Welcome
to
Back to School Night
2011-2012
4th Grade
Mrs. Gorges
Dear Fourth Grade
Parents,
• We welcome you and your child to the fourth grade at
Countryside School. This presentation will provide an
overview of the upcoming year and answer questions you
may have. Although it is just one grade higher, fourth grade
is a giant step from third grade in terms of curriculum,
academic requirements, and expectations. As the fourth
grade curriculum is broad, there is more content for
teachers to present and for students to learn.
• In order to maximize the potential of every fourth grade
student, we feel that there are specific goals all of us can
work to achieve.
Teacher Goals
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Establish an atmosphere of trust
Focus on developing self-esteem in each child
Focus on the positive
Develop lesson plans that creatively facilitate
district curriculum, emphasizing critical thinking
whenever possible
Encourage a sense of student responsibility and
pride in his/her work
Be a positive role model
Student Goals
1. Believe in oneself
2. Be committed and determined to learn
3. Be responsible for your work and
behavior
4. Take pride in the quality of your work
5. Be positive to other students and adults
6. Become actively involved in helping
Countryside run as a true community
Wildcat Rules
• BE RESPONSIBLE
• Be READY to LEARN
• BE RESPECTFUL
• BE SAFE
PBIS
• Positive Behavior Intervention System
• By following school and classroom rules and going
above and beyond what is expected, students can
earn PAWS.
• PAWS can be given by any member of the school
staff.
• Each month students can cash in their PAWS to
participate in a PAWS celebration “booster”.
• Students can use their PAWS in the classroom to
cash in for different rewards.
4th Grade Testing
• Reading Levels (Fountas and Pinnell
Benchmark Reading Assessment)
• CogAts (Fall-end of September)
• MAPS (math and reading- Fall,
Winter, and Spring)
• ISATs (Spring)
RtI
Response to Intervention
• Students who do not meet grade level benchmarks
in reading or math for fall, winter, and spring will
be receiving additional support through means of
reading/math interventions.
• Parents will be notified.
• Interventions will be given by our classroom
assistants, classroom teachers, speech
pathologists, reading resource, diagnostician,
extended resource teacher, etc.
• Interventions will take place during your child’s
science and social studies block.
Progress Monitoring
• Students receiving interventions will
be progress monitored weekly if not
bi-weekly to ensure they are making
progress and that the intervention is
working.
Individual Goal Setting
• The goal setting process will take place 3 times
per year in both reading and math.
• Goals will be based on reading and math MAP
scores & reading benchmark assessmentsfocusing on areas of weakness or below grade
level.
• Each student will participate in the goal setting
process and as a team (teacher, parents and
student) we will work together to help the
student achieve his or her goals.
•
Organization
• Homework and Note trays
• Subject Trays for completed work
• Labeled Folders: Friday Folder, Daily Take-Home
Folder; Unfinished Work Folder; Portfolio
• Reading and Writing Binder
• Box for misc. supplies
• Predictable Routine
• Schedules and routines are posted around the
room and located in student folders
• Assignment notebooks will be filled out daily
Homework
• All homework is due the following day unless
specified.
• 40-60 minutes per night including self-selected
reading and studying math facts.
– Reading minutes will need to be signed weekly
– Math facts will need to be signed nightly
• Late/No homework tickets issued for late or
missing homework.
• All homework assignments will be recorded in
daily assignment notebook.
How can I help my child with
homework/school organization?
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Encourage and support Independence
Routine, routine, routine
Provide minimal assistance with homework
Encourage your child to reread assignments or directions
before beginning homework
Have your child read directions aloud
Encourage your child to ask specific questions
Use textbooks and given resources when needed
Use notes when provided
Encourage your child to ask teacher for help
Encourage your child to check over their work when
completed
Communication
• Daily Take-Home Folders (notes and daily
homework assignments)
• Friday Folders (parent signature neededgraded work and notes)
• Email/Phone
• Weekly Newsletter (Fridays)
• Assignment notebooks (teacher and parent
initial each night)
• Teacher webpage (updated daily or weekly)
Reading
• Our core reading program- Making
Meaning
• Delivered in a “Reader’s Workshop”
model- 120 minutes per day
• Genre Studies:
– Poetry; Mythology; Fables and Tall
Tales; Mysteries
Reader’s Workshop
Model
• Focus Lesson (Making Meaning): Whole Group-strategies and
skills are explicitly taught and are in a systematic order
– Interactive Read Aloud; Teacher modeling; Shared Reading;
Turn and Talk; Think, Pair, Share with your partner
• Small Group Instruction: focusing on a particular skill or
strategy; groups are flexible
• Independent Daily Reading and Daily 3 reading activities:
students are completing reading activities or reading selfselected books at their independent reading level (“just right
books”) while practicing skill or strategy
• Individualized Reading Conferences: one-on-one (reading
strategy or skill check-in; goal setting)
• Celebration: students will share a what they learned, what they
practiced, or about what they read.
