Ms. Ellis

Week of September 1st

Math 

We will continue working on using place value to compare and round numbers. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 1-4– Students will use place value to round multi-digit numbers

• Lesson 1-5 – Students use previously learned concepts and skills to construct arguments about place value. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

• Simple electrical systems and larger electrical systems have commonalities.

• Many devices that people use every day have electrical energy as an energy input.

• Energy moves in and out of the parts of systems.

Week of August 26th

Math 

enVision Math:  We start off the year with a review of Place Value which includes reading and writing large numbers and also rounding them to a specific place value. 

The Family Letter for Unit 1 will be emailed Monday and posted in Google Classroom.  Please refer to this letter if you have questions about ways to support  your child’s learning at home.

• Lesson 1-1 – Students will read and write numbers through one million in expanded form, with numerals and in written form. 

• Lesson 1-2 – Students will recognize the relationship between adjacent digits in a multi-digit number.

• Lesson 1-3 – Students will use place value to compare multi-digit numbers, and record the comparison using <, > or =. 

• Lesson 1-4– Students will use place value to round multi-digit numbers

• Basic Facts Quiz on multiplication. This is a timed ungraded "quiz" designed to promote fluency and recall of basic multiplication facts.

Science

Our first unit is all about electricity. The students will work in the role of system engineers, trying to figure out why there are power outages in the fictional town of Ergstown.

This week students will learn:

• Systems engineers design and improve systems.

• There are many kinds of systems in the world around us

• A system is a collection of interacting parts that work together. Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

Week of May 27th

Math

 This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 12-2 - Students will locate and decsribe fractions and decimals on the number line.  

• Lesson 12-3 - Students will compare decimals 

• Lesson 12-4 – Students  will add fractions that have denominators of 10ths and 100ths.

• Lesson 12-5 - Students will solve word problems involving money.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Different sedimentary rock layers in a place mean that the environment in that place has changed.

• Any place may appear to be stable day by day, but over a long period of time it can change.

• In a scientific argument, data and ideas are connected as evidence to support a claim.

• Geologists make claims about what the environment of a place was like in the past. These claims are based on evidence.

Week of April 7th

Math

Unit 9 tests were returned to students last Friday. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. As a reminder, IXL skills that support the daily lesson are posted in Google Classroom. I will also post IXL Links here. When possible, students should practice IXL 15-20 minutes daily.  This week's schedule includes:

• Unit 10 Quiz - Students will multiply fractions by a whole number. 

• Lesson 11-1 – Students  will interpret data using line plots (11-1 IXL)

• Lesson 11-2 - Students  will make a line plot to represent data (11-2 IXL)

• Lesson 11-3 - Students will use line plots to solve problems involving fractions. (11-3 IXL)

Science

This week students will learn:

• Geologists use observations of fossils to make inferences about organisms that lived long ago.

• Science findings are limited to what can be answered with evidence.

• A fossil forms when an organism dies and is covered with sediment that turns into rock.

• Sedimentary rock forms from sediment.

Week of March 31st

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 10-1 - Students  will use number lines to understand a fraction as a multiple of a unit fraction.

• Lesson 10-2 – Students  will use drawings, models or number lines to multiply fractions by a whole number. 

• Lesson 10-3 – Students  will use symbols and equations to multiply a fraction by a whole number. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• A geologist is a scientist who studies the materials and processes that form the solid part of Earth.

• Rocks and fossils can provide clues about the way Earth changes over time.

• Reflecting on what you understand and don’t understand allows you to prepare for learning new things.

Week of March 17th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Unit 9 Reteach and Review

• Unit 9 Test on Thursday

Science

This week students will learn:

• Some animals see well in bright light while others see well in low light.

• An animal’s light receptor sensitivity corresponds to whether it needs to be able to see in conditions with high or low light.

• Animals that look for food at night need to be able to see well in low light; animals that look for food during the day need to be able to see well in high light.

Week of March 10th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 9-9 - Students  will subtract mixed numbers.

• Lesson 9-10 - Students  will model math to add and subtract mixed numbers.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Animals can react in different ways to the same amount of information from the environment.

• Some animals have a more sensitive sense of hearing, touch, smell, taste, or vision, than other animals.

• Different animals have different kinds of receptors.

Week of March 3rd

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 9-7 - Students  will use models to add and subtract mixed numbers.

• Lesson 9-8 - Students  will add mixed numbers.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light receptors in the eye respond to light and send information to the brain. The brain processes this information to form an image.

• Animals use information from the environment and memories from the brain in order to determine what they are looking at.

• After forming an image, the brain compares the image to memories. Then an animal can make a decision that could help it survive.

• Scientific explanations are written for an audience and use scientific language.

Week of February 24th

Math

Unit 8 Tests were returned last week. Parent signatures are required for any score below 70%. This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 9-4 - Students  will use tools such as fraction strips or area models to subtract fractions.

• Lesson 9-5 – Students  will subtract fractions with like denominators

• Lesson 9-6 -  Students will add and subtract fractions with like denominators

Science

This week students will learn:

• When scientists change only one variable in an investigation, they can figure out if it makes a difference.

• Thinking about other ways to investigate questions you have from reading can help you better understand science texts.

• Thinking about and discussing questions about science texts often leads to new questions.

Week of February 10th

Math

We will have our Unit 8 test on Thursday.  The test will cover recognizing and generating equivalent fractions and on comparing fractions with unlike denominators. This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 8-7 - Students will construct arguments about fractions. (8-7 IXL Link)

• Unit 8 Review

• Unit 9 Preview

Science

This week students will learn:

• Making explanations is an important practice in science.

• Scientific explanations answer a question about how or why something happens, describe things that are not easy to observe, and are based on ideas from investigations and text.

• Evidence is information that supports an answer to a question.

Week of February 3rd

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 8-5 - Students will use benchmarks, area models and number lines to compare fractions. (8-5 IXL Link)

• Lesson 8-6 - Students will compare fractions with unlike denominators (8-6 IXL Link)

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light needs to get to an object for an animal to see the object.

• Changing more than one variable at a time can make it hard to figure out what made a difference in an investigation.

Week of January 27th

Math

Unit 7 tests will be returned by Tuesday. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. As a reminder, IXL skills that support the daily lesson are posted in Google Classroom. I will also post IXL Links here. When possible, students should practice IXL 15-20 minutes daily.  

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 8-2 -  Students will name the same point on a number line using equivalent fractions (8-2 IXL Link)

• Lesson 8-3 – Students  will use multiplication to find equivalent fractions. (8-3 IXL Link)

• Lesson 8-4 -  Students will use division to find equivalent fractions. (8-4 IXL Link)

• Lesson 8-5 - Students will use benchmarks, area models and number lines to compare fractions. (8-5 IXL Link)

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light needs to get to an object for an animal to see the object.

• Changing more than one variable at a time can make it hard to figure out what made a difference in an investigation.

• Making explanations is an important practice in science.

• Evidence is information that supports an answer to a question.

Week of January 20th

Math

We will have our Unit 7 test on Wednesday. Unit 8 focuses on recognizing and generating equivalent fractions and on comparing fractions with different numerators and different denominators. The schedule includes:

• Unit 7 Assessment on Wednesday.

• Lesson 8-1 – Students  will use recognize and generate equivalent fractions.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light can carry information about the environment to an animal.

• Light allows an animal to get information from its environment using its eyes.

• Cross-section diagrams allow us to see what is happening inside the eye.

Week of January 13th

Math

We also begin Unit 7, which focuses on the meaning of factors and multiples by building on students understanding of multiplication. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-3 – Students  will use repeated reasoning to generalize how to solve similar problems.

• Lesson 7-4 -  Students will use factors to determine if a whole number is prime or composite  

• Lesson 7-5 -  Students will use factors to determine if a whole number is prime or composite  

Science

This week students will learn:

• Sound and scent can carry information about the environment to an animal.

• In an investigation, you should only change one thing in order to tell what makes a difference.

• Animals and plants have different structures that allow them to get information from their environment, which helps them survive.

• Light can carry information about the environment to an animal.

