May 19-23, 2025

*All Carpenter Library books were due Friday! I recommend students go to the Park Ridge Public Library for books to read, as they will still need those.  (My classroom library has some books, but it's a much lower selection that what they'd find uptown.)

*Field day is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.  (See communication from Mr. Balduf regarding rain date if necessary.)

Reading

-Our unit is reading historical fiction.  Students have book clubs, and they are discussing their ideas about their books.  We are focusing on questions and summaries of our reading.

-Independent reading and goal setting

Written Language

-Students will be reviewing, then going through edits of their non fiction reports.

Math

-Module 6 is Geometry!

-Lines, line segments, rays and angles

Social Studies

-We will be learning about major events in Illinois history and focus on cause and effect.

-Students will complete a map of major landforms in Illinois. 

Science

-Students will begin a short unit on properties of waves.  (Water waves, waves on a string, and sound waves are in the unit.)

Health

-The topic is exercise and its benefits.

May 12-16, 2025

*Emerson Chorus is coming to Carpenter on Thursday to share about their music program and perform for us!

*The Park Ridge Public Library is coming on Friday to explain their excellent summer reading program.

*All books are due to the Carpenter LRC on Friday the 16th! 

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews: last week for this!

-Students will sharing their research on their subtopic of the Titanic.  We are wrapping up our Reading History unit and will be moving on to Historical Fiction this week.  

-Our next 4th grade unit focuses on historical fiction.  Students will be reading historical fiction novels and discussing with their book groups.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are typing and editing their non fiction reports. We are completing revisions paragraph-by-paragraph in class.

-(Our overall goal is to create e-books, but we are still working on the text of the report this week.) 

Math

-Decimals:  comparing and ordering decimals and mixed numbers

-Adding tenths and hundredths (by changing tenths to hundredths)

-Word problems with decimals

-Review Thursday

-There will be a test Friday, 5/16 on Module 5.  That was a fast unit!

Science, Social Studies & Health 

-The Plants and Animal Structures science unit wraps up with a review of lessons 5, 6, 8, and 9 .

-In social studies, we will be learning about Illinois, including major historical events and Illinois geography. 

-Our health unit is on digestion. We are discussing categories of food, such as carbohydrates, protein, water, and dairy.

-It's Appreciate May.

April 28-May 2, 2025

*It's Healthy Living Month, and this week is Screen Free Week.  Here is a link to some activities that can help parents help their children think about ways they can choose in person activities instead of screen time.  Healthy Living bingo cards can be turned in Monday, May 5.

PTO has events each day for Screen Free Week. Here is a link to their newsletter that has the flyer (scroll down the page to see it).  Thanks for all the planning, PTO!

There will be MAP testing this week!  Fourth grade will test on Tuesday and Wednesday. Please help your child remember to charge his or her Chromebook (and bring headphones if they're not here already).

Thursday is the Field Trip! We are going to the Lincoln Park Zoo.  We will leave first thing, after attendance and announcements, and return ETA around 2:15. Students should bring a bag lunch.

-Miss Lule's last day is Friday, May 2!  We wish her well as she graduates from ISU and begins teaching.

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews 

-Reading History:  Students have a topic (such as building the ship or classes of passengers). They are preparing and present what they have learned on a poster.

-Students will answer questions about a non-fiction topic to assess the summarizing skill.

Language Arts (writing)

-Grammar and editing skill practice.

-Students are writing the paragraphs of the non fiction report.  Our paragraphs this week will likely be the introduction and conclusion paragraphs and working on any other paragraphs that are not completed.  

Math

-Decimals:  tenths and hundredths

Science & Health 

-The Plants and Animal Structures science unit continues.

-Animals' brains and nervous systems

-How animals respond to their environment; we will focus on instincts, reflexes, and learned behavior.

Our health unit is on digestion.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It's April Attitudes.

-Cougar Dens this week.

April 21-25, 2025

*It's Healthy Living Month, and this week is Go Green Week.  Here is a link to some activities that can help students think about ways they can help the earth.  

(Next week is Screen Free Week.)

There is an author visit Monday morning:  Barbara O'Connor, author of Wish and How to Steal a Dog!

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews 

-Reading History:  Students have a topic (such as building the ship or classes of passengers). They will work to prepare and present what they have learned on a poster.

Language Arts (writing)

-Grammar and editing skill practice.

-Students are writing the paragraphs of the non fiction report. We help students organize their information and prepare topic sentences. Our paragraphs this week will likely be the predators and interesting facts paragraphs.  

Math

-Multiplying a mixed number times a whole number

-We will review what we have learned about fractions in this unit on Wednesday.  There will be a test on fractions on Thursday 4/24. The review packet will be sent home on Wednesday after we work on it in class.

Science & Health 

-The Plants and Animal Structures science unit continues.

-Animal structures for sensing the environment :  sound and touch

-How animals sense substances and light

-Animals' brains and nervous systems

Our health unit will focus on digestion.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It's April Attitudes.

April 14-18, 2025

 *There is no school on Friday, April 18.

*It's Healthy Living Month, and this week is Neat to Use Your Feet Week.

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews 

-Reading History:  Students have a topic (such as building the ship or classes of passengers). They are continuing to read non fiction and take notes on main idea and details. This week is the 113 anniversary since the Titanic sank (April 15, 1912).

