4th Grade January Update
Mrs. Mahoney's Class
Math
This month we will finish our unit on fractions! Students have been hard at work learning how to find a fraction of a whole and a set of objects. They also have been further developing their number sense by identifying where fractions fit on a number line. Their continued study of improper fractions and mixed numbers will prove to be beneficial further in the year when we begin studying decimals.
Reading
This month we will begin exploring historical fiction in book clubs. Students will practice various skills in having successful discussions such as active listening, monitoring voice levels, and keeping discussion focused and meaningful. We will make decisions on how much to read, mark important text content that needs to be discussed and set reading goals. Lastly, students will dive deeper into the exploration of setting and how it can transport readers to another place and time, giving them a richer reading experience.
Writing
This month is filled with realistic fiction writing. We will begin by recalling strategies we can use to get ideas for writing. We will then start a collection of story ideas in our Writer's Notebooks from ordinary moments. This month students will choose an idea to develop into a story. Then students will learn to create internal and external traits to develop believable characters. We will finish the month by exploring writing possible plotlines using story arcs.
Social Studies
December was short and left us with a few facts of the Northeast Region to wrap up. We will then move on to learning about the Southeast Region. We will continue using maps to understand the geographical location of the places we discuss and the natural resources of the area. We will also learn about the states and climate of the Southeast and make comparisons of people and groups who lived there in the past with people who live there now.
Upcoming Events
January 20: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day: NO SCHOOL
January 21-24: Education Week
January 21-24: Education Week