Happy Birthday Caddo Grove!

Today my fourth grade students celebrated the Birthday of our school, Caddo Grove. This year I am trying to give my students as many experiences as I can in hopes that they use these experiences to draw from on the STAAR Narrative portion of the Writing Test. So we decided to make a day of it. We started off in morning assembly recognizing the school and then off to the classroom. In my Language Arts class we did several birthday related activities. First, we did the Writing Hokey (a "Writing" lyric themed version of the Hokey Pokey), then we completed two Birthday themed Mad Libs. Next we played Parts of Speech BINGO and "Pin the Subject to the Predicate". We ended class with a Spelling Pinata game. In their Math and Reading classes the teachers also geared their classes to the Birthday Theme. Students ended the day with....of course......CUPCAKES! You can't have a birthday party without some sort of cake! If was a great day and I hoping some sort of impact was made.

 

You're Invited.....

Students today wrote their invitations to each other for our big birthday bash tomorrow. Caddo Grove is turning 8 (really the real birthday was November 6 but we are celebrating it now). Check back later to see all of the fun events that took place.

Camp Caddo: Day 4 Performance Day and Summary

Today at the campsite we took the opportunity to perform our two camp songs, "Camp Write-Along" and "Hello Mother, Hello Father". Once I edit and upload the videos, I will post them to this page. :) The students had a blast and it was a great day of reflection. We will be taking these four days of camp and reflect on them by placing our experience into a personal narrative about our "Camping Trip". The fourth grade Writing STAAR Test in April requests the students write a Personal Narrative on one day and an Expository Composition on the other day. We do not know ahead of time what the prompt topics are, however generally the narrative paper is always something along the lines of: Write about your favorite day of school, Write about a time you had fun with a friend, etc. So, students will take this "experience" and practice writing it into a personal narrative reflection and hopefully it will pay off in the end. :)

I have placed the two song lyrics below if you would like to have a preview.

Camp Write-Along (To the tune of "YMCA")

4th grade, there's no need to feel low.
We said, 4th grade, grab your pencils, let's go!
We said, 4th grade, 'cause you've got the ideas.
There's no need to be unhappy.

4th grade, you've got to start with a plan.
We said, 4th grade, then you outline it, man.
Check it again, and I'm sure you will find,
Many ways to make it better.

It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.
It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.

They have all the tools for you to get your best score,
You can all write a perfect 4...

It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.
It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.

You can write it pretend, you can write it for real,
You can write whatever you feel...

4th grade, are you listening to this?
We said, 4th grade, this part you don't want to miss.
We said, 4th grade, time to write up your draft.
But you've got to know this one fact...

No one does it right the first time.
We said, 4th grade, that's why we revise lines,
And just go there, to the Camp Write Along
We can help you after this song!

It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.
It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.

They have all the tools for you to get your best score,
You can all write a perfect 4...

It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.
It's fun to write at our CAMP-WRITE-ALONG.

You can write it pretend, you can write it for real,
You can write whatever you feel...


Hello Mother, Hello Father

Hello Mother, Hello Father
Camp Write Along, couldn’t be better.
Camp is very, entertaining.
And they say we’ll have some fun if it stops raining.

I wrote a story, with Joe Spivey.
He developed, poison ivy.
You remember, Leonard Skinner?
He got writer’s block last night after dinner.

All the counselors, make us write
From the morning, to the night.
We add detail, and do our best.
If we don’t we know we won’t get any rest!

Now I don’t want, this to scare you.
But my roommate, has the bear flu.
You remember, Jeffrey Hardy?
They’re about to organize a searching party!

Take me home....I can’t take it....
I don’t think I’m....going to make it....
Oh please....don’t make me stay....
I have been here for exactly one whole day!

Dearest Father, Darling Mother,
How’s my precious, little brother?
Let me come home, if you miss me.
I would even let my brother hug and kiss me.

Wait a minute, What am I saying?
Kids are laughing, kids are playing.
Writing stories, gee that’s better
Mother, Father kindly disregard this letter.     

Camp Caddo: Day 3 Letters Home from Camp

Today at camp we all got a little homesick, so we decided it was time that we write a letter home to our parents! We learned and sang the song, "Hello Mother, Hello Father" and adapted it to our situation. We also took the time to discuss Run On Sentences and how to fix them by making them into Simple Sentences or into Compound or Complex Sentences by using our Conjunctions.

Camp Caddo: Day 2 Leaf Hunt, Creature Creation, and Creative Writing

Today at the Camp Write-Along Camp Site we reviewed our Compound and Complex Sentences, Conjunctions and Comma Use. Once we finished our review we found some leaves and got to work with trying to figure out what our leaves looked like! Students designed an animal or creature from their leaf and then wrote a story about their leaf.