Good afternoon, FAmilies,

Just a quick note from our Falcon’s Nest manager, Nora Wilson:

Lunch numbers appear to be down for next week especially Tuesday, April 30 (Chick Fil A day).

In order to avoid Tuesday ending in tragedy (in the form of a chicken salad emergency lunch), please double-check to make sure your order is up-to-date. Have a fantastic weekend!

Michelle and Bill

The students are so proud of our class auction project. Be sure to look for it – and bid on it – at this year’s auction.

Dear FAmilies,

The weather is warming up, the sun is setting later, and that can mean only one thing: spring fun at FA! We have many exciting end-of-the-year activities and events planned, so stay tuned for all the details.

Book Projects: We have received many exemplary book projects so far, but don’t forget: Friday, April 26 is the deadline for both projects.

Field Trip: We will embark on our Fredericksburg Battlefield tour this Friday, April 26. The bus will leave FA at 10:00 a.m. sharp, and we will head to Chatham Manor. Parents are welcome to meet us at Chatham at 10:15 a.m. and follow the bus for the remainder of the trip. Parents always enjoy this trip! Things to remember:

• Wear comfortable walking shoes.
• Dress for the weather, including sunscreen, glasses, hats, etc.
• Students will need to bring lunch and a water bottle.
• Students may bring $5 – $7 cash for a treat at Carl’s. You can check out pricing and menu at Carl’s here.

Grandparents and Special Friends Day: This year’s big event will be held on Friday, May 3. After grandparents and special friends check in, they will be able to view the art show in the Lower School library. Guests will be invited to visit in the classroom from 9:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. where they can see what daily life at FA is like. This is a dressy day for students. We look forward to meeting lots of wonderful family members and special friends!

Fourth Grade on Wheels: Thursday, May 9 is our annual Fourth Grade on Wheels Day. This annual event is a highlight of our year. Students may bring a bicycle, scooter, or roller skates/blades (no skateboards, please). Helmets must be worn at all times; students without helmets will not be allowed to participate. Here are logistics for drop-off and pick up:

DROP OFF

• If your student has a bike at FA for bike club, come to carpool as usual.
• If your student is bringing something small, like roller skates, come to carpool as usual.
• If your student attends morning Falcon Club, please drop your wheels off with your child.
• If your student is bringing a bicycle or scooter, we will meet between 8:00 a.m. – 8:15 a.m. in the athletic parking lot across the street from FA. A teacher will be waiting there for them. Once all students arrive, they will walk, as a group, through the tunnel to the classroom. They will not cross Falcon Drive as they will be using our tunnel. We will park our bicycles outside our classroom door and begin the festivities after lunch.
• Please note, morning drop-off will be a few minutes early to allow families with other students to make it to regular carpool and to allow us to start our day on time.

PICK UP

• All students, except those attending Falcon Club, will be picked up at 3:00 p.m. at the athletic fields. This will allow time for families to get into the regular carpool line.
• Students attending Falcon Club or I-Kik Taekwondo will be walked back to the regular carpool line.

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember:

4/26 – Book Projects Due
4/26 – Battlefield Tour and Field Trip
5/3 – Grandparents and Special Friends Day (early release)
5/9 – Fourth Grade on Wheels Day (weather dependent)
5/23 – Field Day
5/24 – Early Dismissal
5/27 – Memorial Day Holiday
5/31 – Last Day of School (early release)

Your fourth grade team,
Michelle and Bill

Friday hike on FA’s beautiful campus

Dear FAmilies,

We thoroughly enjoyed seeing you at last week’s amazing performance. The students wowed us with their poise, attention to detail, and enthusiasm. Remember to tell grandparents and special friends that students will perform at Grandparents and Special Friends Day on Friday, May 3. Invitations were sent home with the youngest child in each FAmily.

Class Pictures: A quick reminder that class photos will be held Wednesday, April 24. Please email your child’s homeroom teacher if you would like individual photos taken.

Book Projects: Our final book projects of the year are due Friday, April 26. Projects may be turned in early.

