Fourth Grade Subject Descriptions and Expectations - 2005/2006

Religion
Social Studies/CA Weekly
Reading
Spelling
Vocabulary
Writing
SRA Cards (Reading/Language Arts)
Literature Questions
Daily Work
Personalized Learning Journal (PLJ)
Math
Science
Cursive
Makeup Work and Tests

Religion

Religion will be incorporated into each day. Instruction through the Faith First workbook will be given on Tuesday. Generally, homework is due the next day. The material is reviewed, and a quiz will be given on Wednesday.

Grade 4 Service Projects

• Shelving books in the School Library
• Valentines for Veterans

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Social Studies/CA Weekly

Each week students will be required to read and complete the crossword puzzle in the California Weekly Explorer Newspaper. They receive these newspapers at the beginning of the quarter. They are stored in their desks in the manila colored “Paper” folder which also contain loose leaf paper. CA Weekly crossword puzzle is due on Tuesday (Wednesday if a Monday Holiday). Students may work on the CA Weekly as they have time in their day, or they may do it at home. This year, we will integrate Reading with Social Studies as we discuss many historical fiction books in terms of California History and Literature. There will be a short Quiz on the CA weekly on most Tuesdays. Students will write a mission report and do a project on an assigned Mission. Some of this will be done during class time.

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Reading

Experts agree that children make optimal gains in reading comprehension when they read books that are only marginally above their reading level. Students are tested using the SRI software to determine their lexile. Lexile level is a reading scale that the Reading Counts Quiz software utilizes. Students must read books at their lexile for which Saint Ann School has Reading Counts quizzes. Students will take a 15 question multiple-choice test on each book that they read. When a student passes several quizzes with 14/15 or better, then a higher lexile may be assigned. If a child is having trouble passing quizzes, a lower lexile may be assigned. Students may take a quiz up to three times if they don't pass the first time. A passing grade is 12 correct out of 15. Students take quizzes on the computer during Readers/Writers Workshops, after recess, or at the end of the day during Centers. Each child will receive a list of books for which we have Reading Counts quizzes and which are in your child's lexile range.

There are three ways to obtain books at the assigned lexile:

1. The fourth grade classroom has books that are grouped by lexile.
2. Saint Ann School library also has color coded many books to reflect the reading lexile of text it contains.
3. The enclosed book list may be taken to the library to search for the titles.

Reading Grade	Quantity of Books Read Quizzes Passed
A	4
B	3
C	2

Students may certainly read more than four books in a quarter. In this case, the highest four scores are used and extra credit is earned.

The other half of the Reading grade will be earned by completion of Literature questions, vocabulary activities, and written responses. We usually do one class book each quarter. Students will work theses on as we read, and the completed portfolio will be due at the end of the book.

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Spelling

We use two separate Spelling Programs:

1. Phonics based Spelling Connections Workbook

This system uses a phonics approach to spelling. Generally, a Unit pre-test is given on Monday, the workbook pages for the entire Unit are due on Thursday, and the Unit Test is on Friday. If 100% is earned on the pre-test then the post-test is not taken on Friday; however, all workbook exercises must be completed.

Challenge Words

• Must be completed to receive an “A” as a quarter grade
• Challenge Activities are found for each Unit in the back of the Spelling Connection Workbook.
• On a piece of loose leaf paper in cursive, each challenge word must be used in a sentence. This sentence should reflect that the student knows the meaning of the word. Sentences should have at least one clause or phrase. Unless I specifically indicate to do Part C of the Challenge Activity, it is not required.

The words for this test have been pasted in the appropriate date in each child's planner. It is your child's responsibility to study these words and be prepared for the weekly “High Frequency Spelling Test”. There is no Pre-Test. I have enclosed a complete list of words that students were expected to have mastered in third grade and are now “No Excuse” words. Each week, five new “No Excuse” words will be added; the other words in the weekly list are repeats from previous weeks. When a “No Excuse” word is misused or misspelled in student writing at anytime, the student must write three sentences in his/her PLJ (Personalized Learning Journal.) There will be a weekly spelling test on Tuesday, or on Wednesday when Monday is a Holiday.

Spelling Connection Pre-Test

This test is given on a hand-out that is folded over so students cannot see the words. All Spelling Connections words must be written in cursive; and this work will be part of the cursive grade. After the test, it is unfolded and the words appear correctly written in cursive right next to the ones that the student wrote. Any incorrect words must be written 3 times. A space is provided on the Pretest handout. If there are more than 5 misspelled words on the pretest, then a separate sheet of lined paper must be stabled to the Pretest and handed in by Wednesday Morning. This paper should be stapled to the Pre-Test Handout.

