Yr4 Curriculum Update – 18/10/19
Working together to achieve success for every child
How We Organize Ourselves
Digital media impacts the way in which people access information and connect to each other.
How do we know if the information we’ve come across online is accurate and true? As adults, we have had many years to develop our critical thinking skills. We understand the importance of using a variety of sources from which to get our information and to not believe everything we read online.
For our Y4 students, the development of these skills start now to help them become internet awesome. Through the line of inquiry of evaluating information they access through digital media, students will be exposed to different sources of information. They will begin to develop the skill of evaluating and using their critical thinking skills to distinguish between real and fake.
Here are some websites that can help you continue the conversation at home:
Save the Pacific Northwest Tree Octopus! (Is this website real or fake? How do we know?)
Interland – an amazing online game that Google created to help students become internet awesome. The games are free and divided into 4 kingdoms: Tower of Treasure (securing our secrets), Kind Kingdom, Reality River (don’t fall for the fake) and Mindful Mountain.
Literacy
In reading we have been continuing to ‘monitor our comprehension’ by listening to our INNER VOICE. Our inner voice might ask questions – ‘how do you say that word?’ ‘what does that mean?’, we might notice ‘new learning’, we might make a personal connection to something we have experienced or something we have read about or we might have a reaction – ‘wow that’s SO funny’. All these thoughts help us as readers check that we understand what we are reading.
In writing we have been identifying the features of and vocabulary used in writing to persuade. The students have created a checklist to help them become more successful at trying to convince the reader to take action or to think in a different way. Some writers have been considering ‘Does technology affect our well-being?’ or ‘Does technology help us learn?’ This is an example of how we are linking our unit of inquiry to our writing. We have identified persuasive words and phrases such as ‘I strongly believe……’and ‘have you ever thought that…….’ so that we can make our writing more persuasive.
Maths
We are continuing to explore the base 10 place value system and building understanding of 3, 4 and 5 digit numbers. One way we are exploring it is by asking them to partition numbers. For example, when we partition the number 2,385 it is the same as 2,000 + 300 + 80 + 5. Why do we teach this?
“Children are taught this method before they learn to add numbers in columns. Partitioning gives children a different way of visualising maths problems, and helps them work out large sums in their head. By breaking numbers down into units that are easy for them (and us!) to calculate mentally, they can reach the correct answer without counting out tricky double or triple-digit numbers on their fingers or trying to remember where a decimal point needs to be.” (From schoolrun.com)
When we rename a number, it means we rearrange the groups in place value. Here’s an example of what renaming a 5 digit number could be.
The value of the number does not change, the only thing that changes it the amount in each place value. In the end, it still equals 15,020.
KJS Community and Upcoming Events
Students have been asked to bring their library bags everyday to school so that they can safely take their Chromebooks to Mandarin each day. Since they are walking up and down the stairs, having their library bag over their shoulder will ensure that they have their hands free to grab the handrail on the stairs.
Thank you to everyone who has sent in a pair of headphones or earphones to school with their student. We have been using these almost daily. It helps our students to focus better when listening to books online, watching videos or recording their own videos.
In November, we will be taking a field trip to the Hong Kong Wetlands Park. We will be asking for parent volunteers to join us on the field trip to this beautiful place. More information to follow!
Next Tuesday, October 22nd, Years 3-6, will have the opportunity to meet Jan Latta, author and wildlife photographer. Jan Latta will talk about her amazing adventures with wild and endangered animals that appeared in the recent movie, The Lion King. Some of her close encounters include lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, and a dangerous hippo. Order forms were sent home with children before the holidays. If you missed it, please download the following form and return it to the library. Please note that library lessons that morning will be cancelled but children are welcome to exchange their library books anytime during the morning, snacktime or lunchtime play.
Reminders
- Please help us in making sure students are given the opportunity to read everyday, either on their own or with someone at home
- Due to severe nut allergies in Y4, please do not send any food with any type of nut. Thank you for helping keep all of our students safe!
- Students are reminded to only use the central staircase in the morning and to wait until 8:15 before coming upstairs to ensure there is supervision in all the classrooms
- Sun safety is very important to us! Students need to bring their hats every day, as children who do not bring their hat will not be allowed to take part in snack or lunch play
- Students also need to bring a reusable water bottle every day, labeled clearly with their name
Important Dates
October 25 Diwali Celebration Assembly
October 31 & November 7 3 Way Learning Conferences (3-6pm)
November 12-15 School Photos
November 15 Bingo Night
