1. Welcome to Back To School Night Mrs. Purdham 4th Grade 2011 – 2012 -Please sign in on the back table -Please sign up for a conference -If you choose to volunteer or be a room parent, sign up -Write a message back to your child at their desk

2. General Schedule 9:05Arrival/ Un-pack/ Morning Work/Spelling 9:45 – 10:55Math Block 11:05 – 11:50Specials 12:00 – 12:55Lunch/ Recess 1:00 – 2:10Reading Block 2:10 – 3:05Science/Social Studies 3:05 – 3:25T.A.T. 3:25Dismissal

3. Communication Teachers can be reached through email, notes and phone calls Jessica_N_Purdham@mcpsmd.org Please check your child’s home folder, math folder, and assignment book nightly and sign Emails are checked in the a.m. and p.m.; please do not email midday about your child’s transportation or immediate matters

4. Organization Place for everything and everything in its place Assignment Book – sign each night, look for reminders, spelling words, and notes Desks and cubbies are checked on a regular basis Please help by checking the home folder - clean out papers regularly Absent folders

5. Classroom Management We expect all Stone Mill students to follow the rules and expectations that have been set for them. Check assignment book for comments about behavior Warnings are always given Bullying Prevention Program Chance Store – Positive reinforcement program consistently used by all 4th grade teachers. Works like money – teaches saving, planning, decision making and prioritizing Students earn chances for bringing back notices the next day, work study skills and following directions. “Catching Compliments” – the class works together as a community to earn “class parties”.

6. Odds and Ends Birthdays Announced on PA, recognized in classroom, treats may be shared in the lunchroom Scholastic Book Orders Optional, check (only) made out to Scholastic Books with your child’s name in memo

7. Odds and Ends Instrumental Music Students are responsible for missed work, instruction continues; occurs throughout the day on Thursdays Chorus Tuesdays 2:15 – 3:15 Due to high enrollment, no new lessons are taught during this time Memory Books Chronological record of student work and photographs from the year, creative outlet, also displays final copies of your child’s work

8. Math We are offering more rigorous choices for our students so that they will be prepared as they go forward. Our goal is to challenge the children without creating gaps that will hinder them in later math classes Classes are homogeneously grouped based on students’ needs and skills, to determine math levels the following criteria was used: - MSA scores from previous years - quarterly and final math levels and grades from previous year - pre-assessment given in June of 3 rd grade - principal and teacher input - performance on unit final assessments from previous year

9. Math Please work with your child to complete math homework nightly Basic math facts should be practiced as often as possible Be on the lookout for your child’s math folder to come home nightly For further questions please contact your child’s math teacher Please email your child’s math teacher to be added to the math distribution list

10. Reading Teaching strategies, developing skills and teaching students to apply them all to content areas Reading to Learn vs Learning to Read Emphasis on non-fiction texts Strategies include: - questioning - determining importance - making connections - visualizing - fix-up Materials used to teach reading are: novels, expository text, read alouds, Junior Great Books, William and Mary

11. Reading Reading Genres include: Fables Fantasy Realistic Fiction Historical Fiction Biographies Mystery Poetry

12. Reading Grouping is flexible within the classroom and changes throughout the year based on need 4 th grade goal to read 25 books independently, a Reading Record will be kept to analyze the texts

13. Writing Personal Narratives Informational Persuasive Poetry BCR (brief constructed response) – responding to various types of text by making meaningful connections and citing textual evidence Writing is graded on content as well as grammar and conventions

14. Science Students will participate in experiments and put the scientific process into action! 1 st and 2 nd Quarter – Life Science and Environmental Science 3 rd and 4 th Quarter – Rocks and Minerals

15. Social Studies Unit 1 – Geography, Native Americans; students will complete a research project and study characteristics of Western Europe and Western Africa in the 15 th century Unit 2 – Immigration: waves of migration to the U.S., migration today, daily life in early settlements, primary and secondary documents

16. Field Trips Possible Field Trips: John Fishback – Native American artifacts – in school Beall Dawson House – Rockville – Colonial History Bay Fossils – ecology – in school Baltimore Aquarium - Ecology

17. Spelling 1 week program Spelling packet handed out on Monday and due that Friday Spelling test given on Friday Concept words + personal words www.spellingcity.com Spelling grade is based on tests and class work Handwriting – Cursive will be taught and practiced for the first 2 marking periods – graded the last 2 marking periods.

18. Grading and Reporting Rubrics are used so that students know what is expected Informal Assessments are given throughout instruction Summative Assessments are given at the end of units and quarters Informal grading will be used on daily work in the form of  +, ,  -

19. I look forward to an amazing year and am appreciative of all the support you give us! Before you leave: -Please sign in on the back table -Please sign up for a conference -If you choose to volunteer or be a room parent, sign up -Write a message back to your child