Week of January 6th

Math

Tests will be returned on Monday. Students will start the week with a goal-setting activity. They will use a goal-planning booklet to plan out a goal, uncover obstacles and create action steps. 

We also begin Unit 7, which focuses on the meaning of factors and multiples by building on students understanding of multiplication. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-1 – Students will find the factor pairs of a whole number. 

• Lesson 7-2 – Students  will use multiplication to find the factor pairs for a whole number.   

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light needs to reflect off an object and get to the eye for an animal to see the object.

• Changing more than one variable at a time can make it hard to figure out what made a difference in an investigation.

• People and other animals use their senses to get information about what is in their environment.

• People and other animals have body structures that function to get information from their environment.

Week of December 16th

Math

The Unit 5 Test will be on Tuesday. Study Guides were sent home on Friday. The focus of Unit 5 is division. Students develop an understanding of finding quotients and interpreting  remainders with up to four-digit dividends and 1-digit divisors. The schedule includes:

• Unit 5 Review

• Unit 5 Test

• Unit 6 Preview

Science

This week students will learn:

• Different solutions have different costs associated with them.

• There are many possible solutions to electrical system failures.

• Energy efficient devices produce more of the desired form of energy output than inefficient devices.

• Engineers may change their mind about a solution if they have been presented with more convincing evidence.

Week of December 9th

Math

Students have been working diligently on learning different strategies to divide. This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-6: Students  divide  larger numbers by thinking about multiplication, estimation and place value

• Lesson 5-7: Students sort objects into equal-sized groups to divide.

• Lesson 5-8: Students will use place value and sharing to divide. 

• Lesson 5-9: Students  follow a series of steps that breaks division into simpler calculations.

Science

This week students will learn:

• There are many possible reasons that a system might fail.

• Wires can transfer electrical energy from place to place.

• The electrical grid is the wires that transfer electrical energy from many sources to many other places.

• Different solutions have different costs associated with them.

Week of December 2nd

Math

Unit 4 tests were returned before the break. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-3 –Students  use compatible numbers to estimate quotients for  4-digit dividends.

• Lesson 5-4 – Students solve division problems and interpret remainders. 

• Lesson 5-5 – Students  divide by thinking about multiplication, estimation and place value

• Lesson 5-6 - Students  divide  larger numbers by thinking about multiplication, estimation and place value 

Science

This week students will learn:

• It is often not possible to meet all of the criteria for a given design solution or to meet all of the criteria equally well.

• Engineers must consider both the advantages and the limitations of each solution.

• Scientists and engineers write arguments with an audience in mind.    

Week of November 18th

Math 

The Unit 4 Test will be on Monday. Study Guides were sent home on Friday. The focus of Unit 5 is division. Students develop an understanding of finding quotients and interpreting  remainders with up to four-digit dividends and 1-digit divisors. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-1 – Students  make sense of quantities and use mental math and place-value strategies to divide.

• Lesson 5-2 – Students  use compatible (friendly) numbers to estimate quotients when dividing with 3-digit dividends. 

• Lesson 5-3 –Students  use compatible numbers to estimate quotients for  4-digit dividends.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Generators function to convert energy from a source into electrical energy.

• Generators and motors serve different functions, but have similar parts.

• The faster something moves, the more energy it possesses.

Week of November 11th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 4-5 – Students  use the distributive property and an area model to multiply two 2-digit numbers.

• Lesson 4-6 – Students  use place value and partial products to  multiply two 2-digit numbers.  

• Lesson 4-7 –Students  make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Some energy converters are designed to convert energy from sources to electrical energy that goes into the electrical system.

• Solar panels, fuel burning power plants, and wind turbines are some examples of converters.

• Generators function to convert energy from a source into electrical energy.

Week of November 4th

Math 

Unit 3 tests will be returned by Friday. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%.  The schedule includes:

• Lesson 4-2 – Students  use models to multiply 2-digit numbers by multiples of 10.  

• Lesson 4-3 –Students  use rounding to estimate products of two 2-digit numbers 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Energy never just appears. It comes from a source.

• Sun, wind, water, geothermal and nuclear energy, biofuels, and fossil fuels are some sources of energy. 

• Some energy converters are designed to convert energy from sources to electrical energy that goes into the electrical system.

Week of October 28th

Math 

As we move in Unit 4, students will work on multiplying two 2-digit numbers. The schedule includes:

• Unit 3 Review (1-digit x 2-, 3- and 4-digit multiplication, word problems and bar diagrams)

• Unit 3 Assessment on Wednesday. Students will receive a study guide on Monday. 

• Lesson 4-1 – Students  find the products of multiples of 10, 100, and 1000 using mental math and place-value strategies. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Energy never just appears. It comes from a source.

• Sun, wind, water, geothermal and nuclear energy, biofuels, and fossil fuels are some sources of energy. 

• Some energy converters are designed to convert energy from sources to electrical energy that goes into the electrical system.

Week of October 21st

Math 

This weeks schedule includes:

• Lesson 3-5 – Students use area models and the Distributive Property (partial products) to multiply 3- and 4-digit by  1-digit numbers. 

• Lesson 3-6: Students  use mental math strategies based on place value and properties of operations to multiply. 

• Lesson 3-7: Students  choose an appropriate strategy to multiply 2-, 3-, and 4-digit numbers by 1 digit numbers.

• Lesson 3-8:  Students use previously learned concepts and skills to represent and solve problems.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Certain devices are made to be energy efficient—they use less electrical energy than other devices to produce the same amount of the output energy that we want.

• Energy never just appears. It comes from a source.

• Sun, wind, water, geothermal and nuclear energy, biofuels, and fossil fuels are some sources of energy.

Week of October 14th

Math 

Unit 2 tests will be returned by Wednesday. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. This weeks schedule includes:

• Lesson 3-3: Students will use arrays and partial products to multiply 2- and 3-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers. 

• Lesson 3-4: Students use area models and the Distributive Property to multiply larger numbers. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Devices will not have energy to function if they need more energy from the system than is put into the system.

• Criteria are the things that engineers think about and use to test how well something solves a problem.

• Engineers argue for one solution over others based on how well it meets criteria.

Week of October 7th

Math 

The Unit 2 Assessment will Tuesday,  October 8th. A study guide was sent home on Friday.  It was also emailed to parents/guardians along with the answer key. Students should prepare by  completing the study guide and reviewing IXL skills in Google Classroom. This week's schedule includes:

• Unit 2 Review 

• Unit 2 Test - estimating sums and differences, multi-digit addition and subtraction.

• Lesson 3-1 – Students  find the products of multiples of 10, 100, and 1000 using mental math and place-value strategies. 

• Lesson 3-2 – Students  use rounding to estimate products and to check if answers are reasonable. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• If an object does not have an output energy form that is different from its input energy form, then the object is not an energy converter.

• Over time, people’s needs and wants change, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.

Week of September 23rd

Math 

Unit 1 tests were returned Friday. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. This weeks schedule includes:

• Lesson 2-3: Students will add 3-digit numbers using place-value concepts and the standard algorithm.

• Lesson 2-4: Students will add numbers to one million with and without regrouping using the standard algorithm. 

• Lesson 2-5: Students will connect place-value concepts to using the standard algorithm for subtraction.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Electrical devices need electrical energy to function.

• Scientists and engineers engage in argumentation.

• Claims in science and engineering are supported with evidence.

• An argument uses evidence to explain why one idea is the best.

Week of September 16th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Unit 1 Review 

• Lesson 2-1: Students will add and subtract whole numbers mentally using a variety of methods. 

• Unit 1 Assessment on Wednesday on place value, comparing numbers and rounding. 

• Lesson 2-2: Students will round greater whole numbers to estimate sums and differences. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Many devices that people use every day have electrical energy as an energy input.

• Energy moves in and out of the parts of systems.

• Energy is the ability to make things move or change.

• Some forms of energy are light, sound, motion, electrical, thermal, and chemical

Week of September 9th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 1-3 – Students will use place value to compare multi-digit numbers, and record the comparison using <, > or =. 

