Week of 1/8

This Week in Fourth Grade...

Math: This week we will continue to build our understanding of the standard algorithm of multiplication. We will multiply 2 digit, 3 digit, and even 4 digit numbers by 1 digit numbers. If students are grasping this skill this week, our Topic 6 test will be next week. 

Religion: Happy Epiphany! This Sunday the Church celebrates one of it's most important feast days! We will spend some time discussing and celebrating the Epiphany in our classroom! We will also continue Chapter 8: Learning About God's Law. We will continue to focus on the Ten Commandments as God's Law. Our Chapter 8 test will be later this week. 

Reading and Language Arts: This week we will continue to explore our essential question of: In what ways can we help our community? We will keep reading our realistic fiction stories that explore this question. 

In Writer's Workshop we are moving on to working on how to write the best conclusions for our persuasive writing pieces. We will put together all the pieces this week and create our rough drafts! 

In Class Novel we are just beginning our new novel, Because of Winn Dixie! We will explore character traits this week of the characters we are introduced to, and make inferences! Be sure to ask your child what we are reading about in our novel, and if they are enjoying it! 

Science: This week we wrap up our topic of Electricity! Students had a blast building series circuits where they made a light bulb light up, and made a motor spin. They were also able to create electromagnets! Our next topic in our Energy unit is Natural Resources! 

Social Studies: This week we travel to our next Region of the United States- the Midwest! Students will be introduced to the geography, and important features of the Midwest Region! 

Announcements:

• As you are aware, unfortunately we had to cancel our field trip to the Aquarium last Friday due to the delay. We are working on rescheduling this trip, and I will keep you all updated as soon as we finalize a new date! We may need some new chaperones so stay tuned! 

Week of 1/2

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a very blessed Christmas, and a wonderful break spent with family! 

We have so much to look forward to in this new year, and it starts this first week back! 

This Week in Fourth Grade...

Math: This week we begin Topic 6, which will build off of the foundation of multiplying by 1 digit numbers we learned in Topic 5. We will explore the use of arrays and learn an expanded algorithm for multiplying, before making the connection to the standard algorithm.

Religion: We start our new year off with a new unit in religion class! Unit 2 is all about learning how the commandments can help us to love God. Our first chapter in this unit focuses on learning about God's law. We will read about God's covenant with Moses and the Israelites, the promise God kept by sending his Son, and finally Jesus' teaching about God's law. 

Reading and Language Arts: Our Essential Question in RELA this week is: In what ways can we help our community? We will read realistic fiction as well as expository texts that explore this question. While reading, we will focus on the comprehension strategy of identifying the author's point of view. 

In Writer's Workshop, we are continuing to work on our persuasive writing pieces! This week we focus on building strong supporting details and evidence to back up our opinions. 

Before break, students completed our closing activity for James and the Giant Peach. I was SO impressed with how our projects turned out! They are hanging up in our hall, and I hope you get the chance to stop by and see our amazing work! 

I am excited to share we will be starting a new class novel this week! Our next novel will be Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo. This is a GREAT one! I am so excited! This week we will preview and make predictions for our novel!

Science: Our new unit in science is Energy! Our first science weekly five topic to kick off this unit will be Electricity! This will be an exciting topic, as students will have an opportunity to build series circuits and electromagnets! 

Announcements:

• Be on the lookout for our January Math Enrichment packets going home this week. This an optional math resource for students to complete during the month of January, to reinforce concepts and skills we will be learning. 
• Genius Hour T2 starts this week! Students are excited to vote and begin a new Genius Hour class! 
• Our class field trip to the aquarium is THIS FRIDAY! Students will need a nut free, disposable, snack and lunch to bring with them for the trip. Students should wear their SAS uniform and the proper outerwear. 

Week of 12/18

This Week in Fourth Grade...

We have an exciting and festive week ahead of us! There will be a lot of Christmas cheer in the air!

Math: Last week we finished up Topic 5, and students were assessed on the mental math strategies we learned in multiplication. This week we will spend some time focusing on our math facts, before moving into Topic 6 when we return from break. Topic 6 will dive deeper into multiplication, so we want to prepare by reviewing and practicing our facts! 

