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small medium large 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
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