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Birthdays We �Celebrated This Month!

Upcoming Dates

Emma - April 6th

-4A’s April Newsletter-

Ms. Davidshofer

April 15th: ABC Countdown Started (Slide 6 has the details for each day.)

May 7th & 8th: STAR testing in the mornings!

May 14th: Ukulele Concert for 4th grade (more information to come)

May 16th: 4th Grade Trojan Games from 9-10AM and Quarter 4 BINGOs are due!

May 19th: Incoming 5th Grade Band Sign-Up Night from 3:30-6:00PM (Contact Mrs. Houle for more information)

May 21st: Trojans Code Celebration for Quarter 4 and Prize Patrol

May 22nd: CPS Field Day

May 23rd: Last day of school

After spring break, you’ll notice that your student’s graded work (assessments, homework, projects, etc) might have multiple grades on it. You might see:

3, 2, 1 → these are the standards based grades that we give at CPS. This is how I’ll be tracking their progress on the assignments and how I’ll report it on report cards.
A fraction, a percentage, and/or a letter grade → these are the types of grades the students will receive at the Intermediate building (starting next year). In order to help the students transition to this type of grading next year, the fourth grade team will begin exposing the students & families to that in April and May of 4th grade.

If you have any questions about how standards based grading compares to the 10 point grade scale that CIS uses, please let me know!

Grading After Spring Break

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-4A’s April Newsletter-

Ms. Davidshofer

Wonders

This month, we skipped ahead in Wonders, so we could complete “The Best Part of Me” project, which is a highlight in fourth grade!

Free Verse Poetry
Figurative Language → rhyme, rhythm, repetition, simile, metaphor, personification, sensory details, alliteration

Defining these terms
Identifying these in poetry
Incorporating these into our own writing and poems

Writing our own free verse poem with the idea of “The Best Part of Me”
Prepositions

After jumping ahead, we went back Unit 5 of Wonders. The focus on Unit 5 has been the following:

Sequencing text structures and time order/sequence words
Science themed material:

Microscopes: we explored more about our world by looking at things up close using different types of microscopes.
Water cycle and states of matter: We did a science experiment on where we recreated a smaller scale of Earth in a glass container to see the water cycle in action in a short time-span (just 4.5 hours!)

Writing an expository/explanatory essay, where we describe something in detail. We have chosen to focus on our state: Illinois

We’ve learned how to do researching on the state of Illinois and take notes on what you find.
Then we started created a Google Slides presentation about our wonder state where we are Incorporating text features
This project is allowing students to learn new skills within the Google platform like: inserting photos, shapes, tables, textboxes for captions, changing colors, and more.

Adjectives + Sensory Details to Describe

Reminder: Wonders is our English Language Arts curriculum. It focuses �on reading, writing, grammar, but it incorporates science & social studies.

ELA Taught in April

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-4A’s April Newsletter-

Ms. Davidshofer

Reveal Math

During April, the students continued to learn about fractions. This time we completed Unit 10, which focused on adding and subtracting strategies with mixed numbers.

Throughout this unit, students learned how to:

Decompose mixed numbers
Representing the addition and subtraction of mixed numbers with fraction tiles (pictures) and numberlines
Convert between mixed numbers to improper fractions
Add mixed numbers
Subtracting mixed numbers

We started Unit 11 when we returned from Easter break, and we should hopefully finish it up this week. Unit 11 focused on multiplying fractions. Throughout this unit, we learned how to:

Multiply fractions by whole numbers
Decompose improper fractions in order to change them into a mixed number
Multiply mixed numbers by a whole number using:

Pictures of fraction tiles
Number lines
Distributive property

Math Taught in April

99Math:

99Math is a free, fact fluency program that we’re using to master our math facts. A few times a week, the whole class plays 99 Math in an attempt to beat each level. To beat the level, they must know their facts with 96% accuracy as a whole class. Then they receive a piece of candy & get to move onto the next fact family.

In April, we are still working on passing our 12 fact family as this one is proving to be very challenging.

In order to help build our speed & accuracy, your child might have 99Math homework �throughout the year.

Rocket Math:

We are continuing to use Rocket Math to help students master their math facts.