Spelling Tests

Spelling tests are written in the Orange Folder. A stack of loose-leaf paper is separated by the pink colored divider Rule Sheet. The first part is for Spelling Connections tests and the second part is for High Frequency tests. When a spelling word is incorrect on the test, it must be written 3 times on the page opposite the test. This is work that needs to be pulled out and kept up with on an on-going basis. Generally on Fridays all spelling words must be complete. During subsequent Spelling Test corrections, students will be required to have completed the writing of the incorrect words.

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Vocabulary

We will have a new set of 16-20 vocabulary words every few weeks. These words may come from literature that we are reading or other subjects. Students don't need to spell these words, just be able to read and understand their meanings. As we read and/or listen, we will stop as the words are encountered to explain meaning. The Weekly Planner contains one new vocabulary word each week. Students are to use this word in a sentence during our daily work as time permits. Reduction in vocabulary is one area that I will modify the workload for a child who is feeling overwhelmed; please see me if this is the case.

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Writing

Both 4th and 5th Grade will be learning writing based on a program call 6 + 1 Traits of Writing. We will be working together to establish a consistent writing terminology, methodology, and assessment.

• Ideas - A clear point, message, theme or story line, backed by important, carefully chosen details and supportive information.
• Organization - How a piece of writing is structured and ordered.
• Voice - The fingerprints of the writer on the page - the writer's own special, personal style coming through in the words, combined with concern for the informational needs and interests of the audience.
• Word Choice - Language, phrasing, and the knack for choosing the "just right" word to get the message across.
• Sentence Fluency - The rhythm and sound of the writing as it is read aloud.
• Conventions - Editorial correctness and attention to any detail a copy editor would review
• Presentation - this is the +1 Trait and has to do with how the final version looks including handwriting and neatness.

The green Writing folder contains:
• A reference sheet containing mechanics rules. These rules are numbered. They correspond to numbered rules in the Writer's Express Textbook and on the Punctuation Pocket Folder in student's desk.
• Several vocabulary expanding lists
• Writing reference sheets and assessment rubrics.
• No Excuse Spelling Words

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SRA Cards (Reading/Language Arts)

This is an individualized program where students read a passage and answer comprehension, language convention, and vocabulary questions pertaining to the reading. There are color-coded cards that correspond to different reading levels. Students will be assigned a color based on their reading level as determined by SRI. Students will receive full credit for completing these cards; however, several times a quarter, a grade on a card will be counted.

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Literature Questions

We will read several books as a class this year. The class books will count as one of the books in the Reading program requirements.

• The tan Literature folder will contain questions and vocabulary worksheets for the entire book. These will be assigned as we read.
• Questions must be answered in complete sentences.
  • the use of pronouns is fine.
  • omitting explanation clauses when answering is also fine; there is not much space for a lot of writing on these worksheets.
• I will collect and grade Literature questions and other activities in the tan folder as they are assigned.

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Daily Work

Daily Work Composition Book is where Apple Bites (two sentences of sentence correction, a review Math problem, an analogy, and a geography question) are done. This is done first thing in the morning. As time permits, students will also use the vocabulary word of the week in a sentence; this word is found in the Planner.

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Personalized Learning Journal (PLJ)

The folder is separated into two parts by a blue sheet which assigns a number to all English Rules.

• Part 1 - This section is where half page English quizzes are placed. Quizzes assess the understanding of English mechanics that have been covered in Apple Bite sentences or focused English Instruction. If a child makes a mistake on a quiz the corresponding rule number will be indicated on the quiz and the child must write sentences to indicate understanding of the rule.
• Part 2 is where the writing of sentences and/or words are assigned when a label is placed on the page. I make these individualized assignments whenever I read a child's writing and I see that he/she is having difficulty with some concept. I will write up a label and it will be placed in the PLJ. It may require the student to write:
  • A word multiple times
  • Sentence(s) using a word
  • Sentence(s) using a certain grammar rule

    These rule numbers are found in three different places:

    • Writer's Express Text
    • Green Writing Folder

• To give students more practice in some element ofgrammar, punctuation, spelling or usage on an individual basis as these problems occur within the course of writing
• To encourage students to self-edit their writing by making the consequence of a mistake more time consuming than if the mistake was corrected in the first place
• To encourage students to follow classroom policies by requiring writing about them if they are not followed

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Math

Math Homework Quizzes
Frequent short homework quizzes will be given to insure understanding. If problems are incorrect, additional work on the topic will be assigned. Each student has a blue Math Folder that contains a stack of loose-leaf paper in brads. A graded half sheet homework quiz will be pasted on the back side of a piece of loose leaf paper in the Math Folder. If a perfect score has been obtained, no additional work on the topic will be required. If problems have been missed on the homework quiz, an additional textbook assignment will be circled in green on the Homework Quiz. This textbook assignment must be completed on the page that is opposite the homework quiz. These additional assignments must be done by the time the Math Quiz on the topic in Math is taken. Each child will have a plastic sheet protector in his/her blue Math folder to explain this policy.

