Weekly Highlights:
February:
20: President's Day: No School
21: Welcome Back Gissel
March:
1: Guest Reader Day, 1:30 in reading classes
2: Early Release Day for students
*Mrs. Sagona has challenged the school to read 1 million minutes by May 15. If the students and teachers reach the goal, each class will earn an ice cream party and an additional recess. Students should continue to read each night for 20 minutes (at least) and record this information on their reading logs. We continue to record the minutes we read each day in school on the log as well.
Math 4:
Mathematics is the study of patterns and relationships. In this unit, students explore the patterns that exist in the multiplication and division of multi-digit numbers and within the measurement system for time.
In Grade 3, students multiplied multi-digit by single digit numbers and practiced a variety of strategies for multiplication and division. Earlier in Grade 4, students developed fluency with single digit multiplication and division and applied their knowledge of factors and multiples to whole numbers and fractions. In this unit, students examine the patterns in multiples of ten and the inverse patterns that occur in division. They refine and apply the strategies learned in Grade 3 to multiply multi-digit numbers and divide multi-digit by single digit numbers. Students also recognize that the context of a division problem determines how any remainder will be used.
Grade 3 students learned to tell time to the minute and to determine elapsed time using clocks and calendars. In this unit, students tell time to the second and investigate equivalent periods of time. They determine elapsed time without the use of manipulatives and use elapsed time to determine start and end times.
THIS WEEK: Students will begin this new unit by estimating products to determine the reasonableness of answers. They will also multiply whole numbers by 2 and 3 digit factors using the lattice multiplication method and the algorithm method. Be sure to continue practicing those basic facts at home!
http://www.multiplication.com/
Social Studies:
Students in fourth grade are making connections from the past to the present to establish critera to create change. They have viewed various video clips (see links below) to determine why/how change is important. They will then identify something in their school, family, community, or world that they would like to change and discuss ways that they can make a difference.
Pride (In the Name of Love) by U2:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HY-WfDPm7s
“Waiting on the World to Change” by John Mayer:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TAyhnyrbCKw
"Standing Outside the Fire" by Garth Brooks:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdDEi2EaqHM&feature=related
“My Own Two Hands” by Jack Johnson:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOH6IDxqppc
Reading:
Our skill focus this week is synthesizing. In order to synthesize, students must be able to summarize, or identify the main idea. Synthesizing means you combine the important ideas from the text (the SUMMARY) with your own thinking to create a greater understanding of the text. Students will examine prints from various artisits to create new titles based on what they have discoverd. We will then watch video clips from "The Wizard of Oz" to determine the main idea and create appropriate titles for various clips from the movie.
We will then move on to study cause/effect relationships that are stated or implied. The first strategy is to identify the cause when given the effect. The second strategy is to analyze the relationship between cause and effect when given both. The higher order thinking strategy is to share cause and effect relationships and determine whether they are literal (in the book) or inferred (in one's head)
READING HOMEWORK: Students are asked to read 20 minutes each night at home and record on their reading log. This is an independent book of their choosing. They are then asked to prepare for a book talk on Fridays. They should bring the book and be able to tell us something about the book (other than just a summary).
Some examples are:
*What is your favorite part of the book? Why?
*Why did you choose to read this book?
*Who would you recommend reading this book? Why?
*What characters are you most like? Why?
*Are you going to continue to read this book or will you abandon it? Why?
*Can you share a favorite part of the story with us? Why?
*Who is your least favorite character? Why?
*Would you act the same way as the character? Why?
Writing:
Students will begin to develop writing projects for quarter 3. This week's focus from the 6 traits of writing will be VOICE.
A link to a website for additional information on the 6 Traits is below:
http://www.edina.k12.mn.us/concord/teacherlinks/sixtraits/sixtraits.html
An exerpt from the above website about voice:
Your voice is what gives your writing personality, flavor and style.
Questions to think about as you write your paper:
Can you tell I am enthusiastic about my topic?
Does this writing sound like me?
How do I want my readers to feel?
Will my story hold readers' attention? Will they want to hear more?
Spelling:
Sort 11 will focus on the suffixes -al, -ial and -ic. These suffixes signal adjectives derived from nouns and sometimes verbs. They suggest things that are associated or relating to. For example, anything fictional is related to fiction.
Our spelling test will be taken on Friday, February 24.
Sort 12 will focus on adjective suffixes -ful, -ous, and -ious. These suffixes suggest "full of" or "having the qualities of." Our spelling test for this sort will be on Friday, March 9.
A great resource we found includes other ways for students to practice their spelling, even some apps for devices. The spelling activities that we suggested in the students spelling journals are just suggestions. Please feel free to adapt as your child needs to.
http://support.weta.org/site/MessageViewer?em_id=43183.0&dlv_id=48444
