Weekly Newsletter Jan. 28 - Feb. 1, 2019

Grade 4

Weekly Newsletter

January 28 - February 1, 2019

Language Arts
In Language arts this week, the children will complete their final assessment on their Realistic Fiction writing unit, using all of the tools they have learned throughout the unit. We are winding up our second novel studies this week as well.  Students may still have to read until next week, but "in class" targeted lessons for Realistic Fiction will end.

Math
This week in math the students will continue to deepen their understanding with equivalent fractions. They will be using images and number lines to help visually and conceptually understand how different fractions can be equal. The students will then move on with comparing fractions using visual representations.

Science
This week in science, students will gather information from images of fossils, the online simulation, and a book to help them answer the question: How do fossils form? The purpose of these lessons is for students to construct and reflect on their understanding of how fossils form. Then, students will use the Simulation to gather information about sedimentary rock formation. They observe rocks forming and record their observations about how this process happens. In doing so, students begin to make sense of the role of water and sediment in rock formation.

Announcements

• Legal Guardianship - If for some reason you have to be out of the country, please advise your child’s teacher as to who will be the legal guardian of your child.
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.
• March 7th & March 8th - Student Led Conferences (SLC) will be held just before spring break. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are not able to attend on either one of these days, so that an alternative date can be set up.

Resources

Here is a video explaining a game called Race To 1 that you can create at home to help reinforce the concept of fractions. It is a game primarily for teaching addition and subtraction of fractions but it can be modified to simply build fractions and conceptual understanding. 

Here is a website resource, The Math Learning Center, where students can build and manipulate fractions. Open the link and select fractions. When building fractions we encourage only using rectangles as it will reinforce what we are doing in the classroom.

Weekly Newsletter Jan. 21 - 25, 2019

Grade 4

Weekly Newsletter

January 21 - January 25, 2019

Language Arts
In Reading this week we are completing our units on realistic fiction. Students are completing reading their Book Club realistic fiction stories, using thinkmarks to identify important & surprising parts.
In writing this week we are completing peer editing in CUPS (Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation & Spelling, as well as revising with ARMS (Add sentences and words, Remove unneeded sentences and words, Move a sentence or word placement and Substitute words or sentences for others). By the end of the week we will begin our post-assessment. Students will need a new story idea for that task.

Math
This week we begin our unit on equivalent fractions. They will learn how to model fractions correctly and will also learn that fractions of different sizes are not equivalent.

Science
This week students will continue being Geologist and making inferences about changes in rock formations over time through digital simulations.  Students will also be reading some non-fiction books on rocks and fossils to help deepen their understanding.

Announcements

• January 25th: FREE Dress day -  If your child chooses to not wear their uniform they can make their 5 RM donation to one of the Red Hats
• Camp Lost Property - There are some leftover items from camp that have been forgotten by students. Please remind your child to check the table in the grade four common area for lost or missing items.
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.

Resources
Here is a video  explaining a game called Race To 1 that you can create at home to help reinforce the concept of fractions. It is a game primarily for teaching addition and subtraction of fractions but it can be modified to simply build fractions and conceptual understanding.

Here is a website resource, The Math Learning Center, where students can build and manipulate fractions. Open the link and select fractions. When building fractions we encourage only using rectangles as it will reinforce what we are doing in the classroom.

Weekly Newsletter January 14 - 18, 2019

Grade 4

Weekly Newsletter

January 14 - January 18, 2019

Language Arts
After the break we will continue with our realistic fiction reading and writing units. Book clubs will continue as well and many children will begin a second book with their book club group. In writing, the focus will shift from drafting and revising to editing.

Math
Our new math unit being launched this week will be  Fraction Equivalence and Ordering. This unit is where students will be using models to show/ prove that fractions are equivalent or not and using benchmark fractions to compare size. Here is a link to a quizlet  vocabulary set that may be a good preview/recap of vocabulary. As always with quizlet, start with 'flashcards' and 'learn'. This week we will be assessing the students previous understandings of fraction ordering and equivalence using a pre-assessment. We will use this information to plan work for students within the class to target key knowledge or skills that they need through the coming weeks as we teach this unit.

Science
We will begin the first lesson of our new Science Unit this week. It will basically introduce the unit to the students and assess what they already know about Earth Changes. In the role of geologists, students will begin to  investigate how a dinosaur fossil found in the fictional Desert Rocks National Park formed. This investigation serves as the anchor phenomenon for the unit. Students will make inferences about the history of the park based on the fossil itself and the rock layers in which it is embedded. Investigating how the fossil formed and how the Earth has changed.

Announcements

• CAMP-IN - Be sure that your child has a Home Snack and Home Lunch for Thursday.  It is also recommended that your child gathers up all that they will need for their sleepover on Thursday night. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact your child’s classroom teacher.
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.

Resources
Grade 4 Camp-In Resources

Our Camp-In takes place this Thursday 17 January into Friday 18 January.
Below is the information you and your child need for a successful experience.

Camp-In Information Presentation 

Camp-In Permission Form 

Camp-In Packing List