's Day

Our Student Reporter reports: 

My first favorite thing of the year was getting to be a Peacemaker. A Peacemaker helps out problems and makes sure everyone follows the rules. When there's a problem we go over the set of rules that we have. We make sure the two people in the problem follow them. I thought being a Peacemaker was amazing. It was fun. And I think my two partners felt that way too. I want to try to be a Peacemaker next year too.

My second favorite thing this year was math. Math is my favorite subject in school. I like multiplying, dividing, adding, subtracting, and how to do lattice and standard algorithm. Now we know how to divide a four-digit number by a one-digit number. We learned more about multiplying a double-digit number by another double-digit number. 

My third favorite thing was when we did the Veteran's Assembly and play. My grandpa was a veteran, so that's why I like Veteran's Day. He was in the Navy. And that's why I liked the play we did.

Student Reporter: P.E.

Our Student Reporter reports:

My favorite subject in school is P.E. We did our running test and a push-up and curl-up test. I did 15 or 16 in the running test, and in the curl-up test I got two strikes. So, I did pretty good. In my push-up test I also got two-strikes. My favorite game in P.E. is Capture the Flag, because you get to run around and break people out of jail. Another one of my favorite games is Pin Down, where you throw a ball on a pin and if it falls down, you lose. I like Cool Hoop Tag, too. You kick a hoola-hoop, and if it touches you, then you have to do some exercises like curl-ups, leg lifts, push-ups, and jumping jacks. P.E. is my favorite, actually. It's my favorite special.

Student Reporter: Grand Coulee Dam & NOVA Creativity Fair

Our Student Reporter reports:

I was in NOVA this year, and I did Grand Coulee Dam for the Creativity Fair. I learned that it is 46 stories tall, and that 78 people died while building the dam, but none of them are buried in the concrete.  This year we went to Grand Coulee Dam and we got to go inside of the dam and on top of it. I thought it was really cool. My favorite part was when we got to stand on top of it and look at Lake Roosevelt.

Student Reporter: Field Day & Year Favorites

Our Student Reporter reports:

Today we're having Field Day and we're gonna have to go to stations. We might get wet and it's going to be a lot of fun.

For this year, it was really fun. I was glad to be in this classroom. Some of my favorite things were the Valentine's Party, the pumpkin carving, the Spring Concert, and all the posters that we've made this year. I've learned a lot this year and my classmates have too.

Student Reporter: Lewis & Clark and NOVA Creativity Fair

Our Student Reporter reports:

For Social Studies this week, we have been doing Lewis and Clark posters. We have to make up a cost and benefits paragraph and we had to color pictures and put captions by them. I thought that was fun because I got to learn about Lewis and Clark, which I've always wanted to learn about. One of the most interesting things I learned about Lewis and Clark is that they discovered 122 new animals and 178 new plants on their journey! 

At NOVA, I've been doing snowflakes. I learned about them and we got to go to a Creativity Fair and got to show what we learned and make a game. It was really fun. Did you know that snowflakes usually have six sides, but sometimes will have three or 12 sides?!

Student Reporter: SBA, Bike Riding, Talent Show

Our Student Reporter reports:

We have been working on preparing for the SBA. We have finished the reading one. The reading SBA tests your ability on reading and writing. Almost everyone in the class has finished that one. We are preparing right now for our math SBA. The math SBA tests your 4th grade ability on how well you can do things in math. 
We all try our best on this test because it is very important. Every kid in the state has to take this test. It's scored by a human in the state government. I thought the test was really, really hard. It took me three days to finish it because I had to write this big long essay and I didn't stop until I was satisfied. I think everybody else did the same thing. I have no doubt that the math SBA test won't be any easier than the first one.

After spring break, we had P.E. on Friday. We rode bikes. People who didn't bring their own bikes would ride these black bikes. They were pretty small. If you didn't bring your own helmet, it'd be okay because Mr. Groth had helmets. Mr. Groth is our P.E. teacher. When we're not riding bikes, he has us do our exercises and lets us play a game for P.E. If we're talking he just pulls out his phone and times us and we quiet down instantly. We have to sit down in silence, can't move, and can't talk at all. If he timed us for 1 minute, he times it by the quarter. So if it's the fourth quarter, we have to sit down crisscross applesauce for 4 minutes. And we can't look at anyone. Or move. Or talk. When that's over we get to play our game. Back to bike riding: Mr. Groth set up a track for us. First we would get on our bike and ride to the end of the sidewalk and there would be this pole with a paper stop sign on it. He taught us how to use our hands and arms to show we were turning right. He also taught us to look left, right, and left again to took for any cars, because then again, we were on school property. And then we would turn after we did our hand signal. We would stay on the right side of the cones because Mr. Groth set up some cones in the middle of the parking lot. Then we would take a turn around the small, brick building and we would come back to where the bikes are set up. I brought my own bike, and so did another student. So everybody picked out a helmet, unless they brought their own, and would put it on and if it was too loose, Mr. Groth would tighten it. When that was over, we rode our bikes around the track. And then, when our 20 minutes were over of riding bikes, we had to help Mr. Groth put the bikes and helmets away. 

