Weekly News--Feb. 22nd

Benson/Bodrick News

News from the 4th Grade

February 22, 2019

Math News

We finished our geometry unit this week.  End of topic tests were taken today and will be recorded in the gradebook by Monday.  We will begin Topic 15 next week. This will be a pretty quick topic and we should finish in just over a week.  We will be reviewing area and perimeter as well as money and line plots.

New math station booklets were given out this past Tuesday.  A couple of students have enthusiastically completed their math stations booklets already so I am positive students will have these turned in on time--Monday, March 11th.

Study Island Assignment #9 will begin on Monday and students will have until Thursday, March 14th to complete at least 2 sessions per topic.  There are two topics this time: time and money.

Calendar of Tests/Assignments  for Math and Science

Don’t forget to encourage your child to complete their ALEKS topics each week.  This is a great way to get up to 10 extra credit points each week.

Science News

This week we talked about plant life cycles and saw similarities between plant and animal life cycles.  We also began talking about innate behaviors and learned behaviors. We will continue with this part of our unit next week as we explore many different behaviors of animals and how these behaviors help animals to survive.

SC MESAS contest

This coming Friday is the deadline for the MESAS packet if your child wants it to be mailed in for judging.  They will also need $5 if it is to be mailed. If they just want extra credit, I can accept them until March 14th.

ELA News

READING INFORMATIONAL TEXT

Next week in ELA we will focus on nonfiction/informational text structures - the way in which texts are built. Please refer to the chart pictured.

Black History Projects

Black History project guidelines were sent home today. Students have already started working on this assignment and it is not one that should take up a large amount of time. I have attached the link so you can easily access those guidelines for yourself and help them over the weekend! Click Here The project is due Tuesday - presentations will occur all throughout the week. If you have any questions, please feel free to shoot me a message via Class Dojo!

Greek/Latin Roots will continue next week with Week 4 Assessment on Tuesday. This assessment will include a review section with random roots from weeks 1-3 lists. I highly suggest flash cards for roots, but if you don't want to buy paper cards you can always use Quizlet online!

Social Studies News

This week students took their assessment on standard 4-2. Those grade will be available by Monday as students will find out then who has made it into my A/B Club! Next week, students will learn about/review the Causes of and Course of the American Revolution (as this was discussed in 3rd Grade). The standard is Standard 4-3: The student will demonstrate an understanding of conflict between the American colonies and England. The indicator we will begin with requires students to be able to explain the major political and economic factors leading to the American Revolution, including the French and Indian War, the Stamp Act, the Tea Act, and Intolerable Acts as well as American resistance to these acts through boycotts, petitions, and congresses.

Parents Remember!

• Check your child’s binder as frequently as you can.
• Students (and now parents) can access the Social Studies Google Classroom at home. All presentations and special links are posted there as references. Students may use these references when studying throughout the week and completing weekly RAP questions. Some links are interactive games and videos.
• A parent study guide has been issued for your personal use (so you can help your child if for some reason they are missing information or you aren’t exactly abreast on your history!)
• Check out the chart of fun and effective ways to study! Keep in mind that simply talking to  your child about what they learned/talked about during day helps.

Fourth Grade News

 

A Day in Charleston

We are going to Charleston on Wednesday, April 10th.  Permission forms went home today. This is an all day trip as we leave at 6:30am and we return at 4:00pm.  We will catch the boat and go over to Fort Sumter to explore and then we will return, have a picnic lunch, and explore the South Carolina Aquarium.  Permission forms and money are due by Thursday, March 13th to reserve your child’s spot. We can take 3 chaperones per homeroom on this trip. We will take the first 3 that pay for the trip as our chaperones.  We look forward to this fun-filled learning adventure!

Ending Thoughts

Thank you for sharing your children with us!  Please feel free to email us with any questions.  Click on our name below for a direct link to our email.  

Thanks for sharing your children with us each day!

Mrs. Shannon Benson and Ms. Aubriaunna Bodrick

Weekly News--Feb. 15th

Benson/Bodrick News

News from the 4th Grade

February 15, 2019

Math News

We will finish our geometry unit--Topic 16 next week.  Our test will be on Friday, February 22nd. Please encourage your child to study throughout the week.  One great way to study is to use the reteaching pages in each topic. For topic 16, they are pages 444-447.

