Objectives

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: Students will study the elements of a print ad, and then students will design print ads for their cereal boxes.

Science: Students will continue to investigate how water makes changes to the Earth’s surface, including weathering, erosion, and deposition.

Social Studies: Students will complete a review poster that covers the most important information learned in Texas History this year.

Writing: Students will publish and illustrate their Modern Day Fairy Tales. They will share their stories with their book buddies on Thursday.

Math:  Students will continue to explore division with 2-digit divisors.  We will also review our metric measurement system by completing the “Metric Olympics.”

Objectives

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: Students will study the advertising tricks used to sell cereal. They will then design a cereal box for a cereal brand they create being sure to use the advertising tricks we have been learning about. Students will then write a commercial to advertise their product.

Science:  Students will complete our study of the Solar System. We will then begin investigating changes in Earth’s Surface due to weather, erosion, and deposition.

Social Studies: Students will explore the changes the cattle industry and railroads caused in Texas at the turn of the century.

Writing: Students will revise and edit their modern day fairy tales and conference with the teacher to polish their hard work. Students will then begin their final copy.

Math:  Students will continue Mini-Society in their homeroom classes.  We will begin interviewing for jobs in our society. We will also be learning about adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, comparing and ordering fractions with unlike denominators; and comparing and ordering fractions and decimals on a number line.

Objectives for the week of May 9th!

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: We will continue our study on reading and media literacy. We will discuss the need to think critically when we read and hear messages. As a class we will talk about the impact of public service announcements, social media, television, and advertisements.  The students will also create their own public service announcements in class.

Science:  Students will continue our study into the Solar System. We will discuss the different planets in the Solar System and space exploration. Also, National Lab Day is on Wednesday and all of our science classes will be attempting to create a robot that can shoot a basketball!

Social Studies:  Students will continue our study on the impacts of the Civil War on Texas. We will be using the textbooks and a recent Time for Kids commemorating the anniversary of the war.

Writing: We will explore fairy tales and how they are written. Although tales are written very differently from around the world, they focus on certain lessons, points, and core values. We will begin by comparing the writing in the different versions and then begin writing our rough draft for our fairy tale.  

Math:  Students will continue Mini-Society in their homeroom classes.  We will begin interviewing for jobs in our society. We will also be learning about adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators, comparing and ordering fractions with unlike denominators; and comparing and ordering fractions and decimals on a number line.

Objectives

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: We will begin our study on reading and media literacy. We will discuss the need to think critically when we read and hear messages. As a class we will talk about the impact of public service announcements, social media, television, and advertisements.  The students will also create their own public service announcements in class.

Science:  We will conclude our investigation of the water cycle. This week we are beginning our study into the Solar System. We will discuss the order and movement of the planets and learn more about the Sun and Stars.

Social Studies:  Students will study the impacts of the Civil War on Texas. We will be using the textbooks and a recent Time for Kids commemorating the anniversary of the war.

Writing: We will explore fairy tales and how they are written. Although tales are written very differently from around the world, they focus on certain lessons, points, and core values. We will begin by comparing the writing in the different versions and then towards the end of the week we will begin the planning stages for writing a modern day fairy tale.  

Math:  Students will begin Mini-Society!  We are beginning our discussion in math starting with scarcity, supply and demand, and trade. We will also be learning about adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators. There will be a fraction assessment on Friday.

Objectives

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: We will continue Reading Detective Academy this week. It is our intensive review camp to ensure our students are ready to do their best on the TAKS test at the end of the month. This week’s focus will be on comparing and contrasting characters, settings, and story plots. We will continue to work on test taking strategies.

Science:  We will continue investigating the water cycle and weather patterns, including measuring and recording changes in weather and making predictions about the weather using weather maps and symbols.

Social Studies:  Students will continue their investigation into the causes of the Mexican War. We will also integrate history through our research topics in reading.

Writing: We will continue our on poetry writing where students will investigate and write various forms of poetry. Poetry Café April 29^th.

Math:  Students will review objective 3 which include the attributes of 2 and 3 dimensional shapes as well as fractions and decimals on the number line.  They will be assessed on these skills Friday. 

