1. Find Your Inner Spark! 4th Grade Curriculum Night Town Center Elementary 2011-2012
2. What will my child learn this year in Reading? We will practice reading skills through self-selected reading, literature circles, mini lessons, and reading conferences. Reading response through journaling Non-fiction texts/research skills Junior Great Books Guided Reading & Strategy Groups
4. What will my child learn this year in Writing? How to incorporate daily journal writing into their lives Thinking like writers 6+1 Traits of Writing Ideas, Organization, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, Word Choice, Voice, and Presentation That they CAN be successful in writing! Writing will be incorporated into all subjects.
5. What “Writer’s Secrets” will my child learn this year? Capitalization rules Punctuation rules Sentence structure Word choice Editing and revision Spelling
6. What will my child learn this year in Spelling and Word Work? How to be accountable spellers Fry’s Sight Words (300) Spelling patterns Word sorts and word work Syllables and affixes Study of word parts
7. What will my child learn this year in Social Studies? Texas History Regions of Texas Geography of Texas Native Texans Texas Independence Famous Texans Pioneers Texas Government Social Studies will be integrated with Reading and Language Arts this year.
8. 4th Grade Field Trip to Austin Will be in the Spring More information will come regarding the trip We will need 4 parent chaperones per 4th grade homeroom
9. What will my child learn this year in Math? Number Sense Addition / Subtraction Multiplication / Division Money Decimals Telling Time Fractions Problem Solving Graphing Measurement We will differentiate as needed for students that need a challenge or extra practice in math.
10. Investigations We will be using “Investigations in Number, Data, and Space” this year with Envisions incorporated throughout. K-5 curriculum designed to engage students in making sense of mathematical ideas. Designed to: Support students to make sense of mathematics & learn to be mathematical thinkers Focus on computational fluency Provide substantive work in important areas of math Emphasize reasoning about math Engage the range of learners
11. What will my child learn this year in Science? Many lessons are hands on, student-centered labs. Lab Safety Scientific Method Earth Science Life Science Physical Science
14. 4th Grade Grading Policy First and foremost, we want all students to be successful. Student grade below a 70 Conference with teacher Re-teach Reassess The adjusted grade for the assignment or assessment cannot be higher than a 70.
16. How will I be updated on my child’s progress? District Progress Report (average grades of 74 or below only) Teacher Feedback & Communication Report Card Grades on Portal
17. What is homework like in 4th Grade? Anything that is not completed in class will be homework. (If your child is bringing excessive work home, please visit with us so we can problem solve together.) Daily journal writing & self-selected reading Math activities that review skills taught
18. How will my child keep track of their daily work? Take Home Folder Two Sides of the Folder Designated place for turning in work; Folders for unfinished work Agenda Please help us by reminding your son or daughter to check his/her agenda at home every day!
19. What if I want to volunteer in the class? Please sign in at the office. Please get a visitors pass from the office and wear it in a visible place. The room moms will coordinate a schedule for class volunteers.
20. How will I celebrate my child’s birthday? Snacks at the beginning of recess to your child’s homeroom class only. Invitations to all of class if distributed at school. Half-birthday celebrations are fine for kids that have summer birthdays. Please no flowers or balloons. Please note allergy restrictions.
21. What if my child is absent or tardy? Students have one day for every day absent to complete their missed work. Please notify the teacher by 9:00 a.m. if you want work sent home. If your child has more than three tardies per nine weeks the district will send a letter home. Your child’s absence is unexcused until a note is turned in. Please have your child at school by the end of Music in the Morning. Music in the Morning ends at 7:50.
22. How will my child be accountable for their behavior? 4th Grade Expectations Stop & Think (Campus Wide) Behavior Feedback
23. Fourth Grade Classroom Expectations “In this school we will be guided into owning and solving any problems we create.” We expect the students to: Be responsible. Be respectful. Be resourceful. Be courageous. Be curious. Be creative. And to always live by the golden rule, “Treat others the way you would like to be treated.”
27. Please look at it nightly as part of your family routine and discuss your child’s day.
28. Please do not hesitate to write any questions or comments in the notebook or attach a note.
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30. How will I know what is going on in my child’s classroom? Updates & Homework Assignments on Twitter Weekly Newsletter Online on teacher Sites Weekly email to parents A paper copy will only be sent home to parents requesting one. Agenda The weekly newsletter will include dates to remember, our week in review, test information, and other communications that you need to be aware of. Please read it!
