This Week in Math and Language Arts

During math and language arts time, we are split up by grade level.  The 3rd and 4th graders are doing different things.  We will describe them below.

Fourth Grade:

Math - This week we are learning about basic multiplication and division facts (0-10 facts).  We are practicing out basic facts using fact triangles.  We all took a multiplication timed test (basic facts).  Everyone is improving.  We learned some strategies for how to solve basic facts quickly.  We learned how to solve the nines facts using our fingers. When you multiply nine by any number, the product's digits should add up to nine.  Example: 9x3=27, so 2+7=9.  We also did in and out, or "What's My Rule" tables.  In a What's My Rule table, there is a rule that you have to follow.  A number goes into the chart a different number comes out based on what the rule is.  In: 1,000  Rule: -900  Out: 100

Language Arts - This week we are learning about fictional narratives and writing our own.  We are also practicing Venn diagrams.  We read a story called "Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude."  In this story, there was a princess who's ponies were stolen by a giant, and then a guy on a motorcycle helped her save them.  The story was silly because it kept going back and forth between who was telling the story (a boy and a girl).  This year we have new language arts books called Practice Books.  We work on spelling and grammar in them.  They are a part of our Journeys materials so the Practice Book pages align with the stories we are reading each week.

Third Grade:

Math - At the beginning of the week, we did a lot of subtraction practice.  Some of us used base-ten blocks, some of us made posters, and some of us used an abacus.  We also have been studying number stories and strategies for how to solve them, like a Parts and Total Chart, and other diagrams.  We are also learning about ballpark estimates.  We took timed tests for basic addition and subtraction facts.  Mrs. Hill's class got to go to the computer lab today and play math games.  We did some in and out tables this week, too.  

Language Arts - We are doing a personal narrative about something that has changed our life.  For example: you got a new pet or won your first soccer game of the year.  You also could write about if you lost a family member or something sad that changed your life.  We are doing the Daily 5.  There are five choices each day: Read to someone, listen to reading, read to self, work on writing, and word work.  We also have been meeting with our book groups.  During book group, about five people at a time meet with the teacher and we read and do assignments.

Both 3rd and 4th graders took a practice test this week for Iowa Assessments.  We practiced math and reading.  We had a little booklet that had the questions in it, and then we filled in bubbles on an answer sheet.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Johnson's 3rd and 4th Graders

4th Graders with LA Journeys Books

3rd Graders with LA Journeys Books