September/October Newsletter

Fourth Grade September and October Newsletter Mrs. Hladky, Ms. Jung, Mrs.Leuschner, Mrs. Lucas, and Ms. Westra Math Workshop We are currently studying topic 2 in Math entitled “Fluently Add and Subtract Multi-Digit Whole Numbers.” This topic addresses finding sums and differences, estimating sums and differences, adding whole numbers, adding greater numbers, subtracting whole numbers, subtracting greater numbers, subtracting across zeros and reasoning. Toward the end of September, we will begin unit 3, “Use Strategies and Properties to Multiply by 1-Digit Numbers.” In this unit the kids will learn a variety of strategies to multiply two, three, and four digit numbers by one digit numbers. We will be learning how to apply strategies that include partial products and area models. As a reminder, your child will have homework two to three nights a week. Reading Workshop During Reading Workshop in the month of August, the kids began to learn and practice how to think deeply about their reading, determine if they are truly reading “just right books” at their level that will help them grow as readers, and analyze character traits while providing evidence from the text. I was and will continue conferring independently with readers as well as working with kiddos in a small group format as I focus on the aforementioned and upcoming skills. Our reading focus in September will be on how to read nonfiction effectively. The kids will learn how to find and use key details in the text to determine the central (main idea) of the text as well as the author’s purpose in writing the text. We will study the various text features that go along with nonfiction text; headings, subheadings, captions, graphs, pictures, etc. The kids will use these features to gain more information about the topics they are reading. Lastly, the kids will be writing about their reading as they write short constructed responses detailing the main idea of the text read as well as supporting the main idea with the key details they found. I could really use your support at home….please encourage your child to read. Volume matters!! Please support your child as they log their reading on their weekly reading logs. Science We have begun our first unit and our focus is on Life Science. By the end of this unit the kids will be able to construct an argument detailing how plants and animals have internal and external structures that function to support survival, growth, behavior, and reproduction. This unit is very hands-on and involves many engaging partner and group experiments. Thank you for sending in the supplies to make our first investigation successful. The kids made wonderful observations and came to thoughtful conclusions as they studied the inside of fruits and observed the structures of the celery and flowers change as they absorbed the water dyed with food coloring. Writing Workshop We have started our year as informational writers. The students spent the first week of the unit generating and developing ideas for their informational piece; they thought about and shared their interests and selected their topic. Once they selected their topic they used non fiction texts to learn more about their topic, decide which topics they will teach about, and develop their subtopics. The kids will spend the beginning of September taking notes on their topic while at the same time ensuring that they include important facts, detailed and clear examples, and comparisons to other animals. The next step in the writing process will begin just before the start of October. This will be the drafting of the informational book. Drafting will require the students to synthesize their notes and use a clear teaching tone as they write. They will incorporate transition words and phrases in their piece as they elaborate on their thinking. The final product will be an informational book that the kids will be sharing with their classmates. It will include their writing as well as text features such as pictures, captions, maps, tables, and charts. I will do a great deal of modeling with a class topic in order to support the kids as they engage in this writing process. Important Dates Digger Dash: Friday, September 15th No School due to Teacher Professional Development Day: Friday, September 22nd Fall Break: October 16th - 20th