Welcome to Back To School Night
4th Grade
2015 – 2016
Mrs. Purdham
Ms. Hetchkop
Please feel free to sign up for a conference in
the hallway outside of your child’s teacher’s
door. Be sure to make yourself a reminder of
the date and time
General Schedule
9:15
Arrival/ Un-pack/ Morning Work
9:40 – 11:00
Math
11:00 – 11:15
Snack
11:15 – 12:15
Specials (Art, Music, P.E., Media, Counseling)
12:15 – 12:50
Whole Group Reading
12:50 – 1:55
Recess/Lunch
1:55 – 3:00
Small Group Reading and Writing
3:00 – 3:35
Science/Social Studies
3:35 – 3:50
Silent Reading/T.A.T./Dismissal
Communication
• Teachers can be reached through email, notes and phone calls
• Please check your child’s home folder, math folder, and sign the assignment
book nightly
• Emails are checked in the a.m. and p.m.; please do not email midday about
your child’s transportation or immediate matters, but instead call the office
• Other important information can be found on the 4th grade website and
through weekly update emails
Organization
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Place for everything and everything in its place
Assignment Book – sign each night, look for reminders and notes
Desks and cubbies are checked on a regular basis
Each subject has its own colored folder
Please help by checking the home folder - clean out papers regularly
Absent folders
Classroom Management
We expect all Stone Mill students to follow the rules and expectations that have been set for them.
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Ground Rules
Warnings are always given
Check assignment book and/or email for comments about behavior
Letters are written by students to parents and others involved
Bullying Prevention Program
Chance Store – Positive reinforcement program consistently used by all 4th grade teachers.
• Works like money – teaches saving, planning, decision making and prioritizing
• Students earn chances for bringing back notices the next day, work study skills and
following directions.
“Marble Jar” – the class works together as a community to earn “class parties”
Odds and Ends
Birthdays
• Announced on PA, recognized in classroom, store bought treats may be
shared in the lunchroom
• Summer birthdays are celebrated on a child’s half birthday
Volunteers
• Room Parents are needed to plan class parties for Halloween and Valentine’s
Day
• Volunteers are only needed at the beginning of the year for science prep but
may be called upon sporadically for other tasks
Odds and Ends
Instrumental Music
• Students are responsible for missed work because instruction continues
• Instrumental music occurs throughout the day on Thursdays
Chorus
• Tuesdays 2:45 – 3:20
• Due to high enrollment, no new lessons are taught during this time
Memory Books
• Chronological record of student work and photographs from the year, creative
outlet, also displays final copies of your child’s work
Math
• Classes are heterogeneously grouped
• To determine math levels the following criteria was used:
- MAP-M scores from previous year
- quarterly and final math levels and grades from previous year
- pre-assessments given in June of 3rd grade
- principal and teacher input
- performance on units from previous year
• Compacted Math Class – students were placed in this class according to
criteria mandated by MCPS
Math
• Please be sure that your child is completing math homework nightly and
that they bring home their yellow math folder every day
• Basic math facts should be practiced as often as possible
- IXL.com is a great resource for practicing facts and other math concepts
• For further questions please contact your child’s math teacher
• Please email your child’s math teacher to be added to the math
distribution list
Reading
• Developing skills and teaching students to apply them to all
content areas
• Higher Order Thinking Questions
• Critical Thinking, Analyzing and Synthesizing
• Reading to Learn vs Learning to Read
• Emphasis on non-fiction texts
• Materials used to teach reading include: novels, expository text,
read alouds, Junior Great Books, William and Mary
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Reading
Historical Fiction
Realistic Fiction
Informational
Poetry and Plays
Greek Myths
Fantasy
Biographies/Autobiographies
Reading
• Grouping is flexible within the classroom and changes
throughout the year based on need
• 4th grade goal is to read 24 books independently
• Students will complete a Reading Record to respond to the
literature they have chosen
- the Reading Record is due at the end of every
marking period
- please be sure to sign next to each book title to
indicate that your child has read the text
- Five Finger Rule
Word Study
• Pre-assessment given to determine current spelling stage
• 10 – 15 words are given each week from your child’s spelling
stage
• Personal words can also be chosen from student work and content
related vocabulary
• Spelling packets may be completed at student’s convenience over
a two week period
Writing
Every marking period contains one of each of the following writing assignments
centered around a topic:
• Narratives
• Opinion
• Informative
Student rough drafts will be graded for content, process and production (research), and use of language
(grammar, conventions, and other skills taught during the quarter)
Science
Students will participate in experiments and put the
scientific process into action!
Life Science
Chemistry
Earth Science
Engineering
Social Studies
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Baldrige Classroom Environment
Geographical Settlement Patterns in MD and USA
Native Americans and their Regions
Map Study
Colonization
Field Trips
• Coincide with Curriculum 2.0 in the subject areas of reading,
science, and social studies
• Parents will be chosen at random to participate from those that
volunteer
Grading and Reporting
• Rubrics are used so that students know what is expected
• Informal Assessments are given throughout instruction
• Informal and formal grading will be used in the form of N, I, P, ES
• Grades also come from class observations and discussions
• Learning Skills – Work Habits and TASS (Thinking and Academic
Success Skills)
• Check marks are given for assignments that are checked for completion
We look forward to an amazing year and are
appreciative of all the support you give us!
Please proceed to your child’s classroom
to write your child a letter and sign-up for
conferences.