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TIME TRAVELERS: Students will be learning about the French Revolution and
participating in many hands-on activities during the parent lead Time
Travelers.
They will also see a Young Audiences presentation of Benjamin Franklin on
Monday, November 17th as part of their Time Travelers unit.
PORTAPORTAL: The website PortaPortal.com (GUEST LOGIN: SRS4thGrade) is a
convenient way to access many current websites being used in our studies.
ACCELERATED READER: Students have begun taking Accelerated Reader
comprehension quizzes online. Each student has been given an individual goal
based on their reading level. We will have an end-of-year celebration of
some sort for those who make their AR goal! AR quizzes must be taken at
school.
SCIENCE: Sound and Light will be our next areas of study.
READING (My Group): We are reading and discussing an autobiography on
Benjamin Franklin.
The reading skills in focus are comprehension, note-taking, writing
summaries, recognizing the main idea as well supporting details, making
inferences,learning new vocabulary words and comparing character traits.
EVERYDAY MATH UNIT 4: The focus of this unit is decimals and metric
measurement. A study guide will be handed out on Monday to aid in the
preparation for final assessment on Tuesday, November 18th.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Students are researching explorers and creating explorer
trading cards,timelines and "mini-explorers".
On November 19th at 10:00 they will recite a short speech as a famous
explorer in our wax museum.They will be rehearsing their
speeches at school and at home. Please help them gather items for their
explorer costume. Please BRING the items to school on the 19th.
**NOTE_ Due to an overzealous attempt by the 4th grade team to include all
the key figures we are learning about this year in the wax museum-I believe
we overlooked the instructions to the students, and I'm feeling a little
unsettled about it.....for the simple fact that many of the historical
figures assigned to them were not explorers. So, to that end I have decided
to reassign explorers to the children that were affected by this. I am also
going to write out the short speeches for all of the children. They will get
them Monday after time travelers to take home and memorize for our dress
rehearsal on the 18th. We will still be using the information they
previously researched for our trading cards, mini-explorers, timeline...
etc. Please contact me if you have any questions---AND PLEASE COME BY THE
THE 19TH TO VISIT OUR WAX MUSEUM--10:00AM :)
LANGUAGE ARTS: areas of study include; subject-predicate relationship in
sentences, parts of speech;-noun, verb, adjective, adverb, and subject verb
agreement and journal writing. DUE TO THE WAX MUSEUM AN SCIENCE FAIR WE WILL
NOT BE NOT HAVE ANOTHER BOOK REPORT UNTIL AFTER THE THANKSGIVING BREAK.
EXACT DATE TBA
PLEASE LOOK FOR WEDNESDAY FOLDER---EVERY WEDNESDAY
Corrected assignments will go home on Wednesday for you to review. Please
sign and return the attached form and work by the following Monday.
4th Grade Curriculum and Instruction
The Georgia Department of Education and Atlanta Public School System set the
academic program forth. The International Baccalaureate model guides
classroom instruction. In addition, instruction is differentiated among all
learners.
For more information please visit the following websites:
www.georgiastandards.org
www.atlanta.k12.ga.us
Language Arts
Reading Junior Great Books is a strong inquiry-based K-12 program that
features anthologies of world literature combined with a collaborative
method of learning. The literature and method helps develop critical
thinking, cross-disciplinary connections and greater global perspective and
understanding. In addition to Junior Great Books, we will be using various
novel studies and read aloud throughout the year. In addition to JGB, we
will be reading novels and looking at specific skills.
Writing Students will be writing across the curriculum using the writing
workshop model. The writing workshop utilizes all stages of the writing
process prewriting, draft, revision and production. Students will be writing
in various modes including narrative, informational, persuasive and
literature response.
Grammar, Usage and Mechanics is taught and reinforced through writing; Daily
Oral Language exercises (DOL) and mini lessons using the Mountain Language
program. Every other week, students will complete daily DOL practice Monday
through Thursday with a quiz on Friday. DOL includes grammar, usage,
mechanics, analogies, geography, science and logic practice.
Spelling and Vocabulary Development Spelling patterns and strategies are
taught and reinforced using the McGraw-Hill Spelling series. Spelling
pretests are given on Mondays. Homework should be completed each night
Monday through Thursday. Unit posttests are given every Friday. In addition,
vocabulary is pulled from the content area and various literature selections.
Handwriting All assignments will be required to be completed in cursive.
Social Studies and Science concepts are taught using a variety of resources
and instructional techniques.
Mathematics
Everyday Mathematics is a research-based series used to develop mathematical
reasoning using a variety of activities such as problem solving,
manipulatives, daily life situations and games. These activities require
students to think critically and use a variety of strategies and computation
skills. Computation will be reinforced by a variety of supplemental games
and assignments.
Technology
Technology will be integrated across the curriculum where appropriate.
Journals
Students will keep journals to compose creative writing pieces and record
their reflections concerning school and their learning. The goal, and hope,
of this activity is to encourage students to think more deeply about their
learning and role as a student.
Daily Independent Reading
All students are required to keep a book for independent reading in their
desk.
IB Units
The International Baccalaureate (IB) offers high quality programs of
international education to a worldwide community of schools. Our three
programs for students aged 3 to 19 help develop the intellectual, personal,
emotional and social skills to live, learn and work in a rapidly globalizing
world. There are more than 554,000 IB students at 2,097 schools in 125
countries.
For more information please visit the following websites:
www.ibo.org
4th Grade IB Units
The Living Earth (Ecosystems) AUG-SEP
Subject: Science
Central Idea: An ecosystem is a community of organisms interacting with one
another and the environment.
An inquiry into:
*Components and balance of an ecosystem
*Relationships in an ecosystem
*Water cycle and weather of ecosystems
Exploration Investigation (Explorers) OCT-NOV
Subject: Social Studies
Central Idea: Peolple have different beliefs and values about natural human
rights.
An inquiry into:
*Colonial life from different perspectives
*Causes of national revolts
*Human rights
Location, Location, Location (Settlements) NOV-DEC
Subject: Social Studies
Central Idea: Cultural and environmental interactions lead to change.
An inquiry into:
*Development of native cultures in North America
*Causes and effects of early exploration
*The use of the natural environment by humans to meet needs
Express Yourself (Persuasive Language) JAN - FEB
Subject: Language Arts
Central Idea: Communication is a fundamental characteristic of humans that
connects them to the world.
An inquiry into:
*How speakers adapt language to fit a situation (vernacular)
*Effects of using forms of persuasion
*Reasons to persuade
To Infinity and Beyond (Astronomy) FEB - MAR
Subject: Science
Central Idea: Humans use the natural world and technology to advance society
An inquiry into:
*How the natural world patterns human life
*Technological advancements promoting exploration
*Human inventions create jobs and make life easie
The Easy Way Out (Governments) APR - MAY
Subject: Social Studies
Central Idea: Civic participation promotes the welfare of the common good.
An inquiry into:
*Functions of governments
*Democratic principles within a federal system
*The role of citizens and its government within a society
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Last Modified: Saturday August 16 2008
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Assessments
Assessment
A variety of assessment techniques will be used to assess your child's
learning. Formative assessment is interwoven with daily learning and
assesses what the students already know in order to plan the next stage of
inquiry. Summative assessment occurs at the end of the teaching and learning
process and provides students with opportunities to demonstrate what they
have learned. Student portfolios will reflect your child's learning in the
form of authentic work examples.
Grading
Report cards are distributed quarterly. In addition, you will receive a mid-
quarter report. Grades are based on the following:
30% tests
20% quizzes
30% performance assessments: projects
20% effort in learning: class assignments, homework and
participation
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