Disco - tickets for sale next week.

Student council are organizing a disco for Elementary.

Here is the information.
If you are interested in attending bring $5 on Monday.

Guest speaker - Tom Fawthrop

Tom Fawthrop visited today. He is an Author, Journalist and Filmmaker.

Tom Frawthrop 

He spoke to the students about some documentaries he has made ...

Where have all the fish gone & 
The Great Gamble on the Mekong. 

The students also watched his most recent documentary.

Here is a trailer to his recent documentary.

https://youtu.be/Xut28h_jvh8

Graphing how much we sleep

The Grade 4 students shared the sleep data they collected for homework with their peers.
They graphed their sleep using a bar graph and a line graph.

It was very interesting when the students lined up in order of least to the most sleep.
A wide range of results. from 24 - 44 hours for the fours days.
Lei Jun had the most sleep in the class with a total of 44 hours.

Inquiring into geodes

Lyka, Rany, Panha and Kanika helped Ms Susan and Mr David break open a geode to find quartz crystals this morning. They came back to class to show us the rocks and crystals.

Here is a short clip showing break open a geode

https://youtu.be/ARetXJjuYo4

Guest speaker - Marketing

Ms Lindy - The Communications and Marketing Manager at ISPP spoke to the Grade 4 students yesterday.

Ms Lindy spoke to the students about the roles in the Admissions and Marketing Department at the school.

The school uses ISPP website, Facebook, Twitter, Pulse, Tours, Billboards and advertising on tuk Tuks, newspapers and magazines. The Marketing department decoded which forms of communication are the most successful to decide which ones to continue.

http://www.ispp.edu.kh/

Fun with buddies

Yesterday we played for 30 minutes with our buddies before lunch.
The Grade 4's love playing with the lego, play-dough, and being creative with dress ups.

Visit to Grade 12 Art Exhibition

The Grade 4 students checked out the Grade 12 Art on display on the Ground floor - Building B.
They looked at the all the pieces of art and selected their favorites.

Writing recounts

The Grade 4 students wrote a recount last week. They have been editing and adding more description, making it more interesting to the reader.

Tomorrow they will write an end of year recount piece in class using all the skills we have been practicing.

Here are a few examples of the students creative writing. 

I was finishing the last keys & chords before the big concert. A minor,g, f, a, f,a, b, c and the last chord B minor. I felt amazing. All my practice had paid off. It was like a great weight lifted off my shoulders.

“Perfect Tommy” says my teacher Ms Jane “Gosh it’s already time, so run along now”.

I burst out of the room and sprinted down the stairs with a smile as big as it could get and said to my mom “ Ms Jane said that my piano skills were perfect on that song.” Mom smiled and said “ That’s great, now let’s go home and see your brothers”. I felt excited and proud of myself.

The next day I climbed into the car. As my mom started the car she said " off we go". It was a long dusty ride to the far new campus. I looked out the window as we drove to school.I could see all the construction as we drove along the dirt road. I felt nervous and wondered why I had signed up for this.

When we arrived at school I stepped out of the car. I was greeted by a huge gust of wind and dust. I covered my face and ran into the safety of the school. I looked around. I could see the new buildings and more construction. I could hear pounding and grinding in the distance. As I walked into Building B I started to feel nervous like I had never felt before. My teeth started chattering and my stomach was churning.

I waited a long minute for my mom to catch up.

I walked down the hallway to where the performers were sitting and waiting . I sat quietly on a plastic chair. I was looking neat and tidy in my short sleeved button down top and pants. I looked out across at the rows of lockers. I could taste spit.

After a couple of minutes it was my turn. I slowly stepped on to the stage. Beads of sweat were dripping down my face and my teeth were chattering.

I moved the micro-phone higher so it was close to my face. I pulled it higher, higher until it reached my face and then it hit me. I felt the urge to laugh. I burst out laughing straight into the microphone. I could hear laughter screaming back at me.

