updated October 14, 2019

Memorizing Memorare

Fourth graders are studying forms of prayer and ways to pray. This week we start to learn one of the prayers designated for memorization in 4th grade, the Memorare. No action needed at home. We’ll approach this task together as a class.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary,

that never was it known that anyone who fled to thy protection,

implored thy help,

or sought thy intercession, was left unaided.

Inspired by this confidence I fly unto thee, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother.

To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful.

O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions,

but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen.

Math:

This month fourth graders will be asked to solve problems like

84 ÷ 3 as part of their work with factors. They haven’t yet learned long division. Seems like a dirty rotten trick, right? At this moment the teacher text prompts me to guide students toward what they DO know to solve this problem.

The prompting might sound like this: “How can we figure out if 3 is a factor of 84? How many groups of 3 are in 84? Is there a remainder?” Some students immediately start making 84 careful lines on the page and then circle groups of 3. Ouch.

“Can we use our basic facts to help us? 3 X 12 = 36 Let’s double that… 36+36 is 72. We skip count from there 75, 78, 81, 84. Okay 12 and 12 are 24. From there we skip counted four more times… 28. 84 ÷ 3 = 28”

When our students have spent more time looking at ways to decompose numbers, they’ll see 84 as 30 + 30 + 24. From there they can approach 84 ÷ 3 as 10 + 10 + 8 with no frustration (as long as they know their basic facts).

Another approach…if you know 9 ÷ 3 = 3 you know 9 tens ÷ 3 = 3 tens, 90 ÷ 3 = 30. We can skip count backwards from 90. 87, 84. That’s two skip counts back. 30 -2 = 28. Do you see other strategies?

Math in Focus does have students learn the traditional algorithm for long division, just not quite yet. At this moment our children may not see all the possible ways to approach a problem. I have faith I can guide them toward deeper thinking and you can too.

Several years ago at Math In Focus parent information night the trainer told parents math homework would be assigned only when students could complete a task independently. I must be honest. That’s not the case right now. Our children will need coaching as they attempt new ways of thinking, beyond 84 tallies on a page. Thank you for your support and understanding as I maneuver through the best ways to tap into home support (that’s teacher talk for assign meaningful, reasonable homework that supports growth).

Dates to Remember

Thursday, 10/17: All school mass, all blues

Monday, 10-21, 6:30-7:30 PM: Altar Server Training, in the church (choose one of two)

Wednesday, 10/23: Picture Retakes

Saturday, 10/26, 10:00-11:00 AM: Altar Server Training, in the church (choose one of two)

Friday, 10/25: Half Day

Saturday, 10/26: Halloween Carnival

Friday, 11/1: All Saints Day, All school mass, all blues

Wednesday, 11/6: Half Day

Thursday/Friday, 11/7, 11/8: Fall Conferences, No school

Monday, 11/11: No School, Veteran’s Day

Thursday, 11/14: 4^th attends daily mass, all blues

Homework

This week Science assignments assess student learning in the first of four sections in our Environments Unit. Some of these assessments will be done as homework, others in class. As this unit is new to OLG, I may treat these “assessments” as assignments, not quizzes. Regardless, they inform my instruction.

Monday: Read for 20 minutes

Spelling worksheet – Complete one side. Silently read the flip side.

Writing/Science assignment, Open Response Question

Tuesday: Read for 20 minutes

Read spelling article out loud. Ask an adult to help you pronounce any words you don’t know.

Reading assignment (and social studies)

Math worksheet

Wednesday: Read for 20 minutes

Science assignment, Investigation Check

Math worksheet

Thursday: Read for 20 minutes

Read spelling out loud. Be ready to read a portion of this to Mrs. Wilson. Have spelling to turn in.

Study for spelling test and weekly quiz.

Helpful Websites

Cursive Writing Resources

http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/animation/lowercase.htm

To see the animation, move your mouse over a letter. Lowercase

http://www.handwritingforkids.com/handwrite/cursive/animation/uppercase.htm

To see the animation, move your mouse over a letter. Uppercase

http://www.donnayoung.org/penmanship/cursive-animations.htm

Scroll down to the bottom of the page for cursive letter animation video clips for each letter.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PBUYzWXEIQ

Continuous video clip, capital letters first, then lower case… not exactly how OLG teaches them, but clear and concise.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cursiva-lite/id976052613?mt=8

One of several free apps… Try them and share your experience with the rest of us.

Social Studies

Video clips about timelines

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFu-zMjGJJA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccwFRZFsDbk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xc64qurhFng

Video clip explaining the challenge of showing the world on a flat map

Youtube clip guides you to create a map of Washington State. We call the “Puget Sound Lowlands” the “Western Lowlands”. Otherwise, this is perfect for helping us learn our state’s geography.