Welcome to 4M! The 4M Smarties are off to a great start! We had a very full week getting to know one another and learning about 4th grade expectations. We played some cooperative games and learned about each other by writing a Top Ten list. Students also identified a few other students in the class (Clock Buddies) to work with when we are working in pairs. I am looking forward to an amazing year together!
Foster School's theme this year is "Fostering Heroes." To get the ball rolling, we started our first writing project about what "superpowers" we each have. I read a picture book biography of Jimi Hendrix to the class and we identified guitar playing as Jimi's "superpower." We listened to some of his amazing music and brainstormed the superpowers each of us possess. We reviewed the steps of the writing process and then dove right into writing a paragraph.
In math, we cleared out some of the math cobwebs with games that reviewed computation skills. The students also reviewed how to read big numbers and identify the values of digits in a large number. A Family Letter went home this week explaining the skills we will be practicing and the important vocabulary for Unit 1.
We also started talking about independent reading habits. In 4th grade, students are expected to read for at least twenty minutes every day. Everyone must have an independent reading book at school each day as well as one at home. They can bring the same book back and forth or keep one book in each place. One of our goals for this year is for each student to get to know themselves better as a reader. What genres do they like best? What authors do they enjoy reading? How do you select a book that is "Just Right?" We will be answering these questions in the next few weeks.
I started reading aloud Wonder by R.J. Palacios this week. A few students were already familiar with this wonderful story but it was new to most. I highly recommend it to adults, too! There are so many lessons about treating each other with kindness and the lessons in the story come up through out the year.
Ask a Fourth Grader!
* What is the value of 4 in the number 143, 679?
* Who is the main character in Wonder? What do you already know about him?
* Who are your Clock Buddies for the next few months?
* What is your "super power?"
Foster School's theme this year is "Fostering Heroes." To get the ball rolling, we started our first writing project about what "superpowers" we each have. I read a picture book biography of Jimi Hendrix to the class and we identified guitar playing as Jimi's "superpower." We listened to some of his amazing music and brainstormed the superpowers each of us possess. We reviewed the steps of the writing process and then dove right into writing a paragraph.
In math, we cleared out some of the math cobwebs with games that reviewed computation skills. The students also reviewed how to read big numbers and identify the values of digits in a large number. A Family Letter went home this week explaining the skills we will be practicing and the important vocabulary for Unit 1.
We also started talking about independent reading habits. In 4th grade, students are expected to read for at least twenty minutes every day. Everyone must have an independent reading book at school each day as well as one at home. They can bring the same book back and forth or keep one book in each place. One of our goals for this year is for each student to get to know themselves better as a reader. What genres do they like best? What authors do they enjoy reading? How do you select a book that is "Just Right?" We will be answering these questions in the next few weeks.
I started reading aloud Wonder by R.J. Palacios this week. A few students were already familiar with this wonderful story but it was new to most. I highly recommend it to adults, too! There are so many lessons about treating each other with kindness and the lessons in the story come up through out the year.
Ask a Fourth Grader!
* What is the value of 4 in the number 143, 679?
* Who is the main character in Wonder? What do you already know about him?
* Who are your Clock Buddies for the next few months?
* What is your "super power?"