Math Stations booklets are due on Tuesday, February 19th.  Several students have turned them in. They should be about done by now and shouldn’t need to complete too many this weekend if they have been working on them all along.  

Study Island Assignment #8 is due next Friday.  As a reminder, students need to complete at least 2 session for each of the lessons.  This assignment has 2 lessons, so that should be 4 sessions total.

Calendar of Tests/Assignments  for Math and Science

Don’t forget to encourage your child to complete their ALEKS topics each week.  This is a great way to get up to 10 extra credit points each week.

Science News

We have really enjoyed watching our plants grow.  Students are very eager to measure them each morning and check on their progress.  We will continue to measure and observe our plants a few more weeks.

Students worked very hard this past week on their animal life cycles.  If they are finished, they have been posted in Seesaw. If you don’t see them in Seesaw, please encourage them to finish.  We will be working on plant life cycles next week.

SC MESAS contest

If your child received a MESAS packet and they want it to be mailed in for judging, they need to be turned in no later than Friday, March 1st and $5 will need to be attached.  If they just want extra credit, I can accept them until March 15th.

ELA News

READING INFORMATIONAL TEXT

This week, we divulged into informational text features. Students completed a Social Studies textbook scavenger hunt where they had to use specific text features to find answers and ended the week making a text-feature collage using old magazines (thank you for sending those in if you had some available). Next week we will focus on nonfiction/informational text structures - the way in which texts are built. Students will have a quiz on Tuesday on informational text features.

Greek/Latin Roots will continue next week with Week 4. We took a break and reviewed this week the lists from weeks 1-3. Each week (or two) students will get a list of 15 roots. We will discuss the meanings and students will be exposed to new vocabulary through a number of activities done both in class and at home. After a week of discussion and practice, there will be a test. All assessments are formatted the same way (some sections are new) so your child knows what to expect each time. There will start to be a “Review” component on the test that has random roots from previous lists. (Check List of Ways to Study below)

Social Studies News

Next week, students will prepare for an assessment on Standard 4-2: The student will demonstrate an understanding of how the settlement of North America was influenced by the interactions of Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans. We will begin with a review of The Triangular Trade, also known as the transatlantic slave trade and the relationships amongst the groups of people living in America during colonial times. You may refer to this link to help your child review - http://abolition.e2bn.org/slavery_43.html. Test will be given on Friday, February 22, 2019.

Parents Remember!

• Check your child’s binder as frequently as you can.
• Students (and now parents) can access the Social Studies Google Classroom at home. All presentations and special links are posted there as references. Students may use these references when studying throughout the week and completing weekly RAP questions. Some links are interactive games and videos.
• A parent study guide has been issued for your personal use (so you can help your child if for some reason they are missing information or you aren’t exactly abreast on your history!)
• Check out the chart of fun and effective ways to study! Keep in mind that simply talking to  your child about what they learned/talked about during day helps.

Fourth Grade News

 

Mother/Son Bowling Night

Flyers were sent home this week with information about this event.  It will be held on Friday, February 22nd at Royal Z Lanes. The cost is $12 per person (includes bowling, shoes, slice of pizza, and a drink).  Money and order forms need to be returned no later than Feb. 20th.

Ending Thoughts

Thank you for sharing your children with us!  Please feel free to email us with any questions.  Click on our name below for a direct link to our email.  

Thanks for sharing your children with us each day!

Mrs. Shannon Benson and Ms. Aubriaunna Bodrick

Weekly News--February 8th

Benson/Bodrick News

News from the 4th Grade

February 8, 2019

Math News

We will continue our Geometry unit next week.  We will talk about shapes and their attributes (number of vertices, number of lines of symmetry, etc.).  We will finish up the Geometry unit when we return after President’s Day and test that week. The date will be updated on the calendar closer to the test.

Math Stations booklets will be due on Tuesday, February 19th.  Please encourage your child to work on these a little at a time.  They should have at least 5 of them completed by today.

Calendar of Tests/Assignments  for Math and Science

Don’t forget to encourage your child to complete their ALEKS topics each week.  This is a great way to get up to 10 extra credit points each week.

Science News

Our vegetables have started to grow--the radishes grew the quickest.  Students are busy observing their plants each day, watering them, and making sure to measure their growth.  They are excited to see the plant life cycles unfold before their very eyes.

