4th


Dear Parents of Gifted Students,
I would like to take this time to express to you how much I have loved having the opportunity to teach your creative and caring children! It has truly been an honor.
On the last day of gifted class, we will have a fun day themed as the “Classroom Olympics”! Information can be found below regarding donations that will be needed for this event.
To our lovely 5th graders- Happy graduation! I’ll miss you and I wish you the best in middle school!
                                                                                                                               
Last Days of Gifted
MONDAY, May 21st- K-2nd Grade
TUESDAY, May 22nd- 3rd Grade
WEDNESDAY, May 23rd- 4th Grade  
THURSDAY, May 24th- 5th Grade

Classroom Olympics- Students will compete in teams to participate in activities that mirror the Olympic Games, such as cotton-ball shot put, straw-javelin throw, paper plate discus, and more!  

Items needed for Classroom Olympics
  • Cotton Balls
  • Round paper plates
  • Straws that do not bend
  • Small Plastic containers of all shapes (cylinder, square, rectangular) (holds 1-3 oz)
  • Plastic cups, plates, napkins, plastic-ware for party
  • If your child wants to bring sports gear (like headbands, team shirt, etc.)- cool!
Food for the Celebration!
Of course we’d appreciate any snacks, but here are a few Olympic-themed ideas that might be fun!
  • Gold Medals- Golden Oreos for Medal, Fruit by the Foot as the Chain
  • Torches- Small Ice Cream Cones with Cheetos or Popcorn inside for the flame
  • Pretzel Javelins- pretzel sticks, maybe even chocolate dipped
  • Ring-shaped Treats- like donuts, bagels, or candy
  • Veggie/Fruit Tray- in the 5 colors- black (olives), green (celery, cucumbers), yellow (pineapple), red (watermelon, strawberries), blue (blueberries) etc.
  • Rehydration- drinks like water, Gatorade, fruit juice

Of course anything else from your imaginations would be great too! Please let me know if you can bring in anything! Volunteers are also welcome to help out in the classroom on the special day of festivities. A sign-up genius will be sent home shortly!

THANK YOU! J            Have a great summer!!!!!!!!    

Unit 6: March
Dear Parents of 4th Graders,

We are winding down to the end of the year. Even though we are coming off a nice Spring Break it is important to maintain our focus on the last weeks of school. I know we have a lot planned so let’s bring our best game.

Project Based Learning- The American Revolution

Students will begin a simulation entitled “the Spirit of 1776.” It is a unit in which students rotate to centers representing different phases of the American Revolution and complete tasks according to higher order thinking skills to express their learning. The center topics include The Colonists, The Statesmen, The War, and The Constitutional Convention.

Students will explain the issues and events that caused conflict between the colonies and England between 1763 and 1776 and determine whether these events were fair or not. 

The class will describe the Stamp Act and the Boston Tea Party.

Learners will explain the causes of the American Revolution and criticize whether it should have been fought.

Students will recreate the Constitution for our school, identifying the Three Branches of Government and the Bill of Rights.


Unit 5: Feb.
Dear Parents of 4th Graders,


Right here in our very own classroom, we have a number of little “stars” who will be performing this month in Oasis Arts’ production of “Madagascar Jr. – A Musical Adventure”! We hope you will all be able to see this wild journey come to life on stage! The dates are: Feb. 7, 8, & 9 at 6:30 PM at Ida Baker High. Tickets will be sold at the door or they can be purchased online right now at showtix4u.com. Just search “Oasis Arts” and you will find the event! We hope to see you there!


Project Based Learning- Ancient China


Students will embark on a far-away journey to explore Chinese culture. They will study the geography of the giant country and become experts on some of the most well-known cities in the nation.

Students will role-play as travel agents trying to entice customers to visit one of the following cities- Shanghai, Beijing, Hong Kong, Xi’An, Nanjing, or Chengdu.

The learners will create brochures to persuade vacationers to spend time in their particular city. They will research land features, language, population, attractions, historical background, and more!

Literature- The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg

Unit 4: Jan.
Dear Parents of 4th Graders,

Welcome back from winter break! I hope you all enjoyed your time off and made amazing memories with your family and friends! Now that we are all well-rested and full of positive hopes and aspirations for the future, let’s dive into the second half of our school year!

Project Based Learning- The Human Body

Students will research the functions of four body systems (circulatory, respiratory, skeletal, and digestive) and synthesize how those functions relate to theme parks: rollercoasters, rides, games, etc.

Students will work cooperatively to construct giant diagrams and models of these systems.