On April 20th, we had a school talent show. A whole bunch of people in the school and in the class were in this talent show. A lot more were participating than last year. Before April 20th, we were doing rehearsals, or previews. Our first preview was on April 13th. That's when everybody introduced their acts to the people who were watching. Our second preview was on April 18th. That's when we had a dress rehearsal and practiced for the talent show. Then April 20th came. The people in the talent show came to the gym (where the talent show would be placed) at 1:20. We all lined up in order so when someone else's name was called, we wouldn't come up and do our act (and look pretty bad.) Then at 1:30, we had our school talent show. All of the kids in the school who weren't performing came into the gym and sat down with their class. My brother and I were doing A Silly Dance Show with us singing and dancing. After our school talent show, at 6 pm, parents would be invited to come and watch the students perform. Mr. Radocaj (a 5th grade teacher at Peninsula) announced the acts. In between acts, there was a little thing called "Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader." The fifth graders are smarter than parents and adults, apparently. Because no adults scored any points. Everybody did spectacular! 

Student Reporter: NOVA

Our Student Reporter reports:

I go to NOVA on Tuesdays, along with four other 4th graders from Peninsula. NOVA is a program for gifted children. There are 18 4th graders that go on Tuesday, and probably around 18 that go on Wednesday, for a total of 36 4th graders from the whole district. In the morning, we do an entry task to help our brain get started. Then we split up into two sides, and my side goes to the side where we do World Geography. We are creating brochures and my group is doing Rio de Janeiro. We do that for a little less than half the day, then we go back over to the other side where we do math and we do a magic number puzzle, which is where there is a shape and we have to fill in each part of the shape so that there's the same number when you add all the numbers together. Then we do a word game as a group and then we come back to one group and do a big activity all together. At the end of the day, sometimes the activity is a game, but since it's the end of the year we're working on the Creativity Fair. We can work by ourselves or with a partner. I am partnered up with another kid and we're doing black holes, like in space. At 2:45 we ride the bus back to our school. I think NOVA is really fun. Last year wasn't as fun, because we did a big unit on bugs, but this year we're doing a whole bunch of stuff combined. 

Student Reporter: Math & Clean up Time

Our Student Reporter reports:

Math is awesome! We learn a lot about it. Right now we are learning fractions. They're kind of hard. We've already done lattice and area model for multiplication, division, and mixed numbers. We have to times fractions and minus. I like fractions because they're sometimes easy but when you do times they're kind of hard. I'm an expert at the other things we have learned already. And I want to be one on fractions too. An expert is where the teacher tests if you know how to do it, and if you know how to do it you help others that need help.

For clean up time, my teacher puts up 10 points and if someone talks, she erases one. Most of the time we get them erased, but we still get points. Yesterday, for clean up time, I had to do the floor behind the sink. And I was kind of lazy. Yesterday we didn't earn any points - we were too loud. My class is very loud. We don't get very much points. Other clean up jobs are: some people have to pick up the balls and put them on the tables, some have to vacuum the floor, clean up the floor behind the cubbies, wipe tables, sharpen pencils, stack chairs, erase the board, and put the lunch sticks in any way on the shelf. And if a lunch stick falls, we have to crawl around and try to find it.

Student Reporter: Writing & Math

Our Student Reporter reports:

What I'm going to write about is writing and math.

Writing is my favorite thing because I get to type and write a story. Writing is my favorite thing because I have made a lot of stories on paper - most of them were about Minecraft. And my teacher, when she reads them, she always loves them. Even though it is hard to make an explanatory essay, I got it done. And so did most of the kids in the classroom. What I wrote about in my explanatory essay, I wrote about White Bengal tigers because white is my favorite color and I like things that are white.

My favorite thing about math is division. It is hard, but easy for me. And I love doing math. Lattice is another thing that is one of my favorites. Lattice is a way to do multiplication problems in a different way. Fractions has been fun lately. Everyone is getting better at doing fractions lately. My favorite thing to do in fractions is adding the fractions and subtracting the fractions. I am an expert in all of this, because I did a lot of practice. Some math is hard for people to understand, but they will get better and become an expert.

