Dear Fourth and Fifth Grade Families,

Last week, the students began their second block of the year-Fractions. This is a fun and interactive block, as previous concepts are revisited (Fourth Grade remembered their Third Grade cooking and measurement lessons), and students can have hands-on experience with discovering fractions. The students enjoyed brownies on the first day, first experiencing them as a whole and then going step-by-step to cut them and create fractions, ending up with 32 brownies, three for each student and two to spare. The students also cut apples, played games, and discovered fractions all around us. They finished their writing and drawing on the seven Cherokee clans and finished reading Soft Rain. A deep discussion was had about the harsh reality of the displacement of the Cherokee people, their way of life, and how they live today. We culminated the week with students presenting the projects that they worked on with a partner during this first block. We listened to a beautiful song, written by two students, about the seven clans. Two students performed a puppet show on the Trail of Tears, while two others wrote and retold a story about a Cherokee family. The class played a game created by two students, which demonstrated their map-making skills. And finally, we watched a short performance written and performed by two students about how the states were made.

Next week, we continue working on fractions, learning about prime numbers and adding fractions with common denominators. The class continues to enjoy weekly spelling words and daily activities to accompany those words. As we prepare for our next block, Human and Animal, the students will begin a new reader, Wander, A Wolf’s Story.

Announcements and Reminders for Fourth & Fifth Grade:

On Friday, please remind your child to wear fiery colors (red, orange, gold, yellow).
We have now moved to our forest platform. Please ensure your child is dressed appropriately for the weather by sending them layers of clothing - the forest can be chilly in the mornings!
If you are willing and able, we would love to have a small stash of quick, packaged snacks that students can access if they feel like they need more food during the day. Thank you!
Fall Conferences are on October 10th and 11th and will be held at school. Please sign up here.

With Gratitude,

Ki Paulyna