4th Grade Handbook
Policies and Procedures
Growing Beyond
2015-2016
T.H. Rogers School
4th Grade Vanguard
 Ms. Courtney Connors—ELAR
 Ms. Claire Sparks—Science and Social Studies
 Mrs. Suparna Vashisht—Math
4th Grade Team
Ms. Courtney Connors—ELA
E-Mail: CCONNORS@houstonisd.org
Room #: 106
Ms. Claire Sparks—Science & Social Studies
E-Mail: CSPARKS@houstoinsd.org
Room #: 120
Mrs. Suparna Vashisht—Math
E-Mail: SVASHISH@houstonisd.org
Room #: 104
To call, please use the school’s phone number: (713)-917-3567
4th Grade Overview
The fourth grade curriculum is designed to reflect the creativity, eagerness, and
burgeoning independence of fourth grade students. We will engage students by asking
them to explore the physical world, to investigate their surrounds and to express
themselves through creative writing in all core subjects.
The lessons and actives are designed to foster academic independence by
encouraging skill mastery, critical thinking, and artistic expression. As we provide
opportunities for the fourth grade child’s awakening intellect, we will also support those
inner values that were so much a part of the early grades. In the fourth grade
curriculum, every efforts is made to integrate the subjects so that the fourth grade
student can easily make connections and form a solid foundation for future learning.
Procedures for Non-Instructional
Expectations of Student Behavior
Please refer to the student/parent handbook in the daily planner for school wide rules.
Students are expected to follow expectations posted in every 4th grade classroom. The
Houston Independent School District code of student conduct will also be enforced.
Presentation of Rules and Procedures
During the first week of school, all rules, positive and negative are reviewed with the
students in each class. These will be reviewed throughout the year, when needed. Rules
and procedures are posted in the classroom. Students and parents will sign a form
verifying that they have reviewed and accepted the terms and guidelines issued in the
Code of Student Conduct.
Consequences for Violating Class and School Rules/Policies
If classroom expectorations are not met, problems will be held on an individual basis.
Classroom consequences:
1st offense—warning
2nd offense—5 minutes of no recess
3rd offense—silent lunch
4th offense—behavior essay
5th offense—conference/sent to principal
Student Records/Gradespeed
All grades will be recorded online via Gradespeed for students and parents to keep track.
Please see the HISD website for directions on how to create an account. Conferences
will be held as needed at the request of the parent or teacher.
Procedures for Instructional Routines
Classwork and Home Learning Policy:
Student’s papers should be properly headed including the student’s first name and last
name, date and in cursive. Correct grammar, sentence structure and spelling are
expected. Students will be asked to redo work that is unsatisfactory or cannot be read.

2 points will be taken off for assignments that do not have correct headings

5 points will be taken off for assignments not answered in complete sentences
when asked
Due to individual differences in learning styles and work habits, time spent on home
learning each night will vary from child to child. Your child should write down all home
learning assignments in his/her planner daily. If you child checks into school for a day
(even if he/she checks in late or out early) he/she is responsible for completing that
day’s homework for all classes he/she attended prior to leaving school by the next day.
In order to receive full credit, assignments should be complete neatly, accurately and on
time. Students are also expected to set and meet Accelerated Reader point goal per nine
weeks. Your child can expect to have about 60 to 90 minutes of home learning a night.

Math—nightly

Science—about 1 night a week

Social Studies—about 1 night a week

ELA—nightly
Testing Days:
 Wednesday—Science& Social Studies

Thursday—Math

Friday—ELA
**Students will not have tests each week and district benchmarks/DLAs may fall on a
test day that does not correspond.
Projects:
Many assignments will be project based this year and completed in class. Time needed
to complete projects outside of class will not count towards the 60 to 90 minutes of
home learning.
Daily Planners
Planners are used as a communication tool from home to school. It is required that all
students bring their planners to school and home daily, as well as to each class. Ample
time will be given for students to record their daily home learning, objectives, and other
school related information. Students are expected to copy the exact working of the
home learning in legible handwriting. If a planner is forgotten, misplaced or lost,
students can write their assignment on a sheet of notebook paper. Students will be
required to replace their planner if it is missing longer than three days. If a parent
writes a note in the planner, please instruct your child to bring the note up to the teacher
at the start of class rather than at the end. Parents are required to initial the planner
every night, after all assignments have been completed.
Late Work and Absences
All home learning and classwork is due the following day, unless indicated otherwise by
the teacher. Late work will be accepted one day behind the original due date, but there
will be a deduction of 10% as a penalty. All major projects will not be accepted late.
Advance notice and ample preparation time is given to students.
We must have a parent note, e-mail or phone call explain an absence when a child
returns to school. All communications must be sent to the attendance office when the
child returns to school. Failure to do so will result in an unexcused absence. Work
following an excused absence must be made up within two school days. Students are to
check the “Absence Folder” for missing assignments.
Extra Credit
There is no extra credit in 4th grade. To earn the best possible grade, students should
complete class work, home learning and projects on time.
Projects
Projects are part of the learning process in 4th grade. All projects will include directions,
a timeline for completion, grading expectations and a scoring guide. This will allow
students to organize their time to complete the project and earn the best possible score.
Since students will be given ample time to complete their projects, late projects will
not be accepted unless there is an absence on the due date or an extenuating
circumstance. It will then be expected on the day the student returns to school.
Grades and Graded Papers
Students will receive progress reports and 9 week report cards as determined by district
guidelines. Graded papers will be sent home weekly. All grades below a 70 must be
signed and students will have a chance to make up that grade.
Grading Scale
90-100 A Excellent quality of work
80-89 B Good quality of work
75-79 C Satisfactory quality of work
70-74 C Below quality expected work
50-69 F Unsatisfactory quality of work
Assessment Procedures
All teachers use the district weighting system. Grades will be weighted based on
categories of class work (30%), home learning (10%), quizzes (20%) and test/major
projects (40%). All grades will be recorded in the grade book and on the GradeSpeed
system. Columns will be labeled with the type of assignment and the due date.
Communication with Parents
Daily communication will take place in the student’s planner and/or via email.
Thursday folders will be sent home weekly. Weekly folders, parent notes, phone calls,
conferences, and e-mails are frequent means of communication.
Conferencing
We are available individually and as a team to schedule conferences to discuss with
parents about a specific student’s needs, grades or progress. Please email or call us in
advance to set up a conference time to discuss any concerns about assignments or
progress. Keep in mind that instruction and planning time is valuable. Therefore, we
will be unavailable to conference or take phone calls during the instructional day.
Unannounced or unplanned visits are also discouraged.
Academic Honesty and Integrity
All students must always submit work that represents his or her original work, words
and ideas. If any words or ideas are used that do not represent original though from an
individual student, the student must cite a relevant source. The student should also
document the extent to which such sources were used. Words or ideas that require
citation include, but are not limited to, all hardcopies or electronic publications, whether
copyrighted or not.
Academic dishonesty could involve:

