Weekly Newsletter : December 17th - December 21st

Language Arts
This week, the class will be finishing up the review of The Tiger Rising. They have been examining how the characters have changed throughout the story, examining the main themes as well as pondering what could happen next. In writing, students are completing the draft of their stories and are beginning to edit. They will focus on reading others’ work and giving constructive feedback on how their realistic fiction writing can be improved.


Math
This week the students are continuing their work on measurement. They are working on converting units for length, mass, and capacity. The students will also be finishing this week by solving word problems based upon this unit. They will be taking the Unit 3 Assessment this week.


Science
This week in science students will continue to learn about the design cycle through solving a real-life problem for their final project. Through brainstorming, modeling, questioning, and testing, the students will be able to design and improve their prototype machines. Students will also start to learn about failure, and how it is an important part of the design process!


Announcements

• December 21st - Last day of first semester: Please be sure to inform the school and your classroom teacher if you plan on leaving for the holiday before that date. 
• ES Dress Up Days - plan your days in advance click HERE for dates. 
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.

Resources

Grade 4 Camp-In Resources

Camp-In Information Presentation https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1q9z0mHsWOHI76Dq5aZkAzNr3HLdmyV2AN4GarYEK9W4/edit


Camp-In Permission Form - completed by Friday 21 December https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScP8pXGZV9w5H3QmDfxpeNhCwTA6M0EbahaKO3hDGC4k_W_6A/viewform


Camp-In Packing List https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vQj5uinxjxuh9aAvspJ_GF_JhDU57-ZV0zkRcj6_NUI/edit

Weekly Newsletter: December 10th - December 14th

Language Arts
This week, the class will be finishing up the read aloud, The Tiger Rising. Throughout the reading of this book, the children have been reinforcing their skills in growing ideas about characters and understanding how the character really is the heart of the story. In writing, students are continuing to draft and will focus on developing more details for the 'scenes' in their realistic fiction stories.


Math

This week the students are continuing their work on measurement. They are working on converting units for length, mass, and capacity. The students will also be finishing up this week by solving word problems based upon this unit.


Science

This week in science students will continue to learn about the design cycle through solving a real-life problem for their final project. Through brainstorming, modeling, questioning, and testing, the students will be able to design and improve their prototype machines. Students will also start to learn about failure, and how it is an important part of the design process!


Announcements

• December 13th - Christmas Around the World: The fourth graders will have the opportunity to learn about various Christmas traditions from around the world (2:00-2:45). Feel free to join us if you have the time. (Be sure to tell the bussing office if you will be taking your child home afterwards.) Wear red or green in celebration of the event.
• December 14th - Math Games Celebration/Share: During this sharing time, students will teach you some of the games that they have been using this semester.
• December 21st - Last day of first semester: Please be sure to inform the school and your classroom teacher if you plan on leaving for the holiday before that date. 
• ES Dress Up Days - plan your days in advance click HERE for dates. 
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.

Resources
Grade 4 Camp-In Resources:
Camp-In Information Presentation https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1q9z0mHsWOHI76Dq5aZkAzNr3HLdmyV2AN4GarYEK9W4/edit


Camp-In Permission Form - completed by Friday 21 December https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScP8pXGZV9w5H3QmDfxpeNhCwTA6M0EbahaKO3hDGC4k_W_6A/viewform


Camp-In Packing List

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vQj5uinxjxuh9aAvspJ_GF_JhDU57-ZV0zkRcj6_NUI/edit

Weekly Newsletter: December 3rd - December 7th

Language Arts
In reading this week, students will be finishing up their first book club book and reflecting on the stories they have read. This week in writing, students will continue drafting their scenes, focusing on bringing the scenes to life through the strategy called Show, Don’t Tell.

Math
The students will be delving into measurement and using the metric system. They will be learning the names of the units for capacity, mass, and length. They will also be looking at real world situations which involve measurement. In addition, they will be given the opportunity to convert units of measurement

Science
Science this week see the students continue to learn about simple machines and how simple machines make work easier. Students will also start learning about compound machines and will be introduced to real-life problems where machines have provided solutions. Students will select a real-life scenario and will have to follow the design cycle to design, build, and reflect on a prototype machine that will solve a real-life problem. This project will take us to the end of the semester.

Announcements

• Dec. 4th - Parent “Camp-in” Informational Meeting: 8:15-9:15 am in MPR 2 & 3 on the 2nd floor, above the Panther Hut.
• ES Dress Up Days - plan your days in advance click HERE for dates. 
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.
• The last day of the semester is Friday, Dec. 21: Please be sure to inform the school and class teacher if you plan on leaving for the holiday before that date.
• Math Games Celebration/ Share: An invitation to our grade 4 celebration share on Math Games will be sent home on Monday 3rd December, the event will take place on 14 December. Please let us know if you will be joining us for this share by returning the slip to your child’s class teacher. In this share students will teach you some of the games that they have been using this semester.

