We will be traveling on a journey of investigation and exploration.

Destination - Middle School & beyond!

Jo Mountford

Educated in the UK and Canada

Taught in:

United Kingdom, Stratford Upon Avon

Japan, Yokohama

Egypt, Cairo

United States of America,

Tanzania, Arusha

Japan, Tokyo

School Theme for 2012/13 is...

To become confident, independent learners

To be able to make decisions

Fourth Grade Expectations:

To be able to organize themselves

To become good communicators and listeners

To be able to plan independently and cooperatively

To value and respect others

Be able to solve problems in many different situations

To enjoy learning as a life experience

To be open minded

MonitorsOur Junior School Leaders

Set up assembly

Monitor halls

Clear up dining room

Responsible for

playground

equipment

Lead by example

Tour Leaders

Grade Four Math Skills

Pattern-to understand the importance of the recognition of pattern in developing their mathematical ability

Vocabulary -to encourage students to learn and use the ‘language’ of math

Place Value -to review their knowledge of number and to extend their understanding of large numbers

Operations and Computation - to extend multiplication, division,fractions, decimals, addition and subtraction skills

Measurement - to look at the various ways of recording metric measurement and to develop their understanding of the concepts of area and perimeter

Geometry - to familiarize the students with protractors and compasses; to draw and measure acute, right and obtuse angles; to explore radius, diameter andcircumference

Graphs -to collect and organize data into a table; to construct bar graphs and linegraphs, to analyze findings, make statements and draw conclusions about them.

Problem Solving

This is an important aspect of fourth grade math work.

Problem solving is a major component of all aspects of math.

Opportunities will be provided for the children to gain familiarity with a collection of strategies useful for tackling problems.

They will frequently be asked to share their thinking in order to help them recognize that there is often more than one way to arrive at a solution.

Math Investigations

Working with data – graphs, line plots and tablesPatternsWorking with bigger numbersMultiplicationDivisionSize, Shape and SymmetryFractionsProbability

Math 4 TodayDesigned on a continuous spiral so

concepts are repeated weekly. Provides risk taking challenges,higher-level thinking exercises,

problem solving strategies and necessary drill.

To help with problem-solving we have Math Due Friday and Think Lab.

Language ArtsTo develop the children’s listening skills so that they can follow oral instructions, understand oral explanations and listen attentively and intelligently to presentations.

To develop the children’s oral skills so that they can express their ideas clearly, fluently and articulately and in a form that is correct and acceptable.

To develop in the children a love of literature through reading for recreation and pleasure as well as encouraging them to use materials as a source of information, ideas and vocabulary for their own research.

There are many reading opportunities in fourth grade, including: class readers, literature circles, reading research, individual reading, reading our own work. We have debates, literature discussions, we act, we rewrite endings, we examine good story starters, discuss authors voice, look at cause & effect, fact and opinion, discover meaning from context, discuss author’s craft.

The Writing Process

The Writing Process treats writing as an interrelated seriesof creative activities and allows children to take early control and responsibility and to monitor their own work.

PrewritingTime is spent preparing to write the first draft. Childrenare encouraged to think, ask questions, list ideas, readand take notes, brainstorm, cluster, plan and set goals. This process eventually leads them to focus on oneidea for a piece of writing.

DraftingChildren put their ideas on paper,concentrating on content ratherthan correctness at this stage.

RespondingThe first draft are shared with peers and teachers.Suggestions for improvement are made at this stage.

Self Edit and reviseThe children are encouraged to change openings and endings, add details, move parts around, use more precise and descriptive words and give final form to their work.

Writing Process (cont.)

PublishingThe following are some of the many ways in which childrencan publish their work:

Class notebooksSchool/class newspaperMini-books Reading aloud Displays/postersDramatizationsTape recordings

There are many reasons for writing and in fourth grade this year the children will have an opportunityto experience a wealth of different styles of writing; poetry, letters, persuasive writing, personal letters,business letters, descriptive paragraphs, creative writing, lists, menus, instructions, plays and many more..

The 6-Trait (6+1) Model for Writing Assessment

Ideas The ideas are the heart of the message, the content of the piece, the main

theme together with the details that enrich and develop that theme.

OrganizationOrganization is the internal structure of the piece of writing, the thread

of central meaning, the logical, and sometimes intriguing pattern of ideas.

Voice The voice is the heart and soul, the magic, the wit, along with the feeling

of conviction of the writer coming out through the words.

Word ChoiceWord choice is the use of rich, colorful, precise language that moves and

enlightens the reader.

Sentence FluencySentence fluency is the rhythm and flow of the language, the sound of word patterns, the way in which plays to the ear - not just to the eye.

ConventionsConventions are the mechanical correctness of the piece.

Values/Virtues Program

Japanese CultureG4 Project

• How to learn and share our cultures

• Learning part links to the IPC unit: How to learn/learning styles

Aims of the project

• -To Explore elements of culture

• -To think about how we learn and apply that knowledge

• -To develop 21st century skills; creativity, collaboration, and

independent learning

• -To integrate technology; inparticular iMovie and filming

• -To Contribute to the school community real life learning

The Brain

We’ll be finding out:preferred learning stylesabout different areas of the brain.how information gets into the brainthe ways each of us learn best.

We’ll also be:Graphing our learning stylesMaking models of neuronsConducting experiments on memory/handedness/coordination etcMaking brain hats

When they do this the children will be:

InvestigatingThinkingMapping ReflectingResearchingDrawingMaking Models

ElectricityInside AtomsMovement of electronsStatic Electricity

Famous PeopleLife before Electricity

Sources of electricity SafetyConservation

CircuitsConductorsResistors

Light bulbsMotors

Battery power

Inside the Earth

Continental DriftPlate Tectonics

Inside the earthMeasuring Earthquakes

Types of VolcanoesMyths and Legends

Ring of Fire

Famous EruptionsCauses and Consequences

Timelines

Rocks and Minerals

Classification of Rocks

Rock CycleRocks and Minerals Excavation

Specials:P.E. Monday & ThursdayMusic Monday & WednesdayLibrary TuesdayArt FridayLanguage Tuesday & Thursday

Excursions:Artscape – no date set yet

Tanzawa: April 19th – 21st

Health:Starts 2nd semester.

Typing:Twice a week for 20 minutes

Homework

GeneralMove desks around regularlyCalculatorsBirthday TreatsNut Free SchoolLabel suppliesLabel all clothes Special Talents & CelebrationsAppointments for individual

conferencesWebsites: www.msmosfootprints.comwww.ixl.comwww.spellingcity.comContact jo.mountford@issh.ac.jpGrade 4 team

If there’s time, Please feel free to write a letter to your daughter and pop it in her desk.