MATH
We started Unit 3 last week: Multiplication and Division: Number Sentences and Algebra. Yes you read that correctly....algebra in 4th grade! The Everyday Math program does a great job introducing algebraic concepts at the 4th grade level.
These last few days we have been reviewing multiplication facts: patterns on the facts table and the importance of automaticity when it comes to these facts. We will be taking timed facts tests daily and graphing the results. Please look for these to come home in students homework folders. Students will progress through the times tables at their own pace so that we are meeting each student at their level. With that said it is very important that students have automaticity with their facts by the end of this unit. We will be finishing this unit up the first week of November. It may not seem like a lot of time but all facts were expected to be mastered by the end of 3rd grade, so this is really meant to be a review. Please be sure students are getting at least 50-60 minutes of fact practice in per week. I know with busy schedules there may be some nights that are skipped, but please try to make sure they are practicing. See the Curriculum resource tab on this blog for links to websites for fact practice.
The four main areas of focus in Unit 3 are:
- To review strategies for solving multiplication facts and helps students maintain automaticity with multiplication facts
- To provide practice interpreting data, measuring length, and using a map scale (ties in nicely to our Geography study at this time!)
- To introduce a simplified approach to solving number stories and provide practice solving number stories
- To provide practice with number sentences and open sentences
Literacy
We will finish up our launch unit in Schoolwide Literacy program this week. Students have been practicing the reading strategies introduced in this unit on short text pieces that are a variety of genres and come from students centered publications such as Time for Kids and Highlights magazine (to only name a few!). At the end of this week we will starr our next unit that focuses on Non-Fiction texts.
Students began work in a "Grammar" folder since the last blog entry. Students are working on note taking strategies as they take notes on different parts of speech. On Mondays a lesson is presented on the specific parts of speech being practiced that week. So far we have covered complete subjects and predicates, nouns (we took note of proper, common and possessive) and verbs (we noted the three types: action, helping and linking verbs). This week we are tackling simple subjects and predicates, articles (a, an ,the) and conjunctions. Students practice with a sentence each day where they have to identify the parts of the sentence and then label each word in the sentence with the appropriate part of speech. We review one sentence each day and then on Friday they complete the sentence independently and I use this to assess. If needed, I conference with students individually to reteach based on the quick check with the Friday sentence.
WEX
Students continued to work on focus in their writing and were given opportunities to revise in our first revision assignments. Part of these revision assignments was to differentiate between telling as a writer and showing as a writer. Students worked on changing or adding to telling sentences to show readers a setting, an emotion and/or an action through descriptive details.
This week students will begin writing a narrative on a personal SOS moment...yes that SOS (Save Our Ship!). Several narratives based on SOS moments will be shared to give students a model. Students will be taken through the writing process of planning, drafting, revising and editing. These narratives will be displayed at conference time.
Social Studies
We have moved onto Social Studies during our content time. We are reviewing geography and map skills. Topics covered are:
- Different types of maps; their uses and functions
- Continents and Oceans
- Four hemispheres (Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western)
- Cardinal directions: N, S, E and W Intermediate directions: NE, NW, SE, SW,
- Equator, prime meridian
- Lines of Latitude and Longitude
- Using parallels and meridians to locate places or name points on a map
- Using a map scale
- Discussion of time zones and reading a time zone map
Don't forget to check out the homework page on the blog for links to some great YouTube videos and online resources that make geography fun!
HALLOWEEN IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER....
The students are getting excited and our room reps are planning for this most exciting event! More information will be shared as we get closer from the main office about our parade route changes due to construction. Please see a few "housekeeping" notes below.
- Please return the note that went home today ASAP indicating your child's plan for lunch that day. We must have that note signed and returned whether your child is coming home for lunch that day or not.
- Have fun planning costumes but please remember that no prop weapons are allowed at school. Please also be mindful of any masks or costumes that are inordinately gory or scary.
- We really appreciate all of our volunteers that will give their time to help out that day. We are being asked to keep volunteers limited to 5 adults per classroom. We realize that some of you will need to get childcare to help out, as no younger siblings are allowed at the parties. Thank you for helping us keep the focus on our students.
- Our room reps will share the menu for the party with me and I will be sharing that with all of you by October 27th to make sure we have no allergy concerns with any of the foods being served.
- Per district policy, treat bags may not be sent home with students.
Looking forward to a very fun and safe Halloween celebration!
Once again thank you for your support and partnership in your child's learning!