|
Math ~
The class will complete the
Math Quest game this week. The students will participate in a
math relay on Monday that uses the "table or chart"
strategy. We have started the "find a pattern" strategy,
and the students will work on problems involving that strategy
this week. We will then work on the "working backwards"
strategy, which will be introduced late in the week. The students
should work in groups to solve the working backwards problems
in class. By the end of the week, we will have crowned a Math
Quest champion.
There will also be a formal lesson on working with percents this
week. We will examine what it means to get discounts and how
to find what those discounts are. We will also play a game in
science that will have the students work with fractions, decimals
and percents as they try their hand at managing a herd of animals.
The game will require the students to use their math skills in
variety of ways.
Language Arts ~
We will continue to read the
book Children of the Dust Bowl this week. We should complete
the book on Wednesday. There is a lot of social studies within
this book, and it ranges from citizenship behavior to concepts
around California's history. The students will create a Venn
diagram based upon a portion of the book. They will compare the
Weedpatch school to Del Paso Manor school, and then we will use
that graphic in a discussion of the two.
Some students are still trying
to publish their final blog. All students have turned it in,
and there are several who should be able to complete the publishing
process this week. All students should have four blogs
online at the end of the year.
Science ~
The students learned how magnets
work last week, and they had fun creating temporary magnets out
of straight pins. We then began with the creation of temporary
magnets through the use of electricity. The students will complete
their exploration of electromagnets this week. That will complete
the science standards for the year.
Social Studies ~
We will look at water issues
in California this week, and possibly have a debate about the
issue.
We will also get to view an
old movie that has the railroad as the central topic. It is a
great movie set during the Civil War, and it has concepts from
social studies that we have studied this year, mainly about trains.
Be sure to ask your fourth grader about it on Thursday evening.
Notes/Reminders~
Materials will be collected
on Wednesday. Please help to ensure that your fourth grader has
all the necessary textbooks at school on that day. Without the
books, a student will not be allowed to receive his or her report
card on Friday.
I would like to thank every
family for a great school year. I appreciate all the support
from each family throughout the year to provide a tremendous
experience for the fourth graders. I have enjoyed working with
this class, and I look forward to watching the students' success
in fifth grade. Have a sensational summer and I'll see everyone
in August! It won't be long . . .
Download the hard copy here~


|