What's Happening in Fourth Grade

Hi everyone,

It's been awhile since our last update. Here is what your children have been up to the last few weeks and what they can expect to be doing in the coming weeks.

Reading: We are working on asking questions and identifying the main idea with supporting details.  We are using ReadAbout (a computerized program that differentiates individual instruction for each student) and SmartFiles which are articles that develop vocabulary and teach Common Core State Standards for Reading and Writing.  Both ReadAbout and SmartFiles focus on non-fiction text.

We have also started Literature Circles where we are reading realistic fiction.  Students read chapters from the group book, write a response and read it to the group.  The students use their listening and speaking skills to have a conversation stemming from their written responses.

Writing: We completed an expository writing piece on Collage using a hands-on experience creating a collage and reading an article to support evidence in their writing.

We are working on revision skills of our personal narrative.  The students are adding strong verbs, adjectives which support vivid details and transitions.  The transitions can be time as in “a few hours ago” or place as in “I walked into the living room”.

We are starting our imaginative narrative writing through “spooky stories” that have a logical sequence of events that incorporates problem and solution.

Spelling homework is part of writing. www.spellingcity.com is the program we are using.  Students have their words written down in their agendas so they have a choice on how to study.

Please make sure students are studying their spelling words.  There are four lists and the students know which list to study.  They also have them 

Social Studies: We are continuing with geography with emphases on map coordinates.

Art: We just completed a study of color theory.  The students were given a paint set with warm and cool read and blues, yellow, black and white.  They learned how to make primary red by mixing red-violet and red-orange and primary blue by mixing turquoise and blue-violet.  The also made color wheels mixing blues and yellow to achieve different shades of green.  They found that red and blue do not always make purple by mixing turquoise with red-orange they found a beautiful rich brown.  This week they will continue exploration of color mixing and learn watercolor techniques of dry and wet brush painting.

Math: The students are wrapping up their Multiplication Unit and will have the Quarter 1 Assessment next Monday 11/4. We will spend another 2 weeks covering division and problem solving before jumping into our study of Fractions. In the second quarter, students will be learning about Fraction: equivalents, comparing and ordering, addition and subtraction, and decimal notation. 

Please be sure your child is working on basic multiplication facts at home, at least a few minutes each night.   

Science: The students are working on two units in science. One unit is a yearlong study of salmon through Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association. We are currently studying the Water Cycle and it's importance to salmon. Our second unit is a study of space science. The first group of lessons in this unit teaches students about the size and distance of sky objects, the Moon, planets, and the Sun. 

First Quarter ends next Tuesday, November 5. Progress Reports will be sent home November 14.