4th Grade Week of January 11
Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Still, and Ms. Franks
CFES 4th Grade Updates
Dear CFES 4th Grade Families,
We had a great first few days back!
Please check with your child, many students are needing to replenish supplies at school: colored pencils, low odor dry erase markers, pencil top and large erasers, head phones/ear buds, highlighters
Please be sure your student remembers to bring his/her water bottle to school every day to refill at the filtered water stations.
Our CFES Great Expectations focus this week will be:
Life Principle: integrity - acting according to a sense of right and wrong
Quote: "If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it" -Marcus Aurelius
Please be encouraged to discuss with your child what the quote and life principle means to them and help make life connections to reinforce.
Please click HERE for the updated Specials Schedule for the 3rd grading period.
Have a great week!
Love,
Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Still, & Ms. Franks
Weekly Homework
Growth Mindset
The Iceberg Illusion
Big Life Journal Blog
Tools to help children grow up to be positive, resilient, confident human beings who strive to achieve great things in life.
Math & Science Updates
Math: This week we will wrap up our unit on fractions.
Students will:
- use strategies to compare two fractions
- justify the results of comparing fractions by explaining the strategy used
- use symbols <, >, = between fractions when comparing
- decompose fractions in more than one way
- add and subtract fractions
- determine if two fractions are equivalent
Vocabulary: fraction, numerator, denominator, benchmark fractions (0, 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 1), common multiple, common denominator, fraction strips (bars), greater than (>), less than (<), equal to (=), equivalent
Study Guide for Fractions, Part 2 Assessment scheduled for Friday, January 15 *Moved back one day*
Weekly Math Homework:
- Review and practice skills covered in class. Use study guide to prepare for upcoming test(s).
- Study multiplication facts (0-12) for at least 10 minutes each night. The following suggestions are a few resources/ideas for at-home practice.
Resources:
Online textbook for additional review and practice: Click >>> Pearson Easy Bridge enVision Math
- Multiplication Fluency Sheets and Answer Keys - Click HERE.
- xtramath.org - Online fact fluency practice - login through Clever
Math4Texas: Helping Parents Understand the Math Standards
Science:
This week in science we will dive deep into our weather unit. Students will learn all about the different tools used to measure and collect weather data. We will be tracking our weather patterns for the next month. This is the perfect time to watch the news for the weather forecast with your 4th grader!
Students will be assigned a Weather Instrument Project. Students will pick a weather instrument to make and create from items from around the house. The rubric and details will will be sent home Monday, 1-11. Their projects will be due on Tuesday, January 19th.
Vocabulary: weather, weather symbols, weather map, low pressure, meteorology, meteorologist, rain gauge, satellite map, stratus clouds, temperature, wind vane, Enhanced Fujita Scale, map key, air pressure, fog, hurricane, tornado, weather forecaster, atmosphere, anemometer, barometer, cirrus clouds, cumulus clouds, atmosphere, drought, front, front map, high pressure, humidity
Students are encouraged to login using their google account to Flocabulary using the following link/code to practice vocabulary: www.flocabulary.com/join-class and enter the class code 6RWKSB (Brown) Q7YZMP(Franks)
Language Arts & Social Studies Updates
Reading: Book Clubs will continue next week. Students will become more familiar with the Notice and Note signposts (strategies that all good readers use). We'll be noticing the author's purpose and message in the text as we read. Each day, students read a few chapters and notice their thinking. They have planned their reading each day in order to finish their books by Friday, January, 15th. A large portion of class is dedicated to reading each day. However, if students are unable to finish the day's reading in class, they may take home their book to finish at home. They record their thoughts on post its using the sign posts. Book club groups meet each day to summarize what they read, discuss what signposts they noticed, and extend their comprehension of the text.
Great series to read: Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, Percy Jackson, Series of Unfortuanate Events, The Benedict Society, The Serafina series, Land of Stories, Magic Misfits
Great authors: Sharon Creech, James Patterson, Katherine Applegate, Gary Paulson, Stuart Gibbs
Writing: Our writing unit is paired with reading so students will have the opportunity to think deeply about the reading that they've done and apply their thinking in the form of a reading response. Our focus will be on supporting evidence that students use to support their thinking.
Vocabulary:
Unit 7 begins Monday. Students will study the words in class and will work on an assigned page each day in their books. If they do not complete it, they will bring it home to finish for homework. Please encourage your child to do additional study practices at home as we work towards familiarity and mastery of these difficult words. Vocabulary Book Online.
Handwriting:
Cursive writing resumes next week. Assignments will be found online and students will work in their blue cursive books. We'll work on a few skills per week. Students may practice at home as well. Cursive is a beautiful skill to learn and become proficient in. It also assists students in READING cursive writing as well.
Social Studies: We are about to begin Unit 5: The Republic of Texas and its Government. We will begin by comparing the Texas Government to the US Government including important Texas Documents.
We'll be considering the following:
Why is a government created?
How did Houston and Lamar impact the development of the Republic of Texas
Upcoming Events
1/14 Dress Up Day - Mix and Match
1/15 - Fractions Unit Assessment (NOTE Change in DATE)
1/18 - Martin Luther King, Jr - District Holiday (no school)
1/19 - Weather Instrument Projects due
1/21 Unit 7 Vocabulary Test
Teachers
Mrs. Brown is THANKFUL for this year's adventure!
Miss Franks is ready to BLAZE the road in 4th Grade!
Mrs. Still LOVES the S'more-side of the FOURest
Teacher Contact Information
Mrs. Jennifer Brown
(281)357-4526 (Ext. 3841)
Mrs. Candice Still
(281)357-4526 (Ext. 3842)
Ms. Abbey Franks
(281)357-4526 (Ext.3843)
Conference Time: 9:45-10:35
Lunch 12:30-1:00