What are we learning this week?

Readers' Workshop

We are continuing to build our comprehension tool kit.  We will be having some FUN with readers' workshop as we explore some LITERATURE CIRCLE books.  Each ELA teacher has chosen some wonderful selections to use with her students over the next couple of weeks.  Although comprehension is essential in good Literature Circle meetings, we will also be focusing on enjoying books just for the sake of enjoying them during this time.    
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Writers' Workshop
April is National Poetry Month so we will be looking at Poetry from both a reader's and a writer's perspective.  We will be exploring the many different kinds of poetry out there and practicing some of our own.  We may have our very own poet in 4th grade.  In May and June we will be getting a head start on some fifth grade writing and exploring the world of PERSUASION.  
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Mathematics
We have just completed our GEOMETRY unit where we learned about lines, rays, and angles, as well as 2-dimensional shapes.  For the next few weeks we will be studying DATA & MEASUREMENT a topic that tends to be difficult for 4th grade students.  We will be spending time exploring both metric and customary measures of length, volume, and weight.  We will also be investigating elapsed time on a calendar and analog/digital clocks.   
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Social Studies
We are continuing to explore our own heritage and how that ties into the bigger picture of IMMIGRATION in the United States.  Recently, we participated in a virtual tour where we got to "talk" with real park rangers at ELLIS ISLAND to learn about how life was there.  Although we are still studying the states, our next primary focus will be on the branches and functions of the GOVERNMENT.  
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Science
Be sure to ask your child about what we have been learning in science recently.  Mrs. Acevedo's class and Miss O'Neil's class have left space and will be starting with the Rocks and Minerals kit soon; while Mrs. MacDonald's students will be learning about the life cycle of frogs and other animals. 
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Health
We are using a combination of the Second Steps program and the Great Body Shop magazines this year. We have been spending much of our time talking about Community and what makes a community function.  Our latest Great Body Shop magazine that was sent home is about medicines vs. drugs.  We spent some time in class talking about this but we encourage you to continue these conversations at home as well.  
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Last Modified: Monday, Apr. 09, 2012
 
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