Novemeber Newsletter

Hello families!

I can’t believe it’s already November—the weeks are flying by! We’ve got a busy and exciting month ahead, filled with hands-on learning, creative writing, and special events. Here’s a peek at what we’ll be exploring together, along with how it connects to our Colorado 4th Grade Standards:

• We’re diving into Topic 4: 2-digit by 2-digit multiplication. Students will explore a variety of strategies including arrays, area models, box method, estimation, and the standard algorithm.

  🔹 Colorado Math Standards Focus:

  • Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic

  • Solve problems involving multiplication and explain reasoning using models and equations

• We’ll be wrapping up our collaborative DnD stories—the creativity and teamwork have been incredible! Next, we’ll shift into compare and contrast writing, using engaging texts and structured supports.

  🔹 Colorado Writing Standards Focus:

  • Write narratives with clear sequences and descriptive details

  • Develop informative and opinion pieces with strong organization and evidence

  • Use the writing process to plan, revise, and edit

  
  

Our focus will be on:

• Drawing inferences from text

• Analyzing first vs. third person point of view

• Exploring mythological allusions

• Identifying and discussing themes

🔹 Colorado Reading Standards Focus:

• Use evidence to support inferences and conclusions

• Compare and contrast points of view

• Understand literary elements like theme, character, and setting

• Recognize and interpret figurative language and allusions

We’re continuing our journey through Colorado history with two exciting in-school field trips from the Golden History Museum:

• Ute History and Culture

• Building Communities in Early Colorado

We’ll also study:

• Colorado landforms and map reading

• Why settlers chose specific locations for towns

• Ghost towns and the lives of miners

🔹 Colorado Social Studies Standards Focus:

• Analyze primary and secondary sources to understand Colorado’s past

• Explain how geography influenced settlement and development

• Understand the cultural and economic contributions of Native American tribes and early settlers

• Use maps and geographic tools to interpret data

This month, we’re beginning our new read-aloud: The Radium Girls: Young Readers Edition by Kate Moore. This powerful nonfiction story introduces students to the real-life experiences of young women in the early 1900s who worked in radium-dial factories.

In this kid-friendly adaptation, students will learn how these brave women stood up for their health and safety, helping to change labor laws and workplace protections across the country. The book is written with age-appropriate language and focuses on themes of courage, justice, and perseverance—perfect for sparking thoughtful classroom conversations.

We’ll be using this text to build background knowledge, make historical connections, and practice reading strategies like inference, questioning, and summarizing.

🚲 Transportation Reminders Students may ride bikes and scooters to school, but they must dismount and walk them once they reach school grounds.

📵 Cell Phone Policy Cell phones may not be used during school hours. If your student needs to be reached or there are changes to their schedule, please contact me or the school office directly.

🧥 Weather Reminder October brings crisp mornings and sunny afternoons—true Colorado fall magic! 🍂 Please make sure your child comes to school dressed in layers, with a jacket or sweatshirt to stay cozy during chilly recess and morning arrival. We want everyone to feel comfortable and ready to learn all day long!

dfuller@dcsdk12.org.

Class Dojo

Thank you for your continued support and partnership. I’m so grateful for this amazing classroom community. Wishing you a cozy, joyful November!