Mrs. Thurber’s 4 th grade Class Welcome, parents!

Welcome to Fourth Grade! This is a year of many changes…

Our Daily Schedule  Math8:10-9:36  Language Arts9:36-11:06  Lunch11:06-11:36  Recess11:36-11:51  Language Arts11:51-12:41  Science12:41-1:26  Social Studies1:26-2:11  Art, Music, PE2:11-3:00

All About Me  My Family- married for 16 years, 3 daughters, two cats, and one dog  My background  I grew up all over the world.  I am Italian.  I am fluent in Italian, French and English ;-)  I attended Worcester State College in MA.  Pursuing a Masters in Curriculum & Instruction and Computer Education.  My experience  This is my four year at Lake Harbor.  I have six years of teaching.  I have taught third, fourth, and fifth!

My Goals  To give your child the academic skills s/he will need to be successful in fourth grade.  To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment.  To help your child make new friends and discover new interests.  Build confidence.  Help your child be organized!

Class Subjects  The subjects we cover in fourth grade are:  Math- EDC, POD, and grade level expectations  Language Arts (Reading, Writing, and English)  Spelling (Handwriting)  Science (many science experiments)  Social studies (projects)  Art

What it is like here in Room 1306  Math-Come in the morning, unpack- EDC/POD- start lesson- whole class- individualized instruction. Many activities that engage students. Review together.  Spelling- 5 to 10 minutes daily- game on Thursdays (handwriting)  Reading- preview, predict, read, review, discuss, write, study.  English- use the book as whole group- then individualized instruction.  Science- use book, experiments, discovery, engagement, review, study guides, Brain Pop, United Streaming, assess  Social Studies- whole group using the book, many projects  Art- many different activities done in class usually having to do with the seasons  A.R.~ There is a designated time for AR after lunch about 15 minutes. Whenever a student finishes his/her work- they can read.

Classroom Community  Our classroom is a community. In our community, we have rules to help us get along with each other.  Our Classroom Rules  1. Follow directions the first time  2. Speak with permission only  3. Be "ON TASK" and prepared  4. Always use proper and polite language  5. Respect school and personal property  6. Always keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself  7. Stay seated unless permission is given

FISH PHILOSOPHY 1. BE THERE 2. CHOOSE YOUR ATTITUDE 3. MAKE THEIR DAY 4. PLAY WITH LEARNING

Homework  I assign homework as needed depending on our lessons and what is necessary to attain mastery in that area.  Homework should not take more than 20 minutes per subject.  It is very important for your child to complete his/her homework daily.  Homework that is not complete or is missing will require student to spend recess in detention.

STI? What is that?  St. Tammany Parish has given parents a way to monitor their child’s grades. This information will be mailed to you anytime. It will have the website address, student i.d., and password.  I update STI usually by Monday of every week!

A Little Extra Tid Bit Information  School starts at 8:05 A.M. We begin immediately with our morning routine. Please make every effort to have your child at school on time as I don’t want your child to miss out on any important information.  If you are not in the classroom by the time the bell rings, please check in at the school office before coming to class to receive a tardy pass.  Very Important Paper Folder is the graded paper folder which is sent home every Monday along with the weekly overview- Mrs. Thurber’s 411. If for some reason the weekly overview could not be printed, it should always be available online. Please return the VIP folder signed by every Wednesday!

Very important!  Respect  Responsibility  100% Effort  Organization~ Use checklists. Organize homework assignments. Designate a study space. Set a designated study time. Keep organized notebooks. Conduct a weekly clean-up. Create a household schedule. Keep a master calendar. Prepare for the day ahead. Provide needed support.

Special Moments Created  Now I know that your child has come home and complained about school and all the WORK- there’s no fun in Mrs. Thurber’s class!  I am a tough teacher- work, work, and more work!  See for yourself…

Let’s Have a Great Year!