Merry Christmas !

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of you!

We wish each of you and your families a warm and joyous Christmas and an amazing New Year filled with many blessings!

We will see you on January 6, 2020!

Looking Ahead..

• Wednesday, December 18th - Gift Mass at 9:30 in the Church - Please consider sending in a wrapped toy for a child that is less fortunate. Please put a tag on the gift specifying the age and gender the gift would be best for. 
• Friday, December 20th - 4th Grade Christmas Party from 9:30 to 10:30 - Please note that dismissal this day is the regular time of 12:50 and there is NO aftercare this day. 

English Language Arts

Reading - Students will finish reading about the various Holidays Around the World and complete the graphic organizer.

We will also do several activities themed around "The Grinch" with a Grinch Day where we will talk about character traits, compare and contrast the book and movie, and much more!

Writing - Students will continue to work on persuading Santa to hire them as an Elf in the workshop.

Social Studies

We will be preparing for an activity with the second grade classes as we go on a scavenger hunt to learn all about the traditions and customs of Christmas in Germany.

Math

We will be working on division with and without remainders.

The students will take a x6 timed test this week for a grade on Thursday. They will take the pretest today, Monday.

Science

We are continuing the Mixtures and Solutions lab. This week, we will mix liquids with solids and liquids with liquids. There is NOT a vocabulary test this week.

Religion

We will continue to work in our Absolutely Advent booklet.

Third Week of Advent prayer

Our week begins with “Gaudete Sunday.” Gaudete means “rejoice” in Latin.  It comes from the first word of the Entrance antiphon on Sunday.  The spirit of joy that begins this week comes from the words of Paul, “The Lord is near.”  This joyful spirit is marked by the third candle of our Advent wreath, which is rose colored, and the rose colored vestments often used at the Eucharist.

The second part of Advent begins on December 17th each year.  For the last eight days before Christmas, the plan of the readings changes.  The first readings are still from the prophesies, but now the gospels are from the infancy narratives of Matthew and Luke.  We read the stories of faithful women and men who prepared the way for our salvation.  We enter into the story of how Jesus' life began.  These stories are filled with hints of what his life will mean for us.  Faith and generosity overcome impossibility.  Poverty and persecution reveal glory.

Preparing our Hearts and asking for Grace

We prepare this week by feeling the joy.  We move through this week feeling a part of the waiting world that rejoices because our longing has prepared us to believe the reign of God is close at hand.  And so we consciously ask:

Prepare our hearts
and remove the sadness
that hinders us from feeling
the joy and hope
which his presence
will bestow.

Each morning this week, in that brief moment we are becoming accustomed to, we want to light a third inner candle.  Three candles, going from expectation, to longing, to joy.  They represent our inner preparation, or inner perspective.  In this world of “conflict and division,” “greed and lust for power,” we begin each day this week with a sense of liberating joy.  Perhaps we can pause, breathe deeply and say,

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
     my spirit rejoices in God my savior.”

Each day this week, we will continue to go through our everyday life, but we will experience the difference our faith can bring to it.  We are confident that the grace we ask for will be given us.  We will encounter sin - in our own hearts and in our experience of the sin of the world.  We can pause in those moments, and feel the joy of the words,

“You are to name him Jesus,
  because he will save his people
  from their sins.” Matthew 1:21

We may experience the Light shining into dark places of our lives and showing us patterns of sinfulness, and inviting us to experience God's mercy and healing.  Perhaps we wish to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconcilation this week.  We may want to make gestures of reconcilation with a loved one, relative, friend or associate.  With more light and joy, it is easier to say, “I'm sorry; let's begin again.”

Each night this week we want to pause in gratitude.  Whatever the day has brought, no matter how busy it has been, we can stop, before we fall asleep, to give thanks for a little more light, a little more freedom to walk by that light, in joy.

Our celebration of the coming of our Savior in history, is opening us up to experience his coming to us this year, and preparing us to await his coming in Glory.

Come, Lord Jesus.  Come and visit your people. 
We await your coming.  Come, O Lord.

Second Week of Advent

Good Morning Families,

As we enter into the second week of Advent, please take a moment to read the below reflection. 

Preparing our Hearts and asking for the Grace

We prepare this week by stepping up the longing.  We move through this week by naming deeper and more specific desires.

Each morning this week, if even for that brief moment at the side of our beds, we want to light a second inner candle.  We want to let it represent “a bit more hope.”  Perhaps we can pause, breathe deeply and say,

“Lord, I place my trust in you.”

Each day this week, as we encounter times that are rushed, even crazy, we can take that deep breath, and make that profound prayer.  Each time we face some darkness, some experience of “parched land” or desert, some place where we feel “defeated” or “trapped,” we hear the words, “Our God will come to save us!” 

