Another week of 4th grade fun!

Welcome back after the long weekend!  Hopefully you all enjoyed your extra day of rest...but now it's time to get back to work!  Here is what's going on in Room 25 this week:

Language Arts

Word Study

Due to the shortened week, we will not have new Word Study words this week.  I will send them home on Friday for a preview.  I am noticing that as the words get longer with more complicated spelling patterns, more students are not doing as well on the spelling portion of the tests.  Although I am teaching for meaning and understanding HOW the words are used in context, I do want to make sure the students are paying attention to the intricate spellings of these studied words.  Please help support these efforts by studying with your student each night.  Starting next week, I will send an "at-home" list for studying purposes.

Reading

Since we are not focusing on any specific words this week for Word Study, I will be incorporating new, and already-studied prefixes and suffixes into our nonfiction lessons daily.  This will also include daily centers focusing on using context clues and finding meaning through word parts (root words, prefixes, and suffixes).

Writing

Last week we began a writing project incorporating the Chinese zodiac to describe the main character from the book Wonder.  We will finish this by Wednesday and move on to our next research project involving African American history; specifically artists, singers, poets, and thinkers of the Harlem Renaissance.  Look for a research packet to be posted here by Friday.

Social Studies

The fourth graders will finish the Midwest unit this week with an in-depth look at what pioneer life was like soon after the Louisiana Purchase.  We will research the specifics of what everyday life was like as a Plains pioneer and write postcards in the first-person to our "families" in the east, explaining to them how life has changed.  This projects should be fun!

Math

Believe it or not, Chapter 5 - Factors, Multiples, and Patterns will be finished this week!  Last week we covered factors, divisibility, and common factors.  This week we move on to multiples, prime and composite numbers, and finding number patterns (using some algebra).  As you may have figured out, this chapter is setting the kids up for Chapter 6...FRACTIONS!  Here are some supports to help out at home:

• Tuesday - Factors and Multiples - A video that compares the two.

• Wednesday - Prime and Composite Numbers

Remember:

• Thursday - Patterns using Algebra
• Friday - The big TEST!

Have an great week.  As always, if you have any questions, feel free to contact me.  

As a reminder,  this Friday, February 19th, the PTA will be hosting our Annual Frosty Fest! Each year, every grade level provides a silent auction basket for bidding, and the 4th grade theme is STAR WARS!  We will be collecting donations to the basket this week and next.  If you are interested, send a little something to school to add to our basket.