Language Arts (writing)

-Grammar and editing skill practice.

-Students are beginning to write the first paragraphs of the non fiction report. We help students organize their information and prepare topic sentences. Our paragraphs this week will likely be what the animal looks like, where it lives, and what it eats.  

Math

-Students will decompose (break apart) a fraction to a unit fraction:  a unit fraction is a fraction with a one in the numerator.

-Multiplying a fraction by a whole number

-Solving word problems involving fractions

-Multiplying a mixed number times a whole number

Science & Health 

-The Plants and Animal Structures science unit continues.

-Animals without backbones

-Animal structures for support, movement, and protection

-Animal structures for sensing the environment  

Our next health unit will focus on Digestion, although I believe there are Cougar Dens scheduled this week.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It's April Attitudes.

April 7-11, 2025

 *IAR testing continues on Tuesday for the last regular scheduled test.  Students need working headphones and fully charged Chromebooks.  Testing has gone well so far; hopefully your fourth grader has reported some positives that come along with IAR week.

Students who missed one or more sessions will be pulled for make-ups at other times.

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews 

-Reading History is our unit, & the focus is on the Titanic. Students have a topic (such as building the ship). They are reading non fiction and taking notes on main idea and details.

Language Arts (writing)

-Grammar and editing skill practice.

-Students will learn and practice note taking skills.  They will work to take notes on their topics.  Categories include what it looks like, where it lives/is located, and if applicable: what it eats and predators.

-Depending on how the research progresses, we may begin writing the first paragraph of the non fiction report in class later this week. We help students organize their information and prepare topic sentences. 

Math

-Students will solve word problems involving fractions.  They will create equations to represent their work.

-Adding and subtracting mixed numbers using data from line plots

-Students will decompose (break apart) a fraction to a unit fraction:  a unit fraction is a fraction with a one in the numerator.

Science & Health 

-Animal structures for circulation and support (including the circulatory system, and the functions of bones and muscles)

-Animals without backbones  

Our health unit focuses on teeth.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It's April Attitudes.

March 17-21, 2025

 *IAR testing is coming up after this week (official start Tuesday 4/1, no fooling).  Students need working headphones and fully charged Chromebooks.  

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews 

-Reading History is our new unit, and our focus on the Titanic.  This week, we will continue to learn additional background information and use text structures to help aid in our comprehension.

-Students are taking practices for the IAR test.  We will also discuss test taking strategies.

Language Arts (writing)

-Grammar and editing skill practice.

-Students will narrow down their non-fiction topic choices.

-We will brainstorm categories  for researching our non-fiction topic. 

-Students will learn note taking skills and work to take notes on their topics.

Math

-Subtracting mixed numbers

-Students are taking practices for the IAR tests and reviewing math skills from fourth grade. 

Science & Health 

-The unit on plants and animal structures continues.  Students are studying how plants respond to their environment.  Plants respond to stimulus in the environment, such as light.

Our health unit focuses on teeth.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It's March Manners!

March 10-14, 2025

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews 

-We finished our book group books!  Students will complete an assessment which has them reading texts, answering questions, and writing about what they read.

-Reading History is our new unit, and our focus on the Titanic.  This week, we will orient our ideas, learn additional background information, and use text structures to help aid in our comprehension.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students will be typing their essays based on a text.

-We will be brainstorming topics for nonfiction research.

-Grammar skills practice and review 

Math

-Changing improper fractions to mixed numbers

-Changing mixed numbers to improper fractions

-Adding mixed numbers

-Subtracting mixed numbers 

Science & Health 

-The unit on plants and animal structures continues.  Students are studying parts of a flower.  They will also look at other plants that do not flower, but instead make spores and cones. 

Our health unit focuses on hygiene.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It's March Manners!

February 24 - February 28, 2025

*No student attendance Friday 2/28 for Records Planning Day.

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Readers are continuing to meet with their groups, summarizing, and discussing their books. We are nearing the end of our book group books!

-We will practice determining a theme, which means a life lesson from a story.

-Vocabulary from Greek and Latin roots 

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are writing essays based on texts.  Students are developing their thesis about an essay with a partner.  They are supporting their thesis with reasons.  This week, they will work with their partners to use evidence and explain their thinking. 

Math

-Comparing fractions by finding equivalent fractions 

-Comparing mixed numbers 

-Finding estimates for addition and subtraction problems with fractions

Social Studies or Science 

-Our next unit is plant and animal structures.

-Students will learn and discuss plant structures for support and growth.  This includes the root, stem and leaves.  

-Photosynthesis

-The vascular system is how food and water is moved through plants, and we will see this in color with celery this week! 

Health 

-Our health topic is Be Cool, Keep Clean.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It is Fair February.

February 10 - February 13, 2025

*Thursday night is Open House!  6:00-7:00, hope to see you there!

*Thursday we will have Valentine's activities at the end of the day.  If your fourth grader wants to bring in Valentines, we have 24 students.  (Typical no food guidelines apply.)

*No school Friday due to staff development.  No school Monday for Presidents' Day!

