4AW Newsletter October 1-5

Grade 4

Weekly Newsletter

October 1 - October 5, 2018

Due to ISA testing ( Mon/ Tues) AND three- way conferences (Thurs/ Fri)  this week there is limited teaching time.

Language Arts
This week in reading and writing, the students will be focused on setting goals for the first semester to present at parent conferences on Oct. 4 and 5. This process requires the children to consider their strengths as readers and writers and areas to focus on for continued growth. As they consider these goals, they will identify specific work to share at their conference.

Math
During math this week, the students will be focused on setting goals, identifying strategies to share and practising presenting these to an audience ready for three-way conferences on October 4 and 5.

Social Studies
Students will use what they learned about cultural universals in class to help them  continue to collect information about their own personal culture. This is not necessarily the culture of their home country, but more the culture that is practiced in their everyday lives. Parents, students will be asking you many questions as well to fill in some gaps.

Announcements
October 1st and 2nd - ISA Testing: Please make sure your child gets a good night’s rest and eats a balanced breakfast.
October 4th and 5th - Three way conferences: Please be sure to arrive at your scheduled time, as the conferences are scheduled back to back. Your child will be presenting their goals for the year, so please make sure they come with you.

Resources
As your child prepares for three-way conferences next week, take a look at this video putting the power of learning in your child’s hands.  After all, it is THEIR LEARNING.  This video gives you an idea of why we do this, the hard work your child has done to prepare, and the wonderful experience you will have next week.  The video is about student- led conferences which are purely student presented. Our three-way conferences all stake-holders will be present. Enjoy! 
EMPOWERING YOUR CHILD DURING CONFERENCES

4AW Weekly Newsletter September 24 - September 28, 2018

Grade 4AW

Weekly Newsletter

September 24 - September 28, 2018

Language Arts
In writing, students will be working on their evidence to support their reasons and building stamina to write long and strong! In reading, students will notice how texts are organised (text structures of chronological and compare and contrast) in order to help them gain more information while reading.

Math
The students will continue to use rounding to determine if an answer is reasonable. They will solve single step and multi-step word problems and assess the reasonableness of answers. Students will also be learning how to solve two step word problems using the standard algorithm for addition and subtraction.  We will do this visually with place value discs and with the standards algorithm. We have the physical discs and these videos will show you how we use them. Adding larger numbers using place value discs and an example with smaller numbers.

Social Studies
Students will continue working on their identity posters through the medium of technology where they will be using thinglink.com to add information to their portrait and even add video. These will be posted on their blog when complete. Students will be using what they learned about the different cultural universals to help them collect information about their own personal culture. This is not necessarily the culture of their home country, but more the culture that is practiced in their everyday lives.

Announcements
September 25th - Individual photos will be taken. Students may wear their chosen outfit. 
September 27th - Class photos will be taken. The student MUST be in their school uniform (blue collared shirts).
October 4th and 5th - Three way conferences. On September 24th, you will be receiving a letter informing you of when your conference time will be. Your child will be presenting their goals for the year.

This week we will be looking at the format of the ISA. This is the International Schools Assessment -a test carried out next week on October 2-3, which tests reading, narrative and expository writing as well as mathematical literacy.  We will prepare students during our morning meetings and at other times so that students are aware of the structure of questions and the type of questions that they may be asked in the test. This is a pencil and paper test, rather than a computer test.

Resources
As we continue to dig even deeper into learning math, we explore the IMPORTANCE of STRUGGLE.  In this video, we explore the need to struggle as an important part of learning! You will definitely want to watch this one with your kids.

The Importance of Struggle

4AW Weekly Newsletter September 17-21

Grade 4

Weekly Newsletter

September 17 - September 21, 2018

Language Arts

This week in reading, the students will be using nonfiction books about Culture to learn more about the Cultural Universals. They will be learning to take notes in order to find the main idea of a text. Our grade 4 writers will be  continuing the planning stage and then  will enter the drafting phase of their opinion writing by including evidence, examples and expert opinion to support their opinion statement. 

Math

The students will continue to use rounding to determine if an answer is reasonable. They will solve real-life world problems, some of which will involve multi-step word problems and assess the reasonableness of answers. Students will also be learning how to answer the word problems, showing their thinking and answering with complete sentences.

