Nov. 25-29

Coming Up:
Tues. 11/28-Senior Home Visit 9:-10:15
Wed 11/27- Fri 11/29 - No School Thanksgiving Break
12/10 - Early Dismissal - Students dismissed at 11:00
12/23 - 1/3/20 - No School - Winter Break

The bowling field trip for 4th grade is scheduled for 12/18. If you would like to pre-order snacks for your child you may do so by clicking on the following link and placing your order: https://forms.gle/LPQapqB14uW9QiQu6

Spelling
Week of 11/25 - There will be no Spelling lesson the week of 11/25.

Week of 12/2 - Unit 12 - Homophones
The week of 12/2, the list will contain words that are homophones. A homophone is a word that sounds like another word, but has a different spelling and meaning, for example, bear and bare.  The final TEST for the homophone lesson will be on Friday, 12/6.

Reading - Unit 1 - "Courage"
The next story that we will read in the Courage unit is a biographical piece about baseball player Lou Gehrig. While studying this text, we will continue to hone our close reading skills and focus on identifying statements that are facts and statements that are opinions. Students will work in small groups to respond to text-dependent questions and there will also be vocabulary work.


We will also begin using a new tool in reading called Time for Kids (TFK) which is a magazine that includes nonfiction stories related to current events. TFKs offer various opportunities to practice the close reading skills that we are honing.


Social Studies - The Southeast -Chapter 6
Wildlife & Resources
The final lesson on the Southeast will focus on the resources and the wildlife of the region.


Science - Energy Conversions
The next two lessons in Science focus on the topics of energy past and present & energy in the system. Students will discover what happens when too many electrical devices are added to an electrical system.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) - Showing Compassion
We will finish the topic of "joining in." Objectives for students are that they will be able to identify and demonstrate skills for joining a group.

We will not have an official Second Step lesson next week. Instead, we will spend our morning meetings completing team building activities. The lesson for the week of 12/2 is "Showing Compassion". Compassion means saying kind words or doing something helpful to show you care about how another person feels. Having empathy helps you show compassion. The objective for the week is for students to be able to demonstrate expressing concern or showing compassion for someone.

Mrs. Spakausky's Math Class -Unit 3-Fractions & Decimals

Module 1 Equivalent Fractions Students review fraction skills and concepts and extend their understandings to mixed numbers, improper fractions, and more sophisticated strategies for generating equivalent fractions. They begin by exploring a fair-sharing situation in which the idea of fractions as quotients is developed. Then they fold and cut paper strips to model and investigate the relationship between mixed numbers and improper fractions. During the last two sessions in the module, students model and investigate equivalent fractions in a very different context—eggs in a carton.
Session 1 Unit 3 Pre-Assessment
Session 2 Fair Shares
Session 3 Fractions & Mixed Numbers
Session 4 If This Is One-Third
Session 5 Egg Carton Fractions 
Session 6 Name That Fraction

Module 2-Comparing, Composing & Decomposing Fractions & Mixed Numbers 
Session 1 Exploring Fractions on the Geoboard Module 2 Comparing, Composing & Decomposing Fractions & Mixed Numbers 
In this module, the geoboard is assigned a value of 1. Students name fractional parts of the geoboard and describe the parts’ relationships to one another. Their observations are then extended into comparing fractions with unlike numerators and denominators, and adding fractions with like denominators. The last three sessions feature an extended problem-solving opportunity followed by a math forum, as well as two new Work Places that provide practice with composing and decomposing fractions.
Session 2 Last Equation Wins 
Session 3 Comparing, Adding & Subtracting Fractions
Session 4 Dozens of Eggs
Session 5 How Many Candy Bars?
Session 6 Racing Fractions

Module 3-Introducing Decimals
In this module, the base ten mat is assigned a value of 1. Students determine that the strip and the unit are worth 1/10 and 1/100 respectively, and are introduced to the decimal notation for these fractions. The base ten pieces serve as a visual anchor as students compare decimal numbers and investigate the relationship between tenths and hundredths. During the last two sessions, the teacher introduces two new Work Places to provide practice with adding tenths and hundredths, as well as building and comparing fractions. There is a checkpoint on fractions and decimals at the end of the module.
Session 1 Introducing Decimal Numbers
Session 2 Comparing Decimal Numbers
Session 3 Thinking About Tenths & Hundredths
Session 4 Decimal More or Less

Module 4-Fractions & Decimals
The activities in this module, including another new Work Place, reinforce the relationship between decimals and fractions with denominators 10 and 100. Students are also invited to investigate the connection between decimals and other common fractions, including halves, fourths, fifths, and twentieths. The module concludes with a unit post-assessment.
Session 1 Decimal & Fraction Relationships
Session 2 Fractions & Decimals
Session 3 Ordering Fractions & Decimals on a Number Line
Session 4 Unit 3 Post

Nov. 18-22

Coming Up:
Thurs 11/21 - PV Roller Skating Party 3:30-6:30pm
Fri 11/22 - End of 1st trimester
Wed 11/27- Fri 11/29 - No School Thanksgiving Break
12/10 - Early Dismissal - Students dismissed at 11:00
12/23 - 1/3/20 - No School - Winter Break

The bowling field trip for 4th grade is scheduled for 12/18. If you would like to pre-order snacks for your child you may do so by clicking on the following link and placing your order: https://forms.gle/LPQapqB14uW9QiQu6


The Veterans' Day assembly on 11/11 was a wonderful tribute to our nation's heroes.

Spelling -  Unit 11 - Words with "ei" & "ie"

This week's list contains words that have the letter combinations "ei" and "ie". We will study the rule for spelling these words. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 11/22.

