McNeel Intermediate School
4th Grade November 2020 Newsletter
October and November Students of the Week
Ms. Brunner: Mikki Pope-Gauthier, Thomas Tooker, Andy Duong, Aubre'yana Fleming, Michael Hernandez, Lily Smith, Kaylee Zummo
Ms. Colby: Eddy Reyes, Geovanny Salazar, Jasia Gillespie, Jair Torres-Vera, Baylee Bye
Ms. Edens: Dominic Wobig, Miranda Carabajal, Jakeira Deleon, Destinii Green, Madisyn Arneson, Elijah Oropeza, Giauvauna Thomas
Ms. Masanz: Andres Mendoza-Bonilla, Ayden Stowers, Monica Olaguez-Casique, Gabriella Valadez, Zhi'Onna Tate, My'Khila Grady, Lemar Hereford
Mrs. Prado: Ben'tlee Grundy, Joshua Long, Lexi Hill, Jerranae Tate, Ryan Foy, Ja'Marion Pulliam, Zariyah Hale
Distance Learning
Expectations:
- attend live class and complete work in Google Classroom
- If you can't attend the live class, watch the recorded class and complete work in Google Classroom
- Be engaged and involved in the class discussions
What Have We Been Learning?
Math: In Math we have begun the multiplication unit and are learning how to multiply one digit numbers by using place value, estimation, distributive property, expanded form, partial products, regrouping, and mental math. Practicing basic facts each day even for 5-10 minutes using multiplication.com, flashcards, or games to have fact fluency and know the facts quickly. Knowing their facts will make it much easier as we move into 2 digit numbers and multiplying and dividing.
ELA: In Language Arts with Ms. Edens' and Mrs. Prado's classes, we have been working on learning new vocabulary words by learning a new word each day. We have also been focusing on writing summaries. We just finished reading Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing right before Thanksgiving Break. In Ms. Brunner and Ms. Masanz's classes we have finished reading The LOSER'S Club. We are starting to dig into the theme of the story and continuing to write realistic fiction.
Science: Our unit takes the perspective that we can think about our bodies as being like a machine. We have parts for moving around, sensors, and a built in computer. Students have been exploring their senses and considering how the information we process helps us understand and react to our environment. Students are introduced to the unit anchoring phenomenon, owls catching prey. In the activity, they create an initial conceptual model to explain how the owl's body parts work together to hunt. In the activity, Robot Finger, students construct a model of a human finger and observe how pulling on a string (a model for tendons) causes it to bend at the joints. Students discover the basics of how their eyes work, and figure out some of the causes of vision problems. In the activity, Eye Model, students develop a working model of a human eye. They use a magnifying lens as a model of the cornea to explore how the structure of this lens is related to the function of our eyes. Students delve further into the workings of the eye, exploring the function of their iris and pupil. In the activity, Pupil Card, students add a smaller pupil to the eye model that they created. Then they observe how the changing size of the pupil controls how much light enters the eye.
Social Studies: We have been learning about the climate and weather and different resources from the five different regions of the United States. We will be starting the history unit.
Remember that your students will have assignments from both Language Arts and Social Studies to complete every school day, as well as 20 minutes of reading every day. Reading can be done on Epic, or by using the Virtual Libraries in my Google Classroom, or by reading books. Also those students who have IReady should be working on Math and Reading every day.
Need Help?? We are here for you!!
Ms. Edens 2:50-3:30 p.m., Mondays 4:30-5 p.m.
Ms. Brunner: 2:50-3:30 p.m., Tuesdays 4:30-5 p.m.
Ms.Masanz: 2:50-3:30 p.m. Thursdays 4:30-5 p.m.
Mrs. Prado: 2:50-3:30 p.m., Fridays 4:30-5 p.m.
Ms. Colby 2:50-3:30 p.m.
Ms. Stanke 2:05-2:45 p.m.
Ms. Nikki: 1:20-2 p.m.
Ms. Kristin: 1:20-2 p.m.