Our Native American Unit is coming to a close, and the students have been working hard on their Final Project Summaries. This coming week, they should have the summaries completed by Tuesday (Wednesday, at the latest) – which means that your child will most likely come home with his/her Project Summary in order to finish it within the timeline. In fact, many students have taken their notes (in their Reading/S.S. folder), and their flash drive home so they could work on it this weekend. Your child might need your help in proofreading what he/she’s written. Also, make sure - as students take these items (folder, notes & flash drive) home over the next few days – that they bring them back to school, daily. Otherwise, when we work on them in class, they’ll have nothing with them. After the summaries have been published, students will then transfer their Project Summaries onto www.voicethread.com, for the technology component (this part will be done in class).
In Math, we are moving into Unit 5, which gets into the various algorithms for solving multidigit multiplication problems. Students will learn the 1) partial products method (which helps them understand the place value reasoning behind it all, and why we multiply the numbers in each column); 2) the traditional method (how we learned back when we were in school); and 3) the lattice method (believe it or not, this algorithm has been around since the 1200’s – the kids really love it, once they get the hang of it!). Hence, it is equally important that students be fluent in their multiplication facts – at least numbers 0-9 – in order to experience success when completing multiplication problems with several digits! Practice those facts with your child in the car, while shopping at the grocery store, etc. Also, don’t forget all the valuable (and fun) resources online! Once we get to the different algorithms, you can use your child’s Everyday Math Online log-in to access videos and tutorials for each multiplication method, in addition to various printable resources! The direct link is on our 4th grade website: PK Yonge 4th Grade webpage
As for multiplication fact practice, here are some games students can play on EM Games: Multiplication Top-It, Baseball Multiplication, Beat the Computer, and Factor Bingo. There will be a game called “Multiplication Wrestling” which will help students practice the PARTIAL PRODUCTS ALGORITHM, which they learn in lesson 5.2 (on Tuesday). This game is also available on EM Games.
Our St. Augustine Field Trip is this Friday, and will be an all-day event. Please make sure that your child is at PK promptly at 7am, in order for us to get everyone on the bus and leave on time. Last year our departure from PK was delayed due to tardy students, and did not get to do everything on our St. Augustine itinerary, as a result. Students will need to bring a brown bag lunch (no lunch boxes or coolers), because the lunches will have to travel with us. It will make it much easier on your child (and the adults initially loading the 4th graders’ lunches) to have something lightweight and disposable that he/she can throw away when finished. We will have a little shopping time either on St. George’s street, or at the museum we will attend, if your child would like to bring a few dollars for a souvenir. However, he/she will be responsible for all he/she brings. NO electronics (such as Game Boys, DS’s, iPods, etc…) will be permitted. Your child may bring a camera, though (and a book, or a deck of cards for the bus ride). The bus will return to PK by 5pm. If you have any other field trip questions, feel free to contact me. As always, thank you for your continued support!
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