Fourth Grade Newsletter
Janu ary 2, 2 01 6
Goshe n Ele me ntary School
Volume 5, Is sue 4
8701 Warf ield Roa d Gai ther sbu rg, M D 20882
Phone: (301) 840-8165 * Fax (301) 840-8167
New and Noteworthy
Announcements and Reminders
 Look for your child’s white Goshen Grizzly folder every day. It will
have homework and other important notices/flyers. Please return
the folder the next day and please discuss your child’s behavior with
him/ her and sign the assignment book nightly.
Our IXL Math Wizard!
To honor classes/students
that are spending time on
IXL, we are starting a new
math challenge! Each week,
the class that spends the
most time on IXL at school
and at home will get a
special visit from the IXL
math wizard!
 Your child has homework every weekday night (Monday-Thursday).
This will include reading a “just right” book for 20-30 minutes, a
spelling bingo activity, and a math worksheet (which will typically be
1 sheet for the entire week). Your child will also complete and return
their monthly Tic-Tac-Toe reading assignment. Your child’s weekly
homework sheets should be returned every Friday. Students should
also practice their basic math facts.
 Your child’s assignment book contains his/her nightly homework
assignments, as well as their behavior color. Your child’s teacher
signs each agenda book to ensure that homework was written down.
 Please remember to keep your child’s lunch account up-to-date. Do
not send money in daily. Instead, send in a check weekly, bi-weekly
or monthly. Also, don’t forget to write your child’s pin number on
the check!

Please make sure that your child is coming to school dressed for the
cold weather! WEAR LAYERS! 
Thank you for your cooperation in these matters as we work
together for the success of each child! 
Upcoming Events

Dec. 24-Jan. 1st
No School, Happy New Year!

January 5th : PTA Meeting at 7pm

Saturday, January 9th
Book and Clothing Extravaganza
9:00am


Monday, January 18th : No School, MLK Holiday


January 21st : Family Heritage Night
January 22nd: Marking Period 2 Ends
January 25th: No School – Professional Day for Teachers

Friday, January 29th January Tic-Tac-Toe Due
Page 2 of 4
Fourth Grade Newsletter
Goshen Elementary School
A Quick Blurb From Our Specialists!
Mrs. P (Computer Lab): Fourth-Collaboration with Writing & Information Literacy in the Media Center
Prior to break, students have been synthesizing the information they learned about Montgomery Village in order
to create a proposal stating their opinion about which new specialized business would best support the
Montgomery Village community and why.
They have been developing their universally designed multimedia product advocating for the business of their
choice. It includes t facts and reasons to support their opinion about which type of business would benefit the
community of Montgomery Village. It also includes the necessary natural, capital, and human resources they
would need to establish their business. They will be presenting these to a “Montgomery Village Association”
panel of expert’s mid-January. They have learned a lot this quarter and are excited to present their knowledge!
During the third quarter students will working towards answering the driving question to their next inquiry project
with is: How can the media responsibility advertise products and services to children? Students will have to
analyze media messages and their impact on young consumers to become critical and effective users of the
Internet as a resource for information. I predict our students will find this inquiry very interesting and engaging!
Stay tuned to the February newsletter for more specifics about this inquiry project!
Mr. Reynolds (PE): In Physical Education, grade 4 is working on the fundamentals of volleyball. They will be
focusing on the overhead pass.
Ms. Holden (Music): This month students will work on exhibiting appropriate audience behavior. We will continue
to work on reading melodies on the treble staff. Students will be singing a varied repertoire of songs including 3part rounds and will develop criteria and apply them to the evaluation of their own and others’ performances.
Mrs. Raker (Art): In January, Fourth graders will continue to focus on the visual art process. We will use our prior
knowledge of scientific illustrations to create a frog painting with watercolor paints on large watercolor paper.
We will begin third quarter focusing on communication of ideas, using texture and movement in a painting.
Social Studies
 Analyze the chronology and significance of key historical events during the age of European
exploration
o Describe the origin, destination, and goals of the North American explorers
o Evaluate the results of the interactions between European explorers and native peoples
 Analyze the chronology and significance of key historical events leading to early settlements in
colonial America
 Analyze how key historical events impacted Native American societies
Science
 Recognize and describe that people in Maryland depend on, change, and are affected by the
environment
 Recognize and explain that decisions influencing the use of natural resources may have benefits,
drawbacks, unexpected consequences, and tradeoffs
 Develop an understanding of the effects of technology on the environment
 Develop an understanding of the role of troubleshooting, research and development, invention,
and experimentation in problem solving
Page 3 of 4
Fourth Grade Newsletter
Goshen Elementary School
Reading
Informational Text
MT
In school, your child will . . .
 use background knowledge and what was
learned from reading to make inferences.
 brainstorm a list of key details to determine a
main idea.
 summarize text by paraphrasing (restating) the
main idea and providing supporting details.
 describe the cause and effect relationship
between events, ideas, concepts, or
information.
 generate inquiry questions about exploration
and explorers.
 collect information across multiple texts
(informational, articles, digital or multimedia,
etc.).
 listen to various accounts of exploration, and
gather evidence to determine the impact of
events.
 add and combine ideas from a variety of
sources to explain how human activities affect
the environment.
Language: Vocabulary
 use subject-specific and rich vocabulary in
discussions.
At home, your child can . . .
 read every night (magazines, newspapers, factual books,
etc.).
 respond to questions about the text orally or in writing.
Possible questions:
o Describe a cause and effect relationship found in the
text. How did it affect the text?
o Summarize the main idea of this section of the text.
What key details helped you support your response?
o What questions would you ask the author to gain more
meaning?
o What new learning did you gain from this reading or
procedure?
 set goals and make a plan to follow through. Discuss ways
to resolve obstacles that arise.
 visit a museum or art gallery and use subject-specific
vocabulary to describe what is seen and heard.
 practice summarizing movies, TV shows, books, comics,
articles, etc.
 practice using synonyms and antonyms to identify word
meaning.
 replace overused words with more descriptive vocabulary
in conversation (e.g. said: shared, elaborated, stated,
screamed, yelled, shouted).
 use these websites to support learning:
 determine word meaning relevant to
academic concepts.
o online dictionary, thesaurus http://www.merriamwebster.com
 use digital resources to find meanings and
correct pronunciation of unfamiliar words.
 brainstorm rich vocabulary to replace
overused terms.
 study antonyms (opposites) and synonyms
(similar words) to determine deeper meanings
of words..
o translation resources
http://oxfordlanguagedictionaries.com
o play word games
http://abcya.com/synonyms_antonyms.htm
As we get into the end of January/beginning of the 3rd marking period, we
will start our study of mythology! Students will be working to identify the
main idea, theme, compare/contrast, and make inferences!
Fourth Grade Newsletter
Goshen Elementary School
Page 3 of 4
Mathematics
Number and Operations
in Base Ten

