1. Welcome to Back-to-School Night! Grade 4 Teachers: Mrs. Martin Mrs. McMaster Ms. Scanlon Mrs. Spiker

2. Homework  Homework is assigned Monday through Thursday. Students will use their agenda books to write down their assignments.  Please initial the agenda book after your child has finished their homework.  Homework is usually Mathematics and Spelling. Students are also asked to read for 15-20 minutes.  Occasionally, there will be homework in other academic areas.  When homework is not complete, a note will be sent home in your child’s agenda book.  Homework completion is a part of their grade on Edline.

3. Assessment Folders  Will be sent home every Thursday  Should be signed and returned each Friday  Graded assignments will also be uploaded to Edline and posted on the specified dates

4. Regrouping  Regrouping for Math is based on MSA data, Scholastic Math Inventory scores, and the TOMAGS assessment.  Regrouping will begin after we test our first math unit. If your child leaves their homeroom, a notice will be sent home to notify you.

5. Mathematics  We will be sending home an outline to assist students in reviewing concepts before assessments. We will also review key concepts in class.  Part A (secure content) vs. Part B (*selected Open Responses)  SRB books should be used as a reference and can go home at any time.  FACTS, FACTS, FACTS!

6. Everyday Math Online  Every student will receive a log-in and passcode  Can access the complete SRB as an at-home resource  Play math games, improve fact speed, watch procedural videos, and more!

7. Open Responses / Short Responses Math: In ORs, students apply learned skills taught in the unit. Math: Students explain their thinking using Math vocabulary. Reading: Responses address the demands of the question. Reading: Students should use text-relevant information to extend their understanding.

8. Word Work  Spelling books should stay at home for the duration of the school year.  Homework should be completed in the composition notebook and brought to school each day.  Pretests should be completed in the agenda book.  We will have spelling if we have a four-day week, but not in a three-day week.

9. Reading  Please encourage your child to read books that interest him/her.  Our priority in fourth grade is comprehension. Your child has moved from the “learning to read” to the “reading to learn” stage.  In fourth grade we use the Harcourt Anthology. Your child will also have the opportunity to read trade (chapter) books throughout the year, as well as newspapers, science magazines, and leveled readers.

10. Novel Studies  Your child will have the opportunity to read text on their individual reading level throughout the year.  These groups will be flexible based on student performance.

11. Writing  Students will publish a variety of writing pieces addressing each of the three types of writing (narrative, opinion, and informative).  Students will summarize monthly school events and creatively display their finished products in a scrapbooking activity.

12. Science  Our fourth grade science units include: Animal Adaptations; Natural Resources; Rocks, Minerals, and Materials Engineering; and Chemical/Physical Properties.  Most activities will be completed in school; however students will need to complete a product for the Recycling Fair at home. You may want to start saving items in a box that your child would want to reuse. More information will be sent home when we start the Science unit.  An outline will be sent home before science assessments, and a review will be held in class as well.

13. Social Studies  We study Maryland all year long. The unit is divided into several themes: Geography, Colonial Life, Conflicts, Expansion, Immigration, Industrialization, and Government Today.  An outline of concepts learned in each unit will be sent home before each Social Studies assessment.  The Patriot Program project will be completed in school as our Maryland Day Projects.

14. Field Trip National Aquarium in Baltimore planned for Wednesday, February 25 th More information will be available later in the school year

15. Whose Role is it? Be sure kids get enough sleep and to school on time Checking homework Parent Student Teacher All Be sure materials come to and from school Pay attention in class Follow directions Manage materials Complete homework Teach content that is appropriate for fourth grade Grade and provide feedback Going over questions about homework Check agenda Read and talk about what’s being read Study for tests Communicate