Dec. 4th - 8th Newsletter

Newsletter Weekly Update: Dec. 4 - Dec. 8, 2017

Language Arts

This week the students will be using the class read aloud to dig deeper into character traits, scene summaries and envisioning the text in order to read intensely. In writing, many children are ready to develop a believable character and plan the story arc with scenes for their story.

Math

We are continuing working with measurement and currently focusing on area and perimeter of an area. The students will also be given word problems involving measurement. We will begin reviewing for the final assessment, which will be given this week.

Science/ Social Studies

Students are starting to plan their compound machine to solve a real world problem. Through brainstorming, modeling, questioning, and testing, the students will be able to design and improve their compound machines. Please continue to bring in resources, we will be building our machines over the next two weeks: toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, spare pieces of wood, cereal boxes, wire, plastic water bottles and their caps, plastic containers (like yogurt) cardboard boxes (small enough to go on the bus), string, yarn, egg cartons, straws, plastic/styrofoam trays.

Resources

We are growing realistic fiction readers and writers in grade 4! They are doing this by thinking deeply about the characters.  These CHARACTER TRAITS are useful in describing the character based on their words, thoughts and actions. To support your child as a reader...GRAB THE BOOK YOUR CHILD IS READING and ASK to describe the character based on his/her thoughts, words, and actions. To support your child as a writer...ASK your child to explain about the character in the story they are going to write.

Announcements

Please donate the following resources by December 5th for our Science Designs/ Models: toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, spare pieces of wood, cereal boxes, wire, plastic water bottles and their caps, plastic containers (like yoghurt) cardboard boxes (small enough to go on the bus), string, yarn, egg cartons, straws, plastic/styrofoam trays. Christmas Around the World - Dec. 4th Red and Green Dress Up Day Mon Dec 4 ES Holiday Music Concert  - Dec. 7th at 7pm PE Swim Carnival Fri. Dec 8 , Parents welcome to attend and cheer the swimmers:  Swim Carnival Schedule    Camp Information Presentation Camp Permission Form Camp Packing List

Celebrations

Please see your class blog or class website for individual class celebrations.

Newsletter Nov. 27 - Dec. 1

Newsletter Weekly Update: Nov. 27 - Dec. 1, 2017

Language Arts

In reading this week, the children will be getting into book club groups and use discussions to deepen their understanding of the stories they are reading. In writing, the children will be choosing an idea they have generated and begin planning out their writing using a story arc.

Math

This week the students will be given the opportunity to express metric units in terms of smaller units. They will model and solve world problems involving metric units in length, mass and capacity.

Science/ Social Studies

Next week the students will begin designing a solution to a real world problem using their understanding of forces and simple machines. We need some materials to help the students create their designs! Please donate the following resources: toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, spare pieces of wood, cereal boxes, wire, plastic water bottles and their caps, plastic containers (like yogurt) cardboard boxes (small enough to go on the bus), string, yarn, egg cartons, straws, plastic/styrofoam trays.

Resources

In writing we are focusing on ideal generation. Below are some links to the story mountain that we can use to plan and also an anchor chart that helps with getting some ideas from, people, places etc. Maybe you could try to help your child generate some ideas at home? The story arc/ mountain helps us plan. An anchor chart that helps generate ideas for writing realistic fiction.

Announcements

Grade 4 Parent Coffee Morning Invite to share CAMP information : Nov. 30th, 8:15 am, Melawati Community Room Return the Christmas Ornaments before December 29th (make sure student grade name is on it . Ex: 4NJ) Christmas Around the World - Dec. 4th PE Swim Carnival Fri. Dec 8 , Parents welcome to attend and cheer the swimmers:  Swim Carnival Schedule

Celebrations

Please see your class blog or class website for individual class celebrations.

State of Narrative Prose

In your Writer's Notebook, write down

Connect - What was one thing that David Handler says that you connect to?
Extend - What was one thing that extends your thinking?
Challenge - What was one thing that challenges you?

