Summer 2019

Dear Fourth Graders and Families,

Soon enough, you will officially be fourth graders. I hope you have been enjoying your summer, and I look forward to getting to know all of you in September.

My name is Jeffrey Gross and I will be teaching fourth grade again this year. I have been actively thinking and planning for the upcoming school year.

The summer is the perfect time to keep up with your reading, explore new genres, or reread a favorite book. We often get some of our best book recommendations from friends. I decided to follow a recommendation
and read Pax by Sara Pennypacker. While I was reading, I paid close attention to the relationships and complexities of the characters. I also kept my eyes open for big events and themes throughout the story.

Grab some popcorn and have a Curl Up with a Book Movie Night. Many books have been turned into movies. You can spend the week reading the book, listening to the audio, sharing interesting ideas, or even reading it aloud after dinner. At the end of the week, watch the movie. What’s the same? What’s different? Did the characters change in the same way as in the book? Does the movie in your mind resemble the movie on your screen?

Do you ever find yourself saying, “I have nothing to write about?” Try starting your own “Instagram” page. Photograph a moment and give it a caption. You can also take pictures, print them, and write an accompanying caption to create a writer’s workbook.

Summer is also an opportunity to apply math reasoning to everyday life
and review your multiplication facts and mental math. I often use this example: How many s’mores can we make with two bags of marshmallows, if there are six of us here? Will I use 1⁄2 of a Hershey bar or should I use 3/12? Does it make a difference? You can use multiplication, division, measurement, money skills, perimeter and area to plan a summer picnic in the park. When you buy something, ask yourself how much change will I receive if I pay with a $10.00? Practicing real world mental math is a great way to keep your skills active and automatic.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at JGrossPS150@gmail.com.
I look forward to getting to know you and your child next year.

It’s going to be a terrific year!