Week 25

Dear Parents,

I hope your students enjoyed their President’s Day holiday, and I hope that those of you who were off enjoyed your break as well.

This week in science class, we are continuing our study of geology by continuing to study the inside of the earth. We will talk about plates and plate tectonics as the cause of earthquakes and other disasters. We will also demonstration in the lab how heat convection can cause the motion of plates.

In math, we will continue our discussion of fractions, focusing especially on mixed fractions, improper fractions, and the relationships between the two. We do also have a test on order of operations on Friday. Your students’ Friday folders from last week should have contained the worksheet on order of operations they completed last week. Most of the students did extremely well, but if you wish to review further with your students, here is a study guide:

Math Study Guide on Order of Operations

Order of operations is a list of rules that mathematicians have agreed upon in order to decide what operation to perform first, second, third, etc. in problems with multiple operations. Changing the order you perform operations changes the answer you get, so mathematicians have come up with an agreed upon order of operations in order to avoid having two correct answers to the same problem. This order is: 1. Parentheses  2. Exponents  3. Multiplication and Division  4. Addition and Subtraction

It is helpful to think of order of operation in as a list of ranks with 1 being the highest rank and 4 being the lowest rank. Operations are performed in order of rank from highest to lowest. For example:

70 – (4 x 5) x 3 becomes 70 – 20 x 3 and then 70 – 60 = 10

 If there is more than one operation of the same kind in a problem you perform the operations of the same kind from left to right:

(75+9) – (24-4) – (5x5) becomes 84 – (24-4) – (5x5) then 84 – 20-(5x5) then 84-20-25=39

One of the tricky parts of order of operations is the fact that multiplication and division are together on the same rank, and addition and subtraction are together on the next rank lower. What does it mean to have two operations on the same rank? It means that after exponents and parentheses have been evaluated, you evaluate multiplication and division in whatever order they happen to appear from left to right. Similarly, after multiplication and division have been performed in the order they appear from left to right, we perform addition and subtraction in the order they appear from left to right.

Here are some examples:

1. (35 - 30) x 50 ÷ 10 x 3 ÷ (10 + 5)

 5 x 50 ÷ 10 x 3 ÷ (10 + 5)

5 x 50 ÷ 10 x 3 ÷ 15

250 ÷ 10 x 3 ÷ 15

25 x 3 ÷ 15

75 ÷ 15 = 5

2.  5 x 5 -10 + 40 – (30 + 7)

5 x 5 – 10 + 40 – 37

25 – 10 + 40 – 37

15 + 40 – 37

55 – 37 = 18

Some students remember order of operations with the acronym PEMDAS. That is okay as long as they understand that multiplication and division are on the same rank, and addition and subtraction are both on the next lower rank. We do not perform multiplication first from left to right and then division first from left to right. We perform them in whatever order they appear in from left to right. Simialrly with addition and subtraction…

These are all the notes I have for you for the week! As always, you can contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns at rwycklendt@archwaytriviumeast.org.

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt

Long Weekend and More!

Dear Parents,

Last week in class, we had such joyful time working on our introduction to fractions! Your students thoroughly enjoyed using fraction manipulatives to make and name fractions, and to find equivalent fractions. They worked in groups, teaching each other what they already knew, and learning from students who knew different concepts than they did. Mr. Elefson, Mr. Conklin and I supervised, gave advice when students were confused, and asked questions to check for student understanding. Now that the 4^th grade has the basic concept of fractions down, we will study mixed fractions, improper fractions, and addition and subtraction of fractions.

In science last week, we studied the three states of matter as a precursor to geology. We will be studying molten rock and atmospheric gasses in various contexts, and it is important for students to understand how the substance can be solid, liquid or gaseous under different circumstances. With this foundation laid we will work on understanding the earth’s interior this week.

We don't have any tests in math or science this week, but our next math test will take place at the end of next week. It will be on order of operations in case you are interested in having your students start reviewing early.