We started with multiplication and will then advance to division. Once a student has reached their goal (answered their number of questions correctly in 1 minute), they’ll move onto the next level of Rocket Math. If your child doesn’t meet their goal, they’ll be required to finish the rest of the questions as practice to help them for the next time they complete the same level.

This will work in conjunction with 99Math, but this focuses more on each student and less on the class as a collective group.

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-4A’s April Newsletter-

Ms. Davidshofer

Second Step & Trojans Code

Weekly, Central Primary School students have a social emotional learning (SEL) lesson or a Trojans Code lesson. The SEL curriculum that we have is called Second Step. Both of these types of lessons work on building up the social emotional skills that the students need to be successful. Another way we continue to enforce these social emotional skill is by continuing to learn about how to be the best Central Trojan by following the Trojans Code.

On March 31st, we had our Trojans Code Assembly for March where we recognized the students who earned the Notice Award. Congratulations to Eli, Camden, Deacon, and Lincoln.

During April, we have focused on Safety for the Trojans Code. To learn more about safety, we read the book, “The Technology Tail” which focuses on ensuring we are both kind and safe online, in text messages and snapchat, and more. Ask your child to explain what are things that make your tail have a gift and what causes those scars, holes, or tears.

On April 25th,, the school recognized the students who are showing the trait for safety in an assembly. Congrats to the following students in 4A who received the

Award: Troy, Easton, Micah, and Jemma.

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in April

Notice

Safety

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Independent Reading (AR Reading)

-4A’s March Newsletter-

Ms. Davidshofer

Student received a new BINGO board prior to winter break. Their BINGO for this quarter is due on May 16th. For more information about this quarter’s BINGO board, please see the bright blue BINGO board in your child’s take home folder.

Some things to keep in mind as they’re working on their BINGO:

Books should be in their reading level, which was determined by their most recent STAR Reading test from on Dec. 12th. Their levels are written at the bottom of their BINGO board.
Students needs to get a 4 square BINGO – horizontally, vertically, or diagonally.
Only 1 graphic novel may be read for their BINGO, and no more than 8 graphic novels on the entire BINGO board (if a student is going for a blackout BINGO)
Books will need to be more than 100 pages (unless pre-approved by the teacher).

Remember: In recent years due to the pandemic and Covid-19 quarantines, AR quizzes have had a little more flexibility. However, with the pandemic mostly behind us, it is 4th grade policy that ALL AR quizzes must be taken at school. Therefore, all future quizzes must be taken at school. students have opportunities to take AR quizzes during morning work, Wonders centers, Ketchup & Pickles (aka study hall), so there are multiple opportunities throughout the day for them to take quizzes here at school

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4/15	Appreciation Day—Give thanks to volunteers, teachers and helpful staff members
4/16	Beach Day—Wear your beachwear attire. (no swimsuits)
4/22	Colors of the Rainbow—Wear your favorite color clothing while you color a picture!
4/23	Dance Day—Dance throughout the day! Stop and Dance!
4/24	Exercise Day—Do exercises throughout the day!
4/25	Flip Flop Day—Wear flip flops to school!
4/28	Game Day—Have students bring in a favorite game to share with friends or enjoy a favorite game as a class!
4/29	Hat Day—Wear a favorite or fun hat!
4/30	Ice Pop Day—Yum! Have an ice pop treat together!
5/1	‘Jammie’ Day—Wear your PJ’s to school!
5/2	Kickball Day—Play a game of kickball as a class!
5/5	Lollipop Day—Treat the kids to a lollipop!
5/6	Movie Day—Enjoy!
5/7	Nature Day—Go on a scavenger hunt outside!
5/8	Outside Day—Enjoy an activity outside while wearing something orange!
5/9	Picnic Day—Bring a snack to eat outside!
5/12	Quiet Day—Goes with the book “No Talking”
5/13	Reading Day—Read books with another grade!
5/14	Super Hero Day—Wear your favorite superhero shirt!
5/15	Team Day—Wear your favorite sports team attire!
5/16	Under Day—Read/work under tables/desks
5/19	Visit classrooms—Visit the next grade level
5/20	Walk Day- Take a walk outside
5/21	eXtra Recess Day—Have an extra recess!
5/22	Year End Celebration Day—Sign yearbooks
5/23	Zip Up and Zoom Out—Last day of school!

Words in the red font mean these are spirit days to help you know what to wear.

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