Weekly Update September 23-27

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Thank you for all your support during our fun run this year! Our class had 100% participation and for our reward, we will have free dress on September 30th and October 7th.

This week we learned about Habit 3: Put First Things First.

Put First Things First means to decide what is most important and to take care of that first. Thinking about what needs to be done tomorrow or by the end of the week can be overwhelming, especially for children. Through practice, children can learn to think about which things are the most important and take care of them first. This allows children (and adults) to be less stressed. For example, if children can tell you they need a piece of poster board on Thursday or cupcakes on Monday, everyone can better prepare. Put First Things First becomes an important skill as your child advances grade levels. 

In Math, we are learning how to read and write large numbers in different ways, comparing & ordering numbers, and finding the rule in a pattern. Large numbers can be intimidating, but when their place-value structure is understood they are actually very simple. Encourage your child to draw a place-value chart like the one below. Place a few coins or other small household objects in each column (any number from 0 to 9) and have your child write the number that is formed. An example is shown:

Ask your child to make statements about the numbers using what she or he has learned about place value. For example, the digit 3 in 43,012 stands for 3 thousands or 3,000. You also have your compare three numbers using the words or phrases greater than, less than, greatest number, least number, more than.

In reading and writing, we just finished the first quadrant of our book, Shiloh. We were learning how to infer the characters’ feelings and think about what motivates them to do things. Thinking about the main character’s feelings and motivations to help us understand the main character better.

In social studies, we learn how to present our artifacts about social scientists effectively to our third-grade classmates.

Weekly Update September 16 - 20

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Our class started our Digital citizenship unit from the Common Sense Media Digital Literacy and Citizenship curriculum. My goal is to encourage our students to harness the power of the internet and digital technology for learning, and to become safe, responsible, and savvy digital citizens. In this set of lessons, your child will learn how to take responsibility for themselves and their community online.

In Reading, we are learning how to grow solid ideas that are grounded in books that we read. Students will relearn how to choose their "just right" books, figure out confusing parts of their chosen text, and noting important things to talk about with their reading buddies.

In Social Studies, we've been learning how different social scientists study human behavior and what artifacts tell us about the past. Our fourth-grade students will have to bring one artifact that represents for each social scientist. Below is the task sheet that was given to them last Wednesday. All artifacts are due on Monday, September 23rd and they will be presenting their artifacts to their third-grade classmates.

Social Studies Artifact Task Sheet

As we continue to learn the 7 habits of happy kids, the second habit we discussed this week is
Habit 2:Begin With the End in Mind.

Begin with the End in Mind means to think about how you would like something to turn out- before getting started. Reading a recipe before cooking or looking at a map before leaving on a trip is beginning with the end in mind.

For children thinking about what they want a picture or a project to look like before starting or looking at the cover of a jigsaw puzzle before putting it together is beginning with the end in mind. 

Expect your child to use words like begin with the end in mind, goals, choices, and “sticking with it” in their conversations this week. You can encourage your child by using some of these words at home. 

Thank you for all your support in our fun run. Way to go with 100% registration as well as exceeding our class goal!!!

REMINDER/S:

• On Monday, September 23rd is our Math MAP testing. Please help your child be prepared by being well-rested and having a healthy breakfast.

Weekly Update Sept. 9-13

Dear Parents and Students,

This year, we’ll be using Khan Academy in class to personalize learning for all students!

Khan Academy is a free online resource that allows students to learn anytime, anywhere, with material that is uniquely appropriate for them.  Students can explore new topics and strengthen their math skills by using interactive practice and tutorials. As students learn, their activity feeds into reports that show important information such as strengths and weaknesses in a particular concept.  By using Khan Academy, I’ll be able to provide a more personalized learning experience for your child.

If your child is having trouble accessing their student account, please follow the instructions below:

Accessing student account and homework in Khan Academy

This week we started discussing the 7 Habits of Happy Kids. Our class discussed how to be a proactive student. To be proactive means to take responsibility for your choices and behaviors.

Habit 1: Be Proactive, is the key to all of the other habits; that’s why it comes first. Be Proactive says “I am the leader of my own life. I am the leader for whether I’m happy or sad. I am the leader of how I react to other people or situations.”

Talk to your children about how they are the leader of taking care of themselves, taking care of their things, reacting/not reacting to other people’s comments, and planning ahead.

Expect your child to use words and phrases like choices, responsibility, proactive, and “stop and think” in their conversations this week. You can encourage your child by using some of this language at home.