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews

-Our unit is Detail & Synthesis.  Readers are continuing to meet with their groups, writing about and discussing their books. These book groups are an excellent place to work on the skills of summarizing, predicting,  supporting ideas with evidence, and deciding what is important.

-We will practice determining a theme, which means a life lesson from a story.

-Vocabulary from Greek and Latin roots 

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are working on a unit called The Literary Essay.  It is writing essays based on texts.  Students are developing ideas about characters, and adding on to push their thinking as they write.  

Math

-Finding equivalent fractions using pictures, multiplication and division

-Finding equivalent fractions for mixed numbers 

-Comparing fractions using benchmarks: a benchmark is an easy to picture fraction.  Is the fraction closer to 0, 1/2 or 1 whole?  

Social Studies or Science 

-Students are learning how volcanoes form and look for patterns using a map.
-In class, students will design a structure and test how it might hold up during a (jello) earthquake.

Health 

-Our health topic is No Smoking.  Students are learning about the dangers of smoking and vaping and the ways in which they are harmful.

Second Step/Social Skills

-It is Fair February.

February 3 - February 7, 2025

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews

-Our unit is Detail & Synthesis.  Readers are continuing to meet with their groups, writing about and discussing their books. These book groups are an excellent place to work on the skills of summarizing, predicting,  supporting ideas with evidence, and deciding what is important.

-Vocabulary from Greek and Latin roots 

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are working on a unit called The Literary Essay.  It is writing essays based on texts.  Students are developing ideas about characters, and adding on to push their thinking as they write.  

Math

-In fourth grade, it is very important that kids get concrete pictures for themselves about the sizes of different fractions.  Anytime you can work common fractions such as halves or fourths into daily activity, please take the opportunity to use these fraction terms.  (Otherwise, it can get very abstract and confusing for kids when we ask for more complex fraction work.)  An example where this might fit could be cooking.

-Finding equivalent fractions

Social Studies or Science 

-In our Earth's Changing Surface unit, students are studying the various ways that weathering, erosion, and deposition occurs.

-Next up:  students will learn how mountains and volcanoes form  and look for patterns using a map.

Health 

-Our health topic is No Smoking.  Students are learning about the dangers of smoking and vaping and the ways in which they are harmful.

Second Step/Social Skills

-We are discussing situations where someone is being bullied and options to handling that.  Mrs. Campbell came in to our classroom and shared ideas on preventing bullying, naming feelings, and using compements-even towards ourselves.   

January 27 - January 31, 2025

*It's boots season! Does your 4th grader have an extra pair of shoes in his or her locker? 

*A reminder about the District policy on devices:  any SmartWatch needs to be on school mode with notifications off during the school day. (I am including this again intentionally.)

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews

-Our unit is Detail & Synthesis.  Readers will meet in their book group books, writing about and discussing their books. These book groups are an excellent place to work on the skills of summarizing, predicting,  supporting ideas with evidence, and deciding what is important.

-A theme is a life lesson of a book.  Students worked on theme in their last fiction unit in the fall, and we will practice determining them again in this unit. 

Language Arts (writing)

-We are finishing up our persuasive essays.

-Students are working on a unit called The Literary Essay.  It is writing essays based on texts.  This week, students will use & explain text to support their ideas.  

Math

-Welcome fractions! 

-In fourth grade, it is very important that kids get concrete pictures for themselves about the sizes of different fractions.  Anytime you can work common fractions such as halves or fourths into daily activity, please take the opportunity to use these fraction terms.  (Otherwise, it can get very abstract and confusing for kids when we ask for more complex fraction work.)  An example where this might fit could be cooking.

-Do you know what a unit fraction is?  It is ONE piece, so any fraction with a one in the numerator. 1/6 is a unit fraction.   (2/6 is not a unit fraction.)

Science 

-Earth's Changing Surface

-Students will learn about fossils:  how they are formed and what they tell geologists about the earth.  

Health/Second Step/Social Skills

-Our health topic is no smoking.

-Jump on January

This Week in 135

January 21-24, 2025 

*No school Monday, happy birthday to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr!

*It's boots season! Does your 4th grader have an extra pair of shoes in his or her locker? 

*A reminder about the District policy on devices:  any SmartWatch needs to be on school mode with notifications off during the school day.  (A book I am currently reading is research about devices and specifically how they relate to children and teenagers.  I am in the beginning, but it is so interesting, & I'd love to know if any parents have read it! It is called The Anxious Generation.)

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

(-Book reviews will have another round beginning January 29.)

-Vocabulary using Greek and Latin common roots

-Groups of students are continuing to read the same book, and then we meet to discuss ideas.  We are focusing on noticing the things we do well as readers, summarizing, and sharing ideas about what we read.

Language Arts (writing)

-Revising based on teacher and peer feedback

-Students will also complete a revision checklist to help them with revision ideas.
-In addition, editing skills will be practiced and strengthened by correcting sentences together.

Math

-Will you ask your fourth grader how he or she is doing on Xtramath?  I recommend they have 4 facts (that they have recently missed on notecards,) and do short reviews of these over a few days.  We had 3 people move from multiplication to division this week, so I know this is helping! 

-Division with remainders

-Word problems with remainders:  what do we do with the remainders?

-Review of Module 3

-There will be a test on Module 3 on Thursday, January 23.  Skills will include division, multiplication, finding and explaining errors, and word problems. Students will have a review packet that we will go over together Wednesday.  

