Classroom News
We have just adopted a new reading program, three years ago. This program not only has the reading component, but it also has our spelling and ELA skills included throughout the entire program. I still plan on teaching reading using the whole language approach in which we read paperback books, discuss the literature, write about it, and relate what is read to their own life experience. The children will also be responsible for 1 book report about every 4 to 6 weeks. Often times they will be writing them in class. The books will be assigned according to the genre we are reading and the topics we are studying in class. You should help you child create a plan for completing the reading on time.
Math will be very exciting this year. It is one of my favorite subjects to learn about and teach. We will be starting off slow with place value, addition, subtraction, and rounding. We will move into money, multiplication, division, fractions, geometry, measurement, time, and lots more "stuff". As we move forward in new concepts, we will constantly revisit our old "friends" to see that the knowledge is still inside us. Math is like a set of scaffolding; each new concept builds upon the previous one. Thus, keeping us always on our toes ready to attack what is placed before using prior knowledge. The best component of math is problem solving. I spend a lot of time in this area. Each section of our workbook contains many challenges for us to solve. I just love math! We also have a �Homework and Remembering� book. Many of these pages will obviously be our homework. This is the second year of this newly adopted math program.
One final piece of our math program is our DCR. The children are expected to work on this, at their own pace. The children should attempt to do 3-5 pages a week. They can pass the books into me on Fridays and I will correct them. When they receive the book back, they need to make the necessary corrections in their mini-book. If they pace themselves, they should just about complete the entire 172-page book. The book is broken down into three packets, one for each term. This is an individual assignment. As the pages become more difficult, I would expect them to stop and ask for assistance from me or wait until we cover that concept in class. Do not let them go ahead if they are having difficulties.
In Social Studies we will be studying the United States with an emphasis on landforms, climate, and resources/industries. We will also explore the people and some of the different cultures of the different regions. We will also be using "Time for Kids� for current events. The textbook will be used as a source of reference as well as a means of developing content area reading skills such as finding important information through reading and skimming. The focus in reading in grade four shifts from learning to read to reading to learn. We will be using maps, globes, newspapers, and a variety of other research materials. One of our major projects will be to research information about one of the fifty states and to create a written project. (This may or may not happen. In the past we have developed other ways to share our love of the country, without creating a major research project.) We will be supplementing our learning with textbooks, filmstrips, movies, and posters.
As part of our Social Studies curriculum we will also be learning about our neighbors to the north and south (Canada and Mexico). We will work to compare landforms, climate, resources/industries and culture to that of the northeast.
Another piece to Social Studies/ELA is the �Talking Calendar�. It is a mini monthly research project. The children will be required to do research a date and event in history. They will all be assigned a date to correspond with their classroom number. We will prepare and research September in class so; the children will all know what is involved in developing a quality �Talking Calendar�. This will be done in class with me. I will integrate it into our writing block.
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The Science curriculum will include units about Weather, Land & Water, Animal Adaptations (Studies), Water Cycle, Planets, Magnets, Sound & Light and Electricity. We will be using a hands on constructivist approach whereby students construct meaning from their experiments and observations. The children will also create a planet brouchure to teach us about one of our eight orbiting buddies. We will be supplementing these kits with textbooks, filmstrips, movies, and charts.?
Your child should expect to have homework at least 4 nights a week. The amount of time spent on homework should not exceed 1 hour. You can allow your child to stop and you can send a note in if you feel your child has truly concentrated and has done the very best he or she can do. This year homework may not always be a written assignment but may be to read or study. Since this is the first year your child will be expected to study content other than spelling words and math facts, it may be necessary for you to assist or guide him or her in order that good study habits are learned.
As you know computers are now an integral part of our curriculum. Hopefully, your child will have the opportunity to learn word processing and to write on the computer once a week. We also have several curriculum related software (HyperStudio, which is a presentation piece of software); that will offer a way to learn that is both fun and challenging. My major objective is to make use of my computer knowledge throughout the year and integrate computers into the curriculum. We also have a wonderful program to assist the children in learning and preparing for the MCAS, �StudyIsland�. We will be using this program in class as well as allow access to the program at home. I can monitor the children�s work and print out documents to show their current performance levels. It is a real valuable tool that we are very fortunate to have as part of our curriculum.
Feel free to contact me at anytime you think it is necessary. Communication between home and school is very important to your child's progress. If I am not available when you call, I will be sure to return your call as soon as possible. The best way to contact me is through email. Please check my homepage for the blinking email bar to send me an email. I check my email two times a day. I will return your email ASAP.
Please check out my website for any further information that you need.
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