FourthGradePostReminders!

• ClassesstillneedparentvolunteersfortheOvernightFieldTriptoPetalumaAdobe.Pleasereachouttoyourclass’roomparentsformoreinformation/volunteer.

• Reminder-TherewillbenoclassthisFriday,November10thforVeteran’sDay.

• Weencouragestudentstodoatleast45minutesofDreamboxaweekoutsideofclasstohelpreinforceandbuildfluencyinmathskills.Thisallowsstudentstogetpracticeinareaswemaynotbecoveringinacurrentunit,butwhereastudentmayneedspecificsupport.Itsgamebased,iPadappcompatibleifyouhaveone,andteacherscanseehowstudentsareprogressingandwhereinclasswecanbuildinmoredifferentiatedsupport.

• OurnextupcomingfieldtripwillbeMonday,November13thtotheFestivalofSouthAfricanDanceatZellermanHall,UCBerkeley.Wewillneeddrivers!☺Wewillleaveat9:30,andbebackby1:00/1:30.

• AnotherupcomingfieldtripwillbeTuesday,November28thtotheKuleLokloatPointReyes.Wewillneeddrivers!☺Mrs.Schmidt’sClassand½ofMs.Thompson’sclasswillleaveschoolat8:45amandreturnby12:30pm.Ms.Carrade’sClassand½ofMs.Thompson’sclasswillleaveat10:15amandreturnby2:00pm.Lookoutforane-mailfromyourchild’sroomparenttosignup(andtoseewhichtimeslotyourchildisiniftheyareinMs.Thompson’sclass).

• Togetaglimpseintothewonderfulworldof4thGrade,checkoutourprivateclassinstagrams.Youwon’tbeabletoseeanyofthepicturesunlessyourequestto“follow.”Ms.Carrade’s:ms.carradeMrs.Schmidt:mrs.schmidtwcaMs.Thompson:ms.thompsonwca

HomeworkTherehasbeenanoticeablepatternofstudentsnotcompletingallofthehomeworkeachnightorforgettingitemsathome.Theexpectationsofdeadlinesandpersonalresponsibilityareveryimportantin4thgradeasitisnecessarytherestoftheireducationalcareer.So,keepworkingoncompletingallhomeworkassignmentsthenighttheyaregivenandreadytobecheckedthenextmorning.Thisincludesthenightlymathwork,readingcomprehensionquestion,andparentsignature.Ondayswherethereiswritinghomework,therewillbenomathorreadingtocomplete(signatureisstillneededthough). SMART Foundation

TheWillowCreekFoundationhavesentoutthankyoulettersANDreminderletterstodonate.www.WillowCreekAcademy.org/donate.Everycentcounts,butthey'rehopingyoucandonate...*$250/student/yearforthe"S"-ClassroomSupportOR*$1200/student/yearfortheSMART"fullshare"-Classroom,Music,Art,Reading,TechnologyOR*$3000/student/year-somefamiliesaren'tabletogivethe"fullshare"...pleasehelpbydonatingwiththosefamiliesinmind!ELAThisweekwelearnedjusthowKaranaendedupontheIslandoftheBlueDolphinallbyherself!Thereweremanyshockingandsadmomentsoverthelastfewchapters.WediscussedwhetherwewouldhavejumpedofftheshiptobewithRamowhowasstuckontheislandorstayedontheshipwiththerestofhertribe.WealsopredictedwhatwouldhappennowthatthewilddogshavekilledherbrotherRamoandKaranaisaloneontheisland.Askyourchildwhattheywoulddoiftheywereontheislandbythemselves,likeKarana!