• Lesson 1-4– Students will use place value to round multi-digit numbers

• Lesson 1-5 – Students use previously learned concepts and skills to construct arguments about place value. 

• Unit 1 Review 

• Unit 1 Assessment on Friday

Science

This week students will learn:

• A system is a collection of interacting parts that work together. Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

• Simple electrical systems and larger electrical systems have commonalities

Week of September 2nd

Math 

enVision Math:  We start off the year with a review of Place Value which includes reading and writing large numbers and also rounding them to a specific place value. 

The Family Letter for Unit 1 will be sent home Monday and posted in Google Classroom.  Please refer to this letter if you have questions about ways to support  your child’s learning at home.

• Lesson 1-1 – Students will read and write numbers through one million in expanded form, with numerals and in written form. 

• Lesson 1-2 – Students will recognize the relationship between adjacent digits in a multi-digit number.

• Basic Facts Quiz on multiplication. This is a timed ungraded "quiz" designed to promot fluency and recall of basic multiplication facts.

Science

Our first unit is all about electricity. The students will work in the role of system engineers, trying to figure out why there are power outages in the fictional town of Ergstown.

This week students will learn:

• Systems engineers design and improve systems.

• There are many kinds of systems in the world around us

• A system is a collection of interacting parts that work together. Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

Week of May 6th

Math 

 Students will have Unit 12 test on decimals on Friday. This week's schedule includes: 

• Lesson 12-6 - Students will locate use understanding of place value and structure to solve problems.  

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• A fossil forms when an organism dies and is covered with sediment that turns into rock.

• Sedimentary rock forms from sediment.

• Sedimentary rock forms when sediment builds up in water and is covered with more sediment.

Week of April 29th

Math 

This week's schedule includes: 

• Lesson 12-2 - Students will locate and decsribe fractions and decimals on the number line.  

• Lesson 12-3 - Students will compare decimals 

• Lesson 12-4 – Students  will add fractions that have denominators of 10ths and 100ths.

• Lesson 12-5 - Students will solve word problems involving money.

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• A fossil forms when an organism dies and is covered with sediment that turns into rock.

• Sedimentary rock forms from sediment.

• Sedimentary rock forms when sediment builds up in water and is covered with more sediment.

Week of April 22nd

Math 

Unit 10 tests were returned last week. Any grade below 70% requires a parent signature.  Unit 11 is short, with only 4 lessons. Students will have Unit 11 test on line plots this week. This week's schedule includes: 

• Unit 11 - Reteach and Practice Test 

• Unit 11 - Test

• Lesson 12-1 – Students  will relate fractions and decimals 

• Lesson 12-2 - Students will locate and decsribe fractions and decimals on the number line.   

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• A fossil forms when an organism dies and is covered with sediment that turns into rock.

• Sedimentary rock forms from sediment.

• Sedimentary rock forms when sediment builds up in water and is covered with more sediment.

Week of April 15th

Math 

Unit 10 tests will be returned. Any grade below 70% requires a parent signature.  This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 11-2 - Students  will make a line plot to represent data 

• Lesson 11-3 – Students  will use line plots to solve problems involving fractions. 

• Lesson 11-4 - Students  will use what they know about line plots to critique the reasoning of others.  

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• A geologist is a scientist who studies the materials and processes that form the solid part of Earth.

• Rocks and fossils can provide clues about the way Earth changes over time.

• Reflecting on what you understand and don’t understand allows you to prepare for learning new things.

Week of April 8th

Math 

Students will take the Unit 10 test on Monday. This week's schedule includes:

• Unit 10 Test - Students will multiply a fraction by a whole number and solve problems involving time. 

• Lesson 11-1 – Students  will interpret data using line plots

• Lesson 11-2 - Students  will make a line plot to represent data 

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• A geologist is a scientist who studies the materials and processes that form the solid part of Earth.

• Rocks and fossils can provide clues about the way Earth changes over time.

• Reflecting on what you understand and don’t understand allows you to prepare for learning new things.

Week of March 18th

Math 

Unit 9 tests will be returned to students on Monday. This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 10-3 - Students  will use symbols and equations to multiply a fraction by a whole number. 

• Lesson 10-4 – Students  will use the four operations to solve problems involving time. 

• Lesson 10-5 - Students  will use previously learned concepts and skills to represent and solve problems. 

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• An animal doesn’t see well when its receptors don’t respond enough or respond too much for the brain to process information and form an image.

• Models can show ideas about the way things work.

• Models can show the same ideas in different ways.

Week of March 11th

Math 

Students will continue reviewing and take the Unit 9 test on Tuesday. This week's schedule includes:

• Unit 9 Review - Students will continue review of adding/subtracting fractions and mixed numbers.

• Unit 9 Test

• Lesson 10-1 - Students  will use number lines to understand a fraction as a multiple of a unit fraction.

• Lesson 10-2 – Students  will use drawings, models or number lines to multiply fractions by a whole number. 

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• An animal’s light receptor sensitivity corresponds to whether it needs to be able to see in conditions with high or low light.

• Animals that look for food at night need to be able to see well in low light; animals that look for food during the day need to be able to see well in high light.

• For an animal to see well, its receptors need to respond and send the right amount of information to the brain.

• An animal doesn’t see well when its receptors don’t respond enough or respond too much for the brain to process information and form an image.

Week of March 4th

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 9-8 - Students  will add mixed numbers.

• Lesson 9-9 – Students  will subtract mixed numbers.

• Lesson 9-10 - Students will use they know to represent and solve problems

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Some animals have a more sensitive sense of hearing, touch, smell, taste, or vision, than other animals.

• Different animals have different kinds of receptors.

• Some animals see well in bright light while others see well in low light.

Week of February 26th

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 9-4 - Students  will use tools such as fraction strips or area models to subtract fractions.

• Lesson 9-5 – Students  will subtract fractions with like denominators

• Lesson 9-6 -  Students will add and subtract fractions with like denominators

• Lesson 9-7 - Students  will use models to add and subtract mixed numbers.

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• After forming an image, the brain compares the image to memories. Then an animal can make a decision that could help it survive.

• Scientific explanations use scientific language.

• Animals can react in different ways to the same amount of information from the environment.

• Some animals have a more sensitive sense of hearing, touch, smell, taste, or vision, than other animals.

Week of February 19th

Math 

Unit 8 tests will be returned this week. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. Unit 9 focuses on focuses on adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators. This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 9-1 - Students  will use tools such as fraction strips or area models to add fractions.

• Lesson 9-2 – Students  will use numbers lines, area models or drawings to decompose fractions.

• Lesson 9-3 -  Students will add fractions with like denominators

• Lesson 9-4 - Students  will use tools such as fraction strips or area models to subtract fractions.

IXL skills related to each lesson are posted daily in Google Classroom. Encourage your students to practice regularly to deepen their understanding. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• After forming an image, the brain compares the image to memories. Then an animal can make a decision that could help it survive.

• Scientific explanations use scientific language.

• Animals can react in different ways to the same amount of information from the environment.

• Some animals have a more sensitive sense of hearing, touch, smell, taste, or vision, than other animals.

Week of February 12th

Math 

We will have our Unit 8 test on Friday.  After each lesson, I post related IXL skills in Google Classroom.  Please encourage your student to practice these skills at home to deepen their understanding of the content. Their IXL logins are taped inside their agendas. Understanding fraction equivalency is essential to our next unit, which focuses on adding and subtracting fractions.

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 8-6 - Students will use equivalent fractions to compare fractions.

• Lesson 8-7 -  Students will construct math arguments using what I know about fractions.

• Unit 8 Reteach - Finding equivalent fractions using area models, number lines, multipication and division, and comparing fractions.

• Unit 8 Review 

• Unit 8 Test

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light receptors int he eye respond to light and send information to the brain. The brain processes information to forms an image.

• Animals use information from the environment and memories from the brain in order to determine what they are looking at. 

• After learning something new, scientists often have more questions and new ideas for what they want to investigate.

