Reading: This week we focused on main idea and details in informational texts, specifically using text features like titles, pictures, captions and headings to help us identify the main idea. We re-read an animal rights article and practiced highlighting key details with our reading partners. We also read a Scholastic article that specifically navigated the kids through various text features to highlight its purpose. Today the kids took the animal rights article and used it as evidence to support their examples of animal mistreatment in Shiloh. It was fantastic work. Ask your child of examples of text features. Ask the to tell you what it does! (ex: a caption is a text feature, it describes what the picture is about).
During reading workshop we talked about how kids need a plan for their reading for the week. They need enough material to sustain them at home and at school, and it has to be likable and appropriate for their level. I reminded them that if there are 4-5 tricky words that they don't know on a page, the book is best to save for later. They should only encounter 2-3 words they don't know on a page. Ask your kids what they read this week. Are they sticking with a book? What is their plan for next week?
Writing: This week the kids continued to draft each scene of their story arc. Our mini-lessons highlighted writing strategies like putting yourself in your character's shoes while you write to increase the drama, and revising your lead to entice your reader. We also reviewed the writing process as an important way to anchor their learning; many didn't know what the writing process was (brainstorming/ planning, drafting, revising, editing, publishing) and so they had no sense of where we were in the process or where we were going. It was a helpful lesson! Ask your kids to tell you about their story arc. What scene are they writing? Ask them to tell it to you as though its the drama of a movie, rather than summarizing it. (ex: a summary sounds like this: I went home after school. I was tired so I watched tv. A scene sounds like this: I pushed open the door, my shoulders aching from carrying a heavy backpack all week. I could barely slump to the couch. My brain scrambled from school and my body ached from soccer practice. I flipped the tv on and settled in to the couch to finally relax.)
4th Grade Math: This week finished our place value unit. We worked on tape diagrams (laying out pieces of tape with the numbers in them) to help us solve word problems. After laying out our tape, we solved multi-step word problems. Then we reviewed everything we have learned in the unit. On Friday we took our tests! Ask your student how their test was today.
Social Studies: This week we discussed the eligibility and requirements for becoming President of the United States. We learned how old a person has to be and how they must be born a citizen of the United States. Ask your student one rule to becoming President of the United States.
Science: This week we continued studying soil components through our "Soil, Rocks, and Landforms" unit. Our big question from last week was "How are rocks affected by acid rain?" We looked at four different types of rocks (basalt, limestone, marble, and sandstone) and used vinegar as our acid rain. Since we had no school on Monday, we looked at our vinegar dishes on Thursday in science. We were able to see the chemical weathering that occurred with some of our rocks but not other rocks. Ask your kids which rocks had chemical weathering occur (limestone and marble). See if they know where chemical weathering did not occur (basalt or sandstone).
Miscellaneous:
Whittier School will offer the “Early PE” program for 4th and 5th grade students. Times are from 7:00 to 7:30am for 5th grade and 7:30 to 8:00am for 4th grade. Early PE is everyday and runs Monday through Friday. This program will begin Monday September 26, 2016. Current research shows that engaging in physical activity stimulates brain functioning, which results in improving reading and comprehension levels. The plan is to provide an opportunity for students to increase physical activity every day. All activities will be planned with cardiovascular fitness as a priority along with using good sportsmanship, and having fun. The students will use the gym space and possibly outdoor space during this time. If you wish for your child to participate in the Early PE program, please complete the lower portion of this letter. Although not mandatory, please have your child try their best to participate every day Monday through Friday. 7:00 to 7:30am for 5th grade and 7:30 to 8:00am for 4th grade. Morning drop off area will be in front of the school on Harvey
