September 24-28

Monday

Finish and work that needs to be finished. Esperanza Rising questions, All ABout Me Books, etc. Those who are finished may come up with questions for the fifth graders about their Plaza Road Preschool Experience.

Wednesday

Pass out information on the Amazing Maize Maze Field Trip on October 5th. Continue reading Esperanza Rising. Hear the fifth graders' responses. Prepare for Friday's trip.

Friday

Response to the Plaza Road Field trip. Discuss our experience.

September 17-21

Monday

Continue reading Esperanza Rising. Reader's response questions.

Wednesday

Mrs. Lolla visits. Do an activity to find out what is truly important to us. Begin putting together our All About Me books.

Friday

Continue putting together our All About Me Books to bring to Plaza Road Preschool.

September 10-14

Read Grandfather's Journey. Discuss the similarities and differences between this book and The Lotus Seed. Answer Reader's Response Questions.

Begin reading Esperanza Rising.

September 4-7

Fourth grade Life Skills for the week of September 4th through the 7th is a basic introduction to the Life Skills Curriculum. We will discuss our big question for the year and how it relates to the life skills we will learn.

We will learn the six major rules and promise to abide by them all year. They are:

• Accept that there is more than one way to look at something and often more than one answer. Stay open to others' ideas and viewpoints.

• LISTEN!! The best way to understand something is to listen carefully and thoughtfully.

• Base your ideas on evidence which means to use your personal experience as evidence when appropriate to the topic.

• If you don't understand something, ask questions.

• Treat others as equals. Welcome all ideas. Give everyone time and opportunity to participate.

• Focus on the issue and/or conversation, not on your position or opinion. Your role is not to win or persuade others - your role is to share your ideas. On some topics, it is okay to agree to disagree.

During the month of September, we will be examining the topic of multi-cultural populations. We will begin with a read-aloud book The Lotus Seed by Sherry Garland. We will also begin preparing for our first visit to Plaza Road Preschool, a preschool located in Charlotte which services a predominately Hispanic population.

We will rarely have homework in Life Skills. We will do all of our reading and journaling during class time.