Happy New Year!!!

Welcome Back Everyone,

     I hope that everyone had a restful winter break. Since it was so cold we can truly say that we had winter break!! 😊❆We are officially in the 3rd nine weeks. During this quarter we will take two field trips. On January 19th we will go to the Jacksonville Zoo and in March we will go to St. Augustine to tour the fort. Students will also be taking their Writing FSA during this quarter.

     Permission slips for the zoo field trip will come home this week. Please carefully read the letter attached to the permission slip. It outlines the costs for the trip. The price for the trip varies. All students will need to pay $5 for the bus. If your child ordered a lunch that will be an additional $5 for a total of $10. If you are planning to chaperone there are additional fees based on if you are ordering a lunch or using a Zoo Membership pass. Please carefully read the letter that comes home. We have included a checklist at the bottom to assist you in figuring out the total cost. All money is due on Wednesday January 17th. 

     This week in math we will continue to work on our fraction unit. This week we will learn different strategies for comparing fractions with different denominators. Students will also learn how to add and subtract fractions from a whole number. 

     This week in science we will continue to learn how heat moves. Students will work in a group to complete The Great Ice Cube Challenge. They will design a plan for melting an ice cube the fastest. In their plan students will have to explain how they will melt their ice cube. Students will have to explain if their plan uses convection, conduction, radiation or some combination of all three. We will take our test on chapter 5 next week. 

     This week in social studies we will learn about the American Revolution. Students can go on to Brain Pop and watch many videos related to the American Revolution topic. We will also learn about timelines. Students should read and be ready to discuss chapter 4 lesson 3 and the skill builder on timelines. The homework for this week is for students to complete the vocabulary for chapter 4. The test for chapter 4 will also be next week.

Have a GREAT Week,
Ms. Johnson

Week of December 4th

Hi Everyone, 

     Students will go to Enrichment Labs this Wednesday afternoon. We will also have ticket cash in on Wednesday morning. Students should come ready to cash in their tickets.

     I would like to clear up some misconceptions and confusions where homework is concerned. 
*Technology--Students can begin working on the technology assignment on Friday afternoon. The window for i-Ready and Prodigy runs from Friday afternoon to the following Friday morning. i-Ready is a diagnostic program where students work on a specific lesson plan based on their strengths and weaknesses as measured by the diagnostic that students took in September. Prodigy is a free online math program. I make assignments in Prodigy that matches the concepts that we are working on in class. Students are allowed to break up the assignments in multiple days if they choose. For example a student may choose to do 20 minutes of i-Ready on Friday afternoon. 10 minutes on Monday afternoon and 15 minutes on Wednesday. I encourage students to record all of their activity on their logs so that they can keep track of their minutes.
     *i-Ready--As per the district requirement students are required to complete at least 45 minutes of i-Ready each week.
     *Prodigy--Students are required to complete at least 15 minutes or between 10-20 questions of Prodigy per week. The top 3 students are rewarded on Fridays. I check and count any questions that were answered on Friday, Saturday and Sundays from the previous week.
*Social Studies--I tell students the social studies assignment on Friday that will be due on the following Friday. Social studies assignments are always due on Fridays.
*Math Superstars--I pass out the new math superstars sheet on Friday. The new sheet is due on the following Friday.

     Students are not required to work on any assignment during the weekend. I give these assignments on Friday to help lessen the load during week days. Students that are involved in multiple activities during the week like to get a jump start on assignments during the weekend. 

     This week in math we will begin our fraction unit. This week students will learn how to decompose a fraction into it's parts by using addition and multiplication. For examples 5/6= 2/6 + 3/6 or 5/6= 5 x 1/6. We will learn how to find equivalent fractions using area models and multiplication. 

     This week in science we will take a closer look at sound energy. Students will learn about pitch, frequency, volume, and amplitude. We will complete a lab using tuning forks were we will get to "see" sound.

     This week in social studies we will begin chapter 4. In lesson one students will learn about the constant battle for Florida that took place between Spain, France and England. 

Have A Great Week!!

Week of 11/27

Hi Everyone,

     Welcome back after Thanksgiving Break. I hope everyone had an enjoyable time off with family and friends. I know that it was very difficult for me to get up on Monday morning!! I really miss seeing the kids' smiling faces everyday, but it was great to off!!

     Please don't forget that interest forms for Alice in Wonderland Jr. are due on Wednesday 11/29. No late forms will be accepted. Forms for the JBE Spirit Buddy program are due on Friday 12/1.

     This week in math we will finish our unit on prime and composite numbers, factors and multiples, area and perimeter, and multiplication and division strategies. The test will on Wednesday. The test will also include review questions. The one area that students are continuing to have difficulty with is converting customary measurements. Our standard has students converting larger unit to smaller units. Please give your child a few problems like the examples below to practice at home.