Science

-This unit is called Earth's Changing Surface.

-Students have learned how water and wind can cause change in the earth's surface.

-Living things cause weathering, erosion, and deposition.  We will read and discuss how plants affect earth's surface.  Animals change the earth as well, and we will study how animals affect the earth.

Second Step/Social Skills/Health

-Jump on January

-Our health topic is No Smoking.

This Week in 135

January 13-17, 2025 

*It's been awhile!  Happy 2025!

*Welcome to Alyssa Lule, who is student teaching in Room 135 until May! She is in her last semester at ISU, and she started at Carpenter this week.

*After a break and mini-break, often kids will need help getting back in their routine.  Will you help with this please? 

Particularly if you can reinforce these items it would help a lot:  Chromebook charged, reading at least 20 minutes 5 days a week, and be sure to have your winter items, including a pair of shoes for school if you are wearing boots.  Thank you for helping with getting us back in the flow of learning and preparing for school.

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

(-Book reviews will have another round beginning January 29.)

-Vocabulary using Greek and Latin common roots

-Our unit is Detail and Synthesis. Students will be reading the same book as a small group and meeting to discuss ideas.  We are focusing on noticing the things we do well as readers, and noticing some areas where we may want to improve.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are working on their persuasive essays in class. (They will use class time for all the writing and revising; this should not be an item they are completing at home.)

-Introduction and conclusions

-Revising based on teacher and peer feedback

-Students will also complete a revision checklist to help them with revision ideas.

Math

-Will you ask your fourth grader how he or she is doing on Xtramath?  I recommend they have 4 facts (that they have recently missed on notecards,) and do short reviews of these over a few days. 

-Measurement:  weight and capasity (such as cups and quarts)

-Division with remainders

-Word problems with remainders:  what do we do with the remainders?

Science

-This unit is called Earth's Changing Surface.

-Students will learn how water, wind and living things can cause change in the earth's surface.

-We will discuss the concepts of weathering (weakening and breaking down of rock), erosion (when the smaller pieces move to another place, often in a river or other waterway), and deposition (when the sand or other materials settles in a new place).

Second Step/Social Skills

-Jump on January

-Cougar Dens this week!  Goal setting

This week in 135

December 16-20, 2024

 *The Holiday Sing for fourth grade is Thursday morning; the performance starts at 9:30.

*Wishing you a fantastic holiday & a wonderful, fun end of 2024!

*This week, we will be working to finish up units in most subjects (not math just yet). 

Reading

-Independent reading, goal setting

-Students are finishing their posters showing their research from hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, or tsunamis.

-Students will read and summarize a non-fiction text.

-Author Book Break online

Language Arts (writing)

-Students will write their persuasive essay drafts.

Math

-Using an area model to solve a 2-digit X 2-digit multiplication problem.

-Fact practice

Social Studies 

-Our unit is the Southwest

-Students are creating and finishing a diorama showing physical features, some historical events, and aspects of the economy of their area of the Southwest.

Southeast  and Southwest review packet (hoping to get to this).

Health, Second Step/Social Skills

-In health, we are working on using our problem solving skills in various environments.

-"Remember December" reviews social skills we have emphasized in fourth grade.

This week in 135

December 9-13, 2024

 *This week, students will have MAP testing for reading and math.  They did a fantastic job charging Chromebooks last week, please keep it up this week everyone!

*This week is Hour of Code, which is a computer science initiative throughout the world.  Instead of playing a game, students will be choosing among lines of code to program games.  (Search Hour of Code to see some of the fun choices!) We will use some social studies time and some writing time this week for computer programming.   

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting.

-Nonfiction:  each extreme weather group is preparing their poster display to share what they have learned with others. They worked on their rough drafts last week and have started their posters.  

-Vocabulary work using Classical roots

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are building their persuasive drafts. They're working on explaining supporting information for their reasons.  Students will learn and practice using reliable sources when they need to support their ideas with facts.  

-Skill work for sentences: subjects and predicates, and also using compound sentences

Math

-Long division using extended form

-Multiplying 2 digit numbers

Social Studies

-Geography of the Southeast region and its resources

-Students have their diorama groups, and we read background information together.  Next, they will create a diorama of their aspect of the Southwest with their partner(s).  

Health, Second Step/Social Skills

-In health, we are working on using our gut and problem solving skills in various environments.

-"Remember December" is a review of the social skills we have focused on this year.

This week in 135

December 2-6, 2024

 *Every fourth grader (including students in both my reading class AND Mrs. Miller's students) should be reading at least 20 minutes a day, 5 days a week for homework. Please work with your fourth grader to help him or her find the time & place to focus on this important habit. 

Reading

-Independent reading, goal setting, and book reviews

-After this week's book reviews, we will not have any until the second week of January.

-Nonfiction:  each extreme weather group is preparing their poster display to share what they have learned with others.

-Vocabulary work using Classical roots

Language Arts (writing)

-Students have chosen a thesis for writing an essay.  We will be writing a persuasive draft in school. 

-Students will be building their persuasive drafts by deciding reasons to support their ideas.  Each reason will have supporting information.  Students will generate supporting ideas for their reasons.