Week of February 5th

Math 

Unit 7 tests will be returned on Monday. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 8-3 – Students  will use multiplication to find equivalent fractions.

• Lesson 8-4 -  Students will use division to find equivalent fractions

• Lesson 8-5 - Students will use benchmarks, area models and number lines to compare fractions.

• Lesson 8-6 - Students will use equivalent fractions to compare fractions.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Just seeing or hearing something may not be enough to identify what it is.

• Different structures have particular functions that together allow an animal to know what it is looking at.

• When scientists change only one variable in an investigation, they can figure out if it makes a difference.

• Scientists use a variety of methods, tools, and techniques when they conduct investigations.

Week of January 29th

Math 

We will have our Unit 7 test on Tuesday. Unit 8 focuses on recognizing and generating equivalent fractions and on comparing fractions with different numerators and different denominators. The schedule includes:

• Unit 7 Review (factors, factor pairs, multiples and prime/composite numbers)

• Unit 7 Assessment on Tuesday.

• Lesson 8-1 – Students  will use recognize and generate equivalent fractions.

• Lesson 8-2 -  Students will name the same point on a number line using equivalent fractions

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light needs to get to an object for an animal to see the object.

• Changing more than one variable at a time can make it hard to figure out what made a difference in an investigation.

• Making explanations is an important practice in science.

• Evidence is information that supports an answer to a question.

Week of January 22nd

Math 

Unit 7 focuses on understanding the meaning of factors and multiples by building on students understanding of multiplication. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-2 – Students  will use multiplication to find the factor pairs for a whole number.    

• Lesson 7-3 – Students  will use repeated reasoning to generalize how to solve similar problems.

• Lesson 7-4 -  Students will use factors to determine if a whole number is prime or composite  

• Lesson 7-5 -  Students will use factors to determine if a whole number is prime or composite          

Science

This week students will learn:

• Cross-section diagrams allow us to see what is happening inside the eye.

• Scientists use models to help them to understand things that are difficult to see and to communicate their ideas to others.

• Light needs to get to an object for an animal to see the object.

Week of January 15th

Math 

This week we start Unit 7. Unit 7 focuses on understandin the meaning of factors and multiples by building on students understanding of multiplication. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-1 – Students will find the factor pairs of a whole number. 

• Lesson 7-2 – Students  will use multiplication to find the factor pairs for a whole number.           

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light allows an animal to get information from its environment using its eyes.

• Cross-section diagrams allow us to see what is happening inside the eye.

• Scientists change one thing at a time during their investigations so they can tell what change makes a difference.

Week of January 8th

Math 

Students will start the week with a goal-setting activity. They will use a goal-planning booklet to plan out a goal, uncover obstacles and create action steps. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-3 – Students will find hidden questions and use bar diagrams to solve multi-step word problems. 

• Lesson 6-4 – Students  will solve multi-step word problems drawing bar diagrams and writing expressions and equations.                                          

Science

This week students will learn:

• Sound and scent can carry information about the environment to an animal.

• In an investigation, you should only change one thing in order to tell what makes a difference.

• Animals and plants have different structures that allow them to get information from their environment, which helps them survive.

• Light can carry information about the environment to an animal.

Week of December 11th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-8 – Students will use place value and sharing to divide. 

• Lesson 5-9 – Students  follow a series of steps that breaks division into simpler calculations.

• Lesson 5-10 - Students drawings, diagrams or tables to model problems.                                          

• Unit 5 Division Test

Science

This week students will learn:

• Light needs to reflect off an object and get to the eye for an animal to see the object.

• Changing more than one variable at a time can make it hard to figure out what made a difference in an investigation.

• .

• People and other animals use their senses to get information about what is in their environment.

• People and other animals have body structures that function to get information from their environment.

Week of December 4th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-4 – Students solve division problems and interpret remainders. 

• Lesson 5-5 – Students  divide by thinking about multiplication, estimation and place value

• Lesson 5-6 - Students  divide  larger numbers by thinking about multiplication, estimation and place value                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

• Lesson 5-7 – Students sort objects into equal size groups to divide 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Problems with the wires in an electrical system can cause the system to fail.

• Cost can be something important to consider when designing a solution to a problem.

• Different solutions have different costs associated with them.

• There are many possible solutions to electrical system failures.

Week of November 27th

Math 

The focus of Unit 5 is division. Students develop an understanding of finding quotients and interpreting  remainders with up to four-digit dividends and 1-digit divisors. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-1 – Students  make sense of quantities and use mental math and place-value strategies to divide. 

• Lesson 5-2 – Students  use compatible (friendly) numbers to estimate quotients when dividing with 3-digit dividends.

• Lesson 5-3 –Students  use compatible numbers to estimate quotients for  4-digit dividends.

• Lesson 5-4 – Students solve division problems and interpret remainders.  

Science

This week students will learn:

• Problems with the wires in an electrical system can cause the system to fail.

• Cost can be something important to consider when designing a solution to a problem.

• Different solutions have different costs associated with them.

• There are many possible solutions to electrical system failures.

Week of November 13th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Unit 4 Review (2-digit x 2-digit multiplication, area models, partial products and word problems)

• Unit 4 Assessment on Wednesday.  

Science

This week students will learn:

• There are many possible reasons that a system might fail.

• Wires can transfer electrical energy from place to place.

• The electrical grid is the wires that transfer electrical energy from many sources to many other places.

Week of November 6th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 4-5 – Students  use the distributive property and an area model to multiply two 2-digit numbers.

• Lesson 4-6 – Students  use place value and partial products to  multiply two 2-digit numbers.  

• Lesson 4-7 –Students  make sense of problems and persevere in solving them.

Science

This week students will learn:

• The design cycle has several phases including Learn, Plan, Make, and Test.

• It is often not possible to meet all of the criteria for a given design solution or to meet all of the criteria equally well.

• Engineers must consider both the advantages and the limitations of each solution.

Week of October 30th

Math 

As we move in Unit 4, students will work on multiplying two 2-digit numbers. The schedule includes:

• Lesson 4-1 – Students  find the products of multiples of 10, 100, and 1000 using mental math and place-value strategies. 

• Lesson 4-2 – Students  use models to multiply 2-digit numbers by multiples of 10.  

• Lesson 4-3 –Students  use rounding to estimate products of two 2-digit numbers 

• Lesson 4-4 – Students  use arrays and partial products to multiply  two 2-digit numbers

Science

This week students will learn:

• Generators function to convert energy from a source into electrical energy.

• Generators and motors serve different functions, but have similar parts.

• The faster something moves, the more energy it possesses.

• Wires can transfer electrical energy from place to place.

Week of October 23rd

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Unit 3 Review (1-digit x 2-, 3- and 4-digit multiplication, word problems and bar diagrams)

• Unit 3 Assessment on Wednesday. Students will receive a study guide on Monday. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Engineers go through a multi-step design process in order to design solutions to problems.

• Students engage in many of the same engineering practices as those employed by engineers.

• Most scientists and engineers work in teams.

Week of October 16th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 3-6: Students  use mental math strategies based on place value and properties of operations to multiply. 

• Lesson 3-7: Students  choose an appropriate strategy to multiply 2-, 3-, and 4-digit numbers by 1 digit numbers.

• Lesson 3-8:  Students use previously learned concepts and skills to represent and solve problems.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Solar panels, fuel burning power plants, and wind turbines are some examples of converters.

• Generators function to convert energy from a source into electrical energy.

• Generators and motors serve different functions, but have similar parts.

Week of October 9th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 3-5 – Students use area models and the Distributive Property (partial products) to multiply 3- and 4-digit by  1-digit numbers.  

Unit 2 math tests were returned to students, along with the answer key. Parent signatures are required for any score below 70%. Students who scored below 70%, will have the opportunity to retake the test this Friday,  10/13. I will replace the original grade with the average of the two scores. Please help your child review his/her work to identify areas that need additional practice.  These concepts will show up again and again throughout the year. It’s important to work out any misconceptions now.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Energy never just appears. It comes from a source.

• Sun, wind, water, geothermal and nuclear energy, biofuels, and fossil fuels are some sources of energy.