Religion: This last week of Advent, we will begin to turn our focus to the Christmas story and read about the birth of our Savior. It never gets old, and I find each year, as we get older, we gain new insight and wonder into the beautiful story of the birth of Jesus! 

Reading and Language Arts: Last week we finished up our class novel James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl! The students and I loved our time reading this novel! This week we will be working on a culminating project to close out our study of this novel. Students will get a chance to practice their summarizing skills, and show of their creative and artistic abilities! 

Social Studies: Students have been doing a lot of exploring of the Southwest Region of the United States! On Wednesday, students will take their Southwest Region test. 

Announcements:

• Tomorrow is the last day to bring in gifts for our family we have adopted this Christmas! Thank you all so much for your support and contributions! This family will be greatly blessed this Christmas!
• On Thursday, 12/21, we have our Polar Express Day! Students will be allowed to wear their pajamas and bring in a pair of cozy socks or slippers to celebrate this last day before break! We will cozy up with hot cocoa and watch the Polar Express! Our Jingle Bell Dash is also this day, so please be sure to have your child come to school in tennis shoes. They will be able to change into slipper afterwards :) 

Merry Christmas and God Bless! 

Mrs. Drury

Week of 12/11

This Week in Fourth Grade...

Math: We have been working hard and practicing our mental math strategies for multiplying by 1 digit numbers. This week we will continue to practice and review the strategies of breaking apart, compensation, and rounding to estimate. Our Topic 5 test will be this Thursday, 12/14. 

Religion: Our Advent celebrations continue! This week we will have a special focus on Mary, and looking at her role in our lives as we continue to wait and pray this Advent season. On Tuesday we celebrate the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and we will ask for Mary's intercession in our lives! We are so blessed to celebrate the true reason for the season in our classroom! 

Reading and Language Arts: We are moving into Unit 3 this week in our Wonders Reading Program! Our essential question this week in reading is: How can we make new friends feel welcome? We will be reading fantasy genre stories this week to explore our question. We will also focus on the author's point of view while reading. 

In Writer's Workshop we are continuing the brainstorming and prewriting stages of our opinion pieces! Students will narrow down their ideas, and choose a topic this week!

Science: Our Waves Unit test will be on Tuesday, 12/12. Students were sent home with their study guides last week. The test will be on the topics of light and sound, force and motion, and magnets. 

Social Studies: We will be summarizing our explorations of the Southwest Region this week! Students will be working in their booklets and taking those booklets home at the end of the week. On the horizon... our Southwest Test will be next week on Wednesday 12/20 ( we don't want to forget all our information over break! ) 

Announcements:

• If you have not done so already, please be sure to return field trip permission slips by 12/20. Our trip to the Baltimore Aquarium will be the week we return from break on 1/6!
• Grandparents Day is THIS Monday! Grandparents/ Special friends are welcomed to SAS tomorrow morning for breakfast and a sneak peak at our Christmas program! Breakfast begins at 8:15 AM, and the program should run to about 9:30 AM.
• On the horizon... Our last day before break, Thursday 12/21, fourth grade will be having a Polar Express Day! Students will be allowed to wear their pajamas and bring in their favorite cozy slippers or socks. We will celebrate Christmas together with Polar Express themed activities and then watch the movie with some hot cocoa in hand! Our annual Jingle Ball dash will also be this day, so students should still come to school with appropriate running/walking shoes, and then they can change into slippers afterwards. A reminder note will be coming home as we get closer to our special day! It is going to be a fun day! 

Have a Blessed Week! :)

Mrs. Drury

Week of 12/3

Happy December and Happy First Week of Advent! This is such a beautiful season to celebrate with the students, and we have so many wonderful celebrations to look forward to! 

This Week in Fourth Grade...

Math: This week in math we will continue to build our foundation and understanding of multiplying by 1-digit numbers. We will explore some mental math strategies such as breaking apart and compensation to solve more difficult problems. 

