Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Welcome to fourth grade! I hope you had a relaxing and fun summer and are
ready for a super year.
To start the year off right, please make sure your child knows his/her math
facts. If your child is still using his/her fingers or needing to think more
than two seconds about the answer, he/she needs to drill. Make flashcards and
drill daily. During the month of September we will be drilling facts daily,
understanding place value, solving problems using measurement, and graphing.
All students need to know the facts of addition, subtraction, multiplication,
and division by heart by November in order to earn higher than a C on the
first quarter report card. In order to be successful in math throughout the
year, this needs to be accomplished.
Science will begin with the Scientific Process and the students will complete
labs using this process. Then we will be studying simple machines and
correlating the unit to how colonists used specific tools to successfully live
in America. We will begin Social Studies with citizenship and character
building lessons and map skills. Then we will be investigating Native
American life in New York.
Reading and writing will be taught through reading aloud daily, guided
reading, and Writer’s Workshop. The format will be very similar to third
grade so it should be a smooth transition. The students will be expected to
read every day independently, write a response letter once a week, complete
all response assignments, and participate with their best effort in their
guided reading group.
Writer’s Workshop will consist of mini-lessons analyzing how good writers
write using the six-traits of writing. Also, the class will focus on grammar
and spelling rules through weekly word study units. Every day the students
will be expected to write and make goals to improve their writing. At the end
of each week students will choose from the daily assignments to take one
assignment through all of the steps of the Writing Process and publish it. We
will be studying many authors and forms of writing to guide the students and
help them become great writers.
To be ready for this Friday’s lesson in remembrance of 9/11, discuss
with your child people in their life who they look up to and are important.
Next week, we will be writing about moments in time. Please discuss with your
child memorable moments this summer (a funny episode on a vacation, an
exciting incident at home, a sad moment, a happy moment, etc.), so they can
start gathering some ideas for their first lengthy writing assignment. I look
forward to working with your child and having a fantastic year! If you have
any questions please feel free to e-mail me at
kirstin.burke@wappingersschools.org or call me at 298-5240.
Homework Policy!!!
If a student does not complete the work at home, they will need to make it
up at recess time or have their grade effected. There will be a daily math
and reading/ELA assignment (may be integrated with social studies or science
content). If your child is coming home with more, it is due to
not managing their time well in class.
Please help your child have some quiet time each afternoon/evening to
complete the approximately 30 minutes of homework.
Weekly quizzes are math (current unit), vocabulary from the week, and
spelling from the week's lesson.
Science and Social Studies quizzes will be based on class lessons and
practice.
Unit tests will count as two grades and a study guide will be sent home a
week prior to the test is given. Studying (flash cards, teaching you, reading
over, and answering questions)is necessary for success.
Call me ASAP if problems arise and we can work together on helpful strategies.
