Math, social studies, and number corner

This week in math we started a new unit on division. We also took a fluency test with multiplication, subtraction and addition. We got three minutes to answer as many problems as we could, out of a maximum of 40. It was quite challenging but we all did well. After that we took two days to work on division story problems. There were six story problems, and we had to complete four. After completing their work, people got to come up on the Elmo (the overhead projector) and share what strategy they had used. Later, we did the same thing, except with money problems. It was a great week in math.

In social studies, we kept on plowing through US Geography. We took our flash cards and had to identify all the state’s names and locations. The only states that we were required to know were the northeastern states, but we still studies all of them. The at the end of the week, we took a test about all the states, but again, we were only required to know the northeastern ones.

In number corner, the February calendar brings a new challenge of uncovering the month’s pattern. Since we have only turned over one square of the calendar, it remains a mystery so far. On the square, it showed a number machine, with different numbers going in and out. It’s going to be exciting to unlock this month’s mystery.

Reading and Writing
    In reading this week we have been reading historical fiction which are all set in Vermont in different time periods. We are reading the books with the reading partners we had before the winter break. We have been focusing on what time period and where the setting is in our books. We also have been  focusing on the main character(s) and what the main character(s) are like.  We have also been doing silent reading.

In writing this week we have been responding to this prompt:

Do you think it is more important for 4th grader to learn and practice cursive or typing?

We started by writing a one paragraph response to that. Then we tried to extend it into more than one paragraph. We are now taking the steps to learning how to make it into a five paragraph essay. We are still going to the computer lab to do kidblog (ask you child for details) and type to learn. Some of us worked on young writers project (YWP) with Kelly Marcus.

 Other Important News and Events
- On Monday February 4th all fourth graders will NAEP testing in the morning.
- Thursday, February 7th 2:30 pm-6:30 pm Red Barn order pick-up. It will be  in the SCS breezeway
- Monday, February 15th the scholastic book fair will be going on in the SCS library.
- Monday, February 25th-Friday, March there is no school. It is winter break

     By Nigel Wormser and Heidi Berger