WELCOME TO CURRICULUM NIGHT Mrs. Harmon’s 4 th Grade Class

GRADES Grades are collected from a variety of resources. Mid-term grades are slim in first quarter due to beginning of the school year teaching and preparation. More grades for ELA and Math Writing is included in ELA Less grades for Science, Social Studies, and Health

NEW GRADING SCALE 10 POINTSCALE A 80-89B 70-79C 60-69D 59 and ↓ F Assignments are divided into 2 categories: formal and informal. Formal grades are 60% of the cumulative average. Informal grades are 40% of the cumulative average. If a student receives below a 79% on a formal assignment, a re-take or corrections will be offered to the student to raise his/her grade to no higher than a 79%.

BALANCED LITERACY

INTERACTIVE READ ALOUD This is about 20 minutes daily of whole group instruction where students listen to text that are read aloud. I model skills being taught and “think aloud.” Students also turn and talk with partners to practice specific skills.

MINI-LESSON This is a 10 minute lesson that teaches a specific strategy to students to use that day during reader’s workshop. Students should practice this skill at home as well.

INDEPENDENT READING This is 30 minutes that allows students the opportunity to read independently every day and practice the important work that they were taught in the mini- lesson. Students read on their reading level, log their reading, and respond (write) to their reading.

CONFERRING Students meet with the teacher individually, in small groups, and with peers to demonstrate their reading proficiency, discuss their book, and analyze their reading log. ResearchCompliment Teaching & Next Steps

WORD WORK This is about 20 minutes daily. Students work on developing their vocabulary knowledge through weekly word lists. Students will work with prefixes, synonyms, antonyms, context clues, and root words. Vocabulary tests given every 2 weeks.

WRITER’S WORKSHOP Each quarter we will focus on one genre of writing. First quarter we are working on fiction writing. We will use real world texts to inspire our writing for each unit of study this year. We will use mini tasks throughout each unit as well as one culminating project at the end of each unit. Students will work on independent editing, partner editing as well as meet with me for editing and revising tips. Students will self-evaluate their writing with rubrics and I will use the same rubric to give a final grade. The culminating project will count as a formal grade.

MATH In Math this year we build upon and extend many concepts which students learned in third grade. We’ll be studying mathematical concepts in various forms this year. Sometimes our learning will occur whole group, and sometimes in small groups. We’ll use hands- on manipulatives and games to help us master concepts too. We have a Math Interactive Notebook this year. Students are encouraged to bring their notebooks home to study for unit tests and to help with homework as needed. EOG’s this year focus heavily on Numbers and Operation; percent of the EOG! This includes working place value, multiplication and division and fractions and decimals. Students will benefit GREATLY from memorizing their multiplication facts if they have not done so already!!

SOCIAL STUDIES In Social Studies this year we will study North Carolina history. By the end of the year, we might know more about North Carolina than you do! Apply the five themes of geography to NC and its people. Ethnic groups in NC. History of colonization in NC. We will analyze social and political institutions in NC and the impact of various cultural groups on our state. North Carolina State History

SCIENCE In Science this year we will study : Forces and Motion Matter: Properties and Change Energy: Conservation and Transfer Earth in the Universe Earth History Ecosystems Molecular Biology

4 TH GRADE WILL BE VISITING JA BIZTOWN ONCE AGAIN THIS YEAR. Field Trips

HOMEWORK Reading: 30 minutes, record in reading journal, and respond to reading. (Students are to answer a question of their choice nightly) Math: daily practice and review (sometimes a worksheet) Vocabulary: nightly practice assignments Science/Social Studies: complete study guides and study for unit tests. (As assigned).

READING It is recommended that students read ONE book at a time. This book should travel to and from school each day so that it can be read in both places. This book should be the appropriate level for your child. Once students have completed their book they can select their next book from their red book boxes.

“DESSERT” READING We all LOVE dessert! Dessert is fun and it is fun to enjoy it sometimes, but only after we’ve eaten a healthy meal. Reading quality, challenging novels and non-fiction texts on your child’s level will make them a better reader. These are considered healthy choices and should be enjoyed most often. “Dessert” books can be read occasionally, with permission, only after a “healthy” book has been devoured and completed. Examples of these are Diary of a Wimpey Kid, comic type books, or off genre books. (If we are studying fiction, they are reading fiction).

BEHAVIOR Students behavior colors are stamped in their agendas daily. Please initial each night that you have seen your child’s agenda and their color for the day. Students are encouraged to move UP each day on our behavior chart. I prefer to recognize positive behavior choices!!

CALLING ALL VISITORS We would like to invite a variety of parent/community guests to our classroom this year! These people can bring a craft/activity, tell about their job/career, speak about their college, conduct a science experiment, share travel experiences, or simply read to the class. If you are interested in being a classroom guest, please contact me. We would LOVE to have you!

QUESTIONS?

THANK YOU FOR COMING! My contact info: Harmonfourthweebly.com Scholastic Book Orders: H7M9V REMIND: To: