Weekly Update - February 23

Take a look at what we've been up to this short week!

Rational Numbers

This week in our rational numbers unit, students focused on rational numbers skills such as...

• comparing fractions
• finding equivalent fractions
• adding and subtracting fractions
• multiplying fractions

Please remember to practice math facts nightly!  Online Practice Buddies are also assigned as optional homework!

Geometry

Week 7 is now assigned in your child's Google Classroom.  Week 7 will focus on classifying triangles.

Science

The Ninjas wrapped up their Weather and Water unit with Ms. Hof!

Social Studies

This week we discussed Black History Month and why we celebrate it!

Reading

This week in reading we continued to research a new time period that our next book club books will be set in.  Readers reviewed how to identify main idea and how to preview a text.

Remember to read 30 minutes nightly!

Writing

As we are researching our new time periods, writers are focusing on their note taking skills.  I have taught how to take notes using the boxes and bullets strategy.

Upcoming Dates

• 2/28: Progress Reports go live
• 2/28: Six Flags Read to Succeed forms due
• 3/7: Late Start
• 3/8: Mrs. Nagy out
• 3/13: Mrs. Nagy out
• 3/13 & 3/15: Student led conferences
• sign up here

Weekly Update - February 16

There was a lot of love this week, especially on Valentine's Day (pictures to come)!  Take a look at what we've been up to in the classroom...

Rational Numbers

This week in our Rational Numbers unit, mathematicians focused on...

• multiplying a whole number by a fraction and a whole number by a mixed number
• solving problems involving time

Please remember to practice math facts nightly!

Geometry

This week students learned how to find unknown angle measures using addition and subtraction.  In Week 6, students will be learning concepts involving lines (parallel, perpendicular, etc).  The assignment is now open on the Math Google Classroom and in Pearson.

Science

The Ninjas will wrap up their Weather and Water unit with Ms. Hof on February 22 with the end of unit assessment.  Their study guides have been completed, and students should have brought them home to prepare for the assessment.

Reading

Students have continued to practice nonfiction reading concepts such as previewing texts, identifying main idea, and researching.  Our next reading unit is based in historical fiction.  Your child will prepare by researching a specific time period in order to gain background knowledge.

Read 30 minutes nightly!

Writing

We wrapped up our current writing pieces this week by...

• revising our conclusions
• adding purposeful text features
• editing and celebrating

Upcoming Dates

• 2/19: No School
• 2/23: Abilities Awareness Day & Hat Day
• 2/28: Progress reports are live
• 3/13 & 3/15: Student Led Conferences
• Sign-up Here

Weekly Update - February 9

Happy Friday!  Here is what the Ninjas have been up to this week...

Rational Numbers
This week in our rational numbers unit, mathematicians focused on...

• adding mixed numbers
• subtracting mixed numbers
• solve word problems involving fractions

Please remember to keep practicing math facts!  Also, Online Practice Buddies are assigned as optional homework!

Geometry
This week mathematicians focused on measuring and creating angles using a protractor.  Many students borrowed protractors.  Please have them return them when they are finished!

Week 5 Assignment is now available in Google Classroom.  This upcoming week, you will help your child use addition and subtraction to solve problems with unknown angle measures.

Social Studies
We wrapped up our Westward Expansion unit by reviewing concepts taught and assessing our understanding.  You should see their reflection come home this weekend.

Science
The Ninjas are currently in their Weather and Water unit with Ms. Hof.

Reading
This week readers worked to tackle complex texts by chunking and paraphrasing.  Students also worked to determine the main idea of a text.

Please remember to read 30 minutes nightly!

Writing
Writers are currently wrapping up their American Revolution history books by revising for introductions, chapter leads, and topic sentences.

Wonder Note

Parents,

The fourth grade team will be showing the movie Wonder to our students on Valentines Day.  Most fourth graders have read this inspiring book about acceptance independently or as a read aloud.  This movie is rated PG, so if you would prefer that your child NOT watch this movie, please let me know.

Upcoming Dates

• 2/14: Library Checkout
• 2/14: Valentine Parties; 2:40-3:40
• 2/16: No School; Records Day
• 2/19: No School
• 2/23: Abilities Awareness Day
• 3/13 & 3/15: Student Led Conferences
• Sign-up Here

Weekly Update - February 2

Welcome to February!  Take a look at what we've been up to in the classroom...

Rational Numbers
In our Rational Numbers unit, students worked to...

• compare fractions with unlike denominators
• construct mathematical arguments
• add and subtract fractions with like denominators

Please remember to practice math facts nightly!

Geometry
This week students learned how to measure with unit angles and pattern blocks!  Their Week 4 Assignment is available in Google Classroom.  Week 4 will focus on measure angles with protractors!

Social Studies
In our Westward Expansion unit, students studied what life was like on the Oregon Trail.  Students also worked to complete their study guide over the following concepts:

• location and discussing important cities to westward expansion in MO
• the Missouri Compromise
• dangers on the trails heading west
• the effects westward expansion had on Native Americans

Our Westward Expansion assessment will be Tuesday, February 6!  Please help your child prepare and study!

Science
The Ninjas will continue their Weather and Water unit with Ms. Hof.

Reading
Students prepared arguments and staged the Second Continental Congress to debate the question, "Should the colonies declare independence from Great Britain?" as either loyalists or patriots. Students prepared arguments, rebuttals, and responses!

