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Mr. Murphy's Class News
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Monday, March 15th 
Today we discussed the characteristics of a kite in Math class. Review the following facts with your child: ~ A kite is a quadrangle (having four sides). The four sides cannot all have the same length, so a rhombus is not a kite. ~ A true kite is not a paralleogram (no two sides are parallel). Time for Play Rehearsal! 
Well, spring will soon be here and so will our Taylor History Play! The dates have been set for Tuesday, May 25th and Wednesday, May 26th in the evening. The exact time will be coming at you soon. Usually, around 6 P.M. Below is a cast of the characters for the 2010 performance: "Taylor Settlers Through The Years" written by Mr. Murphy's 5th Grade Class of 2001-02 (They have finally entered the real world upon graduation in June 2009. Thanks for leaving behind such a special tradition for our school!) Act One Narrators: Brooke M. & Hailey Timothy Keys - Brayden Solomon Hocksey - Emilio Andrew Hickman - Jason Mrs. Hickman - Christina Hickman Child - Corey Lenape Indians - Matthew, Samantha, Trinity, & Noah Act Two Narrators: Calista & Samantha Cornelius Atherton - Corey Eleazer Atherton, SR. - Peyton John Atherton, SR. - Brayden Martha Atherton - Natalie Mary Atherton (wife of John) - Ashlyn Parley Hughes - Jason Mary Hughes - Victoria Act Three Narrators: Brooke W. & Victoria John Atherton, JR. - Fernando Eleazer Atherton, JR. - Christina Katie Atherton - Hailey Phebe Atherton - Brooke M. Moses Taylor - Elisandro Ira Atherton - Essence Mary Atherton (wife of Ira) - Mackenzie Act Four Narrators: Elisandro, Emilio, & Essence William Leggon - Peyton Anna Leggon - Danielle George Watkins - Natalie Jane Watkins - Calista Andrew Weisenfluh - Mackenzie Frances Weisenfluh - Brooke W. Anthony (Breaker Boy) - Ashlyn Parents are urged to check back on this site for upcoming announcements concerning play practices, etc. Also, look out for notices about other upcoming spring activities/projects on this site! Wednesday Morning, March 3rd  
Congratulations to Ashlyn for winning our class's Dr. Seuss poster (coloring) contest! The judges voted today, and she won. Great job Ashlyn! Congratulations to everyone for participating! You all did such a wonderful job! On Tuesday, our class was paid a visit from Mark Hiller of W.B.R.E. TV (Chan. 28/NBC Affiliate). Special "Thanks" to Mark for taking time out of his day to read to our class. Mark is a graduate of Riverside High School, and enjoyed returning to his alma mater to be with us! During the afternoon, we were paid a visit from PA State Representative Kevin Murphy of the 113th District. We were also read to by Ashley P. and Katie S. of the high school drama club. Mike O., former student of Mr. M's, also stopped by to pay a visit. Mike and many other students from the Family & Consumer Science class gave out Dr. Seuss hats, which they made for every student in our school. What a pleasant surprise!!! Finally, we welcomed a new student into our classroom today. Her name is Trinity, and we hope she enjoys being part of our class here at REW! Cudos to Ms. Kelley and Ms. Zaydon for a job well done! They coordinated 'Read Across America Day ' at our school! What a terrific job they did! And... How can we forget to thank Brayden and Victoria for bringing in drinks and snacks for everyone today!!! Wednesday, 2/24th  "Help Keep Our River Clean!" 
In a few days, the participating students will know which roles they will play in our Taylor history play. The play will take place at Taylor Memorial Cemetery (historic church) the week before Memorial Day. The exact date will be coming at you soon! On another note, we have begun learning the 'science' and 'history' of our Lackawanna River. Although none of this will be formally tested, we are learning all of this to prepare for our "Great Riverside Cleanup" which will take place on Saturday, April 24th (beginning at 9 A.M. off Depot Street). This is our class's Earth Day Celebration, which is part of the bigger GREAT PENNSYLVANIA CLEANUP. This year's cleanup will be even more special, thanks to the $500.00 mini-grant we received from the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority (L.H.V.A.). The money will be used to post information signs on the river trail right here in Taylor. The students will work cooperatively to come up with the wording for the signs, which will be professionally printed, then later posted by the river. The signs will give information about the river's history and science to the people who use the recreation path, which is being developed in Taylor. Both activities mentioned will hopefully make learning fun for the students, as well as creating memories for the students to cherish for a lifetime. These are activities that have been going on in my classes for nearly 10 years now! Parents are reminded to check their child's bookbags frequently for important notices about upcoming play practices and the river cleanup. Parents/Grandparents/Uncles/Aunts are welcomed to join us in the river cleanup on April 24th. Stay-tuned for more information. Wednesday, 2/3  Swish!
