Charlemagne 4th Grade

This coming week, we will begin correcting what I call the “horrible sentences.” I create a sentence with errors, and the students do their best to correct on their own or with a partner, then we go over the corrections together. This has multiple grammar lessons in it, and the students learn how to use editing marks.

We will begin our cursive writing instruction this week with the letters c, a, d, and g. We’ll go through all lowercase (minuscule) letters, then progress and work through all uppercase (majuscule) letters. French assessments, which include writing, speaking, comprehension, reading, and listening will happen during the next three weeks. None of the assessments are very long, and I don’t put them all on the same day. 

We will also begin (or just began for one class) our first art project this week which involves concentration and fine motor control. It takes a few weeks, but you’ll be seeing those lovely projects soon as we hang them up on our walls. This coming week, we’ll begin a “Moi!” project which is all about them… in French.

Les sciences

We will begin our first science unit, Soils, Rocks, and Landforms (La terre, les pierres, et les formes du relief) in early October. 

This year, both 4th and 5th grade classes are piloting new math curricula. This week we delve into review of 3rd grade multiplication strategies and make connections to 4th grade standards using the Bridges Mathematics Program.  You can learn more about our Math pilot here. This month, we are focusing on Multiplicative Thinking. Students should become fluent not just in basic multiplication facts of x1 through x10 and will demonstrate their thinking in a variety of ways. I’ll update in more depth here each week about what is happening in math. For your reference, here’s an overview of the math standards for 4th grade.

We are starting our first English unit called, “The Great Heart” this week. Students will define what a great heart is both literally and figuratively.  To begin, students will discuss “greatheartedness” as having traits such as kindness, perseverance, courage, or helpfulness. Over the next two weeks, they will read several short biographies of people who have shown greathearted traits through their words and actions. Students will work in small groups to write an organized paragraph to describe these “greathearted” people.

Here’s an overview of the entire year of 4th grade in our Wit and Wisdom English curriculum.

Please help your child wear clothes and shoes appropriate for running and jumping on their PE days. Closed toed shoes such as tennis shoes would be great; sandals or boots do not work well for PE.

 

At recess, students will be outside even in drizzle. So please have your child wear layers and a jacket or hat during rainy, cool weather.

 

Building and Field Trip Volunteers

The school will be requiring that folks who would like to volunteer at the building or on field trips complete a Volunteer Orientation before beginning their support of the classrooms and our students. In 4th grade there are opportunities to volunteer at recess, in the library, and on field trips. Later in the year, there may be classroom volunteer opportunities, too.

These will be offered once a week on Wednesdays in September from 6-6:30pm via Google Meet.  

To join the video meeting, click this link:  https://meet.google.com/nyt-vivo-hhx

The September dates will be  9/11, 9/18 and 9/25. Once you have completed the video orientation and District  Volunteer Background Check we will ask that you sign a Charlemagne Confidentiality Agreement at the front office on your first day.