News and Notes 9/6

News and Notes

From Fourth Grade

Patterns in Math

This week the fourth graders jumped into our new math program.  They did a great job of shrugging off the summer daze and recalling all of their important third grade math skills.  This week we reviewed the extremely important concepts of equals, multiplication, and addition.  We talked about what “=” really means.  Using different math manipulatives and even our own classmates, we discovered that equals means “the same as.”  Then we moved on to explore the relationship between multiplication and addition.  We discovered that multiplication is the same as repeated addition.  We built and drew arrays to model different familiar multiplication facts.  By the end of the week we were looking for patterns within the multiplication facts.  For example, using our hands as helpers, we discovered a rule for all multiples of 5.  We found that any multiple of 5 will end in either a 0 or 5 in the ones place.  It was exciting to have proof for this “short cut” strategy for multiplication.  These concepts are the building blocks we are taking from third grade, and will be the foundation for more complicated and involved mathematical pursuits in fourth grade.  These mathematicians are certainly ready for more!

Reading Workshop

Developing comprehension and building classroom community are the two big objectives of Making Meaning our new reading curriculum.  The fourth graders did an amazing job this week of jumping right into the routines of the “reading workshop” model.  They learned a few of the important routines that we will use throughout the year during reading workshop, including how to “turn to your partner” to share thoughts and connections during read aloud.  The stories we are reading together are engaging and the fourth graders and thoroughly enjoying their time in reading workshop!  It seems like this group of readers is ready for the new literacy challenges that await us in fourth grade! 

Rock On!

“Where do you see rocks?”  This was the question asked of the fourth grade scientists at the beginning of the week.  They answered the question by exploring our classroom, school, and playground.  They found rocks being used all over the place.  From rock walls outside to the pebbles at the bottom of the fish tank to the graphite inside our pencils, it was exciting to identify how rocks and minerals are important parts of our everyday lives.  From this initial discovery, the fourth graders explored the three main categories of rocks: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary.  We used words and picture clues to define these new impressive scientific vocabulary words.  Next week we will take our growing knowledge of rocks and apply it to a new pursuit: understanding the rock cycle.  These fourth grade scientists are excited to “rock on!”