Please browse this site to become familiar with the policies and procedures
- WELCOME TO FOURTH GRADE
- WHAT WILL MY CHILD DO THIS YEAR?
- WHAT DO I NEED?
- WHAT IS THE HOMEWORK POLICY?
- WHY DO WE HAVE HOMEWORK ANYWAY?
- HOW MUCH SHOULD I HELP WITH HOMEWORK?
- WHAT DOES A HOMEWORK PASS DO?
- WHAT ABOUT LUNCH TICKETS?
- WHAT ABOUT BOOK REPORTS?
- HOW MANY PROJECTS WILL I HAVE AND WHEN ARE THEY DUE?
- WHAT ABOUT WEDNESDAY FOLDERS?
- HOW DOES MY CHILD MAKE UP WORK WHEN HE/SHE IS ABSENT?
- WHAT ARE THE CLASS RULES AND EXPECTATIONS?
- WHAT IS THE DISCIPLINE POLICY ?
- WHAT IS DISCOVERY QUEST?
- WHAT DOES MY CHILD WEAR FOR PE?
- WHAT IF I DO NOT ALLOW MY CHILD TO USE THE INTERNET?
WELCOME TO FOURTH GRADE
The Learners Creed
I believe in myself and my ability to do my best
at all times [with the Lord's help].
Just for today:
I will listen
I will see
I will speak
I will feel
I will think
I will reason
I will write
I will do all these things with one purpose in mind:
to do my very best and not waste this day
for this day will not come again.
~Ernestine Mitchell
WHAT WILL MY CHILD DO THIS YEAR?
WHAT WILL WE BE DOING IN FOURTH GRADE?
We will have a very busy year in fourth grade this year.
We will be learning 2-3 Bible verses each week that teach Godly
character
(see the Bible page of this site). We will also be learning about
Creation, the Exodus and Moses, Joseph, Esther, and the miracles
of Jesus! We will learn Bible principles that will help us get
along with our fellow classmates, too!
In math we will be reinforcing our addition, subtraction,
multiplication and division facts, learning long division with 2-
3 numbers, geometry, and much more!
In language we will be learning the parts of speech and how to
identify them in sentences.
We will be using our grammar skills to write and write and
WRITE! We will be working with words: how to spell them, their
definitions and how to use them correctly in sentences.
In history we will be learning about our great nation from the
beginning to the present. We will learn to recite some important
documents, the names of the presidents and we will learn the
location of all fifty states. We will learn about other states
besides South Carolina by doing a state project.
In science we will learn about insects, plants, animals, our
human bodies, oceanography, astronomy, and other scientific
concepts. We will do a leaf project and a marine life project.
In reading we will be reading and reading and READING! We will be
working at developing our fluency skills, comprehension skills,
listening skills and our study skills. We will do six book report
projects.
WHAT DO I NEED?
SEE THE SUPPLIES PAGE FOR THE LIST
WHAT IS THE HOMEWORK POLICY?
"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."
Lady Bird Johnson
Homework will be posted on the homework page every night, and
will also be
posted on INFODIRECT.
Homework policy: See the homework page for the homework policy.
WHY DO WE HAVE HOMEWORK ANYWAY?
Homework is vitally important to any child's school success. It
is a time for your child to review and practice important skills
learned in the classroom.
Studying at home helps develop self-discipline and good
work/study habits. Not only does it reflect the concepts that
students are learning, but it also gives additional practice to
difficult skills.
It encourages responsibility and independence. Remember that it
is "the practice" that helps each of us become better at whatever
we try to do.
Unfortunately, our school time is not long enough for students
to practice everything they learned each and every day.
Homework is not a punishment and should be viewed as a way to
improve academics.
Homework in our classroom may be assigned for the following
reasons:
**Extension: to provide students with opportunities to transfer
specific skills or concepts to new situations.
**Practice: to help students master specific skills which have
been presented in class.
**Preparation: to help students prepare for the next step in a
unit or study for a quiz or test.
