4th Grade

Jeffers Journal

Week of April 7^th – April 11th

Spring is nature’s way of saying, let’s party! Are you ready to board the learning train for another week of excitement and adventure? Please come to school each day with an open mind, positive “I can” attitude, a friendly smile, and eager to be a member of our team! 

Important Dates to Remember:

April 7^th: Fifth Monday of Lent Mass with Father Ennis @ 8:50AM

April 8^th: New York State English Language Arts Test

April 9^th: New York State English Language Arts Test

April 11^th: Stations of the Cross @ 2PM

April 11^th: Third Quarter Ends & Penny War Fundraiser

April 14^th – April 18^th: Easter Recess-No School or CASE

April 20^th-Happy Easter

April 21^st: Easter Recess-No School or CASE

April 28^th: Mass with Father Ennis @ 8:50AM

Here’s a breakdown of our learning:

1. Math: Its important children learn math facts for addition/subtraction and multiplication/division with the goal of automatic recall. What is a line plot? In Topic 11, which is a short topic, students will explore line plots. The first lesson explores how to read a line plot.  Once you know how to read a line plot, it is time to learn how to make a line plot. Students will have the opportunity to create their own line plots. Next, students will use line plots to answer word problems. They will also apply the Critique Your Reasoning problem solving strategy to word problems.  The Topic 11 Test will be on Friday, April 11^th. Each day the students will complete an Exit ticket as a way to check their understanding of the lesson. It is a great way for me to check and see who is ready for the next lesson and who could use a re-teach of the material. We will also play different Math games to review previously learned concepts and skills. Students will also continue to work on their independent lessons in I-Ready Math each day. This is a great way to practice their skills.
2. English Language Arts:
   1. Grammar: Students will learn how to proofread their writing for subject-verb agreement, capital letters, and punctuation using the proofreading symbols.  We will continue to review complete subject, complete predicate, simple subject, simple predicate, different kinds of sentences, verbs, and adverbs. What is a negative?  How often do you use negatives when you are writing or speaking? The other topic we will be learning about is prepositions and prepositional phrases. A preposition is a word that shows how a noun or pronoun is connected to another word in the sentence.
   2. Vocabulary: Each week students have 12 new vocabulary words and complete different activities each day (sentence completion, synonym/antonym, matching, word meaning, and context clues).
   3. Reading: An important skill we will be practicing is reading articles or passages and answering comprehension questions.
   4. Spelling:  Each week the students will be given a list of words that contain a certain spelling pattern. They will complete activities each day using the words. They will also learn some commonly misspelled words and mnemonic devices to help them remember how to spell them.
3. Science: Our next Science unit is about Sound. How far can a whisper travel? What is the connection between sound and vibrations? Do you think it is possible to scream in outer space? How does sound move through the air? Did you know that sound is a wave?  Some sounds are high, while other sounds are low. The Sound Unit test will be on Thursday, April 10^th.
4. Religion: The theme of Chapter 14 is Penance and Reconciliation.  Have you ever made a selfish choice? What were the consequences of your choice?  What are the Sacraments of Healing? When was the last time you received the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation? What is absolution? Who was Saint John Vianney? Why did people want to be with him? We will also explore Holy Week.   On Friday afternoon, we will be attending Stations of the Cross.
5. Google Classroom: Students have been using my Google Classroom to complete assignments and quizzes in English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Please check with your son/daughter to show you what they have been doing.  If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to send me an email.
6. Fifth Monday of Lent Mass: Our next Mass with Father Ennis will be held on Monday, April 7^th at 8:50. Students will have the opportunity to volunteer to be an altar server and/or a lector for future Masses. If your child signs up to be a lector, he/she will receive their reading in advance to have time to practice both in school and at home.
7. Penny War Fundraiser: We will have a jar to drop pennies or bills in for positive points! The class with the most positive points wins a prize! The next day to bring in pennies and/or bills is Friday, April 11^th!!! Start collecting your change and help our class win a prize!