Rockhopper Reminders for April

Rockhopper Reminders
April News

Mark Your Calendars:
Friday, April 4th: Report cards go home
Friday, April 4th: Spirit Day- Hawaiian Day
April 7th-April 18th: Spring Break
Monday, April 21st: School resumes
April 22nd-April 25th: Outdoor Science School!
Wednesday, April 30th: 5th grade STAR Science Test
Friday, May 2nd: Spirit Day- Sports Day
Friday, May 2nd: Design a Bedroom Project due (5th grade)
Wednesday, May 7th: Kitchen Science due

Curriculum Flash!
Language Arts:
This month we finished reading Dear Mr. Henshaw. Students had the opportunity to dive deeply into the elements of literature. They added to their vocabulary, reflected on the story’s unique point of view and determined its effect on the story, analyzed the characters’ development and how the character’s changed throughout the story based on the events in the story. They also got a chance to design burglar alarms and give their own opinions about decisions that were made by characters throughout the book.

Through our focus on current events, students have been strengthening their non-fiction comprehension and analysis. Students are able to offer their opinions, ideas, and thoughts regarding world and local events through blogging and discussions from the readings in our Time for Kids and topics given in social studies and science.

Math:
4th grade:
We had a great time with our Menu Math. For our final activity, students created their own restaurants with algebraic equation “Menus”. Students got to use their creativity to demonstrate their knowledge of solving algebraic equations. As a culminating event, students moved around the room to music and solved equations from other students’ restaurant menus. Such fun! Next up: Fractions! We’ve begun our unit by deepening existing understanding of basic fractions by creating fraction kits. We’re working using both number lines and our fraction kids to understand equivalency.

5th grade:
We continue our journey learning multiplication of decimals (completed), dividing decimals and learning long divisions. Students had an opportunity to create a game path using their knowledge of decimal operations and write word problems for each solution along their path. Recently, they were introduced to the “Design a Bedroom” project. We have begun teaching mini lessons in scale drawing and measurement, the two strands they will use in the “Bedroom” project. A detailed letter was sent home last week that gave parents an overview, and described the limited parent participation. The strands that we will try to address during the last trimester are statistics, measurement, and geometry.

Social Studies
Students are continuing to collaborate with two/three other students to do an in depth study on a colonial region, the findings of which, they will publish on a Google Site they create. Groups are assigned to complete a page a week on their website. They are learning how to research, draft, and edit each others’ work. The 4 learning C’s are being practiced: collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking. At the end of the project, students will reflect on their own individual work and their collective work as a group. Additionally, students are continuing to learn the states’ capitals and abbreviations for the states. We are currently at 46 states!

Science:
On Wednesday, April 30th, all 5th grade rockhoppers will take the 5th grade STAR science test. This test will cover all aspects of the 4th and 5th grade science curriculum.

In class we have started a new unit entitled “Mixtures and Solutions.” Students have already begun observing and experimenting with mixtures and solutions using water, gravel, soil, and salt. We used a variety of filters to separate the different components of our mixtures and we will discover if solutions can be separated as well. Later, we will be exploring saturation, chemical reactions, and the elements in this introductory chemistry module. Our next Kitchen Science project will extend students’ knowledge of how liquids and solids can mix and react together.

*Outdoor School is April 22-April 25. All of the Rockhopper students and teachers are excited about this unforgettable experience. Another reminder will be sent out soon explaining how our drop-off and pick-up procedures will work.


Mystery State Clues:
The highest point in this state is 1,235 feet above sea level.
This state's name comes from a native Algonquin word.
This state has two major league baseball teams, both based in the same city.
Abraham Lincoln lived in this state when he was elected president in 1860.
The tallest building in the United States can be found in this state.
Which state is it?