This Week in Fourth Grade

Hello everybody!  Thanks for checking in.  Here's to a short, busy, and fun-filled week!

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

• SCHOOL PICTURES: If you did not order your child’s picture, do not worry! You still have time to do it. You can either pick up the form from Carolina (Receptionist) or access the form through the Monday Memo. Just print and fill out the Order Form and send it to Carolina along with the money.
• MINUTA FRIDAY: This Friday, April 19 the school will be selling minutas during lunch and after school. Cost: Lps. 25.
• DPTO Fun Run and Olympic Games -Proceeds to buy TECHNOLOGY for the school. On Saturday morning, April 20, the DPTO will once again host the annual Fun Run for parents and students of all age. This year, it will be even better, as we are beginning the event with an Olympic torch run, followed by the Fun Run, Parent/Student/Teacher competitions (such as basketball,  volleyball, soccer) archery, and Greek games created and hosted by the Grade 5 students. You can either pick up the pledge form from Carolina (Receptionist) or access the form through the Monday Memo. Just print and fill out the Pledge Form, collect the money, and bring both with you to the Fun Run.
• BINGO returns to Discovery! - Proceeds to buy TECHNOLOGY for the school. Please mark your calendars for Saturday, May 4! Lunch will be sold for all attending families, friends and guests starting at 11:00 a.m. and the grand BIGO will begin at 1:30 p.m. PARENT COLLABORATION IS NEEDED in donating prizes for this event. Please contact Ms. Ivonne Casco or Ms. Nora Sierra if you can help by donating gifts.
• DISCOVERY ZONE 4 – Our amazing Summer Camp is back, beginning June 9. To enroll your child(ren), you can either pick up the form from Carolina (Receptionist) or access the form through the Monday Memo. Just print and fill out the form and return it to Carolina. Great discounts are available—contact Cristiana Banegas (cbanegas@discoveryschool.edu.hn) for details.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

Math:  We will be finishing up our work on Chapter 12 by looking at word problems that have too much or not enough information.  We will then review what we have learned about probability and graphing x,y, coordinates before our chapter test on Thursday.  TEST THURSDAY

Reading and Writing:  Our main literacy focus will be on planning and drafting our persuasive essays.  Students will be writing a five paragraph essay for the first time....it should be fun!  

Science:  This week in Science we will be learning about conductors and resistors, and then experimenting with what materials conduct and resist electric currents.  We will also take a look at series circuits and make our very own flashlights.

Thanks for checking in everybody!  Here's to a great week!

Jordan and Karen

This Week at Discovery!

Greetings everyone!  We're back into the swing of things here in grade 4.  Now it's time for  a full week of fun and learning at Discovery.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

The school is currently organizing three important upcomming events. The DPTO FUN RUN, OLYMPIC GAMES, and PANCAKE BREAKFAST, and a school BINGO are being put together to raise funds towards buying TECHNOLOGY for the school The DPTO is also organizing their annual GARAGE SALE. Please check the Administration Blog (available through the website www.discoveryschool.edu.hn) for this week’s Monday Memo for more information. Our parents’ help is much needed and greatly appreciated in making these events successful!

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

Math:  We will be applying what we've learned about probability into making predictions about outcomes, and solving problems.  We will then turn our focus to a review of our algebra concepts and learning to graph equations on an X Y axis.

Reading and Writing:  We will begin our persuasive essay writing unit this week.  Students will be reading examples of persuasive writing, and focus on the form and purpose of writing to persuade.  The students will brainstorm possible ideas for a good essay topic and choose the best one.  They will then begin planning their essay using our very own graphic organizer.  In guided reading periods we will be finishing our class novel, "The Million Dollar Shot".  There will be a short quiz afterwards to assess our students' comprehension and ability to analyze the novel thoughtfully.

Science:  We will be experimenting with creating a simple electric circuity using a battery, a wire, and a small bulb.  We will be learning more about how an electric circuit functions, and the things that need to happen in order for it to work properly.  

Grammar:  This week's focus will be on reviewing the key parts of speech. 

Here's to a wonderful week in grade 4.  Thanks as always for checking in!