-Skill work for sentences, including subjects and predicates

Math

-Module 3 continues

-Using area models to divide

-Long division using extended form

-Multiplying 2 digit numbers

Social Studies

-Geography of the Southeast region and its resources

-The second area of the Southern states is the Southwest region, and we will be beginning an overview of the states and land in that area.

-Students will create a diorama of their aspect of the Southwest with their partner(s).  

Health, Second Step/Social Skills

-In health, we are working on using our gut and problem solving skills in various environments.

-"Remember December" is a review of the social skills we have focused on this year.

This week in 135

November 18-22, 2024

 *Wishing your family a wonderful Thanksgiving next week!  I am grateful for the Carpenter community:  staff, students, and families.  Thank you for supporting our district, Carpenter School, and for your support of the work I do with students as their teacher.  

Reading

-Independent reading, goal setting, and book reviews

-Nonfiction:  each extreme weather group is preparing their poster display to share what they have learned with others.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are choosing a thesis for a nonfiction unit writing an essay.  We will be writing a persuasive draft in school. 

-Students will be building their persuasive drafts by deciding reasons to support their ideas.  

-Skill work for sentences

Math

-Module 3 here we come!

-Multiplying and dividing by tens and hundreds

-Using place value models to divide, and relating place value to division with partial products

Social Studies

-The Southeast state region of the United States continues.  Students are learning about this area, including some history of the Southeast.

-Geography of the Southeast region and its resources

-The second area of the Southern states is the Southwest region, and we will be beginning an overview of the states and land in that area later this week.  

Health, Second Step/Social Skills

-Cougar Dens are this week.

-Know How you Feel November encourages everyone to check in on how they're feeling throughout the day. 

This week in 135

November 11-November 15, 2024

 *Please help your fourth grader have a quiet time and place for independent reading.  Students should be reading at least 20 minutes, 5 days a week.

Reading

-Independent reading, goal setting, and book reviews

-Nonfiction:  each extreme weather group is researching a subtopic and preparing to share what they have learned with another group.

Language Arts (writing)

-We will be starting a nonfiction writing unit.  Students will be deciding on a thesis statement and thinking of reasons that support their statement.  We will also model writing nonfiction paragraphs with topic sentences and support. 

Math

-Finding factors of a number

-Finding multiples of a number

-Continuing to work on prime and composite numbers

-Module 2 review

-The Module 2 test will be Friday, November 15.  Students will have a study guide to review on Thursday.  (In addition, we are reviewing concepts in class throughout the week.)

Social Studies

-We are taking a tour through the southeast states:  economies, history, and geography will be topics as we look at key places in each state.  Students will complete a map of the Southern states.

Health, Second Step/Social Skills

-Our health topic is focusing on strategies for when we feel nervous.

-Know How You Feel November encourages all of us to check in to see how we are feeling.  These are emphasized throughout Carpenter as part of morning announcements.

This week in 135

November 4-8, 2024

*Thank you to the PTO and Room Parent Volunteers for the Fall Fest, and thank you for your flexibility due to the weather!

*No School on Tuesday, November 5 because it's Election Day.  

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Nonfiction:  Each extreme weather group is researching a natural disaster or extreme weather event:  tornado, hurricane, tsunami, and earthquake.  They are studying one aspect of this. (Causes, effects, how it is measured, prevention and safety, and major disasters and their damage are the subtopics.)

-Book reviews continue this week.

-Vocabulary using Greek and Latin roots 

Language Arts (writing)

-Cursive practice

-Students will be learning and practicing how to punctuate quotations this week.

-Students will also share their fiction writing stories with their classmates later this week. 

Math

-Students will solve comparison problems using addition and multiplication.

-Students will learn what factor pairs are.  They will use factors to decide if numbers are prime or composite.

-Students will learn what multiples are and find multiples of numbers.

Social Studies

-We are looking at the regions (areas) of the United States, and comparing physical features (such as the Atlantic Ocean, the plains, and the Appalachian Mountains).

-The first region we will focus on is the Northeast.  Students will learn more about the geography, history, and economy of the Northeast.

Health, Second Step/Social Skills

-Our health this week is a lesson on creating healthy habits.

-It is "know how you feel" November, where we check in with ourselves and name how we are feeling.

October 28-November 1, 2024

 *Thank you to our room parents and the PTO for all the special activities at the end of October!

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews

-Non-fiction:  Students are reading and taking notes on non-fiction passages.

-Students will begin reading about a weather event or natural disaster this week to use what we've learned so far with our non-fiction reading strategies.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students will be finishing and sharing their scary house stories.

-Working on sentence skills

Math

 -Divide by breaking apart numbers into easier compatible numbers.

-Converting measurements of length

-Finding perimeter of a rectangle

-Solving problems with area and perimeter

-Problem solving 

Social Studies 

-Students have been reading about the social science areas:  economics, history, civics, and geography. 

-Our first region of the United States is the Northeast.  Students will learn about the Northeast states, including labeling a map.  The unit focuses on the areas above (economics, history, civics, and geography).  Since this is our first region, we will spend some time on map skills.

Health 

-Students will discuss goal setting and steps to achieving goals.

Manners Matter!  Please, please, please cover your mouth and nose with your elbow when you cough or sneeze.