Objectives for the Week of Aprill 11

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: We will begin Reading Detective Academy this week. It is our intensive review camp to ensure our students are ready to do their best on the TAKS test at the end of the month. This week’s focus will be on context clues, figurative language, main idea and test taking strategies.

Science:  Students will review the science District Assessment that we took in March. They will also continue investigating the water cycle and weather patterns, including measuring and recording changes in weather and making predictions about the weather using weather maps and symbols.

Social Studies:  Students will continue their investigation into the causes of the Mexican War. We will also integrate history through our research topics in reading.

Writing: Students will complete their research papers using the “Stop Light Writing” format. We will also begin our unit on poetry writing where students will investigate and write various forms of poetry.

Math: Students will continue our TAKS Test review.  This week we will focus on Objective 6. We will focus on making generalizations, missing info, time and elapsed time, and reviewing our strategies. We will complete review packets and another TAKS Release Test in class during small group, as well as play review games.  Students will also have a homework packet for review each week.  We will check 2 pages each day.

Objectives for the Week of April 4 - 8

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: This week we will finish our research on extreme bullying. Bullying can be linked to oppression, wars, and anytime a group of people are without rights. The students will choose a topic of extreme bullying (Holocaust, Slavery, Women’s Suffrage, etc.) to research. We will then begin practicing our strategies for the TAKS test in April.

Science:  Students will begin investigating the water cycle and weather patterns, including measuring and recording changes in weather and making predictions about the weather using weather maps and symbols.

Social Studies:  Students will continue their investigation into the causes of the Texas Revolution. We will also integrate history through our research topics in reading.

Writing: This week students will be participating in STAAR field testing for the state of Texas.  We will be using “stop light” writing and expository writing techniques to write our research papers.

Math: Students will continue our TAKS Test review.  This week we will focus on Objective 2.  Our focus will be on describing the relationship between two sets of related data such as ordered pairs in a table, using compatible numbers and rounding to solve problems, and using patterns understand basic fact patterns.  We will complete review packets and another TAKS Release Test in class during small group, as well as play review games.  Students will also have a homework packet for review each week.  We will check 2 pages each day.

Objectives for the week of March 21st!

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: Students will question what they know and think about their logic and thinking as we explore bullying. We will be discussing bullying and researchable questions. The students will be reading fiction and nonfiction on bullying as they develop their opinions and form their research outlines for next week.

Science:  Students will examine properties of soils including color and texture, capacity to retain water, and ability to support the growth of plants.

Social Studies:  Students will begin to investigate the causes of the Texas Revolution.

Writing: In writing we will complete our expository papers. The students will show that with their topic, they need to choose 3 main ideas, they will have to explain and support their ideas as well.

Math: Students will interpret and create bar graphs as well as determine all possible combinations in a problem situation.   

Objectives for the week of March 7th

Reading: We will continue to let our curiosity drive us, and we gather more background knowledge on slavery. Students will read historical fiction picture books to develop deeper thinking and come up with a researchable question. This discuss will lead us into the question of whether or not slavery is still happening. We will discuss child labor and students will come up with a plan of action to help solve the problem.

Science: Students will investigate simple machines and relate all the important characteristics to see how they work.  To do this we will complete hands-on activities and use computer programs.

Social Studies:  Students will begin investigating Texas as its own country and how Texas became part of the United States of America.

Writing: Students will write to inform or express their opinion. We will use Stop Light Writing to generate an outline of the main ideas, details, and explanations of the students’ opinions on a topic. Students will learn to write a five paragraph expository text paper. 

Math:  Students will continue investigating measurement.  Our focus will be on using customary and metric length to determine area, perimeter, and volume, as well as investigating and converting capacity and weight. 

February 21-25 Objectives

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: Students will continue with our research and inquiry unit. Students will explore topics that interest them and choose a deep “researchable” question. Students will then conduct research on their personalized question and present the information they found to the class on Wednesday. We will then use pictures to generate questions, and begin a research project on if slavery still exists today.

Science: Students will continue to investigate forces and motion.  To do this we will watch a video, complete hands-on activities, and use computer programs.