Keep your calendars marked for a long weekend this weekend! This Friday, February 12, is a half-day, and next Monday, February 15, is off in honor of President’s Day. This weekend is also an R and R weekend, meaning students’ will not be assigned homework in any of their classes. Please enjoy the extra time with your students!

Also, this week is deficiency week, meaning that if students are below a C- in any of their classes, you will receive an official notice from the school regarding their scores, so that you, your student, and your student’s teachers can take action to correct the deficiency before the end of the quarter. I have already contacted any of you whose students may be at or near deficiency in my classes, and most of those scores have already been corrected. However, if you have any questions or concerns about your students’ performance and how you can support their achievements, please feel free to contact me.

These are all the notes I have for you for the week! As always, you can contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns at rwycklendt@archwaytriviumeast.org.

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt

Week 23--Science Test!

Dear Parents,

I hope you all had a relaxing weekend. We are entering our fifth week of third quarter, and we have lots of exciting things going on:

In math class we are working on fractions. Some of the students have seen fractions in their online math lessons or in previous years, but we are discussing them for the first time this week in class. We will be using pictures, word problems, and physical manipulatives to help students get a concrete understanding of what fractions are.

In science class we will be doing an experiment on states of matter, and we will also begin studying the earth’s interior. We also have a science test on Friday. The test was announced to students last week, and it will likely be easy relative to some tests we have had. The test will be focused on graphs, the scientific methods, and observations vs. inferences. The students like the graphs, and they seem to understand them well, and these will comprise most of the test. Here is the study guide:

1.       Students should be able to interpret horizontal and vertical bar graphs, and they should be able to create their own bar graphs when given a simple set of data.  Here is a link that gives a simple explanation of bar graphs and also some sample bar graph interpretation problems. http://www.mathsisfun.com/data/bar-graphs.htm

2.       Students should be able to interpret line graphs with a single line of data, and they should be able to create their own line graphs when given a simple set of data. Here is a link that gives a simple explanation of line graphs and some sample line graph interpretation problems. http://www.mathsisfun.com/data/line-graphs.html

3.       Students should be able to interpret line plots, and they should also be able to create their own line plots when given a simple set of data. The first 2.5minutes of this video are useful to explain line plots. The information on range, mode, median and beyond is unnecessary. https://search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?p=line+plot+tutorial&ei=UTF-8&hspart=mozilla&hsimp=yhs-002

4.       Students should understand what type of information typically requires a bar graph and what type of information typically requires a line graph. (Line graphs usually show changes in one thing over time, while bar graphs usually compare and contrast different items all at once. Of course, line graphs can compare changes in several things over time, but we are not showing that to the students right now.

5.       Students should give an appropriate title to all graphs and line plots they make. For example, a line graph reflecting changes in average temperature in Good year over the course of a year could be titled “Average temperatures in Goodyear 2015” or something similar.

6.       Students should label the number scale and data points (x and y axes) for all graphs they make. For example, the number scale of the line graph mentioned in 4 could be labeled “Temperatures” or “Temperatures in Goodyear.” The data points could be labelled “Months” or “Months in 2015.” Each month should have its own increment. Similarly for bar graphs and line plots students should make labels that explain what the number scale represents. (Temperatures? Numbers of students with a certain favorite food? Ages of students?) They should also label their data points, so the reader understands what the data pints are (Cities with a certain temperature? Favorite foods? Students at certain ages?)

7.       Students should make sure their number scales for graphs are evenly spaced on their page and reflect even increments of numbers. A number scale could be labelled 0,1,2,3,4,5,6 etc., or it could be labelled 0,5,10,20,30 etc., or any other even numerical increments. It cannot be labelled 0, 5, 10, 13, 15, 20, 30, 40, 57, etc.

