Week 3

Dear Parents and Students,

First of all, I would like to thank all parents who attended the introductory meeting last night. For those of you who were unable to make it, and for those who would like to take closer look, you can find the slideshow, complete with links, in the post two below this one, or by clicking here. If you have any questions from last night, or any queries at all about anything regarding Grade 4, please don't hesitate to contact me at eddie.costello@hdis.hc.edu.tw.

Maths

We have finished our first topic about numeration, and had a test on Wednesday. Thank you everyone, for returning the signed tests so promptly. We have already begun Topic 2, which focuses on adding and subtracting whole numbers. Once again, this will be mostly review of last year’s curriculum, but it is worthwhile to reinforce the skills we have learned in order to move on to the next level. We will review this topic on Monday the week after next, and then sit the test on the following Tuesday.

Literacy Workshop

We had our first Spelling test, and we read Grandfather's Journey. Our first session of Reading Circles went very well. Drawing inferences from a story, and understanding new vocabulary by using context clues were two of the strategies we focused on, and each group enjoyed some success implementing these strategies. We also studied some examples of haiku poetry, and began drafting our own poems, which we will complete next week.

Science

We have continued our study of rocks and minerals this week, including creating a model of various layers of rock built up over time. We also enjoyed a Mystery Science activity, in which we plotted some of the world's volcanoes on a map. We will continue to investigate volcanoes next week, including a practical lab activity comparing different types of lava.

Social Studies

We have been researching the various landforms of the USA. Next week, we will discuss how they compare to other parts of the world, and we will create postcards that describe different landforms from around the globe. A link to a Quizlet package of this week's vocabulary was included in the post for last Wednesday’s homework. Click here if you would like to visit it again.

Announcements

Friday, September 13th is Moon Festival, and the school will be closed. I hope everyone enjoys the break!

Dates to remember:

Tue. Sep. 10: Spelling test – List 1

Fri. Sep 13: Moon Festival – school closed

Mon. Sep. 16: Clubs begin

Tue. Sep. 17: Math test – Topic 2

Fri. Sep. 27: Monthly Assembly – parents welcome!