I looked out into the audience and saw my dad burying his face in his arms. I felt embarrassed.

I turned around, took a deep breath and sat at the piano.

By Tommy

‘Can’t laugh……..’

‘Hahahahahahaha’ I bursted out laughing with my sister. It was an inappropriate moment to laugh.

It was that time of that time of the year we need to do blessings. We went to Kampot as always and the road was really dusty and red. I played with my sister in the car to kill time and then finally we were there.

I sat to the side and played with my phone and took photos because I didn’t feel like to greeting or talking with anyone. I could see my mother speaking with a group of relatives. I could hear loud chattering and looked down at my lap. I was bored.  

After lunch I saw a group of Elders marching into the house. Dirt was floating everywhere. It was time for the blessing to begin. The monks had arrived.

The Monks started the blessing. I just remembered that there was a funny word in the blessing which was k'chami ( ka-cha-mee). It sounded like fried noodles in Khmer. The monk said it again at the exact moment I was thinking about it.

All of a sudden I had the urge to laugh! I was telling myself 'don't laugh'

I stared deeply into my sister's eye and I regret it immediately but it was too late because I bursted out laughing. I put my hand over my mouth but my laughter bubbled out.

I felt the starring of the Elders burning into me slowly. I saw red faces and frowns everywhere I looked. I could hear a voice inside my head blaming myself. I could smell bad breath everywhere. I knew they were angry at me. I looked down and hide my face so they couldn’t see me.

Finally they finished the blessing. I was very quiet and feeling a little bit nauseous. My mum handed out things to old people, I asked her rapidly to go home but she ignored me. I think she was still cross. I felt the sweat dripping drop by drop down my head.

I waited patiently and finally it was time to go home. I got into the car and closed my eyes. I was replaying the moment again and again in my eyes. I was really embarrassed.

That was when I decided that I will never go to a blessing ceremony again.

By Lyka

I was in trouble. My face crumpled. I was sad. My mouth slowly came down. I looked at Sophia. Sophia was wiggling her mouth. Suddenly I feel the tickle in my body, my legs were shaking.  I was about to laugh but I held it in. My face was red. I looked at Sophia again, then at my Chinese teacher.

My teachers eyebrows went down, the steam started to come out of her nose.  Her eyes were red like lava.

Sophia was shaking the board teek ee teek ee. I couldn’t hold it in any longer and I laughed out loud.

Sophia was holding her laugh with a smile but then she laughed too.

I looked at the teacher she made a grumpy face I put my hand up to my face to hide my smile. My dimple went up and then the teacher glared at me. I took a deep breath but I started to spit and laughed out loud again.

My Chinese teacher said "stop it stop it ". This set Sophia and I off again. We couldn’t help but laugh because she talks like a fancy person in Chinese. The teacher said in a fancy sound "if you don't stop laughing I will tell your father". Sophia put her hands up and said okay. I bit on my lip and looked down to calm myself and the laughter went away.

THE END

The poke

It all started when I was sitting in class getting ready to take a math test.

My teacher had just passed out the papers. I was about to answer the first question, but then but then I felt a poke in my side.

I turned to my side but all I saw was Jayco working on the test, so I went straight back to the test and answered the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd questions.

But then I felt another poke! I felt it as is slowly went into my side. So then I quickly looked to the side and I saw Jayco slowly put her finger to her side then give me a evil smile. I laughed a little. I tried to keep it in. I covered my mouth with my hand and looked back at the Math question. But ...

My mouth started to twitch and I burst out with laughter. I tried to close my mouth but I started to snort. I looked up and saw everyone turn to look at me. There was complete silence. I felt nervous and looked towards the teacher.

The teacher called my name she said “Shelby stop laughing and come here and sit by my desk”. My heart was pounding, my hands were sweaty. Everyone was watching me as I stood up. I slowly walked towards the chair near my teacher's desk. As I sat down I gave Jayco a glare and then started to work on my math again.

