WELCOME TO FOURTH
GRADE
A PREVIEW OF WHAT TO EXPECT WHEN YOU
B E G I N 4 TH G R A D E T H I S A U G U S T .
CURSIVE HANDWRITING
• In fourth grade, we gradually work our way to
write everything in cursive except for in
mathematics and on maps.
• We will spend time throughout first semester
working on improving our cursive writing.
HISTORY
• History in fourth grade is filled with a
lot of fun learning about different
cultures and periods of time in history
from ancient civilizations to the American
Revolution.
• Fourth Grade does study ancient Islam. Throughout
this unit we study the important contributions of the
Islamic culture to Western civilization. It
encompasses and details the areas of science,
mathematics, art, architecture, and significant
individuals affecting the culture.
COLORADO HISTORY
• Another important part of history in fourth grade is
learning about the economy, geography, and
government of the state of Colorado!
SCIENCE
• Fourth grade science
involves learning about
chemistry including an
intro to the scientific
method, the heart and
lungs, geology,
weather, and
electricity.
• Fourth grade also
participates in the
science fair.
MATHEMATICS
• At the beginning of the school year, each student will
be given a Saxon placement test to help the teachers
determine each student’s math abilities.
• Some students may be working in the Intermediate 4
book, the Intermediate 5 book, or may move in to the
Course 1 book.
• We encourage all students to
know their math facts before
entering fourth grade.
FOURTH GRADE NOVELS
• We read the following novels throughout the year and
with each do in class projects and tests which are
part of your child’s reading grade.
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Robinson Crusoe
Treasure Island
Pollyanna
King Arthur
Robin Hood
Legend of Sleepy Hollow
Rip Van Winkle
Gulliver’s Travels
ADVANCED READING CHALLENGE
(ARC)
Summer Reading
• You will be required to read two books
over the summer.
• One book is your choice off of the ARC
list.
• The other book, Tale of Despereaux, is
the one chosen by the fourth grade
teachers.
• You will need to complete an ARC
project on Tale of Despereaux which is
due the first week of school.
• A test will be given on the Tale of
Despereaux during the second week of
school.
School Year Reading
• All students are required to submit one
ARC book and project per month.
• Can you still read more than the one
required book per month?
• Absolutely! In fact, we encourage you
to strive for that goal of 25 books for
the school year.
UNIT TESTS
• Tests will be given at the end of all history and
science units.
• Study guides will be handed out at least 1 week in
advance and will be located on our website at
fourthgradechronicles.weebly.com
• Throughout each unit we will build out what we call
our interactive foldable notebook. Each student
should use this in conjunction with the
study guide to study for the tests.
IMPORTANT TESTS IN FOURTH GRADE
• Stanford Achievement Test (SAT 10)- taken in August
and in May
• Galileo- This is a computer-based test focusing on
language arts, science, and mathematics. It is taken in the
fall, winter, and spring.
• Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College
and Careers (PARCC)- taken in March
• We also have the Colorado Measure of Academic Success
(CMAS) Which is an additional test for fourth grade
covering geography and will be
given in
the spring.
INFINITE CAMPUS (IC)/
PARENT PORTAL
• It is important to log on to Infinite Campus each
week to check on your grades and to see if you have
any missing or late work.
• Please contact the front office for a log-on
identification code.
FOURTH GRADE LATE WORK POLICY
• If you have late work in fourth grade, it will have 10%
deduction per day late up to 50%.
• After 5 days if the assignment still has not been
turned in, a zero will be entered into Infinite
Campus.
PROJECTS IN FOURTH GRADE
• The following are projects assigned throughout the year
and will need to be completed as part of homework. We do
give about 6 weeks for each project.
• Middle Ages – research and do a project on a medieval
figure.
• American Revolution – research on a hero from the
American Revolution time period. Students will dress up as
their researched character and be in a “wax museum”.
• Science - science fair projects are
completed at home as individual projects.
HOMEWORK
• Homework is slated for 15 minutes per night per
grade level. So fourth grade should have about 1 hour
15 minutes of homework nightly. This does not include
the required 20 minutes for reading.
• Homework will include: Math, Spelling, history
projects, science projects, ARC projects, and all
other homework not completed in class e.g. working on
memorization of poems, Wordly Wise, grammar,
reading and answering questions related to in class
novels.
FIELD TRIPS
• We like to take the opportunity to learn outside of
the classroom.
• Three important field trips we take during the school
year are to Camp Shady Brook, Glen Eyrie, and the
Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
• We also have in house “field trips” such as: dissection
of sheep hearts, Medieval Day, a weather person, and
a business entrepreneur (any
volunteers?) from Junior
Achievement to teach
the
students about economics.
COMMUNICATION
• We will send out emails as necessary so please make
sure your child’s teacher has your email address.
• We will do the majority of communicating through our
website found at fourthgradechronicles.weebly.com.
• Please check our website frequently as this is where
we put weekly spelling words, study guides, other
subject requirements, and class information such as
discipline plans, etc…
QUESTIONS
WE HOPE YOU ENJOY YOUR
FOURTH GRADE EXPERIENCE!