Social Studies:  Students will begin investigating Texas as its own country and how Texas became part of the United States of America.

Writing: We will be finishing Camp Write Along this week. We will finish sharing student papers from last week, and students will choose their best paper from the year, and learn how to make small adjustments to make it fit various prompts.

Math:  Students will continue investigating measurement.  Our focus will be on using customary and metric length to determine area, perimeter, and volume, as well as investigating capacity. 

Objectives for the week of February 14-8

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: In reading this week, we will begin our research and inquiry unit. Students will explore topics that interest them and choose a deep “researchable” question. Students will then conduct research on their personalized question and present the information they found to the class on Friday.

Science: Students will review matter and thermal energy objectives on Monday and take the Matter & Thermal Energy TEST on Tuesday – Major Grade.  We will then begin our investigations of Forces and motion.  Students will describe motion in different ways and investigate how forces are added and subtracted.

Social Studies:  Students will finish the unit on the Texas Revolution this week. They will be completing a chapter review to help them study for the unit test on Friday (Major Grade).

Writing: We will begin Camp Write Along this week. Students will visit neighboring camps (classrooms) to be exposed to different writing prompts. On Friday, students will choose their favorite prompt from the week, and write a full paper.

Math:  Students will begin learning about measurement.  They will estimate and measure to solve problems involving length including area and perimeter in both customary and metric measurements. 

Week of Febuary 7 - 11

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: We will continue to focus on recognizing familiar themes in fiction. Students will also finish up the unit on Summarizing. We will review our strategies and take the Summary Post Test (Major Grade) on Tuesday.

Science: Students will continue their investigations on how thermal energy is transferred to matter through conduction, convection, and radiation.  They will understand that the movement of particles of matter is caused by thermal energy which we feel as heat. They will also complete a review for our matter test on Tuesday February 15.

Social Studies:  Students will continue studying the Texas Revolution. They will be completing a project of their choice that covers events, people, or causes and effects of the Revolution. Project possibilities will be chosen from a menu provided for them. A vocabulary test will be given on Friday (Major Grade).

Writing: We will be finishing and sharing our paper on reaching a goal. The students will be given a story that received a score of a one or a two and be asked to turn it into a “4” paper. Then, we will share our improved papers. The students will be encouraged to complement their classmates on specific aspects of each other’s stories.

Math:  We will wrap up reading, writing, and ordering decimals; comparing decimals to fractional parts; and identifying and naming fractions and decimals on a number line. The students will review for and complete a test over Fractions and Decimals on Friday (Major Grade).

Week of January 31st!

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: We will focus on figuring out theme and writing a story that goes with a specific theme. Students will also finish up the unit on Summarizing. We will review our strategies and take the Summary Post Test (Major Grade) on Friday.

Science: Students will investigate how thermal energy is transferred to matter through conduction, convection, and radiation.  They will understand that the movement of particles of matter is caused by thermal energy which we feel as heat. Science Fair: We are in the homestretch!  It’s time to start recording your results and drawing conclusions. Projects are due next Tuesday February 1^st.  Don’t forget to create an attractive display board and print off a report to turn in to me. Just a reminder – please make sure that you do not include any names or pictures of faces anywhere on the display.  Thanks!

Social Studies:  Students will be studying the Texas Revolution. They will be completing a project of their choice that covers events, people, or causes and effects of the Revolution. Project possibilities will be chosen from a menu provided for them.

Writing: We will wrap up our paper on reaching a goal. The students will use what we have learned to revise their stories to make them the best they can. Then, we will share our papers. The students will be encouraged to complement their classmates on specific aspects of each other’s stories.

Math:  Students will read, write, and order decimals; compare decimals to fractional parts; and identify and name fractions and decimals on the number line.

Objectives for the Week of January 24th - January 28th

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: Students will discuss test taking strategies to prepare for the Reading TAKS Release. We will look at comparing two passages and how to implement their strategies. We will also discuss summarizing a poem. The students will use what we’ve learned from summarizing fiction and apply it to poetry.