Congratulations to Natalie for making a "foul shot" in the 'Patrick Reviello Memorial Gymnasium' at RHS on Friday Night! Natalie's name was chosen from the jar, and her halftime attempted shot proved to be successful! It was nice to see Natalie and others at the Spirit Week game! Natalie tries her very best "in" and "out" of the classroom, and we are all proud of her for this! The Great 'American Homework Race' came to an end on Friday for the second marking period. Here are the results: 1st Place: (3-Way Tie) Jazmine, Emilio & Matthew 2nd Place: (4-Way Tie) Fernando, Danielle, Ashlyn, & Hailey 3rd Place: (3-Way Tie) Noah, Brooke M., & Calista Congratulations to all of you! Also, congratulations to everyone who maintained good agenda management practices for the second marking period. Consolation prizes will be awarded to those students who did a fine job, regardless of whether or not their "penny number" was pulled many times throughout the quarter. As we begin the third quarter, let's continue good organizational skills, great behavior, and keep trying your best to do well in your subjects! Overall, I am very proud of all of the students! By the way, the late Patrick Reviello was a former Principal at Riverside High School. February 2nd Happy Groundhog Day! Check out Punxsutawney Phil and "more" by clicking on the site below: 
http://www.groundhog.org/ Friday Morning, January 29th  Brrr!
Brrr! Is it cold out there! Remember what we talked about in Science class on Thursday. We are learning about SOUND ENERGY, and saw a diagram of parts of the human ear. Keep those ears covered during these cold temperatures. Speaking of Science, our next test will be next week (TBA). Look at the homework page on this site for the exact date soon. Today marks the end of the second quarter. Check back for the results of the winners in the Great American Homework Race! Have a warm weekend! Friday, January 22nd 
Beat the Saints! The students are busy revising their "stories" in Language Arts class! We will continue revising, then proofread these stories on Monday. In Math, we are heading for a Unit 5 test soon. Most likely, the test will fall on Thursday or Friday of next week (TBA on the homework page of this site). Where is January going? Wow! Soon, we will be in February. We just received "word" of when our upcoming PSSA tests will be given. Please keep these dates in mind when scheduling appointments and vacations, etc. The testing calendar is as follows: Reading & Math PSSA's: April 7 - 16th Science PSSA's April 26 - 30. Also, parents are reminded to send your child to school dressed appropriately. If the temps are not too bad we do go outside for recess. If your child is just wearing a HOODIE, for instance, they will not be permitted to go outside. Hoodies are more for temps in the mid to high 50s I would think. Overall, our class dresses appropriately for the weather!!! I am just sending this reminder out ahead of time to avoid any problems. Finally, the students have been working very hard since returning from the holiday break. I am very proud of their efforts, and I have told them this in class. You can also tell your child that I am very pleased with his/her efforts! Enjoy the weekend, and root for those Minnesota Vikings!!! 1977 was a "long" time ago... Wednesday, January 13th 
Today, our 'Peer Reading Tutors' went to work in Reading class. They are Hailey, Brooke M., Calista, Christina, Mackenzie, and Natalie. Throughout the remainder of the year these tutors will help others in our classroom conquer various skills. Prior to each tutoring session, the tutors will receive a "brief planning" from their teacher then go to work with their assigned student using a short reading passage. Also, prior to the next session, the tutors will "plan" their session by reading over the passage to become familiar with its content and all directions included. So far, all students involved seem to be having fun. When asked how she feels being a peer tutor, Christina replied, "I feel good because I like helping people!" Haily said, "I think kids like getting help from other kids because it makes them feel more comfortable." Monday, January 11th 
