Behind the Scenes - Week of October 31

Weekly Spotlight:
*Spelling pretest on Monday.
*SE Map Due on Wednesday.
*Chapter 1, lesson 3 and chapter 2, lessons 2 & 3 science test on Wednesday.
*Picture Retakes on Thursday.
*Spelling test on Friday.

Coming Attractions:
*Rollerskating Party on Monday, Nov. 7, 3:45-6:30.
*Unit 1 Sentence Test on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
*No school on Friday, Nov. 11 - Veterans Day.
*End of 1st Trimester on Friday, Nov. 18.
*No school on Wednesday, Nov. 23-Friday, Nov. 25.
*Parent-Teacher Conferences during the week of Nov. 28.
*Report Cards Issued online on Tuesday, Nov. 29.

THANK YOU:A big thank you to all the parent volunteers that made our Halloween party a spooktacular event. The kids loved the treats, games, and crafts!

Homeroom Happenings:
Science - The children will take a test on chapter 1, lesson 3 and chapter 2, lessons 2 & 3 on Wednesday. During the rest of the week, we will begin our next unit on Adaptations. Children should review the following concepts for the test:
*Define vertebrate & invertebrate.
*Describe characteristics of vertebrates. Which animals are vertebrates? What are the 5 classifications of vertebrates?
*Describe characteristics of invertebrates. Which animals are invertebrates? What are some of the classifications of invertebrates?
*Define photosynthesis & life cycle.
*Describe the stages of the life cycle of flowering plants. See tomato plant life cycle.
*Describe how plants reproduce using only spores. See fern life cycle.
*Define direct development & metamorphosis.
*Describe and order the stages of an animal's life cycle.
*Describe how some plants grow and develop.
*Describe the stages of the human life cycle.
*Describe the difference between simple and complete metamorphosis.

Social Studies - We will begin our trip through the Southeast region. Our journey will begin by focusing on the land and climate of the Southeast.

Spelling - Our spelling words this week will focus on short and long vowels. Our pretest will be on Monday, and our final test will be on Friday. If your child receives a 95% or higher, they will become a challenge speller. On Friday, they will take a test on their challenge words.

English - We will finish our sentence unit this week. Our final lessons will include: simple predicates and correcting run-on sentences. The children will fill out a "how to study" sheet on Wednesday. The Sentence test will be on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Enrichment will be due the day of the test.

Reading - Mysteries will be the focus in reading for all fourth grade students next week. We will begin by learning vocabulary words that are typically associated with mysteries, such as “suspect”, “evidence” and “suspense”. Students may practice the definitions of the vocabulary words by completing a crossword puzzle at the following website: http://www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr06/gr4/activities/pdf/gr4th _xword.pdf. All students will read & study “The Case of the Purloined Pachyderm”. While reading this mystery and other mystery stories, students will be studying the format of a mystery and using the reading strategies of monitoring and clarifying.

Mrs. Sulima's Math Spotlight:
Monday - Pretest on next chapter. Mini-lesson on division, fact families, and rules of division.
Tuesday - Order of Operations.
Wednesday - Division Patterns.
Thursday - Three-digit Quotients.
Friday - Zeros in the Quotient.

Behind the Scenes - Week of October 24th

Weekly Spotlight:
*Tuesday Schedule on Monday - bring library books.
*Math quiz on Monday - Chapter 2, lessons 5-8.
*Monday Schedule on Tuesday - bring your recorder, if you haven't already.
*John Lynn Assembly on Wednesday.
*Early Dismissal on Thursday, 11:00.
*Chapter 2 Math Test on Friday.
*Halloween Parade on Friday, 1:00.
*Halloween Party on Friday, 1:30.
*Bingo Night on Friday, 7:00-8:30 - Join Mrs. Sulima!

HALLOWEEN PARTY:
On Friday, we will have our Halloween Parade and Party. Please keep in mind the following guidelines when helping your child pick out a Halloween costume for our Halloween party and parade (parents may come at 1:00 pm to watch our school parade) on Friday, October 28th:
*We only have 10 minutes for costume changes. Please make sure your child can change into his/her costume easily and by themselves. If the costume can be worn over their clothes, then both the time to change and the chances of losing any clothes is minimized. Children will not be allowed to use the washroom to change. Girls will change in one room and boys will change in another.
*If you send your child in with make-up, your child will need to be able to apply it themselves (within the 10 minute time limit).
*Please do not send any weapons (guns, swords, etc.) as part of the costume. Save those for trick-or-treating.
*We will not have time to change back into our clothes for dismissal. Your child will wear their costume home.

Coming Attractions:
*Chapter 1, lesson 3 & Chapter 2, lessons 2 & 3 Test on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
*Picture Retake Day on Thursday, November 3.
*Roller Skating Party on Monday, November 7, 3:45-6:30.
*No School on Friday, November 11 - Veteran's Day.
*End of first trimester on Friday, November 18.
*No school on Wednesday, November 23-Friday, November 25 - Thanksgiving Break.

Homeroom Happenings:
Science - We will finish chapter 2, lesson 3 on life cycles of animals. The children will fill out a "how to study" sheet on Thursday. Due to Halloween, our test will not be until Wednesday, November 2.

Social Studies - The children are working on a Narragansett village project. They had the choice of drawing an illustration of the village or writing a detailed story about the life of the Narragansett. Both projects need to include evidence of the following: wigwam(s), Sachem, fishing, hunting, farming, cooperation, and tools used.

Spelling - Our spelling words this week will be Halloween themed. We will not take a pretest or test. Your child will have 3 activities, using the words, that will be due on Friday. All three activities will be grades - 10 points each.