Science: Students will continue to test matter (Thermal Energy) in order to draw conclusions about its physical properties.  Science Fair: We are in the homestretch!  It’s time to start recording your results and drawing conclusions. Projects are due next Tuesday February 1^st.  Don’t forget to create an attractive display board and print off a report to turn in to me. Just a reminder – please make sure that you do not include any names or pictures of faces anywhere on the display.  Thanks!

Social Studies:  Students will be studying the Texas Revolution. They will be completing a project of their choice that covers events, people, or causes and effects of the Revolution. Project possibilities will be chosen from a menu provided for them.

Writing: Writing: We will encourage students to try writing from another point of view or a creative writing topic. Ideas are an important part of the writing process, and we want to challenge our students to think out side the box

Math:  We will begin learning place value related to decimals and how to relate fractions to decimals.  We will continue playing the review game over 4th grade math objectives in order to prepare for the TAKS Released test on January 25.

Objectives for the week of January 18th - 21st

Reading: Students will sequence the plot of a story. We will focus on how the order of a story influences the summary. We will introduce the fiction reading strategy: W (Who?) W (What?) B (But?) S (So?) T (Then?). This will help the students understand that a summary must include the beginning, middle, and end of the fiction text.   We will also review that a summary gives the reader insight into what the text is about, just like in non-fiction. It should not include specific details.

Science: Students will continue to test matter in order to draw conclusions about its physical properties. Science Fair: should be investigating and collecting data – Due January 21.

Social Studies:  Students will be studying the Texas Revolution. They will be completing a project of their choice that covers events, people, or causes and effects of the Revolution. Project possibilities will be chosen from a menu provided for them.

Writing: Students will share their special memory with the class on Tuesday. We will discuss areas of strength and ways to improve their writing. We will begin generating ideas for a time you reached a goal.  This week we will focus on writing from another point of view or a creative writing topic. Ideas are an important part of the writing process, and we want to challenge our students to think out side the box.

Math: Students will use pictorial models to generate equivalent fractions, model fraction quantities greater than one, and compare and order fractions.  We will also spend a day playing a game to review the 4 grade math objectives in order to prepare for the TAKS Released test on January 25.

Week of January 10 – January 14

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: Students will continue to work on determining the three most important details from sub-sections of non-fiction text. We will use the three support details to create a main idea for each subsection. Students will combine each main idea in order to create summary. We will also review that a summary gives the reader insight into what the text is about. It should not include specific details. A quiz on non-fiction summary will be given on Friday for a daily grade.

Science: Students will continue learning about the properties of matter and explore density through an in class lab. We will continue practicing the scientific process with our in class science fair model. Remember to keep up with your science fair timeline!

Social Studies:  Students will be studying the Texas Revolution. They will be completing a project of their choice that covers events, people, or causes and effects of the Revolution. Project possibilities will be chosen from a menu provided for them.

Writing: Students will transform their pre-writing on a “Special Memory” into a full composition that includes a catchy introduction, or lead, and a well thought out conclusion. They will publish and present papers by Friday. The “Special Memory” papers will be recorded for a grade.

Math: There will be a fraction naming and recognizing quiz on Monday. Students will continue learning Fraction concepts such as, describing fraction parts of a set or whole object and generating equivalent fractions using pictorial models. We will also begin working on mixed numbers and comparing and ordering fractions.

Objectives for the week of January 3

Reading: Students will learn to adjust their UNRAAVEL reading strategy to better fit instructional texts. When they come to V (venture, or read, the passage), for each sub-section students will record the topic, the three main details from that section, and the main idea of that section. Later in the week, they will piece the main ideas from the sub-sections into summaries.

Science:  Science Fair packets went home before the break.  Please check with your child and make sure that they follow all guide lines and the time line.  Please remember that you are only to support your child with their projectJ  We will complete a model Science Fair Project in the classroom starting on Tuesday and then begin learning about the properties of matter.

Social Studies:  Students will begin to investigate the causes of the Texas Revolution.

Writing: In writing, students will be showing off their writing skills on the Writing Release TAKS on Wednesday. The rest of the week, our students will focus on refining their brainstorming and pre-writing skills by preparing to write a personal narrative on a “Special Memory.”

