10/1: Fourth grade has 3 groups this year so far. Some groups are reading Johnny Appleseed. Our focus for this tall legend is fact vs. fantasy, and character traits. Soon, both groups will get in depth practice and lessons on writing an opinion/argument essay. Another group is reading The Hoppers Start School, with a focus on character traits. Next comes the non fiction, Dogs at Work, with a focus on Main idea, sub topics and details.
11/30: We have 3 very exciting 4th grade groups up and running! Two of them involve reading and writing. Our M W Fri group has been very productive with a focus on writing extended responses that support an opinion based on a short story. We are using words like "thesis" and have introduced the whole watermelon, slice and seed approach to writing an organized response. We have recently read Spare the Turkey, with a focus on personality traits and the clues we read about them. Our M through Friday group has been focused on the difference between fact and opinion, as well as reading Beyond the 5 Senses (main idea & details) and Bigger Than a Monster Truck (comparing and contrasting). The T/Th group has a focus on writing, and we work on the current writing assigned in the classroom. We are all learning how to organize our thoughts on paper, and to write clearly and accurately!
12/21: Our M W Fri group just finished Spare the Turkey. We continued to focus on extended response questions, and knowing how to quote form the text vs. paraphrasing. Our M to Fri group read the short story Guitar or Ballet, and then Catching Santa, with a focus on prediction and text evidence. Our T/Th writing book just completed their graphic organizer and rough draft of places to visit in NYS and why.
1/27/2016: While our groupings and days have changed, our reading and writing continues! Our new T W Th group has just read Art Around Us, with a focus on opinion and fact. Next we will read, write totem stories and create our own totem poles based on he book Totem Poles. The focus here is character traits. Our M through F group read Wonderful Winter this January, with a focus how and why the main character changes from the beginning of the story to the end. Both groups are also reading a variety of short stories. Our M and F writing group did a phenomenal job with a piece on small moments, and are now writing a creative essay centered around the Super Bowl!
2/9/16: T W TH is continuing with Totem Poles, and we will be ready to start our own Totem Pole stories this week. M through F group has finished reading Presidents' Day , with a focus on what I know, and what have I learned. Our next story is a short one, titled Learning Something New, with a focus on Problem and solution. Our writing group is finishing their Super Bowl pieces...way to go 4th graders!
3/21/16: Our writing group is now reading and writing about The San Francisco Earthquake. we are comparing and contrasting 2 articles on that historic event. Another group is reading the short story Pebble Tacos, which is similar in theme to Stone Soup. We are also focusing on character responses with this text. Out Totem Pole group is almost ready to finish their good copy of their stories, and ready to make their totem poles!
5/10/16: Our totems are done, and all groups have moved onto different stories! Stories include The Closet Creature, Spring Cleaning, Penny Stew, Ore Boat on the Great Lakes, Missing Money, Haley and the Puppy, and The Story of Arbor Day. Skills included identifying theme, fact and opinion, and point of view. Our writing group is focused on journal writing.
6/22: 4th grade groups wrapped up an active June! Groups read short stories that focused on character traits, fantasy vs. reality, and journal writing with "juicy" words.
11/30: We have 3 very exciting 4th grade groups up and running! Two of them involve reading and writing. Our M W Fri group has been very productive with a focus on writing extended responses that support an opinion based on a short story. We are using words like "thesis" and have introduced the whole watermelon, slice and seed approach to writing an organized response. We have recently read Spare the Turkey, with a focus on personality traits and the clues we read about them. Our M through Friday group has been focused on the difference between fact and opinion, as well as reading Beyond the 5 Senses (main idea & details) and Bigger Than a Monster Truck (comparing and contrasting). The T/Th group has a focus on writing, and we work on the current writing assigned in the classroom. We are all learning how to organize our thoughts on paper, and to write clearly and accurately!
12/21: Our M W Fri group just finished Spare the Turkey. We continued to focus on extended response questions, and knowing how to quote form the text vs. paraphrasing. Our M to Fri group read the short story Guitar or Ballet, and then Catching Santa, with a focus on prediction and text evidence. Our T/Th writing book just completed their graphic organizer and rough draft of places to visit in NYS and why.
1/27/2016: While our groupings and days have changed, our reading and writing continues! Our new T W Th group has just read Art Around Us, with a focus on opinion and fact. Next we will read, write totem stories and create our own totem poles based on he book Totem Poles. The focus here is character traits. Our M through F group read Wonderful Winter this January, with a focus how and why the main character changes from the beginning of the story to the end. Both groups are also reading a variety of short stories. Our M and F writing group did a phenomenal job with a piece on small moments, and are now writing a creative essay centered around the Super Bowl!
2/9/16: T W TH is continuing with Totem Poles, and we will be ready to start our own Totem Pole stories this week. M through F group has finished reading Presidents' Day , with a focus on what I know, and what have I learned. Our next story is a short one, titled Learning Something New, with a focus on Problem and solution. Our writing group is finishing their Super Bowl pieces...way to go 4th graders!
3/21/16: Our writing group is now reading and writing about The San Francisco Earthquake. we are comparing and contrasting 2 articles on that historic event. Another group is reading the short story Pebble Tacos, which is similar in theme to Stone Soup. We are also focusing on character responses with this text. Out Totem Pole group is almost ready to finish their good copy of their stories, and ready to make their totem poles!
5/10/16: Our totems are done, and all groups have moved onto different stories! Stories include The Closet Creature, Spring Cleaning, Penny Stew, Ore Boat on the Great Lakes, Missing Money, Haley and the Puppy, and The Story of Arbor Day. Skills included identifying theme, fact and opinion, and point of view. Our writing group is focused on journal writing.
6/22: 4th grade groups wrapped up an active June! Groups read short stories that focused on character traits, fantasy vs. reality, and journal writing with "juicy" words.