By Shelby

Research - Marketplace vocabulary

The Grade 4 students have been watching Brain Pop segments, taking notes and sharing key ideas so consolidate their understanding of key terms we will be using in this unit.

The students will work in pairs and use this understanding to create infomercials about their word.

Here is an example we looked at for the word ENTHUSIASM

Here are some of the ideas the class had about money, budget, banking, 

investment, supply & demand.

What does it mean, examples, sentences, synonyms, what does it not do?

Spending documentary

The Grade 4 students watched a documentary yesterday about spending and investing money and wrote down notes.
As they left the room for lunch they all shared something they had learned - without repeating a previously shared fact.

Here are some of their reflections

• In Ancient times people used to trade or barter for what they needed. Ie swap milk for bread.
• Aztecs used cocoa beans as currency.
• Some cultures used shells as currency.
• 300 years ago the Chinese made pieces of metal for currency but they were very heavy to carry around so then they started printing on paper. This was the first paper money.
• Goods are things we make or grow.
• Services are jobs people do to help others.
• Money does not grow on trees (thanks Tommy).
• Paper money is printed and coins are minted.
• Checks, money orders, debit cards and credit cards can also be used to buy things.
• If you buy or sell anything you are part of the economy.
• Saving is putting some money away.
• Investing is using money to make more money.
• Needs are things you cannot live without. Shelter, food, clothing.
• Wants are things you would like to have or do.
• Scarcity is when there is not enough of something.
• Opportunity cost is what we do not have so we can have something else. Example - girl in video chose to go to the movies with her friends. The video game she was thinking of buying was the opportunity cost.
• Income can also be called salary or wage. This is the amount we get paid for doing a job.
• Budget is the record of money you have and how you plan to spend and save.
• Smart consumers make up their own minds about what they need and want. They shop around.
• The economy is INTERDEPENDENT. Each part is affected by all the other parts.

Persuasive informercials

We have started to explore persuasive writing in class.
Ms Marcelle worked with the students watching an example infomercial selling KABOOM and highlighting key terms, persuasive words used.

The Grade 4 students then collectively wrote an example infomercial for the word ENTHUSIASM.
We will continue to explore how we can use language to persuade others in the coming weeks.

Home learning tasks - Due Friday 29th April

Grade 4     Home learning tasks         Due  Friday 29th April, 2016

Email: alisonstanton@ispp.edu.kh                   

Blog: http://isppgrade45msalisonsblog.blogspot.com/

	Personal reading 15-20 minutes each day and record your reading in your reading log each day.
	Math / Unit (Blog post) Play the lemonade stand game at Koolmath http://www.coolmath-games.com/0-lemonade-stand Write three reflective statements on your blog after playing this game. I liked …., I learned …... , I wonder ……. Select 5 new vocabulary words you used during this game. Write their definition, example sentence and include illustration on your blog.
	Approaches to Learning - Time management diary Let’s see how you use your time. Monday to Thursday record what you do after school until bedtime. You will record sleep time also (the time you went to bed and time you wake up). Bring your data to class on Friday. We will use this for graphing and will reflect on our time management skills. Do we have a balanced lifestyle? Students- you have hard copy template to record what you do each day.
	UOI - Price check. (Blog post) Choose one product and find the price of that product from 3 different venues. Take pictures of your product and places of purchase. Create a blog post showing the three prices and shops. Was there a difference in price at different  shops? Why / Why not? Why do you think prices differ in different places / shops / with different customers? We will discuss this on Monday (you can check out shops on the weekend if midweek is too busy).

Reminders:

Monday: Book swap 1, Swimming

Tuesday: PE (Gymnastics), Music

Wednesday: PE (Gymnastics)

Thursday: Book swap 2, Art,

Friday: Homework tasks due

Students have brought home a chart to fill in showing how they spend their time 

from 2.30pm until they go to bed Monday - Thursday this week.

Pool party at ISPP - in 2 weeks

Mark this date in your calendars ...

Saturday 7th MAY