Welcome to the Fourth Grade!

October 6th, 2009

• Do the PE homework from Mrs. Dubaldo (due next Monday)
• Read for 20 minutes and fill in your "think mark" bookmark with your thoughts
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•  Do the Algebra Worksheet
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Grade 4 newsletter article

The fourth grade students have been working hard learning the classroom routines for their Reading and Writing Workshops.  In reading, the students have been learning our expectations about how to write a teacher letter.  These letters are written in their Reading Notebook (light blue), in the “letters” section.  To help the students, we have modeled how to write a letter, we have brainstormed together as a class, and we have conferenced with each student on their first letter.   As they are writing their letter, the students should refer to the “Thinkmark” bookmark on which they should be filling in their thoughts as they read their independent reading book.  Each student has their letter due on a certain day of the week, be sure to ask your child when their letter is due.  In addition, be looking for a reading log to be coming home daily, on which the students will record their reading for the night and parents will initial, indicating that the reading was done.  The more students read and think about their reading, the stronger readers they will become. 

The students have also been working on setting up the routines for Writer’s Workshop, a time period which allows for lessons, writing, and sharing.  The students have primarily been doing lessons and activities that will help them come up with topics when they aren’t sure what they should write about.  For example, each student completed an “Authority List”, where they listed their life experiences and talents.  In addition, the students used memories of important places to create a map which was used to generate story ideas.  Be sure to ask your child what topics they have been writing about, and feel free to remind them of some of the stories of their lives.