Welcome to Our Class!

Welcome to 4th grade and our class, Room 24!  By now, you have learned that you will be with us, and you have Mrs. Merten for a teacher (that's me!). 

In case you don't know me... that's me in the orange shirt

 I can't wait to meet you; we are going to have so much fun together.  Our blog has some important information for you and your family.  To the right under important documents you will find a letter to you and one to your parents.  Please take a minute and read the  "Summer Letter for Students," and ask your parent to read the "Summer Letter for Parents".   There is  important information in both of these documents (including information about a science project we will be doing)! Under important documents, you will also find  a "Suggested Supply List," in case you misplaced the one that was in your report card at the end of third grade.  

Our blog is full of information.  Just scroll down and you can see some of our past blog posts (I even reposted a July "Sneak Peek" so you can see our class).  If you have any questions for me, leave them in the comment section of this post and I will answer them.  Remember to check with your parents first!  I hope you enjoy your last week of summer vacation! Remember to keep reading!!


(This is reposted to share some information about our blog).
Welcome to our class blog, "Ladybugs on Learning"!  I hope you will find this page helpful for both parents and students.  If you are new to our blog, welcome!  If you are a returning guest, welcome back!  I'd like to share a few things with you, to guide you through using our blog.

• We welcome comments on our blog from families as well as from our students.  We began encouraging this last year, and have left some instructions on how to best comment in the sidebar to the right.  Please follow the instructions and comment away!  
• I have posted some links to important information to the right as well.  You will find summer letters to both parents and students, as well as the suggested supply list for incoming Fourth Graders.  You will also see our class handbook, however I haven't updated that quite yet.
• I try to post updates to our blog on Fridays, and very often include pictures or videos of our week.  I also try to include links(games, study guides, videos, etc.)  which could help students with homework or studying.  If you would like to follow our blog by email, there are two options.  You can enter your email in the "Follow by Email" gadget, or you can become a "Follower". Both of these options are in the section on the right.  
• If you or other members of your family speak a different language, I've included a translator gadget to the right.  This will help  families from around the world to keep updated with your child's school activities.
• Summer is moving along quickly, and I'm sure some of you are anxious about starting a new class with a new teacher.  If you don't know me, my name is Mrs. Merten!  I have a link on the right entitled "Meet Mrs. Merten".  If you visit that link, you will learn a little about me and my family.
• Below are a few pictures and a video of our classroom.  I hope you enjoy seeing where you will be learning this year!

In a few weeks or so, you should learn if you are in our class.  Please check back and view the letters to both parents and students, our class handbook, and the "Meet Mrs. Merten" page.  I know we will have a great year!



Enjoy the last few weeks of vacation!

What a challenge! Picture books 10 for 10

Thanks to my good friend Mrs. Williams (theshinyredapple.blogspot.com) I have decided to participate in the fourth annual picture book challenge.  For this post, I had to choose 10 picture books that I could not live without.  This was no easy task!

Some people who have participated in this challenge choose to categorize their choices (10 books by favorite authors, nonfiction/fiction, etc. but I had too many choices, so for my first try, I just chose my favorites.)  PHEW!  What a challenge it was.  I thought and thought, and have come up with the following list.  If you are an old fourth grade friend, you will recognize these titles!  If you are new to this blog, I hope you find something to pick up and read!

1.  Where the Wild Things Are, by Maurice Sendak

Winner of the 1964 Caldecott Medal, this is likely my most favorite picture book.  Sendak's artwork fills every inch of the page, and illustrates the story of Max, who puts on his wolf suit, gets himself into trouble, and sent to his room.  Max's room turns into a forest, where he becomes the KING of all wild things.  When he realizes he wants to go home, he "returns home", and finds his dinner in his room, ..."and it was still hot".  

2.  The Dot, by Peter H. Reynolds

I love all of Peter H. Reynolds' books!  In this book, Vashti realizes that everyone has a creative spirit.  I love the message in this book, and how Vashti grows throughout the story. I have goosebumps at the end of the book, when the story comes full circle.

 3.   Aunt Chip and the Triple Creek Dam Affair, by Patricia Polacco
 
What a message in this book!  I love Patricia Polacco, but this is a favorite.

This story tells of a town that has become obsessed with television.  The townspeople have slowly abandoned books for TVs and TVs have even begun teaching the students.  (Can you imagine?!)  The worst part?  Books have been used around town- as stairs, to mend roofs, and many other "un-booklike" tasks.  When one boy learns to read, he begins to teach others, and the love of reading comes full circle.  One of my all time favorites.




4.

 Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, by Mo Willems


What can I say about this pigeon?  He (she?) is unrelenting in his pursuit of driving the bus.  I love this book to teach dialogue, but also to teach inferring- as you can truly tell the pigeon's emotions from the speech bubbles.







                                              5.  The Art Lesson, by Tomie dePaola

In this book, a young Tommy is so excited to start school.  He knows he wants to be an artist when he grows up, and can't wait to meet the art teacher.  When he starts kindergarten, he is so disappointed by the paint and art projects that he is given.  He knows he can be a wonderful artist if he is given the chance. Of course, he is given the chance, and things turn out well for Tommy. I like to think of this book as a snapshot memory of the author, Tomie.




   
                                               6.   The Junkyard Wonders, by Patricia Polacco

   

Another book from Patricia Polacco.  Truth be told, I could have chosen all of her books for this list.  Her books are written like a personal narrative ~ wonderful to teach that genre of writing, or to teach realistic fiction.  Ms. Polacco shares the main character, Trisha's struggle with learning to read.  When Trisha enters a classroom, she learns that she is in a special class for children with learning struggles.  The other children call her classroom "the junkyard".  What a message to share with my students.  Similar to Thank You, Mr. Falker, this book shares the point of view of someone who struggles with something at school ~ something everyone can relate to.





7.   The True Story of the Three Little PIgs, by Jon Scieszka
 

If you haven't read this story, pick it up and give it a try.  This is a different take on the old fairy tale, The 3 Little Pigs.  I love this book because it is a wonderful way to teach point of view. Of course the wolf has a different take on the story-and in this book, he is innocent!






8. Click Clack Moo, Cows that Type, by Doreen Cronin

This story is told using traditional text and letters. The cows find an old typewriter in the barn, and begin to send letters to Farmer Brown, with demands for better conditions in the barn.  I love to read this story aloud, and the students enjoy it as well.  If you would like to read this book online, you can find it here.









9.Actual Size, by Steve Jenkins

This book is relatively new to me, but I love it!  The illustrations in this non-fiction book are drawn to scale, showing the ACTUAL SIZE of each animal listed.  From giant squids to brown bears, you will love the illustrations and learning a little about each animal.










10. Tuesday, by David Wiesner

This is a wordless picture book that tells the fantastical story of what happens one Tuesday night.  Something unusual takes place in the pond.  I love to use this book throughout the school year, first to review genre and inferring, and then to write creative text to accompany the illustrations.  I love the illustrations, and I know you will too!