Spring Creek Cardinals
4th Grade Newsletter
OCTOBER 2015 EDITION
Reminder - Next week we will begin our parent conferences.
MATH Update
We have been working hard in math learning lots of new concepts. Some of the topics we learned about include place value to the billions place, adding and subtracting those large numbers, rounding numbers to the thousands and ten thousands place and finding the value of specific digits in a number. We also began working with decimals. Students learned about tenths, hundredths, and how they are related to one another. They also learned about adding and subtracting decimals and putting them on a number line. This past week we began to look at how fractions with a denominator of tenths or hundredths can be written as a decimal.
In October we will continue looking at fractions, this time with a variety of denominators. The students will begin to learn how to find equivalent fractions and how to determine if two different fractions are equivalent by drawing models of the fractions or by multiplying fractions with a fraction equivalent to 1, such as ²/₂ or other fractions where the numerator and denominator are equal. Students will also learn how to compare fractions to determine if one is greater than, less than or equal to another fraction or a group of fractions. Some other skills they will also learn are how to place fractions on a number line and that the important way to look at fractions on the number line is to look at the spaces between the tick marks on the line. Finally they will be adding and subtracting fractions.
Multiplication fluency practice will continue each week with a fluency quiz on Friday. Please be sure that your child is doing their fluency homework each night. The fluency homework consists of 50 mixed multiplication problems, Monday through Thursday. The quiz will cover the same multiplication factors they have practiced each night. The homework shouldn’t take more than 10 or 15 minutes. Each week I post digital copies of the fluency homework on my website, http://mrseberlesclass.weebly.com/
If your child ever forgets his/her homework, you can go to the homework page on my website to print a copy. A grade is taken on the fluency homework, so please be sure they are doing this homework daily.
READING/WRITING Update
At the beginning of October we will be completing our unit on poetry. Your student has shown a great love and desire to read and write in this genre. They have studied the writing of various poets while taking note of techniques the authors use. Students have applied these techniques to their own writing. To conclude our unit on poetry, we will have a Poetry Party on Oct. 9. Students will have the opportunity to read their poetry aloud and share the work they have created. More information coming soon.
Throughout the rest of October, students will analyze characters and story elements (theme, main idea, purpose) while reading. Students will learn techniques from mentor authors to convey strong feelings through "show don't tell." Students will practice writing in such a way that their audience will feel like they are experiencing the story. Students will also learn how to monitor their writing and make appropriate revisions and edits.
For spelling we are learning and practicing different rules and patterns in isolation, in stations and in their writing. As we write this next month, students will be referred back to their spelling notebook when unsure of the spelling of a word. Students will have their first spelling test toward the end of the month over the rules we have studied. More information will follow regarding this.
Homework will continue to include 20 minutes of reading each day with some sort of reading log or activity to engage students. Homework can be found on my website at mrsdungansclass.weebly.com
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES Update
In Science we will look at mixtures, solutions, forms of energy and electrical circuits.
I want to remind everyone that all the vocabulary that we cover in class that is important for our students to know and understand is on my webpage. Help your child get into the good habit of looking over the words every couple of days for 10 - 12 minutes. This will help them make the connections to our labs and discussions we have in class. Plus the weekly quizzes will be easier for them!
Here is the link to my webpage: http://mann4thgradeclass.weebly.com/
In Social Studies we will look at the way of life of different American Indian groups in specific Texas regions, in late prehistoric periods and look at how they modified their environment and used natural resources to survive.
Each week students will have a weekly quiz to see if they are understanding the concepts we cover that week. This is a great way for me, you and our student to see if they are "getting" it. Be looking for this quiz in their Monday folder. If they are consistently making an 80 or higher, they are doing well. If your student starts consistently scoring below an 80, we need to figure out how to help them be more successful.
Help with the first Spring Creek Yearbook!
Looking Ahead...
October 2 = End of the First Six weeks (WOW!)
October 2 = We are taking a "Writing" Field Trip (no busses needed- we are walking)
October 6 = School Pictures
October 9 = 4th grade Awards assembly @ 2:20 in the cafeteria
October 12 = Staff Development/ Student holiday
October 26 - 30 = Red Ribbon Week
October 28 = First Field Trip to Washington on the Brazos
Spring Creek Elementary
Website: http://sc.csisd.org/
Location: 2450 Brewster, College Station, TX
Phone: 979-694-5838
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CSISDSpringCreek
Twitter: @sc_elementary