Finding inspiration

4HR is beginning our journey as Realistic Fiction authors. The first step is to find ideas that make us passionate about writing. Ideas that we are called to write! Today we are looking at how other authors, like Kate DiCamillo, get their ideas and organize (or don't organize their ideas!).

Let's watch this video where Kate DiCamillo is honest about mistakes, rejection, and where she gets her ideas. In your writer's notebook, write down 3 - 2 - 1

3 Thoughts or ideas
2 Questions (for Kate DiCamillo or authors)
1 Piece of advice for you as an author

Nov 20th - 24th Newsletter

Newsletter Weekly Update: Nov. 20 - Nov. 24, 2017

Language Arts

In reading, we will continue analyzing character traits and will use evidence from the text to prove our thinking. In writing, we will identify characteristics of realistic fiction through mentor texts and develop story ideas that stem from personal experiences.

Math

The students will be delving into measurement and using the metric system. They will be learning the names of the units for capacity, mass, and length. They will also be looking at real world situations which involve measurement. In addition, they will be given the opportunity to convert units of measurement.

Science/ Social Studies

In Science, we will continue to model and describe how applied forces impact motion. Classes will plan investigations by identifying dependent and independent variables.

Resources

This week in math we have been learning about metric measurement.  Here are the videos we shared with your kids. Watch, discuss and enjoy together!!! Measuring Length, Height and Distance Measuring Mass Measuring Volume Ever heard of Quizlet?  Check these out.  Online flashcards with games, custom made for our grade 4 learners! Science Force and Motion Quizlet Math Measurement Quizlet

Announcements

Grade 4 Parent Coffee Morning Invite to share CAMP information : Nov. 30th, 8:15 am, Melawati Community Room Staff Appreciation Breakfast, Thur Nov 23, 8:00 AM Melawati PE Swim Carnival Fri. Dec 8 , Parents welcome to attend and cheer the swimmers:  Swim Carnival Schedule

Celebrations

Please see your class blog or class website for individual class celebrations.

Investigations into Motion & Energy

We are going to begin our experiments as scientists do: by asking questions! Let's watch this video, and record as a class: What do you notice? What do you wonder?




Our questions:
What are they?
Are they magnets? 
Is some one controlling them? Did they add anything? Did some one push them?
What makes them let go from the wood? Why is there a piece of wood?
Is the string bouncey/strong or weak?
Why did they change directions when they started? How do they change directions?
Why did they change patterns?
Why did the gaps get bigger?
Does it have to do with friction?
What kind of force does it have?
Do they weigh the same? Is the balls heavy or light or the same?

We then identified three variables to test: mass of object (example, a bowling ball vs a tennis ball), the release position (90 degree vs 45 degree) and the length of the string. We made predictions as to what impacted the movement of the pendulum (or the number of swings). Ask 4HR to find out what our results were!

Claim - Evidence - Reason

The release position affected the motion of the pendulum (number of swings) - no data supports this claim.

The mass of the fob affected the motion of the pendulum (number of swings) - no data supports this claim.

The length of the string affected the motion of the pendulum (number of swings)
-If the string is longer,
-The shorter the string, the more swings the pendulum completes. For example, when the string is 20 cm long, it completes about 18 swings. When the string is 38 cm long, it completes about 12 swings. But when the string is 15 cm long, it completes 17 swings. This information doesn't support our claim. We need to complete more testing to be more sure.

Newsletter November 13th - 17th

Newsletter Weekly Update: Nov. 13 - Nov. 17, 2017

Language Arts

This week, we will begin our Realistic Fiction reading and writing units. In Reading, we’ll be reviewing expectations for independent reading and add onto our thinkmarks with a focus on character traits and change.

Math

Students will be using the partial quotient method to solve word problems involving division. They will be finishing up Unit 2 and reviewing for the unit assessment.

Science/ Social Studies

Students will begin to investigate into simple machines (levers, pulleys, wheels and axles, wedges, inclined planes, screws, and gears) and how they make work easier. To support at home, help your child complete a simple machine scavenger hunt!

Resources

Remember how you enjoyed winning math games against your child during Gaming with Math? Well, you can find them on the Parent Connection page here.  Scroll to the bottom under Parent Resources... Gaming with Math 2017 Including the game 24 WANT MORE WINS? Check out the Gaming with Math 2016 games.

