Geometry

The students are using geoboards to create different shapes using elastics.  They were making different triangles, pentagons, hexagons and octagons.

New Math Unit

Mrs. Dawson's group has just started a new math unit on Geometry.  We will be learning about different shapes and their names, as well as naming angles and measuring angles.  It should be a fun unit!



Important November Dates

November 7th:  Student of the Month

November 11th:  Remembrance Day Assembly (Our students are putting this on.  Please join us if you can make it.)

November 14th:  Report Cards go home

November 17th:  Parent - Teacher Interviews (Please make an appointment if you would like to come).

November 18th:  NO SCHOOL!

November 21st:  Newcomer Presentation (In the Dougall Library at 3:40 pm).

New Language Learning Goal

Since we have finished our learning goal on punctuation, we now have moved on to learning about joining words and sequencing words.  Our new learning goal for language is:

I can use joining words in my sentences to make them longer as well as use sequencing words to tell the order of something.

Our new Success Criteria is:
- I can identify joining words.
- I can use joining words in my sentences.
- I can idenitfy sequencing words.
- I can use sequencing words in my sentences to tell the order of something.

                          

Autumn Art

Mrs. Naismith has been working hard teaching the students different art techniques this term.  The students have been working on making leaf art.  They traced a leaf onto their paper and then ripped magazine pages (according to fall colours) into small pieces and glued them on the leaf.  They turned out looking great!

Final Punctuation Task

All of the children did a great job with their final punctuation task.  They are really getting to know when and where to use the correct type of punctuation.

New Learning Goal: Language

Since we have completed our unit on punctuation, we are now moving toward using joining words in our sentences.  We will be focusing on making our sentences longer using joining words (and, but, because, etc.).



Math - Multiplying two digits by one or two digits

The students learned how to multiply two digits by one and two digits today.  Here are some websites you can go to for extra help:
http://multiplication.com/interactive_games.htm
http://multiplication.com/flashgames/QuickFlash2.htm
http://www.mathplayground.com/multiplication03.html
http://www.mrnussbaum.com/multiplication.htm

Punctuation Task

The students had their punctuation culminating task today.  They were given a blank comic strip with pictures on it and asked to fill it in according to what they think was going on.  They needed to have sentences ending in periods, question marks and exclamation marks.  The students had a great time with this activity!

How Can I Help at Home? The Human Body ...

Here is a link to a great website where children can learn more about the skeletal system.
http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/revision/science/living/humanbody.html

LTTA

We welcomed Miss Louise into our class today to teach us dance.  She wrote a scary, creepy, action filled story and expressed the story through dance.  She is teaching the students the dance and they are going to create their own ending to the story.  The students had a great time!  Here they are warming up:

Life Size Skeletons!

In science we have been studying the human body.  The latest project the children completed was a life size skeleton.  This project was a blast!

Punctuation: How can I help at home?

Our culminating task for our punctuation unit is coming up.  The students will be given a task that will be graded according to a given set of criteria.  They will be able to see this criteria and a rubric based on how it will be marked before the assignment is given.  You can help your child at home by allowing them to view the pictures below and having them write a sentence, question or an exclamatory sentence about what is going on.  They need a capital letter at the beginning of the sentence and the appropirate punctuation at the end of the sentence.  Give it a try!

1. 

2. 

3. 

4. 

5. 

Learning Through the Arts: LTTA

We are lucky to invite Miss Louise into our class over the next number of weeks.  She is a dancer and will be teaching us new dances through stories.  She will be in with our class on Friday October 14, Friday October 21, Friday November 4 and Friday November 11.  Please make sure your child wears comfortable shoes on these days.  It's going to be a great experience for everyone!



Mutliplication Game

The students had a great time today reviewing their math skills in the game they were playing.  Take a look.

Mrs. Naismith's group was busy working on making a graph.  They read a story and gathered information they could put into a bar graph.



Punctuation Task

We have been working on how to punctuate the ends of sentences since September.  The students have had lots of practice and it is now time for them to show Mrs. Naismith and myself what they have learned.  They will be getting a scene out of a comic strip and asked to narrate what is going on.  They will need to use periods, question marks and exclamation marks to punctuate their sentences.  At the end of the project, the students will present their story to the class.  Before the project is assigned they will be getting a rubric explaining how they will be marked for the project.  I will be giving the students time in class to work on it.



How can I help at home?
Have your child write a short story at home using periods, question marks and exclamation marks.
Here are some online games:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks1bitesize/literacy/punctuation/index.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/hms_game.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/magickey/adventures/dragon_game.shtml

Shared Reading

Each day as part of our balanced literacy block we have shared reading.  The students got a new poem called, My Bones and they had a great time putting actions to it.  Take a look!

Reading Response

The grade 4 students are learning how to respond to a book they have read. 

They have learned two types of responses now.  They are:

1.  My favourite part of the story was .....

2.  Comparing the characters of the story and describing their character traits.

Students can respond to any story, even at home!  After reading they could:
1.  Draw or write about their favourite part.
2.  Compare the characters.
3.  Write a new ending to the story.
4.  Create a new book cover for the story.
5.  Discuss what the story reminds them of.

Math: Rounding Numbers

In Mrs. Dawson's math group we learned about rounding numbers to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000.

Remember the rule:

0-4 Round DOWN

5-9 Round UP

Round to the nearest 10:
37 becomes 40 (We look at the ones column.  The number is 7, so we round up).

Round to the nearest 100:
819 becomes 800 (We look at the tens column.  The number is 1, so we round down).

Round to the nearest 1000:
1999 becomes 2000 (We look at the hundreds column.  The number is 9, so we round up).

Here is a link to a rounding game that will help you practice:
http://www.free-training-tutorial.com/rounding-games.html

Punctuation Marks

We have been studying punctuation marks in class now for quite some time.  The students should be able to recognize a period, a question mark and an exclamation mark.  They should also be able to identify what type of punctuation goes at the end of sentences.  For example, ask your child what type of punctuation goes at the end of these sentences:

1.  I like to watch television

2.  Wow, that's amazing

3.  Why can't I go outside to play