Thursday, September 6, 2018
Scholastic Book Order
Students have asked me to send information home to order Scholastic books. There are some great deals available. Please read over the flyer for more information. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Weekly News--August 31st
Benson/Bodrick News
News from the 4th Grade
August 31, 2018
Math News
We had a busy work learning the routines of math class and how we work with math stations and fluency. We also worked hard on our classwork expectations each day. We learned different properties of multiplication. We also started our ABC’s of Math in our math journals. This is a place that students can put our math vocabulary words as we introduce them. It will be a great source to study as the year progresses. Students were given their first quiz today on Math 4 Today review. These will be posted in PowerSchool by the middle of next week.
Next week we will continue our first math unit--Understanding Multiplication and prepare for our first unit test which will be on Tuesday, September 11th. Students were given their ALEKS usernames and passwords this week--they are taped into the front of their math journal. I strongly encourage students to work on their ALEKS during the set times at school and they can certainly work on ALEKS at home anytime. Starting the week of September 10th, students will be expected to master at least 5 topics a week. This will be recorded in the gradebook as part of their classwork grade. They can earn up to 5 extra points a week for any topics over 5.
Students are encouraged strongly to memorize their multiplication facts. If your child does not know their basic facts, please have them study these facts daily. They can use multiplication.com to help study or use the website judebert.com to practice facts.
Science News
This week we discussed the difference in qualitative and quantitative observations and made many of these types of observations about our classroom. Have your student tell you the difference and give you some examples. Next week we will start discussing all of the different types of weather instruments and how meteorologists use them to predict the weather. We will also start to keep track of weather using our class weather station.
ELA News
GOAL SETTING - WRITING ACTIVITY
This week, divulged into the writing process beginning with more personal writing - the friendly letter. After thinking about their current feelings about 4th grade, likes and dislikes about school, strengths/weaknesses and overall goals for the year, students wrote a letter to themselves.With MAP testing that occured this week and the mishaps in technology that stretched testing beyond our two scheduled days, many students did not get to finish their final drafts but will do so when we return on Tuesday.
READING LOGS
This week was also the first week that students completed their nightly reading and reading responses. Each week, students will receive a reading log. They are expected to read for at least 20 minutes and then respond to their reading - using the question bank provided in their binder for fiction and nonfiction books. Your child is only required to answer one question a night. However, they are not allowed to answer the same question each night. The only questions that can be answered multiple times during the week are NF14 and F17 - which ask students to summarize what they read. Students can also read the same book over the course of the week - and are encouraged to take on more challenging reads such as chapter books. If the book is not a chapter book or book that takes longer than 20 minutes to read, it should not show on log more than once. Next week’s log will only have Tuesday- Thursday on it.
Social Studies News
WELCOME TO 4th GRADE & U.S. HISTORY!
Social Studies Journal Cut Party was a huge success!!! The journals look great and I’m so excited to start filling them up with interactive learning tools and content-related information! For the most part, they will stay at school, but students will have the opportunity to bring them home upon preparing for major tests.
Next week, will begin our first unit - the First Natives and Natives Americans of the U.S. During this unit, students will learn about and be able to - Summarize the spread of Native American populations through the Landbridge Theory
- Compare the everyday life, physical environment, and culture of the major Native American groupings; including, the Eastern Woodlands, the Plains, the Southwest, the Great Basin, and the Pacific Northwest.
Parents: BE ON THE LOOKOUT
- During the first Open House on September 11th, all parents will be given a Parent Study Guide for Social Studies that provides you with an overview of all pertinent information your child will learn this year for U.S. History!
Fourth Grade News
Related Arts Schedule for next week
Open House
Open House will be held on Tuesday, September 11th. There will be two sessions (both sessions will cover the same content). Sessions will be from 5:30-6:10 and 6:15-6:55. Ms. Bodrick and Mrs. Benson will be doing these sessions together so that if you have another child at the school, you may attend their class session also. We will be in Mrs. Benson’s room.
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!
Saturday, August 25, 2018
Weekly News--August 24th
Benson/Bodrick News
News from the 4th Grade
August 24, 2018
Math News
We had a great few days getting to know one another. We did some basic facts to figure out some numbers in Mrs. Benson’s life. We also came up with our own special numbers and related them to facts about our own life. For example some said 2009 was special to them because that is the year they were born.
We will have our first homework packet given out on Monday. This homework packet will be due by Friday. Homework packets can be turned in early, but will not be accepted after Friday.
Students are encouraged strongly to memorize their multiplication facts. If your child does not know their basic facts, please have them study these facts daily. They can use multiplication.com to help study or use the website judebert.com to practice facts.
Science News
This year in science we will cover 4 major science units.
Weather--1st nine weeks
Space--2nd nine weeks
Organisms--3rd nine weeks
Light & Sound--4th nine weeks
We will be journaling a lot of our science activities and experiments. If you have not already sent in a composition book with your child, please make sure they have one next week so we can start our journals.
ELA News
Welcome to the Opening Act and thanks for a great first week!
It was an absolute pleasure getting to know each of your children over the course of these three days - and I look forward to stellar “performances” year long! If you have not gotten a chance to read through the welcome letter that was sent home in your child’s black communication folder, please take the time to do so this weekend as it does pertain important information - especially relating to communication. Also, if you did not get a chance to complete the parent homework - student information sheet and “In a Million words or Less” activity, you can do so and send on Monday. Thank you so much!
BINDERS
For my ELA and Social Studies class, I do require students to have a binder (1 inch binder preferably - they will only use for me) and tab dividers. Thank you to all that purchased and sent them in this week - it will be set up next week and hole-punched notes will start going inside.
