Susan Crummel Author Visit

Museum of Fine Arts Field Trip

Dear Parents,
On Wednesday, January 26, the fourth grade will be taking their annual field trip to the Museum of Fine Arts. Students will be traveling in buses to the museum that day. Please see below for the schedule:
Ferraro, Laird, and Janacek will leave Frostwood at 9:15

10:00 – 11:00 = First Tour

11:30-11:45 = return to Frostwood

Howe, Rabel, and White will leave Frostwood at 11:15

12:00 – 1:00 = Second Tour

1:30-1:45 = return to Frostwood

PARENTS – PLEASE FILL OUT BOTH SIDES OF THE ATTACHED

PERMISSION SLIP!
If you would like to be a chaperone on this trip, you will need to fill out a

field trip form. Please ask your classroom teacher for this form. If you are

interested in being a chaperone on this trip, let us know by January 20.

Chaperones will meet the buses at the Museum of Fine Arts. Once the students are at the museum, students will be divided into groups and a docent will be assigned to each group. It would be helpful if each group has at least one adult with them.

Thanks,

The Fourth Grade Team

Science Quiz this Friday!! Study!

Study Guide for Food Chain-Food Web Quiz


Friday, January 28
• Study the following pages in your SBISD Science Study Guide
o Biomes: pages 43-44

o Ecosystems: page 45

o Habitats and Niches: page 46

o Predator and Prey: page 47

o Producers: page 47

o Consumers/Scavengers/Decomposers: page 48

o Food Chain: page 49

o Food Web: page 50

o Basic Needs/Competition: page 51

• You may also refer to your science textbook, journal and handouts.

Good Luck!!!!

Our Class Terrarium

Ecosystem Game

Click on the link below and have fun matching in the ecosystems!
Ecosystem Game

What's the point?

Decimal Point

The decimal point is the most important part of a Decimal Number. It is exactly to the right of the Units position. Without it, we would be lost ... and not know what each position meant.
Now we can continue with smaller and smaller values, from tenths, to hundredths, and so on, like in this example:

Large and Small

So, our Decimal System lets us write numbers as large or as small as we want, using the decimal point. Numbers can be placed to the left or right of a decimal point, to indicate values greater than one or less than one.

17.591
	The number to the left of the decimal point is a whole number (17 for example)
As we move further left, every number place gets 10 times bigger.
	The first digit on the right means tenths (1/10).
	As we move further right, every number place gets 10 times smaller (one tenth as big).

Definition of Decimal

The word "Decimal" really means "based on 10" (From Latin decima: a tenth part).
We sometimes say "decimal" when we mean anything to do with our numbering system, but a "Decimal Number" usually means there is a Decimal Point.

Ways to think about Decimal Numbers ...

... as a Whole Number Plus Tenths, Hundredths, etc

You could think of a decimal number as a whole number plus tenths, hundredths, etc:

Example 1: What is 2.3 ?

• On the left side is "2", that is the whole number part.
• The 3 is in the "tenths" position, meaning "3 tenths", or 3/10
• So, 2.3 is "2 and 3 tenths"

Example 2: What is 13.76 ?

• On the left side is "13", that is the whole number part.
• There are two digits on the right side, the 7 is in the "tenths" position, and the 6 is the "hundredths" position
• So, 13.76 is "13 and 7 tenths and 6 hundredths"

... as a Decimal Fraction

Or, you could think of a decimal number as a Decimal Fraction.

A Decimal Fraction is a fraction where the denominator (the bottom number) is a number such as 10, 100, 1000, etc (in other words a power of ten)

Ecosystems and Biomes

What is a Biome? 
   A biome is a large area with similar flora, fauna, and microorganisms.  Most of us are familiar with the tropical rainforests, tundra in the arctic regions, and the evergreen trees in the coniferous forests. Each of these large communities contain species that are adapted to its varying conditions of water, heat, and soil.  For instance, polar bears thrive in the arctic while cactus plants have a thick skin to help preserve water in the hot desert.  To learn more about each of the major biomes, click on the appropriate heading to the right. 
What is an Ecosystem? 
   Most of us are confused when it comes to the words ecosystem and biome.  What's the difference?  There is a slight difference between the two words.  An ecosystem is much smaller than a biome.  Conversely, a biome can be thought of many similar ecosystems throughout the world grouped together.  An ecosystem can be as large as the Sahara Desert, or as small as a puddle or vernal pool. 
   Ecosystems are dynamic interactions between plants, animals, and microorganisms and their environment working together as a functional unit.  Ecosystems will fail if they do not remain in balance.  No community can carry more organisms than its food, water, and shelter can accomodate.  Food and territory are often balanced by natural phenomena such as fire, disease, and the number of predators.  Each organism has its own niche, or role, to play.