Student Reporter: Fractions & Imagine Learning

Our Student Reporter reports:

I like math because fractions are easy for me. We're learning about decomposing fractions. Decomposing means to split the number up. We did addition and subtraction with fractions yesterday. I think math is cool.

I do Imagine Learning in computer lab mostly all the days. Imagine Learning is for teaching you how to learn English better. In Imagine Learning we do reading books and we answer questions after we read the books. And we get Booster Bits, and if you get a full line of them you get to play a game. I think Imagine Learning is excellent.

Student Reporter: Mrs. Horney & Math

Our Student Reporter reports:

Mrs. Horney is our school counselor and she helps people when they need it. She comes into our room and she does lessons about how to keep us safe from dangerous people. When Mrs. Horney comes in, she teaches about what we should do and not do. Last time, she talked about what's a small problem and what's a big problem. The small problems are that if someone just pushes you, that's a minor problem. You can solve the problem, just walk away. If the game's not fair, just walk away and play another game. And what's a big problem is when someone threatens you and says they don't like you and want to bully you a lot. And then you tell the teacher. And if he doesn't stop you go to the principal.

Math is fun, because you get to learn about new things. Yesterday, we learned about fractions and we learned how to do fractions. We did comparing fractions. I also like division because division is more fun when it's hard. You sort of can make fun with it when it's hard and you can do it on a piece of paper and when you understand it, it's fun. And that's why I like math.

Student Reporter: Volcano Art & Science Center Day

Our Student Reporter reports:

We are doing art about volcanoes. I painted a volcano. I used the colors red, orange, and black. And I'm still gonna paint a little bit more and use the color purple. We learned about volcanoes in social studies.

On Friday the Pacific Science Center came. We had an assembly and we listened about space. We went into this thing filled with air and it was cool. (It was a planetarium.) It taught us about stars and constellations and the stories about Greek gods and how they made stuff go into space. It was fantastic!

Student Reporter: Peacemakers and Fractions

Our Student Reporter reports:

I am a Peacemaker. I get to help people when they're fighting at recess. I help solve the problems. I give out PAWS at recess to kids that are being nice and playing fair. I like being a Peacemaker.

In math, we're learning fractions. And I'm an expert. That means I get to help people with fractions. I think fractions are fun. I love math. And I can't wait for math to start every day.

Student Reporter: Panther Plus, Dr. Seuss Week, Writing, Peacemakers

Our Student Reporter reports: 

I go to Panther Plus. Panther Plus is an after-school program for students that need a little push to succeed at the 4th grade level. Panther Plus is where you go to a class for reading and math. In math, at Panther Plus, we play math games about multiplication facts. I'm really good at it because I know all my multiplication facts. I learned my 0-12's in 3rd grade. In reading, our Panther Plus teacher gives us a piece of paper and she reads us a story - like half of it - and then we get a piece of paper and write what we think is gonna happen next. I think it's kind-of fun, because we're thinking and writing at the same time.

This is Dr. Seuss Week.  Dr. Seuss Week is where you dress up as Wacky Wednesday, Thing 1 & Thing 2, and a mustache. Today is Thing 1 & Thing 2 Day. On Top Hat Day, everyone was wearing Dr. Seuss hats, and just normal hats, like cowboy hats. After school at 6 pm today is Dr. Seuss Night in the gym. You can dress up as Dr. Seuss characters and in the gym you play fun games, and win prizes, and take pictures, and do fun crafts. 

In writing, I'm writing about wolves. They are powerful and mysterious creatures. They hunt animals and eat 3-4 times a day. I'm writing about wolves because they are just like dogs and dogs are fun to play with (but not wolves, because they can scratch and bite you, and stuff.) Writing is fun. It's my favorite thing to do in school. Writing is fun because you can write for like 45 minutes, and you write about your favorite animals. That's why I like wolves, because they look cool and they look fun to play with. 

I am a Peacemaker because Miss Luiten chose me to be a Peacemaker. A Peacemaker is where you go outside and help little kids with problems if they need help, or something. My Peacemaker days are on Tuesday. I walk around the playground, giving people PAWS if they're being good - and not fighting or anything. I think being a Peacemaker is awesome. Even though it's not fun losing your recess, it's fun helping kids. I'd rather be a Peacemaker than have recess because you help kids with the rules and help them be safe.

Student Reporter: Wacky Wednesday & Math

Our Student Reporter reports:

Today is Dr. Seuss Wacky Wednesday. I'm wearing wacky socks. They're pink, white, blue, and fuzzy. And they're warm. My favorite Dr. Seuss book is Green Eggs and Ham. I like that the egg is green and the ham is green - it's so funny.

