4th Grade News
February 2016
Important Events in February
February 15th- No School (President's Day)
February 18th- First night of conferences from 3:30-7:10
February 25th- Second night of conferences from 3:30-7:10
Reading
- We are finishing our long unit on informational text. Next, students will integrate information from two sources. One assignment will ask students to find two sources of information on a particular breed of pet. Using the two sources, students will write an informative essay.
- Next we will return to reading literature. Students will be reading stories, poems, drama and myths. They will learn to identify figurative language (similes, metaphors, idioms, adages, and proverbs) and understand their meanings.
- Later we will be reading Greek myths to understand allusions, and compare and contrast myths with visual versions (video and graphic novels).
Ask your child to visit Learning Farm. There are many lessons and games to further their reading skills.
Math
- We will be learning about fractions! Students will learn how to find equivalent fractions. Students will simplify fractions, find common denominators, order fractions, and multiply fractions. Also, we will use a number line to arrange fractions.
Activities at home that could help with the concepts in class would be looking at recipes. Kids could double the fractions, then simplify the fraction. For example: if a recipe calls for 1/4 and it is doubled, that would be 2/4 or simplified 1/2.
Also, kids could look at recipe and find common denominators for the fractions. For example: if a recipe calls for 1/3, 1/4, and 1/2 cup as measurements, the new fractions with common denominators would be 4/12, 3/12, and 6/12.
Below there is a link to find equivalent fractions. It is a lesson on how to find equal fractions with some questions at the bottom.
Spelling
- We will continue to have weekly spelling tests on Wednesdays. There will be weekly spelling homework activities to prepare students for their spelling tests.
Social Studies
- We just finished learning about the Prehistoric Native Americans who lived in Ohio. Next, we will be learning about the Historic Native Americans who lived in Ohio. We will learn how they lived. There were six different tribes who lived in Ohio. Next, we will learn about the 13 original colonies and how the settlers moved west to Ohio. Also, we will learn how it later lead to conflict and cooperation with the settlers.
Science
- We will be ending our current electricity unit soon. It's amazing what kids can do! Students learned the content of this unit through exploration and teamwork. They rotated through four stations: the Light Bulb Challenge, Series and Parallel Circuits, Snap Circuits, and Circuits on Chromebooks (see my school webpage for electricity links). I wouldn't be surprised to see Snap Circuits on everyone's birthday wish list. Click HERE to see Amazon.com's list. There are many sets of various type and size.
- Watch for pics. on our Laker Pride Facebook page!
- Next we will discuss heat, specifically how energy transfers from hot objects to cold objects as heat, resulting in a temperature change
- Later students will explore matter and mass and learn that the total amount of matter is conserved when it undergoes a change.