Welcome to 4th grade Parent Orientation

1. Welcome to 4th grade Parent Orientation

2. 4th Grade’s MASTERPIECE Schedule! 8:10-8:40 Students create a closer community by playing games with each other while practicing using first names and using complete sentences. 8:40 Call to Excellence 9:00-10:00 Specials (Conference Time) 10:00-12:25 Academic Learning12:25 Switch classes 12:25-1:00 Academic Learning 1:00-1:30 Lunch 1:30-1:50 Recess 1:50-3:50 Academic Learning/Dismissal Mrs. Noack’s Edlio Mrs. Adam’s Edlio

3. Grading Guidelines * Graded work must be completed at school. * Daily work counts for 50% * Major grades (include tests/ projects) count for 50% * Make-up work done at recess/study hall. Parent Viewer: You can access grades online. If you don't know your log information, Suzanne Pierce in the front office can print this for you. Please check your child’s grades on a regular basis. Grading Scale 90-100 = A 80-89 = B 75-79 = C 70-74 = D 69- below = F

4. English/Language Arts: Minimum of 3 daily Reading and 3 daily Writing grades. Minimum of 2 Major Reading and 2 Major Writing grades. Spelling (writing): All Spelling tests given each nine weeks will average together as 1 major Writing grade. Math: Minimum of 3 Major and 6 daily per 9 weeks Science/Social Studies: Minimum of 2 Major and 4 daily per 9 weeks

5. Make up workmust be completed after an illness. If you were out three days, you have three days to complete the work. If you were out one day, you have one day to complete the work. Special circumstances may arise – please notify us and we will work with you. All graded work must be completed at school.

6. Conduct grades will be based on learning targets and will be rated as a 1, 2, or 3 rather than an E, S, N, or U. • Great Expectations is based on positive reinforcement and embedded into the classroom behavior management system. • Communication regarding your child's development in these domains will come home each week in the Wednesday folder. BLT Orientation

7. Homework • Math homework: will be given weekly most weeks. It will come home on Fridays and be due the following Thursday. • Science/Social Studies: Homework is generally studying vocabulary or a study guide to prepare for quizzes and tests. • Language Arts: Assigned homework with due dates will be written in planner. Read for 20 minutes nightly.

8. Transportation changes—must be a fax or written letter/ no emails and must be received by 3:00 pm. Thank you for helping keep your child safe. • Leaving Early- please keep this only for very important circumstances! Students are working and learning until the last minute!

9. Language Arts Academics Star Reading and Running Records: beginning of the year and throughout to determine individual reading level. Reading Writing Workshop (Balanced Literacy): Reading focus changes in 4th grade from learning to read to…Reading to Learn! Spelling: scientific spelling method. Writing: This is a big year for students to learn and be evaluated on their writing skills! Daily lessons are taught, so attendance is important. Each student has a “Writer's Notebook”. Students will be expected to use their editing/ revising skills to correct written stories/compositions. They will also be expected to plan/write/ revise/publish a one page composition based on a general given prompt for STAAR. (expository)

11. Mathematics • Multiplication facts should be memorized through 12s—last year was an introduction and this year is mastery. Please work on these 10 minutes per night whenever possible. • We take weekly facts test that will average together to count for a half a major grade the first 2 nine weeks and a daily for the last 2 nine weeks. Fact fluency is a focus as we build greater numbers this year. • Units are listed on my Edlio site. • Prodigy • Online textbook • Guided Math

12. Our focus will be on Physical, Earth and Life Science. • Units are listed our Edlio site. • Students will do lots of hands on activities/labs to reinforce concepts. • Great science links on my Edlio too!

13. Texas History is the focus for this year. • Units include: Map skills, regions, Native Americans, explorers, and Texas Revolution

14. * April 7, 2019 - Writing- Revising and Editing STAAR * May 11, 2019—4th Math (More multi -step questions and integration of various concepts into one problem) * May 12, 2019—4th Reading (Higher Critical thinking types of questions, paired passages )

15. Important Reminders!!! Background check forms must be completed online if you plan to be here as a mentor, volunteer or chaperone. Go to the TISD website Jobs/Volunteer/Apply for this position.Complete it as fully as you can. Attendance is extremely important. Improving our attendance by minimal amounts means thousands/millions of dollars extra for our district. Make those doctors appointments earlier in the day so that your child is counted present. If your child is not here by 10:00 they are counted absent. A note regarding attendance will be sent home if an absence note is not brought back the day that they return.

17. We love teaching your child! Thank you for your time and support!!! Just a reminder, fall conferences begin in October. We will send out a Sign-Up Genius link which will be a first come first serve basis.