Unit 5 Parent Letter

I SURVIVED!!

    This week all 4th graders at MHES have begun the work on authoring their very own I survived story.   Every student has chosen a Historical Event from N. American History to write about.   These first few weeks will be spent researching and gathering data about the event.  They will use this data to create a story map for what they want to write.  After Winter Break the students will be taking their story maps and pre-writing data and creating a story.   This writing will take place in their Language Arts class.  When they are completed, each student will have their very own I survived story to share.

Think Central

Think Central
Here is where you can see the materials that we use for math.  Students could use this to review the lesson, watch a video related to the lesson, print off a Homework and Remembering sheet, or work with "math tools."

Front Row

Front Row is an app and website that some students have been using to extend their math learning in the classroom. It is a great tool because it assesses students math level and gives them problems to work on based on that level. It saves their progress using their individual name and class code which they have been given at school. If you have internet access and/or an iPad at home, your student can do Front Row at home! Click on the link below to go to the website and login. 
Front Row

Or on your iPad go to the app store and search "Front Row Math and Language Arts." It is free! 
Email me or Mr. Johnson if you have questions! 
Mrs. Woolsey

The Wonderful World of Reading & Writing!

Language Arts~added to our links above is the Book Wizard website from Scholastic.com. If you or your child are trying to figure out the level of a book they are reading, this link can be very helpful. Students need to read 30 books at their level before the year is through. Their goal is ten books each trimester. After reading each book a response is required.

Reading response expectations for first trimester:

• each book requires one response from their choice board 
• responses must be a minimum of five sentences 
• correct spelling, punctuation and capitalization
• shows a clear understanding of their reading.

Students should be sharing their 30 book goal sheets at conferences. Below are the requirements for each genre: 

• Realistic Fiction: 3
• Science Fiction: 1
• Fantasy: 3
• Mystery: 2
• Historical Fiction: 2
• Traditional: 1
• Chapter Book Choice: 3
• Biography/Autobiography: 3
• Informational: 4
• Non-fiction Choice: 4
• Poetry Collection: 4

Please contact Mrs. Burski or Mrs. Paulson if you have questions about their expectations.                                                                Happy Reading!

The Wonderful World of Reading & Writing!

Language Arts~Learning about genre and reading requirements for fourth grade was a big focus of our week. Students are required to read 30 books at their level. Their trimester goal is 10 books. Each books requires reading responses from a choice board based on skills from our Common Core State Standards. You will learn more about this at conferences. Time has also been used to complete MAPS reading testing. Next week we will begin working with students to find their independent and instructional reading levels. 

Fourth Grade

Welcome to Fourth Grade !!!

We are very excited for the year that we have ahead of us.   This year there are 6 classroom teachers in fourth divided into two teams;



Gold Team                                                                                        Green Team    

Mrs. Paulson                                       Language Arts                                        Mrs. Burski
Mrs. Woolsey                                           Math                                                  Mr. Johnson
Mr. Jarvi                                 Social Studies and Science                                 Mr. Jurek

Your student will rotate between the three teachers on her/his team.

Language Arts~This year we will be working on various units of study. All units are based on the Minnesota State Standards which are aligned with the Common Core. Our first unit is called "We Are Readers and Writers". This unit will focus on building our foundational skills which will help with all learning throughout the year. We will review and practice the writing process, work on summarizing, text evidence and structure along with other skills.

Every night your child is expected to read for 30 minutes. Please show interest in what your child is reading and have them share with you. 

Math~ The rigor in 4th grade math picks up quite a bit from math in previous years!

A big focus of this first trimester will be on becoming proficient in basic multiplication and division facts up to 12.  This is definitely something students can work on at home with flashcards, websites and/or iPad apps!

We will also be learning and practicing many new skills such as multiplication and division of multi-digit numbers, word problems (embedded in all units), quadrilaterals, place value, angles and polygons, patterns and graphs, fractions, decimals, 3D figures and measurement.  Phew!  

In order to keep up on all these new skills, students will be required to do a "Homework and Remembering" sheet almost every day.  They will have some time to work on it at school, but may need to finish at home depending on how busy we are and how well they use their time at school that day.

Any time you have questions or concerns please contact your child's math teacher via email or phone.  We want everyone to be successful AND enjoy learning in math!