October 21-25, 2024

 *Parent Teacher Conference nights have wrapped up for October!  Thanks for meeting with me to talk about your child!

(*With Halloween activities coming up on the 31st, please be on the lookout Mr. Balduf's directions regarding costumes in his Parent Communication emails.)

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews continue.  

-Non-fiction:  Students are reading and taking notes on non-fiction passages.

-Students will be working on strategies for new vocabulary words:  look in the word and around the word.

-Students will practice writing a summary using their notes.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students will work on their scary house stories.

-Sentence skill work

Math

-Divide using area models

-Divide using place value strategies

-Please keep practicing facts!

Social Studies 

-Students will play Do I Have a Right? to reinforce the ideas in the Judicial Branch.

-We will be moving to our first region of the USA:  The Northeast.

Health 

-Students will learn and discuss the importance of resistance to negative peer pressure.

-Manners Matter!  Cover your mouth and nose with your elbow when you cough or sneeze.  

This week in 135

October 15-18, 2024

*Thank you for being patient with this newsletter this week!  Fourth grade teachers were at Washington School all day Friday in meetings, and Thursday I was planning for conferences.

*October weather goes up and down significantly.  Please have your fourth grader wear another layer to school when, like today, the weather starts in the 50s.  They are outside for recess and for lunch, and it is cold and windy sometimes.

*Parent Teacher Conferences continue tonight (Tuesday) and Thursday 10/17.

Reading

-Independent reading and goal setting.  Each fourth grader should be reading 20 minutes or more, 5 days a week.

-Our next unit is non-fiction.  Students are previewing texts and making connections to think about what they already know about a topic.  We will also begin to talk about different ways a text might be structured, such as cause & effect.

-Book reviews start this week!  The first group is presenting on Wednesday!

-Vocabulary using classical roots

Language Arts (writing)

-We are writing a short piece that builds suspense.  Our focus this week will be describing setting and using a story arc to develop the problem of the story.

Math

-Using multiplication strategies for larger numbers, including writing equations and using the distributive property for multiplication

-Solving word problems using multiplication

-Divide using area models

-These are math materials you most likely have not seen before last year.  If you were in class, you would know how to do the problems.  =)  Since that is not happening, remember there is sample work that can help because it has examples and explanations too.

Social Studies 

-We are learning about the three branches of government.  Our focus this week is the Amendments, particularly the Bill of Rights.  

-There will be a quiz on the three branches of government, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial, on Friday, 10/18. Students have (as of Tuesday) a typed paper copy with who is in each branch and the main job of each branch.  They will need to know which branch each belongs to for the quiz.   

Health 

-Our health topic this month relates to drug and their effects on the body.  Medicines are drugs too.

Second Step/Social Skills

-We have Cougar Dens this week.

-Manners matter! 

This Week in Room 135                    

October 7-10, 2024

 Weekly Newsletter

*There is no school on Friday, 10/11 due to staff development meetings.

-Thank you for supporting the track a thon!  Go to the PTO area for more information on donating to PTO's biggest fundraiser of the year.

-Conferences are in October: 10, 15, or 17th.  Conferences are 20 minutes with Mrs. Brayton.

Reading

-Our book reviews for October start next week (Wednesday 10/16).  Due dates are: 10/16 for Charlie K., Eliana, Hunter, Max

10/23 for Victor, Logan, Aleksandra, Vicky, and Mikaela

10/30 for Lina, Hovani, Emilia, Scarlett, Charlie W.

11/6 for Maggie, Olivia, Declan, Amir 

-Independent reading and goal setting continues, with most students reading more than 100 pages a week!  Let's keep that volume strong by reading at least 20 minutes 5 days a week.

-Students will begin completing Thinkmarks sharing what they are thinking about their reading.  We will go over different ideas about what students might write.

-Our next unit in reading will be reading non-fiction. We will focus on the topic of extreme weather events (such as a tornado).

-Students will learn strategies for reading non-fiction, such as beginning by previewing the text & looking at the Table of Contents.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students will begin a scary house story.  We will work on using setting to create a mood.  Students will also practice adding description to their stories and building suspense.

Math

-We have started Module 2! Students need to practice their multiplication (and then division) facts.

-Multiplying of larger numbers using the Distributive Property and using place value to multiply.

-Multiplying using an area model.

Social Studies/Science 

-Students will learn about the Judicial Branch.

-The way that the Constitution can be changed is with amendments. Students will begin to learn about the Bill of Rights, which is the first 10 amendments.

Health 

-How technology influences our health, including finding reliable sources. 

Second Step/Social Skills

-Our unit is focusing on understanding different perspectives.

-Manners matter!  Our current focus is covering our coughs and sneezes.

This week in 135

September 30-October 4, 2024

*Track-a-Thon will be Friday! Fourth grade runs from 10:50-11:20. We are so lucky to be at Carpenter with such a great PTO; please support PTO for all they do! This is a large fundraiser for them.  Please email carpenterptopres@gmail.com if you are not getting regular PTO updates or want to be more involved!

*Parent Teacher Conferences are just around the corner!  Be on the lookout for information from Mr. Balduf on sign up, which starts September 30.

Reading

-Vocabulary

-Making connections to text

-Reading is thinking!  Students will start to work on a Thinkmark in class that shares their thoughts, questions, and predictions about their reading.

