Thankful

The fourth graders made lists of all the people, things, and opportunities for which they are thankful.  We turned these lists into works of art by using online word art programs.  We input our lists and selected the designs, colors, shapes, and fonts that best represented ourselves and our thankful lists.  In the end is a great collection of gratitude art pieces.  Enjoy!

Talkin’ Turkey

As a part of our Thanksgiving-themed work this week, the fourth graders created turkeys.  Now, don’t be fooled, these construction paper turkeys are actually story-tellers and data-sharers.  That’s because they are glyphs.  A glyph is a creative graph that shows information in an artistic way.  These turkey glyphs show information we collected about our favorite parts of Thanksgiving meals.  After creating our glyphs we played a little probability game to compare and contrast our holiday eating preferences.  What a fun way to learn more about data collection, analysis, and probability!

News and Notes 11/22

News and Notes

From Fourth Grade

Problem Solvers

At the end of each math unit in fourth grade there is a lesson focused on problem solving. With each lesson comes a different strategy for how to solve problems. This week we explored the problem solving strategy of making a list or table. The fourth graders were given some tricky questions and asked to use this, and other strategies to find the solution. Working in pairs, the fourth graders read their assigned problems carefully and determined what their best approach would be. It was impressive to watch the effort and determination these mathematicians had during this potentially challenging time. By the end of the lesson the class sat in a circle and presented their problems and solutions to each other. It was neat to see how many different ways students found to solve problems. It was also exciting to see connections being made between different strategies and problems. This room of problem solvers is becoming more and more confident in their problem solving skills!

Changes

In our continued look at story structure, this week in reading we focused on characters. We looked at a few different read aloud books in class and discovered how characters change and grow in stories. We identified main characters in the stories and then followed their progress through the pages of the book. We identified the different conflicts and forces that caused the characters to change. The fourth grade readers did a great job of making connections to the characters as they were reading, which demonstrates a deeper understanding of the story. During our independent reading time we focused on identifying and describing the characters in our own texts. We made sketches of the characters and also made lists of characteristics we observed in these characters. It is fun to dig more deeply into our understanding of the stories that we are reading!

Lots of Potential

Potential and kinetic energy were on display this week in fourth grade. To begin our study of forces and motion, we were introduced to a few key scientific terms: potential energy and kinetic energy. The fourth graders defined potential energy as “stored” energy while we discovered that kinetic energy is energy “in motion.” Using tennis balls, the fourth graders demonstrated their understanding of potential and kinetic energy. As we look at simple machines in the coming weeks, it will be important for us to continue to think about work and effort in relation to these different types of energy.

Motion

Today the fourth graders began exploring the world of physics.  We began by looking at forces and motion. We discovered two different key terms that will help guide our discoveries over the coming weeks: potential energy and kinetic energy.  Using tennis balls, the fourth graders demonstrated the difference between potential energy, which is sometimes called "stored" energy, and kinetic energy, which we think of as energy in motion...

News and Notes 11/15

News and Notes

From Fourth Grade

The Grand Encounter

This week the fourth graders learned about the “grand encounter” between the Native Americans and the European explorers. We put together our knowledge of the motivation and life of the explorer as well as the culture of the Native Americans. Depending on the situation, we saw how some encounters were very positive, leading to lifetimes of cooperation and success. Other encounters were difficult to learn about because they were filled with fighting and disease which lead to a major loss of life. Through these difficult topics, the fourth graders have demonstrated a strong ability to respect the study of history and the value it plays in our lives today. We look forward to learning about the next stage in the history of the United States of America!

How a Story is Built

We have transitioned in reading to a new strategy – identifying story structure. As we returned to reading narratives (stories), the fourth graders were eager to dig more deeply into their understanding of the text. We came up with three characteristics common to all stories: characters, setting, and plot. We practiced identifying these three components during our read aloud time. We also began identifying the characters, setting, and basic plot in our own individualized daily reading books as well. Understanding how a story is built, down to the most basic elements, is a great way to dive more deeply into understanding that story. These fourth grade readers are demonstrating a keen skill in identifying how a story is built.

