June+4,+2012

May 4, 2012

Dear Parents: Grade 4 has been learning about how inventors get their ideas and how inventions evolve into great ideas. Many of these are accidents like when Alexander Graham Bell spilled battery acid on his pants and skin, and he yelled into his wire connection to Thomas Watson to come quickly aand Thomas heard him through the wire and came running! In the same way, our students are creating musical instruments by experimenting with different materials to change volume and pitch. Our next step is to create a combined musical sound into our very own band! //** Math: **// We are now covering odds and ends that will help students be successful math students in Grade 5. These include negative numbers, using variables in number models, multiplying and dividing decimal numbers, renaming fractions into decimals and percents, using "of" with fractions and percents for calculations, and introducing geometric solids (ie. cylinder, triangular prism, and cone, etc.) //** Language Arts: **// Students have just completed writing a creative story to tell us about their Art class paintings of their cat. We are now typing them up for me to edit, and soon you will see them all posted on the walls. We are also half way through reading "The Thief Lord" by Cornelia Funke. The students are wrapped up in the story, so we will be sure to watch the movie by the end of school.
 * // Unit of Inquiry: //**

We've had a very busy last couple of weeks, and now we're taking a couple of days off for a Polish holiday. Next Monday will begin a new week and more adventures in the Grade 4 class will follow! We're not through yet!!!!!!

Sincerely yours, Ms. Nancy Marcet