We had our winter concert this past week. As fourth graders this year, students are given the opportunity to play an instrument, which makes school concerts slightly different from those of previous years. Those students who play an instrument are on stage twice: during the grade level performance, as well as the band or orchestra portion of the concert. That means there are many logistical directions that need to be followed for the concert t o run smoothly, and the concert itself is longer. Not only can it be nerve-wracking to get up on stage in front of a cafeteria packed with people, but students need to be quietly seated, attentive audience members for over an hour. I was really proud of our crew for doing a great job during all of these aspects of the concert. And I was especially proud of them for the giant compliment we got from Mr. Marshall while we waited in the hallway before our grade level performance. These guys were told that they did the best job patiently waiting in line than any other grade...in any other year! They just stood in two lines in absolute silence, showing respect and consideration for the middle school chorus who was performing on stage. Yup, we've officially set the bar high for positive concert behavior.

In ELA/SS this week, we continued our focus on landmarks. We added to our research, and we decided how we wanted to organize that research into three overarching sections for our magazine. We then looked at those three topics and decided on a central idea that not only weaves them together, but also conveys what makes our landmark important and special. Ari was our Bucket Filler this week, and this was largely due to his effort on this assignment. Upon deciding his three section topics, he realized that he could use some more information about Mount Rushmore before drafting his magazine. So he showed responsibility and independence by going home that day and just about tripling his research. He didn't need to be instructed to do so; instead he recognized the shortcoming and did something about it. Way to go, Ari! Laura was our Bucket Filler for my homeroom, and I was shocked to hear that this was actually her first time winning. In reality, she's one of those kids whose name could get pulled every week, because she's constantly filling my bucket! She's kind, enthusiastic, hardworking, and receptive to feedback. She participates, she helps others, and she's consistently following my directions. I love having Laura in class, and I'm certain that she'll be Bucket Filler many more times this school year.