Fall Fun in Fourth Grade
It has been another fun-filled week in fourth grade. We are keeping a good pace and lots of hard work and cooperation is taking place.
Students are understanding decimal concepts in math. Our read aloud is a funny story called The Number Devil, which compliments our understanding of the base-10 number system.
Each fourth grader is finishing a three-paragraph description of a Maasai boy or girl living in East Africa. I have enjoyed seeing students let their imaginations drift off into the African savanna and see exotic animals and wonder what it might be like to grow up there. These stories are getting typed up and should be hanging in the hallway by T-G break.
Keyboarding is another new focus. We have gone through the alphabet and learned the correct fingering on the keys using the Alpha-Smart portable keyboards. Students are also using a keyboard tutorial called Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing on the classroom computers. When on the computer at home, please encourage your child to stay on the “home row” and practice the alphabet. With consistent practice I am hoping to see these keyboarding skills develop.
We are experimenting with our river models and noticing the landforms that water creates over thousands of years. Students work in small groups and conduct a test, take notes, clean up, write and draw diagrams of what happened, and process how their team worked together. Yesterday, I saw children working together and enjoying science.
Our social skills focus had been guided by the questions: How do we build friendships every day? What does it take to not only maintain our friendships but also strengthen them? Our class community has grown positively from these lessons.
I wish everybody a restful and joyful Thanksgiving. As we enter these days of reduced daylight know the moon is there in its highest orbit for us. Keep the light in your heart and give thanks! I am told that extra vitamin C helps too!
Many blessings and thanks for all the wonderful support. I am enjoying each day in fourth grade.
In Gratitude, Emily