Resources

Below is the design cycle that we will be working through for the next few weeks in science. We start by asking questions: defining the problem and researching, then imagining a solution and planning, creating, reflecting and rebuilding etc.

Weekly Newsletter: November 26 - November 30, 2018

Language Arts
This week in reading, the students are developing theories about their main characters based on the patterns from the character’s words, actions and thoughts. In writing, the children are drafting their story scenes, focusing on storytelling by using a strategy called Show, Don’t Tell.

Math
This week in math the students will be reviewing unit two and preparing for their final assessment. Our next unit will be following the metric system. The students will be exploring measurements and conversions.

Science
This week students will continue working on their understanding of forces and simple machines. They will be involved in hands-on experiments through creating K’nex and balloon cars, and explore both potential and kinetic energy.

Announcements

• Scholastic Orders - please see email from Annie Gillis.
• ES Dress Up Days - plan your days in advance click HERE for dates. 
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.

Resources
We are growing realistic fiction readers and writers in grade 4! They are doing this by thinking deeply about the characters. These CHARACTER TRAITS are useful in describing the character based on their words, thoughts and actions.

To support your child as a reader...GRAB THE BOOK YOUR CHILD IS READING and ASK to describe the character based on his/her thoughts, words, and actions.

To support your child as a writer...ASK your child to explain about the character in the story they are going to write.

Weekly Newsletter - November 19th - November 23rd

Language Arts
This week the students will be using the class read aloud to dig deeper into character traits, scene summaries and envisioning the text in order to read intensely. In writing, many children are ready to develop a believable character and plan the story arc with scenes for their story.

Math
This week in math the students will be continuing with division. They will be review the concept of partial quotient. The students will also be continue to review remainders. They will be working on world problems and deciding what they should do with the remainder, ie. ignore it, round it or share it. This is a real world concept that the students will be exploring.

Science
In Science, we will continue to learn about simple machines- inclined plane, screw, lever, wedge, pulley, and wheel and axel. We will continue to model and describe how applied forces impact motion- even learning about Sir Isaac Newton and his Laws of Motion. Classes will plan investigations by identifying dependent and independent variables.

Announcements

• Tues, Nov 20th - NO SCHOOL (Prophet Muhammad's Birthday) 
• Fri, Nov 23th - Deepavali Cultural Day ES students are encouraged to dress up in traditional Indian attire.
• Scholastic Orders - please see email from Annie Gillis.
• ES Dress Up Days - plan your days in advance click HERE for dates. 
• Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home

Resources
As we now are moving on into division in math, we will be having discussions and practice on what to do with the remainders. Here are some links that will help your child at home:

Round up! -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C0Z9t2V1qY 

Drop it!(Ignore it) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YykaqSHzDI 

Share it! - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUjTCD-ajpc

Weekly Newsletter: November 12th - November 16th

Language Arts
In reading this week, the students will be getting into book club groups and use discussions to deepen their understanding of the stories they are reading. In writing, the students will be choosing an idea they have generated and begin planning out their writing using a story arc.


Math
This week in math, the students will be working on division. They will be following the partial quotient method of solving equations. They will also be answering real world word problems with quotients that have remainders.


Science
This week students will be continuing to develop their knowledge of force and motion through various hands on science experiments. They will be looking at controlling variables and how they can impact results. Students will then continue to learn about simple machines.


Announcements

November 13th & 15th - Biathlon training: If your child is participating in the biathlon, please be sure your child has his/her bathing suit and goggles along with proper sports attire when they arrive to school in the morning.

Water Bottles & Hats - Please check that your child comes to school with their water bottles and hats every morning. Recently, many students seem to be forgetting them at home.

Weekly Newsletter - November 5th - November 9th

Language Arts
In reading, we will continue analyzing character traits and will use evidence from the text to prove our thinking. In writing, we will identify characteristics of realistic fiction through mentor texts and develop story ideas that stem from personal experiences.


Math
This week the students will be using the area model method to solve real world multiplication problems. It is suggested that the students brush up on their multiplication facts in order to help them solve these word problems.

Science
Students will continue to investigate forces and motion. Why don’t you try to carry out the egg drop experiment at home or design a paper aeroplane that can travel the farthest? Later this week students will begin to investigate simple machines (levers, pulleys, wheels and axles, wedges, inclined planes, screws, and gears) and how they make work easier.


Announcements

• November 5th - NO ASAs due to expected heavy holiday afternoon traffic.
• November 6th - NO SCHOOL - Deepavali
• November 9th- International Day Flag Parade. Students should come to school in their national dress or national colors. 
• November 10th - Annual International Festival from 4pm-8pm.

Resources

To support Science at home, watch this video to help recognize the different types of simple machines. https://youtu.be/fvOmaf2GfCY

Help your child complete a simple machine scavenger hunt at home. Locate simple machines that you have at home - it is amazing how many simple machines we use!