 
Social Studies~ Grade four departs from the approach in the primary years (an approach that placed equal emphasis on each the social studies disciplines) to a more discipline-centered approach.  In grade four, the lead discipline is geography, focusing on political geography and the cultural landscape of North America. Students master the understandings that lay the geographical foundation for the interdisciplinary Minnesota, United States, and Global Studies courses to follow in the middle grades. They create and use various kinds of maps to identify the physical and human characteristics of places, examine regions in different locations and time periods, and analyze patterns and trends in the United States, Mexico and Canada. 

Science~ Science units will be taught alternately with Social Studies. 
 This year students will experience science using mixed curriculum including FOSS, online science links, activities and experiments.  Science content is reflective of the Minnesota State science standards and emphasizes concepts in the areas of engineering design, rocks and minerals, magnetism and electricity, matter, energy, and the water cycle.  

In Fourth grade students will continue to experience science using the research-based FOSS science curriculum, developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley.  Science content is reflective of the Minnesota State science standards and emphasizes concepts in the areas of engineering design, rocks and minerals, magnetism and electricity, matter, energy, and the water cycle.  FOSS units that will be taught include Earth Materials, Matter and Energy, Magnetism and Electricity, and Water - See more at: http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/Page/6543#sthash.w6K3zIru.dpuf

In Fourth grade students will continue to experience science using the research-based FOSS science curriculum, developed at the Lawrence Hall of Science, University of California at Berkeley.  Science content is reflective of the Minnesota State science standards and emphasizes concepts in the areas of engineering design, rocks and minerals, magnetism and electricity, matter, energy, and the water cycle.  FOSS units that will be taught include Earth Materials, Matter and Energy, Magnetism and Electricity, and Water - See more at: http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/Page/6543#sthash.w6K3zIru.dpuf

4th Grade Social Studies

Grade four departs from the approach in the primary years (an approach that placed equal emphasis on each the social studies disciplines) to a more discipline-centered approach. A “lead discipline” is featured in each of grades four through eight. In grade four, the lead discipline is geography, focusing on political geography and the cultural landscape of North America. Students master the understandings that lay the geographical foundation for the interdisciplinary Minnesota, United States, and Global Studies courses to follow in the middle grades. They create and use various kinds of maps to identify the physical and human characteristics of places, examine regions in different locations and time periods, and analyze patterns and trends in the United States, Mexico and Canada. They learn about tribal government and develop a better understanding of the multiple players involved in the United States government (political leaders and the public) and the economy (buyers and sellers in a market). Students practice a reasoned decision-making process to make choices—an important building block for their understanding of personal finance that will be developed in later grades.

- See more at: http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/Page/6544#sthash.miKBWaGj.dpuf

4th Grade Social Studies

Grade four departs from the approach in the primary years (an approach that placed equal emphasis on each the social studies disciplines) to a more discipline-centered approach. A “lead discipline” is featured in each of grades four through eight. In grade four, the lead discipline is geography, focusing on political geography and the cultural landscape of North America. Students master the understandings that lay the geographical foundation for the interdisciplinary Minnesota, United States, and Global Studies courses to follow in the middle grades. They create and use various kinds of maps to identify the physical and human characteristics of places, examine regions in different locations and time periods, and analyze patterns and trends in the United States, Mexico and Canada. They learn about tribal government and develop a better understanding of the multiple players involved in the United States government (political leaders and the public) and the economy (buyers and sellers in a market). Students practice a reasoned decision-making process to make choices—an important building block for their understanding of personal finance that will be developed in later grades.

- See more at: http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/Page/6544#sthash.miKBWaGj.dpuf

4th Grade Social Studies

Grade four departs from the approach in the primary years (an approach that placed equal emphasis on each the social studies disciplines) to a more discipline-centered approach. A “lead discipline” is featured in each of grades four through eight. In grade four, the lead discipline is geography, focusing on political geography and the cultural landscape of North America. Students master the understandings that lay the geographical foundation for the interdisciplinary Minnesota, United States, and Global Studies courses to follow in the middle grades. They create and use various kinds of maps to identify the physical and human characteristics of places, examine regions in different locations and time periods, and analyze patterns and trends in the United States, Mexico and Canada. They learn about tribal government and develop a better understanding of the multiple players involved in the United States government (political leaders and the public) and the economy (buyers and sellers in a market). Students practice a reasoned decision-making process to make choices—an important building block for their understanding of personal finance that will be developed in later grades.

- See more at: http://www.wayzata.k12.mn.us/Page/6544#sthash.miKBWaGj.dpuf