February Newsletter

 My Wish in 4^th Grade!

      News from the class of Mrs. Mele & Mrs. Karl

February 10, 2015

   What We Are Learning

Reading: Students have been learning about historical events by examining information from multiple sources.  For example, when learning about the Great Chicago Fire, students watched a video, read excerpts from a book, and examined information on a website.  In this way, we are encouraging students to study a topic from different perspectives.

Science: Students are studying simple machines.  They are learning how simple machines make our lives easier.  You can support your child’s learning by challenging him or her to find simple machines used at home.   

Writing: Our work in reading is carrying over into our writing block.  Students are practicing writing responses that include text evidence from more than one source.  This is a very sophisticated writing skill, and one that students will have to use on the PARCC test. 

Math:  Students have begun a unit on fractions.  We continue to encourage the kids to persevere and not give up, especially on multi-step word problems.  Please help your child to see fractions in their daily lives.  Seeing real-world examples can help make fractions more accessible for kids.  

     February Birthdays

Happy Birthday Caroline!

Tuesday, February 10^th

Author Janell Burley Hoffman’s

iRules presentation at FHS

7:00 PM

Friday, February 13^th

Our Valentine’s Day cookie decorating party

Monday Feb. 16^th-Friday Feb. 20^th

February vacation

Monday, February 23^rd

Students return from February vacation

PeaceBuilders

The PeaceBuilder principle of the month for February is “Give Up Put Downs.” 

PARCC Update

The tentative PARCC testing dates have our students taking the ELA portion of the exam during the week of March 23^rd and the math portion of the test during the week of April 7^th. 

We hope you all have a wonderful February break!

January Newsletter

   What We Are Learning

Reading: Students have finished the novel, Tuck Everlasting.  They have been exploring the theme of the text.  Now, the students are acting as journalist to write newspaper articles from the fictional setting in the book, Treegap.

Technology: Did you know that students have an extra class this year to learn about new technology and help integrate it into the classroom?  We are using the new Chromebooks in our school to write our Treegap articles! 

Writing: Finally we received our first letters from our Guatemalan pen pals!  The students were very excited to receive them. They are writing their responses, and will include a postcard of Cape Cod on the back.

Math:  We are finishing up a chapter on data and probability.  This unit leads us nicely into the next chapter on fractions.  This will be a rigorous chapter with many new concepts.  Encourage your child to persevere.  If you stay positive so will she/he!

Moday, January 19^th 

Martin Luther King Day

No School

January 26-30^th

EFES Great Kindness Challenge

PeaceBuilders

Congratulations, Alexis, for being voted our PeaceBuilder of the month in December!  The PeaceBuilder principle of the month for January is “Give Up Put Downs”. 

PARCC

We are learning together about the new PARCC assessment, which will replace MCAS this year.  Soon, we will start giving the students sample problems from the PARCC as both homework and classwork.  This will help students become familiar with the format of the test.  They will take the PARCC in March and May.