Welcome to Mrs. Spinelli's Fourth Grade Class Page

 Learning how to be responsible is an important part of becoming a successful student.  Organizing time wisely and planning ahead are skills every student needs.

********************* REMINDERS ***********************

Oral Report Due Date: Thursday, February 23, 2012 The students will create a light project and present it to the class.  

Book Report Due Date: Thursday, March 1, 2012  The students will read a sports fiction book and create a summary on a sports card template.

**The students have an opportunity to create an 'Arbor Day' poem for the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders.  Winners will be selected from each grade level to receive an award. Poem submissions must be in by February 21st. Poems should focus on the benefits, beauty, and contributions of trees to our communities.  Poems are limited to 7 stanzas or less.  This project is optional.**

Week of February 6th:

Religion    Chapter 9 focuses on the Holy Spirit.  We discuss how the Holy Spirit guides us to live as Christians.  Also, we will learn about the Pentecost, when Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to the disciples in order the provide courage and guidance to spread God's word. 

Math  This week we will learn how to find the greatest common factor.  This process will enable the students to put fractions in simplest form or lowest terms.  We will also read, write, and compare mixed numbers. 

Reading   This week we will read a Brazilian myth called "How Night Came From the Sea".  A myth is a story that is passed down orally.  Usually, it explains some concept in nature.  The characters include gods, godesses, and humans. The skill for the week is identifying generalizations. Generalizations make a broad statement based on several examples.  Some clue words such as often, usually, in general, etc. can help to identify a generalization.  

Spelling The spelling words focus on the vowel pairs 'ou' and 'ow' as heard in the word shout. There will be a spelling test on Friday.

Science  This week we will review what we have learned in Chapter 8 - Rocks and Minerals.  We are also working on our rock booklet.  There will be a science test on Friday. Our next unit of study will be light.  The students are also working with Ms. Church on sound.

Social Studies  This week we will begin working on Chapter 4. This chapter focuses on the 1600s-1700s.  In lesson 2, we will look at a colony divided.  We will discuss the reasons for New Jersey's split into West Jersey and East Jersey and learn about some of the similarities and differences between the two.  In 1702, both territories returned control to England and were reunited.    

Grammar   This week we will focus on subject-verb agreement.  There will be a quiz on Thursday which will include helping and main verbs, action and linking verbs, and subject-verb agreement.    

Handwriting  This week we will work on lesson 14.  The scripture passage is due on Monday. 

Writing     As a culminating activity for  our science unit, we will begin a writing piece on an animal. The students will research information on a particular animal using print material and the internet.  This information will be used to produce a five paragraph report. 

Vocabulary The students will work on Unit 11. These pages are due on Mon., February 13th.                                                                                                                                                                 

Map Skills  Our map skills lesson will focus on using a map index and grid coordinates to locate specific places on a map.

 Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education.
~Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.~

***************Specials for the week****************

                     Mondays             Computers 

                     Tuesdays            Library              

                     Wednesdays       Spanish & Gym

                     Thursdays           Music

                     Fridays                Art & Science Lab

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