Reading - Unit 1 - "Courage"

The next story that we will read in the Courage unit is a biographical piece about baseball player Lou Gehrig. While studying this text, we will continue to hone our close reading skills and focus on identifying statements that are facts and statements that are opinions. Students will work in small groups to respond to text-dependent questions and there will also be vocabulary work. Look for a QUIZ on the Lou Gehrig story and vocabulary to be scheduled for the week of 11/25.

English - Capitalization & Punctuation

Commas in a series and other uses for commas are our topics next week.

Social Studies - The Southeast - "Sunlight & Storms"

We will explore the diverse climate of the Southeast. Be sure to ask your child about the destructive nature of hurricanes.

Science - Energy Conversions

The use of energy in the past and present will be the topic in Science this week.

Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) - Joining In

The message of this week's lesson is that being assertive can help you join a group and invite others to join a group. Objectives for students are that they will be able to identify and demonstrate skills for joining a group.

Mrs. Spakausky's Math Class -Unit 3-Fractions & Decimals

Module 1 Equivalent Fractions Students review fraction skills and concepts and extend their understandings to mixed numbers, improper fractions, and more sophisticated strategies for generating equivalent fractions. They begin by exploring a fair-sharing situation in which the idea of fractions as quotients is developed. Then they fold and cut paper strips to model and investigate the relationship between mixed numbers and improper fractions. During the last two sessions in the module, students model and investigate equivalent fractions in a very different context—eggs in a carton.
Session 1 Unit 3 Pre-Assessment
Session 2 Fair Shares
Session 3 Fractions & Mixed Numbers
Session 4 If This Is One-Third
Session 5 Egg Carton Fractions 
Session 6 Name That Fraction

Module 2-Comparing, Composing & Decomposing Fractions & Mixed Numbers 

Session 1 Exploring Fractions on the Geoboard Module 2 Comparing, Composing & Decomposing Fractions & Mixed Numbers In this module, the geoboard is assigned a value of 1. Students name fractional parts of the geoboard and describe the parts’ relationships to one another. Their observations are then extended into comparing fractions with unlike numerators and denominators, and adding fractions with like denominators. The last three sessions feature an extended problem-solving opportunity followed by a math forum, as well as two new Work Places that provide practice with composing and decomposing fractions.
Session 2 Last Equation Wins 
Session 3 Comparing, Adding & Subtracting Fractions
Session 4 Dozens of Eggs
Session 5 How Many Candy Bars?
Session 6 Racing Fractions

Module 3-Introducing Decimals
In this module, the base ten mat is assigned a value of 1. Students determine that the strip and the unit are worth 1/10 and 1/100 respectively, and are introduced to the decimal notation for these fractions. The base ten pieces serve as a visual anchor as students compare decimal numbers and investigate the relationship between tenths and hundredths. During the last two sessions, the teacher introduces two new Work Places to provide practice with adding tenths and hundredths, as well as building and comparing fractions. There is a checkpoint on fractions and decimals at the end of the module.
Session 1 Introducing Decimal Numbers
Session 2 Comparing Decimal Numbers
Session 3 Thinking About Tenths & Hundredths
Session 4 Decimal More or Less

Module 4-Fractions & Decimals
The activities in this module, including another new Work Place, reinforce the relationship between decimals and fractions with denominators 10 and 100. Students are also invited to investigate the connection between decimals and other common fractions, including halves, fourths, fifths, and twentieths. The module concludes with a unit post-assessment.
Session 1 Decimal & Fraction Relationships
Session 2 Fractions & Decimals
Session 3 Ordering Fractions & Decimals on a Number Line
Session 4 Unit 3 Post

Nov. 11-15

Had fun at BINGO night, this last Friday night!

Congrats to Rory for being chosen for our October PRIDE! award. She was chosen by students and teachers for EMPATHY!

Spelling -  Unit 10 - Suffixes -ment, -tion and -ly
This week's list contains words with the suffixes -ment, -tion and -ly.  Students will study the definitions of the suffixes and how they change the root words that they are attached to. We will also look at antonyms of the spelling and vocabulary words. The final TEST is scheduled for Friday, 11/15. This test will include dictating the words, so students should study how to spell the words as well as how to apply them and rules that we study.

Reading - Unit 1 - "Courage"

We have spent time looking at the text structure of cause and effect. Text structured as cause and effect explains the reasons why something happened or the effects of something. An effect is what happens. To determine the effect, students should ask “What happened?”. A cause is why something happens. To determine the cause, students should ask “Why did it happen?” 

We have reviewed this concept using the story of Happy Birthday Dr. King to discover how cause and effect is used throughout the text.

The Happy Birthday Dr. King / I Have a Dream Speech QUIZ is scheduled for Thursday, 11/14. Students should review the story, Happy Birthday Dr. King and the words to the U2 Pride song (song words linked) (in the Reading folder of their binder) to prepare for the quiz.


We also will be digging into an excerpt from Dr. Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream Speech." Students will use their close reading skills in the whole group and with partners to interpret the message, language, vocabulary, and perspective of the piece.


English - Abbreviations
We will study about abbreviations this week.


Social Studies - The Southeast - Lesson 1 / "Coastal Plains to the Mountains"
The Southeast Map QUIZ is scheduled for Monday, 11/11. We will also continue our study of the geography of the region.


Science - Energy Conversions
Reading about energy converters and completing a simulation about how to convert energy will be our focus this week in Science.


Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) - Conversation & Compliments
During our morning meetings, we will discuss how having successful conversations with peers helps you make and build friendships and how giving a sincere, thoughtful compliment is a good way to start a conversation or keep one going. The lesson objective is for students to be able to identify components of a successful conversation and to demonstrate giving and receiving a compliment.


Mrs. Spakausky's Math Class: Unit 2:  Multi-Digit Multiplication & Early Division
Our Unit 2 math test is on Monday, 11/11!