• Some energy converters are designed to convert energy from sources to electrical energy that goes into the electrical system.

Week of October 2nd

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 3-1 – Students  find the products of multiples of 10, 100, and 1000 using mental math and place-value strategies. 

• Lesson 3-2 – Students  use rounding to estimate products and to check if answers are reasonable.  

• Lesson 3-3 – Students  use arrays and partial products to multiply  

• Lesson 3-4 – Students use area models and the Distributive Property to multiply larger numbers.  

Science

This week students will learn:

• Devices will not have energy to function if they need more energy from the system than is put into the system.

• Criteria are the things that engineers think about and use to test how well something solves a problem.

• Certain devices are made to be energy efficient—they use less electrical energy than other devices to produce the same amount of the output energy that we want.

• Energy never just appears. It comes from a source.

• Sun, wind, water, geothermal and nuclear energy, biofuels, and fossil fuels are some sources of energy.

Week of September 25th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 2-8 – Students  make sense of quantities and relationships in problem situations 

• Unit 2 Review 

• Unit 2 Assessment on Thursday. Students can practice at home by reviewing returned homerwork and practicing Unit 2 IXL skills posted in Google Classroom. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• Energy can change from one form to another form. One way energy can change is through an electrical device.

• In the past, people didn’t have electrical devices. They found other ways to do many of the things we use devices for today.

• If an object does not have an output energy form that is different from its input energy form, then the object is not an energy converter.

• Over time, people’s needs and wants change, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.

Week of September 18th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 2-5: Students will connect place-value concepts to using the standard algorithm for subtraction.

• Lesson 2-6: Students will use the standard algorithm and place-value to subtract whole numbers. 

• Lesson 2-7:  Students will use the standard algorithm to subtract from numbers with zeros.

Science

This week students will learn:

• Scientists and engineers engage in argumentation.

• Claims in science and engineering are supported with evidence.

• An argument uses evidence to explain why one idea is the best.

Week of September 11th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 2-1: Students will add and subtract whole numbers mentally using a variety of methods. 

• Lesson 2-2: Students will round greater whole numbers to estimate sums and differences. 

• Lesson 2-3:  Students will add 3-digit numbers using place-value concepts and the standard algorithm.

• Lesson 2-4: Students will add numbers to one million with and without regrouping using the standard algorithm. 

Science

This week students will learn:

• When things start moving or changing, it is because of energy.

• Energy is the ability to make things move or change.

• Some forms of energy are light, sound, motion, electrical, thermal, and chemical.

• Electrical devices need electrical energy to function.

Week of September 4th

Math 

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 1-5 – Students use previously learned concepts and skills to construct arguments about place value. 

• Unit 1 Review 

• Unit 1 Assessment on Friday

Science

This week students will learn:

• A system is a collection of interacting parts that work together. Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

• Simple electrical systems and larger electrical systems have commonalities

Week of August 28th

Math 

enVision Math:  We start off the year with a review of Place Value which includes reading and writing large numbers and also rounding them to a specific place value. 

The Family Letter for Unit 1 will be sent home Monday.  Please refer to this letter if you have questions about ways to support  your child’s learning at home.

• Lesson 1-1 – Students will read and write numbers through one million in expanded form, with numerals and in written form. 

• Lesson 1-2 – Students will recognize the relationship between adjacent digits in a multi-digit number.

• Lesson 1-3 – Students will use place value to compare multi-digit numbers, and record the comparison using <, > or =. 

• Lesson 1-4– Students will use place value to round multi-digit numbers

• Friday – Basic Facts Quiz on multiplication.

Math Facts: Each Friday, I will send home a week’s worth of multiplication Mad Minutes homework. Students are to complete and return on the following Friday. It’s a good idea to plan to do one each evening. However, feel free to do what works best for your family's schedule.

Science

Our first unit is all about electricity. The students will work in the role of system engineers, trying to figure out why there are power outages in the fictional town of Ergstown.

This week students will learn:

• Systems engineers design and improve systems.

• There are many kinds of systems in the world around us

• A system is a collection of interacting parts that work together. Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

Week of May 22nd

Math

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-9: Students generate and analyze patterns in rectangular numbers. 

• Lesson 7-10: Students solve multistep number stories involving fractions. 

• Lesson 7-11:   Students multiply and add fractional weights to solve problems about state birds.

• Lesson 7-12: Students practice converting between fractions and decimals to solve number stories.

Science

Students will learn:

• Geologists analyze and interpret maps to describe patterns of Earth’s features.

• A sedimentary rock layer forms when sediment sinks and builds up in water, compacts under more sediment, and cements over time.

• Over time, a rock layer becomes thicker as sediment continues to build up.

Week of May 15th

Math

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-7:  Students solve multistep number stories

• Lesson 7-8:  Students use division strategies to solve various measurement problems. 

• Lesson 7-9: Students generate and analyze patterns in rectangular numbers. 

• Lesson 7-10: Students solve multistep number stories involving fractions. 

Science

Students will learn:

• Geologists use observations of fossils to make inferences about organisms that lived long ago.

• Rocks and fossils can provide clues about the way Earth changes over time.

• Reflecting on what you understand and don’t understand allows you to prepare for learning new things.

Week of May 8th

Students will take the Star 360 Math Assessment on Wednesday (204) and Thursday (203) mornings. Please ensure that they are on time for school. 

Math

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-4:  Students explore multiplying fractions by whole numbers.

• Lesson 7-5: Students multiply mixed numbers by whole numbers.

• Lesson 7-6: Students use fraction tools to add together fractions to make a specific number.

Science

Students will learn:

• A geologist is a scientist who studies the materials and processes that form the solid part of Earth.

• Rocks and fossils can provide clues about the way Earth changes over time.

• Reflecting on what you understand and don’t understand allows you to prepare for learning new things.

Week of May 1st

Math 

This week we will move into Unit 7.  In this unit, students formalize their understanding of multiplying a fraction by a whole number and use this knowledge to solve problems in real-world scenarios.

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-1: Students convert between cups, pints, quarts, and gallons.

• Lesson 7-2: Students multiply unit and non-unit fractions by whole numbers.

• Lesson 7-3: Students learn to represent fractions as multiples of a unit fraction.

Science

Students will learn:

• For an animal to see well, its receptors need to respond and send the right amount of information to the brain.

• An animal doesn’t see well when its receptors don’t respond enough or respond too much for the brain to process information and form an image.

• Models can show ideas about the way things work.

• Models can show the same ideas in different ways.

Week of April 24th

Math 

• Lesson 6-13: Students use their understanding of whole-number multiplication to multiply fractions by whole numbers.

The Unit 6 Test is scheduled Thursday, April 27th. The test will include problems on:

• Extended Division Facts

• Long Division Algorithm

• Division Number Stories which require determining what to do with the remainder

• Measuring Angles

• Finding unknown angle measures

• Fraction number stories

Students will receive the study guide Tuesday, which we will complete together in class. Please review it with them at home to  go over areas that need additional practice. IXL is another helpful resource to review skills at home.

Science

Students will learn:

• For an animal to see well, its receptors need to respond and send the right amount of information to the brain.

• An animal doesn’t see well when its receptors don’t respond enough or respond too much for the brain to process information and form an image.

• Models can show ideas about the way things work.

• Models can show the same ideas in different ways.

Week of April 17th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-10:  Students measure angles with a protractor.

• Lesson 6-11:  Students add and subtract to find unknown angle measures.

• Lesson 6-12: Students add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators to solve number stories.

• Lesson 6-13: Students use their understanding of whole-number multiplication to multiply fractions by whole numbers

Science

Students learn:

• An animal’s light receptor sensitivity corresponds to whether it needs to be able to see in conditions with high or low light.

• Animals that look for food at night need to be able to see well in low light; animals that look for food during the day need to be able to see well in high light.

• For an animal to see well, its receptors need to respond and send the right amount of information to the brain.

• An animal doesn’t see well when its receptors don’t respond enough or respond too much for the brain to process information and form an image.

