Week #18: Jan. 12th - 16th
Dear Families,
We are in full swing with our learning as we head into the second week of the new year! I am proud of my students for the effort they’ve been putting forth and for their commitment to completing daily classroom tasks and weekly homework assignments.
The new year brings a wonderful opportunity to start fresh, build strong habits, and stay consistent with responsibilities.
In our classroom, we often remind one another, “Work Hard, Play HARD(er)!” and most students have been living this motto.
I am also so thankful to the families who have made a meaningful effort to support their child’s learning at home by maintaining routines and expectations from school to home. Your partnership and support do not go unnoticed, thank you!
HOMEWORK REMINDER:
A big thank you to all the students who have been diligently completing their homework each week, please know your child's hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed!
For those who may have struggled with consistency, now is the perfect time for a fresh start. Let’s work together to make this a successful year for everyone!
Homework is an important part of learning as it helps build essential skills like responsibility, time management, and independent thinking.
It also reinforces what we’re working on in class, giving students the opportunity to practice and deepen their understanding.
I encourage all students to use class time wisely, access homework at home regularly, and remember that it’s okay to ask for help whenever they need it. I'm happy and here to help :-)
A reminder of the weekly tasks that I assign:
Mondays - Word Study
Tuesdays - Knowledgehook
Wednesdays - ReadWorks
Thursdays - Mystery Science
Fridays - Spelling Dictation
Let’s make this a team effort - together, we can support your child’s growth, confidence, and success. We got this 💪
Thank you for your continued support!
MATH - MULTIPLICATION:
This week, we have been working hard on strengthening our multiplication skills in class. As we begin this new unit, students are learning not only how to find products, but also how to think flexibly about numbers and use strategies to problem-solve.
Multiplication is an important building block that connects directly to many real-life situations such as calculating costs, understanding time, sharing fairly, and tackling more complex math in the years ahead.
To make learning both meaningful and fun, I introduced the class to a math game called Multiplication Salute (see photos below).
This fast-paced, engaging game encourages mental math, reasoning, and teamwork all while practicing multiplication facts. Try this at home over the weekend!
How to Play Multiplication Salute:
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Players 1 and 2 each take a card from the deck without looking at it.
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They hold the card on their forehead facing outward so the other players can see it.
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Player 3 looks at both cards, multiplies the two numbers in their head, and says the product out loud.
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Players 1 and 2 use the product and the number they can see on the other player’s card to figure out their own card.
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Play rotates so everyone has a turn multiplying the cards and announcing the product.
Adaptations:
To meet different learning needs, the game can be modified by using only certain cards (for example, numbers up to 5 or up to 8).
Games like Multiplication Salute help students stay engaged, build confidence, and see math as something enjoyable and collaborative. Learning through play is powerful and the students have been having a great time practising their multiplication skills! 😊
PRIME VS. COMPOSITE NUMBERS:
This week during our Morning Math, we learned about prime and composite numbers. Before I explain the concept here, I encourage you to ask your child what they remember from the lesson and how they would explain it in their own words. You may be thrilled by how much they retained! 😊
A prime number is a number greater than 1 that has only two factors: 1 and itself. For example, 2, 3, 5, and 7 are all prime numbers because they cannot be evenly divided by any other numbers.
A composite number is a number greater than 1 that has more than two factors. For instance, 4 is composite because it can be divided by 1, 2, and 4. Other examples include 6, 8, 9, and 10.
To support learning at home, you can ask your child to identify whether certain numbers are prime or composite, and explain why they made that choice. This understanding directly connects to our new unit on multiplication, as students are learning how numbers can be broken apart into equal groups and factors.
Practising this skill at home helps strengthen number sense and builds a strong foundation for multiplication moving forward. Thank you for your continued support!
GRAMMAR RULE #8:
This week in class, we learned about Pronouns. Pronouns are words that take the place of nouns, helping us avoid repetition and making our sentences clearer and more interesting :)
What are Pronouns?
Instead of repeating a name or noun over and over, we use a pronoun to refer back to it.