-We're wrapping up the first unit by writing about a text and supporting ideas with evidence.

-Our next unit will be non-fiction.

-Book reviews will start on 10/16.  Please encourage your fourth grader to ask questions about any confusions as we prepare for this.  The book needs to be one a student has read and finished in fourth grade.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students will be finishing their first narrative stories, and they will be revising and editing their work.

-Cursive

-Peer edits of our first story

Math

-Review

-There is a math test on Tuesday, October 1.  Concepts on the test include:  Using place value, rounding, estimating sums and differences, adding and subtracting whole numbers, and problem solving with these topics.  A review guide that we will go over together will be sent home Monday.  Students received multiple assignments back on Friday (and they'll get more work back Monday). They can go over/you can give them similar types of problems to help prepare if you feel you want to work on something this weekend (which is not required, but some families prefer to do that).

-Module 2 starts with multiplying and dividing tens (such as 300 X 4).

-Area of rectangles. 

Science or Social Studies 

-Students are learning about the three branches of government.  They learned about the Legislative Branch, which makes laws.  This week we will discuss the Executive Branch, which carries out the laws.  

-Students are using a website called iCivics that has games to reinforce civics themes.  So far they have played Lawcraft, and they will get to play another game for the Executive Branch later this week.

Health 

-How technology influences our health, both positively and negatively.

Second Step/Social Skills

-Our unit is focusing on good listening skills.

-Manners matter! We have worked to reinforce coughing or sneezing into their elbow. (This is not an automatic habit just yet for fourth graders.)

This week in 135

September 23-27, 2024

*Please help your child remember to charge his or her Chromebook each day.  I recommend having them hook it up to their charger right when they get home and take it off their shoulder.

*Track-a-Thon is coming up; please support PTO for all they do!

Reading

-Students are continuing to build interpretations of their books, including coming up with a theme (life lesson) and giving examples to support the theme.

-Vocabulary using classical roots

-Genre

-Book reviews will start in October.  Please encourage your fourth grader to ask questions about any confusions as we prepare for this.  The book needs to be one a student has read and finished in fourth grade.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students will be finishing their first narrative stories and using a checklist to help them revise and edit their work.

Math

-Please keep working on facts!  I recommend using 4 notecards with an unknown fact on each notecard.

-Problem solving:  word problems using addition and subtraction

-If a student is confused with word problems at home, I recommend the strategy of having the fourth grader draw a picture to help figure out the problem.

-Metric system:  length and mass

Social Studies 

-Students are learning about the three branches of government.  First up is the Legislative Branch. This is the group that makes laws.

Health 

-We will finish reading about community safety this week.

Second Step/Social Skills

-Our unit is focusing on empathy and respect.

-Manners matter!

-It is So Kind September. 

September 16-20, 2024

*Picture day is Friday!

*We have started using ClassDojo to help emphasize behaviors.  The gamified program I was using before is no longer available, so I am giving ClassDojo a try; that means I am new to it and still learning. The class has been excited about the Dojo Island. There will be times the island is not accessible for them, as the code expires.   

Reading

-In reading, students are working on building interpretations of text. We use the text as evidence to support our ideas.

-This week we will discuss theme, which means the main lesson of a book or story.  We will work to develop themes and support the theme with evidence.

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews:  we talked about choices and  assigned the dates (they start in mid-October.  Please encourage your fourth grader to ASK me questions.)  The book needs to be read and finished in fourth grade

-Book talk with the Park Ridge Public Library about the Bluestem nominee choices.

-Virtual author meet with Spy School and Belly Up author Stuart Gibbs using something called Bookbreak. I found the Bookbreak author meets to be motivating last year as readers get to hear the author being interviewed and in some cases see the author's studio where he or she writes.

Language Arts (writing)

-Realistic fiction piece

-Focusing on the setting to write our piece

-Cursive

-Typing practice

Math

-Mutli-step word problems using addition

-Subtraction using the algorithm (The algorithm is the "regular" way you learned how to subtract)

Social Studies or Science 

-Students have been creating circuits.  This week we will discuss where the electrons come from, including power plants and different energy sources.

-In social studies, we will discuss the three branches of government, starting with the Legislative Branch. 

Health

-Our health topic is community safety.

Second Step/Social Skills

-Our first Cougar Den of the year is Wednesday!

-So kind September

-Manners matter:  the manners we are highlighting are greeting people & saying goodbye.  

September 9-13, 2024

*Reading at home is read at least 20 minutes, 5 days a week.

Reading

-In reading, students are working on building interpretations of text. Our focus will be on characters. We use the text to support our ideas.

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Book reviews:  we will talk about choices,  and we will assign the dates (they start in October.  *We did not do this last week because it was a short week and many students were absent each day.  Please encourage your fourth grader to ASK me questions after they get the assignment!)  The book needs to be read and finished in fourth grade. 

Language Arts (writing)

-Using Show don't tell to describe what is happening in a scene

-Realistic fiction piece rough drafts

-Focusing on the setting to write our piece

-Cursive

-Typing practice

Math

-Rounding to various places (Please remind students to read carefully to round to the correct place)

-Addition 

-Word problems using addition

Social Studies or Science 

-Students have been studying how energy works as electricity. We started with electrons moving as static electricity and will move to electric circuits.

