Welcome to 4 th Grade Curriculum Night Jenny Aylor Shannon Crawford Rebecca Franklin KatieMoore Barbara Stegman

Kentucky Core Academic Standards Common Core Standards Boone County is aligned with the new KCAS/college preparedness standards. These standards are designed to prepare students to achieve at least a 24 on the ACT college entrance exam.

Kentucky Core Academic Standards O For more information about the standards your child is learning this year, please check out the following link: O

Intervention, Extension, Differentiation O Intervention and extension is embedded into the day this year. Each class will assign time for differentiating instruction in small groups for students who are on grade level, and extending the curriculum for those who are above grade level. O Students will be placed in flexible skills groups to better meet their diverse needs. These groups will change throughout the year.

RTI-Response to Intervention Response to Intervention (RtI) is a systematic approach of early intervention to meet the needs of students as soon as they experience difficulty. Each student is now benchmarked for RTI in Reading and Math three times a year, in the fall, winter, and spring. Sample Interventions: Tier 1: Core reading program differentiation strategies & small group Tier 2: Tier one interventions, as well as, one-on-one conferences with faculty and COMPASS, Dreambox, MobyMax, and Everyday Math Online Tier 3: Tier 2 interventions, as well as, reading program such as Do the Math, Reading Mastery (including Fast Cycle), Orton-Gillingham, or Voyager

English Language Arts ELA O Our ELA consists of a balanced literacy studio which includes: O Guided Reading O Self Selected Reading O Word Work O Writing

Guided Reading O This time will be used to focus on five components of Reading, through the mastery of the KCAS (standards) 1. Phonics 2. Phonemic Awareness 3. Comprehension 4. Vocabulary 5. Fluency O We will be spending part of this time in literacy stations, which will include repeated practice of skills already taught

Self Selected Reading O Students will be reading independently on a daily basis, at their instructional level. This means that they will read a book that is just right for their individual reading abilities. O During this time, the teacher will conference individually with students about their reading to check for understanding and fluency. These conferences will happen on an individual basis, and will include each student about once a week. O This allows us to make more individual decisions for your child’s education.

Word Work O Part of our literacy program includes word work. This is when students learn and practice their use of our everyday language and words. O Word work includes: O Phonics O Vocabulary O Grammar O Spelling

Writing O This year, as a part of our balanced literacy program, we will be using the 6+1 Traits of Writing Framework. This includes: 1. Ideas 2. Organization 3. Voice 4. Word Choice 5. Sentence Fluency 6. Conventions +1 Presentation Students will write for authentic purposes, and learn to apply the writing traits to their own writing throughout the year. Writing Text Types: Informative/Explanatory Argumentative/opinion Narrative

Arts and Humanities O Art O Music O Physical Education (must have gym shoes) O Drama O Library (must have library books)

Social Studies Kentucky Based Program KY Government KY Regions/Geography KY Economics KY Culture and Society KY State Explorers Historical Perspective

Math Flipped Classroom (Hands-on, Spiraling, Study Links, Games) * Number Properties and Operations * Measurement * Geometry * Algebraic Thinking * Data Analysis and Probability

Math Basic Facts and Nightly Practice Addition and Subtraction Facts should already be mastered. Multiplication Facts should be mastered by Winter Break. Division Facts should be mastered by the end of the school year. Please work with your child daily on his/her facts

S A T O Structured Activity Time O (used to be called recess) O We will go outside to the playground everyday that the weather is permitting O We will go outside when the weather is dry, and the temperature is above 35 degrees…so when the temperature drops----PLEASE send your child with the proper outdoor attire this includes a coat during the winter time!! O Students will go out in the attire they wear to school

Science STEM O Our curriculum is very inquiry based which allows students to participate in real-world explorations and experiments pertaining to the following scientific concepts: Physical Science -Matter, Force/Motion, Energy, Magnetism, Electricity Earth Science -Solar System, Rocks, Minerals, Soils, Weather, Erosion and Weathering Life Science -Ecosystems, Life Cycles, Food Webs, Interdependence As a part of our curriculum, students will be responsible for completing take home projects with each unit.

