4 TH GRADE TEACHERS Melissa Harry Kris Ambrose William Lia Emily Stubbs Rebeka Veach

Agenda Homework policy Collaborative teaching Writing Reading Spelling Math and Otter Creek Science Social Studies

ASSIGNMENT NOTEBOOK Children are responsible for copying down assignments from the board in their own notebook at the end of the class/day Fourth graders are responsible for packing and bringing home the necessary materials in their backpacks The expectation is that all assigned homework is turned in on time. If a student is absent on a day when homework is assigned he/she will have two extra days to turn homework in to the teacher. All students are responsible for completing their own homework.

HOMEWORK Parents are encouraged to check their child’s homework. If the students are struggling with a concept, they are urged to make an appointment to meet with the teacher for assistance. Parents will be informed when a student has missed an assignment (Yikes sheet)

HOMEWORK POLICY Homework will be reviewed to provide students and teachers with valuable feedback, but will not be factored into the grades that a student receives on progress reports or report cards Homework policy information was sent home via Listserve and can be found on the Patterson Website. Because this is a new change that is directed from the district, please disregard the existing homework policy in your curriculum night packet Since this policy is new to us all: teachers, students, and parents, we will be flexible with consequences for homework incompletion as this is a work in progress and teachers will communicate as needed with parents regarding their child and homework.

HOMEWORK POLICY Report card grades will reflect in class assignments and assessments. Homework completion will be reflected in the effort section of each subject on the report card. Incomplete homework will be handled through the behavior management plan of the 4th grade team (cards flipped) and parents will be informed as needed by the classroom teacher.

COLLABORATIVE TEACHING Reading/Math Collaborative teaching – This approach allows the general education and support staff to work together to teach students in a shared classroom. Both teachers are responsible for instruction, planning and delivery, student achievement, assessment, and discipline. This approach provides a lower student to teacher ratio

TYPES OF COLLABORATIVE TEACHING Supported/Collaborative teaching Parallel teaching Station teaching Alternative teaching Team teaching

WRITING The writing process The areas that will be covered this year are: Biographical sketch, book review, featured articles, extended response, poetry and persuasive letters The writing curriculum includes a balance of grammar, mechanics, spelling, and the writing process We will also use the six-trait writing model and speaking and listening skills to improve their written language

SPELLING The students will be completing a spelling contract each week The students will need to complete four activities This is what a weekly spelling schedule may look like: Day One: Administer the pretest, spelling activities Day Two: Teach/Model spelling, spelling activities Day Three: Spelling activities Day Four: Studying with a partner Day Five: Posttest

READING Harcourt Trophies Language Arts Program Scientifically research-based reading program Uses the following five components: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency and text comprehension A variety of experiences used to promote reading success

READING SKILLS Determining importance Inference Connecting text to self, world, and other written texts Questioning Predicting Visualizing

READING MINUTES

READING INTERVENTIONS Power Hour 6 minute solution REWARDS Harcourt 4 th grade reading intervention kit Read Naturally Books for all learners (Harcourt series) Reading logs

MATH An elementary school mathematics curriculum developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project Everyday mathematics content emphasizes the following content strands, skills and concepts: Numeration Operations and Computation Data and Chance Geometry Measurement and reference frames Patterns, Functions and Algebra Please check out:

MATH A problem solving approach based on everyday situations that develop critical thinking Frequent practice of basic skills (math games, Otter Creek) Revisits topics regularly to ensure full concept development

ASSESSMENT TOOLS Math Checklists come home with the report cards Based on assessment and class-work Beginning, developing, and secure skills Include Otter Creek automaticity scores for the quarter

MATH CHECKLIST

OTTER CREEK Students will keep working until they have mastered all the facts. A fact is mastered when it can be answered instantly, without any pause The program allows each child to go at his or her own pace, taking as many days to master those two facts as needed Practice the facts at home Weekly math fact logs

MATH MINUTES

SCIENCE Science is a discipline that follows a sequential process while investigating the natural world. We want to foster students’ natural curiosity and help them learn to apply the scientific method and knowledge skills. We will also be covering the following areas in preparation for the ISAT. The areas that we will cover are simple machines, electricity and magnets. We address all the major concepts of each lesson through one week long mini lessons. In addition, we will be using the Scott Foresman Science textbook to support the kits that we have already are using

SCIENCE Environments – The environment unit consists of making a terrarium, the effects of water on plants (water tolerance), studying the body parts of crickets, and an owl pellet dissection.

SCIENCE Rocks and Minerals – During the rocks and minerals unit the students study the properties of rocks, the rock cycle, and the types of rocks.

SCIENCE Circulatory and Respiratory System – The circulatory and respiratory unit consists of the students finding their own heart rate and pulse. The students will be required to learn the different parts of the heart and the lungs.

SOCIAL STUDIES The students will study the different regions of the United States through the study of the six strands of social studies (history, geography, social systems, economics, political systems and decision making) The five regions of the United States are the Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Northwest and the Southwest 6 STRANDS OF SOCIAL STUDIES DECISION MAKING POLITICAL SYSTEMS SOCIAL SYSTEMS ECONOMICSGEOGRAPHYHISTORY

SOCIAL STUDIES As the students explore the different regions, they learn how each region affects the way in which people live. Students examine the physical environment of each region in relation to its history, economy, and people Students will be given an opportunity to extensively study the state of Illinois from the same perspective. States and capitals will also be taught throughout the school year We will use culminating projects at the end of each region

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