-Electrons travel in a path, called a circuit.  Fourth graders will create circuits to power items such as light bulbs and a buzzer.

Health

-Our health topic this month is community safety.  We discuss many people inn the community who help us, such as paramedics, animal control, doctors, and firefighters.

Second Step/Social Skills

-So kind September

-Manners matter:  greeting people & saying goodbye, and holding the door for the next person.  

September3-6, 2024

*Students should be reading at least 20 minutes each day.  

Reading

-In reading, students are working on building interpretations of text. Our focus will be on characters. We use the text to support our ideas.

-Independent reading and goal setting

-Good readers focus on the story as they read, and they notice when their minds become distracted.  We are building awareness of when we get distracted as readers, and ways that we know we are understanding what we read.

-Book reviews:  we will talk about the book review choices,  and we will assign the dates (they start in October.  Please encourage your fourth grader to ASK me questions after they get the assignment!)  The book needs to be read and finished in fourth grade. 

Language Arts (writing)

-Using Show don't tell to describe what is happening in a scene

-Capitalization rule practice

-Students are writing a realistic fiction piece.

-Typing practice

Math

-Using mental math to increase and decrease by 10, 100, and 1,000

-Rounding to various places

Social Studies or Science 

-Students have been studying energy.  Energy gets transferred to create sound, light, and heat.

-Later this week we will start to learn how energy works as electricity!

Health

-Our health topic this month is community safety.

Second Step/Social Skills

-So kind September

-Manners matter:  the manners we are currently highlighting are greeting people & saying goodbye and holding the door for the next person.  

August 26-30, 2024

*If you were not able to be here on Parent Night, your fourth grader has a few things for you in his/her take home folder. 

*Reading is at least 20 minutes each night M-Th, and one day over the weekend.

*For cursive and keyboarding skills: we will work on both of these this year. Typically, I aim for at least once a week in class, although sometimes it may be more (for example more keyboarding practice before they type their first story). 

*It is Safety Week, and we will have a variety of drills, typically one each day this week.

Reading

-Reading is thinking!  Students have been working on reading intensely.  We will talk about making a movie in your mind when you read, and noticing when your movie pauses or turns off.

-Independent reading 

-Goal setting:  we do not have a reading log in room 135.  Instead, your child is setting a reading goal and then evaluating their goal.  Students also take an Accelerated Reader quiz at school after finishing each book, and we have a short individual conference on their progress.

-Students will be developing ideas about characters that are based on clues from the text.

-Book Reviews will be discussed this week.  Students will learn about the format choices and get their book review dates.  Book reviews need to be on books read and finished in fourth grade.

Language Arts (writing)

-Students are writing story arcs.

-Students will begin a rough draft.

-We will practice adding description in our writing so we "show" the story instead of telling about the story. 

-Capitalization practice

-Cursive  practice

Math

-We created notecards for four facts this past week.  Students are working to learn/review their facts 4 at a time based on their Xtramath classwork. When they are ready, we will add 4 more facts to the pile.

-The fourth graders and I noticed that some fourth graders have difficulty counting coins.  Will you ask your child about this please (penny, nickel, dime, quarter, half dollar)?  To practice, they can count a handful of coins.

This week, we are also studying:

-Place value:  what are the places up to the millions?

-Comparing numbers

-How do you read and write numbers up to millions?  We will work on these skills this week, including standard form, word form, and expanded form.

Social Studies or Science 

-We rotate social studies and science units.

-Our first science unit is Energy.  We are reading and discussing energy of motion and various ways objects interact and transfer energy.

-We will explore how energy is transferred when objects collide, such as when a bowling ball hits the pins.

Health and Second Step 

-Students will learn about empathy and respect.

-Manners matter:  we will be focusing on greeting people & saying goodbye.

-Our health topic this month is Community Safety.  We discuss various ways our community helps us, such as firefighters and hospitals.

June 3-6, 2024

*This spring certainly sped by!  I hope your child enjoyed fourth grade and has shared some interesting and fun information with you about what we do in class.

*Summer reading:  my suggestion is to get ready and started on summer reading now.  Since school library books were turned in, I recommend going to the Park Ridge Public Library in the next few days. 

Keep reading going during the summer by making it a regular part of your family's day, the way getting dressed is a regular part of the day.  Be VERY diligent about making this happen for the first two weeks, and you will find it becomes less of an issue for a reluctant reader because it is a regular habit.  (It doesn't have to be long, no need to require an hour; a reluctant reader will battle you on that.  20-30 minutes is good.)  Even if your child listens to books on a device and follows along, that would still count as summer reading. They can listen on the Sora app and follow along with an actual book.  If you have a reluctant reader, another option is to listen to an audio book when you are in the car.  

Reading aloud to your child is another great way to get reading in, and it continues to have so many benefits for kids at this level!

I will work to get kids motivated by their summer reading lists, but it will be up to parents and family members to schedule the time to read. Please work with your fourth grader to be sure he or she has a book to read.

*Here are other reading and writing resources.

*Looking for math resources to use over the summer?  Here is a link.

*Friday, June 7 is Records Planning Day for teachers, and no school for students!  

Reading