Again, the newest Clucky Challenge activity has been posted on the homepage of our class website. Several students have already participated. Others are welcomed to join in! The Great American Homework Race is getting heated up! Fernando, Ashlyn and Jazmine are in a 3-way tie for first place. With several weeks left of the 2nd marking period, it is still "Anyone's" Race!!! Finally, keep on working on those "10 MOST CHALLENGING BASIC MULTIPLICATION FACTS!" Have a nice night! Monday, January 4, 2010 
Happy New Year! We're baaack!!! Thanks to all of you for the great gifts for Christmas! That was so nice of you all. I am looking forward to an exciting winter with plenty of activities in store. Much of what we'll be doing will lead to bigger things outside of school in the coming spring. I recently received a mini-grant through the Lackawanna Heritage Valley Authority to create information plaques which will be placed on the bank of the Lackawanna River in the spring. Much of what your child learns in Science and PA History class will be celebrated on a cleanup day (Saturday in April or May/TBA) near the river. We have $500.00 to spend on signs, which we will create the "wording" for. The professionally printed signs will be set in the ground near the river for many years to come. These signs will serve as reminders of our past history (and science) for citizens who walk the river path being created there. Wednesday, December 2nd 
On Thursday, December 17th, our class will perform "A Rudolph Safety Lesson" for the Kindergarten students. Parents (family members) are invited to attend the 2 P.M. program. Invitations already went out last week, but we just wanted to remind you. Also, don't forget that the 4th grade holiday program is scheduled at the high school on December 8th beginning at 6:30 P.M. Our class will visit "Santa's Workshop" to do a little shopping on December 9th. Look below for other important upcoming dates... 12/16 - P.T.A. Meeting @ 7 P.M. 12/18 - Early Dismissal (Act 80 Day) 11:30 A.M. 12/22 - P.T.A. Holiday Party begins at 2:10 P.M. 12/23 - 12:30 Dismissal Holiday Vacation Begins January 4th - Classes Resume And now the cast of the 2009 "Rudolph Safety Lesson" Play: Act One Narrator - Christina Santa - Jason Mrs. Santa - Jazmine Rudolph - Alexander Dancer - Samantha Prancer - Peyton Comet - Elisandro Vixen - Danielle Donner - Corey Act Two Narrator - Hailey Rudolph - Calista Stranger - Brooke W. Act Three Santa - Fernando Mrs. Santa - Mackenzie Rudolph - Essence Blitzen - Brooke M. Dancer - Emilio Cupid - Natalie Dasher - Victoria The Elves - Brayden, Matthew, Noah & Ashlyn Thursday, November 19th  Yikes! One week today and I could be a gonner!
Students from our class paid a visit to our high school's observatory last night. Once there, we were able to get an incredible look at the planet Jupiter. It was just out of this world! When asked what they thought about this experience, this is what some of those in attendance had to say: Mackenzie: "We saw the 4 moons of Jupiter and the telescope was so big!" Natalie: "I liked the way the telescope works!" Danielle: "Jupiter looked like a moon with no craters and two stripes!" Emilio: "I think it looked like a very bright star!" Others who attended were Corey, Ashlyn, Christina and Fernando. Special thanks to Mrs. Solomon (JR.-SR. High School Science Teacher) for being so informative and hospitable on Wednesday night! Also, Mr. Brennan joined us and even got a look at Jupiter! Reminder: Dress Down Day on Friday! Bring in those pennies! Friday is the last day. Let's win!!! Tuesday, November 17th 