The grace we desire for this week is to be able to hear the promise and to invite our God to come into those real places of our lives that dearly need God's coming.  We want to be able to say: 

“Lord, I place my trust in your promise.  Please, Lord, rouse your power and come into this place in my life, this relationship, into this deep self-defeating pattern.  Please come here and save me.”

Each night this week we can look back over the day and give thanks for the moments of deep breath, that opened a space for more trust and confidence in God's fidelity to us.  No matter how difficult the challenges we are facing - from the growing realization of our personal sinfulness, to any experience of emptiness or powerlessness, even in the face of death itself - we can give thanks for the two candles that faithfully push back the darkness.  And, we can give thanks for the graces given us to believe that “Our 

God will come to save us” because we were given the courageous faith to desire and ask boldly.

Come, Lord Jesus.  Come and visit your people. 
We await your coming.  Come, O Lord.

Looking Ahead...

• Wednesday, December 11th - All School Mass @ 9:30 in the Church 
• Thursday, December 12th - Salt Dough Map Project @ 1:45 - parent volunteers are needed, so please contact Mrs. Ezell if you are able to join 
• Wednesday, December 18th - All School Mass @ 9:30  in the Church - This is our annual Gift Mass, where we ask students to please bring in one wrapped toy for a child in need. Please place a tag on the gift that states if it is for a boy or girl and the age. 
• Friday, December 20th - 4th Grade Christmas Party from 9:30 to 10:30

English Language Arts

There will be a spelling test on Thursday, December 12th. 

Grammar - We will talk about Pronouns. The "check-in" quiz will be pushed back to Friday, December 13th. 

Reading - We will be looking at a story called Holidays Around the World. Students will complete a graphic organizer about the customs and traditions celebrated in other countries.

Writing - Students will begin the rough draft process for their persuasive writing piece: Elf for Hire.

Social Studies

We will be talking about how Arizona has three different types of regions: plateau, desert, and mountain. Then, we will prepare to do our salt dough map on Thursday.

Math

This week we are going to understand and solve division problems with a remainder using an array and area models.

We will take a timed x5 quiz on Friday, December 13th.

Science

We are Combining Matter, and we will investigate how solids interact with solids, how solids interact with liquids, and how liquids interact with liquids.

No vocabulary quiz this week.

Religion 

The students are continuing to work on their Absolutely Advent book.

Hello December

Hello December!

Happy First Week of Advent! Below you will find a simple prayer for the first week. As a school community, we will be praying the Examine daily during the next three weeks!

First Week of Advent Prayer

As we begin Advent, we light one candle in the midst of all the darkness in our lives and in the world.  It symbolizes our longing, our desire, our hope.  Three “advents” or “comings” shape our desire.  We want to be renewed in a sense that Jesus came to save us from our sin and death.  We want to experience his coming to us now, in our everyday lives, to help us live our lives with meaning and purpose.  And we want to prepare for his coming to meet us at the end of our lives on this earth.

So, we begin with our longing, our desire and our hope.

When we wake up, each day this week, we could light that candle, just by taking a few moments to focus.  We could pause for a minute at the side of our bed, or while putting on our slippers or our robe, and light an inner candle.  Who among us doesn't have time to pause for a moment?  We could each find our own way to pray something like this:

“Lord, the light I choose to let into my life today is based on my trust in you.  It is a weak flame, but I so much desire that it dispel a bit more darkness today.  Today, I just want to taste the longing I have for you as I go to the meeting this morning, carry out the responsibilities of my work, face the frustration of some difficult relationships.  Let this candle be my reminder today of my hope in your coming.”

Each morning this week, that momentary prayer might get more specific, as it prepares us for the day we will face.  And as we head to work, walk to a meeting, rush through lunch, take care of errands, meet with people, pick up the phone to return some calls, answer e-mail, return home to prepare a meal, listen to the ups and downs of our loved ones' day, we can take brief moments to relate our desire for the three comings of the Lord to our life.

If our family has an Advent wreath, or even if it doesn't, we could pray together before our evening meal.  As we light the first candle on the wreath, or as we simply pause to pray together our normal grace.  Then, as we begin to eat, we can invite each other, including the children, to say something about what it means today to light this first candle. 

And every night this week, we can pause briefly, perhaps as we sit for a minute at the edge of the bed.  We can be aware of how that one, small candle's worth of desire brought light into this day.  And we can give thanks.  Going to bed each night this week with some gratitude is part of the preparation for growing anticipation and desire.

Come, Lord Jesus!  Come and visit your people. 
We await your coming.  Come, O Lord.

Looking Ahead....

