This Week in Fourth Grade

Science
We continued our exploration of forces this week, learning about how thrust and lift work together to help an airplane take off. In a hands-on experiment using marbles and ramps, students observed how different variables -- the size and weight of the marble, the length of the ramp, and the texture of the surface the marble rolls across -- affect the distance the marble rolls.

Math
We finished our unit on place value and began a unit on addition and subtraction strategies.

ELA
Our first writing unit is on personal narrative. Students are learning how to tell true stories of memorable moments in their lives. This week we practiced writing leads, adding details that set the scene and make the reader want to read more.

Fun on Friday!
In math class, we ended our day with a Properties of Addition Kahoot! Students used their iPads to "buzz in" and answer questions about the commutative, associative, and identity properties of addition in a game show-like competition.

Have a great weekend!

Mrs. Kyle

This Week in Fourth Grade

Students are settling nicely into the fourth grade routine!

Science
We began our unit on Flight, Force, and Motion this week with a lively discussion about flying. Students learned about two of the forces that influence flight: gravity and drag.

Math
We continued working on place value concepts, focusing on the relationship between neighboring digits in large numbers, comparing numbers using greater-than and less-than symbols, and rounding.

ELA
We began a vocabulary unit and practiced identifying declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences. In our guided reading groups, we started reading Stone Fox by John Reynolds Gardiner.

Fun on Friday!
Our ELA class did such a wonderful job working quietly and collaboratively on their vocabulary assignment today! We ended our day with a "write around."  Working in groups of three, students co-wrote a creative story with a beginning, middle, and end. They each had four minutes to write and had to include a parakeet and a pickle! We had many laughs as the students read their stories aloud.

Have a wonderful weekend!

Mrs. Kyle

This Week in Fourth Grade

Students did a great job switching classes for math and ELA this week!

Social Studies
We explored our classroom atlases and learned about cardinal and intermediate directions, reading a map key, and latitude and longitude.

Math
We talked about the growth mindset -- When we struggle and make mistakes, our brains grow! -- and began a unit on place value. Students practiced reading and writing numbers in the hundred thousands using numerals, number words, and expanded form.

ELA
In reading, students practiced making connections to the text. They are really enjoying our read-aloud book, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing! Working in teams, they brainstormed character traits for the six characters we've met so far.

Fun on Friday!
Our homeroom plays Silent Ball at the end of the day on Fridays. The hand-eye coordination in room 236 is most impressive! :)

Mrs. Kyle

A Great First Week!

What a busy first week in room 236! Students shared about themselves, explored the classroom, and learned about fourth grade expectations. They set goals for the year and applied for classroom jobs. We are learning how to be good partners and team members, and I'm impressed with the kindness and helpfulness I've seen around the classroom!

We launched our science unit on Flight and Force this week by designing, constructing, and dropping paper parachutes. Ask your students what they observed about the qualities of a successful parachute!

Please help students remember to bring in their "Me In a Bag" materials on Monday.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Mrs. Kyle

Hello fourth grade families,

We visited Washington, DC this summer
and saw the White House!

Welcome to a brand new school year at Memorial! My name is Mrs. Kyle and I am delighted to be your teacher for the first few months of school. I will use this blog to keep you updated on what we've been learning until Mrs. Harlow returns after the Thanksgiving break.

It's normal to feel a little nervous starting a new school year with a new teacher, so I thought I would introduce myself before we meet next week. I've spent the past two years teaching K-5 students in a learning center setting in Winchester. I'm not just a teacher, I'm a mom, too! I have two children -- my younger one is a fourth grader this year. When I'm not in school, I love to read, hike, and play tennis.

I'm looking forward to meeting my new students on Tuesday! Have a wonderful holiday weekend,

Mrs. Kyle