Congratulations to the "1st quarter" Homework Race winners! 1st: Peyton, Matthew & Christina 2nd: Jason, Corey, Noah, Jazmine, Brooke M., & Natalie 3rd: Elisandro, Mackenzie, & Samantha Also, an "End-of-the-Quarter" agenda book inspection was conducted, and most students passed. This means they will receive a consolation prize, even if they did not come in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place! Prizes will be awarded next week. Hopefully, you received the note regarding the High School Observatory hours for this week. If you can make it up there on Wednesday night (beginning at 8 P.M.), you might be able to get a close-up look at Jupiter and some meteor showers, which are expected. Last week our class welcomed "Bertha" into her tank. Bertha is a huge goldfish who has been a part of Mr. M's classroom for about eight years now. She takes her summer residence up at an undisclosed location in the Borough of Taylor. Expect your child's report card to come home tomorrow (11/18). Please take a careful look at the conference forms (and dates). Read all of the small print, so our scheduling can go as smooth as possible. Try to get the form back to me A.S.A.P. to ensure the best possible meeting time for both of us. By tomorrow, I hope to have assigned roles for this year's holiday play titled: A Rudolph Safety Lesson. Your child should have brought the script home last night. The date and time of this performance will be coming at you soon! Finally, we will have an early dismissal on Wednesday, November 25th, to begin the Thanksgiving holiday vacation. Classes will resume on Tuesday, December 1st. (This Friday is a DRESS DOWN DAY for $1) Thursday, November 12th  "Eckley Trip a Huge Success"
It's hard to believe the 1st "quarter" has come to an end. Today marks the last day of the marking period! The students have been busy learning so many new things this year! Last Saturday we paid a visit to Eckley Miners' Village near Weatherly, PA. Over 100 students from all 4th grade classes and family members attended. It was the largest showing in the past seven years from our school. The students got a "first-hand" look at an authentic 19th Century coal mining patch town. This is a "living history" experience for the students, and allows them an opportunity to go back into the depths of Pennsylvania history. Special thanks to all of the drivers who helped make this a special day for everyone. Also, a big thanks to Mr. Brennan, who took time out of his weekend to be with us! Expect to see your child's report card coming home on the 18th! Have a great day! Wednesday, November 4th 
Soon, I will be calling to finalize the details of the Eckley Miners' Village trip. Be reminded that the trip will take place this Saturday. Please be at the Taylor Community Center parking lot by about 9:45. We will leave at 10 o'clock sharp! Monday, October 26th Peyton is leading the Great American Homework Race! 
During our "Book Talk" sessions today, it was learned that Natalie and Samantha are both reading My Sister The Vampire. What a timely book with Halloween just a few days away! Both girls seem to be enjoying the book. Christina is reading Dear Dumb Diary, and says it's very comical. This book is part of a series written by author Jim Benton. Finally, Calista is reading a book which was recommended by Christina titled Olive's Ocean. Calista likes the book very much and agrees that it is really touching. It is a Newberry Award Winner! Parents are reminded that no homemade treats are welcomed for this year's Halloween party. Information was sent home last week regarding this. If you did not receive one, please send in a note requesting one. Have a nice night! Thursday, October 15th 
It's nice to see the class so involved in reading chapter books. Throughout the week the students share in a "Book Talk" with me for a brief moment. The "Book Talk" time allows the students to share what they're reading with their teacher. Together, we discuss the plot and set goals for further reading. It was learned that Brooke M. enjoys reading "Judy Moody" books written by Peter H. Reynolds. Others liked "these" books too. Today in Language Arts class, the following students were randomly chosen to share last night's homework, which was a story written using this week's vocabulary words: Samantha, Victoria, Emilio, and Jason Each one wrote great stories (following all of the directions as stated in the practice book) and won prizes from the large prize can! Keep up the excellent work! You never know when your homework assignment can become part of a contest! Friday, October 9th 4:23 PM  Excited for Bingo!
