Welcome to Back To School Night

Mrs. Purdham

4th Grade

2011 – 2012

-Please sign in on the back table-Please sign up for a conference-If you choose to volunteer or be a room parent, sign up-Write a message back to your child at their desk

General Schedule

9:05 Arrival/ Un-pack/ Morning Work/Spelling

9:45 – 10:55 Math Block

11:05 – 11:50 Specials

12:00 – 12:55 Lunch/ Recess

1:00 – 2:10 Reading Block

2:10 – 3:05 Science/Social Studies

3:05 – 3:25 T.A.T.

3:25 Dismissal

Communication• Teachers can be reached through email,

notes and phone calls

Jessica_N_Purdham@mcpsmd.org

• Please check your child’s home folder, math folder, and assignment book nightly and sign

• Emails are checked in the a.m. and p.m.; please do not email midday about your child’s transportation or immediate matters

Organization• Place for everything and everything

in its place• Assignment Book – sign each night,

look for reminders, spelling words, and notes

• Desks and cubbies are checked on a regular basis

• Please help by checking the home folder - clean out papers regularly

• Absent folders

Classroom ManagementWe expect all Stone Mill students to follow the rules and expectations that

have been set for them.

• Check assignment book for comments about behavior

• Warnings are always given• Bullying Prevention Program• Chance Store – Positive reinforcement program

consistently used by all 4th grade teachers.• Works like money – teaches saving, planning,

decision making and prioritizing• Students earn chances for bringing back notices the

next day, work study skills and following directions.

• “Catching Compliments” – the class works together as a community to earn “class parties”.

Odds and Ends

Birthdays• Announced on PA, recognized in classroom,

treats may be shared in the lunchroomScholastic Book Orders• Optional, check (only) made out to Scholastic

Books with your child’s name in memo

Odds and Ends

Instrumental Music• Students are responsible for missed work,

instruction continues; occurs throughout the day on Thursdays

Chorus• Tuesdays 2:15 – 3:15• Due to high enrollment, no new lessons are

taught during this timeMemory Books• Chronological record of student work and

photographs from the year, creative outlet, also displays final copies of your child’s work

MathWe are offering more rigorous choices for our students

so that they will be prepared as they go forward. Our goal is to challenge the children without creating

gaps that will hinder them in later math classes

• Classes are homogeneously grouped based on students’ needs and skills, to determine math levels the following criteria was used:- MSA scores from previous years- quarterly and final math levels and grades from previous year- pre-assessment given in June of 3rd grade- principal and teacher input- performance on unit final assessments from previous year

Math• Please work with your child to complete

math homework nightly• Basic math facts should be practiced as

often as possible• Be on the lookout for your child’s math

folder to come home nightly• For further questions please contact your

child’s math teacher• Please email your child’s math teacher to

be added to the math distribution list

Reading• Teaching strategies, developing skills and teaching students to apply them all to content areas• Reading to Learn vs Learning to Read• Emphasis on non-fiction texts• Strategies include:

- questioning- determining importance- making connections- visualizing- fix-up

• Materials used to teach reading are: novels, expository text, read alouds, Junior Great Books, William and Mary

ReadingReading Genres include:

FablesFantasyRealistic FictionHistorical FictionBiographiesMysteryPoetry

Reading

• Grouping is flexible within the classroom and changes throughout the year based on need

• 4th grade goal to read 25 books independently, a Reading Record will be kept to analyze the texts

Writing• Personal Narratives• Informational• Persuasive • Poetry• BCR (brief constructed response) –

responding to various types of text by making meaningful connections and citing textual evidence

Writing is graded on content as well as grammar and conventions

ScienceStudents will participate in

experiments and put the scientific process into action!

1st and 2nd Quarter – Life Science and Environmental Science

3rd and 4th Quarter – Rocks and Minerals

Social StudiesUnit 1 – Geography, Native Americans;

students will complete a research project and study characteristics of Western Europe and Western Africa in the 15th century

Unit 2 – Immigration: waves of migration to the U.S., migration today, daily life in early settlements, primary and secondary documents

Field Trips

Possible Field Trips:•John Fishback – Native American artifacts – in school•Beall Dawson House – Rockville – Colonial History•Bay Fossils – ecology – in school•Baltimore Aquarium - Ecology

Spelling• 1 week program• Spelling packet handed out on Monday and

due that Friday• Spelling test given on Friday• Concept words + personal words• www.spellingcity.com• Spelling grade is based on tests and class

work• Handwriting – Cursive will be taught and

practiced for the first 2 marking periods – graded the last 2 marking periods.

Grading and Reporting• Rubrics are used so that students know what is expected• Informal Assessments are given throughout instruction• Summative Assessments are given at the end of units and quarters• Informal grading will be used on daily work in the form of +,,-

I look forward to an amazing year and am appreciative of all the support you give us!

Before you leave:-Please sign in on the back table-Please sign up for a conference-If you choose to volunteer or be a room parent, sign up-Write a message back to your child