Battlefield Tour Field Trip: Our student-led battlefield tour will be Friday, April 26. We will leave school at 10:00 a.m. and return between 2:15 – 2:30 p.m. Parents are welcome to join us and drive in a caravan behind the bus, as there is limited seating available on the bus. Students should bring a picnic lunch plus around $6.00 in cash for a treat from Carl’s. We’ll be outside all day, so wear comfortable walking shoes and sunscreen.

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember:

4/19 – Teacher Work Day/Student Holiday
4/24 – Class Pictures (individual pictures by request)
4/26 – Book Projects Due
4/26 – Battlefield Tour and Field Trip
5/3 – Grandparents and Special Friends Day (early release)
5/9 – Fourth Grade on Wheels Day (weather dependent)
5/27 – Memorial Day Holiday
5/31 – Last Day of School (early release)

Your fourth grade team,
Michelle and Bill

Carpool doesn’t get any better than this!

Dear FAmilies,

We hope you all had a wonderful spring break. The students came back refreshed, ready to work, and happy to see one another. We had a wonderful time viewing the solar eclipse and, thanks to NASA’s website, were also able to watch from Mazatlan, Mexico, Bentonville, Arkansas, and the International Space Station.

Performance Reminder: As you know, our annual Lower School performance for 4th and 5th grade will be this Thursday, April 11. Students will perform at 9:00 a.m. and again at 7:00 p.m. in the theater. Students should wear all black for both performances. For the evening performance, students should arrive at 6:50 p.m. and meet in the hallway on the right side of the theater. Please do not leave students unattended if you arrive prior to 6:50 p.m. We look forward to seeing you there.

Battlefield Tour Field Trip: Our student-led battlefield tour will be Friday, April 26. We will leave school at 10:00 a.m. and return between 2:15 – 2:30 p.m. Parents are welcome to join us and drive in a caravan behind the bus, as there is limited seating available on the bus. Students should bring a picnic lunch plus around $6.00 in cash for a treat from Carl’s. We’ll be outside all day, so wear comfortable walking shoes and sunscreen.

Class Pictures: Class photos will be taken April 24. Let your child’s homeroom teacher know before then if you would like individual photos taken as well.

Book Projects: Our final book projects of the year are due Friday, April 26. Students may turn them in early if they so choose. Having difficulty locating the directions or rubric? Email your child’s homeroom teacher for a copy.

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember:

4/11 – 4th/5th Grade Performance, 9:00 a.m., 7:00 p.m.
4/19 – Teacher Work Day/Student Holiday
4/24 – Class Pictures
4/26 – Book Projects Due
4/26 – Battlefield Tour and Field Trip
5/3 – Grandparents and Special Friends Day (early release)
5/9 – Fourth Grade on Wheels Day (weather dependent)
5/27 – Memorial Day Holiday
5/31 – Last Day of School (early release)

Your fourth grade team,
Michelle and Bill

Learning about Civil War discipline and tactics

Dear FAmilies,

Only a few days until Spring Break! We know that many of you will be observing religious holidays, traveling, and visiting with family. We wish you a peaceful and relaxing break and look forward to seeing you in April.

Book Projects: Students should be reading their historical fiction novels so they can complete both book projects. Remember, both projects are due Friday, April 26. Can’t find the directions? Just email your child’s homeroom teacher and we can help.

Wordly Wise: Our final assessment from the current book will be tomorrow.

In history, students observed artifacts from the Civil War.
These artifacts help tell the story of the conflict.

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember:

3/29 – Early Dismissal, 11:55 a.m.
4/1 – 4/5 – Spring Break
4/19 – Teacher Work Day/Student Holiday
4/24 – Class Pictures
4/26 – Book Projects Due
4/26 – Battlefield Tour and Field Trip (more information to follow)
5/3 – Grandparents and Special Friends Day
5/9 – Fourth Grade on Wheels Day (weather dependent)
5/27 – Memorial Day Holiday
5/31 – Last Day of School (early release)

Your fourth grade team,
Michelle and Bill

Hello, dear FAmilies,

Today, students made some delicious bread. Mrs. McCully, a character in our latest novel, spends a good portion of the Battle of Gettysburg baking bread, so it was a perfect tie-in with our novel. We are also learning about fractions in math, and what better way to practice? Students were excited to see the yeast in action, and cannot wait to show you their newfound skill. I promised I would send a link to the recipe, so here it is.