Week of April 10th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-6:  Students explore U.S. customary units of weight and convert tons to pounds and pounds to ounces.

• Lesson 6-7:  Students practice the long division algorithm with 3 and 4 digit dividends.

• Lesson 6-8 (Possible 2-day lesson): Students explore different ways to express and interpret remainders including rounding up, rounding down, or reporting as a fraction.

• Lesson 6-9: Students make an angle measurer and use it to measure angles.

Science

Students learn:

• Animals can react in different ways to the same amount of information from the environment.

• Some animals have a more sensitive sense of hearing, touch, smell, taste, or vision, than other animals.

• Different animals have different kinds of receptors.

• Some animals see well in bright light while others see well in low light.

Week of March 27th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-4   Students find a rule for solving extended division facts..

• Lesson 6-5:  Students find missing side lengths of rectangles.

Science

Students learn:

• Light receptors in the eye respond to light and send information to the brain. The brain processes this information to form an image.

• Animals use information from the environment and memories from the brain in order to determine what they are looking at.

• After learning something new, scientists often have more questions and new ideas for what they want to investigate.

• After forming an image, the brain compares the image to memories. Then an animal can make a decision that could help it survive.

Week of March 20th

Math

We are starting Unit 6!  In this unit, students explore the relationship between multiplication and division by developing a method for dividing whole numbers and solving division number stories. They are introduced to protractors and explore using them to measure and construct angles. 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-1:   Students find a rule for solving extended division facts..

• Lesson 6-2:  Students find missing side lengths of rectangles.

• Lesson 6-3:  Students solve division number stories using familiar multiples.

Science

Students learn:

• Light receptors in the eye respond to light and send information to the brain. The brain processes this information to form an image.

• Animals use information from the environment and memories from the brain in order to determine what they are looking at.

• After learning something new, scientists often have more questions and new ideas for what they want to investigate.

• After forming an image, the brain compares the image to memories. Then an animal can make a decision that could help it survive.

Week of March 12th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-12: Students review line symmetry and explore properties of symmetric shapes.

• Lesson 5-13:   Students solve multistep multiplication number stories and express their solution strategies with appropriate units and number models.

• Unit 5 Review 

• Unit 5 Test 

Unit 5 quizzes will be returned Monday. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. 

Science

Students learn:

• Light receptors in the eye respond to light and send information to the brain. The brain processes this information to form an image.

• Animals use information from the environment and memories from the brain in order to determine what they are looking at.

• After learning something new, scientists often have more questions and new ideas for what they want to investigate.

• After forming an image, the brain compares the image to memories. Then an animal can make a decision that could help it survive.

Week of March 5th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-9: Students will divide an area of land into parts based on a number story and represent with a fractional number model.

• Lesson 5-10: Students will subtract fractions (of the same whole, with like denominators) to solve numbers stories

• Lesson 5-11: Students will subtract mixed numbers by writing equations, drawing diagrams, and solving number stories.

• Lesson 5-12: Students will review line symmetry and explore properties of symmetric shape.

On Wednesday, students will have a quiz on adding/subtracting fractions and mixed numbers. 

Science

Students learn:

• Just seeing or hearing something may not be enough to identify what it is.

• Different structures have particular functions that together allow an animal to know what it is looking at.

• When scientists change only one variable in an investigation, they can figure out if it makes a difference.

• Light receptors in the eye respond to light and send information to the brain. The brain processes this information to form an image.

Week of February 27th

Math

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-6: Students will divide an area of land into parts based on a number story and represent with a fractional number model.

• Lesson 5-7: Students will subtract fractions (of the same whole, with like denominators) to solve numbers stories

• Lesson 5-8: Students will subtract mixed numbers by writing equations, drawing diagrams, and solving number stories.

Science

Students learn:

• Making explanations is an important practice in science.

• Scientific explanations answer a question about how or why something happens, describe things that are not easy to observe, and are based on ideas from investigations and text.

• Evidence is information that supports an answer to a question.

Week of February 20th

Math 

The Unit 4 tests will be returned today. Parent signatures are required for any grade below 70%. 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-3: Students will add fractions with like denominators in number stories.

• Lesson 5-4:- Students will add mixed numbers with like denominators

• Lesson 5-5 - Students will add unlike fractions with tenth and hundredths.

Science

Students learn:

• Light needs to reflect off an object and get to the eye for an animal to see the object.

• Changing more than one variable at a time can make it hard to figure out what made a difference in an investigation.

• Making explanations is an important practice in science.

Week of February 13th

Math 

We are beginning Unit 5. In this unit, students explore the whole in fractions as well as adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers. Students use these computation skills to answer questions about line plots. They are also introduced to adding tenths and hundredths. Students build on their knowledge of rays to explore unit iteration for angles.

The Family Letter for Unit 5 will go home with students Monday.  Please refer to this letter if you have questions about your child’s homework. The Family Letter includes the answers to the homework problems.  

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 5-1:  Students  decompose fractions into sums of fractions with the same denominator.

• Lesson 5-2: Students find the whole when given a fractional part of a region

• Lesson 5-3: Students will add fractions with like denominators in number stories.

• Lesson 5-4:- Students will add mixed numbers with like denominators

Science

Students learn:

• Light needs to get to an object for an animal to see the object.

• Light needs to reflect off an object and get to the eye for an animal to see the object.

• Changing more than one variable at a time can make it hard to figure out what made a difference in an investigation.

Week of February 6th

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 4-12 - Students  solve multi-step multi number stories and use estimates to assess if their answers are reasonable. 

• Lesson 4-13 - Students explore the  lattice method of multiplication.

• Unit 4 Test Review (2 days)

• Unit 4 Test on Friday

Science

Students learn:

• Cross-section diagrams allow us to see what is happening inside a structure, such as the eye.

• Scientists use models to help them to understand things that are difficult to see and to communicate their ideas to others.

Week of January 30th

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 4-9 - Students  use partial-product algorithm to solve 2-digit x 2-digit numbers.

• Lesson 4-10 - Students play a game to practice the basic principles of multiplication with multidigit numbers.

• Lesson 4-11 - Students  find the area of rectangles and rectilinear figures using multi digit computation.

Science

Students learn:

• Light can carry information about the environment to an animal.

• Scientists change one thing at a time during their investigations so they can tell what change makes a difference.

• Cross-section diagrams allow us to see what is happening inside a structure, such as the eye.

Week of January 23rd

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 4-6 - Students practice using the Partial-Product Method of multiplication 

• Lesson 4-7 - Students further explore the metric system and convert kilograms to grams.

• Lesson 4-8 - Students solve multistep number stories involving money.

• Unit 4 Quiz  on Friday on Lessons 4.1 - 4.4

Science

Students learn:

• Animals and plants have different structures that allow them to get information from their environment, which helps them survive.

• Plants have different structures that allow them to grow and reproduce.

• Light can carry information about the environment to an animal.

Week of January 16th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 4-4 - Students  convert liters to milliliters

• Lesson 4-5 (Open Response) - Students use multiplication or division to decide if one million dollars will fit in a large box.

• Lesson 4-6 - Students are introduced to the partial-products multiplication strategy.

Science

• Sound and scent can carry information about the environment to an animal.

• Animals have different structures that allow them to get information from their environment.

Week of January 9th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Tuesday: Lesson 4-2 - Students  make estimates and evaluate the reasonableness of their answers.

• Wednesday: Star 360 Testing

• Thursday: Lesson 4-3 - Students solve multiplication problems by partitioning rectangles. 

Science

• Animals use their senses to get information from their environment.

• Conservation biologists study plants and animals in an environment in order to make sure they are surviving.

• People and other animals have body structures that function to get information from their environment.

Week of December 19th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 4-1 - Students find a rule for solving multiplication problems involving multiples of 10.

• Lesson 4-2 - Students  make estimates and evaluate the reasonableness of their answers.

• Lesson 4-3 - Students solve multiplication problems by partitioning rectangles.

Science

• There are many possible solutions to electrical system failures.

• Cost can be something important to consider when designing a solution to a problem.

