Dear Parents, Please open and scroll through the newsletter for all sections of grade 4 at RIS for school year 2012-2013. All future newsletters will be shared by a link to this site, SlideShare. Thank you.

1. Grade 4
September
class newsletter
RIS
2012-2013

2. Important dates
 19 September—early dismissal, 1pm
 21 September—no school
 5 October—no school for students
 17 October—early dismissal, 1pm
 19 October—parent conferences
 22-26 October—holiday
 29 October—school resumes

3. HOMEWORK
 All students should be reading 30 minutes or more
each night, recording their book and time on their
reading log
 Math, Science, and/or Social Studies may also be
sent home each night for homework.
 All students are expected to complete homework on
time and submit it to their homeroom teacher.

4. Literacy
 Students have been busy launching Reader’s and Writer’s
Workshops in classes. This involves learning the
procedures and expectations in class and for their own
learning.
 Students have taken MAPS reading tests, DRA tests, and
basic writing assessments to determine their levels for the
start of the year; teachers use this information to construct
skill and strategy lessons for individual and group literacy
building.
 Students will begin in Reader’s Workshop by learning what
it means to build a reading life; in Writer’s Workshop,
students will be writing personal narratives in this next
month.

5. Math
 The first unit of study in Mathematics in Grade 4 is titled,
‘Factors, Multiples, and Arrays’. This unit focuses on the
operation of multiplication.
 The Long Term Learning Targets in this unit are:
1. I can understand & work with array models of
multiplication.
2. I can think about numbers and their factors.
3. I am fluent with multiplication combinations to 12 x12.

6. Science
 The kids have jumped right into science with our unit
on Earth Materials. They will explore the following
concepts in Earth Science:
 Mock Rocks—rock and mineral properties
 Scratch Test—specific properties of minerals
 Calcite Quest—presence of calcium/calcite in rocks
 Take it for Granite—using mineral properties to find out
which minerals are in the rock, granite

7. Social Studies
Our first unit in Social
Studies is the 5
Themes of Geography. Long Term Learning Targets:
This is an exciting unit
focused on learning  I can explain and correctly use the elements of maps
and globes.
how geographers
study our earth,  I can explain and demonstrate the 5 Themes of
Geography.
physically and
culturally. Students  I can compare ways that the earth’s physical and
have an opportunity human features have changed over time.
to learn and apply
 I can examine various types and patterns of settlement
mapping skills using and land use and reasons why particular locations are
our world floor maps, used for certain human activities.
desk maps, and
 I can identify appropriate resources and geographic
atlases. tools to generate and interpret information about the
earth.

8. Ms. Katie’s class Community Fun!
Earth Materials

9. Ms. April’s class
 Human Knot teaches us to
help each other, work as a
team, think, stay flexible, and
communicate respectfully
and kindly

10. Mr. Joe’s class