6 quarts = _____cups
12 pounds =______ounces
8 yards =_______inches

     Our next unit in math will be fractions. Students will learn:
*how to compare two fractions with different denominators or numerators.
*how to find equivalent fractions using a variety of strategies. 
*how to add and subtract fractions
*how to decompose a fraction into the sum of it parts.
*how to add and subtract mixed numbers with unlike denominators by first finding like denominators.
*how to multiply a fraction by a whole number. 

     This week in science students will begin learning about energy. We will learn some common forms of energy.This will include potential energy, kinetic energy, sound energy, thermal energy, radiant energy. mechanical energy, and electrical energy. In the following weeks we will take a closer look at sound energy and thermal energy. 

     This week in social studies students will take the test for chapter 3. Next week we will begin chapter 4. In chapter 4 we will learn about colonial times in Florida. We will also discuss the struggle over Florida that took place between Spain and Britain. We will discuss slavery in British colonies and get an introduction to the American Revolution.

Have a GREAT week,
Aesha

Week of 11/13

Hi Everyone,

     This week we will participate in our Colonial Kids Festival.  Students will learn what life was like for kids during colonial days. If you haven't already done so please send in $5 cash to pay for materials that they kids will use during the festival. Parents are welcomed to attend to help facilitate the activities. If you would like to help please meet in room 209 on Thursday morning at 8:00.

     This week in math we will begin learning division strategies. Our 4th grade standard has students finding whole‐number quotients and remainders with up to four digit dividends and one‐digit divisors, using strategies based on place value, the properties of operations, and/or the relationship between multiplication and division. Illustrate and explain the calculation by using equations, rectangular arrays, and/or area models. Strategies that students will be learning are multiplying up, area models, the distributive property, and partial quotients. Students will not be learning the long division algorithm.

Multiplying Up

Area Model for Division

Distributive Property

Partial Quotient

 This week in science we will finish up our work on matter. The test was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but has been changed to Friday. After finishing chapter 4 we will move on to chapter 5, energy.

     This week in social studies students will complete chapter 3. Students will take the test on chapter 3 the week after the Thanksgiving holiday.

Week of 11-6

Dear Parents,

                                       

     I would like to start by saying Happy Veteran's Day to all of our military members. Thank you so very much for your service!

     This week in honor of Veteran's Day we will have a special Flag Raising Ceremony on Thursday morning beginning a 9:00. Students are asked to wear red, white and blue. We will also not have school on Friday.

 Please remember to send in $5 cash for our Colonial Kids Festival. The Festival will take place on Thursday November 16th. Thank to Mrs. Stone for volunteering to help facilitate our activity. We are still in need at least one more parent volunteer.

     In math this week we will take a test on factors, multiples, prime and composite numbers, multiplication strategies and area and perimeter on Wednesday. Students will bring home their checked study guide on Tuesday. Please have them review their notes. I have also created an assignment in Prodigy to help them review these concepts. 
     After the test on Wednesday we will move on to division. In our division section we will learn four different strategies; multiplying up, area models, distributive property, and partial quotients. The division algorithm is not introduced until 6th grade. 
     Beginning next week the i-Ready requirement will be increased from 15 minutes to 30 minutes per week. Please help your child meet this requirement. Students are allowed to begin their new week of technology on Friday afternoons. And they can spread out their minutes throughout the week to meet this requirement. Students just need to fill out their log each time they go on to the computer.

     This week in science, students will complete two labs. In the first lab we will learn how to calculate the volume of solids using water. The second lab will teach us about the Law of Conservation of Mass. This law states that the parts of an object will have the same total mass as the whole object. We will complete chapter 4 this week. Students will take the test and turn in the vocabulary on Wednesday November 15th. Students have been working on a choice board project for science it will will due on Friday November 17th. 

     This week in social studies we will learn about reading and following directions to plot on a map. Students will also learn about the first colonies in Florida. Did you know that France set up Fort Caroline right here in Jacksonville? Fort Caroline is listed as a National Park and is open to visitors. Follow the link https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/foca.htm for more information. We also read about how the Spanish set up a colony in St. Augustine https://www.nps.gov/casa/index.htm

Have a Wonderful week,
Aesha

Week of 10/30

Happy Monday Everyone,

     I would like to thank Mrs. DiGaetani for providing us with another art enrichment lesson. We learned about Piet Mondrian. We used his work Broadway Boogie Woogie to inspirt our own spider web art. 

     I would also like to thank Mrs. Stone for providing us with a fun lesson on how to make sure we include everyone in our activities especially on the play ground and at lunch. 

