The Past Week

Apologies for the week and a half for not updating you on the life of your kiddo in 4th grade. Hopefully I can give you a quick run-down of what's been going on.

Last week was probably one of our first more normal weeks of school. There weren't any special events (except the 3rd graders going on the bike tour on Friday, which meant no wheel time for 4th graders and Homecoming on Friday night). It was nice to finally have a week where we could get into the routine of things.

• In Reading we read The Frog Prince, a classic fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers. We then read The Horned Toad Prince, which is a version of The Frog Prince but it takes place in the southwest with a cowgirl named Reba Jo. We have been talking about the lessons that fairy tales teach us as well as comparing and contrasting various tales.
  
• Once we finished reading those, the students started working on centers. Different reading groups are reading about and working on different things. One group read Rumpelstiltskin and is now writing their own "twisted" version of it, by either changing the setting and characters or by telling it through the perspective of Rumpelstiltskin. A few other groups are learning about the spiders and scorpions that they may find in the desert. Another reading group read the True Story of the Three Little Pigs (told from the point of view of the wolf) and compared and contrasted the two stories.
• In math, we are plowing through one of our longest and most difficult units for the year. The skills include: story problems, using parentheses, true and false number sentences, and variables (problems like c + 12 = 43). We are also continuing to work on multiplication facts. Even though it's not the most thrilling thing in the world to do at home, math will be so much easier for your child if they know their facts automatically. Large number multiplication is coming up in Unit 5 (before Christmas for sure!).
• In Science we are plugging through the Sound Unit. Last week the students worked in partners to try to guess which objects were being dropped. Starting tomorrow (Wednesday), we will start working with tuning forks and discussing how sound is made and travels (through vibrations).
• Finally, today Randy Nadler came and presented. He comes each year and presents about a country that he visits over the summer. Today he presented on Peru, Equador, and the Galapagos Islands. He shared a lot of history and a lot of information about the animals that live in those countries. Make sure to ask your child about it!
  

A few reminders:

• Math Fact Calendars for September (how is it October already?!?!) are due on Thursday or Friday. I will pass the October ones out on Friday.
• Your child has about 2 more weeks to complete 4 RC tests (by October 14). Most kids are plugging along and are finding books that are good fits for them that they love. It is common to hear begging, asking for more time to read. It is also common for me to have to ask them to stop reading (breaks a teacher's heart, but we've got to do other things!). So fun to see them engrossed in their books!
• Conferences are coming up at the end of October. If you haven't signed up, please email or send a note and I can find a time that works best for you and your schedule.

Finally, thank you for all you do for your child! I have heard of some of the fun things you do together! The time you spend with them and the conversations you have with them are so valuable!