37. Drop Off Time: Begins at 7:30am Teachers will not be on duty until 7:30. School Time: Begins at 7:50am We would like for your child to be here no later than 7:40am. This is the time that we will pick up your child from the gym or cafeteria. We ask that you do not walk your child down to their classroom.
38. Tardy: Anytime after 7:50am Students will need to go in and get a tardy slip from the office. Due to a large amount of students being tardy last year, we will be putting a tardy policy in place for this school year. A note will be coming home next week stating our new policy. Please do not walk your child down to the room if they are tardy. They need to go to the office and get their slip and then they can walk to their classroom. We value instruction time and we start each day of learning at 7:50am.
39. Pick Up Time is 3:05pm Teachers will bring students back into the office by 3:15pm if not picked up. You will then need to walk into the office to pick up your student. Please remember that teachers on dismissal duty are watching for the safety of our students to ensure that they all get home safely. They will not be able to speak with you in detail about your child during this time. They will be happy to meet with you during a scheduled conference time or via phone/email to discuss your child’s needs. Current Phone Numbers and Emergency Numbers Please make sure that you have updated numbers in the portal for your child. We want to be sure that should we need to reach you during the day that we have the current numbers on file.
40. Kinder-2nd Graders Our Kinder, 1st and 2nd graders line up in the front of our school for dismissal. If they have an older sibling, the sibling will stand with them at the front loop to be picked up. We ask that you let all of the students get out of the building and line up with their teacher. Be sure that your child lets their teacher know they are leaving before you take them home. Please use the front loop to pick up Kinder-2nd grade students and use appropriate crosswalks.
41. 3rd -5th Graders Our 3rd, 4th and 5th graders will be exiting at the cafeteria loop (back loop). They will need to make sure and line up if being picked up by car or let their teacher know when they are walking or biking home. Please use the back loop to pick up 3rd-5th grade students. You may drive thru or park in the staff parking and use the back loop crosswalk.
42. Crosswalk Safety We have teachers on duty in order to help our students and parents stay safe by using our crosswalks. Please help us to teach our children to be safe and follow the rules and use the crosswalks designated in the front and back loops at all times. We have a new sidewalk that prevents students from having to cross the staff parking lot at Heartz. Please make sure they are using this sidewalk.
43. Watch Your Speed and No Cell Phone Usage Please remember to drive slowly as you go thru our front and back loops. We have many students and parents walking and crossing and want to make sure you are always watching for their safety. Also, it is a law in Texas that no cell phones should be used when driving in a school zone as well as when picking up or dropping off your children. We ask that you focus all of your attention on driving safely during drop off and dismissal times.
44. Checking in at the Office Please check in at the office and get a name tag for anytime that you are visiting or volunteering here at TCE. We have a machine where you will need to run your drivers license and then it will print out a tag for you to wear while in the building. We ask that you check out as well using the tag. The check in procedure is to help ensure the safety of all of our students. We realize that it does require extra time on your part, but safety is essential and we appreciate all that you can do to help. If you are walking around our building without a tag, you will be asked nicely to please go and check in at the office.
45. Parent Volunteers We are so blessed to have amazing parent volunteers who help to support us at Town Center. We would ask that if you are coming to volunteer that you help us maintain a superior learning environment in which you are able to focus on either our students or staff. We ask that you please do not bring younger siblings up during your volunteer time. This is also a policy for field trips during the school year.
46. Lunch With Your Child As you know, your child loves getting to eat lunch with you at school. This is a special opportunity for you to have some one-on-one time with your child. As a result we ask that you please do not invite other students to sit with you and your child. Remember that we have reserved a special visitor table for you and your child during lunch.
What’s the difference between the District and Teacher Progress Report?
Point Out
*STEM Career awareness (science, technology, engineering, and math) will be infused into the 4th and 5th grade curriculum. Teachers will be trained in the early Fall on how they can easily incorporate STEM career awareness into their curriculum. Upon completion of training, each teacher will receive a set of “Cool Careers” Books.*This will help students to connect to possible career choices based on their talents and passions! The connection between what students learn in the classroom and the world of work causes students to think of the possibilities for their own futures!*Which is one reason why we are looking for parent volunteers who are currently working in STEM careers to come and partner with us. OR if you have a friend who would be willing to come, please let your teacher know! As Sally would say “Reach for the stars!”