Math Homework

• Work must be shown; use a separate piece of paper if necessary.
• Generally, students will correct their own homework and receive full credit for completing it on time. It will be to the child's benefit to make every effort to understand the concept and not rush through thinking that he/she will receive full credit no matter how many are incorrect. If mistakes are made on the homework quiz that follows the assignment, additional homework assignments are required. This is ultimately more work than if more attention was given to the initial assignment in the first place.
• After self-correcting, students will have the opportunity to ask questions about any problems on the homework. If a parent has corrected and signed the page of Math homework, the student may work on Math centers during this correction time. Please do not sign if you feel your child would benefit by going over problems. In fact, if your child was fuzzy on a particular problem, mark it as a problem for your child to ask to be done during class.
• Each Math Chapter has Quick Check textbook assignments that assess understanding of the prior lessons in that chapter. This is assigned in preparation for a quiz. The grade on this assignment will be based on the number of correct answers unlike the “credit only” given on other homework assignments.
• A Chapter Test textbook assignment is given at the end of each chapter in preparation for the test. It will be corrected, graded and collected for a grade.

Math Quizzes
Math quizzes are given after about 5 lessons. They count more than homework quizzes. The date of Math quizzes will always be indicated in the Monday envelope important assignment box. This assignment box will always indicate that the Quiz will be like a specific page (Quick Check) in the textbook. This Quick Check textbook assignment will always be done as a review for the lessons that will be on the Quiz. This Quick Check Textbook assignment will also be collected and counted as a grade after students check it. This is unlike most Math homework in which credit is given for completion.

Math Tests

• At the end of each Chapter, a Math test is given.
• The test date will indicated in the Monday letter.
• There will be two or three assignments that are extremely important in preparation for a Math Test:
  • Chapter Test in the textbook.
  • Sample Chapter Test Form B:
    • This is given the night before the test.
    • It is multiple choice so we can correct and ask any questions on the day of the test.
    • Counted as a grade
  • Chapter Review in the textbook is done only if I feel the class needs more practice.

Math Facts
Math facts must be recalled instantly, and we will continue to work on improving speed and accuracy. During each quarter, we will concentrate on a different Math Operation. The table below indicates the goals for each quarter.

Quarter 1	Subtraction Addition	5 minutes
Quarter 2	Multiplication	4 minutes
Quarter 3	Division	4 minutes
Quarter 4	Factor Facts Or multiplication	4 minutes

I will determine an average base score for each child; this is calculated from his/her first 3 timed tests. Students earn a test grade for improving this base score during the quarter according to the following table:

Math Test Grade	% Improvement
A	30 %
B	25 %
C	20 %

It is not necessary that all students achieve the stated goals; however, improvement will be required and reflected in a test grade for Math during this quarter. The time period will be reduced for some students who are already able to do 100 facts in the times required above; they will need to show improvement as well. The investment now of learning Math facts will help tremendously in reducing the time needed for Math homework in the future. If a student has already reached the goal early in the quarter, he or she may work on a goal for the next quarter or may continue to try to reduce his/her time.

There are some very difficult algebraic problems that are included in our Math program; these are usually one or two problems at the end of a workbook page or contained in a problem solving page. Certainly feel free to help explain any problem to your child, but please do not get frustrated if he/she does understand. The cognitive development that allows children to understand algebra begins at about at age 9 or 10, so I like to present it. Most children will not be quite ready for it; however, it allows me to show and start using algebraic language and that is helpful to all students. Please do not spend a lot of time working on these one or two problems. This is why we go over homework in class.

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Science

Science is divided into four Units (A,B,C,D). The pages of the textbook are numbered with the Unit letter before it. We will not be going in order so students need to make sure to do the page of the Unit Letter that we are working on. In other words if they are to read D1-D-5, it is toward the back of the book.

The Science Fair takes place at the end of February. We will do several class experiments in preparation.

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Cursive

Cursive handwriting is monitored through the Spelling Connection Program. All spelling words are displayed in correct cursive fashion in the Spelling Connections Work book. Cursive practice sheets are given to the student to complete as needed.

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Make Up Work and Tests

Students are expected to make-up all homework, quizzes and tests if they are absent. Generally, the student has twice the number of days they were absent to do so. Hi Frequency Spelling Tests will not be made up because each week's new test has 10-12 words that are review, so students will be assessed in the future. Depending on the situation, I may opt to excuse a missed homework assignment or quiz when calculating grades. In this case, the un-graded assignment will neither help nor hinder a student's overall grade.

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