Week thirteen in Ms. Hahn’s class was another good one. We are getting used to the new desks and chairs and colder weather has made an appearance. The fourth graders are becoming so mature and it is great to see. On their own they decided they wanted to have a class president. So after a few discussions and a few decisions by the teachers they decided that they would have a female and a male president. Each term will only last one month in order to allow anyone who wants to have a position a better chance at it. 
We had campaign speeches and a classroom vote and this months winners were Emily and Ishan. They have done a wonderful job so far. They have taken upon themselves to monitor the locker areas for cleanliness and they created a solid carpool procedure so that those kids who want to help with carpool can do so. We were so proud of the way the winners and losers congratulated each other after the election. Everyone except the winners will have an opportunity to try again for the month of December.
Tuesday was a nice weather day so we took advantage of it and went outside for quiet spots. Generally we do this on Friday, but the weather was too nice. We didn’t go far, just in-between our building and the gym. Even so, there is so much to see in that small space. Flowers that still have color, milkweed that is dry and silky, and many other now dormant plants. Oh, and we can’t forget our chicken friends.
This week was Veteran’s Day and the school had a nice assembly to commemorate and thank all of our veterans. Students in our class who participate in scouts had the opportunity to participate in the presentation of the flags. Again, our fourth graders showed great maturity during the assembly, especially since they were with their kindergarten book buddies. They were fantastic role models.
Many of our classmates celebrated the Hindu holiday Diwali this week. They were very excited about it and shared with the class why it is celebrated and how they personally celebrate the holiday with their families. Once again our whole classes acted with maturity while listening and asking questions of their classmates. The diversity in our class is so awesome.
Our new science unit started this week. The kids are now learning about light and sound. This week we started talking about light. They got to do a few experiments with flashlights to see how light travels (straight line). They also looked at what happens to light if it has to try to pass through something like a piece of cardboard, foil, or colored tissue paper. This upcoming week they will learn different terminology for these differences.
The next week will be a busy one as we keep learning new things and get the kids and room ready for parent-teacher conferences.
Lastly, I just looked at the weather and it looks like this upcoming week will still be pretty nice, but try as I might, I can’t stop the colder weather from showing up. Please make sure that when it is cold your child is dressed appropriately. Hats, gloves, and winter coats are necessary. Keep in mind we travel between buildings everyday, we spend at least 30 minutes a day at recess, and with magic spots and phenology it’s even more. If you are new to Prairie Crossing, please be aware that we go outside as long as the “wind chill” is 0 degrees and above. I’m out there with them everyday (and even more since I spend another 30 minutes per day outside at carpool) and I find that by being prepared and dressing in layers I’m usually pretty comfortable.
Have a great week!
— Mrs. Steinbeck —