What a busy day it was! Today, we watched a "glacier" melt! The model was set up to see 'just' how our Lackawanna River was formed over 12,000 years ago. The activity was done to enhance what we've been learning about our state's geography. Later in the morning, the students had an assembly presented by the Taylor Fire & Rescue Squad on fire safety. They also got to go outside to see one of the firetrucks, where they learned about how it operates too. This ended our week on National Fire Safety. Also, in Math class we learned how to collect landmark data using m & m's candies. In many cases the color blue was the "maximum" color, since there was a "higher" number of blue m & m's in the cup than any other color. By the way... Did you know that the original m & m candy was coated "white" without any letters on it? This was way back in 1941. The candy was sent to the GI's fighting in WW II. Looking Ahead On Tuesday, we will finish up with 'publishing' in Language Arts class. Let's work hard at preparing for the S.S. Bingo game on Pennsylvania Geography over the weekend! The test is Wednesday! Finally, congratulations to Jason, Hailey, and Natalie for winning the election today! They were voted as our class's student council reps. I am also proud of all of the others in our class who ran for student council rep. Let's remember, it will be YOUR ideas the reps bring to the meetings. Have a nice weekend! Monday, October 5th 5:23 PM 
Today, we worked in groups during Pennsylvania History class to create our Pennsylvania cake! Yes, our PA cake! With help from Miss Mazeleski's 8th grade Family and Consumer Science class, we were able to use a cake which they baked to carve out the 5 physical regions of our state. The cake was baked in several layers (in the shape of PA), then delivered to us for the carving. This activity allowed the students in our class to get a 3-dimensional look at Pennsylvania's 5 physical regions, from the Erie Plain Region in Northwestern, PA, across the mountainous Allegheny Plateau Region, through "our" Ridge and Valley Region, southeast to the Piedmont Region, and finally to the Coastal Plain Region, which includes our state's largest city; Philadelphia! Tomorrow, we will begin our first processed writing; The Personal Narrative! The students were asked to brainstorm for experiences to write about... a summer vacation, a trip to an amusement park, a humorous experience, etc. Victoria did a great job volunteering answers today in class! You made my day!!! Monday, September 28th 4:38 PM 
The first "Surprise Desk Inspection" took place after the students went home today. Find out tomorrow who "passed" the inspection! If you passed, you will find a reward certificate on your desk in the morning. The certificate entitles you to a "Small Prize" chip. Let's study hard for the Math (Unit One) test! Friday, 9/25/09 3:44 PM 
Natalie did a great job in Reading class today! She noticed an example of alliteration in a passage we read: "waved weakly" Keep up the nice work, Natalie! Today we visited our school's composter. Ask your child what she/he learned about it! Enjoy the weekend! Thursday, 9/24/09 4:20 PM  Good habits all add up to great results!
Matthew did a terrific job today in Math class! He had no trouble identifying a RHOMBUS! Keep up the excellent work!!! I am a bit concerned about students leaving workbooks in school when they have homework in them. This is your responsibility to remember to take the right books home, not mine. FYI: I even remind the students of what books they need to take home at the end of each day. Hats off to those students who "DO" take all necessary materials home each day! Set a goal to take all essential materials home each day. Dress Down for $1.00 tomorrow!!! Monday Night September 21st 9:19 PM 
With the turn of our season from summer to fall, the class was given a preview of an upcoming chapter in Science today. The students learned how the earth rotates daily, revolves yearly (around the sun), and tilts on its axis throughout the year. Peyton and Calista did a fine job of arranging the planets on our solar system model so that they are in their correct positions with relationship to one another for September 22, 2009. The model will be put into motion tomorrow so the class can watch how this all works! Also, Hailey, Corey, and Jason were taught how to use a road map during free time today. They will be teaching others in the class just how this works. Once everyone has been taught, they will be able to "further challenge" themselves during free time (indoor recess, etc.) by finding their way from one destination in the U.S. to another. These three found their way from Ogden, Utah to Boise, Idaho today. This is also a great way for the students to practice using "cardinal directions" throughout the year. Did you know that "most" odd-numbered routes travel North or South, while "most" even-numbered routes travel East or West? This is a lifelong skill we should all possess! In Math, the class seems to be grasping our geometry unit quite well! I was pleased with the participation level today! Let's make this week even better than last week! Hey... How are we doing with the P.T.A. fundraiser? If "everyone" just sells "something" it will be much better than a few selling from our class. Thursday, 9/17th 4:25 PM 
It was nice to see the many parents who came to "Back-to-School Night" last evening! It shows you really care. I am sure others wanted to be here, but couldn't make it due to work, etc. Please feel free to contact me with any questions. Soon, I will be calling the folks at Eckley Miners' Village to ensure
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Mr. Murphy's 4th Grade Class
308 Davis Street
Taylor, PA 18517
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