Fourth Grade Friends
October 16
Upcoming Dates and Reminders
Please encourage your child to bring warmer clothes to school for the colder weather. It would be so helpful to students to lay out needed items for school the night before.
- warmer clothing
- iPad - charged
- mask
- lunch
- backpack
- water bottle
Tuesday, October 20 - Picture make-up day!
Wednesday, October 28 - Early Release at 1:40
Thursday, October 29 - No School
Friday, October 30 - No School
Learning in Literacy
We finished our first Unit in Language Workshop this week. We used 4 different books to answer this essential question: How does diversity impact a community? The words I used to explain this question with your 4th grader was: How did being different, doing different things, or coming from different places (mindsets) change a community? All of these books are based on true experiences. These books offered us a glimpse into the lives of people around the world that have struggled with war, freedom, and violence. We answered and discussed this question after reading each book. We found that with each story, the characters had to persevere to overcome many obstacles. They were strong and had to face many challenges, but they never gave up.
If you want to read them, you can check them out from the library or you can click on the links below. (I tried my best to find the best ones.)
Hands Around the Library https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1krkINDHIQ
Four Feet, Two Sandals https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VraJGkdgPF4&t=357s
Planting the Trees of Kenya https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzo6nYeGHdI
Brothers in Hope https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtcRkB6tLm0
Reading
Your child should be reading every night!! Your 4th grader is required to read 15-20 books this school year. We talked about these key points during class:
- These books can be (and should be) read in and out of the classroom
- Books have to be a chapter book
- Audiobooks and graphic novels count as well
- Spread it out and do 5 books a trimester
- They will keep track of the books they read in their: 4th Reading Digital Notebook. They can add books to it whenever they have finished since it is on their iPad.
By reading 15-20 books, we are establishing a community of readers where we can give and get book recommendations, talk about books/things we've read, and ENJOY reading!
Thanks for your help with this.
Word Study
We have a new phonics curriculum that we started this year as a whole district. In this curriculum, we focus on word spelling patterns. The patterns we have focused on are long a/short a, long e/short e, and long o/short o. I will send a list of words with these patterns that we have worked on the last few weeks.
Writing
In writing, we are still working on our narrative writing. Students are selecting and writing a realistic fiction story based on their real life experiences. We have worked on planning out our stories using a story arc. When we use a story arc to plan our stories, we can make sure we include all the elements we need. We have also worked on crafting a "hook" to hook our readers onto reading our stories.
Marvelous Math
Unit Two:
We have started our next unit on place value. The fourth graders will be studying about large numbers to the hundred millions. The mathematicians will learn how to read, write, and expand multi-digit numbers to the millions. Fourth graders will understand the value of each digit in a multi-digit number and be able to round large numbers. In addition, students in fourth grade learn how to add and subtract large numbers using the standard algorithm.
Content Standards
NBT.1.1 Recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place represent ten times what it represents in the place to its right.
NBT.2.1 Read and write multi-digit numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form.
NBT.2.2 Compare 2 multi-digit numbers using >, =, and < symbols to record results.
NBT.3.1 Use place value understanding to round multi-digit numbers to any place.
NBT.4.1 Fluently add multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
NBT.4.2 Fluently subtract multi-digit whole numbers using the standard algorithm.
Matific
Please have your child work on Matific every day to complete the required math homework for the week. Matific provides many interactive assignments to support the students when learning about math.
XtraMath
Please encourage your child to practice the multiplication facts using XtraMath.
Students need to practice XM every day. Matific is not to take the place of XM. Students need to do XM at school as well as practice it at home most days. This will support each student as he/she works on learning the facts.
Pajama Day Reward!!
The next reward is extra recess. Students will give 75 shout outs on perseverance to earn this reward.
SEL - Social and Emotional Learning
Be Responsible, Be Respectful, and Be Safe.
The Lowell Creed
2020-2021
I am proud to be an AVID Lowell Leopard.
I will accept the challenge to become the best that I can be.
I have high expectations of myself and those around me, even when no one is watching.
I will participate, and I will make mistakes.
I will learn and grow because of them.
I will act safely, respectfully, and responsibly.
I will choose what I become.
I will make a positive difference in the lives of others because I am capable of greatness.
It is what I do today that prepares me to be a leader tomorrow.
There are 3 parts to SEL curriculum.
Regulation of Zones
The Zones of Regulation is a curriculum used to teach students self regulation and self control of their emotions. This curriculum teaches students to use strategies or tools to help them move between zones. Every student has a Zones book on his/her iPad in the Book Creator App to support them when needing strategies or tools to move his/her emotions between zones.
Second Steps to Respect
The Second Step program focuses on core social-emotional skills that are important for bullying prevention, including empathy, emotion management and social problem solving. This curriculum also teaches friendship building and how to be assertive. This curriculum will start as soon as we finish the Zones of Regulation Program.
Characteristic of the Month
For September the characteristic of the month is perseverance. Students are learning about how to keep going and to not give up.
2 students from each homeroom will be recognized each month who are showing the characteristic of the month.
Spectacular Science and Social Studies
Lapham Peak is our first unit to study in Science. In this unit students learn about glaciers and how the glaciers were here during the Ice Age. The students created glacier type landforms using playdough. Soil is another component to this unit. The students learned about the layers of soil and why soil is important. We had fun creating an editable soil profile with pudding and other food items. The last part of this unit is about weathering, erosion, and deposition. We had a fun lab learning about weathering with water and erosion with wind using Skittles. Please see the pictures below.
Contact Information (order of picture - left to right)
Mrs. Bettack (Sped. teacher)
Mrs. Moore (Numeracy teacher)
Mrs. Herning (Literacy teacher)
Mrs. Brinkman (DHH teacher)
We are looking forward to meeting those we don’t know, connecting with those we already know and working with all of you this year! You are welcome to contact us with questions and if there is anything we can do to help you or your child, please let us know!
We typically respond to email and voice messages within 24 hours or one business day.