**Absence: to make up work missed during an excused absence.
**Completion: to finish work not completed at school for which
time has been given to do so in class.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I HELP WITH HOMEWORK?
The most useful stance parents can take, many experts agree, is
to be somewhat, but not overly involved in homework.
The emphasis needs to be on parents helping children do their
homework themselves not on doing it for them.
Show a genuine interest in your child's homework.
Ask questions about the work to be done.
Ask questions that require more than one or two words!
Help your child be organized.
Establish a regular time and place for homework. QUIET and
comfortable!
Encourage questions and searching for answers (make them work).
Practice school skills at home! (Math facts, oral reading,
kindness, etc.)
Relate their homework to everyday life! (using fractions to cook
and measure, paying the cashier and counting back change, reading
the Bible out loud for family time, etc.)
Be a role model!
Take the time to read The Bible, the newspaper, or a good book
around your child.
Praise, Praise, PRAISE your child for both small steps and BIG
LEAPS in the right direction.
WHAT DOES A HOMEWORK PASS DO?
Homework passes are awarded throughout the year for various
reasons.
The homework pass may be used for exemption from one written
homework assignment for the course in which the pass was
received.
Quizzes and tests must always be studied for.
Homework passes must clearly list the assignment it is being used
for and include the name of the student.
WHAT ABOUT LUNCH TICKETS?
Lunch tickets can be purchased before 8:00 A.M. in the gym.
Students must write their name on their ticket and give them to
me when they
arrive in the classroom. They may give me as many tickets as they
like
AS LONG AS THEY HAVE THEIR NAME ON THEM!
I will keep the tickets in my desk.
They are to retrieve their ticket in the morning and put in the
daily stack of tickets on my desk. This is how I know who and
what is being ordered for that day!
DO NOT TURN IN A TICKET WITHOUT A NAME!!
WHAT ABOUT BOOK REPORTS?
Book Report Forms with instructions will be handed out in hard
copy after we have gone over them in class.
In 4th grade we will have 6-7 book report projects. The
students will be required to read a book on an assigned genre and
complete the appropriate project and/or write the assigned book
report.
A reading log and rubric will be handed out at the beginning of
each project.
I must approve each book at the beginning of the project.
It is very important that every student complete their own work.
Late book reports will be deducted 7 points per day.
These projects will be worth two grades; one in Reading and one
in English.
All book report books should be fourth grade level and no less
than 120 pages unless approved by the teacher.
See the Yearly project schedule page for the dates that all book
reports are due!
HOW MANY PROJECTS WILL I HAVE AND WHEN ARE THEY DUE?
Other than the book report projects, we will do a state project.
WHAT ABOUT WEDNESDAY FOLDERS?
Every Wednesday I will send home a folder with important graded
papers.
Some tests and quizzes will have an evaluation form attached
explaining what was missed on the test or quiz if the grade is
LESS than an 80%. The missed items should be reviewed according
to the evaluation sheet and the test or quiz must be SIGNED by
the parent and returned in the folder BY FRIDAY. ALL other
papers will be sent home daily and need not be returned unless
stamped to do so.
The folder will also contain a behavior report and a "Parent
Corner" letter from me keeping you informed of their behavior and
upcoming classroom events.
The folder will often contain important school communication from
the office as well as from me.
PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THE CONTENTS OF WEDNESDAY FOLDERS
WITH YOUR CHILD!
HOW DOES MY CHILD MAKE UP WORK WHEN HE/SHE IS ABSENT?
Please contact the school when your child is absent.
When your child is able to return to school, he/she will have a
special folder with important work they have missed(excluding
tests and quizzes).
They may take this folder home and work on the assignments for
the same number of days that they were out.
As they are ready for missed tests and quizzes, IT IS THEIR
RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM ME THAT THEY NEED TO TAKE A TEST OR QUIZ!
We will then adjust our daily schedule to get this assignment
made up.
It may be necessary at times to hold the child after school to
make up work.
We can make these arrangements as necessary.