We have been talking about animal life cycles as well.  Students know the difference between incomplete and complete metamorphosis.  We will continue our discussion on life cycles next week.

SC MESAS contest

The South Carolina Academy of Science offers an opportunity each year for students in grades 4-8 to challenge themselves in research in math and science.  They give students a number of questions to answer using resources other than their teachers and/or parents. I am giving my students the opportunity to compete in this challenge.  The only catch is that if they would like me to mail their completed form for the state level review, they will also have to turn in the forms with their signature and $5 attached. I will happily mail forms and money in on March 1st for all those who want to have them scored for the competition.  If they just want to do it for fun, I will give them extra credit in science for completion of the activity.  Details were attached to last week’s email from Mrs. Benson.   If students are seriously interested, I still have some copies available for the taking.  I can also copy more if needed.

Fourth Grade News

 

Dress as your Favorite Character Day

We earned our 10 paws as a school and we will have our reward this coming Wednesday, February 13th.  Students may dress as their favorite character from a book, cartoon or as their favorite superhero.

Valentine’s Day Exchange

If your child would like to exchange Valentine’s on Thursday, they will need to have one for every student in our class (class lists are attached here).  We will allow them to exchange sometime before the end of the day.

Ending Thoughts

Thank you for sharing your children with us!  Please feel free to email us with any questions.  Click on our name below for a direct link to our email.  

Thanks for sharing your children with us each day!

Mrs. Shannon Benson and Ms. Aubriaunna Bodrick

Weekly News--February 1st

Benson/Bodrick News

News from the 4th Grade

February 1, 2019

Math News

We finished our division unit today with our Unit Test.  Grades should be posted by Monday or Tuesday. We will begin our new unit on Monday--Topic 16: Lines, Angles, and Shapes.  This will be a fun unit with some hands out activities.

New Math Stations booklets were given out on Monday.  These will be due on Tuesday, February 19th. Please encourage your child to work on these a little at a time.  There are 10 activities. They should be completing at least 3 a week. This past week I had a record number of students that did not have the books completed when they were due.  I need your help in this matter, please and thank you.

Calendar of Tests/Assignments  for Math and Science

Please continue to encourage your child to complete their ALEKS topics each week.  This is a great way to get up to 10 extra credit points each week.

Science News

This week we continued learning about the vertebrate group of animals and planted some vegetables in the room.  We will be measuring our vegetables as they grow and charting their growth. Different groups are responsible for their plants and will be watering them and taking care of them over the coming weeks.

Over the next couple of weeks, we will be learning about the life cycles of some plants and animals.  There will be a mini-project that we will complete in class over this time as well.

SC MESAS contest

The South Carolina Academy of Science offers an opportunity each year for students in grades 4-8 to challenge themselves in research in math and science.  They give students a number of questions to answer using resources other than their teachers and/or parents. I am giving my students the opportunity to compete in this challenge.  The only catch is that if they would like me to mail their completed form for the state level review, they will also have to turn in the forms with their signature and $5 attached. I will happily mail forms and money in on March 1st for all those who want to have them scored for the competition.  If they just want to do it for fun, I will give them extra credit in science for completion of the activity. Details will be attached to an email from Mrs. Benson so that you can read more about this activity. If students are seriously interested, I will make copies for them-- I just don’t want to make 43 copies if only 5 are interested.  I will hand them out on Monday of next week so they have at least 3 weeks to work on them.

Fourth Grade News

 

Field Trip

Our field trip is just around the corner.  Money and permission forms were due today. On Feb. 8th, we will be leaving school about 10:30 am and returning around 1:00pm.  We will eat lunch in our classrooms when we return. All students will need to bring their own lunch from home because we will get back after our normal lunch time.  If you signed up to be a chaperone, we will be in touch soon.   If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to ask.

Service Project to Celebrate the 100th Day of School

Fourth graders are collecting individual containers of mac and cheese for the 100th day of school service project.  They need to be brought in by Friday of next week. Thanks for your help in helping us collect 100 containers.

Ending Thoughts

Thank you for sharing your children with us!  Please feel free to email us with any questions.  Click on our name below for a direct link to our email.  

Thanks for sharing your children with us each day!

Mrs. Shannon Benson and Ms. Aubriaunna Bodrick