Dear fourth grade families,
Please enjoy these updates from our classroom.
Social Studies Shares
This Tuesday, April 3rd, we are excited to share with you two projects students have been working on. First, from 8:25-9:10, we'll present our West African folk tale readers' theater pieces in the library. Then, we'll head to the classroom to share projects about the West African kingdoms of Songhay, Mali, and Ghana until about 10:00 AM. We hope you can join us.
Reading
We are coming to the end of reading Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor and Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis. During independent reading, students continue to make individual reading goals and are working on speed and stamina. It continues to be important for students to read for thirty minutes every day, including on weekends and vacations. Students should be aiming for thirty minutes in a single sitting as it's difficult to maintain fluency in shorter periods of time.
Math Test Prep
We are continuing to work on the sections of the practice test that were most challenging for students in our class. Some students are working in small groups with teachers and other students are working with partners. Students are focusing on explaining why they chose their answers. We are also focusing on extended response questions, which ask students to show their work.
ELA Test Prep
We are especially focused on the writing section of the test, where students need to write essays in response to passages they've heard or read. Students are practicing using the language from the questions as the basis of their answers and using the language from the passage to support their theses. Many students are working in pairs to critique each others' essays use each other's feedback to improve their own essays.
Word Study
Students have been working on taking words they've spelled incorrectly in their own writing, identifying what's tricky about them, and then making lists of words with similar spelling patters. Some of these spelling patterns include -dge, -lly, and y-->ies. At the end of the week, students quiz each other on five words they've been practicing.
State Tests
The New York State ELA and Math Tests are coming up April 17-19 and April 25-27, respectively. It's especially important that on testing days, students come to school after a full night's sleep and a substantial breakfast. Studies have shown that when children's sleep times shift (as on weekends and vacations), there can be a negative impact on academic performance. Since the tests are coming right after the vacation, please be sure that children are going to bed on time the last few days of vacation to prepare. Since the tests are coming right after the vacation, we understand that some families will want test prep packets to work on over the break. We also imagine that some families will want their children to spend their vacations outdoors and get some exercise. We respect both plans and will leave the decision to you. Since there is such a tight schedule between the vacation and the tests, we will not be able to grade and return the packets. You may want to review the packet with your child after it's completed at home.
Extended Day Break
Because of state testing, there will be no extended day on April 16, 17, 23, and 24. Please make alternate arrangements after school on those days. Extended day will resume on April 30.
Snack
Please take a look at our current snack calendar and be sure to send in snack on your week.
| March 26 | April 2 | April 16 | April 23 | April 30 |
| Parker | Luigi | Kasar | Christina | Amon-ra |
| Oscar | Liza | D'yanira | Brandon | Ashley |
| Narayan | Lila | Dreanna | Alana | Jonathan |
| Milla | Alexander | DeAndre | Adriana | Martha |
| Miljan | Eko | Dario | Adelina | Michael N. |
| Michael C. | Ismael |
Best,
Nancy and Stephanie
