A Guide to Fourth Grade with Heather Smith, Room 46

Fourth Grade

with Ms. Smith

A Guide to Fourth Grade with Heather Smith, Room 46

2017-2018

Colina Contacts

Colina Office480-541-2600

Colina Absence/Attendance Line 480-541-2601

Cafeteria (Ms. Nahar) 480-783-2696

Library (Mrs. Spake) 480-541-2686/2687 (voice messaging)

Music (Mrs. McCleve) 480-541-2639 (voice messaging)

PE (Mr. Moser) 480-541-2694 (voice messaging)

Art (Ms. Wolinski) 480-541-2631 (voice messaging)

Heather’s Direct Line480-541-2746

Heather’s e-mail:

Website:

( Schools  Kyrene de la Colina  Classrooms  Fourth Grade: Ms. Smith)

IMPORTANT

This handbook is three-hole punched and fastened with only one ring in order to facilitate adding or exchanging pages.

It is recommended that the handbook be placed in a three-ring binder for convenient reference. Please do not place it inside your child’s notebook, as you may need to access information while your child is at school. We also want to reinforce organization of your child’s notebook.

FOURTH GRADE

A guide to Fourth Grade with Ms. Smith, room 46

CONTENTS(index style)

Behavior Management 23-26

Class Meetings 24

Class Rules25

Class Schedule5

Class Spreadsheet25

Classroom Communication6-7

Classroom Reassignment25

Colina Contacts2, 7

Conversation Starters9

Classroom Phone & Student Phone Use6

Dismissal Plans 7, 29-30

Donation Items28

English Language Arts8-15

Homework17-21

Homework Support19-21

Homework Support Websites21

Learn Zillion16, 21

Love & Logic22

Mathematics16

Phone Numbers 2, 7

Remind.com7

Snacks26

Spelling10, 12-15

Supply List27

Vocabulary Development & Games8-9

Volunteering31

Water Bottles26

Writing, Six Traits of Writing11

CLASS SCHEDULE

This is a generic representation of our daily schedule. The schedule for enrichment classes (Art, Computer, Library, Music, PE) is below.

7:40LINE UP (We line up near the “intermediate” basketball court.)

7:45Attendance, Pledge, Preamble to Declaration of Independence

8:00Extended Learning Experiences: Science, Social Studies, Health

8:15 Reading Instructional Focus Groups

8:45Enrichment Classes

9:35Extended Learning Experiences: Science, Social Studies, Health

10:05English Language Arts Block

11:05 Lunch Recess

11:25Lunch (Eating)

11:50 English Language Arts Block (continued)

1:00 Math Instructional Focus Groups

1:30Math Block

2:25Jobs, Homework Chat

2:35Dismissal

WEDNESDAY DISMISSSAL TIME IS 12:35.

ENRICHMENT CLASS SCHEDULE

CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION

CLASS FOLDERS

Each student is asked to bring a 2-inch, D-ring binder/notebook; a red, plastic folder; a blue, plastic folder, and a set of 8-tab subject dividers. We will label thered folder pockets as “IMPORTANT PAPERS TO TAKE HOME” and “IMPORTANT PAPERS TO BRING TO SCHOOL” and thebluefolder pockets as “COMPLETED WORK” and “SCHOOL & PTO NEWS.”

Students are directed to check their notebooks each morning for “Important Papers to Bring to School” (homework, notes to the teacher, lunch checks, etc.).

EMAIL

We receive frequent requests from the Colina office to forward information to parents. PLEASE SEND AN EMAIL TO ME AT WITH YOUR NAME AND YOUR CHILD’S NAME in the body, so that I can add you to my “contacts.” (District guidelines prohibit use of student names in the subject line.)

THE CLASSROOM PHONE & STUDENT USE

Our direct classroom line is 480.541.2746. The direct line into our classroom is answered by a voice messaging system. Although I check for messages throughout the day, if you need to get an immediate message to your child during school hours, it is best to call the office line (480.541.2600).

The students are permitted to use the classroom phone to verify after-school plans and lunch arrangements (not to make new plans or arrangements). Students also occasionally call from the classroom when they are feeling ill. Their calls for PE attire or forgotten objects (library books, homework, lunches) are limited. (ColinaSchool has adopted a “no call” policy for these issues and I try to abide by it.) Please let me know if you prefer that your child not be permitted to contact you during the school day.

CLASSROOM COMMUNICATION

REMIND.COM

Receive class reminders via text by enrolling for free in Remind.com. On a Smartphone, open your web browser and go to rmd.at/grbhb. If you don’t have a Smartphone, text @grbhb to 81010. Visit remind.com to learn more.

DISMISSAL PLANS

It is important that I have written confirmation of your child’s dismissal plans. If you haven’t already done so, please complete the“Dismissal Plans” form. (This was sent home on “Meet Your Teacher” night. There is also a copy in handbook on page 29.)This facilitates getting each child to the proper location at the close of the school day.

If your child’s dismissal/after school care plans change weekly, I will provide you with extra dismissal planning sheets or you can send me a schedule of your own. As the year progresses, there will be changes in many dismissal routines to accommodate Cub Scouts, Brownies, Chess Club, etc. You can send me an email or write me note as these changes occur, rather than filling out a whole new sheet.

If your child’s dismissal plans change for an irregular occurrence (such as a play date, a birthday party, or a visit from a relative), PLEASE contact me to let me know! It can be a message on my voice mail, a message at the front office, an email – even a note on a paper towel! District policy requires that I send students home in the manner that parents have previously written, unless I receive some other form of notification. Many students don’t remember there’s been a change until we are walking out the door – it is very difficult to dismiss the class and call a parent to verify a change in plans at the same time. Please help me with this. 

