| |
JANUARY 2009 NEWSLETTER
Dear Parents:
First of all, I would like to wish all of you a very Happy New
Year. I hope you had a nice holiday. I am looking forward to “2009” and
the students’ continued success.
Students are enhancing their academic skills throughout the subject
areas. This month, we will be moving forward with our curriculum to further
advance these skills. In the following paragraphs, an update is given in
each subject area that I teach.
Math:
We are currently working on our new math unit, Big Numbers,
Estimation, and Computation. This unit involves extended multiplication
facts, double digit multiplying, estimating sums and products, big numbers,
measuring distances, exponential notation, and rounding. Students will
complete related activities such as estimating weight of objects, tracking
map distances, computing/multiplying with traditional algorithms, place
value puzzles, name collection boxes, etc. During the end of January, we
will start our next unit, Fractions and Their Uses; Chance and Probability.
This unit teaches students basic fraction concepts such as fraction sets,
parts of a whole, adding/subtracting, naming, equivalent, and conversions.
Probability and chance elements will also be emphasized in this unit.
Students will use pattern and base ten blocks, cubes, clocks, and fraction
cards to help practice fractions.
The Everyday Math Student Reference Book (SRB) should go home with
the students each day so students can have a reference for their homework.
This book also guides parents on some new math concepts to help their child
with their homework.
Reading and Writing:
We recently finished reading the realistic fiction, Stone Fox.
Students did a great job analyzing characters, comprehending parts of the
story, identifying story elements, picking out problems and solutions,
summarizing, understanding inferences, and making predictions. Various
related activities to this book that we completed and are continuing to work
on are character webs, Venn-diagrams, discussion cubes, book reviews, and
alternate endings. Our next literature strand book will be another
realistic fiction called The Big Wave. We will compare and contrast the
characters in this book with the characters in Stone Fox. In addition, we
will continue guided reading this month which emphasizes the development of
comprehension and vocabulary skills. Students will be completing book
reviews of their literature circle books as well.
Within writing class, we are working on an array of skills. This
month, students’ writing will entail developing and revising extending
endings of narrative pieces, writing book reviews, and constructing well
developed responses to open ended questions. Spelling, vocabulary
development, and grammar are also being emphasized. Students will be
learning about parts of speech and their uses within sentences. Students
are encouraged to look up words and have proper spelling within their
writing assignments.
Science:
Students have completed several hands-on activities within our
Magnetism and Electricity unit. They have completed several labs such as
making a complete circuit, a switch, a motor run, a conductive indicator,
parallel and series circuits, and are currently working on making an
electromagnet and telegraph. They have done a wonderful job so far grasping
the electricity concepts. A study guide has been given and a test will be
coming soon on this unit.
Our next unit, Water, consists of exploring and understanding
properties, changes, interactions, and purposes of water. Investigations
such as looking at water, surface tension, and water on a slope will be
conducted. Buoyancy will also be discussed and demonstrated within this
unit.
Social Studies
Please see Ms. Des Biens’ website regarding social studies updates
and homework. Her website is
http://newfairfieldschools.org/meetinghouse/amccullough/.
Technology:
I like to incorporate technology whenever possible within my
classes. Students will be using computers to conduct research, play math
games, and develop PowerPoint presentations. Students can look forward to
continued computer use related to our curriculum.
Class Meetings and Organization:
We will continue our class meetings this month. Students are
learning how to handle various social issues in a respectful manner. I am
proud of the students’ responses during these meetings.
Developing organizational skills is important for fourth graders.
To help develop these skills, desks are cleaned weekly, assignment pads are
checked daily, organizational checklists are given as needed, and we go
through folders monthly to get rid of old papers. Students are required to
have a folder for each subject and keep papers pertaining to those subjects
within these folders.
Other:
Special thanks to the parents who have volunteered their time and
contributions for class activities, parties, literature circles, bulletin
boards, and presentations. If you would like to volunteer for class
parties, bulletin boards, literature circles, field trips, math stations,
lunch help, computer research and presentations, please contact my room
mothers Mrs. Forsberg and Mrs. Gaffney. They are coordinating volunteers
for me this year. Please check my website at
http://teacherweb.com/CT/MHHS/Dudas for important dates, announcements,
homework assignments, student news, etc. I appreciate all of your
continued help and support.
Thanks and Happy New Year,
Bill Dudas
E-mail: wdudas@new-fairfield.k12.ct.us
|
|