ELA News:
In reading we are starting our year by setting up routines and procedures for our reading block. Students will be participating in a Daily 4, where they work on independent reading, digital literacy, word work, and small group or individual work with a teacher. We are currently focusing on independent reading routines and building stamina. We've also started to learn CAFE reading strategies to help students improve on Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding Vocabulary. This week students should be starting to apply the strategies of checking for understanding, stopping and thinking, stopping at interesting words, and rereading when necessary.
We will move into exploring the concepts of theme, main idea, inferencing and summarizing over the next 2 weeks. Students will focus on finding evidence in the text to support their ideas. We will be reading Stone Fox as our mentor text.
In writing, we're already deep into our first writing project! Students are writing Biopoems, focusing on adding descriptive detail about themselves. We will use these poems to explore the writing process and illustrate self portraits to accompany them. We look forward to sharing these poems with you at Open House!
Math & Science News:
In math we are currently working on the following Common Core Standards:
4.NBT.1
Recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place represents ten times what it represents in the place to its right. For example, recognize that 700 ÷ 70 = 10 by applying concepts of place value and division.
4.NBT.2
Read and write multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. Compare two multi-digit numbers based on meanings of the digits in each place, using >;, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.
4.NBT.3
Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place.
We will begin adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers shortly. Please continue to review the multiplication facts with your child nightly. We will be retaking our multiplication test in a few weeks and each child has been given a new goal. Multiplication is an integral part of our curriculum this year so mastery will be key as we move forward.
In science will begin investigating rocks and minerals that make up the earth’s crust. We will begin doing a series of investigations with mock rocks. We will observe them, break them apart, dissolve them in water, and evaporate the liquid to discover the ingredients from which our rocks are made. We will then look at the properties of rocks and minerals. Later, we will study the three kinds of rocks found on the Earth, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, and discover the fundamental process that give rise to each group.
Important Information and Reminders:
Students are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle to school each day. We do go outside for recess everyday, weather permitting, and it is hot!
Students have homework every night. Their agendas must be signed each night by an adult, this is part of their daily homework. It is your child’s responsibility, not yours, to complete homework. Please help them to become independent and responsible learners by enforcing this procedure at home.
Students will be bringing home Go Play Save books for the first PTA fundraiser of the year. Please either return the book or payment as soon as you can. Students can also take orders to sell more books. Complete directions are included with the book coming home today.
Important Upcoming Dates:
Open House: July 30 6-7:30pm
Interim Reports: Aug 7
Early Release: Aug 14
Trackout/Report Cards: Sept. 4
In reading we are starting our year by setting up routines and procedures for our reading block. Students will be participating in a Daily 4, where they work on independent reading, digital literacy, word work, and small group or individual work with a teacher. We are currently focusing on independent reading routines and building stamina. We've also started to learn CAFE reading strategies to help students improve on Comprehension, Accuracy, Fluency and Expanding Vocabulary. This week students should be starting to apply the strategies of checking for understanding, stopping and thinking, stopping at interesting words, and rereading when necessary.
We will move into exploring the concepts of theme, main idea, inferencing and summarizing over the next 2 weeks. Students will focus on finding evidence in the text to support their ideas. We will be reading Stone Fox as our mentor text.
In writing, we're already deep into our first writing project! Students are writing Biopoems, focusing on adding descriptive detail about themselves. We will use these poems to explore the writing process and illustrate self portraits to accompany them. We look forward to sharing these poems with you at Open House!
Math & Science News:
In math we are currently working on the following Common Core Standards:
4.NBT.1
Recognize that in a multi-digit whole number, a digit in one place represents ten times what it represents in the place to its right. For example, recognize that 700 ÷ 70 = 10 by applying concepts of place value and division.
4.NBT.2
Read and write multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. Compare two multi-digit numbers based on meanings of the digits in each place, using >;, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.
4.NBT.3
Use place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place.
We will begin adding and subtracting multi-digit numbers shortly. Please continue to review the multiplication facts with your child nightly. We will be retaking our multiplication test in a few weeks and each child has been given a new goal. Multiplication is an integral part of our curriculum this year so mastery will be key as we move forward.
In science will begin investigating rocks and minerals that make up the earth’s crust. We will begin doing a series of investigations with mock rocks. We will observe them, break them apart, dissolve them in water, and evaporate the liquid to discover the ingredients from which our rocks are made. We will then look at the properties of rocks and minerals. Later, we will study the three kinds of rocks found on the Earth, igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, and discover the fundamental process that give rise to each group.
Important Information and Reminders:
Students are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle to school each day. We do go outside for recess everyday, weather permitting, and it is hot!
Students have homework every night. Their agendas must be signed each night by an adult, this is part of their daily homework. It is your child’s responsibility, not yours, to complete homework. Please help them to become independent and responsible learners by enforcing this procedure at home.
Students will be bringing home Go Play Save books for the first PTA fundraiser of the year. Please either return the book or payment as soon as you can. Students can also take orders to sell more books. Complete directions are included with the book coming home today.
Important Upcoming Dates:
Open House: July 30 6-7:30pm
Interim Reports: Aug 7
Early Release: Aug 14
Trackout/Report Cards: Sept. 4