8.       Students should know the revised steps to the scientific method in order:  1.Observe 2.Ask a question (about the observation) 3. Make a hypothesis (a “best guess” of what the answer to the question is)  4.Experiment  5.Collect the results  6.Draw a conclusion (based on the results) 7.Communicate the results

9.       Students should know the difference between an observation and an inference. (An observation is something you personally see or experience. An inference is a reasonable conclusion drawn from an observation. This is similar to a cause and effect relationship.)

10.   When presented with a simple observation, students should be able to come up with a reasonable inference. For instance, if a gardener has two of a certain kind of plant, one in the sun and one in the shade, he might observe the plant in the sun is taller and stronger than the one in the shade. He could infer that this kind of plant prefers sunlight or that it grows best in sunlight. Similarly, given an observation and inference, students should be able to distinguish which is which.

I’m sure many of you have noticed the shift from flashcards to multiplication worksheets. Hopefully this will save you some time in the evenings. Please be aware that these worksheets are part of your students’ grades. They will be calculated as part of the “participation” portion of the students’ grades on the principle that fluency in math facts enables students to be effective class participants. The result is that these worksheets will have a much stronger impact on students’ grades than if the worksheets for calculated as homework. Please make sure your students are completing their worksheets and especially that they are putting their names on them. Each time I have collected worksheets, I have had several that had no name and had to be thrown away.

Also, I’m sure you have all seen the fliers, but 4A students are collecting donations to fund a piece of artwork to hang in our classroom! It is a beautiful piece called “The Fighting Termeraire,” and the students are very proud of it. Mrs. Walters, our classroom parent, will also be emailing more information on the painting, how to contribute, and how to arrange to view the painting so you can see what you are funding. The painting will not be hung in our classroom until it is fully funded, so the sooner we finish fundraising, the sooner our students can enjoy it!

To those of you who have already contributed, thank you! In our first day of collecting donations, we have already collected $70! This is a great start towards funding our painting.

These are all the notes I have for the week. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please email me at rwycklendt@archwaytriviumeast.org

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt

Week 22--LONG DIVISION TEST!

Dear Parents,

Welcome to week 22! This is already the fourth week of our semester, and we are working on many exciting topics. In science class we will be finishing up our study of line graphs and bar graphs, so the students can use these tools to record data from science experiments and activities. In math class, we will be working on word problems, especially word problems that ask how many times more or less one item is as compared to another. We will be using bar models to help visualize what the problems are asking. You may not be familiar with bar models, but they are powerful visual tools that help students to solve complex word problems.

You may have noticed that I have not assigned flashcards this week. Instead, I have sent students home with multiplication fact worksheets to complete each night. For the time being, these worksheets are replacing flashcards as our daily math fact review. However, please do not let your students throw out their flashcards, as we may need them again before the end of the year. The multiplication worksheets do count toward students’ grades, so please make sure your students are completing them.

Also, in math class, we will be having our long division test on Friday. This is one of the most complicated topics presented in fourth grade, so please review with your students. To give you a little more guidance on what to review, here is a website that explains the basic process of long division for kids:  https://www.bforball.com/long-division.php . Also, here are some sample problems that you can use to help your students review:  52 ÷ 4         574 ÷ 7                 618 ÷ 3                  462 ÷ 21        406 ÷ 2

As we enter our second semester as an academy, we are working hard to ensure your students receive all the benefits our education model can provide. One of those benefits is the dress code, which ensures that students are dressed in a respectful and appropriate manner that conveys the importance of their education. The first semester has been a grace period of sorts, in which we have allowed students and families time to adjust to dress code requirements.   Now, in second semester, we will be enforcing our dress code more strictly. All families have a copy of the dress code in their family handbook. However, in order to help your students remain in compliance with the dress code, here are some reminders:

1.       Shoes must be completely black or completely white; they may not have logos, decorations, laces, or soles in contrasting colors.  They must have flat soles (no wedges or heels allowed). Boots may not be worn.

2.       Socks must be blue or white. Black socks are not allowed. Socks should cover the ankle bone or higher; “no-show” socks are not allowed.

