4th Grade Newsletter
March 23, 2021
Language Arts
What are we learning?
We will be beginning our research unit! Throughout the unit we will…
- Understand the research process
- Understand how curiosity and knowledge drive research
- Understand that published research represents current understanding which continues to develop based on new discoveries
- Understand that concepts are constructed through a variety of actions and interactions with others
- Engage in inquiry to ask and seek questions to compelling questions
- Synthesize information across multiple texts and experiences in order to construct understandings
- Collaborate and discuss to seek new ideas or clarify unresolved questions
Home/School Connection
- How do researchers use their curiosity to guide their research?
- Why did you pick your research topic?
- How does curiosity and knowledge help the researcher gain a deeper understanding of the topic?
- How can published research drive our research?
- What implications does my research have on our changing world?
- What work do you do as a researcher?
- What was something you did during your research that made you proud today?
- What questions do you still have about your topic?
Math
What are we learning?
We will continue multiplication and division unit (Part 2)! Throughout this unit we will...
- Estimate products (2 digit x 2 digit)
- Apply strategies to multiply two whole numbers (2 digit x 2 digit)
- Create and solve single-step and multistep problems involving multiplication and division
- Identify and use the appropriate symbol to distinguish between expressions that are equal and not equal, using addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division
- Identify, describe, create, and extend numerical patterns involving multiplication and division, using objects, pictures, numbers, and tables
- Interpret remainders in problem solving settings
Home/School Connection
- How would you represent a remainder in different ways?
- How can estimation support the calculation of an exact product or quotient?
- How can you use multiplication or division to solve the same problem?
- How could the same model be used to represent multiplication and division?
- How might place value understanding help solve a multiplication and division problem?
- How can you show the same value using different models?
- What relationships are there between operations?
- What are different multiplication strategies you have learned? What strategy are you most comfortable using? Why?
- What are different division strategies you have learned? What strategy are you most comfortable using? Why?
Science
What are we learning?
- Show images of different strength electromagnets and have students rank them from weakest to strongest
- Test materials for conductivity
Home/School Connection
- Look at items around your home, are they metallic? Could they conduct electricity easily?
- How are electromagnets created?
- What are the benefits of them? The shortfalls?
Social Studies
What are we learning?
We will be working through our New Nation Unit. In this unit we will...
- Understand the challenges faced by Virginia and the new nation as they explore the historical development of the ideas of…
- George Mason
- Thomas Jefferson
- The Constitutional Convention
- Understand why George Washington is called the “Father of our Country”
- Understand why James Madison is called the “Father of the Constitution”
- Identify the ideas of George Washington, as expressed in the Virginia Declaration of Rights
- Identify the ideas of Thomas Jefferson, as expressed in the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom
- Understand the influence of geography and technological advances on the migration of Virginians into other states and western territories in the first half of the 1800s
- Identify the three branches of Virginia government and the function of each
Home/School Connection
- Who are “We the people”?
- How do people’s beliefs and values shape how a government is formed?
- Where does freedom come from?
- In what ways might people resolve their differences?
- What does it mean to be an American?
- Who is George Washington? Why is he important?
- Who is James Madison? Why was he important to the development of Virginia?
- Who is Thomas Jefferson? Why was he important to the development of Virginia?
Positivity Project
- Students show humor by laughing, smiling, and bringing smiles to other people
- Talk about it! Ask your child about humor!
- How does surrounding ourselves with people that are strong in humor help our bodies and our minds?
- Does it surprise you that we laugh 17 times a day? Why or why not?
- How does our whole brain work when we laugh?
- Find something that makes you laugh. Then, challenge yourself to make someone around you laugh!
- Create a comic that demonstrates the character strength of humor
Online Learning Tip
Learning online and in person requires different strategies to help overcome the challenges of learning. Use these tips to help become a stronger student!
- Hold yourself accountable - set goals and check on them weekly! Hold yourself accountable to reach your goals! Set goals that you can achieve quickly to help reach a long term goal!
- Practice time management - manage your time, making sure you are completing work that is assigned. Be sure to use the designated time to complete must-do assignments.
- Eliminate distractions - move all distractions (tv, music, phone) away from your workspace. Make sure that you do not have any toys that may take your attention away from work.
Actively participate - when you raise your hand, ask questions, and ask for clarification, you are engaging in the learning and becoming part of the learning! By actively participating, you are able to focus on that material and focus on the activities!