Dear Fourth-Grade Families,

Homework began for the fourth grade this week! The main goal of homework this year is to help students develop good study habits. Weekly spelling lists are a simple way to help the students develop these skills. Most Thursdays, the class will receive a dictation of spelling words. These words are then practiced in class and at home. The following Tuesday, students will be given a dictation of the same words at school and will self-correct for errors. We will practice spelling lists in a variety of ways designed to help every style of learner. We will be playing games in school to help us memorize spelling and use the words correctly as we write and speak. Most of these games can be easily played at home too. Each child was given a list of games this past Friday that is taped inside their spelling notebooks. Please support them at home as they develop their study skills.

This week we begin our first language block based on the Norse Myths. The Norse Myths are stories of heroes (gods and goddesses) with superhuman abilities who overcome insurmountable challenges and also fall prey to their own tendencies. Children at this age tend to connect deeply with the characters as they themselves become more individual with their own specific strengths and challenges. Through these stories, the students will further develop their writing abilities, as we go more in-depth at sentence structure and work on developing cohesive and effective paragraph writing skills.

Reminders:

Ukulele lessons began! Ukuleles should come to school on Monday and Wednesdays. Practice at home, starting in five-minute increments, is part of weekly homework as well. If you have any questions, please contact their teacher, Ki Lesley, at admissions@thegardenmarietta.org and put ukulele in the subject line.
Please send your child with proper clothing and footwear and extra clothing for rainy days and creek play. Even if your child says they will not play in the creek, most change their mind once there and can engage in the fun. If not properly equipped, they lose the opportunity to enjoy this amazing experience.

With gratitude,

Melissa