• Tuesday, December 3rd - All School Mass @ 9:30 AM 
• Wednesday, December 4th - Reconciliation for students in grades 4, 6, and 8 @ 8:30 AM 
• Wednesday, December 11th - All School Mass @ 9:30
• Wednesday, December 18th - All School Mass @ 9:30 AM 
• Friday, December 20th - 4th Grade Christmas Party in the morning 

English Language Arts



There will NOT be a spelling test this week. We will resume next week.

Reading - We will looking a Biography this week and the skill of Author's Purpose. There will be a reading quiz on Friday, December 6th. 

Grammar - We will be looking at the skill of Pronouns. Students will have a "check-in" quiz next Tuesday, December 10th. 

Writing - We will be working on a fun Persuasive Writing project, Elf for Hire. Students will be learning about ways to persuade Santa to hire them to work in his workshop.

Social Studies

We will be finishing our Navigating through Maps packet Monday and Tuesday. We will begin to work on creating our own digital map via Google Slides during our tech time. Lastly, we will be preparing for our Salt Dough Map Project, which will take place on Thursday, December 12th. We will need parent volunteers to help students mix the ingredients, so if you are available, please join us. We will be creating our maps the last hour of the school day, 1:45 to 2:45.

Math

We will continuing to multiply but using 3, 4-digit numbers by single digits. The students will use three strategies to solve the problem: the area model, partial model, and the standard algorithm. They will also complete two-step word problems.

We will also have a x4 graded test this Thursday. The students will take a pretest today.

Science

We are continuing Chemistry and Matter. In Investigation 2 we will be measuring matter using a triple beam balance. The students will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday, December 6th on words 6 through 10, which can be found on page 11 in the Lab Learner. 

Religion 

We are starting our Absolutely Advent workbook. This will be graded at the end of Advent. Students are required to fill them out daily. We will be working in class, and the students will file these in their Religion slot of their accordion file.

This coming Wednesday is Reconciliation. The students are practicing the Act of Contrition and we will do an Examination of Conscience.

Gratitude

Good Morning Families!

Please note that this week's blog will serve as our blog for this week and next due to the very short school week next week.

Happy "early" Thanksgiving! We are filled with so much gratitude for each of you as you walk on this academic and spiritual journey with us and your child. Thank you for your continuous support, love, and commitment to our classrooms and school. Enjoy the Thanksgiving break with all of your family and friends!

Looking Ahead....

• Tuesday, November 19th to Friday, November 22nd - Book Fair - Both 4th Grade classes will shop on Tuesday afternoon. 
• Friday, November 22nd - Grandparent's Day with Mass @ 9:00 AM and dismissal at 11:30 AM 
• Saturday, November 23rd - Breakfast with Santa from 8:30 to 11:30 in the school gym 
• Tuesday, November 26th - St. Vincent de Paul service project from 8:30 to 11:00
• Wednesday, November 27th to Friday, November 29th - NO SCHOOL  Thanksgiving Holiday - See you on Monday, December 2nd. 

English Language Arts 



The students will have a spelling test on Thursday, November 21st. 

Grammar - We will have a summative grammar assessment on common vs. proper nouns, complete sentences vs. fragments, and verbs on Wednesday, November 20th. We will review these skills on Monday and Tuesday.

Reading - We will read the story from lesson 9 and talk about the skill of drawing conclusions and making generalizations based on the clues given to us.

Writing - We will begin to work on a Thankful Texts writing project. Each day students will be given a prompt to reflect on and they will "text" (write) about why they are thankful for it.

Social Studies 

We will begin our unit on Maps. We will first start with why we use maps, what makes a map a good one, and even create our own map. This will prepare us for our discussions on relief maps and our upcoming project in December of creating a Salt Dough Map of Arizona. More info to come at a later date as we will need parent helpers for this in-class project.

Math

We are continuing to multiply multi-digit  by single-digit numbers. The students are familiar with the area model and partial product strategies. This week, we will focus on the standard algorithm.

The students will have a x4 quiz this week. It is timed: 1 minute for 20 problems. PRACTICE!!!

Science

In Science, we are measuring matter using a triple beam balance. The students will separate the linkt from the seeds and trash of our cotton boll samples. They will measure the mass of each in the lab.

Religion 

We are in the final stages for our St. Vincent de Paul service project.

Field Trip

Happy Monday!

On Thursday, November 14th we will be visiting Grandview Dairy and the cotton fields. Please remember that your child is allowed to wear jeans on this day. Additionally, lunch will be provided for them while we are there.

Looking Ahead....

• Wednesday, November 13th - Grades 3 - 5 Mass at Brophy
• Thursday, November 14th - Grandview Dairy field trip 
• Tuesday, November 19th to Friday, November 22nd - Book Fair 
• Friday, November 22nd - Grandparent's Day with Mass at 9:00 am 
• Tuesday, November 26th - St. Vincent de Paul service project 8:30 to 11:00

English Language Arts



The students will have a spelling test on FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH. 
HOMEWORK IS STILL DUE THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14TH. 

