In our current social studies unit, students are learning the names and capitals of the fifty states, how to read maps, and how to find longitude and latitude of exact locations. In small groups, students  are studying the five regions of the United States.

Each student created a map of the United States, checking their work with the with published maps and globes. They had to locate and label states, capitals, rivers, mountain ranges, Great Lakes, deserts, wetlands, major cities, and many other features.

Students just finished a writing unit on paragraph structure and opinion writing. Each student picked a topic of interest that they felt passionately about. These essays reflect their understanding of paragraph structure, essay format, and persuasive writing.

These essays are on display in the fourth grade hallway.

Students are studying text features to enhance their understanding of nonfiction texts. They are reading nonfiction in reading groups and to conduct research.

Students are working in small groups to research one of the five regions of the United States. Students are typing their notes in the computer lab and creating padlets. A padlet is an online application for presenting information. I hope to find a way to link these to the class blog once they are completed.

Students are also researching African Americans of history and today as they learn about Black History Month.