Welcome to the last week of February! It is almost Parent Teacher Conference time. Please let me know when you would like to meet on the form I sent home last week. Here are some upcoming important events:

Monday-Thursday: read 20 minutes, complete reading log
Tuesday- spring picture day
Friday: reading logs due, popcorn day 25 cents, Wildcat Performance for 4th grade @ 2:45

Read Across America Week:
Monday- wear blue and red
Tuesday- crazy sock day
Wednesday- wear green
Thursday- pajama day
Friday- hat day

ELA: This week we will begin working on a new unit on figurative language including completing analogies through similes and metaphors. Similes are when you compare two objects with the words like or as, and metaphors compare two objects with a direct statement. Simile examples include:
As clean as a whistle
As clear as mud
As clear as crystal
As cold as ice

Metaphor examples include:
The snow is a white blanket.
The hospital was a refrigerator.
The classroom was a zoo.
America is a melting pot.

We will also work on spelling words with the -ness suffix (being in a state of) and includes the words: kindess, fairness, happiness, darkness, and goodness).

Check out these practice sites:
1. Bow and Arrow Game similes and metaphors
2. Similes and Metaphors matching game
3. Similes and Metaphors Rags to Riches game

Science:
A lot of this week will have the fourth graders practicing for our presentation on Friday at the Wildcat Assembly. We will also spend some time touching on current electricity and making circuits. Check out the following links:
1. Build a Circuit Game
2. Circuit builder with fans, lights, switches, and more!
3. All About Circuits Interactive Site (some words are written in British terms, but still a useful site)