Grade 4 Weekly Newsletter
September 10-14
Curriculum
Reading:
Students will learn different strategies to help them tackle hard words they may encounter as they read. Next students will start getting to know their reading partners better and work on how they can become more active listeners.
This week’s lessons:
Lesson 10: Learning New Words from Books
Lesson 11: Reading in the Company of Partners
Lesson 12: Thinking over Stories with Partners
Essential Questions
- How can I take charge of my reading life?
- What strategies best support and strengthen reading comprehension?
Writing:
This week writers will be studying what makes a good lead and ending. They will look at a couple mentor texts such as Julie Brinckloe’s, Fire Flies and Jacqueline Woodson’s, Pecan Pie Baby to help them draw their own conclusions. We will be guiding students to come up with these conclusions or questions:
Strong Leads…
- Sometimes begin with small action, and this can be an action in the setting, as when the firefly flickers on and off.
- Sometimes begin by creating a mood and a place, and only afterward does the sequence of action begin.
- Slowly reveal the time and the place, bit by bit, as the characters see or move into the setting
Strong Endings…
- Should make sense and not come out of nowhere.
- Should have all loose ends tied up so that the reader has no more key questions unanswered.
- Should bring closure to the story’s purpose.
- Should reveal evidence of the main character’s evolution.
Students will also be thinking about how important setting can be in a story. They will try to make sure that every action in their story has a place especially when dialogue is involved. Finally, we will end the week learning how to revise our work using our narrative writing checklist.
This week’s lessons:
This week’s lessons:
Lesson 8: Studying Published Texts to Write Leads
Lesson 9: Orienting Readers with Setting
Lesson 10: Writing Powerful Ending
Lesson 11: Revision Rereading with a Lens
Lesson 12: Making a Space for Writing
Essential Questions
- How can I write long and strong and with independence?
- How can I write a fiction story that is similar to published short stories and picture books?
Mathematics:
We are continuing Module 1 in Math. This module is where students extend their work with whole numbers. They develop their understanding of place value and number patterns of ten times. We move into addition and subtraction of multi-digit numbers using the standard algorithm. Students will begin to use these strategies and the tape diagram to solve word problems.
Monday 11th September - Mid Module Assessment
Essential Questions:
- What strategies can be used to compare multi-digit whole numbers?
- How do patterns in our number system help in understanding mathematics?
- How can strategies be used to solve multistep word problems?
- How can the reasonableness of a solution be determined?
Here is the LINK to the Growth Mindset video we began to watch at Back To School Night. We suggest you watch it with your child and discuss what might create a positive math classroom at school. How can you build a positive math relationship with your child?
The lessons are as follows for this week:
Topic D: Multi-Digit Whole Number Addition
Lesson 1: Use place value understanding to fluently add multi-digit whole numbers using the standard addition algorithm, and apply the algorithm to solve word problems using tape diagrams.
Lesson 2: Solve multi-step word problems using the standard addition algorithm modeled with tape diagrams, and assess the reasonableness of answers using rounding.
Topic E: Multi-Digit Whole Number Subtraction
Lesson 3: Use place value understanding to decompose to smaller units once using the standard subtraction algorithm, and apply the algorithm to solve word problems using tape diagrams.
Science:
This week in Science we will begin to work with the electricity portion of our unit. We will start with simple circuits and the parts of a circuit. We will also look at conductors and insulators. We will test various items to see if they are conductors or insulators. Students are continuing to think about the direction that they want to follow in their Inquiry Project.
Essential Questions:
- What is magnetism?
- What is electricity?
- What do scientists do when working in a lab?
- How are magnetism and electricity related?
Guidance News: Digital Safety
This week students in grades 3-5 will begin a unit on Digital Safety. They will learn about the digital world and how to operate within it safely and responsibly. The lessons and activities in this unit are designed to help students:
· understand the digital world is global in nature and everything done online leaves a trail;
· learn the skills to protect the privacy for self and others;
· learn how to seek help if confusing or inappropriate material is seen online;
· be sensitive to the needs and feelings of others online; and,
· learn how to handle inappropriate and/or hurtful messages received online.
