Friday, April 17th

Happy Friday!

Here is a look into what's happening in fourth grade...

Reading- This week in reading students identified the big idea of a poem, used context clues and rhyming words to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words and learned how to detect rhythm within a poem. Ask your child how rhyme and rhythm are different.

Writing- Students began organizing their ecosystem research into a graphic organizer that will be used to help them construct their feature articles. Students practiced creating different attention getters to hook their reader and how to organize each paragraph by using a topic sentence and supporting details. Ask your child what the hook of their feature article is.

Math- This week in math, learned how to divide a whole number by a decimal and how a magnitude estimate is helpful when determining the quotient. We also discussed how to interpret the remainder and how you know when to ignore it, round up, or report it as a fraction. Ask your child to solve 
45.8 / 6.

Social Studies- Students finished the Mountain States region. Next week, we will begin learning about the West region. Ask your child to name a natural resource and how it is used within the Mountain States region.

Science- Students experimented with the wheel and axle this week.  First they created a wheel spoke using a straw attached to wood.  As students turn the straw it acted like a wheel to raise a paper cup with weights attached with string.  Next we used gears to look at a special kind of wheel- a wheel with teeth.  Students discovered how gears work together to transfer energy.  Ask your child how gears move when they are touching each other.

Important Dates:
Monday, April 20th- Math MAP test at 12:30
Tuesday, April 21st- Reading MAP test at 9:15
Thursday, April 23rd- Library field trip at 12:30
Thursday, May 7th- 4th Grade Poetry Slam at 2:00

Friday, April 10th

Happy Friday! We hope everyone had a relaxing and wonderful spring break!

Here is a glance at what happened in fourth grade this week...

Reading- This week students continued understanding the depths of poetry. Students learned the difference between the tone and mood of a poem. Students discussed how to find the meaning of a poem and how to compare and contrast poems. Ask your child what the difference between tone and mood is.

Writing- Students learned about the important nonfiction text features and characteristics of a feature article. Students will be using their prior research of an ecosystem and a keystone species within that ecosystem to construct a feature article. Ask your child what are some characteristics in a feature article.

Math- This week in math we finished Unit 3 and took our unit 3 assessment. Students began unit 4 today where they will review long division strategies when dividing whole numbers and decimals. Ask your child what the difference between the divisor and dividend is.

Social Studies- This week students began studying the Mountain States region. Our states and capitals and content test for this region will be next Friday, April 17th. Ask your child what a timberline is.

Science- Students learned about levers and how they work.  We experimented moving the fulcrum to see how it impacted the amount of force needed.   Next we looked at the difference between 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class levers.  Finally we looked at the wedge as a simple machine and how it works by lifting and separating.  Ask your child to name an example of a wedge.

Coming home in your child's Friday folder...
-2015-16 Online Registration Information
-Hinsdale Public Library field trip permission form (Due April 20th)
-Poetry Slam invitation for all parents (May 7th)
-Graded unit 3 math assessment
-Buffalo Wild Wings fundraiser information
-New reading log

Important Dates:
Monday, April 20th @ 12:30- Math MAP testing
Tuesday, April 21st @ 9:30- Reading MAP testing
Thursday, April 23rd @ 12:30- Library field trip
Thursday, May 7th @ 2:00- Poetry Slam


Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Ingstrup & Miss Hathaway