VA Fourth Grade

January 2012

2011-12-20T13:43:00.000-08:00

PLease encourage your child to read for periods of time ranging from 20 - 40 minutes. This helps to develop stamina as well as concentration. Encourage your child to share some information after she has read.

The work ahead will continue to be challenging, but we are confident that each child will meet and surpass those challenges.

Some web sites for New York State Test practice include:

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/apda/english/samplers/ela.html

http://www.p12.nysed.gov/apda/math/samplers/

The novels for January include:

Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary

Independent Reading; Multicultural Fiction

December 2011

2011-11-25T17:25:00.000-08:00

This month we will continue to delve into Native American life with Matt and Attean from Sign of the Beaver. We will look at this in comparison to what life was like as a colonist. We will also explore more Nonfiction texts using Science information books. In Science we will examine food chains and food webs. Math this month will focus on Data, Statistics, and Graphing.

In November, the girls worked together in many ways: in pairs, in groups, and across classes. Working with peers is critical to helping the needs of all learners in the classroom, as well as promoting leadership. Working within and across grade levels, the 4th & 8th graders used written work to create digital presentations. Students had the opportunity to do research in school and at home about animal adaptations. The students took the important and relevant information and wrote an explanatory text needed for a power point presentation. Working with the Eighth Graders, each student put the text and graphics together to create a power point presentation. Including technology in the classroom meets the new Common Core Standards, as does writing over an extended time frame. The students had time for research, reflection, and revision. Technology forms a link from academics to the real world and enhances learning experiences. Technology also gives students access to an extraordinary range of sources and learning opportunities. The collaboration with the Eighth Grade students enhanced the academic and creative goals of all the students, including using conventions of Standard English, knowledge of language, and vocabulary acquisition.

Online learning:

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/basic/math-graph.html

http://www.ecokids.ca/pub/eco_info/topics/frogs/chain_reaction/index.cfm

http://eev.liu.edu/kk/colonial/resources.htm

*Please note: The class novel for May and June will still be The Odyssey. However, the series has changed and we will now read Classic Starts: The Odyssey (Classic Starts Series) [Abridged] [Hardcover] Homer (Author)

A Novel Idea Bookstore will have copies of the book.

November

2011-10-30T16:42:00.000-07:00

This past month, the girls applied their multiplication skills to real world applications as Garden Designers. In Science, the students combined a technology investigation with nonfiction science facts and incorporated their Wordly Wise words to produce a nonfiction book about hibernation and migration. This month, the students will use technology research to create their own power points about animal adaptations. The students also used their research skills to create travel brochures about New York State for a Social Studies project.

In November we will begin a Math unit on Division, a Science unit on Growth and Development, and a Social Studies unit on the first people in New York State. For our literature, we will begin reading Sign of the Beaver as a class novel; independently, the girls will be reading a non-fiction history book.

Sign of the Beaver is a classic novel in which the hero undertakes a quest and arrives at a new and more mature place. Elizabeth George Speare follows a traditional literary pattern while working with her own unique style and telling her own compelling story. This novel will help the students develop critical thinking skills as we discuss the novel in terms of literary connections with self, texts, and the world.

For additional practice:

online grammar practice - eduplace.com/kids/hme/k_5/quizzes/

division practice - coolmath4kids.com/long-division/index.html

October 2011

2011-09-28T06:48:00.000-07:00

This month we will continue to explore the genre of realistic fiction in class by reading War with Grandpa by Robert Kimmel Smith. We will examine the main characters and compare and contrast them to the characters in Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing. Realistic fiction can inspire students by portraying characters who learn to solve their own problems, including peer relationships and family relationships.

For Independent Reading, the students will choose a Historical fiction novel.

We want our students to read beyond the words and literal meanings and to be moved by connections and inferences. We want them to be aware of how authors use language, symbolism, and other literary devices. High-quality texts offer many levels of meaning. Uncovering the many layers in a text, helps students think more deeply about issues and relationships. In this way, literary experiences enrich their life experiences.

Math - will begin with a review of multiplication and division facts and then proceed with multiplication of 1 and 2-digit numbers.

Social Studies - We will continue to explore the resources and regions of New York and then move into a study of the first people living in the New York State region.

Science - We will study living things.

Websites:

http://multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm

http://classroom.jc-schools.net/sci-units/living-things.htm

http://www.sadlierreligion.com/webelieve/

September 2011

2011-08-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome to 4th Grade!!

We have a very exciting and busy year ahead of us.

Please continue to review math facts, especially multiplication and division facts. You can use Mathletics and the math web sites linked to the blog.

We will begin the year with Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume. Please have a copy of the book by Monday, September 12th. In addition, please have a book for Independent Reading.

Practice for the month:

- Longitude & Latitude: http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-games/

- Addition & Subtraction: http://www.kidsnumbers.com/

- Place Value: http://www.gamequarium.com/placevalue.html

Welcome

2011-06-26T12:47:00.000-07:00

June 2011

Welcome to Fourth Grade!