Reading - We will look at the skill of Understanding Characters and move to lesson 8.

Grammar - We will continue to talk about Verbs. Additionally, students will have time to review the following skills: Common and Proper Nouns and Complete Sentences vs. Fragments. There will be a summative assessment on the grammar skills covered in Lessons 4 to 7 on Wednesday, November 20th. 

Social Studies

We will finish talking about Arizona's 5C's. The students will finish their photo collages during tech time this week. 

Math 

We are doing multiplication of up to four digit by single-digit  numbers. The students will be using a strategy called partial product, which is probably something you are unfamiliar with. Please let your child teach this strategy. We will also be using the area model. Soon the students will use the standard algorithm. 

This week, the timed test is x3. The students will take it Thursday after the field trip for a grade. It is 1 minute for 20 problems. We took the pretest today, so your child knows how hard he/she has to study for this quiz. 

Science

We have started a new module, Chemistry, Matter, and Interactions. This week, the focus is on matter. The students will use a triple beam balance to measure mass. We will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday. 
Religion 

We are memorizing the Suscipe this week. We will be finishing The Joyful Mysteries. 

Happy November !

Happy Monday to All!

November is here! Cooler weather is here! Please remember to put your child's last name in their sweatshirts to avoid losing them.

Looking Ahead...

• Wednesday, November 13th - Grades 3 to 5 Mass at Brophy Chapel 
• Thursday, November 14th - Grandview Dairy Field Trip ALL DAY - Lunch will be provided, so no need to pack anything. 
• Friday, November 22nd - Grandparent's Day with Mass at 9 am 
• Tuesday, November 26th - St. Vincent de Paul Service Project - 8:30 to 11:00

St. Vincent de Paul Service Project 
Please click on the link below to sign up to attend as a parent volunteer the morning of St. Vincent de Paul. All parents who join us must be current on their SET training. Additionally, any parent who comes to volunteer will need to carpool to the site location as parking is limited.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP 

English Language Arts



NO SPELLING THIS WEEK.

READING LOGS for November -November Reading Logs are coming home today on either pink or orange paper. Students are expected to read 15 minutes each night. At the end of the month, a parent is expected to sign the reading log. There will be weekly check-in's to see how students are progressing. Reading logs will be checked on Fridays and then returned to the student before dismissal. Students did not as a whole follow the directions for October and points were lost. Please check on your child's work.

Reading - We are continuing to learn about Text Features by learning a fun chant with hand motions and reading an informational text piece on how movies are made. The students will have a reading quiz on Friday, November 8th. 

Grammar - We will be talking about Verbs. The students will have a "check-in" quiz on Friday, November 8th. 

Social Studies

We will begin to learn about Arizona's 5 C's - cotton, cattle, citrus, climate, and copper. This is in preparation of our upcoming field trip.

Math

We are multiplying by 10s, 100s, and 1000s. The students will be looking for patterns. They will also do double-digit by single-digit using the partial product strategy. Thsi is different and ask your child to teach you how to use this strategy.

Science

We are in Investigation 5: The study of Microscopy. The students will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday, November 8th.

Religion

The focus again this week is The Joyful Mysteries and the poster preparations.

Happy Halloween !

Good Morning Everyone!

The end of October is near as well is the first trimester. The trimester closes Friday, November 1st, and you will have access to student report cards next week.

Happy Halloween! Have fun and be safe this Thursday! Be sure save any leftover candy and donate them to our class for our St. Vincent de Paul service project. We will be making candy bags with heartfelt messages insides. 

If you have not yet turned in your 2 yards of fleece, please do so ASAP.. We will need to prepare the fabric for the blanket activity. 

Looking Ahead....

• Thursday, October 31st - 4th Grade Halloween Party @ 1:45 to 2:45
• Friday, November 1st - All Saint's Day Mass @ 8:30 in the Church 
• Friday, November 8th - Pizza Friday - see the weekly enews for the order form
• Friday, November 8th - 8th Grade Play of Willy Wonka Jr. showings at 2:00 pm and 7:00 pm 

English Language Arts



ALL students received their list of spelling words last Friday and their spelling homework. Their spelling homework is due THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31ST. They will have a test on the words on Thursday as well. 

Grammar - We will continue to review Common and Proper Nouns and begin to work with Verbs.

Reading - We will be looking at Lesson 7 and the skill of informational text. We will spend 2 weeks on this story and skill since it is our first time being exposed to informational text this school year. The students will be assessed on this story and skill on Friday, November 8th. 

