Happy First Day of Spring! As I write this it is snowing outside, but hopefully positive thoughts melt snow and we will see the ground blooming soon. We worked on expository writing this week and chose “spring” as our topic. I, personally, loved thinking of all things spring! Together, we brainstormed everything spring-related and then chose categories to sort our words. Finally, students were assigned one category to write an informative paragraph. Next week we will revise and work together to write an introduction and conclusion.
Students took the Unit 7 test on Friday about fractions. They worked in small groups all week to practice ordering, comparing fractions and making equivalent fractions. Unit 6 will be about area and perimeter. Thanks to Frida’s dad and Josh’s mom for helping with math games this week! As we start the final term of 4th grade, there are many open spots on the math games calendar so please sign up if you have time to come in and help from 11-12 on Fridays.
Literature Circle groups continued to meet this week to discuss their Andrew Clements’ books. Many students are reading other titles by this author independently and we feel fully immersed in his writing. He is a great author for 4th grade.
For our Invention Convention, we continued to practice brainstorming and creativity skills. Everyone loved hearing about innovative uses for the clothespin. For this week’s homework, students will survey people about problems that could be solved with a new invention. Most successful inventions solve a problem, so I hope these surveys will lead students toward an idea for their own invention. To help your child think of an idea for an invention, I have told them to look at the world with “inventor’s eyes,” always looking for ways to make everyday life easier. Parents can help by bringing attention to tasks that are frustrating. Is there a way to make it easier to choose my clothes in the morning? Is there a way to keep all the remote controls in one easy place so I don’t have to get off the couch? How can we keep our hockey equipment from getting so smelly? These are all questions that have been answered by 4M inventors in past years!
Ask a Fourth Grader
* Have you thought of some ideas for your invention?
* How do you know that 15/16 is larger than 6/7?
* What is happening in The Gollywhopper Games that Mrs. Matthews is reading aloud?
* Tell me about the Roald Dahl poem you read aloud about Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Students took the Unit 7 test on Friday about fractions. They worked in small groups all week to practice ordering, comparing fractions and making equivalent fractions. Unit 6 will be about area and perimeter. Thanks to Frida’s dad and Josh’s mom for helping with math games this week! As we start the final term of 4th grade, there are many open spots on the math games calendar so please sign up if you have time to come in and help from 11-12 on Fridays.
Literature Circle groups continued to meet this week to discuss their Andrew Clements’ books. Many students are reading other titles by this author independently and we feel fully immersed in his writing. He is a great author for 4th grade.
For our Invention Convention, we continued to practice brainstorming and creativity skills. Everyone loved hearing about innovative uses for the clothespin. For this week’s homework, students will survey people about problems that could be solved with a new invention. Most successful inventions solve a problem, so I hope these surveys will lead students toward an idea for their own invention. To help your child think of an idea for an invention, I have told them to look at the world with “inventor’s eyes,” always looking for ways to make everyday life easier. Parents can help by bringing attention to tasks that are frustrating. Is there a way to make it easier to choose my clothes in the morning? Is there a way to keep all the remote controls in one easy place so I don’t have to get off the couch? How can we keep our hockey equipment from getting so smelly? These are all questions that have been answered by 4M inventors in past years!
Ask a Fourth Grader
* Have you thought of some ideas for your invention?
* How do you know that 15/16 is larger than 6/7?
* What is happening in The Gollywhopper Games that Mrs. Matthews is reading aloud?
* Tell me about the Roald Dahl poem you read aloud about Goldilocks and the Three Bears.