Apple's iWeb is very useful for creating basic web pages and blogs. You can also use iWeb as a basic desktop publisher. There are several limitations for desktop publishing but for most basic projects like newsletters and flyers it does an excellent job. You can use the basic iWeb feature to create newsletters and flyers for your students and parents.

• Start iWeb
• Create a new site
• Create a new page and select a theme from the themes pane.
• Choose the Gazette theme then blog.
• Click on the inspector to activate the inspector.
• Remove the check mark from the display navigation selection.
• Double click on the page title to change it to something appropriate to your needs.
• Replace the image from the top of the page with one of your choice.
• Click on the media button at the bottom of the page if it is not available.
• Click on the photos button and select the appropriate album.
• Drag and drop a picture over the existing one to replace it with the new one.
• If you want additonal pictures drag and drop those in the location of your choosing.
• Resize the images to your needs.
• Rearrange the text blocks on the page to suit your needs.
• Double click on the text blocks to edit the text.
• To remove extra images click once on them and then press the delete button.
• Take care not to exceed the length of the document so that it all fits nicely on one page.
• To add pages click on the Add Entry button.

Reading This month, our children will be focusing on TEK 4.12: Recognizing and analyzing plot, setting and problem resolution.  This first week, our class is focusing on setting.  Setting is usually defined as where and when a story takes place.  But in 4th grade, they will not only identify the time and place of a story, but will be expected to explain and understand how it contributes to the meaning of the story. For example, if a story takes place in a forested area, the reader would need to be able to explain how the story is affected by the forest and how (and if) it might change if the story took place in a different environment. Once the students have learned about setting this week, look for questions about setting in their homework center next week. 

Language Arts Language Arts is divided into two main components: editing and composition.  This week and for the next couple of weeks in editing, we will be focusing on TEK 4.16, capitalization, punctuation and penmanship.  In particular this week, the use of commas.  There are nine times when commas are used in the English language.  1.)  To separate items in a list, 2.) to separate city and state, 3.) to separate date and year, 4.) after the salutation of a letter, 5.) the closing of a letter, 6.) to separate two complete sentences connected by a conjunction, 7.) to separate a quote from the rest of the sentence, 8.) after directly addressing a specific person in a sentence, and 9.) when using an appositive (Mrs. Rubert, a teacher at Desertaire Elementary, had very high standards for her children).

Spelling skill for this week:  "i before e except after c" and "ei" making the long a sound.  Words:  receipt, believe, conceit, siege, neighbor, reign.

  In composition, we are studying TEK 4.15C, using language to describe (figurative language).  In particular this week, we are learning about similes.  When a person uses a simile, they compare two unlike things using the words "like" or "as".  For example, your child might be described as being "as sweet as honey".  During this week and into next week, our children will be exploring the effectiveness of the similes they choose.  Our children learn not to "force" similes into their work, but to have them flow smoothly into the language where it contributes to the overall meaning they are trying to convey.

Math  This week, we have been studying number concepts, TEK 4.1, using place value to read, write, compare and order whole numbers through the millions place.  In particular this week, our children will be expected to place 7 digit whole numbers into ascending and descending order.  Our children will be given a list of four numbers that they will have to put in order, greatest to least and vice versa using a place value chart. 

Science TEK 4.1A, demonstrating safe practices during field and laboratory investigations is our focus for this week.  We will begin by identifying scientific tools, such as graduated cylinders, goggles, thermometers, etc. and how to safely handle them.  Ask your child for their list of tools (a page with pictures of tools and their use), or see the "You gotta have this" section of this web page for an uploaded version that you can keep for yourself.