Mrs. Drew's Classroom Newsletter
4th Grade
This week in 4th grade...
- Language Arts: This was the final week of our poetry unit. The students studied hard in class and at home for our final assessment. The students also added an entry to their journals to practice their writing skills. To apply our reading skills, we continued our Literacy Circle meetings to discuss our Jerry Spinelli books in small groups. Literacy Circles are a great way for students to apply their knowledge of reading. Also in reading we added a new strategy to the Comprehension section of our CAFE menu: "Infer and Support with Evidence". The students learned how to use context clues to make inferences about a text or situation.
- Social Studies: The students finished "Day 2" of our Lewis & Clark simulation. They are falling into the routine of how to solve the Daily Dilemma, update their Captain's Log (latitude/longitude), and figuring out the task of the day. This week the groups each chose to complete one of two tasks: creating a song or poem related to Lewis & Clark's expedition, or picking 10 words that were important to the Lewis & Clark expedition and learning those words in sign language. For this task, one group member will show the sign(s) while another group interprets into spoken English. This task helps students to understand how the translation chain (with Sacagawea's help) worked for the Corp of Discovery as they sought to communicate with people who spoke a different language than their own. We are also continuing our progress in memorizing the state capitols!
- Science: Our salmon are growing! We're monitoring them closely to learn about their growth and development. To continue our learning of electricity, the students made a plan of how to light up more than one bulb in a circuit. Next week we will try to build circuits based on their plans, to see if their plans can lead to successfully lighting up more than one bulb in a circuit. Since we've been learning about Thomas Edison and Benjamin Franklin during this unit, too, your child should now be able to tell you about some of their important inventions/modifications to previous inventions that we enjoy today.
- Math: To expand their knowledge of algebra, the students studied patterns and solved and created algebraic expressions using all four operations. The fourth graders are learning to call an unknown value represented by a letter a "variable". The trickiest part of this algebra unit is being able to write expressions to represent real life situations, but the students are getting the hang of it. They are making such terrific progress!
- Talent Show: Last Wednesday, we had an all-school talent show. We saw everything from Shakespeare skits to gymnastics, from Bollywood dances to musical performances. What a talented bunch of students we have at Evergreen!
- Jump Rope for Heart: To raise money for people suffering from various heart troubles, and to aid in our own goal of keeping our own bodies healthy, the students again participated in Jump Rope for Heart. (Pictures below.) Our gym teacher, Mr. T, planned all sorts of heart healthy P.E. games to play during his class time this week.
Jump Rope for Heart Photos
Talent Show Photos
Next week in 4th grade...
- Language Arts: Grammar (Direct Object, Verbs); Lit. Circles; Spelling; class Spelling Bee
- Social Studies: "Day 3" of Lewis & Clark simulation (new Daily Dilemma, find new latitude/longitude on map, finish last week's task); work on capitols, focusing on southern states) Students may use this link to practice: http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/USA_Geography/USA_Caps_1_1024.html
- Science: Continue Salmon study and Electricity unit (build circuits with more than one bulb; review conductors/insulators)
- Math: review & test on algebra (ch. 5)
School Information
Email: melody.drew@nlcinc.com
Website: http://www.evergreenacademy.com/elementary/seattle/bothell/
Phone: 425-488-8000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EvergreenBothell
Twitter: @EABothell
Important Dates...
- February 9th (T): Free Dress day for 4th grade students (We won the Eagle Buck award!)
- February 10th (W): (Tentative Date) Classroom Spelling Bee (in preparation for the all-school Spelling Bee)
- February 15th (M): Presidents Day- no school
- February 16th-19th (T-F): Mid-Winter Break- no school