Our Fourth Grade Classroom Gazette
Editors: Audrey Allen and Adsea Schieler
Week of October 31-Nov. 4
What We Have Learned!
This week in our reading workshop our mentor text was The Frog Prince Continued written by Jon Scieszka and The Giving Tree by Shell Silverstein. We analyzed these texts to understand about how authors use figurative language in their writings to make them more interesting. Personification was the literary device being used by giving human qualities to non-human objects. InThe Giving Treethe tree gives everything it has to a young boy who grows up to be an elderly man. Frog Prince is a twisted fairy tale about frog prince wanting to return back to being a real frog instead of a prince. Another focus this week was learning more about suffixes and prefixes. A suffix is a small word at the end of a root word that changes the meaning of the word. All suffixes have different meanings and definitions like words. The suffix “er/or” means “someone who” = painter is someone who paints. A prefix is a small word added to the beginning of a word that changes the meaning of the word. The prefix “pre” means “before” We found words with suffixes in our reading this week. We also played Suffix and Prefix Bingo. Understanding more about suffixes and prefixes will help us with larger words and vocabulary we are learning and reading about.
This week in Math we began Unit 3 on fractions and decimals. We learned how to make equivalent fractions by multiplying both the numerator and the denominator by the same non-zero number. For example - 2/3 x 4/4 = 8/12so 8/12 is equivalent to 2/3.
In writing this week we finished up our memoirs that will be published to the hallway soon. We completed our three day fall writing benchmark and have begun learning about the writing genre of realistic fiction.
In science this week we were introduced to the 6 Kingdoms of all living organisms. They are ancient bacteria, true bacteria, protists, fungi, plants and animals. Scientist sort living organisms according to their common traits. Our emphasis will be on animals. We also learned that animals are classified into 5 basic groups. They are fish, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. We learned that animal adaptations are a behavior or body part that helps an animal survive. Next week we will do an experiment with adaptations and penquins!
ImportantDates
November 8 All School Election
November 9 Late Start
November 9 Field Trip to hear Illinois Symphony @BCPA
November 11 End of 1st Trimester
November 12 Christmas Market in Gym
November 15-17 Parent Teacher Conferences
November 23-25 No School Thanksgiving Break
November 30 Late Start
P.S. from Mrs. Hanley
A Parent Teacher conference reminder notecame home this week on Thursday from me. Please check your child’s folder for the note and your child’s conference time. See you all soon!