Benson/Cave News
News from the 4th Grade
August 26 2016
Math News
This week in math we watched various math videos on place value and learned how to take good notes. These notes can be used during class time and on tests as a resource so we want to take extra good notes. We also started our Place Value unit by doing some whole group activities and learning the format of our classroom and reviewed expectations during work time. Everyone joined the Google Classroom for both math and science and we learned some basic word processing skills that will be used throughout the year to share information. Students will have access to the checklist for each unit through Google Classroom. This will enable students to be able to view videos and/or games that go along with each unit of study.
Homework will be given each Monday and will not be due until Friday. Students are to complete the entire packet for credit. Please encourage your child to not wait until Thursday night to complete their homework but to do a little every night. If homework is not turned in by Friday of each week, 5 points will be deducted off of their nine weeks homework grade.
Science News
We are working in Chapter 2: The Water Cycle, Weather, and Climate of our science textbook. After completing this chapter, your child will know how water moves through the environment. Your child will also learn about the water cycle, the ocean, weather, climate, and how clouds and precipitation form. Below is a fun lab you might want to try at home with your child. It is fun and easy!
Watering Can
Fill a can with ice and water. Add a drop of food coloring to the can and stir until the color is even. Observe. When droplets form on the outside of the can, wipe them with a white paper towel. What are the droplets and where did they come from? How do you know?
We will be having our first quiz in Science on Tuesday. It will cover Lesson 1 in chapter 2. It will be a vocabulary review as well as include information on the water cycle. There are vocabulary cards for this chapter at the very end of the chapter. They can be used as a study tool. Reading over the chapter will also provide a good review of the material. We will review in class on Monday.
Language Arts News
Next week in ELA, we will focus on skills that were introduced with the story selection “My Diary from Here to There.” These skills include using clues for the reading passage to make inferences, more practice with the vocabulary words introduced this past week, and the 4 types of sentences. Students have a reading notebook to review the skills and vocabulary words. There will be a test on reading skills next week. Students will also be able to access their reading books online soon.
Social Studies News
This week in Social Studies we learned about the themes of geography. Next week students will have a quiz to review key geography vocabulary. Students were given a list of the key vocabulary words to study. The next unit of study is Native Americans and we will begin with learning about how the first people came to the Americas.
Fourth Grade News
The PTO is ordering BHE socks. All orders must by in August 31st. The order form can be found on the blog and a link is included right here: Sock Order Form. If you would like to order any other spirit wear, you may use this order form: Spirit Wear Order Form.
We are looking forward to meeting many of you at Open House this coming Tuesday, August 30th. There will be two sessions--they will both contain the same information. Choose which session works best for your schedule--5:30-6:10 and 6:15-6:55. This will be an informational meeting. If you would like to schedule a conference to talk about specific needs or concerns about your child, there will be a sign up sheet for you to fill out.
We would love to have you fill out the Benson/Cave Contact information Google form (click here) so that we have your most current phone numbers and email addresses.
Ending Thoughts
We are very excited for this school year and to be able to teach your child. You may email us anytime there is a concern. Click on our name below for a direct link to our email.
Thanks for sharing your children with us each day!
Next week we will start our first unit in math--Place Value and Rounding. On Monday, students will be given a homework packet that will be due on Friday. They may work on it a little every night until it is complete. If it is not turned in by Friday, there will be 5 points deducted from their overall nine weeks homework grade.
This week we talked about the scientific process and conducted a couple of fun experiments. We learned how to work in groups and cooperate with one another to accomplish a task. We had a lot of fun and are looking forward to starting our unit on weather next week using our new science textbook. Our science textbook is a consumable textbook/workbook that we will use everyday in class. If your child needs to bring this book home, please make sure they come back to school with it everyday. 
This week we spent time getting to know 4th Grade. Students decorated the cover of their writing notebook and completed their first writing assignment. Next week we will start with the first reading story in the Treasures Reading textbook, “My Diary from Here to There.” Students will define key vocabulary and make inferences about the characters using story clues. There will be a quiz for the story later in the week so please check your child’s agenda book each day. The quiz will be on the story and key vocabulary. Students will be allowed to use the textbook with the quiz when answering comprehension questions.
This week in Social Studies we reviewed cardinal and intermediate directions. We have a new social studies textbook that is a consumable/workbook. Students will need to have their textbook in class every day. We will begin with Unit 1 Geography next week.
Our first spirit day will be on Friday, August 26th. We encourage all students to wear their favorite BHE attire. The PTO will be placing an order for more BHE socks. All orders must by in August 31st. The order form can be found at the bottom of this news on the blog or a link is included right here: Sock Order Form. Spirit Wear Order Form.
This year Mrs. Benson and Mrs. Cave will be using the "Remind" system to send parents important reminders about upcoming events at BHE and in our classrooms. You can receive messages by choosing and completing one of the below options.