Social Studies

Students will have the opportunity to present a 1 to 2 minute presentation on their state project.

Math

The students will continue using the Area Model to represent multiplication facts. They will also use perimeter and area to solve word problems.

In fourth grade, we do timed multiplication tests. This week, the students will be assessed on the x2s and x3s. These are super easy and will give them confidence with this type of test and math facts. We have to have MASTERY!!! 

Science

Investigation 4 is Exploring Using the Microscope. The students will view two different slides and gain an understanding different magnifications of the objectives.

There will be a science vocabulary quiz this Friday.

Religion 

We will be creating our Joyful Mystery groups. The students will create posters to be used at St. Vincent de Paul.

There will be an Act of Love quiz this Friday.

50 STATES

Happy Monday Families,

This week, marks our final week with our 50 States unit. The students have been working very hard the past six weeks and are ready to show off what they know!

The BIG 100 point quiz is this WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23RD! Their state project is due Friday, October 25th, and so far they look amazing!!

Looking Ahead...

• Thursday, October 31st - 4th Grade Halloween Party @ 1:45 to 2:45
• Friday, November 1st - All Saint's Day Mass @ 8:30 in the Church 

English Language Arts



Grammar - Our "check-in" assessment has been PUSHED BACK to Friday, October 25th. We will be talking about Proper Nouns this week, and then moving to Verbs.

Reading - We will be looking at Lesson 6 and the skill of story structure.

NEW -  Spelling begins Friday of this week - Beginning this Friday and as we move forward in the school year, students will receive their spelling list and menu choice board of homework every Friday unless directed by the teacher. Students will be expected to complete 4 taks for the week and it will be due Thursday of the following week. 

Spelling pretests are given on Friday, and spelling tests are the following Thursday. If a student gets a 100% on the pretest, they are not required to take the test, but still need to do the homework. 

Social Studies 

We are wrapping up our state unit with our final test, projects, and postcards.

Math

We are finishing up our metric module. We will begin our third module which includes multi-digit multiplication and division. In the first lesson, we will use the formulas for area and perimeter. This will lead us into the concept of using arrays to represent a multiplication fact.

Science

Investigation 3 is learning about the microscope. The students will use the skills on how to properly use a compound microscope. We will be tested on the vocabulary this Friday (page 22).

Religion 

We are beginning our Joyful Mysteries. The students will work in groups to prepare posters for our  St. Vincent de Paul service project.

Fall Weather is here!

Good Morning and Happy Tuesday!

We hope you enjoyed your Fall break and the cooler weather! Fall is here....yippee!

Looking Ahead...

• Wednesday, October 16th - Rosary @ 9:30 in the Church 

English Language Arts

**We are not moving to the next lesson in our Journey's textbook this week.**

Grammar - I made a typo last week when I said we would moving to pronouns. We are NOT. We are actually going to be talking PROPER NOUNS.  Students will have a "check-in" assessment on this skill next Tuesday, October 22nd. 

Writing - We will be finishing up our state reports this week. Then, we will begin to compose our postcards to mail out by the end of this month.

Social Studies

Students will be continuing to practice and review for the upcoming 50  states assessment. The 50 states test is Wednesday, October 23rd. Students will need to correctly locate and spell each state correctly. 

We will be wrapping up our written report of the states and move into the project piece. Students will be given 4 options to choose from to showcase their state: state float, state poster, state in a bag, or state postage stamp. We will have class time on Thursday, October 17th to begin work on this piece. All state projects will be due Friday, October 25th. 

Math

We are working on metric measurement. The students are becoming familiar with meters, liters, and grams. They will be converting things such as kilograms to grams, and meters to kilometers or centimeters, etc.

Science

We are NOT having a vocabulary quiz on Friday. Instead we are learning about the parts of a microscope. We will be able to label the microscope.

Religion 

We are going to get started on our St. Vincent  de Paul project . Using the Spiritual Works of Mercy as a guide, the students will be writing notes of encouragements that will be added to a snack baggie of candy. On that note, please save any leftover Halloween candy. 

If you have not yet sent in your 2 yards of fleece, please do so this week. It is used for another project while we are at St. Vincent de Paul. 

October is here!

Happy Monday Families!

Please note that this week's blog will serve as our weekly communication for this week and next week. Next week is somewhat of a shorter week due to 2 half days and no school on Friday, October 11th. Also, please remember that Mrs. Ezell will be away Monday, October 7th to Wednesday, October 9th at a professional development conference in Chicago, IL. 

Looking Ahead...

