Dear Parents,
It’s so hard to believe that the school year is coming to an end! Our last official day will be June 20. However, we have lots of interesting and exciting projects and plans ahead. Here is your final newsletter about Grade 4-P “Happenings!”
Party Time!! Due to the fact that we have reached another corner in our Reading Program we will be having another party! Please sign up below for something you would be wiling to donate for our party which will be held on Friday, May 26. We will be having a “Float party” with a choice of soda (Orange or Root Beer) and vanilla ice cream. Also the children thought that home-made cookies would be an acceptable choice as well so for any of you who love to bake this is your chance!! Thanks for your support!
Language Arts- We have been studying more about adverbs and adjectives, pronouns, conjunctions and negatives. We will also be continuing to work on 4-5 paragraph essays with an emphasis on Expository writing. Students are learning to develop a piece of writing which contains a clearly stated topic, an opinion, and sufficient facts to support their point of view. We will continue to emphasize an appropriate introduction, and a sequential ordering of facts and ideas, sensible transitions from one paragraph to the next, and a conclusion that sums up the essay in a logical manner.
We are also working on Narrative writing experiences. I am extremely impressed with the quality of work from the students, as they continue to develop their abilities in this most important area. Their Personal Experience books were an outstanding sample of their mastery of Narrative writing-including dialogue (which is a very challenging skill) They had the added “treat” of reading their books to their Kindergarten Reading Buddies last week. Mrs. Zinkus was quite impressed! In June we will be creating our own Terrible Horrible No Good Very Bad Day Books, (Based on the Judy Blume book/format) which will again be shared with our Buddies. These stories will emphasize the use of quotations in dialogue with a creative problem-solving format.
Science –During June we will be studying the Rates and Processes portion of the STEP (science) program. Students will be working on the period of the pendulum, using stopwatches to measure the rate as the pendulum swings. If anyone has a spare stopwatch that you could allow your child to use for the duration of the unit, it would be most helpful! We will begin this program on June 4. Students will try to determine which variables change the rate of the pendulum’s movement-weight, length of string, etc. We will next be measuring rates of travel of metal balls down long cylinders, and comparing them with the rate/distance/time formula- D=RxT. It is always very exciting to see the children utilizing this “hands-on” discovery approach to science.
We are all looking forward to using our Nature Trail really soon. We will be learning about decomposition and the cycle of life in the woods. We will also be continuing with our study of the Water Cycle as we explore the Wachusett Watershed and take our exciting Field Trip on June 1. Don’t forget the bug repellant and sunscreen for your child on that day!!
Social Studies - We have just completed our journey across the good old USA! The students did a fabulous job on their last test on the Northeast states! On June 15, students will be given a test on all the states and capitals in the USA. They have all been given a packet of materials and a web site to help them prepare for the test. (It should be coming home today May 22) Anything you can do to help them with this would be most appreciated. Thanks so much!! A special award certificate will be given to those students who master all of the states and capitals in our country. Everyone will then partake of our annual States and Capitals Ice Cream Party- Yum!
Math-We are well into our second book of Chicago Math and are all working on patterns, fractions, and positive and negative numbers (debits and credits). We are working on how to find percentages from fractions. (Students will be memorizing simple percentages such as 1/5=20%= 20%, ¾=75%. ½=50%, etc.) We will also be working on a geometry unit with a focus on area, perimeter and volume. After working in small groups to design and plan their pattern, the children will be creating beautiful quilts from patterns of their choices. We continue to work daily with fractions, problem solving and long forms of division and multiplication, probability, as well as 2-3 step word problems.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Nancy E. Paul
May/June -- Calendar of Important Events:
May 31 – Play We the People @ 2:00 PM in the Dawson Gymnasium
June 1 - Field Trip to Mount Wachusett and beyond… Please pack a disposable lunch!
June 15 – States and Capitals Test and Ice Cream Sundae Party
June 19- Old-Fashioned Spelling Bee
June 20 – Last day of school.
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I would be glad to send in the following item for the Root Beer /Orange Soda/ Cookie Party!
Name_________________________ Child______________________
Root Beer – 1 -2 liter bottle _____
Orange Soda 1- 2 liter bottle _______
1 Half-Gallon of Vanilla Ice Cream_____
Cookies ______- Kind _________________
Mrs. Paul will provide the cups, spoons and napkins and some other surprises!