As a team, students will design theme parks based on one of the body systems, fully equipped with rides and attractions that coincide with the parts and functions of that particular system.

Students will create a 3-D model of their theme park and present it to the class thoroughly explaining how it relates to the human body’s anatomy.

Literature: Holes  by Louis Sachar


Donations Needed
If you could be so kind, the following items are in short supply in our classroom and would greatly be appreciated:


pipe cleaners, pom poms, feathers, straws, glitter, googly eyes (any general craft supplies)
small prizes for the treasure box
Thank you!
Unit 3: Nov.-Dec.


Dear Parents of 4th Graders,

Gifted learners have varying levels of abilities and talents in different areas. Some students are great readers and love music while others are good at math and enjoy hands-on building projects. Most children will not excel in every aspect of school either. If your child starts to waiver in a subject and needs extra help, please remind them that gifted learners do not have to be “gifted” at everything and we all have something to bring to the table. It is best to appreciate ourselves and our children for what makes us special and help each other in areas that need attention. Have a great month!

Project Based Learning- Medieval Europe

Students will experience what it was like to live in the middle ages (AD 600-1300). In Phase One they are places in manors and explore feudalism. Phase Two is manorialism in which students learn to manage a medieval household. Knighthood is Phase Three in which they will become knights and explore a squire’s challenge as well as the concept of chivalry. Phase 4 puts them in guilds and they learn a trade to sell their goods at the market. Finally, they will create a tapestry expressing the phases of the simulation.

Students will simulate roles of Medieval society including lords, ladies, serfs, vassals, knights, and royalty.

Learners will recreate maps of a feudal manor, outlining all of the sections of a manor including serfs’ quarters, fields for crops, mills, etc.

Learners will study the Knight’s Code of Chivalry and create a modern day one.

Literature- Holes by Louis Sachar

 Unit 2: Oct.-Nov.

Dear Parents of 4th Graders,

We had a… rocky beginning of the school year, to say the least. With all of the crazy weather our area has experienced, unfortunately it has taken us a little while to get in a groove. However, amongst all of the interruptions we did get to “travel” the world learning about continents and cultures. We took our maps skills to the next level. Meanwhile… our next unit has much in store.

Project Based Learning: Geology- Shake, Rattle, and Roll Simulation

This unit is designed to be a hands-on, interactive study of rocks and minerals. The unit activities will include scientific inquiry labs, cooking, and writing.

Students will classify types of rocks- igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, and their origins.

Students will determine relevance of rocks and minerals in our everyday lives and how they give us clues to our past.

Students will create a narrative essay following the rock cycle and its various stages through personification.

Students will apply the scientific method to identify their mystery mineral/rock samples and use the terminology learned throughout the unit.

Literature:
Holes by Louise Sachar; Shake, Rattle, and Roll by Spencer Christian;
Rock by Chris Oxlade; Simply Science: Rocks by Alice K. Flanagan

**Necessary Items for Experiments (needed per class, not per student):

  • 4 Regular Sized Chocolate Bars,
  • 1 Loaf of Bread
  • 4 Sandwich baggies with sand, gravel, or pebbles
  • Any rock/mineral samples we can investigate

Unit 1: Aug.-Sept.

     Dear Parents and Guardians of 4th Graders,

It is thrilling to begin a new year of investigation, enrichment, and exploration! We have begun our Interactive Notebooks. I want to reiterate the importance of having the 3-subject notebooks and what we will be doing with them. We are going to be completing Interactive Notebooks in class. The purpose of the interactive notebook is to enable students to be creative, independent thinkers and writers. Interactive notebooks are used for class notes as well as for other activities where the student will be asked to express his/her own ideas and process the information presented in class. We will glue in diagrams, pictures, vocabulary, and much more! It will also serve as an ongoing portfolio of all their gifted work. Ours will be divided up into three sections: Critical Thinking, Project Based Learning, and Reflections.    
                       
Project Based Learning:  Geography & Map Skills
Students will explore through hands-on activities and research the continents, longitude and latitude, relative location, and end the unit as cartographers constructing their own countries with maps and flags! Students will create a model of the earth labeling oceans, continents, prime meridian, and equator, out of construction paper, brads, and yarn.

Students will become experts on 2 out of 7 continents and explore landmarks, cultural aspects, capitals, etc; presenting this information to the class in a creative medium.

Students will make a physical map for an imaginary country they create, include 5 different land forms, compass rose, 5 major cities, design a flag, and determine government.


 Literature: Holes by Louis Sachar

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