As the Fourth Grade teacher this coming school year, I will continue to build on the wonderful foundation the girls have been given. In order to prepare the girls for the very busy school year ahead, I am sending home a summer packet. Please support your daughter with her summer work.

The packet includes reading and writing assignments. All the girls are required to read the same book and complete task one. The students must also read two additional novels from the book list. The girls have a second literature task to complete.

Please discuss the reading with your daughter to help her increase her reading comprehension, as well as make textual connections.

Please review addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts this summer, and use mathletics.com for enrichment activities.

All work and supplies are due on the first day of school.

Attached, please find the summer reading list, summer reading assignments, and a supply list for September.

Have a wonderful summer and I will see you all in September!

Grade Four Summer Reading List

2011Required Text:

1. Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink

At age 11, Caddie Woodlawn is the despair of her mother and the pride of her father: a clock-fixing tomboy running wild in the woods of Wisconsin. In 1864, this is a bit much for her Boston-bred mother to bear, but Caddie and her brothers are happy with the status quo. Written in 1935 about Carol Ryrie Brink's grandmother's childhood, the adventures of Caddie and her brothers are still exciting over 60 years later. With each chapter comes another ever-more exciting adventure: a midnight gallop on her horse across a frozen river to warn her American Indian friends of the white men's plan to attack; a prairie fire approaching the school house; and a letter from England that may change the family's life forever. This Newbery Medal-winning book bursts at the seams with Caddie's irrepressible spirit. In spite of her mother's misgivings, Caddie is a perfect role model for any girl--or boy, for that matter. She's big-hearted, she's brave, and she's mechanically inclined!

1 Setting: The setting of a story is the time and place in which it occurs. How important is the setting to the plot of Caddie Woodlawn? Explain using details from the text.

2. Choose two books from the following list. Complete the Literature Task.

Compare and contrast the main characters from both novels. In what ways are they similar? In what ways are they different? How does the setting impact the characters?

Write a well-structured essay on loose-leaf using paragraph form to answer the questions. Be sure to include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Include specific examples from the text to support your answers. Check your writing for spelling, grammar, capitalization, and punctuation.

Choose two books from the following list:

Cornelia and the Audacious Escapades of the Somerset Sisters by Leslie Blume

Eleven-year-old Cornelia is the daughter of two world-famous pianists--a legacy that should feel fabulous, but instead feels just plain lonely. She surrounds herself with dictionaries and other books to isolate herself from the outside world. But when a glamorous neighbor named Virginia Somerset moves next door with her servant Patel and a mischievous French bulldog named Mister Kinyatta, Cornelia discovers that the world is a much more exciting place than she had originally thought.

The Quiltmaker’s Gift by Jeff Brumbeau

When a generous quiltmaker finally agrees to make a quilt for a greedy king but only under certain conditions, she causes him to undergo a change of heart.

Igraine the Brave by Cornelia Funke

A magical story about a girl named Igraine, who dreams of becoming a famous knight. When the nefarious nephew of the baroness shows up with plans to capture the castle, its up to Igraine to be brave and save the day.

The Green Dog by Suzanne Fisher Staples

Something has made the dog--and the water in the pool--green. What is it? Will Teddy save his pet-sitting business and prove he's responsible enough to have a dog of his own?

Hoot by Carl Hiaasen

Unfortunately, Roy's first acquaintance in Florida is Dana Matherson, a well-known bully. Then again, if Dana hadn't been sinking his thumbs into Roy's temples and mashing his face against the school-bus window, Roy might never have spotted the running boy. And the running boy is intriguing: he was running away from the school bus, carried no books, and -- here's the odd part -- wore no shoes. Sensing a mystery, Roy sets himself on the boy's trail. The chase introduces him to some burrowing owls, a renegade eco-avenger, and several extremely poisonous snakes with unnaturally sparkling tails.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

The gates of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory are opening at last, and only five children will be allowed inside. Each of the five children lucky enough to discover an entry ticket into Mr. Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory will take advantage of the situation in his own way.

Woman for President: The Story of Victoria Woodhull by Kathleen Krull

Victoria Woodhull was the first woman to do many things: the first woman to own a newspaper, to speak before Congress, and to have a seat on the stock exchange. But her boldest act was announcing herself as the first female candidate for the presidency of the United States in 1872--before women even had the right to vote. Arguably one of the most revolutionary women in American history, she was many years ahead of her time, braking boundaries. But her presidential campaign, and the backlash it sparked, left her in political ruin and bankruptcy. Amazingly, her name has been practically erased from history.

Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett

Balliett’s novel mixes mystery, puzzles, possibilities, and art. The story is set in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood at the University of Chicago's Lab School, where Balliett was a teacher. There, outsiders Petra and Calder become friends as they try to find out what happened to a missing Vermeer painting.

