Sharing Books We LOVE!
Dancers of the Week!
Friday, October 26, 2018
Weekly Update
This week, fourth graders were treated to a presentation about the Natives of the Northeast, and about archaeology. Students participated in an "archaeological dig" right at JFK. Mrs. Silvia, of the Haffenreffer Museum at Brown University, brought real artifacts, and explained to the students how archaeologists find artifacts and estimate their age. We look forward to learning more from this program throughout the year. Thank you to the JFK PCC for funding this awesome experience!
Friday, October 19, 2018
Weekly Update
Reader’s Workshop:
This week we have continued our interactive read-aloud Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Florence and Richard Atwater. We focused in on identifying character traits for Mr. Popper and finding specific evidence from the text that support our ideas about who Mr. Popper is as a person. Students continued to ask “talk worthy” questions and worked within their individual goal to improve his/her understanding of the text.
Giving book talks is part of Reader's Workshop in 4th grade. Students practice speaking skills and help others find interesting books to read.
Giving book talks is part of Reader's Workshop in 4th grade. Students practice speaking skills and help others find interesting books to read.
Students sharing books they love!
Writer's Workshop:
The week students focused in on the planning stage of the writing process. After reviewing our journals for ideas, students choose one small moment to write a true or fictional story about. This week students learned how to use a sequence frame to write out each step of the story. Then students copied each event on a sticky note and placed these events on a Story Mountain Map. They were asked to think carefully about which event would be the top of the mountain, aka the heart of their story. Finally, students practiced using planning boxes to plan out the specific way they will write each event. We know good writers add dialogue, small action, the character's thoughts and feelings, and visual description using the 5 senses. We look forward to drafting these stories next week.
Science: We took our terrariums down from the window sills this week to take a close look at them. Students observed and wrote about what they saw. All of us were able to see the water cycle in action!
Dancers of the Week!
Friday, October 12, 2018
Weekly Update
Reader's Workshop:
We had a special packaged delivered during our 4th grade community meeting on Monday! In this package students found some penguins and our next interactive read aloud of the year: Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. This week students learned routines for interactive read alouds during reader's workshop. Students made new goals for the next 6 weeks of reader's workshop. Ask your child what they are tracking to increase their understanding of the story!
Math:
We have almost completed Topic 1. Your child has a Topic 1 Assessment on Thursday10/18. A Study guide will go home on Monday. This week we looked at how multiplication and division are related, and strategies for finding quotients. We also talked about special quotients when dividing my 0 and 1.
Social Studies:
We are at the end of our unit on Maps and Globes. Your child has been practicing studying each night this week. The test is on Tuesday 10/16. Your child is encouraged to bring in any proof of study for extra credit.
Science:
This Tuesday students excitedly participated in their Puff Mobile race, the culminating activity for our Puff Mobile project. Students reflected on the Engineering Design Process used to build their Puff Mobile. We also reflected on the teamwork, perseverance, and collaboration it took for groups to be successful.
Dancers of the Week!
Dancers of the Week!
Up Coming Dates:
Maps and Globes Assessment- Tuesday 10/16
Topic 1 Math Assessment - Thursday 10/18
Parent/Teacher Conferences Half Days Thursday and Friday October 25th and 26th
Topic 1 Math Assessment - Thursday 10/18
Parent/Teacher Conferences Half Days Thursday and Friday October 25th and 26th
Tuesday, October 9, 2018
Friday, October 5, 2018
Weekly Update
Math: We are well into Topic 1 Multiplication and Division: Meanings and Facts. This week we focused our lessons on the meaning of multiplication and strategies for finding the product of different facts efficiently. Students used skip counting to find multiples of 2 and 5. Also, students analyzed the patterns in the multiples of 9 and learned a quick trick using their fingers for 9's facts. Yesterday students used the strategy "break apart" to quickly find products of 3,4,6,7,and 8's facts. Students are now expected to practice facts nightly, and have brought home a "multiplication ladders" resource packet as one option for fact practice.
Readers' Workshop: This week students participated in an interactive read aloud, Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke. We focused on learning and practicing strategies to read and understand a graphic novel. Students also choose an individual goal to improve their reading comprehension. Mighty Jack is a high interest, action-packed adventure that we all enjoyed!
Writers' Workshop: As a class we read Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal, in the story Alma shares the meaning behind her name. Students then developed interview questions to research their own name story. After gathering information for their own name story, students worked to write a paragraph with varying sentence structure. We are looking forward to sharing these name stories next week!
Science: Students continued to work in collaborative groups on Puff Mobiles. Today we made terrariums as an introduction to our explorations of the water cycle and earths' processes. Later in the year we will use our terrariums to investigate plant adaptations.
Social Studies: Students continued to learn about maps and globes by focusing in on intermediate directions on the compass rose and practicing using the map scale to determine the distance between two places on a map. A study guide for the first social studies assessment of the year will go home on Tuesday. Students are encouraged to study a little each night by making flash cards, making a quiz, or creating a game.
4th grade community meeting: beginning our week with some yoga!
Readers' Workshop: This week students participated in an interactive read aloud, Mighty Jack by Ben Hatke. We focused on learning and practicing strategies to read and understand a graphic novel. Students also choose an individual goal to improve their reading comprehension. Mighty Jack is a high interest, action-packed adventure that we all enjoyed!
Writers' Workshop: As a class we read Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal, in the story Alma shares the meaning behind her name. Students then developed interview questions to research their own name story. After gathering information for their own name story, students worked to write a paragraph with varying sentence structure. We are looking forward to sharing these name stories next week!
Science: Students continued to work in collaborative groups on Puff Mobiles. Today we made terrariums as an introduction to our explorations of the water cycle and earths' processes. Later in the year we will use our terrariums to investigate plant adaptations.
Social Studies: Students continued to learn about maps and globes by focusing in on intermediate directions on the compass rose and practicing using the map scale to determine the distance between two places on a map. A study guide for the first social studies assessment of the year will go home on Tuesday. Students are encouraged to study a little each night by making flash cards, making a quiz, or creating a game.
4th grade community meeting: beginning our week with some yoga!
Dancers of the week!
Upcoming Important Dates:
No School Columbus Day Monday October 8th
Scholastic Orders due Thursday October 11th
Parent/Teacher Conferences Half Days Thursday and Friday October 25th and 26th
Parent/Teacher Conferences Half Days Thursday and Friday October 25th and 26th
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