November 3, 2006

Dear 4B Parents~

 

With the ERBs completed, we pushed ahead this week with curriculum, especially with writing, social studies and science.

The 4th graders explored and studied different types of gathering grids or writing webs this week.  These webs serve as a pre-writing tool to help the students see and organize their thoughts and ideas prior to beginning a rough draft.

 

Thank you everybody for preparing the salt dough for our California region relief map project this Thursday.  It was a messy, fun and extremely rewarding activity that allowed students to get a truly hands on feel for the widely diverse regions of California.
We are hoping to finish this unit on California geography this week. This will become increasingly important as we move through California’s history.  Next up, California Native Americans!

In science, the students have continued to push forward at studying a specific natural disaster.  This past week we worked on reading expository text (internet articles) for specific information.  This was a challenging activity, but one which they dove into with glee.  It was fun to watch them work together toward a common goal.  The 'news teams' have nearly reached the end of collecting information, and will begin next week, rehearsing their actual newscast of the event.

The students have continued to read and study the final chapters of Island of the Blue Dolphins.

 

Every member of the class has met with me in regard to getting their outside reading project book approved.  They should now be moving forward with the reading.

 

I look forward to meeting with you all this Thursday or Friday.  If you haven't already done so, please be sure to sign up for a conference time.  Please let me know if you have any difficulties making reservations through our school website.

 

Have a great week-end!

 

-Steve