Oct. 22, 2018

Parents,

Tonight's homework is lesson 3.2 on estimating products with 2-digit numbers by 2-digit numbers. If you need assistance, please check out the tutorial below. I have also updated what the students will be doing this week by subject area, important upcoming events, and classroom reminders. Thank you and have a great week.

Math:

Students have begun chapter 3 on multiplication. The difference between this chapter and chapter 2 is we will be multiplying 2-digit numbers by 2-digit numbers. We should be completing 3.3 on investigating area models and partial products, 3.4 on multiplication using partial products, and 3.5 on multiplication with regrouping. Note: There is a chapter 2 quiz on multiplication concepts learned from those lessons on Wednesday.

Science/ Social Studies:

Most groups are working on the Create and Improve stages of the EDP process where they are building their rover and making adjustments to it. Some groups are finishing up adding labels, painting their map, and finishing the ask, imagine, and planning stages of the engineering design process to their rover.

Adjusted Timeline:

Oct. 12: Research the region that your group is assigned.  Use your social studies textbook to find the information and record it on the graphic organizer.

Oct. 19: Use the map, poster-board, paint and dough provided to create a “salt map” of your assigned region.  Your map should include a map key and labels. (see this link for directions http://kidworldcitizen.org/2012/01/29/3d-salt-dough-maps/ )

Oct. 26: Explore the purpose of a “rover” or “drone.” Bring in recyclable materials that could be used to design a vehicle that can explore your region. Your design should consider the geography of your region. You should also consider how your vehicle will collect information about the region.

Nov.2: Present to the class a “documentary” about the discoveries of your vehicle in your region.

Language Arts:

Students will continue Unit 2 Week 1 on reading and evaluating a mentor response to a narrative prompt; use words in a sentence to demonstrate understanding; determine key events in a text and summarize them; make connections between a story and a play; identify common characters, events, and themes in two texts; organize plot events logically, build story events to a conclusion; identify, explain, and use similes in context; determine the theme of a fable and fairy tale; use text evidence to support my ideas; and use commas correctly; They also transition to working stations of writing letters, word work, and reading.

Important Dates

Week of October 22nd (Red Ribbon Week)
Monday - Wear Red
Tuesday - Wear Red, White and Blue
Wednesday - Super Hero Day
Thursday - Wear Wild Socks
Friday - Wear a Team Jersey

Tuesday Oct. 23rd
DoDEA Summative Assessment Meeting
(Gr. 4 & 5 Parents, 8:45 STEAM Lab)

Wednesday Oct.24th
Chapter 2 Math Quiz 

Reminder: Early Dismissal Every Wednesday at 1:40

Reminder: If you haven't chose a conference time and sent it back to school with your child, please do so.

There are still some students who are struggling with their multiplication facts. Please practice them at home.

Grading:

This year your child will have letter grades on their report cards.  It is important for you to review the papers that come home with your child on a regular basis. If your child has a C or below on an assignment, please help reinforce the concepts and have your child redo the assignment.  Sometimes you may also see a 1-4 score on your child’s paper. This type of score reflects a rubric score for the assignment. See the grade equivalents below:

4-A, 3-B, 2-C, 1-D or Below

Interims will keep you informed of your child’s current grades. The first interim, however, will be very general since only a few grades will be given by that date.

Homework:

Please check your child’s homework notebook for daily homework assignments.  The basic nightly routine will be 20 minutes of reading AND a math assignment.  The math will be the homework pages in the math workbook that correlate with the daily lesson OR a Think Central assignment.  Your child should have the pages written down in their notebooks. Mr. Utter will also post daily assignments with how to videos on the G-Force blog.

Snack:

Fourth grade students have a very early lunch this year, so we will not have a snack time.  Our time is limited in the afternoon due to recess and specials. Please make sure your child eats a sufficient amount of lunch to get them through the school day.

FYI...

• Looking for extra math practice? Please go to the following site to assist you in parent math newsletters, extra practice for the math units we are working on, games, and many other useful resources to help your child with math concepts. (https://sites.google.com/view/midatlanticmathresource This site is found on the Crossroads homepage.

• If you need to contact any of us, the quickest way is through email. (NOT through Class Dojo).Our emails are as follows:
• charles.utter@am.dodea.edu; kali.hamill@am.dodea.edu and judith.ward@am.dodea.edu.
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• If your child will be absent from school, please let the office know with a call, email, or note. You can email the school at CESattendance@am.dodea.edu
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• New DODEA rules prohibit food for birthdays so please do not send in cupcakes or other food for your child.