As children grow in both maturity and spirituality our fourth graders are encouraged to continue on their life journey with an emphasis on responsibility, self-control, accountability, organization, and prioritizing time. Special attention is paid to feasts and seasons, social justice, spirituality, the importance of family prayer, praying the rosary and understanding the Stations of the Cross.

In fourth grade your child reads across subject areas, continues to do research and reads for different purposes. By the end of grade four, students understand large numbers and addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division of whole numbers.  They describe and compare simple fractions and decimals.  They understand the properties of, and the relationships between, plane geometric figures. They collect, represent, and analyze data to answer questions.

The 4A & 4B classrooms are cheerful, happy places with a nurturing atmosphere, Children's work is celebrated and displayed, the teachers are enthusiastic and knowledgeable and students are kept stimulated and engaged.

If one word could be considered the most important in fourth grade it would be RESPECT. Respect for ones self and for each other.

 

Social Studies

Textbook States and Regions.  Houghton Mifflin, 2005

Grading Class work/Quizzes,/Homework 25%, Tests/Projects 50%, Participation 25%

Students study different regions of the USA using the text as well as enrichment projects such as Ellis Island, Lewis and Clark, Trail of Tears, Junior Achievement, National Parks, Geography Bowl, and the Runaway Slave.  This content is enhanced by guest speakers, learning how to take notes and be a wise test taker, using computer lap top technology to research topics, and by participating in collaborative team activities.

Science

Textbook - A Closer Look, MaxMillan/McGraw-Hill,  2008

Grading  Classwork, Quizzes,/Homework 25%, Tests/Projects 50 %, Participation 25%

Students will study the scientific method, weather/climate, magnetism/electricity, animal kingdom, adaptation of animal/plants, minerals and rocks, recycling, and matter (solids, liquids, gases)  using the text.  This content is enriched with projects such as the Gem Report, Endangered Animals, Global Warming, National Parks, Hands-On Science experiments, Science Wizard experiments, guest speakers and a field trip to the Brookfield Zoo. Students learn how to take notes and be a wise test taker, use lap tops for research and simulation activities and how to be a productive team member.

Math

Math, Houghton Mifflin, 2007

Students learn concepts related to money, place value, addition, subtraction, 3 digit times 2 digit multiplication, double digit long division, algebraic reasoning, customary/metric measurement, geometry, double bar graphs, stem-and-leaf plots, line graphs, mean/median/mode/range, perimeter, area, and volume of simple and complex objects, performing operations of fractions with like/unlike denominators, decimals, logic problems and probability.  Hands-on manipulatives, games, skill practice, story problems, and algebraic reasoning are examples of techniques used to increase each student’s accuracy and speed.

Language Arts Curriculum

In fourth grade, units of study in grammar and writing alternate to provide a strong link between these two areas.  In our grammar units special emphasis is put on understanding sentence structure, the four types of sentences, and the different parts of speech (nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs and adverbs).  In addition to the grammar units, the students participate in a Writing Workshop which includes mini lessons that demonstrate strategies of focus for writing. Students spend the majority of their time writing, revising and editing.

Textbook – English, Houghton Mifflin, 2006

Grading – tests/projects 50%, homework 25%, participation 25%

Reading

During guided reading, the students read a story from the reader and are taught various comprehension skills including: identifying main idea, making predictions, sequencing events, recalling details, identifying problem and solution, drawing inferences and understanding cause- effect relationships.

The main goal of grade four is to keep the children reading.  As a way of getting students excited about reading and encourage them to read more, we incorporate  Literature Circles, Reading Partnerships and Reading Detectives into our program.  Each of these activities is a temporary reading group in which students have the opportunity to choose the books and discuss them with their peers.

Textbook – Reading, MacMillan/McGraw Hill, 2005

Grading – tests/projects 50%, homework 25%, participation 25%

Blog

Each student is required to check the SJA website each weekend to see important information about the coming week.  A print copy with parent signature on the original copy is to be returned every Monday to the homeroom teacher to receive credit.

