Greetings Families,
I hope your child enjoyed their Friday. Today was a little unusual. Because we were able to move through some of the content a little more quickly than expected this week, we didn't have enough planned work to fill our day. That allowed the whole fourth grade to have an extra end of the day playing kickball together. Opportunities like that are rare, so I'm glad we were afforded the time this week.
Speaking of time and opportunities, I've given a new incentive to the class to promote homework completion. I had hoped that the daily emails would solve the homework problem my class is having, and for most it has. Yet, there are still some, and others here and there, who do not do their homework. Thus, I've given them a very difficult challenge, of which they may never reach. I explained to them that it will be hard and to not expect to receive it. So here is the challenge I gave them. If, from the first day of the week until the last, usually Monday through Friday, every student turns their homework in on the day it is due (thus, it could be late but still turned in on the day it is due), the whole class will receive an extra 30 minute recess on the football field. To put that in context, that has not happened once this quarter, except for the day after the break when no homework was due. It is a hard challenge and they may never receive it, but maybe my challenge will inspire them and their effort might surprise me.
Next week has three important dates. Tuesday, February 14, is Great Hearts Day. Please remember that students are not allowed to bring Valentines, but they will be making something for their classmates at school that day. Thursday, February 16, is Class Picture Day. Please try to make sure your child is wearing their best looking uniform. Parents of girls, please make sure any hair bows meet the uniform expectation (see an excerpt from the handbook at the bottom). Friday, February 17, is Athletic Field Day. If you haven't read by blog on this topic, you can find it here. Students should wear a yellow shirt this day, but it is not required.
Lastly, before I move into the lessons section, I wanted to make sure that I note a change in the test schedule. The hard work your child put into mastering fractions is paying off when it comes to decimals. I feel confident that the vast majority of students are ready to move on toward testing on the "hundredths" place. Thus, on Thursday and Friday of this week, we reviewed problems like the ones on the quiz. Please use the math notebook, which your child should have brought home, to review items for the test. They also should have a practice test to use for studying unless they completed it during school today. I am very proud of the effort they are giving.
Science: In science this week, students will turn their attention toward rocks: namely igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Later in the week they will enjoy a fun activity using Starburst and will simulate what happens to rocks during each phase. The week will end with a messy lab in which they will begin to understand erosion. However, this lab is meant to give students a foundation for Socratic discussion that will take place during week 7. So, don’t tell them they will be doing an erosion lab. If you talk to them about it, just ask them what they observed.
Next week, there will be two quizzes. Both quizzes will be review quizzes on meteorology. During week 7, there will only be one quiz, as Monday is Presidents’ Day. That quiz will be on rocks. They will want to study the rock foldable they make this week to prepare for that quiz.
- February 13, 2017 – Science Quiz – Meteorology Review Quiz
I hope your child enjoyed their Friday. Today was a little unusual. Because we were able to move through some of the content a little more quickly than expected this week, we didn't have enough planned work to fill our day. That allowed the whole fourth grade to have an extra end of the day playing kickball together. Opportunities like that are rare, so I'm glad we were afforded the time this week.
Speaking of time and opportunities, I've given a new incentive to the class to promote homework completion. I had hoped that the daily emails would solve the homework problem my class is having, and for most it has. Yet, there are still some, and others here and there, who do not do their homework. Thus, I've given them a very difficult challenge, of which they may never reach. I explained to them that it will be hard and to not expect to receive it. So here is the challenge I gave them. If, from the first day of the week until the last, usually Monday through Friday, every student turns their homework in on the day it is due (thus, it could be late but still turned in on the day it is due), the whole class will receive an extra 30 minute recess on the football field. To put that in context, that has not happened once this quarter, except for the day after the break when no homework was due. It is a hard challenge and they may never receive it, but maybe my challenge will inspire them and their effort might surprise me.
Next week has three important dates. Tuesday, February 14, is Great Hearts Day. Please remember that students are not allowed to bring Valentines, but they will be making something for their classmates at school that day. Thursday, February 16, is Class Picture Day. Please try to make sure your child is wearing their best looking uniform. Parents of girls, please make sure any hair bows meet the uniform expectation (see an excerpt from the handbook at the bottom). Friday, February 17, is Athletic Field Day. If you haven't read by blog on this topic, you can find it here. Students should wear a yellow shirt this day, but it is not required.
Lastly, before I move into the lessons section, I wanted to make sure that I note a change in the test schedule. The hard work your child put into mastering fractions is paying off when it comes to decimals. I feel confident that the vast majority of students are ready to move on toward testing on the "hundredths" place. Thus, on Thursday and Friday of this week, we reviewed problems like the ones on the quiz. Please use the math notebook, which your child should have brought home, to review items for the test. They also should have a practice test to use for studying unless they completed it during school today. I am very proud of the effort they are giving.
