Benson/Bodrick News
News from the 4th Grade
November 10, 2017
Math News
We are off to a great start with Unit 5--Multi-Digit Multiplication. Everyone should have finished Objective 1 by the end of class today and we are ready to move on to Objective 2 on Monday. The checklist is in Google classroom if a student ever needs to access it at home to catch up or if they are not in class.
Remember. we will be learning many different strategies to solve multi-digit multiplication problems. Some of them may not make sense to you--and that’s okay. I encourage students to use the strategy that works the best for them and to make an attempt at learning other strategies just in case it might work for them also.
Please have your child practice their multiplication facts. There are many games on www.multiplication.com that they would love to play that will help them. The better they know their facts, the easier this unit will be for them to complete.
Homework packets will be sent home Monday. They are to be completed by Friday. Students also need to master at least 5 topics in ALEKS during the week. If for some reason, they have not mastered them by Friday, students can (and are encouraged) to finish over the weekend. I will be running my report on Monday morning.
Science News
Don’t forget to check out the Seesaw blog. All group presentations have been posted to the blog plus some of our word art. If you don’t see your child’s group presentation on there, I will post it as soon as they are complete.
Ms. Bodrick’s homeroom Seesaw blog address is: https://blog.seesaw.me/benson1718block1
Mrs. Benson’s homeroom Seesaw blog address is: https://blog.seesaw.me/benson1718homeroom
We are working on creating a model of the solar system. I am grading the model on the following 3 criteria: 1. The sun in the center of our solar system (not the side) 2. The planets should not be lined up. 3. The distance between planets and the sun should represent our model we created in class. (In other words, the orbits of the planets shouldn’t be evenly spaced.) Students can either draw using white paper or using Google drawings. These will be uploaded into Seesaw by the end of class on Monday. Students also will need to come up with their own mnemonic device to remember the order of the planets. The one we gave in class was: My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos. Both of these assignments will be graded for creativity and neatness.
After we finish discussing the planets on Monday, we will move on to researching tools used to navigate the stars. We will also start observing the moon each day soon.
ELA News
Next week we will continue to focus on understanding theme in literary texts. We will dig deeper into The Fisherman and His Wife as we conduct close reads and practice with the Text Dependent Analysis. We will also review figures of speech (similes, metaphors, personification, alliteration, onomatopoeia, idioms, proverbs). Students will have a quiz on Similes, Metaphors and Idioms Monday!
New Reading Response Options
This week, students had fun with the new reading log options. I was really excited about what I was seeing on Seesaw and Padlet - please bare with me as I listen to and approve all of the responses! If you still need access to the weekly options - click here. Remember, written responses are still an option!
***Parents, please be patient with me as I set all of my classes up and provide you with access to the pages. You will be able to see what your child is doing soon!
What you can do at home to help your child be successful:
- Discuss What Your Child is Reading and help them complete weekly Reading Responses which will now be checked as they are submitted via Seesaw (teacher has to approve each post before it is viewable by other students)
- Find Reasons to Write outside of the Classroom
- Play Educational Games/Watch Educational Videos - LEXIA and STUDY ISLAND can be used at home
Social Studies News
Weekend Study Pack
Today students received a study pack on European explorers. Based on results of an in class informal assessment, students showed that they had NOT been studying throughout the week the notes given to them. For that reason, they have to review over the weekend. The packet will be graded and they will have their test on explorers Tuesday of next week! Please check Google Classroom for the presentation and an abundance of other resources.
Next Week’s Indicators 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.
Over the course of the week, we will be learning about the cause-and-effect relationships of the Columbian Exchange. We will also talk about the various European settlements in North America (New England, New Spain, New France).
Grades for projects are still going in! I have had to go back and read through some presentations to see if all of the required information was there. Thank you for your patience!
Remember:
- Students (and now parents) can access Google Classroom at home. All presentations and special links are posted there as references. Students may use these references when studying and completing weekly RAP questions. Some links are interactive games and videos! (Parents please check your emails for my invite)
- RAP Questions are assigned every Thursday and it is highly encouraged that students use notes to complete. Social Studies journals will come home on Thursday.
- 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!)
Fourth Grade News
Related Arts Schedule for Next Week
We are going on a field trip! We are visiting Historic Brattonsville on Wednesday, November 29th. Permission forms have been sent home and need to be returned this next week. The cost is $36 per child and if you would like to chaperone, it is also $36 per adult. This is a wonderful field trip that we enjoy every year. Please have your forms and money returned no later than November 17th. You can pay online through parent portal or send in cash or check with the permission form.
Donuts for Dads is coming up on Tuesday, November 21st.
Ending Thoughts
Thank you for sharing your children with us! Please feel free to email us with any questions. For those who signed up for Remind 101 with Ms. Bodrick, feel free to shoot a text if necessary. Click on our name below for a direct link to our email.
Thanks for sharing your children with us each day!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.