WELCOME! Back to School Night Mrs. Kolarsick’s Fourth Grade Class “Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn.” ~Benjamin Franklin

LANGUAGE ARTS LITERACY COURSE OVERVIEW Common Core Standards & NJ Core Curriculum Standards Balanced Literacy Program  -Reader’s Workshop  -Writer’s Workshop  -Word Study

READER’S WORKSHOP CREATING LIFE LONG READERS! “You know you've read a good book when you turn the last page and feel a little as if you have lost a friend.” ~Paul Sweeney  My goal is to help create, maintain, and develop your child’s reading life.  Monthly reading goals  Weekly meetings  Reading Logs for inside and outside the classroom  Sharing our Reading Life Choices and flexible projects

READER’S WORKSHOP 43 Minutes Mini-Lesson (Teaching Point) for the strategy or skill of the day Guided Practice Leveled Independent Reading Books Literature Circles One project after completing the book Treasures Textbook Treasures Practice Book

WRITER’S WORKSHOP “If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ~Toni Morrison  43 Minutes  Mini Lesson (Teaching Point) I begin the lesson by modeling the skill in my own writing. Students will practice this skill in their own writing.  Time to plan, draft, revise, edit, proofread, and conference

WRITER’S WORKSHOP  Students will work on several pieces and pick two to publish in each unit.  Of the two published pieces one will go home and one will stay in their portfolio  Sharing party after publishing

WRITER’S WORKSHOP  Writing Homework: Weekly writing prompts will be given on Monday and will be due on Friday  Every other Friday- Writing Prompt Assessment  Creative Writing Journal Will travel to and from school Short homework assignments on occasion to build on ideas and topics to write about Write creatively in class during homeroom Weekly dates to turn in

WRITER’S WORKSHOP  Unit 1: Finding Ideas and a Voice Introduction to Writer’s Workshop: Becoming a Writer Small Moments Narrative Pieces  Unit 2: Writing to Teach (Informative/Expository Writing) Research Papers Comparing & Contrasting Character’s in Books How-To Essay  Unit 3: Persuasive Persuasive Letters Persuasive Essays  Unit 4: Point of View Stories with a Twist

WORD STUDY  30 Minutes  Grammar Lessons  Treasures Practice Book  Weekly Spelling Pattern  10 Words per week (There will be a regular and a challenge List)  Center activities and lessons  Pre-Test on Monday  Spelling Test on Friday  High Frequency Words  5 Words per week

WORD STUDY  High Frequency Words The first 1,000 words are used in 89% of everyday writing. Spelling Inventory Individualized Spelling List  Homework will be given on Monday and due on Friday. Students will pick three assignments off of a menu of choices  Week 1 will begin on Monday

SOCIAL STUDIES COURSE OVERVIEW Unit 1: The Land of New Jersey Unit 2: Native American and European Settlers Unit 3: A New Nation Unit 4: Building a New Nation Unit 5: New Century, New Challenges  Novels (Leveled Novels on the same topic)  Projects  Current Events & Reflections

MATH COURSE OVERVIEW  Envision Common Core Practice Books  Direct Instruction, Centers & Guided Small Group Instruction  Notebook (Left Side Notes)  Quizzes, Tests, & Homework

MATH COURSE OVERVIEW  Unit 1: Operations & Algebraic Thinking  Unit 2: Number & Operations in Base Ten  Unit 3: Number & Operations-Fractions  Unit 4: Measurement & Data  Unit 5: Geometry

SCIENCE COURSE OVERVIEW  NJ Core Curriculum Standards  Discovery Works

SCIENCE COURSE OVERVIEW  Unit 1: WEATHER  Unit 2: MAGNETISM & ELECTRICITY Project Based Learning  Unit 3: MOTION AND DESIGN Project Based Learning  Unit 4: EARTH, MOON, AND THE SOLAR SYSTEM

HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS  Language Arts Reading Log Spelling Practice Practice skills and concepts that were taught in class.  Math Practice skills and concepts that were taught in class. Photo copied hand out or the Envision Practice Book  Science and Social Studies Projects will be assigned in advance Occasional assignments for homework. Unfinished classwork

HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS  Vacations  Absences

GRADING “ IF WE ALL DID THE THINGS WE ARE CAPABLE OF, WE WOULD ASTOUND OURSELVES.” THOMAS EDISON  School Wide Grading Rubric for Elementary School 4 is Exceptional (The student produced a product that is above & beyond mastery of the skill.) 3 is the Target (The student demonstrated mastery of the skill) 2 is Developing 1 is Beginning  Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Assessments in the Fall, Spring, and Summer  Benchmark Math Assessments  Short Writing Assessments every other week  Reading Levels are assessed in the Fall, Spring, and Summer Progress is monitored and recorded throughout the week.

GRADING  Homework15%  Class Work & Participation20%  Tests20%  Quizzes15%  Projects30%

COMMUNICATION   Phone  “How Was My Week?”  Letters

RESOURCES  Class Website  Khan Academy  Study Island