Lets Talk th Rising 4 Graders Christopher Taylor

“Let’s Talk” th Rising 4 Graders Christopher Taylor Caroletta Richardson Daleisha Myers

What Does It Take To Be Successful In 4 th Grade? ü Be Respectful - To yourself, classmates, teachers and school staff. Simply put… treat others the way you want to be treated. ü Be Responsible - Students will be held responsible for keeping track of their belongings, bringing their completed work to school on time, and taking responsibility for their actions and behaviors. ü Be Kind - and Caring towards others. ü Be a Worker! Students are encouraged to apply themselves to the best of their abilities in their school work. It really will pay off. ü Be Cooperative - Work as a team. Students are expected to listen and contemplate other’s ideas as well as group problem solving and everyday acceptance.

Our Expectations… We expect every student to come to school with a positive attitude and a willingness to learn. We encourage positive reinforcement for respectful students at school, as well as at home. When your child has had some difficulty during the day, the teacher will inform you with a short note. This will help keep you informed about daily behavior, and give you the opportunity to reinforce.

4 th Grade Curriculum ü Reading: – Divided into Four Units of Study • Units One and Two center around selections from our Reading Street Anthology • Unit Three is a Novel Study using Shiloh by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor • Unit Four is an Inquiry unit focusing on U. S. Immigration – Ongoing Skills Include: • Main Idea & Supporting Details • Text Features • Making Inferences • Close Reading • Authors Purpose/Opinion • Compare & Contrast Two or More Texts • Answering Text Dependent Questions

4 th Grade Curriculum ü Writing: – Divided into Four Units of Study 1. How Writer's Work 2. Author Study of Cynthia Rylant 3. Non-Fiction 4. Feature Article ü Social Studies: – The new Social Studies Curriculum is designed to integrate Reading/Language Arts and Science into the course work. • Focus on the History of Maryland • Project Based Learning

4 th Grade Curriculum ü Math: – Divided into Four Quarters of Study • Quarter One – Focus on Place Value, Computation (+, -, x, ÷), and Perimeter • Quarter Two – Focus on Fractions, Decimals, and Computation (+, -, x, ÷) • Quarter Three – Focus on Computation (+, -, x, ÷), Measurement, Geometry, and Fractions • Quarter Four – Focus on Fractions, Geometry, and Measurement – Fluency Expectations • Add & Subtract within 1, 000

4 th Grade Curriculum ü Science: – Currently Divided into Six Themes • Theme A is Earth Science – Shaping the Earth, Earth History, Environmental Issues • Theme B is Space Science – Celestial Bodies – Why Day and Night Happens • Theme C is Physics – Thermodynamics – Magnetism – Electricity • Theme D is Chemistry – Structure of Matter – Conservation of Matter • Theme E is Life Science – Diversity of Life – Ecology • Theme F is Engineering & Technology – STEM Designs • STEM Challenges Throughout Each Theme

What Kind of Learning Will Happen? ü Collaboration – Students will be expected to work in collaborative groups to problem solve across content areas. ü Performance Based/Hands On Learning Tasks – Students will design, create, and execute rigorous tasks which demonstrate their clear understanding of material. ü Opportunity for Real World Experiences – Field Trips • Annapolis • African American History Museum • Patuxent River Park (Since 3 rd Grade Cancelled) ü Art Integration – Itinerant Art Teacher (Ms. Manteen) • Every Three Weeks • Aligned with Content – Art Awareness • Organized by PTA – Ongoing, In Class Projects

Differentiation • Students will be placed in flexible groupings for departmentalization. • We use a variety of things to determine the groups, including: SMI Unit Assessments Teacher Observations Historical Data Classroom Performance Benchmark Tests Placement Tests Beginning and End of Year Tests Previous and Current Grades Previous Year Teacher Recommendations • All groups learn the same curriculum using a variety of manipulatives, instructional strategies, resources, and materials. • Throughout the year, teachers will monitor the students academic performance. Students may float between the groups based on their need. • This differentiation ensures we are meeting the needs of all students across the grade level. • Once flexible groups start, feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns.

Differentiation • T. A. G. services are provided inside the classroom. – Students may receive different classwork and homework than peers in the same class. • Classwork and homework will not be “more” work, but project-based and rigorous according to the PGCPS T. A. G. guidelines. • This differentiation ensures we are meeting the needs of all students across the grade level.

Over the Summer. . . • Reading is Essential – Responding in writing to that reading will also prepare students for the rigor of 4 th grade (Journal Possible) • Math Fact Practice – Fluent in Addition & Subtraction – Practice Multiplication & Division • Self Advocacy – Responsible for speaking up and asking for help • Suggested Valuable Websites: – www. readworks. org – www. spellingcity. com – www. pbs. org/games/reading – www. firstinmath. com • Learning can take place all around us!

Contact Information Please feel free to contact us by phone at Tulip Grove, (301) 805 – 2680, between 7: 30 a. m. and 3: 00 p. m. You can also contact us via e-mail: Mrs. Richardson – caro. richardson@pgcps. org Mrs. Myers– daleisha. myers@pgcps. org Mr. Taylor – christopher 2. taylor@pgcps. org Questions?