I can't believe how long it has been since my last post. 4th grade has been a flurry of activity, and sometimes it feels like there isn't enough time in the day. Here we are on the cusp of the holiday season...where has the time gone. First trimester report cards go home next week! It's all so hard to believe.
In math we have just finished a unit on fractions. It was fun and very hands-on. We used lots of manipulatives to help our students grasp the concepts of equivalent fractions, comparing and ordering fractions, and adding and subtracting fractions. They really did a great job and it was so apparent that they had a good foundation from third grade. Great job, Mrs. Bliven and Mrs. Vocatura!
We have finished up our Land and Water kit in science. We investigated how land affects water and how water affects land. Students built dams to protect towns, grew vegetation to prevent erosion and discussed how different land forms can affect the way water flows. It was a very wet and muddy time in grade four.
We have been focusing on both fiction and nonfiction texts in reading, working on character development as well as summarizing. We have written several research reports about animal adaptations. Both reading classes are reading the book Poppy, by Avi. We have been focusing on the ways an author develops characters.
We are so excited that one of our fourth graders, Mia C., won the safety poster contest from the bus company. She won a $300 bus voucher for us to go on a field trip! We are in the process of planning a trip to the Rhode Island State House with the help of Representative Donna Walsh. It's always a great trip!
Both classes are collecting chocolate for the basket raffle. Don't forget to send in yours.
We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving. We look forward to seeing you all at conferences on December 9th and 10th. Please return your slips ASAP so we can schedule everyone. A confirmation slip will be sent home the first week in December.