Announcements

Grade 4 Parent Coffee Morning Invite to share CAMP information : Nov. 30th, 8:15 am, Melawati Community Room Counselor Chat, Tues Nov 14, Community Room , 8:15 - 9:30 ES Math Fluency Workshop, Thur Nov 16, Community Room , 8:30-10:00

Celebrations

Flag Parade

ISKL Melawati celebrates our diversity! All of elementary walked around the school, representing their cultures and countries. We waved our flags and smiled at the parents watching. Lots of pictures were taken!

We celebrate our cultures through the Flag Parade because we are an international school. This lets us learn more about each other. There are 51 countries represented by ISKL Melawati students.

I felt so proud of all our international community members. I was especially amazed by the students who had to stand up for their country alone at the assembly.

Look at all the cultures represented in 4HR.

Anabelle from the US, Aubrey from the US and Korea, Siddharth from India, Nikita from India, and David from Korea. 

Aayushi from India, Paige from the US and Singapore, Nathan from Korea and Canada, and Alice from China.

Cathy from China, Aadit from India, Danny from the US and Chile, Sophia from Thailand and Australia, Tiago from France and Chile, and Naoko from Japan

Heathcliff from Thailand and Canada, Allie from Canada, Gregorio from Italy, Araxi from India, and Jenna from Australia and the Phillipines

4HR

At the Melawati assembly

Sketchnotes

A new note-taking craze is going on! Yes, a craze about note-taking. It is called Sketchnotes. On Twitter, people share their sketch notes to provide the main idea and important details of information texts. Today, and tomorrow, we are going to share the main idea and supporting details about a simple machine.

Materials: Reading notebook, Cornell note-taking structure, pencil, and 1 laptop per group
Either with words or sketches, record the main idea and supporting details about your simple machine. Read as many sources as you can!




We are going to read texts on Big Universe. The log in instructions are as below.

Groups:
Lever - Tiago, Cathy, Nikita
Gear - Gregorio, Alice, Paige
Wheel and Axle - Siddharth, Anabelle, Carzen
Pulley - Jenna, Heathcliff, Allie
Wedge - David, Aadit, Aayushi
Inclined Plane - Estefano, Araxi, Aubrey
Screw - Sophia, Danny, Nathan

Before creating our Sketchnotes, we reviewed that TEXT, sketches, and organization are important! Here are our teams in action.

Nov. 6th - 10th newsletter

Newsletter Weekly Update: Nov. 6 - Nov. 10, 2017

Language Arts

This week in reading, we will be developing skills in summarizing nonfiction texts and synthesizing information across texts. In writing, the children will be working on a final opinion piece of writing that will be used to assess their learning from the personal essay unit.

Math

During math this week, the students will need to determine the meaning of the remainder in a division word problem. They will be given several real world problems to solve and deciding if the remainder should use to ‘Round up’, ‘Drop it’ or ‘Share’.

Science/ Social Studies

We are starting off our Science unit by investigating a phenomena, and asking ourselves how do various forces impact the motion of objects? Our next step is to find out more about applied forces and how they create a balanced or unbalanced force.

Resources

We are now moving on to division in math and will be having discussions on what to do with the remainders.  Here are some links for  round up, drop it (ignore it) and share it.

Announcements

ES Melawati Flag Parade, Fri Nov 10 - students are encouraged to wear their national dress or colors of their flag. Remember, on Fridays we encourage NO TRASH lunches.

Celebrations

Please see your class blog or class website for individual class celebrations.

Engineering Design Process

4HR will be tapping into our engineering expertise in this unit! Everyday we find solutions to ordinary problems. In this unit, we are going to help others by finding solutions to some extraordinary problems.

First, what steps do we need to take? Let's watch teams of engineers as they follow the design process.

Do you think we can identify the steps of the design cycle? Let's watch Nate solve a real life problem for his son. 

We are going to practice the first three steps of the design cycle by playing the game Disruptus. Get your thinking creatively hats on!