GOAL SETTING - WRITING ACTIVITY
Next week, we will divulge into the writing process beginning with more personal writing - the friendly letter. Students came home Friday afternoon with a brainstorming sheet and are being asked to think about over the weekend their current feelings about 4th grade, likes and dislikes about school, strengths/weaknesses and overall goals for the year in order to write a letter to themselves. If you can sit down and have a conversation with them about these things to better assist them in this process, that will be GREAT! When students return on Monday, we will begin writing those letters - teacher will model first!
Social Studies News
WELCOME TO 4th GRADE & U.S. HISTORY!
Next week, students will set up social studies journals and partake in a “Cut Party” where they will rummage through old USA Studies Weekly Newspapers to find pictures of interest to decorate/personalize the outside of their journals. If your child has not already brought in composition notebooks, they will need one for this on Monday. We will also begin our first unit - the First Natives and Natives Americans of the U.S. During this unit, students will learn about and be able to - Summarize the spread of Native American populations through the Landbridge Theory
- Compare the everyday life, physical environment, and culture of the major Native American groupings; including, the Eastern Woodlands, the Plains, the Southwest, the Great Basin, and the Pacific Northwest.
Parents: BE ON THE LOOKOUT
- During the first Open House, all parents will be given a Parent Study Guide for Social Studies that provides you with an overview of all pertinent information your child will learn this year for U.S. History!
Fourth Grade News
Related Arts Schedule for next week
Open House
Open House will be held on Tuesday, September 11th. There will be two sessions (both sessions will cover the same content). Sessions will be from 5:30-6:10 and 6:15-6:55. Ms. Bodrick and Mrs. Benson will be doing these sessions together so that if you have another child at the school, you may attend their class session also. We will be in Mrs. Benson’s room.
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!
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Thursday, June 7, 2018
Weekly News--June 7th
Today was the final day of the 2017/2018 school year! Thanks for all of the wonderful memories! We have had a great year and learned so much. Have a fabulous summer and best of luck in 5th grade! Stop by and visit next year!
Friday, May 25, 2018
Math and Science News--May 25th
Benson/Bodrick News
News from the 4th Grade
May 25, 2018
Math News
We worked very hard this week in Study Island getting all of our review lessons complete. We started working on an ABC book for Math and Science that we are displaying in the hallway.
Next week will be filled with several mini-projects and activities to reinforce math concepts taught this year. We will explore more geometry, fractions, and even play a good old game of Multiplication BINGO. If you have a deck of playing cards that you can send in, we can use those also for a game called “Math Slap” where we practice our multiplication facts.
Science News
Next week we will do several little experiments in Science. I will share with them several activities and/or websites that they can use to have fun this summer with Science. These will be simple activities they can do using items from around the house.
Fourth Grade News
Related Arts Schedule for next week
The fourth grade awards ceremony will be held Thursday, May 31st at 1pm. All students who have earned honor roll all 4 nine weeks will receive an award and be recognized. Also any students participating in any clubs will be recognized. Because not all fourth graders will be receiving awards, we will send an email out very soon letting you know if your child will be recognized. 
The end of the year BOGO Book Fair will be held Tuesday, May 29th-Friday, June 1st. Mrs. Benson’s homeroom shopping time will be on Tuesday, May 29th from 1:15-1:45 and Ms. Bodrick’s homeroom shopping time will be on Thursday, May 31st from 10:30-11:00. Please remember to bring your money and take advantage of these wonderful savings!
Strawbridge sent us a few extra class pictures. They cost $12 each. If you did not purchase a class picture this Spring and would like one now, please send $12 in as soon as possible. We only have about 4 for each class.
Friday, May 18, 2018
Math and Science News--May 18th
Benson/Bodrick News
News from the 4th Grade
May 18, 2018
Math News
This week we continued to prepare for our standardized test. We will continue working on some extra topics next week after our Science test is completed on Tuesday. We will be doing some fun end of the year math projects. Please encourage your child to do as many topics in ALEKS before next Friday. I will be giving out class awards the last week of school for the most topics mastered, the most hours spent on ALEKS, etc. Just something fun to showcase students to each other.
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. We will have a multiplication fact test on Monday, May 21st. This will be a basic facts timed test. Students will need to be able to answer 50 questions in 1 ½ minutes. (They have done this before when we were making teams for March madness.)
Science News
Next week we will be taking the SC PASS Science test on Tuesday. Please have your child review Study Island Lessons over the weekend so they are better prepared for the test. We will be reviewing on Monday using some fun games. I have also added several Quizlet games to Google Classroom. Students can use these to study for Science as well. They can use the game mode after they have used the flash card mode to study.
After testing, we will have some fun Science projects and experiments that we will complete in class.
Fourth Grade News
Related Arts Schedule for next week
The fourth grade awards ceremony will be held Thursday, May 31st at 1pm. All students who have earned honor roll all 4 nine weeks will receive an award and be recognized. Also any students participating in any clubs will be recognized. Because not all fourth graders will be receiving awards, we will send an email out by the end of next week letting you know if your child will be recognized. The end of the year BOGO Book Fair will be held Tuesday, May 29th-Friday, June 1st. Mrs. Benson’s homeroom shopping time will be on Tuesday, May 29th from 1:15-1:45 and Ms. Bodrick’s homeroom shopping time will be on Friday, June 1st from 1:15-1:45. Please remember to bring your money and take advantage of these wonderful savings!
Next Friday, May 25th is the last day to turn in Box Tops or Tyson labels for this school year. Please send them in before Friday morning.
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