Welcome to 4th Grade Curriculum Night!

Take a minute to look around our learning environment!

Please read the note your child has written to you, and respond with a friendly letter for them to read in the morning!

*No Curriculum Books this year…it is online!

Contact Information

Email: cmerri@kyrene.org

(best way to reach me!!)

Website: http://sw.kyrene.org/Domain/1684

Phone: (480) 541-3135 (voicemail)

(480) 541-3000 (office)

Personal Background and Experience

Grew up in Illinois Married and have 2 daughters Undergrad degree from Illinois State University Masters degree and Reading Specialist endorsement from

Arizona State University Structured English Immersion endorsement from Rio

Salado College Taught 7 years in special education in Illinois and New

Mexico Took an 10 year sabbatical to raise my family Taught 3 years part time as a special education resource

teacher at Estrella This is my 8th year teaching 4th grade at Estrella

Goals

To make your child self-responsible and self disciplined.

To make connections between school and the real world.

To be prepared for 5th grade and middle school.

Classroom Behavior

Classroom ResponsibilitiesClassroom Behavior Plan

Classroom behavior will be recorded daily on their homework calendar (Green, Yellow, Red)

School Wide Character Counts ProgramSix Pillars of Character

Trustworthiness Respect Responsibility Fairness Caring Citizenship

Homework and Reading Requirement

On Monday, I will send a Math Packet, Math Facts Packet or a Word Ladder, and 2 Spelling worksheets. It is all due on Thursday. I give a pretest on Wednesday with another copy of the list so they will have that to leave at home to study from.

Students are responsible to read for 60 minutes and fill out their reading log each week. Students should total their reading minutes and parents should initial their Reading Minutes on Thursday night.

Any student who does not complete his homework or have his Reading Minutes completed and signed, will not participate in Friday Fun

Completed Papers and Corrections

In an effort to save on paper, the fourth grade team has decided not to do Progress Reports this year

Completed papers from the week will go home every Friday afternoon in a manilla envelope Any assignments with scores below 70% will be

stapled to a bright pink paper and are to be corrected and redone. Please sign that you have checked it over with your child and return to school on Monday morning.

Review the corrected papers from the week and look to see how your child is doing

Friday Fun

To participate in Friday FunHomework is completed and accurateAny corrections are completed correctly and

have been signed by the parent Homework Calendar is initialed and reading

minutes are completeClass Work is completedNo days where behavior was on Red Rotations: Draw and Color, Computer Lab, Games,

Video, and Study Hall

Assessments

PortfoliosAll published writing will be kept in

the student’s portfolios. Rough drafts will come home for you to see

Tests on FridayMath 4 Today, Spelling, and Daily

Oral Language6 Traits Writing Rubrics

Check website for all rubrics

Snacks and Birthday Treats

Snack and Water Healthy snacks (prefer fresh fruits and veggies)

can be eaten during morning recess Water only in a labeled bottle or container Please no gatorade!

Birthday Treats Check the approved list on my website Make sure that it is individually wrapped for easy

distribution Summer birthdays will also get an opportunity to

celebrate

Math

• Scott Foresman textbook – traditional• Check Curriculum Guide for Family Letters

• Investigations – Problem solving and encouraging mental math strategies

• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving• Multiplication and Division Math Facts

memorization are crucial to success in fourth grade!!

• Math 4 Today - spiraling curriculum• Test on Friday

Reading

Harcourt basal reader textbook 6 complete themes Whole group and small group

Literacy Stations to allow for differentiated instruction

Trade chapter books Novel studies

D.E.A.R.

Read Aloud

Writer’s Workshop

Ideas Main topic is clear Topic is narrow and focused Message is clear from beginning to end Interesting and important details

Organization Effective lead that hooks the reader Easy to follow, the reader doesn’t get lost Good use of transitional words and phrases Effective conclusion that wraps up the paper

Voice Has your fingerprint, it sounds like you Has energy, is lively Would enjoy sharing aloud

Writer’s Workshop

Word Choice Uses strong verbs Uses words that make pictures in your mind Doesn’t use one word too many times

Sentence Fluency Is easy to read aloud, has a smooth rhythm and flow Sentences begin in different ways Some sentences are long, others are short

Conventions / Presentation Checked spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing, capitals Looks neat and looks good on the page

Spelling

All Lists available online (soon!!) Homework List (purple) due Thursday

One column activity per night recommended Take Home (purple) due Thursday Pretest given on Wednesday and will go

home in the blue homework folder. Review those missed words for the test

Test each Friday 20 words plus two bonus words

Social Studies (Arizona History)

Now, Mapping and Landforms Next, Arizona

Arizona’s Regions and Plants and Animals Arizona’s Points of Interest Native Americans Mining and Territorial Towns Arizona Counties 5 C’s (Cattle, Copper, Cotton, Climate, and Citrus) Research of Arizona Animal

Field trip to Phoenix Zoo

Science

FOSS Kits Scientific Process & Experiments = Hands

on Learning

1. Matter & Energy = Electricity & Magnetism

2. Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

3. Water and Weather4. Earth Studies = Animal Classifications

Health

NutritionSafety – How to say “no” to risky

behaviorsHIV / Aids Growth and Development

District Controls, scripted lessons, Previewing Available in May

Specials Schedule

Art – Monday: 1:50 – 2:35 Library – Tuesday: 1:00 – 1:45 P. E. – Tuesday 1:50 – 2:35 Computer Lab – Friday: 12:15 – 1:00 Music – Thursday: 1:00 – 1:45 Friday Fun – Friday 2:00 – 2:30

Volunteer Sign-Ups are on the Whiteboard

Parties – We need COORDINATORS!!Art MasterpieceBehind the Scenes Computer Lab (Friday: 12:15 – 1:00)Photographer for the yearbook to take

class picturesPTO is looking for a class mom or dad

from each classroom

Wish List is on the bulletin board outside

Recess EquipmentPlayground ballsJump ropesHula hoops

Electric Pencil SharpenerPencils (presharpened please)White board markers

Five Ways You Can Help Your Child Be

Successful in Fourth Grade

1. Check over the homework before it gets turned in.

2. Go over the papers that come home on Friday.

3. Make sure your child knows the basic multiplication

and division facts.

4. Make sure your child has school supplies. (pencils,

whiteboard markers, colored pencils, and a checking

pen)

5. Make sure your child reads 15 – 20 minutes

every night.

Thanks for joining us!!

I am looking forward to a great year. I know that it will be a huge success with your help. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. My door is always open!

Questions?

Comments?

Thanks for all the classroom supply donations!

Your child and I appreciate it!