Last two weeks of September

We have been training for the Terry Fox race this last week. Running is part of the Grade 4 curriculum. We play different games like Streets and Avenues and run relay races. 

 Terry Fox Assembly and Run. It was a day to reflect on the human willpower, resilience and solidarity. 

In Math, the students are working on a project were they have to design an obstacle course. They were given component that everyone must have in their courses plus they have to create at least 8 of their own. Then they calculate Area and Perimeter. 

This Friday the students learned that Miguel de Cervantes was born on September 29 too but in 1547. The author of Don Quixote, he is considered the most important writer in the Spanish Language. Cervantes died on April 22, 1516, a few hours before the most influential writer and playwright in the English language: William Shakespeare. 

In Spanish grammar the students are conjugating verbs. This time is the verb ir (go)

Across the curriculum, the students are learning about story starters. One of the ways to start and story and hook the reader since the beginning is with an action, which of course requires the use of verbs. 

In English Language Arts the students are beginning to work on adding elaborative detail in their writing.  Elaborative detail is what brings life to the narrative.  It allows the reader to experience the story world through their five senses of the main character and adds richness and substance to the writing.  Once students learn how to generate elaborative detail their writing improves dramatically.  This will be supplemented by identifying story critical characters, settings and objects during guided reading.  They will also look for specific rather than general details. We will also be learning how to recognize when authors elaborate on what feelings look like in characters during guided reading.

 In Social Studies the kids have been researching the different regions of Alberta using the “Zooming in on Alberta” website.  The kids researched the landforms, animals, plants and water in each region.  This week the kids will be writing a persuasive paragraph explaining why the region they researched is a great place to visit.

In Science the kids are working on constructing devices that use wheel and axles and demonstrate and describe their use in model vehicles.  This week the kids are making paper wagons and experimenting with the best placement of the axle on their wagons.  These wagons will be used for later activities when we try to make them move. 

In Health the students are learning about Positive Leadership.  We have been discussing what the qualities of a good leader is, and how a grade 4 student can set a positive example at Eugene Coste school.  These include; not running in the hallway, being quiet in the hallway, showing respect in the lunchroom and the playground, as well as positive ways to remind other kids of the expectations at Eugene Coste School. We have been using a dramatic approach to act out positive examples of leadership as well as poor examples of leadership.