Fourth Grade February Newsletter:

Important Dates & Reminders

• February 6, WIDA testing begins
• February 8, Progress Reports go home, PTA Meeting @7:00 PM
• February 13, Field Trip to Jamestown!
• February 19, No School, Presidents Day

Language Arts

What are we learning?

Reading: Unit 6 - Critical Literacy

• Students are learning to…
  • Understand that media messages (advertisements, radio ads, blogs, and nonfiction articles) are not neutral and represent beliefs held by the author and groups in society.
  • Analyze the choices the author makes (structure, language, format) to construct power, position, and perspectives.
  • Determine whether or not to accept how the text is positioning them.

Writing: Unit 6- Persuasive Reviews

• Students are learning to…
  • • Elaborate using elements that inform and persuade so that the reader can make an educated decision. 
  • Reflect on and develop their pieces based on feedback and discussion from the community of writers.

Books We’ve Been Reading 

• Front Desk by Kelly Yang
• I Survived the American Revolution by Lauren Tarshis

Math

What are we learning?

Unit 5: Decimals

• Students will be able to…
  • Read, write, represent, and identify decimals expressed through thousandths.
  • Round decimals to the nearest whole number. 
  • Compare and order decimals. 
  • Identify decimal and fraction equivalence. 
  • Add and subtract with decimals.

Home/School Connection

Things to do with your student:

• If your child has access to a computer, have them practice multiplication and division fact fluency on Reflex math and practice with decimals on ST Math. 

Science

What are we learning?

Oceans

• Students will be able to understand…
  • Ocean geographical features and their impact on ocean depth.
  • As the ocean’s depth increases, the salinity and pressure increases, as the amount of light and temperature decreases. 
  • The depth of the ocean varies, and the oceans have no defined boundaries.
  • Ocean organisms are producers, consumers, and decomposers and they move in different ways and live at different depths. 
  • The ocean ecosystem is impacted by wind, currents, waves, and tides. 
  • The causes of waves and tides.

Social Studies

What are we learning?

American Revolution

• Students will…
  • Explore the reasons why the colonies went to war with Great Britain and how their path to revolution connects to our modern world.
  • Examine the various roles of Revolutionary War leaders, American Indians, enslaved African Americans, whites, and free African Americans using a critical lens to evaluate various perspectives.
  • Evaluate the importance of the American victory at Yorktown.
  • Examine the reasons for the relocation of Virginia’s capital from Williamsburg to Richmond.

AAP Corner 

What are we learning?

• AAP students have finished their first book in book club and are starting to read A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park in book clubs. 
• AAP Students continue with word study during Falcon Time through Michael Clay Thompson’s Grammar Town to develop an understanding of the parts of speech and sentence structure. 
• Students will participate in a socratic seminar discussing the question “should elementary school students be allowed to use social media”?

Specials 

What are we learning? &  Home/School Connections:

• Library: 4th grade - We are exploring historical fiction focusing on different time periods, and then will begin an inquiry research project, using databases to compare two people in similar careers to determine who is the G.O.A.T. Contact Ms. Wixtrom on Talking Points or email with any questions or anything you’d like me to know! I want to help your child thrive in their reading journey!
• PE: Thank you to all families for being strong co-teachers with us. Regarding pacing, we completed our “Gymnastics Unit” and “Routines Review” with all grade levels. Now, all students will move into their “Basketball Unit.” Learners will better understand the anatomy of a basketball court, and how to dribble with hands, bounce pass, chest pass, and shoot the basketball. Towards the end of the unit, we hope to teach different “playground games” such as “H.O.R.S.E.” and “Knock-Out.” As always, Mr. Bergin ([email protected]) and Ms. Brod ([email protected]) are here for any questions or concerns.
• Music: 
  • Ms. Shaw’s 4th graders are working on recorder G to E and vocal canon work on “Donkeys Love Carrots” and developing their music literacy skills in reading sheet music.
  • In Mr. Sawasky’s music class, All grades are learning a frame drumming composition called, “Jennifer Bobby Bobby.” We are also learning about Martin Luther King Jr. and the song, “Hymn to Freedom” by Oscar Peterson. 3^rd and 4^th will be learning about composition and music theory.
• Art: 
  • In the Forestdale art program, the primary goal is to create an environment in which every student feels confident, safe, and supported by Ms. Barrett and by the other students. The goal is that each student will reach a level of technical mastery and self-confidence that allows them to take risks with their own artwork and create work they value.
  • In January, all students will be wrapping up their COLLAGE units and doing planning drawings for the upcoming CLAY units! 
  • 4th grade students are creating collages of “Houses in the Hills,” a collage that shows the illusion of depth in a landscape. Students have learned four of the ten techniques for creating the illusion of depth in artwork. Very exciting!
  • All the students' collages are fantastic! They would look great in a frame, hanging on the wall – or at least on the refrigerator!
  • Thank you to all families for returning the Interview Forms for each Art unit! Students in grades 1st - 6th continue to use their Art Planning and Reflection Books, increasing their literacy skill practice during art classes!
  • As always, Ms. Barrett ([email protected]) is here for any questions or concerns regarding the art program.

ESOL - English for Speakers of Other Languages WIDA assessment information:  The state of Virginia administers the WIDA ACCESS for ELLs assessment from January 16-March 15. This assessment monitors students' progress in learning academic English in the areas of reading, listening, speaking, and writing. Families can find translated information about this assessment at this link: https://wida.wisc.edu/resources/what-access-ells 

Please encourage your child to do their best! Please also be sure your child is well-rested for test days (and every school day)!

Students in grades 1-6 can continue practice at home for the assessment through this link: https://wbte.drcedirect.com/WIDA/portals/wida/assessment_selection?adminId=596372