Social Studies

We will continue with our investigation into the different cultural universals through non-fiction texts.  Students will be blending their non-fiction reading skills with learning about a specific cultural universal.  Many students will continue to paint their flag on their identity posters and more work on the posters and symbols will continue throughout the next weeks. 

Announcements

Be sure to refer to the Swimming Schedule to see when your child has P.E. swimming lessons. A hard copy and an email has been sent.

Three way conferences will be on October 4th and 5th. On September 24th, you will be receiving a letter informing you of when your conference time will be. Your child will be presenting their goals for the year.

Resources

Continue to learn with us about teaching and learning math. Here is another video from YouCubed that talks about the importance of believing in yourself and accepting mistakes as learning opportunities. Watch this one with your kids! 

Boosting Your Brain with Math

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=438&v=bxrPy1fjVU4

Grade 4 Weekly Newsletter Sept 10-14

Grade 4

Weekly Newsletter

September 10 - September 14, 2018

Language Arts
This week, students will be previewing nonfiction books and getting their mental “arms” around their books. This includes making connections to the topic and determining what they know already and what they want to learn more about. In writing, students will continue planning their essay and working on the structure of opinion writing.

Math
Students will be using their place value understanding to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place value using real world situations.   We will be using  an 'hill" number line where students will be looking at the two extreme numbers, finding the mid- point and seeing which way their number would 'roll' down. We will recap smaller numbers and then build on their knowledge with larger numbers. Here is a video that may help you understand what we are doing at school.

Social Studies

This is a short week and students will continue to look into what makes up their identity by creating "I am...." sentences and designing matching symbols.  We will be using these to help design an image of themselves that includes all of their, "I am..." sentence symbols. We will also be introducing cultural universals ensuring they understand what each piece means and how it is just one piece in the bigger picture - Culture.

Announcements

• If your child is late (after 8:00 am), please be aware that they will need a tardy slip from the Elementary Office.
• If you plan to pick up your child any time during the school day, you must check in with the Elementary Office and then come up to the classroom to pick your child up.

Resources
Let’s face it...the way we think about math nowadays is very different than when we were kids. Teachers have learned a lot about how to teach math and want you to learn with us.

Check out this video from YouCubed that talks about the importance of thinking deeply in math. Speed is not as important. How fast you are does not relate to how good you are.  Calculation is only a small part of math. Thinking deeply about patterns and ideas in math is more important.

HOW IMPORTANT IS SPEED IN MATH?

Weekly Newsletter September 3 - September 7, 2018

Grade 4AW

Weekly Newsletter

September 3 - September 7, 2018

Language Arts

This week, the children will be developing skills to work with partners and grow ideas as readers. Partnerships are really beneficial when students know how to communicate well with each other and get the conversation started. In writing, the children will be focused on planning their opinion essays using a variety of tools.

Math

Learning how to play "4 in a row"

This week, students will continue to read and write multi-digit numbers in word form, expanded form and standard form. They will learn about the relationship between place and value and look at x10 more as a relationship as we move to the left of a place value chart. Later they will also begin to round numbers to the nearest place value.

Social Studies

This week, we will continue looking at identity and what influences our values and behaviours.  This theme will run throughout the unit as we begin our identity portraits and start addressing the next part of this unit which is, “ What is Culture?”.

Announcements

• ES Gym - scheduled for use on Monday, Sept. 3
• ES Upper Playgrounds - Fence erected and equipment installed in phases.  Entire area ready for use Sept. 25
• Turf Field behind ES - Open
• 25m Pool - Ready for PE swimming Sept. 17 (note that this may take place in the 50m pool vs. the 25m pool)
• ES Lower Playgrounds - Areas are being completed and secured for safety currently.  Target date for lower playgrounds is Sept. 5

Resources

Look here for resources you and your child can access at home to support their learning and overall development.

• Open House Slideshow
• When you ask your child, “how was school today?”, does your child often answer with one-word answers such as, “good”?  If so, consider these 15 questions to replace “How was school today?” (Edutopia)
• Math Unit 1 vocabulary on Quizlet