Grade Four Newsletter
January, 2008
Math: Students continue to apply the concept of multiplication to increasingly difficult problem solving situations using money and multi-digit factors. Fourth graders who have mastered the multiplication facts 0 - 9 are much more successful in applying these facts to more abstract, open-ended situations. Fourth grade teachers cannot stress enough the importance of practicing these facts nightly at home.
Through our Everyday Mathematics Program, fourth graders are applying their understanding of multiplication and division as reciprocals, using mental math strategies to solve multiplication and division problems as well as learning the lattice and partial sums method of multiplication.
Social Studies: During our study of NH Settlement and Colonial Times, students learned about the following aspects of colonial culture: home life, village life, meetinghouse events, education and apprenticeships. Some students participated in writing and performing original skits depicting life during this time period. Others wrote historical fiction stories set in this time period depicting "A Day in the Life of a Colonial apprentice".
Science: Students will explore many real-world concepts during our study of weather. Use of the scientific process will result in a variety of hands-on experiments involving weather instruments and data recording. Students will learn about the four seasons, water cycle, types of clouds, types of precipitation, types of fronts, meteorology symbols, weather instruments, and severe weather occurrences (hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.).
Reading: Fourth graders continue to read a variety of quality chapter books in their classrooms. Reading skills are being learned in the context of the following titles: Trouble River, The Cricket in Times Square, The Sign of the Beaver, Helen Keller, The Indian in the Cupboard, Esperanza Rising, A View from Saturday, The Children of the Longhouse, and The Courage of Sarah Noble, as well as Rigby fictions and nonfiction and individual choice chapter books. Several classrooms continue to participate in Literature Circles to discuss different literary elements with their peers.
Writing: Fourth graders are creating many types of written projects related to the curriculum. Some are writing original works of poetry. Ask your child what types of poems he/she is learning to write! Other students are writing historical fiction pieces set in the colonial time period, from the point of view of a colonial apprentice or creative cloud stories generated by photos of clouds.
Congratulations! We would like to extend our congratulations to all of our fourth grade National Geographic Geography Bee finalists, as well as a great big "Job Well Done" to Sam Pepin, our 4th Grade National Geographic Geography Bee School Champion!
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