Mrs. Jackson's
4th Grade Class
Curriculum Updates
Reading
Readers have been hard at work discussing and responding to their book club books. It has been such a treat to sit in on their book club meetings and hear them share ideas, make connections, and predict what is going to happen next! This week students will complete their novels. Next week students will be working with their groups to complete a project that showcases important elements of their historical fiction books, including theme.
To prepare for these projects, we will be studying theme this week. Students will learn that the theme of a story is the message the author wants you to take away when you finish reading. Themes can change throughout the story, and we can often identify the theme by studying what the character learned.
Writing Workshop and Word Work
Our writing continues to be an integral part of pioneer book clubs. One exciting transition that has happened is that our students have been completing their writings using our brand new Chromebooks! We have learned all about using Google Classroom, and are working on proper formatting when typing. One thing I encourage all students to do at home is to practice their typing to increase their speed and stamina! Students should be continuing to work on their spelling words at home. Choice spelling boards are due Thursday, January 22nd and our first spelling test for third quarter will be Friday, January 23rd.
Math
The first few lessons of our new chapter on fractions have been going well. Students should be comfortable finding equivalent fractions, putting fractions in simplest form, and finding common denominators of two fractions. Students will take a mid-chapter check this week to assess their progress. We will also learn how to solve word problems involving fractions, how to compare fractions using both benchmarks and common denominators, as well as how to order fractions once they have been compared. Our Chapter 6 test will be given next week. Look for an exact date in your child’s planner by the end of the week!
Social Studies
Students are blazing through Ohio History! Last week we constructed an accordion book highlighting multiple causes and effects of The American Revolution. Next, students created an advertisement for the Northwest Territory persuading colonists to move west of the Appalachian Mountains to the Northwest Territory. Today students will be taking home a study guide for an Ohio History quiz on Friday, January 23. Please check your email - I will be sending you an answer key. Next week, we will celebrate Ohio's admittance to the Union as the 17th state (and the first under the Northwest Ordinance) on March 1, 1803!