divide whole numbers using knowledge of
place value, arrays, and area models.
Array
Area
Model




solve multi-step word problems involving
distance, time, mass, and money. Example:
A school day begins at 8:50 a.m. and ends
at 3:05 p.m. How long is the day?

solve multi-step area and perimeter word
problems that involve variables. Example:
Use what you know about perimeter to
determine the area of this park.

explain the meaning of a remainder
while collaboratively solving division
word problems.
Operations
and
Algebraic
Thinking
Measurement and Data
At home, your child can . . .
In school, your child will . . .
MT


practice multiplication and division facts from 0 –
10.
share strategies for solving a division problem
and practice. Explain the difference between the
strategies.
use manipulatives such as buttons, coins, blocks
to model and solve division problems. Discuss
what the remainder means.
create and solve real life word problems
involving work schedules, recipes, distance
traveled, or money spent. Example: How
many hours were you awake today? How
much did dinner cost?
practice using formulas to find area and
perimeter of rectangles around the home (tables,
stove, refrigerator, bed, etc). Explain why the
answer is correct and reasonable.
As we get into the end of January/beginning of the 3rd marking period, we
will start our study of fractions!
Look for more information in our February newsletter!
Page 5 of 5
Fourth Grade Newsletter
Goshen Elementary School
Page 4 of 4
Goshen Elementary School
Fourth Grade Newsletter
Writing
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic a convey ideas and information clearly
 Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections (week 4)
 Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other examples (weeks 5, 6)
 Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e,g, another, for example…) (week 4)
 Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to information about or explain the topic (week 5)
 Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation (week 6)
Write opinion pieces on topics/texts, supporting point of view with reasons & information (7,8,9)
 Introduce a topic clearly, state opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related ideas are
grouped to support the writer’s purpose (week 7)
 Provide reasons that are supported by facts or details (week 7)
 Link opinion and reasons using words and phrases (for instance, in order to, in addition) (week 8)
 Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented (week 9)
The finals drafts of our inquiry project are due the second week of January!
Around this time, our students will present their projects to a board of directors from the
Montgomery Village foundation! If you would like to participate in this/be a board member,
please email your classroom teacher.
[email protected]
Alyssa Johnson
[email protected]
Betsy Balicao
[email protected]
Amanda Perera
Ann-Marie Wickson
[email protected]
[email protected]

Katie Techtmann
Lauren Huntt
[email protected]
We want to hear from YOU!
We would love to get feedback from you on what you like about the newsletter, what you would like
to see changed, ideas you have, questions you have, etc. Please fill out the bottom of this slip and
return to your child’s homeroom teacher
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