• Tuesday, October 1st - Altar server training from 3:15 to 4:15 in the Church for students in grades 4 and up. One parent must attend. 
• Friday, October 4th - Jesuit Heritage Mass with Brophy at 9:45 to 11:15 pm. Students will NOT be allowed to leave Mass, so plan accordingly. See Mrs. Westerfield's notes in the weekly eNews for any questions. 
• Friday, October 4th - School Auction for parents at 6:00 pm 
• Wednesday, October 9th and Thursday, October 10th - Half Day with dismissal at 12:50
• Friday, October 11th and Monday, October 14th - NO SCHOOL 

English Language Arts



 * We will spend the next 2 weeks on Lesson 5.*

Reading - We will be talking about Tall Tales and use the cartoon video, Paul Bunyan to help us get started. We will be looking at the skill of understanding characters. There will be a reading assessment on this skill next Thursday, October 10th. 

Grammar - Last week, we spent some extra time reviewing our Quotation Marks rules and re-did some of our work. Students will receive directions for their "Let's Chat" Quotation Marks project this week and it will be due next Thursday, October 10th. 

We will then move to looking at the skill of proper nouns. 

Writing - The majority of the students are now working on their rough drafts of their state reports. We will work on finishing them up this week, so that next week we can revise and edit to get ready to publish.

NEW reading log and program - Beginning tomorrow, October 1st, students will be logging their nightly reading in their AZ Coyotes reading log book. This school year, we are participating in the AZ Coyotes reading challenge. Thank you to Mr. Sanford for including us in this year's program. Each night students are expected to read for 10 minutes. Then at the end of the month, a parent signature is required and the reading log will be turned in for points in class and so that we can add up all the minutes we read as a fourth grade.

Social Studies

This is our last week with the region states. We will test on the Northeast region on Thursday, October 3rd. 

The students will have their final states test, where they will be expected to properly locate and spell each state on Wednesday, October 23rd. 

Math

We are finishing our first module. It was adding and subtracting large numbers, rounding numbers to any place, and comparing large numbers.

The second module is Problem Solving with Metric Measurement.

Science

We are starting our new module called Microscopes and Magnification. This week we are studying the eye and using hand lenses to experience high and low resolution.

We will have a vocabulary quiz over the 7 highlighted words that can be found in the Lab Learner book (#'s 2-8) on Friday, October 4th.

Religion 

This week are are memorizing The Prayer for Generosity. The quiz will be Friday, October 4th.

We will talk about the Corporal and Spiritual Works of Mercy. The Church has given us the works of mercy to help care for others.

Happy First Day of Fall

As we enter into the last full week of September, and the first day of Fall is upon us, cooler temperatures are coming!!! We are also half way through the first trimester, and the students have been working very hard. Our schedule of assignments and quizzes should be somewhat predictable for our students, so hopefully they are in a good rhythm by now.

Looking Ahead...

• Wednesday, September 25th - Grades 3 - 5 Mass at Brophy @ 9:30 am 
• Monday, September 30th to Friday, October 4th - Auction pre-sales in the library before and after school
• Friday, October 4th - School Auction @ 6 pm in the courtyard 
• Wednesday, October 10th - Half Day due to conferences
• Thursday, October 11th - Half Day due to conferences
• Friday October 11th and Monday, October 14th - NO SCHOOL 

English Language Arts



Reading - We did not get enough time time last week to discuss our story and the skill of Theme. We will continue talking about Lesson 4 and Theme this week.

Grammar - We will continue to talk about Quotation Marks. Students will be assigned a mini project this week on this skill, and it will be due Friday, October 4th. 

Writing - We will continue our research and rough drafts of the state reports this week.

Social Studies

WE HAD TO PUSH BACK OUR SOUTHEAST REGION QUIZ DATE TO THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 26TH!!!! 

Then, we will move to our final region the Northeast.This is one of the hardest regions for the students, so we will be planning lots of review games in class to help them. The Northeast Region states and capitals quiz will be on Thursday, October 3rd. 



Math

We are subtracting very large numbers and using a lot of regrouping. We are also creating tape diagrams to model our word problems. 
Science

We are making a life size model of The Digestive System as a culminating activity for this module. 
There will NOT be a vocabulary quiz this Friday. 

Religion 

The Act of Hope test is tomorrow, Tuesday. 

This week we are talking about the virtue of prudence. Being prudent helps us to form a good conscience. We will also practice doing an Examination of Conscience. 

Conference Time

Happy Monday Everyone!

This is a friendly reminder that we begin our Parent-Teacher Conferences this week before and after school. We are so appreciative to you for taking the time to meet and partner with us. There are still a few spots open if you have not yet signed up.

Looking Ahead...

• Wednesday, September 18th - All School Mass in the Church at 9:30. 4B is leading us in the readings. 

English Language Arts



Grammar - This week, we will begin to talk about the 3 ways to properly use Quotation Marks.