3.       Tights for girls are allowed in blue or white only. No black tights are allowed. Leggings (i.e., footless tights) are not allowed.

4.       Belts must be worn with pants and shorts, and they must be a solid, dark color.

5.       Students have several options for warm, dress code, appropriate clothes. They can wear long-sleeved uniform tops in blue or white. They can wear sweaters, jackets or fleeces in navy with the Trivium East logo. They can also wear undershirts underneath their uniform tops, as long as the undershirts do not stick out of the uniform shirts. (Long sleeved undershirts may not be worn with short-sleeved uniform tops, for example.) Undershirts should be white.

These are just some examples of ways in which your students may need to adjust their dress. As I mentioned before, the family handbook contains the complete dress code. Of course, you can always contact me with any questions.

These are all the notes I have for you this week. If you need anything, you can reach me at rwycklendt@arcwaytriviumeast.org . Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt 

Week 21

Dear Parents,

Project night was a huge success! It was great to see so many of you there. We know that families commit a lot of time and effort to supporting their students during project week. At the same time, I saw projects that clearly looked as if students had taken the lead role in creating their project and parents had provided help only when it was necessary. This allowed for a dynamic project night with many students excited to share what they learned by making their project.

Also, thank you to all of you who gave to our tax credit drive. It is encouraging to see so much support from our families in our inaugural year. These funds will go directly to purchase much-needed equipment for our students to use, so your contributions will benefit your students every day they come to school.

In the classroom this week, we spent much time reviewing the math topics from last semester. Your students gave quick, precise answers, kindly pointed out each other’s mistakes, and showed themselves ready for the challenges of math in the coming semester.

One of those upcoming challenges will be our math test. We will have a math test on long division two weeks from now. (I have moved the date forward one week in order to give students more time to prepare.) Long division is one of the most difficult topics in grade school math, and even students who understand may make mistakes. Please review some long division problems with your students in order to ensure they are ready.

For the coming week, math class will focus on developing students’ number sense. They will work on finding answers to problems by looking for ways to make round numbers out of the numbers given. This will give students a stronger sense of the relationships between numbers. In science class, we will be learning ways that scientists communicate their findings. Specifically, we will be exploring line graphs and bar graphs. After that, we will transition into geology.

These are all the notes I have for you this week. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please contact me at rwycklendt@archwaytriviumeast.org.

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt

Project Night and More!

Dear Parents,

Thank you for all the hard work you have done to support your students as they created their projects! A few students showed me their projects early, and they look great! I can’t wait to see all the finished ones on project night.

Some of your students may not have started their projects yet. That’s okay; they do have the weekend to work on them. However, Monday will be a night of ordinary math and science homework, so it will be best for students to complete their projects before Monday in order to avoid a time crunch. The same is true of project papers.

Projects are due on Tuesday morning. Students should bring their projects to school with them on Tuesday morning and leave them at school. Teachers will set the projects up in the MPR after school, and the project displays will be waiting for students when they return to school for project night.

Project night begins at 6:00pm. Students are required to attend as part of their project, and they should be ready to explain their project to teachers and interested visitors. You may bring your students 5-10 minutes early in order to avoid being late, if you wish. Please invite friends and relatives!

In other news, the Trivium East tax credit drive has been extended through Wednesday, January 13. If you submit a tax credit on or before January 13, your students will get an ice cream at our ice cream social on January 15. You can use the link below to tell the government tht you want your tax money to support Trivium East:

https://www.greatheartsonline.com/trans/archwaytriviumeast_tc.html

Regarding tests: For the rest of the semester, we will have three math test and two science tests. Math test will be held in the third, sixth and ninth weeks of the quarter. Science tests will be held in the 4th and 8^th weeks of the quarter. This means the next math test is two weeks from now. It will be on long division. This is one of the most complicated topics in fourth grade math, so please make sure you practice with your students at home!