Students will learn the 3 rules for Digital Safety. We will begin with an introduction to the digital world and the importance for protecting Y.A.P.P.Y while in this “world”.
Y - Your Name
A - Address
P- Passwords
P- Phone
Y - Your Plans
More information will be shared in the coming weeks!
Grade 4 Homework:
Daily homework tasks will be written into student planners each day. Tasks may include reading for 20-30 minutes per night, writing for 10 minutes per night along with additional mathematics work. Homework may differ according to teachers and students. Any mathematics homework that students find challenging please advise their homeroom teacher so they can progress accordingly. Homework is not meant to be impossible, challenging for students to grow their brains, but not impossible!
Upcoming Events
- Sept. 10-14 - ES Photos Week (more information coming)
- 4D - Monday, Sept. 11th from 1:00-2:00
- 4F - Thursday, Sept. 14th from 1:00-2:00
- 4M - Thursday, Sept. 14th from 8:00-9:00
- MAP testing grades 4
- Monday, Sept. 11: Language Usage
- Wednesday, Sept. 13: Reading
- Monday, Sept. 18, Math
- Sept. 11 8-9am ES Hall. Principal's Coffee - Challenge and Enrichment informational session
- Sept. 12 Assembly Class 5O. 7:55 am Parents welcome
- ES Photos Week of Sept. 10-14. Photo schedule and information is here.
- Holiday Islamic New Year Sept. 21. No school for students.
- Sept. 25 Early release day. School ends at 11:30am.
- Sept. 28 - Student health records due. If records have not been received students cannot attend school on Sept. 28.
News
Peace Bake Sale
Dear Parents,
The ES Peace Committee is planning a bake sale after school on Sunday, September 17th. Our theme this year is “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All.” We are trying to build peace through meaningful actions such as raising money for the National Cancer Institute. If you are willing to participate in this Peace Bake Sale, please let your son/daughter bring their baked goodies in the morning to the ES Office on Sunday, September 17th. If you wish to help in the sale, this would be greatly appreciated. You can contact Basma Salem bsalem@cacegypt.org to volunteer for the sale after school by the lawn area.
We are encouraging our students to eat healthy snacks so we expect goodies to follow the same criteria. (muffins, banana cakes or bread, cup-cakes or brownies without extra chocolate and sugar icing are the best choices). Items will be sold for 15 L.E. each. Your contribution always makes a difference.
Thanks,
The Peace Committee - PIPS (Partners in Peace)
Principal's Coffee
September 12 @ 8:00 - 9:00AM
Elementary Hall
Agenda
· Welcome and beginning of year feedback
· Elementary PTO liaison
· Challenge and Enrichment Specialist
"Come and meet Selena Gallagher, our new Challenge and Enrichment Specialist. Selena will share some information about our philosophy and approach to meeting the needs of our highly able learners, share some advice for parents about nurturing children's talents at home, and answer any questions you may have."
Mark your calendars:
· Christy Curran reading writing workshop for parents, October 11
· Kg - Grade 2 reading and handwriting workshop, October 30 (repeated session from 16/17)
Counseling Corner
Positive Discipline
One of the many reasons that I value Positive Discipline is because it supports the idea that we can be kind without being permissive. In actuality, this is being respectful to our to and to ourselves.
Interesting Article
Attached is a great article from Aha! Parenting called “Obedience: Why Do You Have to Tell Them Five Times?” The article explains why kids don’t always hear us the first time and provides strategies that we can use to make communication less stressful for everyone.
Core Value of the Month: Respect
The Core Value of focus this month is Respect. Your children will be hearing about and practicing respect in the classroom, out at recess and during their guidance lessons. You can help support their understanding of the what respect means to you by having conversations about respect. Ask questions and share how you feel about respect.