Reading - We will be reading Lesson 4, The Power of WOW and discussing the skill of Theme.

The students should be working on their September Book Project. Once they have read their book, they can check with Mrs. Ezell to get their project paper. It can found on the back shelf of Mrs. Ezell's classroom. The project is Due Friday, September 27th. 

Writing - Students will finish researching their state this week and begin to work on a rough draft.

Social Studies

The students will be quizzed on the states and capitals in the Midwest Region this Wednesday, September 18th. 

We will then move to learning about the states in the Southeast Region. The Southeast Region quiz will be on Wednesday, September 25th. 

Math

We are adding large numbers with and without regrouping. One of our main focuses is creating a tape diagram. 
Science

Our last lesson is in this module The Digestive System. The students will have a vocabulary quiz on Friday, September 20th. 
Religion 

This week the focus is using our free will. This fits in nicely with our Decision Making program because students can discuss consequences of their choices. We are also learning The Act of Hope. The quiz will be next Tuesday, September 24th. 

Work Hard, Play Hard

Happy Monday to All,

We hope you had a fun weekend!  In the coming weeks, our classes  will begin discussing our From Farm to Football lessons. This program is no longer "live", but we still have access to previous year's materials.   The students will watch videos from AZ Cardinals player, Budda Baker, on the topics of pigs, chickens, cattle, and more! Most importantly, he always includes a message for the students and the message this month was, "Work Hard means you get to Play Hard." 

Let us encourage our students to work hard in class and put forth their best self, so that when it is time to play or rest they can truly enjoy it. Let us continue to have conversation with our students about time management, a skill that is quite difficult at this age, but so vital. If we can do anything for our fourth graders this year it will be to help them learn time management and stay organized. It is also important that they use their class time wisely, utilizing their agenda daily, and keeping their accordion file organized. Let us partner together to help our kiddos by not doing it for them, rather helping them learn how to do this by modeling and having conversation about what is expected of them at school.

Looking Ahead...

• Week of September 16th to October 4th - 4th Grade Parent - Teacher Conferences 
• Wednesday, September 18th - All School Mass at 9:30 - 4th grade is leading

English Language Arts



**We are continuing our work with Lesson 3 for this week.**

Reading - We will read Lesson 3, My Librarian is a Camel, and work on the skill of Cause and Effect. Students will have an assignment via Google Classroom, which will be assigned Tuesday. Last week in the computer lab all fourth graders were able to 'join' our virtual classroom via Google Classroom. There will be a reading assessment on Friday, September 13th through the Think Central portal (online in class). 

Writing - Students will receive their assigned state on Monday and begin to research it this week. 

Grammar - We will review the concepts of Subjects and Predicate and 4 Types of Sentences. There will be a grammar quiz on Thursday, September 12th. 

Social Studies 

The students will have their West Region states and capitals quiz on Wednesday, September 11th. It will be the same procedure as last week's quiz. 

We will then move on to  learning about the states in the Midwest Region. The Midwest Region quiz will be on Wednesday, September 18th. 

Math 

We will continue with rounding very large numbers. Next, we will add and subtract very large numbers and use our rounding skills to see if our answers are reasonable. 
Science

The next system we are covering is The Circulatory System. There will be a vocabulary quiz this Friday, September 13th. 
Religion 

We are studying the Rosary and entering the Rosary Sunday contest. The theme this year is Our Lady of Guadalupe and our Family. 

Hello September

Happy Tuesday! We hope you enjoyed your three-day weekend! September is here, which means so is college football and NFL will follow soon after. We love to have healthy, fun, competitive conversations in class about whose teams are winning. 

Looking Ahead...

• Wednesday, September 4th - 3rd - 5th Mass at Brophy at 9:30
• Friday, September 6th - Free Dress Day - Please consider donating a gift card to our school's auction. 

English Language Arts



**We will spend 2 weeks on this same story and skill. Also, we will be switching grammar skills with lesson 4 as it flows better with what we have been previously working on.**

Reading - We will be working on the skill of Cause and Effect. There will be a reading comprehension test on Friday, September 13th. 

Grammar - We will be looking at Subjects and Predicates.We will also continue to review complete sentences vs. run-ons, vs. fragments. 

 There will be a summative grammar assessment on the skills of complete sentences, run-ons, and fragments, the 4 Kinds of Sentences, and Subjects and Predicates next Thursday, September 12th. 

The goal of a summative assessment is to evaluate student learning at the end of an instructional unit

Writing - We will begin to learn about our State Reports. Each student will be assigned a state that they will become the expert on. After we finish our reports in a few weeks, students will mail out a postcard to a school in their state. We hope to receive back 49 postcards! 

Social Studies 

The students will have a quiz tomorrow, Wednesday, September 4th on the states in the Southwest Region. 