English - We will continue our study of sentences. On Monday, everyone will stay with me to learn about the 4 types of sentences - declarative, interrogative, imperative, and exclamatory. Throughout the rest of the week, we will focus on subjects and predicates, simple subjects, and simple predicates. We will also be doing an activity using alliteration.

Reading - This week in reading, students will be reviewing the strategies and skills that we have studied so far this year, with particular emphasis on predicting and making inferences.

Mrs. Sulima's Math:
Monday - Check your Progress quiz on chapter 2, lessons 5-8. HW: None.
Tuesday - Fill out "how to study" & Extended response. HW: Study for test on Friday.
Wednesday - Extended Response & review for test. HW: Study for test on Friday.
Thursday - No math due to early dismissal.
Friday - Chapter 2 Test. HW: None.

Behind the Scenes - Week of October 17

Weekly Spotlight:
*Spelling pretest on Monday.
*Chapter 4 Social Studies test on Tuesday.
*Quiz on Text Organization on Thursday.
*Spelling test on Friday.

Coming Attractions:
*Book Fair on Thursday, October 20, 6:30-8:00.
*John Lynn Presentation on Wednesday, October 26.
*Early Dismissal on Thursday, October 27, 11:00.
*Parade and Halloween Party on Friday, October 28, 1:15.
*Bingo Night on Friday, October 28, 7:00-8:30. Mrs. Sulima will be there!! Join me!!

Homeroom Happenings:
Science - We will discuss plants that reproduce by spores and other ways plants grow. The students will do a lesson review on Wednesday. We will also begin our next lesson on animal life cycles.

Social Studies - On Tuesday the children will take the chapter 4 test. A review quest and vocabulary assignment will come home on Monday to help your child review. Students should bring their signed "how to study" sheet on Tuesday to earn 2 points on their test. We will also begin a mini-unit on a Native American tribe from the Northeast, The Narragansett.

English - The children took a pretest on Sentences on Friday. On Monday, I will return the pretests with learning contracts. The children will then need to pick their enrichment project for this unit. We will begin our sentence unit on Wednesday. This week we will focus on the following lessons: What is a sentence? Statements & Questions, and Commands & Exclamations.

Reading - In reading this week, the students will focus on noting details in a story. They will learn that details may give information, explain ideas, and reveal characters' feelings. They will also work on the Question comprehension strategy. Good readers ask themselves questions about important ideas as they read. The students will practice asking questions about the text that can be answered as they read the text and finish the story.

Mrs. Sulima's Math Class:

Monday - Zeros in the Multiplicand (Multiplying by 1-digit)

Tuesday - Multiplying by 2-digits

Wednesday - Multiplying by 3-digits

Thursday - Zeros in the Multiplier

Friday - Multiplication with Money. HW: Quiz on Monday.

Behind the Scenes - Week of October 10

Weekly Spotlight:
*No school on Monday - Columbus Day.
*No school on Tuesday - Institute Day.
*Verb test on Thursday.
*A Family Apart quiz on Thursday.
*Mario Kart Assembly on Thursday.
*Math Quiz on Friday.

Coming Attractions:
*Movie Night on Friday, October 14, 6:30-8:45.
*Book Fair on Thursday, October 20, 6:30-8:00.
*Halloween Parade and Party on Friday, October 28.
*Bingo Night on Friday, October 28, 7:00-8:30 - Mrs. Sulima will be there!!!

Homeroom Happenings:
Science - We will begin our study of plant life cycles. The children will also test their airplanes on Wednesday. Directions for the paper airplanes are in your child's science pocket.

Social Studies - Our trip through the Northeast will continue this week. We will explore the Chesapeake Bay. This is our last lesson in the Northeast Region, chapter 4. We will fill out a "how to study" sheet on Friday. Our chapter 4 test will be on Tuesday, October 18. Your child should review the following concepts for the test:
*Key words: glacier, gorge, hydropower, hydroelectricity, lighthouse, peninsula, vineyard, bog, sap, mineral, quarry, bay, inlet, watermen, & crab pot.
*Identify the two Great Lakes between which Niagara Falls is located.
*Identify the two main features for which Niagara Falls is known.
*Identify the three mountain ranges in the northeastern part of the Appalachian Mountains.
*Identify the two states in the Northeast that do not border the Atlantic Ocean.
*Identify key steps in the production of maple syrup.
*Explain why grapes grow well in certain areas of the Northeast.
*Identify the largest of the Finger Lakes.
*Explain why water is essential to the production and growth of cranberries.
*Define the name of the people who fish Chesapeake Bay.
*Explain how pollution from a factory gets into Chesapeake Bay.
*Explain why Chesapeake Bay is important to the Northeast.
*Describe actions a resident of the Chesapeake Bay area could take to help preserve the bay.

Spelling - We will not have a spelling lesson this week.

English - Our Verb Test will be on Thursday. Enrichment projects are due the day of the test. The children will take our next English pretest on Friday. Pretests and contracts will be returned to your child the following week.

Reading - We will continue focusing on the reading strategy of text organization. Many non-fiction authors organize their selections in time order. They also use features such as headings, pictures, captions, and charts to help the reader better understand the information. These skills will be practiced through the use of our Science and Social Studies textbooks.
Our class will also finish A Family Apart by reviewing character traits and taking a final comprehension, vocabulary, and character traits quiz on Thursday The children will be allowed to use the novel during the quiz. No other notes or handouts will be allowed.

Mrs. Sulima's Math:
Monday - No school.
Tuesday - No school.
Wednesday - Properties of Multiplication.
Thursday - Mental Math & Patterns in Multiplication.
Friday - Check your Progress quiz over lessons 1-4. Estimating Products.