Weekly Newsletter Feb 7th - 14th.

Grade 4KW

Weekly Newsletter

February 7 - February 15, 2019

I hope you all had a relaxing and restful Chinese New Year.

Here is a photo of Ben with an awesome fossil from his collection. It was great that he was able to share this with us.

Language Arts

This week as we delve into our unit, Research Reading, we continue to examine the different strategies involved in identifying the main idea in nonfiction texts. We will also continue to learn important ways to differentiate between important vs interesting information. We will  revisit familiar tools such as our Research Reading Mat, which allows us to focus on questions we may have from reading the non fiction text. We will also begin to examine different non fiction text structures. Students  will learn strategies to assist them in determining the best ways to gather information from text features and pictures and examine ways to generate relevant questions about the text and goal set for the unit. We will also learn, as researchers, how to take effective notes from non fiction texts.

Mathematics

This week we will continue to use the area model to show fractions and introduce number lines  as an additional visual model to help students better understand how to order and compare fractions.

Science

In the next few lessons students will make a Class Sedimentary Rock  Model.  They learn how sedimentary rock layers form. Students will also learn that as scientists learn more and investigate more, they answer some questions but might generate even more questions. They learn about  scientific arguments and how they include a claim that is supported by evidence. As we start the next chapter of our science unit, students will learn about how geologists use observations of, and ideas about, rocks and fossils to make inferences about past environments. They learn that inferences can be made based on what you observe combined with scientific ideas and that science theories are based on a body of evidence and many tests.

Announcements

• Legal Guardianship - If for some reason you have to be out of the country, please advise your child’s teacher as to who will be the legal guardian of your child.
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.
• March 7th & March 8th - Student Led Conferences (SLC) will be held just before spring break. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are not able to attend on either one of these days so that an alternative date can be set up.

Resources

Here is a collection of 5 different Subitizing* Fraction Games you can play at home. The games came from www.BuildingMathMinds.com.

Here is the link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1gnauE0rjvJFx6cG7_-7lyBSEixBS1xSXbZAzrZylv6U/edit#slide=id.p

*Subitizing: is the ability to instantaneously recognize the number of objects in a small group without the need to count them (example: rolling dice).

Weekly Newsletter Jan. 28 - 1st Feb.

Grade 4KW

Weekly Newsletter

January 28 - February 1, 2019

Hi everyone. We have had a very successful week of learning!  Check out the awesome picture of Samah holding the Brownies that we divided up (and ate) as we launched our math unit on fractions.

Language Arts

In Language arts this week, the children will complete their final assessment on their Realistic Fiction writing unit, using all of the tools they have learned throughout the unit. We begin our new reading unit this week, Reading for Research. We will begin by revising previous concepts taught this year including identifying the main idea within non fiction texts. In the first bend of the unit, students will work towards learning multiple strategies in order to identify the main idea and supporting details. They will also learn to differentiate between interesting versus important information.

Math

This week in math the students will continue to deepen their understanding with equivalent fractions. They will be using images and number lines to help visually and conceptually understand how different fractions can be equal. The students will then move on with comparing fractions using visual representations.

Science

This week in science, students will gather information from images of fossils, the online simulation, and a book to help them answer the question: How do fossils form? The purpose of these lessons is for students to construct and reflect on their understanding of how fossils form. Then, students will use the Simulation to gather information about sedimentary rock formation. They observe rocks forming and record their observations about how this process happens. In doing so, students begin to make sense of the role of water and sediment in rock formation.

Announcements

• Please note there is no school on Friday, Feb 1(Federal Territory Day), Mon Feb 4 (ISKL Holiday), Tues Feb 5-6 (Chinese New Year).
• Legal Guardianship - If for some reason you have to be out of the country, please advise your child’s teacher as to who will be the legal guardian of your child.
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.
• March 7th & March 8th - Student Led Conferences (SLC) will be held just before spring break. Please contact your child’s teacher if you are not able to attend on either one of these days, so that an alternative date can be set up.

Resources

Here is a video explaining a game called Race To 1 that you can create at home to help reinforce the concept of fractions. It is a game primarily for teaching addition and subtraction of fractions but it can be modified to simply build fractions and conceptual understanding.

Here is a website resource, The Math Learning Center, where students can build and manipulate fractions. Open the link and select fractions. When building fractions we encourage only using rectangles as it will reinforce what we are doing in the classroom.

Weekly Newsletter Jan. 21 - 25

Grade 4KW

Weekly Newsletter

January 21 - January 25, 2019

The grade 4 camp was an enormous success! It was such a wonderful opportunity for me to get to know the students better. It was amazing to see how much the children grew over the two days. I am sure that your children , just like me, slept very well in their own beds on Friday night.

Language Arts

In Reading this week we are completing our units on realistic fiction. Students are completing reading their Book Club realistic fiction stories,  using thinkmarks to identify important & surprising parts. We are also examining key events and both expected and unexpected character traits as well as emerging themes.

In writing this week we are completing peer editing in CUPS (Capitalization, Usage, Punctuation & Spelling, as well as revising with ARMS (Add sentences and words, Remove unneeded sentences and words, Move a sentence or word placement and Substitute words or sentences for others). We have been both giving and receiving feedback from peers and teachers in order to get our realistic fiction stories to the publishing stage.

Math

This week we begin our unit on equivalent fractions. Students will complete the pre assessment so we can gather their current knowledge on fractions. They will then move on to show what fractions will look like when we model them during our class work. Students will begin to compare two fractions with different numerators and denominators.

Science

As we launch our science unit, students are introduced to the unit and to their roles as geologists exploring a fossil that was discovered in a rocky outcrop in Desert Rocks National Park. They learn that a geologist is a scientist who studies the materials and processes that form the solid part of Earth. They learn that rocks and fossils can provide clues about the way Earth changes over time. They reflect on what they understand and don’t understand, allowing them to prepare for learning new things. Students also learn about observations and inferences and make inferences about the found fossil and are introduced to some simulations.

Announcements

• January 25th: FREE Dress day -  If your child chooses to not wear their uniform they can make their 5 RM donation to one of the Red Hat.
• Camp Lost Property - There are some leftover items from camp that have been forgotten by students. Please remind your child to check the table in the grade four common area for lost or missing items.
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.

Resources

Here is a video explaining a game called Race To 1 that you can create at home to help reinforce the concept of fractions. It is a game primarily for teaching addition and subtraction of fractions but it can be modified to simply build fractions and conceptual understanding.

Here is a website resource, The Math Learning Center, where students can build and manipulate fractions. Open the link and select fractions. When building fractions we encourage only using rectangles as it will reinforce what we are doing in the classroom.