Friday, September 8, 2023
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