Happy New Year! January has been a busy and exciting month in our classroom. Here is a look at what students have been learning in Reading, Writing, and Math.
✏️ Writing Update – Argument Essays (Bend 3)
In January, students continued their Argument Essay Writing unit and focused on Bend 3. This bend emphasizes developing and refining their essays by:
- Strengthening their reasons with clear and relevant evidence
- Organizing their ideas in a logical and compelling way
- Revising their writing to make their arguments stronger and more persuasive
Students are learning that writing is a way to be changemakers. They are practicing how to express their opinions confidently and support them with examples that show why their ideas matter.
It has been exciting to see students channel their passions and ideas into persuasive writing that shows their voice and purpose!
📚 Reading Update – Module 5: Art Everywhere
Over the next few weeks, students are exploring Module 5: Art Everywhere. In this module, students are building knowledge about art and creative talents, with a focus on the biography genre.
Students are:
- Reading texts about artists and creative individuals
- Viewing videos that show how far talent and dedication can take you
- Learning about perseverance, passion, and creativity
As part of this module, students will write an opinion essay answering the question:
Is art important?
They will consider:
- How art can be helpful
- What people can learn from art
- Evidence from the texts to support their ideas
We are excited to see students think critically about creativity and express their ideas in writing.
➗ Math Update
⭐ Grade 4 Math
Unit 4: From Hundredths to Hundred-Thousands (23 Lessons)
Students:
- Read, wrote, and compared numbers in decimal notation
- Strengthened their understanding of place value
- Added and subtracted within 1,000,000
Unit 5: Multiplicative Comparison and Measurement (18 Lessons)
Students:
- Solved multiplicative comparison problems
- Explored the relationship between multiplication and division
- Converted units of measurement within the same system
- Applied math thinking to real-world measurement problems
Fourth graders worked hard developing strong number sense and problem-solving skills!
⭐ Grade 3 Math
Unit 3: Wrapping Up Addition and Subtraction within 1,000 (21 Lessons)
Students:
- Used place-value understanding to round whole numbers
- Added and subtracted within 1,000
- Solved two-step word problems using addition, subtraction, and multiplication
- Checked their answers to determine if they were reasonable
Third graders have shown great growth in solving multi-step problems and explaining their thinking.
Thank you for your continued support at home. We are proud of the progress students are making and look forward to another great month of learning!
🏠 Ways to Support at Home
Your support makes a big difference in your child’s success! Here are some simple ways you can help at home:
✏️ Writing Support
- Ask your child about their opinion essay topic and have them explain their claim and reasons.
- Encourage them to support their opinions with examples or evidence when discussing everyday topics.
- Practice using transition words such as for example, because, another reason, and therefore in conversations.
- Remind them that their voice matters and that their ideas are important.
📚 Reading Support
- Read together for at least 20 minutes each night.
- Discuss what you read by asking questions like:
- What did you learn about this person?
- What challenges did they face?
- Why do you think their talent or art is important?
- Encourage your child to support their answers with details from the text.
➗ Math Support
Grade 4:
- Practice reading and writing large numbers and decimals.
- Have your child explain how they solve addition or subtraction problems.
- Practice multiplication and division facts for fluency.
- Look for real-life opportunities to convert measurements (in cooking, shopping, etc.).
Grade 3:
- Practice addition and subtraction within 1,000.
- Give your child simple two-step word problems to solve.
- Ask them to explain how they know their answer is reasonable.
Thank you for partnering with us in your child’s learning journey. Together, we can help them continue to grow and succeed! 🌟