Religion: The season of Advent has begun, and we will be in full swing preparing our hearts and minds for the birth of our Lord! We will be focusing on the meaning of this season, and identifying the meanings of all the different symbols we see during this season as well. 

Reading and Language Arts: Our essential question in RELA this week is: How are writers inspired by animals? We will be reading some poetry involving animals to explore this question. While reading, we will also focus on the point of view of the narrator. 

In Writer's Workshop we will be beginning our next unit! Students will be introduced to the features of opinion writing.We will begin to develop our opinion writing skills this week, and brainstorm ideas for our next writing piece! 

Science: We are finishing up our Magnets weekly five topic this week, and with that our Waves Unit! We will begin to review our Waves unit, which consisted of the topics: light and sound, force and motion, and magnets. Be on the lookout for a study guide coming home with students this week. Our Waves test will be next week! 

Social Studies: Students did a great job on their Eastern Region travel brochures! We enjoyed a gallery walk among the brochures, and discussed interesting facts we learned and where we want to travel next! It was a great way to wrap up things in the East! Students are eager now to continue their travels, as we move West! Next region up: the Southwest! 

Announcements:

• Our December Math Enrichment packets will go home with students this week! Remember, this is an optional packet for students who would like more practice with math concepts we are covering this month!
• Be on the lookout for the Waves Science test study guide coming home with students this week.
• Last week students received a field trip letter and permission slip for our upcoming field trip to the Baltimore Aquarium! Please make sure to have students return permission slips no later than December 20th. 

Have a blessed week! :)

Mrs. Drury

Week of 11/27

This Week in Fourth Grade...

Math: We return from Thanksgiving break, and refresh our memories from what we've been learning and reviewing in Topic 4. On Tuesday, students will take their Topic 4 test. After our test, we will begin to explore our Topic 5 concepts: multiplying by 1-digit numbers!

Religion: The countdown till Advent has begun! To prepare for Advent, we will discuss the Liturgical Year's calendar this week. Students will be able to recognize the different seasons and special ways we celebrate Jesus' life during each time. 

Reading and Language Arts: Our essential question in RELA this week is: What helps an animal survive? We will be reading nonfiction texts to explore this question. As we read, we are looking to identify the main idea and supporting details in order to help us summarize the text. 

Science: We continue our Waves Unit this week with the topic of: Magnets! Students will read about and complete hands on activities in order to explore more about magnets.

Social Studies: Students have now explored the Eastern region of the United States! Before we "pack our bags" and head West, students will complete a culminating activity of our Eastern region studies. Students will be working on creating a "travel brochure" for an Eastern state of their choosing. At the end of the week we will do a gallery walk, and learn more about specific states in the East! 

Week of Thanksgiving!

This Week in Fourth Grade...

Though this week is a short week, it is full of excitement and thankfulness, as well as plenty of learning! 

Math: We will be spending Monday and Tuesday reviewing concepts and skills we have been focusing on in Topic 4. When students return from Thanksgiving break, they will have their Topic 4 test on Tuesday, 11/28.

Religion: We are wrapping up Chapter 5 this week, which focuses on the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation. We will be doing some review of the main ideas of chapter 5, and taking an open book test on Tuesday. 

Reading/ Language Arts: We have some fun Thanksgiving activities planned during our reading time this week! Students will be doing some writing from the perspective of a turkey! Their goal is to persuade all the Thanksgiving hosts to cook something else as the main course for Thanksgiving dinner! 

Students will also be working hard to complete their final drafts of their how-to articles! We have been learning a lot from each other, by reading students' articles on how to complete a task or make something new! 

Social Studies: On Monday, students will take their Southeast Region test! They have been reviewing in school, and studying at home with their booklets! I know they will do great!

And of course, it's all about Thanksgiving this week! We will spend time learning about the First Thanksgiving, and complete festive activities along the way! 

Announcements:

• Tuesday morning students will participate in our annual Turkey Trot! Students should wear their PE uniforms and the appropriate outerwear to stay warm outside! 
• On Tuesday afternoon the school will come together for a Thanksgiving Celebration! We will sit with our buddies to enjoy a snack and watch a presentation from the student council!