What's going on in 4th grade?

It feels like summer has returned this week! It is so warm upstairs in the 4th grade, but we know that cooler, fall weather is right around the corner. The 4th grade is working hard here in Ashaway. In reading we are implementing the new Common Core State Standards for ELA. Both reading classes are working on "close reading". Students are monitoring their understanding by summarizing what they have read and backing up and rereading if they are unclear about something.  They are also figuring out new vocabulary words by using context clues, graphics, and prior knowledge to help them formulate a definition. We have been reading articles about deer mice, porcupines and nocturnal animals to gather background knowledge before we read
"Poppy" by Avi. Soon we will begin to read and learn about owls. We will also be doing a short research project on owls.

In math we are working on place value of numbers to the millions. Students have been writing numbers in standard, word and expanded form. We have done some fun activities and lessons to go along with this.

We have begun our land and water science unit. Today we created a model of the water cylce in our stream tables. We talked about why scientists use models and why we use models in our classroom. I will try to post pictures and videos of our science lessons. They are very exciting and fun!