Deep in the Heart of 4th Grade A Trail Guide for Fourth Grade at Norton Elementary 2016-2017

Teaching Teams Partners: Wheeler/VanWinkle Herrington/Dobson

We Believe Our Job Is To… Inspire Excite Challenge Appreciate

Daily Itinerary 7:45-7:55 Begin 8:15-8:45 Castle time 8:55-9:40 Specials 9:45-11:45- Block 1 11:45-12:15 Lunch (Extra 10 minute recess) 12:15-12:35 Recess 12:50-2:50 Block 2 2:55 Dismissal

Tools for the Trail Fourth graders use binders to stay organized. Homework, the Norton Code of Conduct, unfinished work, reading logs, and agendas are kept in the binders. Students are required to bring their binders to school with them each day. Please check agendas nightly for notes and homework assignments.

Download CITRIX for your child to Complete Nightly Work Fourth graders have homework almost every night. Homework will consist of: Math homework Reading four nights per week Studying for social studies and science tests Some long term projects. Download CITRIX for your child to complete work at home.

Keep In Touch If your fourth grader will be absent, please e-mail your homeroom teacher, and she will gather any missed work. Please let us know if you would like to pick up your child’s work at the end of the school day in the front office area. Please turn in an absence note within 3 days of the absence. Your child will have one day for each day missed to complete makeup work. If there is a change in plans during the school day, contact the office.

Keep In Touch, continued…. If you have questions or concerns, please e-mail your child’s content specific teacher. We welcome communication from you. Please understand that it may take 24 hours for a response.

Stay Connected Wednesday Folders contain communication from school and completed graded work for you to keep. Please return folder and papers the next day. Codes and Agendas are to be viewed and signed on Wednesday nights. Fourth Grade Newsletters are done weekly either through email or websites.

Know the Lay of the Land Language Arts Writing Spiraling Process of prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, publishing Word Work (grammar, spelling) Reading Reading is Thinking! Social Studies Everything is bigger in TEXAS! 

Know the Lay of the Land, continued… Social Studies-Texas History Map Skills/Geography Regions of Texas and the United States Texas Beginnings Influence on North America, Spain, and Mexico The Road to Statehood Civil War Cattle Industry and Oil Boom Elections/Government

Lay of the Land, continued… Math Drill and Practice- Need to know multiplication facts! Problem Solving- critical thinking and multi-step problems Content Instruction- modeling and guided practice (Many new skills this year.) Learning Groups- assessments, work stations, reinforcement of skills Math Journals- concepts, examples, strategies on solving problems Websites have many resources to help your child

Know the Lay of the Land, continued… Science Scientific Processes Properties of Matter Mixtures & Solutions Energy, Force, & Motion Shadows, Seasons, Moon, & Tides Weather & Water Cycle Soil, Weathering, Erosion, Deposition Natural Resources Life Cycles, Inherited Traits, & Adaptations Food Chains & Food Webs

Know the Lay of the Land, continued… CASTLE TIME 30 Minute block from 8:15-8:45 Time for Intervention and/or Enrichment Access to various teachers and resources including, SSI, Dyslexia, ESL, and Speech Students will move between groups as needed throughout the year

Avoid An Ambush AKA: Don’t be Caught off Guard at Report Card Time Skyward is available for students and parents to view grades at any time. Access Skyward through the family access link on the district website. http://www.allenisd.org/domain/73

Identify Friend or Foe Conflicts occasionally arise in a classroom of nine and ten-year-olds. Talk with your child about concerns. Share concerns with teacher. Teacher cannot discuss another child with you.

Use Technology Fourth graders use a variety of technology during the school day and for homework. Consider downloading CITRIX on your home computer.

Plan to Hit the Trail We will be taking several field trips this year including: More information to come …

Shoot for the STAAR Testing Please be aware of these dates when making appointments. November 8th & 9th - 12 week benchmarks January 10th- STAAR writing simulation February 21st – STAAR math simulation February 22nd – STAAR reading simulation Fourth graders take 3 STAAR tests. State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness Math– May 8th - rigorous math problem solving Writing– March 28th - consists of revising/editing and writing one expository compositions Reading – May 9th - rigorous reading and comprehension

Parent Conferences Parent conferences will be held in October. We will send out a pre-conference form and an invitation to sign-up genius to schedule your conference.

Q & A Thank you for attending tonight’s session. We look forward to a fun year.