This week we have Quarter 2 Galileo testing on Tuesday 10/28. Make sure your child is present and has a good breakfast. We are looking for growth in Math and ELA from August's Quarter 1 tests.
-Please send students with the copy of "Robin Hood" for Q2.
-Make sure students are studying regularly throughout the quarter: review History chapters read in class, review Science spiral notes, study Roots definitions flash cards, study multiplication flash cards on missed problems from Rocket Math tests, and reading 6-8, 150 page or more books with journal entries.
NEWS:
-Math Chapter 4 Test on Friday, October 31st. Be sure students are prepared for this test by studying their Green and Blue Math books and making corrections to missed problems. We will also collect the Blue book which is worth homework points. All 4th grade classes sent the answers to the blue book with the students on Friday (or made a link available) so they can make corrections and aid parents in how to help. Please hang onto or throw these away for your student once you have used them. Please do not just let students copy the key.
10/28 Galileo Test #2
-10/29 Classical Character Day. Parents are encouraged to come to school and read a beloved passage, poem or story book to their child's class. Parents may also choose to dress up as a favorite story character. Students may dress as Classical Character from a Literary selection if they have returned their permission slip by 10/24. No popular culture characters turned into books. The Fourth Grade Team will dress from "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" if you'd like to match that theme. Classroom parents are organizing the snack and a sign-up for reading slots. These emails have already gone out to sign up to help with snack and read with classes. Consider reading your child's favorite picture book to their class, sharing a beloved poem, or reading a portion of a personal favorite chapter book.
CURRICULUM:
ELA:
The first poem of Quarter 2 is "Beowulf" and your children have received a copy to practice over break. Listen to it in Old English here.
Beowulf background- Beowulf was a Danish warrior before there was a Denmark. Written between 700-1000 AD, takes place in roughly 925 AD. Beowulf serves the king Hrothgar, and helps him get rid of an ogre who was a descendent of biblical Cain. He then defeats the ogre’s mother, a water witch, and is finally mortally wounded defeating a dragon once he becomes king for a time. Scyld Scefing (Shield Sheafson) was the great-grandfather of Hrothgar, an orphan who became king because of his skill as a Viking warrior. Vikings would have fought in plain clothes with a wooden shield and sword, meant to end a fight in one or two blows. The mead hall mention in the poem has also been found.
**Scholars will read "Beowulf" in its entirety in 8th grade at CPA.
LITERATURE We are reading more chapters of Robin Hood this week. This is to complete the tale and set us up for Robin Hood Essays at the end of Quarter 2. Be sure your students have the correct edition of Robin Hood for all of quarter 2.
We continue our COMPOSITION program with writing 2 summaries, a dictation and practicing for AASA testing with a drama passage.
In GRAMMAR, we take notes in the red spiral on Predicate Nominatives. We will also work from the WOL book in chapter 5 lessons. Students should refer to these notes to do homework and writing assignments to include these types of sentences in summary and essay writing for the remainder of the year. A predicate nominative is a noun or pronoun that follows a linking verb in a sentences and renames the subject. For example: Precipitation is rain, snow, hail or sleet. "Rain, snow, hail, sleet" are the predicate nominatives. Scholars will begin Predicate Adjectives in Chapter 6 on Thursday. A predicate adjective re-describes the subject. For example: The thunder was frightening. Frightening is the predicate adjective.
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs
In LATIN AND GREEK ROOTS our roots are -or (a person who) and -ian (a person who). Their derivatives are: dictator, governor, inventor, juror, legislator, translator, supervisor, librarian, vegetarian, veterinarian, physician, electrician, magician, politician, mathematician. For PHILOSOPHY, we will discuss whose responsibility it is to take care of the poor. Scholars should study their 22 Roots Cards every day for 5-10 minutes.
Math:
In Math, we will finish the week with a Chapter 4 test on Friday 10/31 and blue workbook collection for chapter 4 pages. We will begin Chapter 5 concepts in Week 4 which is our first chapter on Fractions. Once graded tests are returned in W4, students should complete test corrections and submit.
Math Test Corrections:
Students will attach a separate piece of paper to their graded math tests and write the problem number of each problem missed. They will re-do the problem correctly and show their work. They will also write a short sentence about why they missed that problem. Students can earn up to 5 points for their corrections. Students who missed no problems, do not need to submit corrections.
History:
In History, we will read chapters 16 and 17 in the History Book about Eleanor of Aquitaine and the Magna Carta. Your child should be able to share with you about these chapters and answer the big question at the beginning of each. Their herald shields are due 10/27.
Science:
In Science, this week, our young scientists explored the fascinating world of light and color in Chapters 3–4 (pp. 13–26) of their science readers. Through hands-on experiments with flashlights, mirrors, water, and lenses, they discovered that light travels in straight lines, bends when it moves through different materials (refraction), and reflects off surfaces to help us see color. From bending pencils in water to making rainbows with prisms, students are learning how light brings color and clarity to the world around us!
Transverse and Longitudinal Review
Concave and Convex Lens Demonstration
Light Waves, Invisible and Visible
How Light is Absorbed, Reflected, Refracted
Remember, the blog is updated weekly. Be sure to come back frequently to see any upcoming events or changes in fourth grade.