Happy Friday everyone! It's been a short week, but it has been full. I am continuing to get to know the students and I am really enjoying them! They are good at being silly when appropriate, and good at getting serious in a hurry when it is work time. They love to read, they are fully in the swing of math, and they know the classroom routines and expectations. I'm feeling very lucky!
We started our first math unit this week. While some of it is review, there are some new concepts as well. The main focus is on factors and multiples (and keeping track of the difference) and using arrays as a representation for multiplication. We will continue to practice our multiplication facts and learn to use the ones we know to figure out the ones we don't know. Today we learned about prime numbers and square numbers. Ask your children to explain them to you!
During reading time, the class is learning routines and procedures like how to choose books, how to "buzz" about their books with their reading partners, how to write about their books in their notebooks, and when it is okay to abandon a book. When it is time to read, they are completely engaged! I love seeing them relax with a book.
During writing time, we finished making collages on the covers of our journals and we did a little bit of writing based on a silly photo of a dog. Next week, we will learn about sentence structure (subject/verb) and practice, practice, practice using capital letters and punctuation (which 4th graders always seem to hate using!) We will also learn how to take an ordinary sentence and "explode" it by adding who, what, where, how, why, etc. Finally, we will learn how to use paragraphs by writing a simple letter. After all of that, we will be ready to start our narrative writing unit!
We started our first science unit this week. The unit is called "Structure and Function" and we are learning how the characteristics of living things help them survive. Today we dissected some marigolds and discussed the function of the leaves, the stem, the roots, and the flowers. I am impressed by how much this class knows!
Here are a few important updates:
Please look in your child's folder today. There is a school photo envelope as well as a permission slip. Please let me know if you have questions about either. I'd love the permission slip returned by next Friday.
The class earned their first celebration. On Monday, we are having "bedtime day." This means they can come in pajamas or comfy clothes, they can wear slippers (or socks) in the classroom, they can bring a blanket, and they can bring a stuffed animal (please be reasonable -- it should fit in a backpack!) They have PE on Monday morning so they need to bring appropriate footwear as well. This is a choice -- they can wear their regular clothes if they don't want to participate!
I think that's all for this week. I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
