Welcome!

Fantastic Fourth Grade!

Our class has had an incredible start to the school year. From the very first day, we have been working as a classroom community in order to establish, practice class routines. 
Students were assigned individual responsibilities and filled out job applications for classroom jobs.
Returning students got reacquainted with one another and new students got to know their new friends. We did this through a Scavenger Hunt activity.

Science

Our science unit began with lots of enthusiasm. Children demonstrated their knowledge about matter by creating a K-W-L chart. They contributed valuable information about the states of matter and also generated intelligent questions about our topic.

We've already conducted two investigations. One engaged our sense of smell in order to figure out how   our senses are crucial to scientists as observers and investigators and another to engage and activate our newly acquired knowledge about the properties of matter.

Children worked in groups to organize objects (solid matter) into categories based on specific physical properties used to describe matter.

We will be digging deeper to investigate how different properties are suited for different purposes.

Math

Our first math chapter focused primarily on review of number sense. Students used a great deal of prior knowledge to apply what they know when practicing place value, reading, interpreting, comparing and ordering numbers. We often worked in pairs to exercise our math skills.  Fourth graders successfully completed their chapter one tests and focused on careful methods to solve math problems!

Chapter 2 will focus on estimation and number theory as well as touch upon multiplication. 

Reading and Writing

Reading: 

So far, our class has spent lots of time launching our reading and writing unit. On a daily basis, we review, practice and apply the behaviors necessary to be a successful reader who thinks about his or her thinking.  Fourth graders have been engaging in class discussions about how to engage in independent reading, how to respond to reading and how to talk about text. 

Children have been doing an absolutely amazing job choosing just right books to read in appropriate book nooks. With each book, we record what we've read in our class reading logs.

Writing:

From day one, the children dove right into writing! Although it can sometimes be challenging to start on a writing piece, fourth graders have been putting forth all of their effort to write in their writing journals every morning.  This has been a valuable warm-up to prepare us for our writer's workshop for  the day.

Currently, we are talking about autobiography. We are in the brainstorming and organization phase of drafting our very own autobiographies. We are using valuable mentor texts from a variety of authors to see examples and models of what an autobiography should include.