The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

Two girls get involved in an elaborate "Egypt game," a fantasy game that soon leads to strange, unexplainable happenings.

Chocolate Touch by Patrick Skene Catling

A boy acquires a magical gift that turns everything his lips touch into chocolate.

Bunnicula by Deborah and James Howe

This immensely popular children's story is told from the point of view of a dog named Harold. It all starts when Harold's human family, the Monroes, goes to see the movie Dracula, and young Toby accidentally sits on a baby rabbit wrapped in a bundle on his seat. How could the family help but take the rabbit home and name it Bunnicula? Chester, the literate, sensitive, and keenly observant family cat, soon decides there is something weird about this rabbit. Pointy fangs, the appearance of a cape, black-and-white coloring, nocturnal habits … it sure seemed like he was a vampire bunny. When the family finds a white tomato in the kitchen, sucked dry and colorless, well … Chester becomes distraught and fears for the safety of the family. "Today, vegetables. Tomorrow … the world!" he warns Harold. But when Chester tries to make his fears known to the Monroes, he is completely misunderstood, and the results are truly hilarious. Is Bunnicula really a vampire bunny?

Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

This timeless classic is a poignant tale of Mary, a lonely orphaned girl sent to a Yorkshire mansion at the edge of a vast lonely moor. At first, she is frightened by this gloomy place until she meets a local boy, Dickon, who's earned the trust of the moor's wild animals, the invalid Colin, an unhappy boy terrified of life, and a mysterious, abandoned garden...

Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingles Wilder

Pa Ingalls decides to sell the little log house, and the family sets out for Indian country! They travel from Wisconsin to Kansas, and there, finally, Pa builds their little house on the prairie. Sometimes farm life is difficult, even dangerous, but Laura and her family are kept busy and happy with the promise of their new life on the prairie.

Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

An affectionate, sometimes bashful pig named Wilbur befriends a spider named Charlotte, who lives in the rafters above his pen. A prancing, playful bloke, Wilbur is devastated when he learns of the destiny that befalls all those of porcine persuasion. Determined to save her friend, Charlotte spins a web that reads "Some Pig," convincing the farmer and surrounding community that Wilbur is no ordinary animal and should be saved. In this story of friendship, hardship, and the passing on into time, E.B. White reminds us to open our eyes to the wonder and miracle often found in the simplest of things.

The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White

Although he lacks a voice in the traditional "Ko-hoh!" sense, trumpeter swan Louis learns to speak to the world with a trumpet stolen from a music store by his father. With the support of an unusual boy named Sam, who helps Louis learn how to read and write, the swan has some rather unswanlike adventures and ultimately wins the love--and the freedom--of a beautiful swan named Serena.

Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

Because of Winn-Dixie, a big, ugly, happy dog, 10-year-old Opal learns 10 things about her long-gone mother from her preacher father. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal makes new friends among the somewhat unusual residents of her new hometown, Naomi, Florida. Because of Winn-Dixie, Opal begins to find her place in the world and let go of some of the sadness left by her mother's abandonment seven years earlier.

Go to Links for interactive websites!

Supply List

Supplies will need to be replenished throughout the school year.

6 large black & white hard-covered composition notebooks labeled with student’s name and the following: Science, Social Studies, Writer’s Journal, French, Novels/Literature, and Homework

1 graph notebook – labeled Math

8 two-pocket folders labeled with student’s name and the following: Math, Science, Social Studies, Writing, French, Tests, Novels/Literature, and Homework

1 Blue or black pen

1 Red or green pen

#2 pencils

1 box of Crayola Twistable crayons

1 twelve-inch ruler (with metric measurements also)

1 pair of safety scissors

1 package of loose-leaf paper in a folder labeled with student’s name - for school

1 package of loose-leaf for home

2 boxes of tissues for the classroom

1 roll of scotch tape

1 glue stick

1 paperback dictionary for home use

1 yellow pad

1 Hi-lighter

1 large soft pencil case

2 packages of small index cards (one for school and one for home)

1 index card box

1 set of alphabetical dividers for the index card box

Please label all your supplies with your name – including backpack, lunchbox, and all clothing.

$11.00 for magazine subscriptions – labeled in an envelope Cash or check to: Visitation Academy

Calculator – Texas Instrument Scientific Calculator TI – 34 Multi View

This calculator will also be used in Middle School

2009-06-03T05:41:00.000-07:00

Some websites for additional practice:
www.funbrain.com/kidcenter.html
www.gamequarium.com/math/htm
www.multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm

2008-09-26T06:26:00.000-07:00

For great interactive activities across the curriculum:

http://jc-schools.net/tutorials/interact-math.htm

Reading comprehension activities:

http://www.internet4classrooms.com/
Click on assessment assistance, and then elementary skills and grade level

Math

http://www.funbrain.com/

2008-09-26T06:24:00.001-07:00

Wordly Wise links:

http://www.wordlywise3000.com/