Welcome to 4th Grade
Curriculum Night
Stetson Hills
2014-2015
A+ School of Excellence
"You are free to do anything that will contribute to your learning or the learning of
others."
Student Expectations:
*Treat all people with kindness and respect
*Respect all property
*Come to class on time prepared to learn
*Listen and follow directions
*Work in a way that doesn't distract others from learning
*Always try your hardest to do your best
It is my goal to encourage your child in a positive, supportive,
nurturing environment.
Consequences:
Occasionally students have difficulty adhering to classroom
expectations. We will give students cues and reminders to get back
on task. If the child continues with the behavior the following
may occur:
*move student to another place in classroom
*move student to another classroom
*call parent / e-mail parent
* note in discipline log / student planner
Severe cases may be referred to the office.
Character Counts
 Trustworthiness
 Respect
 Responsibility
 Fairness
 Caring
 Citizenship
Our Daily Schedule
8:45-10:15
10:15-11:00
11:00-12:15
12:15-12:55
12:55-2:10
2:10-3:30
Core 1
Specials
Core 2
Lunch
Core 3
Core 4
Special Areas
 Art
 PE
 Band/Music
 Technology
Curriculum
 The fourth grade team uses materials that Deer
Valley Unified Schools has adopted that support
the Arizona State Standards and CCR Standards
(College and Career Readiness).
 Reading
 Mathematics
 Social Studies/Arizona History
 Science
 Writing
 Words Their Way
Curriculum cont.
 “I Can” statements will be written by the students
in their planners at the start of each core class.
Parent Communication
 Student Planner (notes)
 Email
 Remind 101 app (text messages)
Homework Expectations
 Homework will be written by the students in their
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planners.
Math and reading homework can be expected Monday
– Thursday.
Homework is given to practice particular skills.
Homework may also include studying for a test.
Homework will also include work not completed in
class, including any work missed when absent.
Homework Policy
 Homework will be checked for completion during RTI
(homeroom).
 Students will turn in homework when arriving at the
appropriate core class.
 If students do not complete homework, he or she will
sit out at recess.
 An after school detention will be issued if a student
has 5 late/missing homework assignments.
Writing
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Students will use the writing process to publish a variety of genre-related pieces.
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Expressive
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Expository
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Advertisements, paragraphs
Literary Response
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Directions, recipes, letters, thank-you notes, invitations
Persuasive
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Nonfiction writing that describes
Functional
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Personal narratives, stories, poetry
Journal entry, book review
Research
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Informational report
Reading
 CCR Standards (College and Career Readiness)
 All Deer Valley schools use the Pearson
reading program (district adopted curriculum)
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http://www.pearsonrealize.com
 Homework practices vocabulary, skills,
strategies, comprehension, and Close Reading
 Tests given after completing a story (6-8
school days per story)
Scholastic Book Orders
 Your child will have an opportunity to order
books and software at a reduced rate through
Scholastic Book Company.
 Monthly selections.
 Easy on-line ordering available or order through
your child’s teacher.
 http://www.scholastic.com/bookclubs
Mathematics
• CCR Standards (College and Career
Readiness)
• All Deer Valley schools use Engage NY
program (district adopted curriculum)
• https://www.engageny.org/resource/gra
de-4-mathematics-module-1
• Homework practices skills/concepts
taught daily
• Additional practice is optional. Problem
Set and Exit Ticket
• Quizzes are standard specific
• Tests given at the end of the module.
Some lengthy modules will include an
mid-module test as well.
Science
*Standards supported with FOSS curriculum.
*Inquiry process embedded in each theme:
*Landforms
*Environments
*Electricity/magnetism
*Water/weather
*Other standards supported with supplemental
materials.
Social Studies/Arizona History
 Harcourt Social Studies/ Arizona
textbook.
 Focus on geography, history and
government - from early
civilizations to present.
Standards-Based Practices
 Deer Valley Unified School District supports the
use of standards-based practices.
 What are standards-based practices?
 The purpose of Standards-Based Practices (SBP) are
to measure a student’s performance and product
against defined grade level expectations. In using
SBP, grades reflect what a student knows and can
do, as outlined in the Arizona State Standards.
Teachers in Grades K–8 will base report card grades
on academic achievement only.
Stetson Hills’ Areas of Focus
Regarding Grading Practices
 Avoid Recording Zeros
 Zeros skew the grade to a point where accuracy is
distorted. Avoiding zeros helps students take
responsibility for their learning and be held
accountable for missing work.
 Avoid Non-Academic Factors
 Grades communicate student achievement in
relationship learning standards; students' grades
will not be reduced or inflated due to student
behaviors outside of the standards.
What do grades mean?
 Grades are a way to communicate with students and
parents how a student is doing in relation to the
Arizona state academic standards/Common Core
 A+ through A / Primary grade of E (Excellent)
 Student is showing a high level of mastery, exceeding the standards.
 B+ through C / Primary grade of S (Satisfactory)
 Student is showing a good level of mastery, approaching to meeting
mastery, in the state standards.
 C- through F / Primary grades of N (Needs
Improvement) & U (Unsatisfactory)
 Student is falling far below or approaching mastery of standards.
 Continued missing or late assignments may result in a
parent/teacher/student conference to develop a plan for success in
meeting the standards
Grading Policy
 Missing assessments will be recorded as 49% and
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changed after work is complete.
Nothing less than a 50% will be recorded, unless
missing.
Teachers will manage retakes.
Students will only be allowed one retake if the
grade is 69% or lower. 70% and higher is passing.
Retakes will reflect the mastery score in
Powerschools.
If the student does not have a passing score after
a retake, the higher of the two scores will be
entered.
Powerschools
*On-line grade book for parents to access.
*Need a username and password to log-in.
*Your child’s code is the same as last year.
*If you have misplaced your information, you
can stop by the front office to get another
copy. (You will need to show identification)
*Every attempt will be made to update grades
weekly.
Grade Level Website
 http://dvusd.org/sh-4thgrade
Remains the Same
 1-2 Letter grades
(E,S,N,U)
 3-6 Letter grades
(A,B,C,D,F)
 Averaging grades
 Comment sections
Changes
•
•
•
Format
Content standards
listed
Performance level
indicated
Grades 1-6 Report Card Revisions
• Parents
can now select
the “Standards
Grades” tab and will be
able to see a
performance level for
each standard
• Parents
can see the
performance level of
their student for each
of the identified
standards
• Letter
grade reporting
remains housed under
the “Grades and
Attendance” tab
Parent View in PowerSchool
Description of Performance
levels
Performance Levels
The Performance Levels indicated by 1-4 are not
based on a percentage. It is a performance
indicator based on the student’s performance
toward meeting grade level standards
4 = Demonstrates above grade level
proficiency independently
The student consistently demonstrates above grade level
proficiency independently* for this reporting period
3 = Demonstrates grade level proficiency
independently
The student consistently demonstrates proficiency for the
grade level concepts and skills independently* for this
reporting period
2 = Demonstrates grade level proficiency
with support
The student usually demonstrates the skill or understands
the concepts and meets grade level expectations with
support for this reporting period
•4
= Demonstrates above grade level proficiency
independently
•3
= Demonstrates grade level proficiency
independently
•2
= Demonstrates grade level proficiency with
support
•1
= Demonstrates below grade level proficiency
with support
1 = Demonstrates below grade level
proficiency with support
The student performs below grade level with support and is
not meeting expectations for this reporting period
*Independently: The ability to demonstrate proficiency of standards without assistance after being taught a concept or skill
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