Communication Sheet

Look in the Wednesday envelope for the weekly “communication sheet” listing milestones and dates for the coming weeks activities.  Students copy this information from the board every Wednesday.  Please sign this form each week and return Thursday.  Return slips are recorded.

Assignment Notebook

Students are expected to fill this out daily from the information on the board.  Parents are expected to review it each day.  This is another way for them to be organized, prepared and accountable!

“Take Home” Folder

Every student must have this folder to use in transporting important information “back and forth” between the classrooms.  It is their responsibility to empty it each morning and put information in the correct trays (e.g. office tray, science tray, etc.). so that homework is not considered late.   Homework done “on time”, but “not turned in on time” is considered late!

Earned Grades

It goes without saying that “letter grades are earned and not given.”  Grades are a combination of Class work, homework, tests, and PARTICIPATION (e.g. staying focused in class, participating in discussions, volunteering answers to questions, answering questions when called upon, contributing productively to team activities, etc.)

Absent Work

Absent students are responsible for all absent work.  A pink “Absence Homework” sheet is filled out by another student for all classes and taped to the desk of the absent student at the end of the school day.  Relevant handouts are also stapled to the pink sheet.  Siblings may come to the homeroom at the end of the day to collect “absent” materials to take home.  A “0” is recorded if absent work is not completed within the next few days.  If an absent student has a question about something written on the pink slip, it is their responsibility to touch base with us.

Missing Assignments

Students are asked to fill out the “SOS” communication sheet.  Their feedback is discussed with the teacher and taken home for a parent signature.  The work is to be completed and stapled to the “SOS” form and returned to the correct tray the following day.  If work is not received at all within a few days, the grade is recorded as a “0” and will not be accepted at a later date.

Band

Each band student needs to find their own “band buddy.”  This would be someone who is not in band and could tell the band student what they missed in class, collect any handouts, etc.  This has worked successfully in the past.  Band students are responsible for what they missed in class.

Parent Signatures

If requested for an assignment, it must be handwritten on the original handout to earn points. Questionable signatures are sent to the office for validity.  Parent signatures scotch taped to an assignment are not accepted.

Parent Communication:

Have a question or concern?  Drop an e-mail or handwritten note.  You will get your response within 24 hours.

Incomplete Work

We never take incomplete work.  If it is turned in, it is returned with a slip for parent signature.  The work is to be completed by the next day, is considered late, and the score is reduced.

“No Name” Papers

This still happens in 4th grade.  They are taped to the front board and students on “their own:” are expected to look at them.  If it is their paper, they put their name on it and put it in the correct tray.  After a week unclaimed papers are thrown away.  We do not go looking for “no name” people.

Preparing for Tests

Plan study time. Reread the chapter one more time.  Look over old handouts related to the chapter.  Focus on new vocabulary words. Check class notes for topics/goals given special attention.

If it is a science or social studies chapter test:

cut notes out of spiral,

put name on top page.

staple together, and

get parent signature on first page.

Students must turn in science and social studies notes at the time of the test for 15 extra credit percentage points toward the final test score.  If class notes are not turned in at the time of the test, 5 percentage points are deducted from the test score.  Occasionally parents will come to the school later in the day with social studies or science notes after the test was taken.  These notes are late and no extra credit percentage points are     earned.

Retaking Tests

Occasionally, a parent will ask if their child can retake a test or do extra credit because they earned a low score.  There are no retake of tests and no extra credit done in response to low scores.  If your child has been absent significantly or there has been a family tragedy (e.g. funeral, hospital emergency, etc.) send a note requesting the test be taken at a later date.  No problem!

Extra Credit

This is not accepted in response to low scores.  However, many times in class we will be discussing a topic and we will say, “If anyone wants to find out more information on (topic), check the Internet and bring back to share with class.”   It goes toward the final report card grade.

SPANISH:  Each student will have Spanish two quarters of the school year, with the other 2 quarters being music.  Some students act like Spanish is an elective and not to be taken seriously.  There is homework and a letter grade on the report card.