1. Welcome to Fourth Grade!
Thank you for coming to Back to School Night!

2. Expectations
Responsibility
Organization

3. Homework Policy
District Policy – Fourth graders should be spending minutes on homework 3-5 days a week and 20 minutes a night reading.
Purpose – review, reinforce, and extend classroom learning.
Missing Homework Forms
(blue sheets)
Ticket reward program
Parent involvement

4. Behavioral Expectations/Class Rules
Respect everyone!
Keep your hands and feet to yourself.
Raise your hand to speak.
Do your personal best

5. Rewards and Consequences
Whole Class – Behavior Bingo
Individual Reward – Bonus Tickets
Positive recognition
Consequences
Clip Chart
“Think About It” form (parents sign)
Call Home
See Mr. Mollica or Mrs. Scully

6. Language Arts - Reading
Literature based program
Reading of novels and trade books – students are assessed on comprehension through oral and written measures.
Reading Anthology used to teach skills.
Independent Reading, shared reading (whole class), and buddy reading.
Guided reading and Literature Circles

7. Language Arts – Reading continued
Fourth grade literature themes
Flexibility and Adjustment to Change
Convictions
Tolerance
Fantasy/Creativity

8. Language Arts Reading continued
Reading Log – 100 minutes a week
Book Talks – 1 per marking period
Kelly Winkler is the Instructional Support teacher who works with our class 4 days a week.

9. Writer’s Workshop Process Writing Approach Forms of Writing Prewriting
First draft
Revising
Editing
Peer and teacher conferences
Publishing
Forms of Writing
Narrative
Poetry
Persuasion
Problem solving
Expository/informational (research reports)
Workplace readiness (business letters)

10. Writer’s Workshop - continued
Handwriting
Cursive instruction is incorporated throughout the curriculum as review of letter shape and formation.
Students may choose to write in print or cursive on assessments where knowledge of content is the main objective.
Spelling
Word Study – Words Their Way
Mixed in with spelling practice is other word skills such as synonyms/antonyms, etc.
When we don’t have spelling homework, we usually have vocabulary or other reading practice or writing work.

11. Mathematics Everyday Mathematics Hands on math Use of manipulatives
Abstract reasoning and real-world problem-solving
Spiral curriculum
Work towards mastery of basic facts (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division)
Read and write mathematics – students explain how they solved a problem both orally and in writing
Study Links – Monday-Thursday (in Study Links workbook.) Optional challenge activities are included in the packet.
Math Boxes – Classwork, but if not finished need to be finished at home.
Answer packet
Diana Koeckert is the Instructional Support teacher who works in our room 4 days a week.

12. Social Studies New Program this year
Textbook - “New Jersey” by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publisher
Students will learn about New Jersey today; geographically, economically, politically and culturally.
They will study New Jersey’s history; including its path to statehood, its role in the New Jersey Revolution and other important events in American history. As they study New Jersey during the Revolutionary War, they will expand their study of New Jersey to a broader study of Colonial America.

13. Science Units – Science Kits
Motion and Design
Earth Materials
Magnetism and Electricity
Incorporates discovery learning (using the scientific method)
Encourages cooperation during experiments
I-Search Project – Exploration of an Ocean Topic

14. Enrichment Challenge Center Challenges in packets
Monthly challenge packets
I-Search project

15. Grading
Test will be announced ahead of time and study guides will be provided.
Quizzes may be unannounced.
Classwork and very occasional homework may be graded.

16. Lunch Money Nutrikids – online account
School prefers you to open an account instead of sending in cash – students won’t have to wait so long
Directions:
Go to Cedar Hill web site
Go to Parents on the side bar
Go to Lunch Information
Go to Cafeteria Point of Sale Information
At that point there is detailed information on how to open and refill and account.

17. Home/School Connection
Teacher and parent partnerships are very important to me and to the success of your child. Please let me know of any concerns or questions you may have.
Weekly Folder – an important link between home and school.
Ways to contact me:
Notes to school
(best way!) (I check several times a day)
Voic – Mrs. Sedorak -extension 323
I check my voic once a day, usually in the morning.

18. We will not bully others.
about bullying
We will not bully others.
We will try to help students who are bullied.
We will try to include students who are left out.
If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.
We will make our school a safe, secure, and supportive learning environment.

19. Classroom-Level Components
Post and enforce school-wide rules against bullying.
2. Hold regular class meetings.
3. Hold meetings with students’ parents.

20. Take-Home Message Stopping bullying takes a team effort.
Approach the process in steps.
Change happens in small increments.