• Word study/spelling: Vocabulary (Making Meaning and Word
Wisdom); Word Sorts
Ideas to support Reading
at Home
• Model a love for reading and share your thinking
as you read
• Compliment your child on his or her reading
• Have conversations about the books and various
texts your child is reading
• Books on CD
• Read together as a family
• Read to younger siblings
• Read aloud to your children
•
Have your child read aloud to you
•
Ask questions
Spelling
• We believe in creating everyday spellers not
“Friday” spellers.
• Lists will be individualized based on a spelling
assessment.
• Lists will include but not limited to grade level
words, words specific to each student’s
individual spelling stage, content-area
vocabulary words, grade level high frequency
words, student chosen words, vocabulary
•
words, and words from your child’s
writing.
Writing
• Our core writing program- Being a
Writer
• Focusing on the 6 + 1 Traits of
Writing- Organization, Voice,
Sentence Fluency, Conventions, Word
Choice, & Ideas + 1-Presentation
• Delivered in a “Writer’s Workshop”
model- 60 minutes per day
Writer’s Workshop
Model
• Focus Lesson (Making Meaning): Whole Groupstrategies and skills are explicitly taught and are
in a systematic order
– Teacher modeling; Shared Writing; Turn and
Talk; Think, Pair, Share with your partner
• Small Group Instruction: focusing on one of the 6
traits of writing
• Independent Daily Writing: Pre-Writing, Draft,
Revise, Edit, and Publish)
• Individualized Writing Conferences: one-on-one
(quick check-in; goal setting)
•
Celebration: students share aloud a piece
of their writing; something they learned
Ideas to support Writing at
Home
• Model a love for writing
• Compliment your child’s work
• Encourage your child to journal or write
stories
• Provide support or assistance only when
needed or asked
• Show interest in your child’s writings and
provide positive feedback
• Celebrate good writing 
Math
• Emphasis will be on developing students’ ability to use
math problem solving processes and on developing
students’ math facts, skills, and concepts.
• We will be covering place value (thru trillions),
rounding/estimation, number sense, multiplication (2
digit by 1 digit and 2 digit by 2 digit), division (long
division), fractions (adding, subtracting,
reduce/simplify, unlike/like denominators),
measurement, hands-on algebra, decimals, geometry,
patterns, and problem solving.
Math Facts!!!!
• Please make sure your child is
working towards mastering their
MULTIPLICATION and DIVISION
facts!
Science
• Scientific Method/Science Process Skills
• Prairie
• Science Kits:
– Land and Water (Fall)
– Electricity and Magnetism (Winter)
– Ecosystems (Spring)
• Review of: Space, Rocks and Minerals
• National Geographic For Kids
Social Studies
• Geography/Regions (Map Skills and
Globes)
• Early Americans thru the
Revolutionary War
• Current events
Computers
• Ultrakey-keyboarding
• Additional computer times will vary
depending on activities and projects
• Compass Odyssey (MAP goals)
– students can access Compass Learning
at home.
• Compass Club
•
Classroom Blog
Grading
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A = 90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = 50-59%
• On some assignments students may receive an assignment
grade as well as a spelling grade.
• Quarter averages are composed of test, quiz, homework,
and participation grades. All tests and quiz grades are final.
ISAT
• ISAT testing will take place during the month
February.
• Students will be tested on the following:
– Reading
– Math
– Science
• Parent power point presentation
available on my webpage.
T.E.A.M.
Together Everyone Achieves
More
Thank you so much for
coming!!!
Please sign up for classroom parties
and fall conferences!