Math:  Students will begin learning Fraction concepts such as, describing fraction parts of a set or whole object and generating equivalent fractions using pictorial models.

Week of December 13– December 17

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: The students will work in groups to put on a reader’s theater presentation. Each group will be assigned a play; they will not memorize their lines, but practice saying them with expression. The students will also wrap up their literature circle novels, complete their menu items, and present their projects.

Science: Students will continue identifying and classifying Earth’s renewable resources, including air, plants, water, and animals; and nonrenewable resources, including coal, oil and natural gas; and the importance of conservation. They will also make informed choice in the use and conservation of natural resources and reusing and recycling of materials such as paper, aluminum, glass, cans, and plastic.

Social Studies:  Students will review the Texas History that has been covered up to this point. The Social Studies District Assessment is on Tuesday.

Writing: The fourth graders will write a story from the point of view of a melting snowman. It will challenge their creativity to tell a complete story with a personality other than their own. We will also be writing a sequel to The Polar Express using all the writing strategies we have learned thus far this year.

Math:  Students will continue learning Geometric concepts such as using essential attributes to define three-dimensional geometric figures; demonstrating translations, reflections, and rotations; using reflections to verify that a shape has symmetry; and identifying and describing attributes of geometric figures using formal geometric language. They will also complete their Monster Match project and take the Geometry Post Test (Major Grade) on Wednesday.

Week of December 6– December 10

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: The fourth graders will continue to work on determining what is important when they read. This week we will focus on how an author organized the text. Did they write in sequential order (the order in which things happened)? Did the author organize the text in a cause and effect way (cause is why something happened and the effect is the result)? Or did the author compare and contrast their topics? We will focus on each type and then discuss identifying them in what we read. On Friday we will take the Determining Importance Post Test (Major Grade). It will cover the strategies covered over the last 5 weeks.

Science: Students will identify and classify Earth’s renewable resources, including air, plants, water, and animals; and nonrenewable resources, including coal, oil and natural gas; and the importance of conservation. They will also make informed choice in the use and conservation of natural resources and reusing and recycling of materials such as paper, aluminum, glass, cans, and plastic.

Social Studies:  Students will review the Texas History that has been covered up to this point.   

Writing: The students will create their own Slow Motion Replay. They will expand one moment slowed down, and they will use their STARs to plan it out. The STARs are a guide for adding senses into the story. Moment by moment the students will explain riding a bike, hitting a baseball, or opening a present.

Math:  Students will continue learning Geometric concepts such as using essential attributes to define three-dimensional geometric figures; demonstrating translations, reflections, and rotations; using reflections to verify that a shape has symmetry; and identifying and describing attributes of geometric figures using formal geometric language.

Week of November 29 – December 3

This Week’s Objectives:

Reading: The fourth graders will continue to read non-fiction and fiction text to pick out the specific text features: subtitles, titles captions, bold words, photographs, etc to help them understand what is important in the story. We will create a Topic/Detail/ Response chart in order to come up with the main idea of each selection. The topic is what the section is about; the details are the specific facts that support the topic; and the response is what our readers are thinking. Students will also review charts and graphs and recall the important information. For example what the chart/graphs are comparing or specific questions regarding the data of the charts/graphs.   Major Grade: Determine Importance Test Thursday, December 2.

Science: Students will differentiate among forms of energy, including mechanical, sound, electrical, light, and heat/thermal (electricity); they will also demonstrate that electricity travels in a closed path, creating an electrical circuit.  

Social Studies:  Students will investigate and discuss the government of Texas. 

Writing: Students will be introduced to figurative language. Students will create flip books to introduce and teach similes (comparing 2 or more things using like or as), metaphors (comparing 2 or more things without like or as), personification (giving human traits to non-living objects), and idioms (an expression that has a meaning apart from its original wording). We will discuss how using figurative language adds voice and specific details to your writing. On Friday, students will have a quiz on whether they are able to recognize the definition and an example of each form of figurative language. We will also have a grammar quiz on Thursday covering punctuation, capitalization, and complete sentence rules.

Math: Students will identify and describe parallel and intersecting lines; they will also use essential attributes to define two-dimensional geometric figures.