April 4-7

Greetings Families,

With the 3rd quarter now behind us the final stretch of the school year is in sight.  Our 4th quarter will be filled with fun projects, field trips, state testing, and a general practice of what we've learned this year.  The students have been doing a fantastic job in the classroom.  They are respectful learners with a genuine curiosity and an interest in being successful. So many of them are demonstrating the academic prowess and maturity of 4^th graders!  We are in a good place.

LITERACY

This week we read Good-bye, 382 Shin Dang Dong, by Frances Park and Ginger Park. 

This story was about a young Korean girl named Jangmi, who couldn't bear the thought of leaving her home at 382 Shin Dang Dong and moving to America.  Jangmi's initial sadness changes as she arrives in America to find friendly neighbors, new traditions, and caring friendships.    

We used this story to practice analyzing a change in a character, as students wrote an evidence-based reading response describing how Jangmi's feelings about moving to America changed throughout the story.  As always, the students used evidence to support their thinking.  They did a great job!

WRITING

The students have all chosen their persuasive writing topic. Most students are in the process of planning and organizing their ideas, and some have already began their rough drafts.  
                  
Please have your child discuss their topic with you.  Have them tell you who their audience is, what their opinion is, the reasons for their opinion, and what "counter claims"  they will be addressing in their essay.  A "counter claim" is something the audience might oppose or criticize in their argument. They are expected to address these counter claims in their essay and offer a solution.  

MATH

This week we completed our first Smarter Balanced Practice Test in Math.  

This first practice session was once again, an opportunity to learn the navigational features of the test.  This week we will complete a second session focusing on the actual 3rd Grade Math content.  

 MATH CENTERS

We also spent time this week exploring fraction math centers.  Each center gave the students practice with some of the basic skills from our fraction unit in a fun, game-centered manner.

 Center #1

Equivalent Fractions Board Game

Flip up a card containing two equivalent fractions, one with a missing numerator.  Solve for the missing numerator and move that many spaces on the game board.

Center #2

Build a Hexagon

Roll two dice.  Small number becomes the numerator and larger number becomes denominator.  Use shapes to cover up that fraction of a hexagon.  First player to cover up their entire game board wins.

Center #3 

Take it!

(Fraction of a Group)

There are three levels of cards.  Player chooses their challenge level, solves the problem and either "takes" that many cubes or "puts back" that many cubes. First player to 50 wins.

Center #4

"Roll & Make a Whole" Board Game

Players take turns rolling a giant number cube. Whatever fraction they roll, they have to locate the fraction on the game board that would go with that fraction to make one whole.  They move to that nearest fraction or equivalent fraction.

Center #5

Partner Tic Tac Toe and Bingo

Partners practice adding fractions in order to place their X or O on the tic tac toe board.  Partners also practice rolling dice and shading fractional parts on a Bingo Card in order to get Bingo.

Center #6 

Data Collector

(Sports Spinner & Pull and Graph)

Students collected data from two different probability experiments, one involving colored cubes in a bag, and another involving a sports spinner.  Later this month we will be using the data to review graphing and analyzing data. 

It took us two class periods to allow students to visit all 6 centers.  They did a great job and had fun!

This week we will wrap up our Fraction Unit as we take our 

Unit 6 Test on Thursday.

SOCIAL STUDIES
We continued our study of Portland History as we read more excerpts from “Portland, Our Community”.

After reading about the first event in this new section of our book, we created a page for our illustrated timeline.

Our reading began with a description of Portland long ago, covered in a thick forest.

Amid the forest was a natural clearing of land along the Willamette River.  

This clearing became a gathering place for the Multnomah Indians inhabiting the area.  They used the Willamette River for transportation, food, water, and safety.  The gathering of people at the clearing gave early roots to our city.

In addition to our personal illustrations of this event, we also began making a collaborative large-scale map of early Portland.  

As our study of Portland continues, this map will evolve as we move through our timeline analyze the events in the order they take place.  

The students had a lot of fun getting our first layer of Portland's History completed.

This week we will add the gathering of the Multnomah Indians at the clearing and the arrival of the white man.  

        Craft Supplies Needed      

            

We will be needing some special supplies this week.  One of our end of the year projects will be to create a book of our published writing. 

Students have been working hard all year typing up their writing pieces, and it is now time to begin making our book! 

Please assist us by donating a roll of contact paper or duct tape by this Friday.  Feel free to choose funky designs and colors for maximum appeal. 

  Thank You!

                                                                 

One more important person...

This week Elena gave her important person speech about Sacajewa.

Great Job Elena!

                               IMPORTANT DATES

Monday, April 11 - Pastini Fundraiser

Tuesday, April 12 - PTA Meeting 7:00 pm
Wednesday, April 13 - Run Llewellyn
Thursday, April 14 - Unit 6 Test on Fractions
Friday, April 15 - Field Trip to the Children's Theater
                           - Craft Supplies Due