PLEASE REMEMBER, IT IS YOUR CHILD'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INFORM ME
WHEN THEY HAVE WORK TO MAKE UP AND TO GET IT DONE!!
WHAT ARE THE CLASS RULES AND EXPECTATIONS?
OBEY ALL SCHOOL RULES
SPEAK AND LEAVE SEAT WITH PERMISSION ONLY
FOLLOW ALL TEACHER INSTRUCTIONS (OBEDIENCE)
RESPECT OTHERS' FEELINGS AND PROPERTY
BE A STEWARD OF YOUR TIME AND BELONGINGS
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS
WHAT IS THE DISCIPLINE POLICY ?
EXPECTATIONS:
Our classroom discipline policy begins with a short list of
teacher expectations.
Then we plan a contract that is the classroom behavior policy in
written form for all of us to sign. As a class we decide if we
need to change the rules or add to them! Then we sign our
contract committing to work hard at following the expectations of
the classroom!
CONSEQUENCES:
Just as in our cities and states, we understand that there may be
times when wrong choices are made.
In these situations the student is cited by a warning. After
that, a behavior check is given. Accumulation of 3 behavior
checks in one day warrant a visit to the principal's office and
a "behavior reflection form" filled out by the student and sent
home for a signature.
REWARDS:
Behavior checks are monitored on a chart in the classroom by our
classrooms daily scribe.
This chart reminds us at the end of the week who has done a GREAT
job in contributing to classroom order and those individuals are
rewarded before they leave on Friday.
REFLECTION FORMS:
If a student is struggling with behavior issues and breaches
contract more than 3 times in one day, he/she must fill out a
behavior reflection form and have it signed by Mr. Washburn and
the parents. This form is to be returned
the very next day SIGNED! If the form is not returned, the parent
will receive an email from me or a phone call OR BOTH!
I DO NOT INFORM THE PARENT OF BEHAVIOR ISSUES UNTIL A BEHAVIOR
REFLECTION FORM IS ISSUED OR A MAJOR ISSUE HAS COME UP SUCH AS
LYING, CHEATING, STEALING OR FIGHTING.
THESE TYPES OF BEHAVIOR ISSUES RECEIVE NO WARNINGS AND ARE SENT
TO THE PRINCIPAL FOR REVIEW.
ORGANIZATION:
The class is always organized into different teams that stay
together for 3-4 weeks. These teams work together to promote
unity and order in the classroom as well as participation.
At the end of the competition period, the winning team members
receive a frosty to eat during class!
WHAT IS DISCOVERY QUEST?
Discovery Quest is designed to give your child experience
reporting current events by way of a public speaking format!
Discovery Quest is explained on the history page of this site.
WHAT DOES MY CHILD WEAR FOR PE?
There are no PE uniforms for elementary school. Your child must
wear appropriate shoes, though. NON-MARKING SOLE tennis shoes
must be worn or your child will not be allowed to participate.
Thank you for your cooperation as we preserve the gym floor the
Lord has graciously given to our students.
WHAT IF I DO NOT ALLOW MY CHILD TO USE THE INTERNET?
This is a highly respectable standard due to the dangers
associated with the internet.
Please review the suggestions for parents regarding internet
research that is posted on the "FOR PARENTS ONLY" page of this
website.
Every research assignment that requires internet can also be done
at a public library using encyclopedias and other research books.
Some of these projects may require research tools not available
in our school library which will necessitate the parent taking
the child to the library and helping them find the information
they need.
This is a family decision and is totally respected.
The "Continent Webquest" Assignment is the only assignment that
requires internet interaction with National Geographic, and
arrangements for an alternative assignment can be made.
Please inform me ahead of time.
PARENTS SHOULD ALWAYS RESEARCH INFORMATION WITH THE CHILD TO
TEACH THE CHILD HOW TO RESEARCH CORRECTLY WITHOUT
BLINDLY "SURFING" THE INTERNET.
NEVER LEAVE A CHILD ALONE WITH A COMPUTER THAT HAS INTERNET
ACCESS!!!
All classroom research assignments can be researched from the
safe links on my website.