Writing
In our nonfiction writing unit, writers focused on planning a new book about the American Revolution.  Plans included chapter titles, genres, and research that needed to be completed.

Upcoming Dates

• 2/7: Late Start; 11:05 start
• 2/6: Westward Expansion Assessment
• 2/9: Pretzel Sale
• 2/9: Daddy Daughter Dance
• 2/14: Valentine Parties; 2:40-3:40
• 2/16: No School; Records Day
• 2/19: No School
• 2/23: Abilities Awareness Day

January 26 Weekly Update

Happy Friday!  Take a look at what we've been up to and learning this week!

Rational Numbers
This week mathematicians focused on developing their understandings of equivalent fractions.  We found equivalent fractions by using area models, number lines, multiplication, and division.  We have started to learn about comparing fractions.

Please remember to be practicing your math facts nightly!

Geometry
This week you helped your children learn and understand angles and unit angles.  Please remember to watch the "Visual Learning" lesson and attempt the "Convince Me" at home.  On Fridays there will be a teacher lesson followed with skill practice.

Today students are assigned their Week 3 Assignment.  This week students will be learning about Measuring with Unit Angles.  Thank you for your help and support at home!

Social Studies
This week in our Westward Expansion unit, students focused on studying about Missouri becoming a state, the Oregon Trail, and important cities to Missouri during Westward Expansion.  Students also started an Oregon Trail journal!  Ask your child to view it from their Google Classroom accounts at home!

Science
The Ninjas are currently studying their Weather and Water unit with Ms. Hof.

Reading
In reading this week, we continued to focus on researching topics around the Revolutionary War.  Students celebrated their learning with skits about their subtopics.

We are now preparing for our reenactment of the First Continental Congress and debate!  Students will be taking the perspective of a Patriot or Loyalist and arguing whether or not the colonies should declare independence.

Writing
In writing this week, students continued to draft and revise their books about the American Revolution.  We focused on elaboration within our writing pieces.

Upcoming Dates

• 1/26: PTO Movie Night
• 2/1: Library Checkout
• 2/7: Late Start; 11:05 start
• 2/9: Daddy Daughter Dance
• 2/14: Valentine Parties; 2:40-3:40
• 2/16: Records Day; No School
• 2/19: No School

Weekly Update - January 19

Happy Friday!  Here is what we've been up to this week...

Math
In our Ration Numbers unit, we continued to develop big ideas about fractions such as:

• the size of the whole matters
• the smaller the denominator the larger the piece
• fractions are like division

If your child has not yet mastered their math facts, be sure to practice nightly!

Geometry
We will have our first flipped geometry workshop today and will focus on lines, rays, and angles!  Week 2 is assigned in their Math Google Classroom, and the assignment can also be accessed here.  This coming week students will understand angles and unit angles.  It is imperative that students complete their homework prior to math workshop on Fridays!

Social Studies
This week we focused on MO becoming a state and the MO Compromise!

Science
The Ninjas continued in their Weather and Water unit with Ms. Hof.

Reading
Students continued to research the American Revolution and their subtopics.  Skills we focused on this week include:

• rereading sources for details
• synthesizing across texts
• planning skits to teach others about their subtopics

Please remember to read 30 minutes nightly!

Writing
In writing, we are using what we are learning from our research in reading to write informational books about the American Revolution!  Students wrote two chapters of their books this week:

• Chapter 1: All About the American Revolution
• Chapter 2: All About Their Subtopics

I have resources on the blog in our Reading and Writing tab if you are interested in helping your child to research more about their subtopics!

Upcoming Dates

• 1/22: Library Checkout
• 1/26: PTO Movie Night
• 2/1: Library Checkout
• 2/7: Late Start; 11:05 start
• 2/9: Daddy Daughter Dance (flier went home Thursday)
• 2/14: Valentine Parties 2:40-3:40
• 2/16: No School; Records Day

Weekly Update - January 12

Hello!  Check out what we've been up to this week...

Math
This week in our Rational Numbers unit mathematicians worked on investigating and problem solving dividing sub sandwiches into groups.  The big idea of fractions we learned about are:

• you can think of fractions as division
• when naming a piece, the whole matters (1/2, 1/3, 1/4...)
• the size of the whole matters

Please remember to practice math facts!

Geometry

Please refer to the parent letter that went home Thursday about our Geometry unit.  Students will be participating in flipped lessons.  The Week 1 assignment is due by next Friday.  Instructions on how to access Pearson were sent home as well.  All assignments will be located in Google Classroom and emailed out to parents.  This coming week we will focus on Lines, Rays, and Angles!

Social Studies
In our Westward Expansion unit, students reviewed the Louisiana Purchase and began to investigate and question why people move

Science
The Ninjas started their Water unit with Ms. Hof this past Thursday!

Reading
In our current nonfiction unit students are researching the American Revolution.  Skills we focused on included:

• how to launch a research project and list subtopics
• how to identify the structure of a texts
• how to take notes effectively

Please remember to read nightly!

Writing
We used our writing block to refresh independent reading expectations.  On Friday we launched our next writing unit.  We will be writing an informational text about the American Revolutions!

Upcoming Dates

• 1/15: No School
• 1/19: Geometry Week 1 Assignment due
• 1/22: Library checkout
• 2/1: Library checkout