Pinnacle Academy 2015-2016 School Year
Welcome to Mrs. Petti's Fourth Grade!
April 2016 Highlights
Highlights of Week 29: April 4 - 8, 2016
Math: The students used a compass and straight edge to construct parallelograms. They explored the connection between the area of parallelograms and the area of a triangle and derived the formula for the area of a triangle. They reviewed and took a unit assessment on area, perimeter, and scale drawings.
Science: The students made simple circuits with paper clip switches. They experimented with series and parallel circuits, making and testing predictions about what would happen if they included two batteries and one lightbulb or one battery and two lightbulbs in their circuit. After experimenting with wires and clothespin lightbulb holders, they also used snap circuits to set up parallel circuits. They represented each type of circuit in their science notebooks using conventional symbols.
We continued to peek in regularly at the eaglecam at the National Arboretum.
Social Studies: We continued our study of Jamestown, using a variety of resources to gain additional perspectives on the challenges facing the early English settlers and the Indians who shared the same land. We learned more about John Smith, Christopher Newport, and others in leadership roles. We learned more about the harsh winter of 1609 - 1610 (the Starving Time). The students decided that they would like to develop a skit about Jamestown for the Variety Show. As the idea evolved, they envisioned a dialogue between colonists of 400 years ago, students of 2016, and students 400 years in the future.
Language Arts: Most of our language arts time was integrated with social studies and science this week. The students also wrote goals for the rest of the year.
Special Events: We welcomed the External Review Team from AdvancEd who were here to evaluate the school's self study and readiness for accreditation. Some of the students in each grade were interviewed by the team, and team members also visited each classroom. (Congratulations to Pinnacle Academy on receiving a recommendation for accreditation along with very positive comments from the team!)
Highlights of Week 30: April 13 - 15, 2016
We had a short week due to a Teacher Work Day and a Parent Teacher Conference Day.
Math: We launched a new unit connecting fractions, decimals, and percents. We also continued to work on an extension activity applying algebraic reasoning to find the dimensions of a variety of rectangles, given the perimeter and area of each.
Language Arts: Most of our language arts time was integrated with social studies and science this week. The students continued to work on the class skit, involving a dialogue between people of the past, present, and future. On Friday, most of the students also worked on illustrating scenes or objects from the past and/or the future. One guided reading group began reading The Double Life of Pocahontas while the other students continued reading Pocahontas in Jamestown.
Science: We continued to peek in regularly at the eaglecam at the National Arboretum; the fast-growing eaglets now have nearly full-grown feet and beaks, and their yellow feet look enormous on their small downy bodies. We saw one of the eaglets take a few steps. We took a small nature walk. We shared some books on alternative energy sources and some of the causes and effects of climate change.
Special Event: At the end-of-quarter assembly on Friday, we acknowledged Safiya and the rest of the History Bowl team for doing well in their recent competition. We also acknowledge the students who received Honor Roll certificates.
Highlights of Week 31: April 18 - 22, 2016
The major highlight of our week was our long-anticipated trip to Jamestown on Thursday, April 21. Because there is so much to share about the trip, it has its own page with five galleries and narratives. Please visit! (Click the April 21 trip to Jamestown button at the top of the page.) Meanwhile, at school:
Math: We applied our understanding of fractions, decimals, and percents in representing and solving story problems. The students also made up new problems involving percentage discounts.
Language Arts: We continued to read about Pocahontas along with the early years of Jamestown. Some of the students wrote about a highlight of the trip to Jamestown, and some continued to work on the script for our class skit.
Science: We explored properties of magnetism using bar magnets and iron filings. We continued to peek in regularly at the eaglecam at the National Arboretum and took a small nature walk.
Social Studies: In our Virginia studies, we learned about the evolution of representative government, and we looked at factors contributing to the spread of slavery alongside growth of the tobacco industry.
Special Event: On Friday, the students helped to clean up the area around the dumpsters in honor of Earth Day. They drew a bouquet of "thank you" flowers and presented it to Ms. Lagi in honor of Administrative Assistants Day.
Highlights of Week 32: April 25 - 29, 2016
Math: We wrapped up our unit on fractions, decimals, and percents. The students learned to multiply and divide multidigit numbers with decimals. They applied their understanding to story problems, including money and discount problems. They practiced converting between fractions, decimals, and percents as they played card games and computer games.
Science: The students learned about electromagnets and created homemade electromagnets from large bolts, coated copper wire, and batteries. They experimented to see how many paper clips they could pick up with 10 coils of wire wrapped around a bolt, vs 20 or 30 or more coils. Some of the students began investigating what other metal objects they might be able to lift with the magnetized bolts. The students took a unit test on electricity and magnetism. We also peeked in on the bald eaglets every day. Their black wings emerged more each day until the white fluff was nearly gone. They have been walking a little bit and stretching their wings. We saw one eaglet lift part of a fish to feed on its own.
Social Studies: We finished compiling the students' thoughts about Jamestown and the future into a class skit and began rehearsing for the Variety Show. We met with Ms. Abaza, who gave us input about putting some of the ideas to music or turning them into a rap. We had occasional opportunities to make illustrations for the slide show to accompany the skit. We reviewed our unit on Jamestown and took a unit assessment.
Language Arts: Much of our language arts time this week was devoted to reading and writing about our units of inquiry. Some of the students are also working on independent or partner research projects, investigating topics related to our science extension inquiries: bald eagles and alternative energy sources.
Special Events: We were excited to visit the Art Show on Thursday. We enjoyed looking at how different classes had approached unifying themes or techniques, such as self portraits made with oil pastels, or drawings utilizing a vanishing point.
We were also excited to see a variety of reptiles at Friday's "Reptiles Alive" show. We learned about each reptile's habits and habitat. The students got to see some of the reptiles up close, and everyone enjoyed gently touching the 14-foot python!
We were surprised and delighted when Safiye came back to visit from California on Thursday and Friday. We have kept her self-portrait up in our class gallery all year. One of the students had the great idea to mark Safiye's current height on our growth chart. She has grown 1 and 3/4 inches since early September! Safiye thought she was just going to pop in and say hi for a few minutes on Thursday afternoon, but she was drawn in by our skit rehearsal and stayed to help make illustrations, then joined us on Friday for the reptile show, foreign language time, bald eaglet observations, and our electromagnet investigation. As she left, she said that she wished she could come back on Monday. We wish the same thing!