Fourth & Fifth Grade: October 27 - 31, 2025
Dear Fourth and Fifth Grade Families,
The class had a wonderful wrapping up of the Botany Block. We read a few chapters of a book titled Rotten! Vultures, Beetles, Slime, and Nature's Other Decomposers. The class learned about how rotted wood and other decaying organisms essentially serve as a hotel for decomposers. They learned why the biodegradable items we throw away in the garbage don’t decompose like they would if they were thrown into nature. The class also learned the unique way in which a mushroom “eats” its food since it cannot produce its own food despite looking like a plant.
Since it has been a rainy week, we decided to go on our forage for rotten log “hotels” and Turkey Tail mushrooms. The Turkey Tails were washed and sat in water overnight, and the students were able to enjoy a cup of warm tea the following chilly morning. The class also concluded its preservation experiments. Students sampled the strawberries we preserved for four whole weeks, as well as the kombucha. Some even mixed the two together. The students were very surprised to see how different the strawberries looked and tasted. They never knew that something that lasted well beyond its expiration date can still be safely edible when preserved correctly.
In math, the class had a review and wrap-up of their long multiplication and division practice. These skills were reintroduced during the previous Wonder of Number block. They now have a better understanding of this process, as well as some of the tips and tricks on how to solve these problems more efficiently and effectively. Next month, the class will learn about negative numbers and eventually how to solve math problems with them.
Since the school week ended with Halloween, the class learned about the early origins of this holiday and how it evolved from an old Celtic practice to one of North America’s most popular holidays. They had the opportunity to create their own spooky stories and publish them on tea-stained paper to create a more old and ancient look. The students presented their stories to the class. On Halloween Day, the week ended with a lovely campfire, complete with marshmallows and other roasted treats. Since the holiday Diwali was observed earlier this month, the class also had the opportunity to participate in a themed activity with the Middle School students, which was led by one of the Sixth Graders’ parents. Ending the week and block with a popular North American holiday and cultural celebration makes a nice transition into the upcoming North American II block.
Announcements & Reminders:
November 6: Lantern Walk at 6:00 pm (Kindergarten and First Grade)
November 21: Grades Presentation in Sanctuary at 10:30 am
November 21: Thanksgiving Luncheon at 11 am (All families and students are invited)
November 24 - 28: Thanksgiving Break (No School)
Warm Regards,
Ki Nicole
