Exploring Grade 4 with Mrs. Colhoun

  What We’ve Been Learning in Math: Finding Area! This week in math, our class has been learning all about area —specifically, how to find the area of rectangles using the formula base × height . Students practiced identifying the base and the height, multiplying those two measurements, and making sure they included the correct units , written as square units (for example, cm² or square units). We also explored the idea that an area can be found by covering a surface with equal-sized pieces , making sure there are no gaps or overlaps. This helps students understand that area is really about how much space a surface covers. Depending on the situation, we can measure area using everyday (non-standard) units like tiles or paper squares, or standard units like square centimetres.

 Z oo Field Trip Success! Our zoo field trip on Monday was a huge success, and we were lucky to have perfect weather for the day! Students had a great time touring the zoo and learning more about animals in real-life habitats. One of the highlights was examining owl pellets, which was a fun and engaging way to wrap up our learning about animal senses and structures . Students were able to connect what we’ve been studying in class to what they observed during the trip, making the experience both exciting and meaningful. We are now moving on to our next science unit on biomes , where students will learn about how the geosphere (land), hydrosphere (water), atmosphere (air), and biosphere (living things)  interact to support different environments and the plants and animals that inhabit them. A big thank you to our wonderful parent volunteers who helped make the day run so smoothly — your support is truly appreciated! There will be more opportunities to volunteer later this ye...

  Our Grade 4 students are beginning a creative writing project inspired by the picture book . This story helped us talk about big ideas like belonging, kindness, and how being different can be a good thing. Students connected with Barnabus and his journey, and it encouraged them to think about what it really means to be “perfect.” Our Grade 4 students are beginning a creative writing project inspired by the picture book. This story helped us talk about big ideas like belonging, kindness, and how being different can be a good thing. Students connected with Barnabus and his journey, and it encouraged them to think about what it really means to be “perfect.” Using the book as inspiration, students are creating and writing about their own. Each student is designing a made-up creature that may look unusual or have surprising features, but is special in its own way. Just like Barnabus, these pets might not be perfect, but they are lovable and important. In their writing, students are de...