Jordan and Karen 

Back to school!

Hi everyone.  We hope you had a great holiday and are relaxed and ready for our final quarter of the school year.  Just before we went to break we had a wonderful grade four celebration at the American Ambassadors residence.  Thanks so much to all the parents who joined us and especially Dorris and Shannon for all the work they put into organizing the festivities.  

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Please return the envelopes containing the third quarter reports when you get the chance.

Our new science unit is on electricity and deals with the function of electric currents.  If any of our parents have ideas for an interesting field trip or special knowledge in this subject that they would like to share with the class, please contact Jordan or Karen.

THIS WEEK'S CLASS ACTIVITIES:

Math:  We are beginning a new unit on probability this week.  The students will learn the concept of probability and make the connection to their understanding of fraction concepts.  For example, if something has a 1 in 4 chance of happening, what is the probability of that event occurring?  We will relate these probability ideas to making predictions and determining if something is fair or unfair.

Reading and Writing:  We will be reviewing the skill of identifying main idea and supporting details in a piece of text. We will then create our own paragraphs using this template.   As well we will be reading our class novel, "The Million Dollar Shot" and having a short quiz to assess how we'll our students are able to comprehend the details of the novel, and evaluate the situation that our main character is going through.

Science:  we will begin our new unit on electricity by assessing our prior knowledge of the subject.  What do we know and what do we want to know about electricity?   We will then take a look at how to create a simple circuit and see if we can get a light bulb to turn on using a battery and a wire.  It should be fun!  

Thanks for checking in with us here in grade 4.   Here's to a great final quarter everyone!  All the best,   Jordan and Karen.

This Week in Grade 4

Hello everybody!  Thanks for checking in.  We have a short, but action packed week ahead of us, and then our well deserved break for Semana Santa.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Class Party This Thursday:  We will be heading for the United States Ambassador's residence for our class party this Thursday.  It should be fun!  Make sure you have sent in your form, money, and Easter egg hunt candy.  Also, parents that wish to attend need to contact Karen or Doris Touchstone on Monday to confirm and give all the necessary details.

Half Days:  This Wednesday will be a half day, as Discovery teachers have their professional development Wednesday.  This Friday is also a half day, as the afternoon is set aside for teacher-parent conferences.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

Math:  This week we will be estimating, and adding and subtracting decimals.  We will then review what we have learned about decimals before having a quiz on Friday before heading off for our holiday.  QUIZ FRIDAY!

Reading and Writing:  We will continue working on identifying the main idea and supporting detail within a passage or a paragraph of text.  We will also practice writing our own paragraphs in proper format, following the main idea/supporting detail structure.

Social Studies:  This week students will be presenting their games that they have  been creating.  The games should represent of what they have learned about slavery in America, and promise to be a lot of fun to play.

As this is a shortened week we will not be having grammar or spelling lessons.

Here's to a fun-filled week!  Thanks so much for checking in!

Jordan and Karen

This Week at Discovery

Hello everybody!!  The weather's heating up, and Semana Santa is around the corner, but we have two busy and fun-filled weeks to go, so thanks for checking in as always!

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Class Field Trip/Party next Thursday!   On Thursday, March 21st we will be having a pool party to celebrate all the hard work our students have put into their learning this year.  The party will be at the American Ambassador's residence.  A note will be sent home later this week with more details, but if parents would like to help out for the day please contact Ms. Karen this week.

Movie Night:  This Thursday from 6:00 to 8:00 pm is the DPTO Movie Night.  For more information see the DPTO blog at:  http://www.dptoblog.blogspot.com/


THIS WEEK'S CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

Math:  We will be turning our attention to decimals this week, and looking at how they connect with fractions and percents.  We will be learning about decimal place values, and how to order and round decimals as well.  Fun!

Reading and Writing:  Our reading skill this week will be main idea and supporting details.  We will be analyzing how good paragraphs are written and how understanding this structure can help us get more information that we need and write better paragraphs.  We will also continue reading our class novel, 'The Million Dollar Shot', and discussing how the author builds up tension in the story as we get prepare for the climax.