Example questions/conversation starters:
1. How did you show respect for yourself at school today?
2. How can you show your teacher respect when you are asked to line up?
3. My neighbor showed me respect today when she/he......
Carey Harris Dana Purpura
Guidance Counselor School Counselor
charris@cacegypt.org dpurpura@cacegypt.org
Newcomers Welcome Felucca Sept. 28
A great opportunity to meet other new families! Newcomers look for your invitations via email!
Next PTO Meeting
The PTO is meeting on September 12 at 1:30 PM. Everyone is welcome! The CAC PTO appreciates any time you can volunteer to help us make the school a great environment for our children. There are still vacancies in the various committees that we need your help with. Please consider joining. The PTO meetings are held at the PTO Room #626 A, on the 2nd floor of the admin building.
CAC Alumna and World Swimming Champion Farida Osman
CAC's Alumni and Community Engagement Office is thrilled to welcome back CAC alumna and World Swimming Champion Farida Osman '13 on Thursday September 14, 2017. Farida will be inspiring our grade 5 students during Arabic class by talking about her journey. She will provide a swimming session with the after school activity.
Farida is a 2-time Olympic Swimmer for Egypt, World Bronze Medalist and NCAA Champion (National Collegiate Athletic Association). In addition, Farida is the African gold medalist and an Egyptian national champion and record-holder in the butterfly and freestyle sprint events. Osman holds the senior national records for all the butterfly and freestyle sprint events, as well as an African records and titles in the 50m, 100m butterfly and 50m freestyle.
Repeated Announcements
From the Health Office
Please remember to complete an updated Annual Student Information form for 2017 - 2018 school year. If you have more than one child attending CAC, please complete a form for each. Students entering grades 3, 6 and 9 also require a medical examination completed by a physician.
Please find the Annual Student Information Form 17-18: HERE and the Student Medical Exam Form 2017/18: HERE. You can also pick them up from the Health Office.
Kindly note All forms were due the first week of school
MAP Assessment Information
During the weeks of Sept. 10 – 20, CAC ES will administer Measures of Academic Progress®(MAP®). Students in Grades 3-5 will take tests in Reading, Language Usage, and Mathematics. We encourage students to be well rested and to have a good breakfast to be at their best (important guidelines for every day), but emphasize that this is only one way for them to show us what they know. It is taken together with classroom assessments and observations to help with our picture of who each child is as a learner. For more information and resources for parents, download the Parent Toolkit at www.nwea.org >> Partner Support.
See grade level blog for schedule information.
Attendance Information
Dear Parents to check attendance information please click here.
After School Activities
ASA Begins this week (Sept. 10-14). Schedules were sent by e-mails to parents this week via e-mails submitted while signing up. Please share these with your children so they come to school knowing if they are staying for ASA or not.
If your child decided that he/she will not attend any of the scheduled activities, please e-mail Ms. Ereeny so she can enroll other students.
First week only: Gr1.-5 Students who have ASA will meet their ASA instructors in the lunchroom. Swim Teams & Production students meet directly at the pool and Drama room .KG students will be taken from the classes to their ASA classes.
Looking forward to a great session. Check ASA Website for updates. Click this link ASA Web.site
Tuesday Swim School
It is not too late to sign up for Tuesday Swim School!
Tuesday Swim School will begin on Sep. 12. We teach American Red Cross levels 1,2 & 3 as well as offering classes in springboard diving! This is a great place to get more practice and time in the water.
Pool Rental
The Hassan/Webb Aquatics Center is available for your event. If you are interested, please email Coach Matt at mlautenbach@cacegypt.org to schedule. A quick reminder that any rental needs to be scheduled around open swim and CAC program times.
ES School Photos
ES School Photos are this week. Photo schedule and information is here. Order forms were sent home last Wednesday with the students. Extra copies are in the ES Office.
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