Welcome to Our Grade 4 Blog!

Dear Parents,

We’re excited to have you here! This blog is a space where we’ll keep you updated on our upcoming topics and concepts, as well as celebrate the wonderful activities and assignments your children are completing.

Learning Lessons from Bees

In our classroom, we’re buzzing with excitement as we explore the fascinating world of bees! Here are some valuable skills and lessons we can learn from these incredible creatures:

1. Teamwork: Bees work together in hives to accomplish tasks, from gathering nectar to building honeycomb. We can learn the importance of collaboration and supporting one another in group projects.
2. Communication: Bees use dances and pheromones to communicate with each other. This teaches us how effective communication is essential for sharing ideas and working harmoniously.
3. Hard Work: Bees are known for their diligence. They travel long distances to collect nectar and pollen, reminding us that hard work and perseverance can lead to great results.
4. Adaptability: Bees can adapt to changes in their environment, finding new sources of food and adjusting to different conditions. This encourages us to be flexible and open to new challenges.
5. Problem-Solving: Bees face various challenges, such as finding the best flowers or defending their hive. They use their intelligence to overcome obstacles, inspiring us to think critically and creatively when faced with problems.
6. Respect for Nature: Bees play a vital role in pollination, which is essential for many plants and crops. Learning about their contributions helps us appreciate and respect the environment.

By studying bees, we not only gain knowledge about their behavior and ecology but also learn valuable life skills that can help us in our everyday lives. We look forward to sharing more insights as we continue our journey!

Math Update:

In Math, we’re diving into the new Alberta curriculum, focusing on large numbers up to 100,000. Our current learning includes:

• Understanding Large Numbers: Recognizing the place value of digits in large numbers.
• Rounding: Learning how to round numbers up or down to the nearest ten, hundred, or thousand.
• Comparing Numbers: Using a number line to compare and order large numbers.

At-Home Activities:

To reinforce these concepts at home, here are some fun activities you can try:

1. Number Line Game: Create a large number line on a piece of paper or a whiteboard. Have your child pick different large numbers and place them on the number line. Challenge them to explain why they placed each number in a specific spot.
2. Rounding Relay: Write down a list of large numbers (e.g., 23,458; 76,891) on cards. Have your child practice rounding each number to the nearest ten, hundred, and thousand. You can make it a relay race by timing how quickly they can round all the numbers correctly!
3. Large Number Bingo: Create bingo cards with large numbers. Call out a number, and have your child round it to the nearest ten or hundred. If they have that rounded number on their card, they can mark it!
4. Real-Life Rounding: Look at large numbers in everyday life, such as populations of cities, distances on maps, or prices at the store. Ask your child to round these numbers and discuss how rounding helps in real-life situations.

Upcoming Events and Learning Topics

1. Parent-Teacher Conferences: Mark your calendars for September 26 and 27! This is a great opportunity to discuss your child’s progress and goals. We look forward to meeting with you!
2. Alberta's Geographical Regions: Soon, we’ll be exploring the diverse geographical regions of Alberta. Students will learn about the unique features, climates, and ecosystems that make our province special.
3. Waste Management in Science: We will delve into the importance of managing waste safely. Students will learn about recycling, composting, and how to reduce waste in their daily lives.
4. Soccer and Football Skills: This fall, we’ll be focusing on developing soccer and football skills during our physical education classes. It’s a great way for students to stay active and learn teamwork!
5. Time and Fractions of an Hour: In Math, we’ll be working on telling time and understanding fractions of an hour, including how seconds and minutes relate to hours. Fun activities and practical examples will help reinforce these concepts.

We’re looking forward to an engaging and productive season of learning! We appreciate your support and involvement in your child’s learning journey. If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to reach out!

Warm regards,

Arden Turnbull

Alecia Luu
Grade 4 Teachers

2025 Term 2 Update

We've been “Busy Bees” in Grade Four, diving into exciting new learning experiences!

In writing, students are mastering new tools to make their work more engaging. They are learning to be specific by adding details, sensory words, and strong verbs. We’re also working on “showing” rather than “telling” and adding a bit of flair with figurative language—our writing is coming to life!

In math, we’ve been sharpening our mental math skills to tackle multiplication and division problems efficiently. Soon, we’ll introduce some unique strategies for solving two-digit by two-digit multiplication. The goal is for students to explore different methods and choose the one that makes the most sense to them.

Science has us thinking about Earth’s systems and how we can sustain life on our planet. We’re exploring the interconnectedness of everything around us and learning about organizations that are working to protect our natural resources—from World Water Day initiatives to the efforts of Parks Canada.

In social studies, we've stepped back in time to explore what Alberta was like before it became a province in 1905. Our classrooms are filled with incredible dioramas of fur trading forts from the 1700s, complete with Hudson’s Bay blankets, bundled furs in tiny canoes, and fortified fencing. It’s amazing to see students immerse themselves in the past and learn about the vital role Indigenous Peoples played in the fur trade and the shaping of Western Canada.

It has been a fantastic few weeks of learning, and we can't wait for what’s next!

Thank you for your continued support.

The Grade Four Team