Note: In order to make it more fraction-friendly, I reduced the recipe by 1/3. It made 12 small dinner rolls that we baked in muffin tins, or it made one small loaf of bread. Ours was rustic, but it can also be made in a loaf pan. The recipe is very forgiving, so if it is a rainy weekend, give it a try. We’d love to see pictures of your creations!

Bread in a Bag

One more photo of the students’ amazing work!

Enjoy your weekend,
Michelle

Dear FAmilies,

We enjoyed meeting with you during our parent conferences. Thanks for being amazing partners in your child’s education; we appreciate all that you do!

Book Projects: The final book projects of the year are due Friday, April 26. Students will choose an historic fiction novel at the library (or choose one from home), read the novel, and complete two projects based on their reading. The students chose their projects today; project directions and rubrics are located in their file folders. Students may choose to turn projects in early, but they are both due no later than Friday, April 26.

Library Apps: Speaking of reading, did you know that you can register your child (or yourself) for a Libby account through our local public library? Your child will be able to download books onto a kindle, phone, or tablet…all with parental controls! Seems like a great thing to have in case you are headed on a road trip this spring break. Here is a link that can help you get started: Library fun!

Wordly Wise: Big news! Students will take the Lesson 20 assessment next Thursday, March 28. This completes the book, which is cause for celebration…students have added 300 amazing new words to their vocabularies. Following spring break, we will begin the next book in the series.

History: As our study of the Civil War continues, students are immersing themselves into the daily life of a Civil War soldier. They understand why Napoleonic battle tactics were employed and the benefits of having the high ground. Our culminating project will be a battlefield tour.

This week, students observed and compared different types of soil 
as seen under a microscope. 

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember:

3/23 – All Ball
3/29 – Early Dismissal, 11:55 a.m.
4/1 – 4/5 – Spring Break
4/19 – Teacher Work Day/Student Holiday
4/26 – Book Projects Due
4/26 – Battlefield Tour and Field Trip (more information to follow)
5/3 – Grandparents and Special Friends Day
5/9 – Fourth Grade on Wheels Day (weather dependent)
5/27 – Memorial Day Holiday
5/31 – Last Day of School (early release)

Your fourth grade team,
Michelle and Bill

The mighty, mighty Falcons!

Dear FAmilies,

Conference time is here! Look below to sign up or to double-check your scheduled meeting time. Remember, Friday is a student holiday. Falcon club is available while you are in your conference, or if you need all-day care, contact Falcon Club directly. We look forward to meeting with you to talk about your child’s progress in fourth grade.

Mr. Evans’s Homeroom

Mrs. Midkiff’s Homeroom

Scholastic Book Orders: If you would like to order from Scholastic Books, please place your online order no later than Thursday, March 14. Go to Scholastic Books and enter our class code, RRJWG. There is a great $5 and under section!

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember:

3/14 – Wordly Wise Assessment, Lesson 19
3/15 – Lower School conferences
3/23 – All Ball
3/29 – Early Dismissal, 11:55 a.m.
4/1 – 4/5 – Spring Break

Your fourth grade team,
Michelle and Bill

“When the playground gives you mud, make mud pies.”
-Every fourth grader

Dear FAmilies,

Thank you to all who were able to attend the Invention Convention. The students did an amazing job and thoroughly enjoyed presenting to the FA community (complaints about dry throats and sore feet aside!). We are continually impressed by the imagination, determination, and poise of our fourth graders. It is an honor to work with them every day.

Conferences: Conferences will be held on Friday, March 15. This will be a student holiday; Falcon Club is available free of charge during your child/children’s scheduled conferences. For full-day care, please contact Falcon Club directly.

Mr. Evans’s Homeroom

Mrs. Midkiff’s Homeroom

Invention Convention Photos

Upcoming Events and Dates to Remember:

3/15 – Lower School conferences
3/23 – All Ball
4/1 – 4/5 – Spring Break

Your fourth grade team,
Michelle and Bill

Good afternoon, Families,

I hope you have enjoyed your week. As a reminder, inventions, photos, and writer’s journals/logs are due tomorrow. We will complete all project boards and begin practicing our presentations. We hope to see you Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the Middle School MPR for this year’s Invention Convention.

Thank you,

Michelle