• Engineers may change their mind about a solution if they have been presented with more convincing evidence.

Week of December 12th

Math 

We are at the end of Unit 3 and will take our  unit test Friday. Students will receive a study guide on Wednesday. Please help your child review his/her work to identify areas that need additional practice. IXL is a great resource to use. IXL links for each lesson from Unit 3 are posted in Google Classroom. 

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 3-12 - Students convert from centimeters to millimeters

• Lesson 3-13 - Students compare decimals using <, > and =

• Review for Unit 3 Test 

• Unit 3 Test on Friday

Science

• The electrical grid is the wires that transfer electrical energy from many sources to many other places.

• The parts of a system need to interact correctly to make it work.

• Problems with the wires in an electrical system can cause the system to fail.

Week of December 5th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 3.9 - Students model decimals values with base-10 blocks. 

• Lesson 3.10 - Students read and write decimal numbers to hundredths

• Lesson 3.11 - Students explore decimals in the context of measurement.

• Lesson 3.12 - Students convert from centimeters to millimeters

• Quiz on Lessons 3.1 - 3.5 moved to Monday

Science

• There are many possible reasons that a system might fail.

• It is unlikely that too many devices or not enough energy in the electrical system could be a reason for a nighttime blackout.

• Wires can transfer electrical energy from place to place.

Week of November 28th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 3.7 - Students use strategies to order fractions and place them accurately on number lines.

• Lesson 3.8 - Students explore the relationship between fractions and decimals

• Lesson 3.9 - Students model decimals values with base-10 blocks. 

• Lesson 3.10 - Students read and write decimal numbers to hundredths

• Quiz Friday on Lessons 3.1 - 3.5

Science

• There are many possible reasons that a system might fail.

• It is unlikely that too many devices or not enough energy in the electrical system could be a reason for a nighttime blackout.

• Wires can transfer electrical energy from place to place.

Week of November 14th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 3.4 - An Equivalent Fraction Rule:  Students generalize their work with visual fraction models to explain why fractions are equivalent.

• Lesson 3.5 - Compare Fractions with Different Denominators

• Lesson 3.6 - Comparing Fractions: Students compare fractions found in number stories

• Lesson 3.7 - Comparing and Ordering Fractions

The Unit 2 tests will be returned this week. The Family Letter for Unit 3 was emailed.  Please refer to this letter if you have questions about your child’s homework. HINT:  The Family Letter includes the answers to the homework problems.  Please don’t let your child in on this secret.  Let them continue to think you know everything! ;-)

Science

Students learn:

• Generators function to convert energy from a source into electrical energy.

• Generators and motors serve different functions, but have similar parts.

• The faster something moves, the more energy it possesses.

Week of November 7th

Math

We are beginning Unit 3.  In Unit 3, students explore fraction equivalence and compare and order fractions using different representations. They then extend their understanding of fractions to decimals, comparing and ordering decimals using the same methods for comparing fractions.

Fractions are a key component of fourth grade math.  We work with students to help them see the relationships between multiplication, division, and fractions.  It’s important for students to see how fractions are used in everyday life so please help draw their attention to them with cooking, measurement, making equal shares, etc.

 This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 3.1 - Students extend their understanding of fraction equivalence by solving number stories involving equally shared quantities.

• Lesson 3.2 - Students use an area model to recognize and generate equivalent fractions

• Lesson 3.3 - Number Lines and Equivalence:  Students use length or number-line model to recognize and generate equivalent fractions.

Science

• Some energy converters are designed to convert energy from sources to electrical energy that goes into the electrical system 

• Solar panels, fuel burning power plants, and wind turbines are some examples of converters.

Week of October 31st

Math

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 2.13 - Find the Pattern

• Develop and review study guide for Unit 2 test. 

We are at the end of Unit 2 , which focused on multiplication and geometry.  The unit test will be on Friday, November 4th.  Students should use the study guide  to review the concepts learned. They should also practice the IXL skills posted in Google Classroom for each lesson. 

Science

• Energy never just appears. It comes from a source.

• Sun, wind, water, geothermal and nuclear energy, biofuels, and fossil fuels are some sources of energy.

Week of October 24th

Math

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 2-10 – Students will classify triangles by angle properties.

• Lesson 2-11 - Students will classify quadrilaterals by their properties

• Lesson 2-12 - Students will explore symmetry in nature, objects, and shapes.

Science

• Certain devices are made to be energy efficient—they use less electrical energy than other devices to produce the same amount of the output energy that we want.

• An LED is an energy efficient light.

• Energy never just appears. It comes from a source.

• Sun, wind, water, geothermal and nuclear energy, biofuels, and fossil fuels are some sources of energy.

Week of October 17th

Math

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 2-7 – Students will convert units of time to smaller units of time and solve number stories involving time.

• Lesson 2-8 - Students will create and interpret statements and equations for multiplicative comparisons.

• Lesson 2-9 - Students will solve number stories involving multiplicative comparisons.

The Unit 2 quizzes will be returned Monday.  Students who scored a 69% or lower are required to get a parent signature. 

Science

• Devices will not have energy to function if they need more energy from the system than is put into the system.

• Criteria are the things that engineers think about and use to test how well something solves a problem.

• Certain devices are made to be energy efficient—they use less electrical energy than other devices to produce the same amount of the output energy that we want.

• An LED is an energy efficient light.

Vocabulary Quiz on Tuesday - Student have had their  flashcards for over a week. Please encourage them to continue studying. 

Week of October 10th

Math

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 2.5 – Students will classify prime and composite Numbers

• Lesson 2.6 - (2-day lesson) Students use multiplicative properties to solve a problem

• Quiz on Friday on Lessons 2.1 - 2.5 (square numbers, area of rectangles, factors and factor pairs, multiples, prime & composite numbers) Students can prepare by reviewing the related IXL skills posted daily in Google Classroom.

The Unit 1 Assessments were returned Friday.  Students who scored a 69% or lower are required to get a parent signature. Please help your child to review his/her work to find areas of strength and areas that need additional practice.  These concepts will show up again and again throughout the year.  

Science

• The function of an energy converter is to convert electrical energy into other forms of energy

• If an object does not have an output energy form that is different from its input energy form, then the object is not an energy converter. 

• Over time, people’s needs and wants change, as do their demands for new and improved technologies.

Week of October 3rd

Math

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 2.1– students will review rectangular arrays and explore patterns in square numbers.

• Lesson 2.2 – students. will work with area to develop a formula for the area of a rectangle.

• Lesson 2.3 - Students work with factor pairs, arrays, and corresponding equations.

• Lessson 2.4 - students learn that a whole number is a multiple of each of its factors.

• Basic Facts quiz on Friday. 

Science

• Energy can change from one form to another form. 

• Electrical devices convert electrical energy to other energy forms.

• The function of an energy converter is to convert electrical energy into other forms of energy

Other Updates

Missing Homework Stamp - When your child has not completed an assignment, a stamp will be placed in their homework planner. The missing assignment is to be completed and turned in the following day. Late work will not be accepted beyond 3 days of the due date.

Week of September 26th

Math

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 1-12– Students learn properties of angles, triangles, and quadrilaterals.

• Lesson 1-13 – Students develop a formula for finding the perimeter of a rectangle.

• Review of Lesson 1-1 - 1-5

• Review of Lesson 1-6 - 1-13 

• Unit 1 Assessment on Friday

Science

• Claims in science and engineering are supported with evidence.

• Electrical devices convert electrical energy to other energy forms.

• The function of an energy converter is to convert electrical energy into other forms of energy

Week of September 19th

Math

This week's lessons:

• Lesson 1.9– Students are introduced to U.S. Traditional Subtraction – subtracting with regrouping (possible 2-day lesson)

• Lesson 1.10 – Students convert between yards, feet, and inches.

• Lesson 1.11 - Students explore properties of points, line segments, lines, and rays.

Science

Students will learn:

• When things start moving or changing, it is because of energy.

• Energy is the ability to make things move or change.

• Some forms of energy are light, sound, motion, electrical, thermal, and chemical.

