1. Curriculum Night 4 th Grade 2014-2015 Patriots Elementary

2. Common Core Standards North Carolina adopted the National Common Core Standards for ELA and Math. This is the third year of full implementation throughout the state. These standards match the global shift in education to college and career readiness by deepening students’ knowledge.

3. STEM Curriculum STEM stands for: S cience T echnology E ngineering M athematics As a STEM school, Patriots students will learn through Problem Based Learning lessons. After a concept has been taught, students will collaborate to solve problems, related to that skill. These PBL’s will have hands on learning as well as integrate technology into the lessons.

4. Technology Chromebooks Your child will be assigned a Chromebook to use within the classroom. Chromebooks will become available for students in October Chromebooks will remain in the classroom

5. Field Trips Schiele Museum – November (STEM) Raleigh -April Capitol Building Legislative Building History Museum Science Museum

6. Essential Standards-Science The units that are covered in 4 th grade Science now include: Forces and Motion Matter: Properties and Change Energy: Conservation and Transfer Earth and the Universe Earth History Ecosystems Molecular Biology

7. Essential Standards- Social Studies The units in Social Studies this year include: Economics and Financial Literacy Civics and Government North Carolina History and Culture Geography and Environmental Literacy Many of the social studies standards will be integrated into the ELA curriculum through Reader’s Workshop studies on historical fiction and nonfiction texts.

8. Math Common Core Place Value Read,write, and compare numbers to one million, use all four operations to answer word problems (multiplication, division, addition, subtraction) Fractions Add, subtract, multiply, and compare fractions Mixed numbers and improper fractions Algebra Order of Operations and algebraic expressions Input/Output charts Measurement and Data Measurement conversions and volume Line plots Area and Perimeter Geometry Draw and identify lines and angles Classify shapes by properties

9. Reading Common Core Emphasis on informational text and literature Reader’s Workshop aligns to the Common Core by allowing students to go deeper with a self-selected text. Students are expected to be able to answer the following questions for all texts: What is the author saying? Cite evidence. How did the author say it? Examine author’s craft. How do I evaluate what the author has told me and how can I go beyond that?

10. Words Their Way We are not teaching Spelling in the traditional manner this year. Students are working with words based on their spelling and phonetic patterns. They also define the words, understand parts of speech, and find the words in their reading material. Each week students work with words on their individual levels. Students sort words according to patterns and learn to spell the words according to those patterns. Students then spell new words according to those same patterns. Tests will not be given weekly. Spelling progress checks will be given monthly to determine growth and placement adjustments.

11. Writing Students’ writing will be integrated across the curriculum within other subject areas. There are three types of writing taught this year: 1. Argument/Opinion-Based 2. Expository/Nonfiction 3. Narratives

12. Listening and Speaking This is a new emphasis to our curriculum. This will be met by partner discussions and book clubs during Reader’s Workshop. Students will also present projects completed throughout the year which will develop these skills.

13. Reading Goals Grade LevelQuarter 1Quarter 2Quarter 3Quarter 4 3 rd GradeMNOP 4 th GradePQRR/S 5 th GradeSTUV

14. Text Gradient Clusters The level of the text increases in letter with an increase in difficulty. Being fluent does not mean that a book is appropriate for students—we must look at the content of the book.

15. Grading with Reader’s Workshop We moved away from the traditional way of grading with Reader’s Workshop. Students will be graded with rubrics throughout the school year. Sometimes you will simply receive the rubric rather than the work because it is located in students’ reading folders.

16. Assessments and Progress Reports Benchmark assessments will be completed three times a year—These assessments will take place in September, November and February/March. Students will be assessed through Running Records 2 times a year formally. Discovery Ed will be used for computer assessments throughout the school year. Progress Reports will be sent home on September 24 th. End Of Grade Test in May

17. Thank You for Coming! Questions that you may have can be written down and posted on the chart as you exit. Be sure to list your email so I know who I respond to!