I am looking forward to a fun-filled year of learning.I’d like to communicate some information that I hope will make the transition to fourth grade easier for students and their families.
SCHEDULE 2018-19
During this school year, our class will be participating in a variety of specials based on a rotating schedule. · Monday- Gym
·Tuesday- Technology
·Wednesday-Art/Health
·Thursday– Music
·Friday- Integrated Arts
We will have a snack break daily at 10:00.I do not provide snacks for students who forget, so please remind your child to have a nut safe snack every day. He or she may also want to bring a refillable water bottle as it can get warm in our building in the fall. This year our lunch time is 11:40 to 12:00 and recess is 12:00 to 12:20.
Homework Planners
Similar to third grade, our fourth graders will be using planners to track homework assignments.Each child will be expected to record daily assignments in his or her planner.Planners should be brought back and forth to school each day in your child's backpack.
The reasons for this change include:
1.Being responsible for understanding assignments and their due dates.
2.Preparing students for fifth grade- they will have a similar format for homework assignments next year.
I am asking parents to sign the plannerdaily to show that you are aware of your child's assignments.It is expected that each child will take care of his or her planner as it will not be replaced.
A sincere thank you to those of you who have provided much needed supplies for our class.
Things we can always use during the year are: tissues, removable double sided tape, hand sanitizer, quart and gallon size freezer bags, glue sticks, and Expo low odor dry erase markers.Thanks for your support. Please always be sure to call the office or send a note if your child’s after school plans change. Often children get confused and upset and arenot surewhat to do when there is a change in their schedule or routine.
Homework folders have been provided for us by Bristol County Savings Bank. Fourth graders may participate in the Savings Make Sense program where they can make deposits in school on a regular basis, usually twice a month.
Scholastic Book Clubs
You can browse books through the flyers sent home or by visiting the Scholastic Book website. I have set up electronic ordering so parents may place their orders on line with credit cards using passwords provided with the flyers. These book clubs provide opportunities to add great literature to your child's personal library at an affordable price. Book orders are due on September 17th. Please make sure your child's name is on the order form. Checks should be made to Scholastic Books.Thanks for your support of reading.
Readers' Workshop
We will utilize the Massachusetts Common Core State Standards to drive our instruction in all subject areas.Our core literacy program, called Reading Street, is a balanced literacy and language program that incorporates fiction and non-fiction texts for all readers.Fluency, comprehension, writing, and vocabulary skills are emphasized throughout each unit in center activities and whole class/small group instruction.Our first unit is Traveling Across America.
We will start our year with Unit 1 of Reading Street which is based on Traveling Across America. Stories within that unit include "Because of Winn Dixie" (excerpt), "Grandfather's Journey", "Letters Home from Yosemite", "Lewis and Clark and Me", and "The Horned Toad Prince". Each week, as we read and discuss the story, students will develop their thinking and writing skills with short answer activities and open response writing tasks. Our spelling lists will stem from the story of the week.
Students will be given other opportunities to engage in the meaningful reading of a variety of genres. We are beginning a class literature study of the book Theme, point of view, and character analysis are a few skills we will work as we read this realistic fiction.
Literature circles, reciprocal groups, social studies centers, and science centers are some of the ways students will use an assortment of resources for learning.
Writer's Workshop
As part of our writing curriculum, we will use Empowering Writers in conjunction with the Reading Street program and elements of “Write Traits” to guide our instruction.Some of the writing genres we will cover include: personal narratives, informational essays, fantasy, persuasive, and fact/opinion pieces. We will also hone our writing skills in preparation for PARCC and.
In every piece of writing, students will have specific areas of focus including content information, revising skills and editing skills.Our weekly mini-lessons,learning center activities, and “before and after journals” will reinforce writing skills and traits of writing to help students become independent writers andthinkers this year.
Math
Our math program is called Everyday Math. The first unit is all about Numbers and Operations in Base 10, Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Measurement, and Addition and Subtraction methods.Please support your child as he or she completes homework for our math units. Your child will bring home the Student Reference Book (SRB) each night to help with homework completion. This textbook needs to be covered and will be needed each day in class so be sure it travels back and forth to school every day.
Children will need to be fluent in their math facts, so any practice at home with flashcards or other games would be appreciated. We will send home materials for children to use in practice.
Social Studies
Massachusetts state law mandates that all students learn about the U.S. Constitution.The fourth graders will be reading about the history of the writing of this important document.They will create their own class Constitution and learn about the important people in American history who developed the Constitution.Constitution Day in Massachusetts is September 17th.
Through the year we will learn about the regions of the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico. All students will be utilizing social studies information from both the Reading Street series as well as Regions, our social studies text, which align with the state frameworks.
Please check my Facebook classroom for weekly information about learning and events taking place in the classroom.