November 28

Weekly Math Homework and a New Unit for December!

Happy Monday Grade 4!

What beautiful weather we’re enjoying!

Just wanted to pop on and share with you a few things about what is coming up in math, and a slight change to the look of weekly math homework.

Grade 4 has now successfully completed their second unit this year: Patterning.

Students looked at identifying patterns, as well as creating and continuing patterns. New to the students this year was the ability to take a number pattern and represent the Term Numbers and Term Values in a Table of Values…..and…(why stop there!?!) use the Table of Values to then find the corresponding coordinate pairs, and then plot the pairs on a coordinate grid. Kinda cool to see them work toward the beginning of linear relationships and future algebraic understandings! It was a very popular unit, and not to worry Grade 4…we will be circling back to Algebra again in the New Year!

What this means, is that we are on a NEW unit! This unit is a 3 in one…with more emphasis on the 3rd. We will be exploring Addition, Subtraction (with and without decimals, but definitely including regrouping!) and Multiplication.  Multiplication can be tricky for some, as there is a lot of rote memorization that is always beneficial to ensure more success.

Here are the curriculum expectations for the Addition/Subtraction unit:

  • mental math strategies
  • regrouping
  • estimation
  • adding whole numbers up to 10 000
  • subtracting whole numbers up to 10 000
  • adding and subtracting decimal tenths
  • word problems and key terms (sum, difference, altogether, combined, fewer etc.)

Here are the curriculum expectations for the beginning of the Multiplication unit:

  • Multiplication Facts to 12
  • mental math strategies
  • 2 x 1 digit multiplication
  • 3 x 1 digit multiplication
  • word problems and key terms (product, each, times etc.)

To help at home, I always recommend reviewing times tables as much as possible. This is a great website for a 5 step memorization process of multiplication memory. I will also be sending home some empty multiplication tables here and there for homework, along with some practice times tables facts practice. Any support and additional time at home, is always helpful with memory. Need any help or additional resources, just ask! I have plenty to share!

To get started: here are some printables that may be helpful for review and ongoing practice- and of course we will be working on these in smaller groups in class- where needed.

1×12 Multiplication Table (completed)

1×12 Multiplication Table (empty)

Times  tables worksheets (by numbers)

Slight Homework Change

Trying to get the most math into the day? ME TOO! Weekly homework (that ORANGE folder that goes back and forth for math)  …you will now notice tonight’s homework is a review/mix of all strands. Each page should take about 10 minutes to complete. Although it is optional, please try to allow time each day or throughout the week for this meaningful ongoing practice of skills.

Homework (as much as possible) will be also provided in e-copy. This is here in case you are absent- or forgot your duotang at school. You can find it on the Grade 4 Homework Board.

I will still continue to provide test reviews, and practice on direct review of class material within the homework folder. Not to worry!

So here’s to a great month of December of learning, calculating, and getting into a regular homework routine that displays that We DO own our own learning!

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November 28

General Studies – Learning skills choice board

Hello Grade 4 and Grade 4 families,

Learning skills may or may not be a phrase that you are familiar with. You may have heard from your child that I mention learning skills A LOT during class time… Learning skills include areas such as perseverance, problem solving initiative, collaboration, creativity, organisation. These  skills are practised in all subject areas of your child’s learning and due to this, are not always explicitly named and taught.

I believe the development of these skills is just as important (if not slightly more important!) that the curriculum content itself! During our time when learning from home, studies have shown these skills have taken the largest hit. It is no one’s fault and no one is to blame but a larger focus needs to be paid to explicitly teach and remind children that ‘YES, this is hard. YES, you might fail BUT …it is OK if you fail! We can problem solve together on how it may work better next time.’

With this in mind for the month of December, I will be setting learning skills homework tasks alongside some academic tasks. Your child will be coming home with a booklet and plan. I am asking that you are as hands off as you can be! If your child needs help, please ask them to be specific with what they need (For example;  I don’t know and I can’t do it – isn’t as question. Try to re-direct to the task and ask them to re-read the question and then say ‘what part are you unsure?’)

If this causes a meltdown at home (an absolutely natural reaction when perseverance and problem solving skills are being developed due to these skills requiring your child to REALLY think, make a plan and do!) just put the task away and  have a conversation about why they felt it was hard. Encourage your child to email me then I can continue the conversation in class and make suggestions about how they can continue to work on their task independently.

Thank you all so much for your continued support!

Category: General Studies, Homework, Parent information | 1 Comment on General Studies – Learning skills choice board
March 30

General studies homework – Due April 6th

Hello grade 4,

This week’s homework is linked directly to your Innovation Day write-up. There is no formal Math homework or quiz this week. Please see the optional section of the homework sheet.

The task is to complete the background information section, your hypothesis and procedure. As this can be written paragraphs, a series of images or a video recording. An interactive blog post would have elements of each of these media. Click here for a model blog post.

We will also be working on this in class. A productive homework plan could be to write up a section at home then come to school and check in with Ms M.

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