ELA News:
In reading we are continuing to work on Daily 4 routines. During reading, we’re focusing on inferring with evidence from the text, summarizing, and predicting. We are also working on backing up all of our thinking with evidence from the text and/or prior knowledge. All thinking statements made during reading must have the word BECAUSE in them!
We are using both fiction and nonfiction texts to practice these comprehension strategies. This week we’ve started our first read aloud chapter book, Stone Fox. The students are doing an amazing job thinking deeply and inferring while we read this text together.
Students took their beginning of year SRI reading comprehension test last week. This gives an approximate Lexile level that students are able to comprehend at. You can use www.lexile.com to choose books within a certain range, or to look up a book to see its level. Students learned to use this website at school as well. Students are encouraged to find books with the range of 100 points below their level and 50 points above. All students should be aware of their current level and have it on the inside of their reader’s notebooks as well. Lexile level is one of the many measures of growth we use during the year for reading comprehension.
We’ve also started to learn word study routines. For the next few weeks we will use homophones and other commonly misspelled words to learn and practice both homework and in class routines. This past week we worked on homework routines at school so that students are aware of the homework expectations and have examples in their word study journal to refer to.
Regular Word Study homework begins next week, starting 7/28. The directions for this homework are in the students’ binders in a page protector. Homework for Word Study is flexible – if you are busy with sports or another activity one night, you can double up on another night, as long as all assignments are completed by Friday morning.
Math & Science News:
In math we are using place value to understand and round multi-digit whole numbers to any place. We are also reviewing how to add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using a variety of strategies. Please continue having your students practice their multiplication facts nightly. We will be moving to multiplication in our next unit and this will help a lot.
The first formal assessment was sent home this week. Please remember that sometimes it takes students a while to adjust to new math expectations. We spend a lot of time justifying our answers in fourth grade, therefore written explanations play a big part when grading these assessments. I will continue to model how to write a good explanation for different types of problems.
In science we have completed our first series of investigations with mock rocks. We talked about the differences between a rock and mineral. Then we proceeded to break our mock rocks apart in order to separate out all of the minerals. We sorted what we could, used water to separate minerals into layers, and then used evaporation to discover minerals that had dissolved in the water. This week we have been investigating the property of hardness. We have classified different minerals based on Mohs hardness scale.
Important Information and Reminders:
The PTA Go Play Save Fundraiser information was sent home this week. Orders, money, and/or unpurchased books must be returned by Friday, August 1.
We look forward to seeing you at Open House on Tuesday the 29th at 6pm! We will upload the PowerPoint presentation to our website for you to view if you are unable to attend.
Important Upcoming Dates:
Open House: TUESDAY July 29 6-7:30pm (NEW DATE!!!)
No School: Sept. 1
Early Release/Trackout/Report Cards: Sept. 5
In reading we are continuing to work on Daily 4 routines. During reading, we’re focusing on inferring with evidence from the text, summarizing, and predicting. We are also working on backing up all of our thinking with evidence from the text and/or prior knowledge. All thinking statements made during reading must have the word BECAUSE in them!
We are using both fiction and nonfiction texts to practice these comprehension strategies. This week we’ve started our first read aloud chapter book, Stone Fox. The students are doing an amazing job thinking deeply and inferring while we read this text together.
Students took their beginning of year SRI reading comprehension test last week. This gives an approximate Lexile level that students are able to comprehend at. You can use www.lexile.com to choose books within a certain range, or to look up a book to see its level. Students learned to use this website at school as well. Students are encouraged to find books with the range of 100 points below their level and 50 points above. All students should be aware of their current level and have it on the inside of their reader’s notebooks as well. Lexile level is one of the many measures of growth we use during the year for reading comprehension.
We’ve also started to learn word study routines. For the next few weeks we will use homophones and other commonly misspelled words to learn and practice both homework and in class routines. This past week we worked on homework routines at school so that students are aware of the homework expectations and have examples in their word study journal to refer to.
Regular Word Study homework begins next week, starting 7/28. The directions for this homework are in the students’ binders in a page protector. Homework for Word Study is flexible – if you are busy with sports or another activity one night, you can double up on another night, as long as all assignments are completed by Friday morning.
Math & Science News:
In math we are using place value to understand and round multi-digit whole numbers to any place. We are also reviewing how to add and subtract multi-digit whole numbers using a variety of strategies. Please continue having your students practice their multiplication facts nightly. We will be moving to multiplication in our next unit and this will help a lot.
The first formal assessment was sent home this week. Please remember that sometimes it takes students a while to adjust to new math expectations. We spend a lot of time justifying our answers in fourth grade, therefore written explanations play a big part when grading these assessments. I will continue to model how to write a good explanation for different types of problems.
In science we have completed our first series of investigations with mock rocks. We talked about the differences between a rock and mineral. Then we proceeded to break our mock rocks apart in order to separate out all of the minerals. We sorted what we could, used water to separate minerals into layers, and then used evaporation to discover minerals that had dissolved in the water. This week we have been investigating the property of hardness. We have classified different minerals based on Mohs hardness scale.
Important Information and Reminders:
The PTA Go Play Save Fundraiser information was sent home this week. Orders, money, and/or unpurchased books must be returned by Friday, August 1.
We look forward to seeing you at Open House on Tuesday the 29th at 6pm! We will upload the PowerPoint presentation to our website for you to view if you are unable to attend.
Important Upcoming Dates:
Open House: TUESDAY July 29 6-7:30pm (NEW DATE!!!)
No School: Sept. 1
Early Release/Trackout/Report Cards: Sept. 5