Several fourth grade students were selected to compete in the next round of our Bard Competition. The second round will take place at Trivium East on Monday, February 1^st, and the winner will go on to the interschool Bard Competition. If your student was selected to compete in the second round, they should choose a poem, get it approved by Mr. Ohbayashi, and starting practicing right away!

Also, the Liberty Wildlife Foundation as numerous educational opportunities for interested families. You can view the options here: http://www.libertywildlife.org/education-services/ . Thank you to 

Mrs. Moody for sharing this with us!

These are all the notes I have for you for the week! If you have any questions, please email me at rwycklendt@archwaytriviumeast.org.

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt

Welcome to Project Week!

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a relaxing holiday with your families and friends. I know I did, I and I am excited to return to teaching after my break.

First things first, don’t for get to sign your students Friday folders and send the folders back to school! I need them so I can continue to use them. Thank you.

Next up is project week! As some of you may know, the first week of the third quarter will be Trivium East’s first annual project week. Students will dedicate this week of half days to creating a science projecting and writing a few short paragraphs about their project. The theme of this year’s project week is the human body. Students of all grade levels have spent a science unit studying a body system, so each grade level will make projects based on the system of the human body they studied. Fourth grade studied the cardiovascular system, so fourth grade projects will be centered around the heart and blood.

Here’s how it works: Students will spend time in science class learning new details about the heart and blood and solidifying their understanding of old information. In writing class, Mr. Ohbayashi will teach students to write their first paper, which will be a short description of their project. Teachers will provide support and information resources that students can use for their projects, but the actual creation of the projects will occur at home.

Students will have a choice of three different science projects, pending the approval of their parents. They will receive handouts on how to complete their chosen project and handouts of articles that can help them to write the paper that will accompany their project. I have tried to make the projects as simple, cheap, and easy as possible, but if parents feel their child’s project of choice is not appropriate, they may request another one.

All homework time during project week will be spent creating the project and writing the accompanying paper. There will be no RM online, flashcards, etc. The homework for the projects is designed to take about the same amount of time as fourth grade homework normally does, so it will not be a drain on families’ time. Similarly, the materials for projects are house hold items, or items that can be obtained at department stores, drug stores, or grocery stores. The materials should cost less than $20, so they will not be a drain on families’ resources.

Some of the projects ask for clear glass jars. I have several clean glass jars at home that families can use if they don’t have their own. You would have to remove the labels on some of them, but I am happy to give them away on a first-come-first-serve basis.

 A simple guide for timeline of the project for parents is as follows: Obtain materials on Monday night and look over instructions and the resource articles with your student. Create the project and write the paper Tuesday-Thursday. On Friday, put the finishing touches on the project and the paper.

This is intended to be a fun way for students to experience science. The fourth graders already know much of the important information for the projects, but they will learn a few new things this week.

Next week, students will get a chance to show off their projects in an evening time project display. Dates and times TBA. This will be a way for classes to come together as a community and witness each other’s accomplishments. It will also give students a chance to talk about their projects with visiting parents, grandparents, friends, etc.

This project does carry the weight of a test in the student’s science grade, and the paper carries the weight of a test in their writing grade. That’s actually a good thing for several reasons. Students have a whole week to develop and display their project, instead of only a few minutes to write on a test. They can develop their project with the support of adults, instead of staring at a paper alone. Also, students who find a hands-on approach more natural than an ordinary academic approach will have a chance to showcase their unique skills.

Please note that “perfect” looking projects are not necessary and won’t necessarily improve students’ grades. Life is messy and so are science projects. What I want to see is that students have learned from their projects and can explain what the project means when they display their projects next week.

In order to help ensure students’ success, I will be available Thursday morning from 7:00-7:30 am to help students with any last minute questions or details of their projects. Help will be provided on a first-come-first-serve basis. As always, students can also come to me between classes or at recess for help.

That’s all for this week! Please email me with any questions, comments, or concerns, especially this week. I want to support you and your students as much as possible during this project week.

Sincerely,

Miss Wycklendt