Spelling     Math    Social Studies/Science    Literacy    Fund Raisers  Field Trips  Newsletter

      Welcome to the third and fourth grade Expedition Team's homepage.  Mrs. Hurley and Mrs. Read are two members of a four member vertical team program.  The students are members of the Expedition community for four years, from first to fourth grade.  We believe in student-centered learning, where children are given opportunities to explore through their own multiple intelligences.  We use the Responsive Classroom program to establish a positive learning community, in which students treat others with respect.  We both utilize technology frequently and are committed to integrating it across the curriculum.

         *  Caring                                                                   * Active citizenship

         * Helping                                                                   * Engagement with the world around us

         * Belonging

                                                                                                                                       

                    * Developing a love of learning                                            * Responsibility for self, others, and the environment

                    * Striving to always do our best                                                   * Believing in yourself

                    * Perseverance

Words Their Way Spelling Program

As of March 23, 2009, spelling words will no longer be posted on our website.  The words can now be found on our wiki page.

   Visit The Read/Hurley Wiki Page

Daily Spelling Assignments

Monday:  Self Sort and 5 definitions

    Students need to sort their spelling cards according to their weekly spelling rule.  Word cards should be sorted accordingly under the appropriate key word. Once the sort is complete the student needs to copy the sort into their Word Study Book.  Students also need to select five spelling words to define using a dictionary.  Both the self sort and the definitions should be recorded in the child's Word Study Book.

Tuesday: Buddy Sort

    With an adult students need to sort their spelling words.  The adult will call out the spelling word without the child seeing the written word.   The child then needs to point to the correct key word which the card should be sorted under.  After the child has identified the correct placement, the adult places the card there and proceeds to the next spelling word.  This assignment needs to be copied into the child's Word Study Book and handed in. 

Wednesday:  Word Hunt

    To do a word hunt, the child needs to look in books and magazines for words that match the spelling rule for the week.  The words cannot be part of the spelling list.  Each word needs to be sorted under the correct key word.  This assignment is handed in and should be recorded in the Word Study Book.  The child needs to find at least 10 words.

Thursday:  Writing Sort

    A writing sort is a two person activity.  An adult needs to ask the child to spell each word.  The child then spells the word in his or her Word Study Book.  The word needs to be written under the correct key word and spelled correctly.  A writing sort is very similar to a practice spelling test, except that each word needs to be sorted under the correct key word by the child.  This assignment needs to be turned in.

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Unified Arts Schedule

Social Studies/Science

   We are currently learning about Colonial Life.  The students are becoming historians.  They are learning to investigate the past and use primary sources to discover what really happened during colonial times.  The students will learn about why Europeans immigrated to the New World, how colonial life is similar to and different from today, and how the Native Americans and Colonists interacted.

Addition Webpage Research Tools

Underground Railroad Research Page

     Ocean Animal Research Page

Famous Vermonter Research Page

Literacy

Grade 3

We are using the Houghton Mifflin Reading program this year.  Theme 3 of our program is titled "Incredible Stories".  Students work on reading strategies using anthologies, leveled readers, and independent reading books.  Our work will include whole class instruction, small group work, and independent work.  The titles of the anthologies in the third theme are: Dogzilla, The Mysterious Giant of Barletta, Raising Dragons, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi

     Grade 4        

    We are using the literacy program entitled, Houghton Mifflin Reading.  We are currently in Theme 65 of 6, which is called "Nature: Friend or Foe".  Students will be work in small groups, partners, individually, and as a whole class to advance their reading abilities.  During this theme students will read some of the following titles, "Salmon Summer!" by Bruce McMillian, "Wildfires" by Seymour Simon, " Skylark" by Patricia MacLachlan,  and many other stories. 

    The fourth graders recently wrote plays in small groups. They have digitally recorded their plays to enhance their fluency.  Please click on a group's name in order to hear their play.

            Eric, Liam, Harrison, Jack G.                                  Ben, Ryan J., John, Jack B.     

           Alex, Madison, Madalyn, Lizzie                                Kaleb, Ryan B., Jared, Aidan

                                                       Emma, Hailey, Lucy, Naomi

Fund Raisers

Thank you to everyone who supported our Red Barn Products fund raiser! Our next fund raiser will be a bottle drive.  Information will come home soon.

  Field Trips

Our next field trip will be held on Fridays, when we visit the high school for German!

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