Social Studies:  We will be working on our final project for the unit this week.  Students will be creating a game that embodies what life might have been like for a slave in the time of slavery in America.  I can't wait to see what creative games our students come up with this year.

Grammar:  This week's grammar focus will be on: interrogative sentences.  Will you be ready?

Thanks as always for checking in with us!  Here's to a great week in grade 4!

Jordan and Karen

This Week at Discovery

Greetings everyone!  Thanks for checking in.  Thanks as well to all the parents and students for your hard work and preparation for the Science Fair.  There were a lot of great projects and presentations from our grade 4 students.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Class Photos:  It is not too late to order your child's class photos.  Please see the order form that was sent home, or if it has been misplaced ask for a new one from the office.

Cayos Cochinos Assistance:  The junior class will be heading to Cayos Cochinos on a school trip later this month.  Discovery School is putting together some donations for the local school on Cayos Mayor.  Grade 4 has been asked to donate boxes of regular pencils.  If you would like to contribute, please send a box of pencils to school with your son/daughter before March 22nd.  Thank you!

THIS WEEK'S ACTIVITIES:

Math:  We are beginning to add and subtract fractions this week.  We will begin by adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators, before moving into problems with unlike denominators.

Reading and Writing:  We will be continuing our guided reading of our new class novel, "The Million Dollar Shot".  We will be learning more about our main characters and looking for text-to-self connections between ourselves and the novel.  We will also be engaging in our own Million Dollar Contest, as they do in the book.   The contest will involve writing a rhyming poem, and the best poems will have a chance to enter into a foul shooting contest for a prize.  Fun!  We will also be putting together a collection of the favourite poems that we've written over the past few weeks into our grade 4 poetry anthology.  Students will work on choosing and editing their best examples of free verse, haiku, and rhyming poems.

Social Studies:  We will begin a note taking/oral presentation assignment in social studies this week.  Students will be given an informational text about an aspect of slavery in America, and be asked to take notes on the information and put together an oral presentation to be given at the end of the week.  We will also be looking at an interactive website together this week.  This website details what it was like for the typical African American slave during the 1800's.  The students will use the information from this website to put to use in their board games that they will create next week.

This week's grammar focus will be on declarative sentences.

Thanks for reading everyone!  Have a great week!

This Week at Discovery

Hello everybody.  Thanks for checking in with us.  It should be a fun and busy week in grade 4.  We have class photos and science fair and lots of fun things to do in the classroom.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Science Fair:  The Science fair has arrived!  This Wednesday is the big day.  Students will need to bring their poster boards and whatever materials they plan to use in their presentation.  They need to be prepared to give an oral explanation of their project and answer questions from the judges.  Students are  also asked to wear semi-formal clothing, and bring along a book or electronic device to keep them occupied as there will be times when they will have to wait patiently by their project.  Parents are invited to come and check out all of the projects.  The judging period will be between 9:30 and 11:00 am, and the grade 4 projects will be found in the gym.  We hope everyone can come check out all of the fun things our students have been busy with.  Remember Wednesday is an early release day at 11:45.

Picture Day:  Tuesday is picture day!!  Please see the picture package order forms that your son/daughter brought home on friday for a list of the prices and package options.

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES:

Math:  At the start of our week we will be looking at circle graph as they relate to fraction concepts, then we will practice our problem solving skills with word based questions that require us to use our knowledge of fractions.  Thursday will be a review period, before our test on Friday.  TEST FRIDAY!

Reading and Writing:  In reading and writing periods this week we will be looking at rhyming poetry.  We will be analyzing different rhyme patterns, and rhythms before experimenting with writing our very own rhyming poems.  This week we will also begin reading our new class novel, "The Million Dollar Shot".  We will analyze the introduction and have a discussion about the introduction to the novel and our new characters.

Social Studies:  We will be learning more about how slavery became one of the main causes the American Civil War this week.  We will also be looking at a story of a typical African American slave in the 1800's and see if we can see gain some perspective on what it might have been like for slaves in America.

Grammar:  Our focus this week will be on declarative clauses.  Fun!!

Thanks as always for checking in.  We hope everyone has a great week!

Jordan and Karen