April Learning Update
Hello Families,
I hope that you are enjoying this warmer weather!
For the month of April, the students:
- In Science, students explored constellations, learned how they are used to tell stories and navigate, and created their own original constellations.
- We continued our space unit by learning about the planets in our solar system and completing creative writing activities about space.
- During guided reading groups, students began summarizing chapters from Magic Tree House books while practicing reading comprehension strategies such as identifying important details and retelling key events.
- We visited Fish Creek Park to explore nature and learn about local plants, animals, and habitats through outdoor observation.
- In Music, students practiced keeping a steady beat and following different rhythmic patterns.
- For Earth Day, students participated in a guided drawing activity connected to caring for our environment.
- In Literacy, students created comic strips to practice storytelling, sequencing, dialogue, and creativity.
- In Social Studies, students learned about the Proclamation and its historical importance.
- In Math, students completed their geometry unit, focusing on shapes, angles, symmetry, and spatial reasoning.
- We have now begun our fractions unit, where students are learning to represent, compare, and understand parts of a whole.
Next month we will be:
- Continuing our Space unit in science
- Continuing our Fractions unit in math
- Continuing to strengthen our understanding of seasonal changes
Ask your child:
1. Did you like the field trip to Fish creek?
2. What can you tell me about constellations?
Take care,
Ms. Mac
Grade 4 Teacher
March Learning Update
Hello Families,
I hope you are enjoying this warmer weather!
For the month of March, students have been:
- Continuing to strengthen their writing by adding descriptive language, similes, metaphors, and creative ideas to longer pieces
- Exploring a Blackfoot story connected to the Quaking Aspen tree found outside our school. Students created realistic drawings of the leaves and reflected on the importance of storytelling
- Working in guided reading groups to develop spelling, reading, writing, and comprehension skills such as summarizing, asking questions, and identifying key ideas
- Finishing their Algebra unit and beginning their Geometry unit in math
- Strengthening math skills using Mathletics, which can be accessed through their student accounts
- Exploring seasonal changes around Vista Heights School by observing animal tracks, weather patterns, precipitation, moon phases, and plant life. Students are working toward creating a 2026 Vista Heights calendar based on their observations, connecting to multiple areas of the natural world
- Practicing active listening during our read-aloud of Pax
- Completing research presentations on planets in science
- Learning about the Underground Railroad in Social Studies
- Continuing participation in the Calgary Champs Wellness program
Next month, we will be:
- Continuing our Space unit in science
- Continuing our Geometry unit in math
- Strengthening paragraph writing with a focus on clear introductions, conclusions, and proper formatting
Ask your child:
- Why are stories important?
- How are you feeling about geometry and finding missing angles?
Take care,
Ms. Mac
Grade 4 Teacher
February Learning Update
Hello Families,
I hope that you are enjoying this warmer weather and the snow!
For the month of February, the students:
- Continue to work on adding descriptive words, similes, metaphors, and creative ideas to their longer writing pieces
- Continue to work in their guided reading groups exploring spelling, reading, writing, and reading comprehension skills such as summarizing, asking questions, and finding the key points in a given text
- Began algebra in math and the Algebra test will be Thursday March 5
- Continue to strengthen math concepts utilizing Mathletics that can be accessed through their accounts
- Continue exploring and researching the changing seasons happening around Vista Heights School. Students are exploring animal tracks, weather patterns, precipitation levels, moon phases, and making observations about plants for each month of 2026. We are on our way to creating a calendar for Vista Heights using our research and observations. This is connected to all areas of the natural world
- Continue to engage in active listening during our read aloud “Pax”
- Have been exploring the beginning of our Space unit in science
- Participated in floor hockey in physical education and enjoyed watching some of the Olympic hockey games where room 2 cheered on Canada
- Have been learning about the difference between rude, mean, and bullying while going over different scenarios and coming up with ideas on how to solve the problems with and without adult support
- Visited the Shephard Landfill and eco centre with the grade 3 students to learn about ways we can help reduce waste and protect the environment
Next month we will be:
- Continuing our Space unit in Science
- Beginning our measurement unit in math
- Continuing our deep dive into text structure and continuing to strengthen our writing skills when we are writing about our opinions
Ask your child:
1. What is happening in “Pax”?
2. How are you feeling about algebra?
3. How was it watching Olympic hockey and cheering for Canada?
Take care,
Ms. Mac
Grade 4 Teacher
December Learning Update
Hello Families,
I am excited to be sharing the December learning update with you all. Room 2 has been busy this month learning and celebrating winter!
For the month of December, students:
• Discussed and practiced using prefixes and suffixes in complete sentences both verbally and in writing
• Responded to articles summarizing main ideas and key details
• Continue to work in small, guided reading groups targeting spelling and reading comprehension
• Finished our multiplication unit in math where students learned how to multiply 3-digit numbers by 1-digit numbers and complete multiplication word problems.
• Started our division unit in math
• Continued to Explore the Vista Heights community and completed many Natural World Reports where students drew and labeled what they noticed about the changing seasons
• Drew winter tree scapes using pastel chalk to express the feelings of the season
• Learned about rights and responsibilities in Social Studies
• Started our Science unit focusing on force and motion
• Continue to read our class read a loud, “A Wolf Called Wander” where students are actively listening and engaging in reading comprehension strategies when answering questions
• Continue to set goals for their writing in grade 4
• Completed our Trickster residency where students created and performed their own play in front of the whole school and families
Next month we will be:
• Finishing our division unit
• Focusing on writing persuasive paragraphs in Literacy
• Continuing our Science unit on force and motion
Ask your child:
1. Did you enjoy trickster and using bamboo sticks?
2. Can you tell me what a contact and non-contact force is?
3. Can you tell me what a right and responsibility are?
Kindly,
Meagan Macdonald
Grade 4 Teacher
November Learning Update
Hello Families,
I am excited to share the November learning update with you. Room 2 has been busy this month learning and reconnecting with friends!
During the month of November, students:
• Discussed and practiced expanding sentences using a checklist that included WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN, WHY, and HOW
• Responded to articles by summarizing main ideas and key details
• Continued working in small, guided reading groups targeting spelling and reading comprehension
• Finished our addition and decimal unit, where students learned how to add numbers up to 100 000, compare decimals, represent decimals using fractions and pictures, and round decimals to the nearest whole number or tenth
• Explored the Vista Heights community and completed several Natural World Reports, where they drew and labeled what they noticed about the changing seasons
• Drew poppies in a field for Remembrance Day using coloured chalk
• Learned about the Fur Trade in Canada and completed an Explorer Trading Card
• Continued reading our class read-aloud, A Wolf Called Wander, where students are actively listening and engaging in reading comprehension strategies
• Continued to set goals for their writing in Grade 4
Next month, we will be:
• Practicing reading and responding to various non-fiction articles related to the curriculum
• Focusing on adding details and using conjunctions in writing activities
• Starting our multiplication and division unit in math
Ask your child:
- Did you enjoy using coloured chalk to draw the poppies?
- Can you show me how to expand a sentence?
- Tell me more about your Natural World Report.
Kindly,
Meagan MacDonald
Grade 4 Teacher