Week of September 12th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Monday: Lesson 1.7 – Students are introduced to Traditional U.S. Addition

• Tuesday:  Star 360 Math Testing

• Wednesday/Thursday:  Lesson 1.8 ( two-day lesson) - Students solve a problem about codes based on place-value structures

Some of our assignments will include space for explaining how the problem was solved.  The students are working in class to include the strategy used to solve the problem as well as information from the problem to write as complete a response as possible.  When your child can explain how he/she solved the problem, it strengthens his/her understanding of the concept and makes for better retention.

STAR 360  Math Assessment - Tuesday

Basic Facts quiz on Friday. 

Science

Students will learn:

• Many devices that people use every day have electrical energy as an energy input.

• Energy moves in and out of the parts of systems.

Week of September 5th

Math 

This week's lessons include:

• Lesson 1.4– Students are introduced to the Student Reference Book (SRB) and continue place-value work.

• Lesson 1.5 – Students explore different ways to estimate.

• Lesson 1.6 – Students practice solving multistep number stories involving addition and subtraction.

Place-Value/Rounding Quiz on Friday – 

• Reading and writing large numbers

• Writing numbers in expanded form

• Comparing and Ordering Numbers

• Rounding – following routines to round to the nearest ten, hundred, thousand, ten-thousand, hundred thousand

Math Minutes/ Basic Facts Packet: Each Friday, I will send home a week’s worth of multiplication Math Minutes homework. Students are to complete and return on the following Friday. Students do NOT have to be timed. 

Science

This week students continue in their role of system engineers and will learn:

• A system is a collection of interacting parts that work together. Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

• Simple electrical systems and larger electrical systems have commonalities.

• Many devices that people use every day have electrical energy as an energy input.

Leader In Me

• Create Room 204's Class Mission Statement 

Week of August 29th

Math 

Everyday Math Unit 1:  We start off the year with a review of Place Value which includes reading and writing large numbers and also rounding them to a specific place value. 

The Parent Letter for Unit 1 will be sent home Monday.  Please refer to this letter if you have questions about your child’s homework. HINT:  The Parent Letter includes the answers.  Please don’t let your child in on this secret.  Let them continue to think you know everything!

• Lesson 1.1 – Whole Number Place Value

• Lesson 1.2 – Whole Number Place Value Concepts: Comparing, ordering, writing numbers in expanded form

• Lesson 1.3 – Formal procedures for rounding

• Lesson 1.4– Reading, Writing, and Comparing Numbers up to one million; explore the Student Reference Book

• Friday – Basic Facts Quiz on multiplication.

Math Facts: Each Friday, I will send home a week’s worth of multiplication Mad Minutes homework. Students are to complete and return on the following Friday. It’s a good idea to plan to do one each evening. However, feel free to do what works best for your family's schedule.

Science

Our first unit is all about electricity. The students will work in the role of system engineers, trying to figure out why there are power outages in the fictional town of Ergstown.

This week students will learn:

• Systems engineers design and improve systems.

• There are many kinds of systems in the world around us

• A system is a collection of interacting parts that work together. Each part in the system plays a role to perform an overall function.

• Simple electrical systems and larger electrical systems have commonalities.

Week of June 6th

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-7: Students estimate, find, and assess the reasonableness of answers to multistep division number stories.

• Lesson 7-8:  Students use division strategies to solve various measurement problems.

• Lesson 7-12:  Students practice decimal number stories.

Science

Students will learn:

• Erosion is the process in which rock breaks down and wears away.

• Geologists can use maps to help them understand what might have happened in a place in the past.

• Rock can be broken down and eroded by things in the environment such as wind, water, plants, and ice.

Week of May 30th

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-7: Students estimate, find, and assess the reasonableness of answers to multistep division number stories.

• Lesson 7-8:  Students use division strategies to solve various measurement problems.

• Lesson 7-9:  Students generate and analyze patterns in rectangular numbers. 

The graded Fraction Multiplication quizzes will be sent home on Tuesday. Please review the quiz with your child to  go over areas that need additional practice. A parent signature is required for grades of 69% or lower.  

Science

Students will learn:

• New rock layers form on top of existing rock layers. Therefore, the environments that lower layers formed in came earlier.

• A scientific argument is written for an audience.

Week of May 23rd

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-5: Students multiply mixed numbers by whole numbers.

• Lesson 7-6: Students use fraction tools to add together fractions to make a specific number.

• Lesson 7-7: Students estimate, find, and assess the reasonableness of answers to multistep division number stories.

• Lesson 7-8:  Students use division strategies to solve various measurement problems.

Students will have a quiz on Wednesday on fraction multiplication. The quiz will cover multiplying unit fractions, non-unit fractions and mixed numbers by  whole numbers . 

Science

Students will learn:

• New rock layers form on top of existing rock layers. Therefore, lower rock layers are older than the layers above them.

• A convincing argument includes evidence from multiple sources.

Week of May 16th

Math 

This week we will move into Unit 7.  In this unit, students formalize their understanding of multiplying a fraction by a whole number and use this knowledge to solve problems in real-world scenarios.

The schedule includes:

• Lesson 7-1: Students convert between cups, pints, quarts, and gallons.

• Lesson 7-2: Students multiply unit and non-unit fractions by whole numbers.

• Lesson 7-3: Students learn to represent fractions as multiples of a unit fraction.

• Lesson 7-4:  Students explore multiplying fractions by whole numbers.

Students will receive their Unit 6 tests back on Monday. Please review it with them at home to  go over areas that need additional practice. A parent signature is required for grades of 69% or lower. 

Science

Students will learn:

• A scientific argument uses scientific language.

• The environment of a place can change multiple times over millions of years.

• Newer rock layers form on top of layers that have already formed.

Week of May 9th

Math 

The Unit 6 Test is scheduled Thursday, May 13th. The test will include problems on:

• Extended Division Facts

• Long Division Algorithm

• Division Number Stories which require determining what to do with the remainder

• Measuring Angles

• Finding unknown angle measures

• Fraction number stories

Students will receive the study guide Monday, which we will complete together in class. Please review it with them at home to  go over areas that need additional practice.

Science

Students will learn:

• Different sedimentary rock layers in a place mean that the environment in that place has changed.

• Any place may appear to be stable day by day, but over a long period of time it can change.

• In a scientific argument, data and ideas are connected as evidence to support a claim.

• Geologists make claims about what the environment of a place was like in the past. These claims are based on evidence.

Week of May 2nd

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-10:   Students measure angles with a half-circle protractor.

• Lesson 6-11  Students add and subtract to find unknown angle measures.

• Lesson 6-12:  Students add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators to solve number stories.

• Lesson 6-13: Students use their understanding of whole-number multiplication to multiply fractions by whole numbers.

Science

Students will learn:

• Different sedimentary rock layers in a place mean that the environment in that place has changed.

• Any place may appear to be stable day by day, but over a long period of time it can change.

Week of April 25th

Math 

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-7:   Students practice the long division algorithm with 3 and 4 digit dividends.

• Lesson 6-8:  Students explore different ways to express and interpret remainders including rounding up, rounding down, or reporting as a fraction (2-day lesson).

• Lesson 6-9:  Students make an angle measurer and use it to measure angles.

Science

Students will learn:

• Geologists can use differences between rocks to figure out what environment they formed in.

• Different sediments build up in different environments. Therefore, different kinds of sedimentary rock form in different environments.

Week of April 18th

Math 

We have taken on the traditional long-division algorithm.  This strategy can be challenging at first, but with lots of practice and support from the teacher and parents, students can build confidence in no time.  Students have been taught the following steps:

Divide

Multiply

Subtract 

Compare (is the remainder less than the divisor, if yes, move on. If no, go back and divide again)

Bring Down 

Start Over

This week's schedule includes:

• Lesson 6-4:   Students explore dividing multidigit numbers into parts as a method for division.

• Lesson 6-5:  Students interpret remainders to decide how to package fruit for a fundraiser and explain their solutions.

• Lesson 6-6:  Students explore U.S. customary units of weight and convert tons to pounds and pounds to ounces.