Good Evening,
I hope this email finds you well. We have a busy upcoming week. Monday is the staff/student basketball game in the afternoon. Students love watching staff members take on our basketball team. Go staff! 🙂  On Wednesday, we have Farm To Table in the barn. Please send a plate, bowl, and utensils with your student. Thursday and Friday are both early release days at 1:00pm. I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday, with your student, for our student led conferences.
In Science/SS, we are studying Pioneers. Students are partaking in a Pioneer simulation, where they have adopted a pioneer identity and are traveling in wagon groups along a trail to head west for better land. Students are incorporating Math by adding and subtracting daily points, as well as, writing, as they have to explain why their group makes the decisions that they do along the way. This learning experience is engaging and fruitful. We will continue to progress with this unit until Spring Break.
In Reading, your student is reading one of three leveled novels. Soon, we will write and reflect about the novel and draw connections to our social studies unit as well. Additionally, students continue to read to a peer, read to self, and read using technology.
In writing, we are working on opinion and persuasive essays. Students have learned how to create “flash drafts” and organize their thoughts by free writing. We will continue to build on these skills and adopt a topic that will incorporate student opinion and persuasion in a speech. To prepare for this, we recently learned about the difference between a fact and opinion. Students read an article as a class, learned the definitions of a fact and opinion, then participated in a gallery walk around the room determining if task cards were fact or opinion. Students also continue to master cursive handwriting in their notebooks.
In Spelling, we continue to study “Words their Way.” Please make sure that your student is studying the meaning and spelling of the word each night of the week. Students should know how to correctly use each word in a sentence. Third graders are responsible for 10 written sentences each week and 4th graders are responsible for 15 written sentences each week.
In 4th grade Math, students are working on division techniques, as well as, multiplication techniques. Please ask your student to share their notes from their writers journals with you. Students have taken notes showing the different methods for both multiplication and division. Additionally, we are studying area and perimeter using multiplication and division methods such as arrays and ratio tables. Students should continue to practice multiplication facts regularly at home, as they fast facts assist in all mathematical concepts we are learning, and will continue to learn. I recommend IXL and flash cards. This month our Number Corner consists of machines and gears. Students are finding patterns within the input and output numbers and are off to a great start. We make predictions and study patterns with each daily calendar card.
Recently, we’ve had discussions in class about respectful and kind behavior to peers and teachers. Our class created a poster about what this means to us in the class. Please ask your student to share some of our phrases and words with you. I’ve heard students gently reminding other students to “refer to our poster” this week and am thoroughly impressed.
We also have a new “Peace Corner” in our classroom. This space allows students to reset, take a few minutes to themselves, and use self care techniques when they are feeling stressed, tired, or simply need a little alone time. Students ask permission, set a timer, choose the tool that works best for them, and then rejoin class. I love the response to this small space. Students are loving the opportunity to take a few minutes for themselves.
If you have any questions or concerns, please be in touch. I look forward to seeing you all on Thursday. Have a wonderful weekend!