     A BIG thank you to everyone that helped with our Fall Festival. Thank you to Mrs. Cauley and Mrs. Anthony for organizing a fun event. Thank you to Mrs. Palakamshetty for taking so many pictures and uploading them to Shutterfly. If you would like to view the pictures please visit:
                                  https://4thgraderocksatjbe.shutterfly.com/

     We will be going on our field trip to the Pablo Creek Public Library on this Thursday. We are scheduled to leave JBE at 11:00. We are asking students to bring a heavy snack which we will eat before we leave and a lunch that we will have when we return at 1:15. Students will be able to purchase lunch from the cafeteria or may bring a bag lunch. If you are planning to chaperone please make sure that your volunteer status is up to date. You may either follow the bus or meet us at the library. 

     Students will be bringing home information about our next field trip. Our next field trip will be an in school field trip to colonial times. Our Colonial Kids field trip will be on Thursday November 16th. We will learn about what kids did during colonial times. We will make palm frond napkin holders, a colonial toy, and bead jewelry. We will also learn how to weave fabric, grind corn for meal and write with a quill and liquid ink. We are in need of at least two parents to facilitate the activity that will be in our classroom. Parents that want to volunteer will need to be at school by 8 A.M. the day of the event to be trained. If you are interested please let your child's homeroom teacher know as soon as possible.

     This week in math we will learn how to multiply 2 digit by 2 digit problems using various strategies. Students will also learn how to apply the formulas for area and perimeter to solve real world problems. Talk to your child about a time that you had to order flooring (area) or fencing (perimeter) for example. Discuss the steps you used to calculate how much materials to order.

     Students will also turn in their first round of math choices. Students work will be evaluated based on completeness, accuracy with answers and information and neatness. 

     In science we will learn about the Law of Conservation of Mass. This scientific law states that the parts of an object will have the same mass as the whole object. Students will also learn two ways to calculate the volume of solid objects. 

    In social studies we will begin learning about when Europeans first arrived in Florida.

Have a Wonderful Week,
Ms. Johnson

Week of 10/23

Happy Monday Everyone, 

     Welcome to Red Ribbon Week. This is the week that we say that we make the pledge to be drug free. See the schedule below for our week of fun activities.

RED RIBBON WEEK 2017 

“YOUR FUTURE IS KEY, SO STAY DRUG FREE”

 October 23rd – 27th 

Monday, October 23rd  “Your Future is Key”  

Make key wind chimes to be placed around campus!  

(All students are asked to bring a key from home for this activity.) 

Tuesday, October 24th 

 “Put a Cap On Drugs”  

Wear your favorite hat to school!  

Wednesday, October 25th 

 “Tips from Officer Friendly” 

In-school assembly held with Jax Beach PD! 

Thursday, October 26th 

 “Turn Your Back On Drugs” 

Wear your clothes backwards! 

Friday, October 27th 
“Peace Out to Drugs” 

Wear 70’s inspired clothing for the PTA Photo Booth! 

    On Wednesday we will have picture retakes and it is also early release. On Friday we will have our fall festival beginning at 1:45. Thank you to Mrs. Cauley and Mrs. Anthony for making all of the arrangements for what is sure to be a fun filled afternoon. 

     I have added some pictures to our Shutterfly page. Right now there are only pictures of the my homeroom, but more will be added soon. If you would like to join our Shutterfly page, please click on the link below. 

https://4thgraderocksatjbe.shutterfly.com/

     This week in math we will learn how to use the partial products strategy, the distributive property and the standard algorithm to solve multiplication problems. Please examples below. 

partial products

distributive property

standard algorithm

     This week we will take our first timed quizzes for the second nine weeks. This nine weeks students will get 2 minutes and 30 seconds for each quiz. Also this nine weeks division quizzes will count for a grade. Please have students practice. The more they practice the easier they become. Timed quizzes will count for a classwork grade. 

     Students should be completing at least 15 minutes of Prodigy. I have noticed that students are not completing very many questions. Some students are spending the majority of their time on the program roaming through the villages and forests. In order to practice the assigned math students must engage in battles. In 15 minutes students should be able to complete 10-15 questions. If students are not completing a satisfactory number of questions they will not get full credit for their homework. Please make sure that students are writing down when they work on their technology logs. Students must turn in their logs each Friday.

     This week in science we will take a test on chapter 4 lessons 1, 2, and 4. Students will get a study guide in class on Tuesday to do for homework. We will check the guide on Wednesday and the test will be on Thursday.  Since this test only covers a portion of the chapter vocabulary will not be due.

     This week in social studies we will take the test on chapter 2. Students are allowed to use their books for social studies test, so please make sure students bring them to school on Friday. Social studies vocabulary is due on Friday. 

Have a GREAT week,

Aesha