We will move to reading and learning the states in the West Region. There will be a West Region quiz on Wednesday, September 11th. The students will be expected to correctly spell and locate each state. The students will be matching the state to its corresponding capital city. 

Math 

The main focus this week will be rounding numbers using a vertical number line. 
Science

Due to the short week, we are going to review The Respiratory System and discuss health choices. The students will be able to use a spirometer to see what their lung capacity is and they will view a healthy lung and what a smoker's lung would look like. 

There is NO vocabulary quiz this week. 
Religion 


The Act of Faith quiz was originally scheduled for last week, but it has been moved to this Thursday, September 6th. 

We are also discussing The Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope and Charity. 

Three Day Weekend Ahead

Good Morning to All!

It is hot, hot, hot! Remember to pack your child a water bottle. We are encouraging them to stay hydrated throughout the day. A three-day weekend is on the horizon! Enjoy the day off on Monday!

Looking Ahead....

• Wednesday, August 28th - Coffee with Companions - the school gates will open up at 7:30 for your child to come up to our classrooms, so that you may attend the event at the Parish Hall. 
• Wednesday, August 28th - All School Mass at 9:30
• Monday, September 2nd - No School Labor Day 
• Friday, September 6th - Free Dress Day to support the school auction - please consider donating a gift card to the event. 

English Language Arts 

Grammar - We will be talking about the 4 Kinds of Sentences: declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory.

Reading - We will be looking at the skill of Author's Purpose. Additionally, students will get information on their first reading project of the year.

Social Studies 

We are ready to embark on our six week journey around the United States by region. Each week, we will study a new region; the climate, attractions, animals, capital cities and states.

The students will have a quiz each week on the states and capital cities from that region. Students will be expected to correctly spell the state name and correctly locate it on a map. Additionally, students will be asked to match the state's name to its corresponding capital city.

This week, we will talk about what are the five regions and then begin looking at the region we live in, The Southwest. There will be a quiz on the Southwest region next Wednesday, September 4th. 

Math

We are comparing large numbers, ordering them from greatest to least and least to greatest, and finding patterns when given a list of numbers. 

Science

We are exploring the Respiratory System. There will be a vocabulary quiz on Friday, August 30th. 
The Lab Learner workbooks arrived! We will begin using them. 

Religion 

We will be learning the Act of Faith, and discussing the Theological Virtues of Faith, Hope, and Charity. 

The Act of Faith test will be Friday, August 30th. 

Routine, Routine, Routine

Hello Families,

We are settling into a good routine in our classrooms. We are looking forward to seeing you this Wednesday, August 21st for Back-to-School Night. There will be a brief introduction by Principal, Ryan Watson and Pastor, Fr. Bob Fambrini at 5:30 pm in the school gym. 

We will share more on Wednesday, but for now, please know that your child's agenda is the first line of communication as to what will be due throughout the week. Then, check here, the blog. The blog covers a great deal of information from what is going on in the classroom and SFX. We will announce upcoming quizzes and there will be a few homework assignments that will become a part of your  child's weekly routine. 

Weekly Homework:

• Dreambox - 40 minutes AND 5 lessons (The week starts on Sunday and will end Friday night.)
• Bible verse - weekly handwriting and Bible verse reflection will be assigned on Mondays and due Fridays 

Looking Ahead...

• Tuesday, August 20th - STAR Reading tests for both 4A and 4B
• Friday, August 23rd - STAR Math for both 4A and 4B

English Language Arts




Due to technical difficulties last week, we were not able to utilize Think Central as we had hoped to. However, ALL fourth graders were able to access their accounts with no problem. Yay! 

Reading - We will look at Lesson 1, Because of Winn Dixie. Additionally, we will use the story, Being Frank to discuss vocabulary and some review grammar skills.

Grammar - We will be talking about what is a complete sentence and then move into the four types of sentences.

Writing - The students will finish their summer writing piece. They will be on display on Wednesday for you to see at Back to School night.

Social Studies



The students will continue to learn about the 7 continents and 5 oceans by way of a song, puzzle, and group game. Their quiz will be this Friday, August 23rd. Students will be expected to correctly locate and spell each continent and ocean. 

Math

This week we will continue with place value and working on standard form, expanded form, and word form. The students will be comparing large numbers and ordering them from least to greatest and greatest from least.

Science

The second module is Exploring the Skeletal and Muscular Systems. We are still waiting on our Lab Workbooks to arrive, so for now we are using individual sheets. There will be a vocabulary quiz this Friday, August 23rd. 

Religion

During contemplative prayer, we shut our eyes and visualize ourselves in the most beautiful spot of God's Creation. The students will write an original prayer and illustrate this special spot.