Daily5WeconinutedworkinginourguidedreadinggroupsandatDaily5stations.Ourbookgroupsaregoinggreatandwearelearninghowtobeindpendentandfocusedwhennotworkingwiththeteacher.Someofthereadingcomprehensionskillswehavebeenworkingonaresummarizing(somebody,wanted,but,sothen)andwritingitinparagraphform,characertraits,usingevidencetosupportanswers,andusingcontextcluestohelpunderstandvocabulary.MathThisweekwestartedUnit4:Measurement!StudentsarepracticingusingtheU.S.StandardandMetricsystemstomeasuretheheight,width,andperimeterofobjects.Wearefocusingonprecisionwithmeasurement,andconvertingfromfeettoinches,yardstofeet,meterstocentimeters,etc.Asweteachperimeter,weemphasizethatifyoumeasuretwosidesoftheobjectthathasfoursides,withequaloppositesides(likearectangleorsquare),youknowtheunmeasuredsides.Forexample:

Soyoucanseethatthetopsidewillalsobe15,andtheleftsidewillalsobe8.Studentsthenaddedthe15+8(=23)andthendoubledtheiranswerto46.

Also,asweconvertedfeettoinches,forexample,studentsgottomakeagreatconnectiontomulitplicationwewerejustpracticing!Forexample:Whatistheheightofthedoor?7feet.Writethatininches....Weknow1ft=12InchesSo7x12=84inchesTheperimeterofthedooris84inches!

15feet

8feet

Also,herearesometipstosolveawordproblem:1.Circletheimportantinformation.2.Drawapicture.3.Addthenumberstothepicture.4.Writetheequation.5.Solve!Writeunits.Wearenoticingallstudentsreallyneedtoreviewtheirmultiplicationfacts.Youcantremendouslysupportyourchildathomebypracticingmathfacts,skipcounting(3,6,9,12...),andhavingthempracticewithfungamesonthisfreewebsite:http://www.fun4thebrain.com/mult.html.StudentsaresetupwithDreamboxthisweek.Pleaseencouragethemtologintotheiraccountandplay!https://play.dreambox.com/login/school_login/classroom?asp=1309278&district=z7a8&school=willowcaSocialStudiesThisweekweworkedonparaphrasingandlookingthroughinformation.Wethenputthenotesintographicorganizersbasedoneachaspect.WeusedtheBayMiwokasanexampletoread,understand,andcompilenotesontheeconomic,political,social,andculturalaspectsofNativeAmericandailylives.Nextweek,wewillchoosedifferenttribesfromCaliforniaandworktowardscreatingourskits.

TheDrivingQuestion:Ashistorians,howcanweuseperformancetotellaboutthedailylifeofCaliforniaNativeAmericans?

WritingWehavebeengatheringevidencetosupportourreasonsusinglistsandanecdotes.Attheendoftheweek,westartedcombiningallofourevidenceintoparagraphsforouropinionessay.Belowareanexampleofathesis,3reasons,onelist,andoneanecdotetosupport.Thesis:IloveIceCreamReasons:

1. I love ice cream because I like all the different toppings 2. I love ice cream because of all of the different flavors 3. I love ice cream because you can eat it different ways.

ListtoSupportReason1:Ilikeallthedifferenttoppingsbecausetheyaddextraflavortomyicecream.Ilikeallthedifferenttoppingsbecausetheycanmaketheicecreamcrunchy.IlikeallthedifferenttoppingsbecauseIcanmaketheicecreamhealthierbyaddingfruit.AnecdotetoSupportReason2:OncewhenIwasyoungertheicecreamshopwasoutofmyfavoriteflavor,chocolate.TheservertoldmetoptrymintchocolatechipbecauseIlikethetasteofmint.Aftermyfirstbiteitbecausemynewfavoriteflavor.Ilovethattheywereabletomixtwoflavorstogether!Specials:BelowaretheschedulesforPE.Makesureonthesedaystowearappropriateshoesandclothing.Carrade:Monday2:20-3:00andWednesday1:20-2:00Thompson:Monday2:20-3:00andWednesday1:20-2:00Schmidt:Tuesday11:20-12:00andThursday2:20-3:00Contact:Ifyouhaveanyotherquestionsorconcerns,pleasefeelfreetoe-mailusatathompson@willowcreekacademy.org,jschmidt@willowcreekacademy.org,orjcarrade@willowcreekacademy.org.