4-H Program O We have a representative from Boone Cooperative Extension Office coming into each classroom, once a month to do a Science review activity with our students. O Our teacher’s name is Barb McCarthy. O In addition to the science review, students will also learn about parliamentary procedures as well as 4H activities and membership. This membership is free of charge, but not required. Information will be sent home after our first 4H club meeting.

Field Trips O Background Checks All parents/relatives going on trips or volunteering at school must have an updated background check completed. Definite Trips - Sanitation District (October 23 rd ) - NKU STEM field trip (November 8 th ) - Art Museum (Fall) -Camp Ernst (Spring) You will be notified in advance about any other trips.

 “Bee” Safe  “Bee” Respectful  “Bee” Responsible “Bee” All That You Can Be!

 After School  Arrival  Assemblies  Bus  Cafeteria  Dismissal  Hallway  Recess  Restroom

 Earn bees to place on hive for good behavior in common areas.  Bus, cafeteria, hallways, recess, restrooms, after school activities, assemblies, arrival, and dismissal  100 bees earns a big bee for class and school hive and will receive leveled rewards and first dismissal

 The last two years we earned a banner from the state for our implementation with fidelity! Way to go Stingers!!  We have implemented a school wide positive behavior system that is used in every classroom. This is a clip system that allows positive behaviors to be immediately recognized.  Students should have the color they end on written in their agendas every day.

Here’s how it works:  Every student begins on Ready to Learn (green). When positive behaviors are recognized, the student clips up. If a student displays negative behaviors, he/she clips down.  This chart is fluid throughout the day, so they always have opportunities to clip back up.  Every classroom is using this, and every teacher will communicate to you in some way, which color your child ended on for the day, and an explanation of clip downs.

You are an integral part of this positive approach!

Parent Teacher Conferences Thursday, October 17 th Thursday, October 24 th Information about the format of these conferences will be sent home soon.

Midterms and Report Cards Midterms Dates: 1 st Quarter-September 23 rd 3 rd Quarter-February 14 th 2 nd Quarter-November 25 th 4 th Quarter-April 28 th Report Cards Dates: 1 st Quarter-P/T conference3 rd Quarter-March 17 th 2 nd Quarter-January 10 th 4th Quarter-May 22 nd NOTE: All dates are subject to change due to days off school and snow.

Classroom Celebrations Fall Celebration (end of October) Winter Celebration (mid-December) Friendship Celebration (February) To celebrate your child’s birthday you may send a peanut/nut- free treat for your child to share with his or her class. However, no birthday invitations may be handed out at school per school policy. Also, make sure the snack is store bought. Questions on this policy should be directed to a school administrator. Teachers will be seeking room parents to coordinate and organize celebrations. Please let them know ASAP!

Grades O Fourth grade is the first year for letter grades!! Your child will receive percentages on graded work, which will include a letter grade. These letter grades follow this scale: O A—94-100% O B—87-93% O C—78-86% O D—70-77% O F—69% and below

Grading Our curriculum is driven completely by the KCAS (standards) and our goal each year, is for our students to meet those standards to mastery. With this, we will have a lot of formative assessments throughout the year, which are effective checks throughout the learning process to check the progress toward mastery. We will still have assessments for end of units and to check mastery by the time it is expected (ie-tests). However, with the long term goals we have set, there will be a lot of activities and assignments that are not graded for mastery, but for progress. We will be keeping and posting grades online weekly, but not everything your child does will be graded for the grade book and report card.

Weighted Grades O Tests and Projects are worth 50 percent of your child’s grade O Classwork is worth 40 percent of your child’s grade O Homework is worth 10 percent of your child’s grade

Infinite Campus Parent Portal

Stephens’ Website You can find more information by visiting the Stephens Elementary School website!

Stephens’ Website O Each teacher has their own webpage on the site! O There will no longer be paper copies of newsletters. All newsletters will be posted on the webpage. If you are unable to access the internet, please let the teacher know so accommodations can be made.