Having a friend or a tutor complete a portion of our assignments

Having a reviewer make extensive revision to an assignment

Copying work submitted by another student

Using information form online services without proper citation
Course Overviews
English Language Arts and Reading
In Fourth Grade Language Arts and Reading, students continue to develop an
appreciation of written and spoken language. As readers, fourth graders experience
more sophisticated works of literature for study and analysis in the classroom. We will
read novels as a whole class, in small groups, and independently. Students will also
review all of parts of speech and enhance vocabulary words. They will use media, and
technology for expressive, informational, argumentative, critical and literary processes.
Students will use the stages of the writing process to write clear, coherent drafts and
compositions throughout the year. The grammatical, mechanical and syntactical skills of
language are taught within the meaningful context of the writing process. Extensive in
and out of class reading, individual and group research projects, challenging class
discussions, and variety of writing experiences will be required.
Mathematics
In fourth grade Math we will use both verbal and written communication and academic
vocabulary to strengthen students’ prior knowledge. My goal is to help the students
make an effective and efficient transition in their style of work to prepare them for the
next level.
We strongly believe that students should assume responsibility for the choices they
make. Using exploration, explanation and elaboration of the curriculum, I will help the
students grow beyond fourth grade math.
Course Goals and Outcomes:

Students will be expected to grow beyond the fourth grade TEKS.

Using depth, complexity and rigor we will apply mathematical concepts to the
real world scenarios.

Students will also be expected to stretch their thinking across discipline and
make cross curricular connections.

With guidance and high expectations, organization and presentations skills will
be developed.
Initial work will be focused on developing good work ethics, presenting well organized
work and creating a strong daily routine. Home learning and daily practice is expected.
Students assume responsibility for completing all assignments in a timely manner.
All lessons will be followed by journal assignments and home-learning. Projects may be
assigned.
Weekly quizzes, speed drill, and tests will be administered. Intervention and support
will be provided as needed. Please look for communication in the daily planner. Small
group tutoring will be done on Tuesdays from 3:15-4:00pm.
Unit Topics:

Place Value and decimals through thousandths

Multiplying and dividing whole numbers

Multiplying and dividing decimals

Number and operations with fractions

Algebraic Expressions, Equations, Formulas, and Patterns

Two and three dimensional figures

Converting units of measurements

Volume

Data Analysis- categorical and numerical

Personal Financial Literacy
Science
This course will cover 4th grade TEKS, but with extensive depth and complexity needed
to provide a challenging curriculum for each child. It is divided into three specific units:
Physical Science, Earth Science and Life Science. Any student can take a textbook home
and simply memorize facts. That is not the goal of this course, instead, our goal is to aid
students to use their higher level thinking skills to analyze scientist content, question nit
and explore its relationships. To do so, students will do the following:

Labs and Scientific Method: Students will complete hands on labs in and outside
of the classroom weekly. Over the course of the year students will master and
engage in the scientific method and will design their own experiments in Unit 3:
Life Science.
Social Studies
The main focus of this course will be to provide students a complete image of Texas
history. Using state TEKS as the backbone of our course, we will dive into the content
with depth, rigor and complexity. Students will gain skills they need to be historians and
geographers. Each nine weeks, students will complete a minimum of one project based
learning assignment over a specific unit in class. Students will be guided to pick a topic
from the unit and explore it with depth and complexity. This will allow students to have
ownership of their learning, build their research skills and be an active participant in
their education. Even though this is not an ELA course, students will work rigorously in
the classroom to develop and expand upon their reading and writing skills during the
year. All students are required to have a spiral notebook that we will serve as their social
studies ISN. This will be a space for students to do writing activities, take guided notes
and organize important information from each unit. ISNs will be kept in the classrooms
and can be taken home by students to study for quizzes and tests. Students are
responsible for keeping track of their notebook at all times.
Unit Topics
Unit 1: Map Skills and Geography
Unit 2: Native Texans
Unit 3: Explorers of Texas
Unit 4: Spanish Settlements in Texas
Unit 5: New Colonies in Texas
Unit 6: The Texas Revolution
Unit 7: From Republic to Statehood
Unit 8: Texans and the Civil War
Unit 9: The Changing Frontier
Unit 10: Texans Build a State
Unit 11: Oil and Texas
Unit 12: Texas Economy and Cities
Unit 13: Government of Texas