For example:
- Without pronouns: Harlow loves Harlow’s dog because Harlow thinks Harlow’s dog is the best!
- With pronouns: Harlow loves her dog because she thinks it is the best.
Common pronouns include:
- Subject pronouns: I, you, he, she, it, we, they
- Object pronouns: me, you, him, her, it, us, them
- Possessive pronouns: mine, yours, his, hers, ours, theirs
Why do pronouns matter?
Understanding and using pronouns correctly helps children write and speak more clearly and naturally. This skill is not only important for strong grammar, but also helps improve their confidence in communication.
Speaking of communication, students worked collaboratively with a friend in class to learn and share their thinking orally with each other, check us out :)
How to Practice at Home?
You can help your child reinforce this rule by practicing at home in fun and easy ways!
Here are some fun ways to practice:
- Spot the Pronouns: Read a story and find all the pronouns.
- Fill in the Blank: Try sentences like, “This is Teagan’s ball. It is ____ ball.” (Answer: her)
- Rewrite Sentences: Fix a sentence like, Avery ate Avery’s lunch because Avery was hungry.
Thank you for supporting your child’s grammar learning at home!
ART:
This week in art, we explored warm and cool colours as well as foreground and background to create side-perspective snowmen using watercolours.
Students sure brought their creativity by designing colourful snowmen set against imaginative backgrounds.
To connect art with writing, students also wrote an artist statement, sharing their snowman’s name, age, favourite winter activity, and what the colours they chose represent about their character.
It was wonderful to see their artistic abilities and storytelling come together!
Check out the kids in action and some of their finished products; these pieces will be coming home in the next little while! 🎨❄️
This is a reminder that the grade 4's speeches are coming up next week, and I can’t wait for your child's presentation!
A few things to consider that we've discussed extensively in class over the school year to be an effective speaker.
Students are asked to focus on the key criteria for an effective oral presentation:
- Volume: Speak loudly enough for everyone to hear.
- Clarity: Enunciate your words so your message is clear.
- Eye Contact: Engage your audience by looking at them.
- Pacing: Speak at a steady pace, neither too fast nor too slow.
- Confident Body Language: Stand tall, and use gestures that enhance your speech.
- Expression: Bring your speech to life with enthusiasm and emotion!
On Wednesday, we were lucky to have Harlow C., my former Grade 4 student and Hyla's older sister, visit and deliver her speech she prepared to inspire our class. She wowed the room with her confidence and skill, and her feedback was thoughtful and practical.
I hope students take her tips to heart as they finalize and rehearse their own speeches this weekend.
I believe this is an exciting opportunity to showcase student's hard work and creativity.
Remember, preparation and practice make all the difference! You’ve got this, grade 4's!
MOVING EDGEucation - DANCE WORKSHOP:
WYE MARSH FIELD TRIP:
Very soon our class will be heading out on a hands-on learning adventure to Wye Marsh on Tuesday, January 27th!
This engaging field trip will give students the opportunity to explore nature, deepen their understanding of the environment, and enjoy some indoor/outdoor learning experiences alongside their classmates.
If you haven’t already done so, please be sure to sign the permission form through School Cash Online as soon as possible to secure your child’s participation. Please note that an email reminder has been sent to families who still need to complete this step 🙂
RYDER, RYLEE & ETHAN:
The tabs keep rolling in, YAY! Not only from our class family (thank you Rylee & Ryder), but also Mrs. Newman's class with Ethan in grade 2 bringing in tabs he's collected, wtg!
Thanks to their efforts, our 5-gallon jug is 3/4 full, and we’re confident we’ll reach our goal of filling it up, and even starting a second one!
This thoughtful gesture goes a long way in helping children with accessibility needs gain the mobility and independence they deserve :)
Thank you to everyone who has collected this school year! Every tab collected is a step closer to making a real difference in their lives.
GROWTH MINDSET:
This week’s mindset message is …
“Why fit in when you were born to stand out!” Dr. Seuss
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