Week 8

 Dear Parents and Students,

The shorter week was a very busy one, with a number of tests, and our first oral presentation for the year. 

In the Classroom:

Maths

We have completed Topic 4, and we held our topic test on Wednesday. We have also completed benchmark and cumulative tests covering everything we have done so far this year.  We will begin Topic 5 after the break, which will return our focus to multiplication.

Literacy Workshop

With our Personal Narratives completed, we spent a little more time focusing on grammar this week. We will continue our study of nouns for one more week before we review the unit. We also read a new story, Tomás and the Library Lady, and then discussed the story in our Reading Circles. This week, we were investigating writer’s craft, and appreciating how words and pictures can combine in books to convey emotions and set an atmosphere.

Science

We continued our investigations of Earth’s surface changes this week, including a practical

lab assignment in which we modeled and observed the effects of weathering on mountains and rocks. We then applied our conclusions to our investigation into the Ashfall Fossil Beds. After the break, we will extend what we have learned to explore how environments on Earth have changed over time.

Social Studies

Our Social Studies classes were dedicated to our presentations about Symbols of

Patriotism. Thank you to everyone for the hard work. The standard was very high, and

everyone should be proud of your presentations. After the break, we will return to

our study of economy and citizenship, including an investigation into the origins of democracy. 

Other important information

After all of our hard work, we can now enjoy our week-long autumn break. Please be reminded that MAP testing begins upon our return, beginning with Reading Comprehension on Tuesday, 14th October.. Please see the full schedule on the post two below this one. There is no way to effectively study for these tests, but the best preparation is to rest well, get to bed at a reasonable time, and to eat a healthy breakfast and morning snack each day. In the meantime, I hope everybody enjoys the well-earned break, and I’ll see everyone back on October 13!

Dates to remember:

M–F Oct 6–10 Moon Festival / Fall Break / 10-10 Holiday – School closed

Mon Oct 13 MAP Testing commences (First test for Grade 4 on Tuesday)

Thu Oct 23 Halloween Carnival

Fri Oct 24 Taiwan Restoration Day - Public holiday - School closed

Thu Oct 30 October assembly

Fri Oct 31 Halloween parade and performances