We have had a fun filled week of learning!
Writing ~ We began our first unit, fiction writing. We talked about how real authors get their ideas for their stories. They write about the things that they know, perhaps choosing an event from their life or imagining stories that they wished existed. We discussed problems that the students face in their lives, being scared of something, standing up to a bully or being chosen last for a team. The students then chose a problem they wanted to write about and began developing the main character by listing internal and external character traits.
Math ~We have been working on adding larger numbers, students have practiced lining up the numbers correctly, an remembering to carry numbers over. The students have also worked on rounding numbers in order to estimate answers. Students are also working on basic fact fluency. In class we are using xtramath.com and mad minutes. You will see a mad minute come home almost every day. These are timed for 1 minute. Th goal in 4th grade is 30 facts correct in one minute. Please practice multiplication and division facts at home by using flashcards, apps on the ipad or on the computer.
Reading ~ We have been talking about all of the thinking that we do when we read. We discussed making a movie in our mind as we read to help us visualize the story and we learned strategies to help us when the movie goes blurry. We also discussed what it means to read like a curmudgeon (ask your child what this means). We decided that we should NOT read like curmudgeons, but instead we should read books like they are gold!
Science ~ We have started our first unit “A View From the Earth.” We began by looking at weather tracking and what tools are used to track the weather. We discussed that weather data is used to help predict weather, meteorologists look for patterns to help them predict what the weather will do. Next, we started our study of the moon. We made a moon observation from the playground and students have an optional moon observation sheet they may choose to complete. We discussed what makes day and night also. Next week a request for Oreo cookies will be coming home. We will be using the cookies to learn the phases of the moon!
We have also started our vocabulary study this week. Please use the vocabulary words with your child and encourage them to use them as well. Our goal is to have these words become a part of their spoken and written vocabulary. This weeks words are: bizarre, effective, ineffective, get-up-and go, sag, and creak.
Dates to Remember:
Friday, September 19 – Janie’s Cookie Dough sale begins, flyers went home Friday.
Thursday, September 25 – Picture retakes
Tuesday, September 30 – Planetarium field trip, information will come home soon!
Friday, October 3 – Janie’s orders and money due