Lessons
Science: In science this week, students will turn their attention toward rocks: namely igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks. Later in the week they will enjoy a fun activity using Starburst and will simulate what happens to rocks during each phase. The week will end with a messy lab in which they will begin to understand erosion. However, this lab is meant to give students a foundation for Socratic discussion that will take place during week 7. So, don’t tell them they will be doing an erosion lab. If you talk to them about it, just ask them what they observed.
Next week, there will be two quizzes. Both quizzes will be review quizzes on meteorology. During week 7, there will only be one quiz, as Monday is Presidents’ Day. That quiz will be on rocks. They will want to study the rock foldable they make this week to prepare for that quiz.
Math: Students will take the "Unit 6, Chapter 2: Hundredths" test on Monday. The students will spend some time reviewing decimals to the hundredths place as it aligns to AzMERIT Math Standards during the middle of the week. Students will be introduced to the thousandths place at the end of the week.
History: History will focus on the changes taking place in the British colonies after Parliament passed act after act without colonial support. One thing I want the students to understand is that history is often viewed from the side of the victor, while there were two sides present during the struggle. Not every colonist wanted to leave the British Empire. That is why this week, the class was divided on who wrote a pro-colonist article about the Boston Massacre and who wrote a pro-Britain article. One of the benefits of this is it challenges students to think through all of the reasons why people made the decisions they made. Though Americans usually side with the decisions of our founders in regard to declaring independence, it wasn't Parliament's goal to drive us away. They had what they thought were good reasons for taxing their American colonies the way they did.
This week, students will continue their trek through history and will read about the Boston Tea Party. The latter part of the week will have them creating propaganda posters for both sides of the conflict. Some students will have to renounce Britain for "taxation without representation" and the other offenses of the British Empire, while other students will have to renounce the rebellious colonists who are trying to incite sedition.
Language Arts: In language arts, students will continue the normal Spalding regiment and will be expected to recite their poem on Monday if they have not already done so. The students will be reading Carry On, Mr. Bowditch, chapters 3-6.
In writing, the focus will be on summarization. On Monday and Thursday, the students will read and summarize a text: "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "The Leap-Frog." Ms. Maguire and I will then edit those papers and return them to the students. On Tuesday and Friday, they will reflect on our corrections and suggestions and will rewrite a more refined summary.
Important Dates
- February 13, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 6 Chapter 2 – Decimals: Hundredths
- February 14, 2017 – Great Hearts Day
- February 16, 2017 – Picture Day
- February 16, 2017 – Science Quiz – Meteorology Review Quiz
- February 17, 2017 - Athletic Field Day - Wear Yellow Shirt & No School Lunch
- February 17, 2017 – Spalding Test
- February 20, 2017 – President’s Day
- February 22, 2017 - History Test - American Revolution, Chapters 1-10
- February 23, 2017 - Science Quiz - Geology
- February 24, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 6 Chapter 3 – Decimals: Thousandths
- February 24, 2017 – Spalding Test
- February 25, 2017 – Fun Run & Family Picnic
- February 27, 2017 - Science Quiz - Geology
- February 28, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 6 Cumulative – Decimals
- March 2, 2017 - Science Quiz - Geology
- March 3, 2017 – Spalding Test
- March 6, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 7 Chapter 1 – Adding and Subtracting Decimals
- March 6, 2017 - Sciencey Quiz - Geology
- March 9, 2017 - Greek and Latins Roots Quiz - 75 Roots
- March 10, 2017 - Science Test - Geology Unit Exam
- March 10, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 7 Chapters 2 & 3 – Multiplying and Dividing Decimals
- March 10, 2017 – Spalding Test
- March 13-20, 2017 – Spring Break
- February 14, 2017 – Great Hearts Day
- February 16, 2017 – Picture Day
- February 16, 2017 – Science Quiz – Meteorology Review Quiz
- February 17, 2017 - Athletic Field Day - Wear Yellow Shirt & No School Lunch
- February 17, 2017 – Spalding Test
- February 20, 2017 – President’s Day
- February 22, 2017 - History Test - American Revolution, Chapters 1-10
- February 23, 2017 - Science Quiz - Geology
- February 24, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 6 Chapter 3 – Decimals: Thousandths
- February 24, 2017 – Spalding Test
- February 25, 2017 – Fun Run & Family Picnic
- February 27, 2017 - Science Quiz - Geology
- February 28, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 6 Cumulative – Decimals
- March 2, 2017 - Science Quiz - Geology
- March 3, 2017 – Spalding Test
- March 6, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 7 Chapter 1 – Adding and Subtracting Decimals
- March 6, 2017 - Sciencey Quiz - Geology
- March 9, 2017 - Greek and Latins Roots Quiz - 75 Roots
- March 10, 2017 - Science Test - Geology Unit Exam
- March 10, 2017 – Math Test – Unit 7 Chapters 2 & 3 – Multiplying and Dividing Decimals
- March 10, 2017 – Spalding Test
- March 13-20, 2017 – Spring Break