I like math, because math is fun. I like lattice, because lattice is fun. You use lattice to answer multiplication problems. We're starting to work on fractions. Fractions are fun. They can be hard, but sometimes they're easy. 

Student Reporter: Dr. Seuss Week & Writing

Our Student Reporter reports: 

This week is Dr. Seuss week. Today is Top Hat Day. I like Dr. Seuss because I can read my favorite Dr. Seuss book: Green Eggs and Ham. I think that book is kind-of funny and it teaches kids to try new things.

In writing, we're writing about animals. My animal is a leopard. One day I searched how many leopards there are in the world. I found out that there are only 30 Amur leopards left in the world. And if you want to find them, you have to go to far-east Russia, Korea, or north China.

Student Reporter: Peacemaker & Seating Arrangement

Our Student Reporter reports:

My favorite thing in math is long division, but it is hard at the same time. 

I also like being a Peacemaker at school. A Peacemaker is what helps others. I have to help other kids when they have conflicts and problems at recess. For example, when people were fighting I helped them solve their problem. It is fun helping kids.

I like sitting with my friend during class, because we don't talk anymore and we get our work done.

Student Reporter: Writing &Typing Pal

Our Student Reporter reports:

In writing we write paragraphs about our animal. I chose tigers because they're really fast and they're black and orange and they're my favorite colors. I really like writing because you get to learn a lot.

In Typing Pal and Club we learn how to type. In Typing Club it shows you the right fingers to type with. I like Typing Pal more because it makes the letters red when you type it wrong and then you move on. When you finish it shows how you did and how many mistakes and how fast you did it.

Student Reporter: Rockin' Reading, Typing Club, Math, & Writing

Our Student Reporter reports:

In Rockin' Reading, we're doing a lot of rereading and going back in the paragraph and looking at what the author said.

We do Typing Pal or Typing Club. I like Typing Club more because it tells you when to type the keys, and how much you got, and you earn stars.

In math we're doing division word problems. We get in groups so we can help people, and those people help us. And if we need help, Miss Luiten helps us.

In writing, we're getting on to typing our essay. I like to type my essay about Sand Cats and what they eat, what they do, and what they are.

Student Reporter: DLA & Typing Pal

Our Student Reporter reports:

Typing Pal is our typing app that we use to get better at our typing. For Typing Pal we either pick Typing Club or Typing Pal. With either one we pick, we go and put our fingers in the correct spaces and then we type the letters we are learning to type. Once we are all done, we should have paragraphs on each that we are typing and when we type the paragraphs, when we make a mistake, it makes it red and then we go on to the next one. Once we are done with it, it shows us our score, how many mistakes, and how fast we did it. I think Typing Pal/Club is good for learning to type because they take you slow and if you mess up they just let us redo it and we don't have to move on.

DLA (Daily Language Activity) is our grammar that we do in the morning. For DLA, the teacher gives us a sentence that has some errors and we correct it. After we do some other things, we go over it. Usually there are four, or under, mistakes and we have to use our grammar skills to figure out where the problems are. And when we go over it, we get all the questions and all the mistakes and sometimes we don't get all of them, but in the end we go over it on the board with the teacher. I think DLA is good for learning grammar. So far, I have been pretty good at it.

Student Reporter: Fractions & Animals Essays

Our Student Reporter reports:

Last week in math, we were adding and subtracting fractions. I thought it was pretty good. Our teacher helped us with it. And then we did it with a partner. And then we gave it to our teacher and she would correct it. Then we moved on to our math word problems. And our teacher had us read each sentence and go through the picture graphs that showed fractions, like water bottles, fences, and baseball cards.

In writing we're doing our animal essays with our teacher. We would put it in a sentence and then give it to our teacher. Then we go back and write a paragraph about our animal in our own words. And then we turned it in after 15 minutes. The animal I'm writing about is pandas. I think pandas are pretty cute. I learned that pandas are mammals, which means they are warm blooded. I like pandas because they are fluffy.

Our Student Reporter's Graphic Organizer for our Animal Explanatory Essay

Student Reporter: Valentine's Day & Long Division

Our Student Reporter reports:

For our Valentine's Day party, first we made folders to hold our valentines. We tore paper to make hearts and I made mine with red and purple stripes. Then we passed out valentines and went to recess. When we came back inside, we opened the valentines and ate candy. I thought the Valentine's party was outstanding.

In math we're working on long division. I think it's hard, but I'm working hard to figure it out.

Valentine's Day