Welcome to 4th Grade Curriculum Night

1
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 yearit is online!

2
Personal Background and Experience

• Grew up in Michigan
• Undergrad degree from Central Michigan University
• Masters degree from Arizona State University
• 3 years of Kyrene Summer Academy
• 7th Year at Estrella Elementary in 4th Grade
• Cancer Survivor
• Website available for more information
• www.kyrene.org/staff/amacdonald

3
Goals

• To make your child self-responsible.
• To make connections between school and the real
  world.
• To be prepared for 5th grade.

4
Classroom Behavior and Policies

• Classroom Responsibilities
• Tri-Colored Cards
• Progress Reports
• Read and sign, discuss with your child

• Snack and Water
• Fresh fruit and vegetables ONLY
• No red liquids
• Birthdays
• Check the approved list beforehand please

5
Homework and Planner

• Homework (yellow folder)
• Homework Calendar
• Planner Pages
• Sign every Friday with Progress Report
• Daily Work Test on Friday
• Review Morning Work weekly

6
Assessments and Conferences

• Portfolios
• Tests and Rubrics
• 6 Traits Writing Rubric
• Check website for all rubrics

• Fall
• Portfolio Conference Parent Student and
  Teacher
• Spring
• Parent Teacher
• End of Year
• Open House

7
Reading Workshop

• Harcourt basal reader textbook
• 4 complete themes
• Whole group and small group
• Trade chapter books
• 2 novel studies
• Word Ladder (blue)
• Weekly Homework

• Book Cards
• 1 a month!
• Accelerated Reader
• Books listed on Estrella website
• SH.R.I.M.P.
• Read Aloud

8
Writing Workshop

• Teacher Selected Topics
• 1 per quarter
• Personal Narrative
• Fiction (Fractured Fairy Tale)
• TBD
• Non-fiction (Arizona Animal)
• Creative Writing through Writing Process
• 1 choice piece per quarter
• Publishing at Home!
• Journal Writing
• Cross-Curricular Writing Projects
• Science and Social Studies (Water and Mining)
• Olympic Reports (Winter Olympics in Jan/Feb)
• Arizona Animal (power point)

9
Spelling

• All Lists available online
• Homework List (purple) due Friday
• One column activity per night recommended
• Take Home (purple) due Thursday
• Test each Friday
• 20 words plus an unknown bonus

10
Math

• Scott Foresman textbook traditional
• Check Curriculum Guide for Family Letters
• Investigations hands on
• Fosnot Problems
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Review Math (green)
• Weekly Homework

11
Social Studies (Arizona History)

• Now, Mapping and Landforms
• Next, Arizona
• Native Americans
• History of explorers and settlers
• State Government
• Research of Arizona Animal
• Later, Regions of the United States
• Field trip to Phoenix Zoo

12
Science

• FOSS Kits
• Scientific Process Experiments Hands on
  Learning
• Matter Energy Electricity Magnetism
• Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources
• Water and Weather
• Earth Studies Animal Classifications

13
Health

• New book and curriculum
• District Controls, Previewing Available in May
• Nutrition
• Safety
• Drugs / Alcohol
• Personal Care

14
Questions?Comments?

• Thanks for Coming!
• Your Child and I Appreciate It!