Comparing and Ordering

As a part of our study of big numbers, this week the fourth graders practiced comparing two different big numbers. Taking two numbers with five or six digits and determining which is larger can be a complicated task. We worked together to break down the meaning of these large numbers by recalling our understanding of place value. We then looked at each place value in turn and determined from there which number is greater. By the end of the week we were able to take this important skill further by ordering multiple larger numbers from least to greatest. We also applied this skill to different meaningful contexts, like comparing the depths of different oceans and looking at mileage from different locations. This “big number” math is a very practical and essential piece of the world of mathematics and the fourth grade mathematicians are just eating it up!

Thunder Cake

In our reading workshop time this week, the fourth graders have been reading the story Thunder Cake by Patricia Polacco.  This story is about a little girl who is afraid of thunder.  Her grandmother helps distract her from her fear by creating a special treat: a "thunder" cake.  As she works through the steps of making the cake, the little girl forgets her fears and enjoys the adventure with her grandmother.  At the end of the book, the author included a recipe which the class wanted to have shared with them...

Grandma's Thunder Cake

Cream together, one at a time
1 cup shortening
1 3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs, separated
    (Blend yolks in.  Beat whites until they are stiff, fold in.)
1 cup of cold water
1/3 cup pureed tomatoes

Sift together
2 1/2 cups cake flour
1/2 cup dry cocoa 
1  1/2 tsp baking soda 
1 tsp salt
     
Mix dry mixture into creamy mixture.  Bake in two greased and floured 8 1/2 in. round pans at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes. Frost with chocolate butter frosting.  Top with strawberries.      

Place Value

The fourth grade mathematicians have been exploring big numbers recently.  In our "greater than, less than"  version of the traditional card game "War," the fourth graders built big numbers and compared them with their partners.  Here are a few photos of the mathematicians at work...

News and Notes 11/8

News and Notes

From Fourth Grade

 

A Place to Value

In math we have begun exploring BIG numbers.  In order to understand numbers with many digits, we have learned the importance of identifying the placement of each digit.  Once we know where the digit is placed we can then determine the value of the digit.  A 7 moved from the tens place to the hundred thousands place has a very different value, even though it is the exact same digit.  The fourth graders practiced saying large numbers, as well as writing them in standard, word, and expanded form.  We also took time this week to use a variety of hands-on tools to help with our understanding of place value.  From the traditional “base ten” blocks, to place value charts, to digital place value activities, we have really enjoyed exploring these big numbers.  Understanding the base-ten system of numbers is essential for success in higher-level mathematics!  

STOP and Question

The fourth grade readers are continuing to ask questions.  This week we took our reading comprehension strategy of “asking questions” to a new level by practicing the skill of “stop and question.”  While we read our nonfiction texts, we paused periodically to question the text.  The fourth grade readers worked hard to formulate specific questions that were based on what they were reading and understanding in their texts.  Nonfiction texts can often times be intimidating for a young or beginning reader, but practicing the strategy of asking questions helps our fourth grade readers to dig deeply into their reading.  They are on the road that leads to reading for meaning, which is a great place to be!

Expertise

What are you an expert at?  This was the question that was posed to the fourth graders this week.  In their writer’s notebooks they formulated a list of things they do well.  From gymnastics to fishing to baking chocolate chip cookies, this class is full of some very talented individuals.  We took this “expert list” and turned it into a brainstorm for our new writing assignment: write a “how to” paragraph.  The fourth graders are all very eager to work on their instructional paragraphs!  This week we took our brainstorming list and focused on one topic we wanted to share with others.  From lists of supplies to step-by-step directions, the fourth grade writers are on their way to creating a great collection of instructional paragraphs.  We are excited to continue this work next week by writing the rough drafts of our “how to” paragraphs!  Before we know it, we’ll have a whole class collection of interesting and informative instructional paragraphs on all of our areas of expertise!