October+10,+2011

Dear Grade 4 Parents; October 10, 2011

How exciting it is to listen to our students present the research they worked so hard to find! In the beginning of our unit on Rights and Responsibilities, most students had no idea how to find research on the computer. Beginning with certain websites and students learning about statistics, they eventually reached out on Google for more specific information. Most of you helped your child find things at home also, which makes me very proud of having you for parents of my students!

Not only did the students learn about research, they learned how to site the information on a bibliography, write a three paragraph essay with topic sentences, and understand what Human Rights are and how they are violated around the world. The students feel so grand about what they’ve learned and we have only just begun Grade 4!


 * //For the next two weeks: //**Grade 4 will be preparing to teach students in Grades 2 and 3 about Violation of Human Rights on Children around the world. This is in preparation for UN Days which will be held Friday, October 28th at Zielinskiego Campus with the 5th through 10th grades. We will be conducting a Film Festival using United Nations’ films. The theme is //Caring through the UN//. Pre-K, Kindergarten, and Grade 1 students will have a “mini” Film Festival showing how the United Nations and people help children be happier through caring and games.


 * //Math: //**We have begun our Geometry Unit by listing vocabulary in our math notebooks. The students were surprised how much vocabulary is involved including some Latin! They were very excited to get to use their compasses on Friday. When you see their homework listed in the Homework folders, you will often see WB (workbook), WS (worksheet), NB (notebook), or MB (math book). They may have to take their notebook home to use the vocabulary while doing their homework. If you get the chance, please take the time to look at what they’ve recorded in them.


 * //Language Arts: //**While writing their Human Rights essays, students learned about using different kinds of sentences to make it sound more interesting. They were very successful! We have been reading a //Robin Hood// story and students have been recording things that happen in each chapter, so by the end of this week, they’ll have to write a book report on the story. I will edit their work and they’ll have to rewrite and fix it for a final copy. Then, we will be watching the Disney version of //Robin Hood// next week.


 * //Polish Class: //**(From Pani Asia) Students are working with __the map of Poland__ - we are pointing out the biggest cities (Warszawa, Kraków, Poznań, Gdańsk, Wrocław etc), 2 big rivers (Wisła and Odra), mountains (Tatry) and lakes (Mazury). Vocabulary: miasto (city), stolica (capital), państwo (country), rzeka (river), góry (mountains), directions: North, South, East, and West. This exercise will help us to prepare the __quiz about Poland__. Regarding the UoI – we will start learning about __human rights in India__.

Thank you for your continued support, Ms. Nancy Marcet