COLINA CONTACTS

Colina Office480-541-2600

Colina Absence/Attendance Line 480-541-2601

Cafeteria (Ms. Nahar) 480-783-2696

Library (Mrs. Spake) 480-541-2686/2687 (voice messaging)

Music (Mrs. McCleve) 480-541-2639 (voice messaging)

PE (Mr. Moser) 480-541-2694 (voice messaging)

Art (Ms. Wolinski) 480-541-2631 (voice messaging)

Heather’s Direct Line480-541-2725

Heather’s e-mail:

Website:

( Schools  Kyrene de la Colina  Classrooms  Fourth Grade: Ms. Smith)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

The Arizona Career and College Ready Standards include Literature and Informational Text, Foundational Skills, Writing Standards, Speaking Listening Standards, and Language Standards. A term that is now frequently used is “Text Complexity.” This refers not only to the level of vocabulary included in a selection, but also the complexity of ideas contained within a given text. Colina is using CKLA/Amplify ( materials to address language arts standards.
Lexile.com provides incredible information about the use of “Lexiles” to identify students’ reading abilities. It indicates that Lexile levels 630L to 910L are appropriate for fourth grade students.

The fourth grade team works together to meet the individual needs of the students. Students are evaluated throughout the school year using a variety of assessments. Kyrene uses Dynamic Measurement Groups: DIBELS Next®. While results are typically reported to us as “Benchmark” (On grade level), “Strategic” (Some intervention needed), or “Intensive” (Much intervention needed). Students are placed with a reading instructor (One of the fourth grade teachers or the Kyrene Academic Intervention Coach assigned to Colina) based on his/her instructional needs as determined by these assessments, as well as teacher input.

Reading Group activities may include phonics activities, phonemic awareness activities, fluency, reading aloud, comprehension strategies, discussing material that was read independently, vocabulary development, and occasionally editing writing.

THE IMPORTANCE OF VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

Exposure to increasingly complex vocabulary will increase your child’s reading ability. To support your child’s vocabulary development, try some of the following:

Have engaging conversations with your child! (A few conversation “starters” are provided on next page.)
Narrate what you are doing and why you are doing it. (While driving: “The solid lines mean no passing.” While doing laundry:“I wash the dark clothes together because sometimes the colors ‘bleed’ and may change the color of lighter colored garments.”)
Use some challenging words in your discussions. (Don’t “translate” everything into “kid language.”)
Choose a common adjective (big, small, good, bad, nice, fun, etc.) and see how many synonyms you and your child can generate.
Play a “Thesaurus Game” (next page)

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

THESAURUS GAMES

Materials: paper, pencil, thesaurus or laptop (The Synonym Finder)
Write ten adjectives that describe your personality, physical appearance, temperament or character. Next, use the thesaurus to find a synonym for each of your ten adjectives. Watch DOG, please make sure the synonym works as the adjective replacement. If it doesn’t, please EXPLAIN why it doesn’t work.
Alternative version: Write a list of ten words to describe your teacher, your pet, one of your parents, one of your siblings, the school, etc.
Alternative version: Write a very descriptive list of as many adjectives and phrases as you can think of to describe a person or a place. Your partner uses your list to guess the person or place you have described. (Example: red, noisy, kids running around, sizzling sounds, “fried” smell, sticky floor = McDonald’s)

CONVERSATION “STARTERS”

If you could have a wild animal for a pet, what would it be? How would you handle meeting its needs and recreating its natural habitat?
What is the worst job you can think of having? What would be horrible about it? Can you think of at least one good thing about it? Why do you think ANYONE does this job?
What is the best job you can think of having? What is so great about it? What type of knowledge, abilities, and training does a person need for this job? What is one thing that might not be so fun about that job?
If someone secretly did something nice for you, what would you want it to be?
If you could have a super power, what would it be and why?
If you could spend an entire day with one person, who would it be and what would you do? Why that person?
What do you think is the best way for teachers to handle it when a student doesn’t do his/her homework?
What would be a fair consequence for a student who was bullying you?
What is the nicest thing you have ever done for someone? Why did you do it? Would you do something like that again?
When is it OK to cheat? Would it be OK if someone other than you cheated in the same instance?
Why do you think it is required by law that a person be 16 years old to drive?
Why do you think it is required by law that a person be 16 years old to get a job?
Why do you think it is required by law that children attend school?
Is it ever OK to tell a lie? What about telling someone you like his/her new hair-style, when you really don’t like it? If some lies are OK to tell, what makes it OK to tell them?

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

SPELLING

The Colina fourth grade will be using the spelling instructional strategies included in the CKLA/Amplify English Language Arts program. Within the CKLA/Amplify program, some spelling lessons focus on identifying spelling patterns within a given list of words. The students participate in activities to reinforce the spelling of each word and are given a pronunciation chart, a definition, an example sentence, and additional information; depending upon the word list. There is a home activity sheet to be completed on the day of the direct spelling instruction. Aside from the activity sheet, there is NO FORMAL SPELLING HOMEWORK. The students take a traditional spelling test a few days later.

“Invented spelling” is appropriate for parts of homework (obviously NOT the spelling homework! ), although accurate spelling is the desired outcome. Sometimes children become frustrated when trying to complete a writing assignment and spell everything correctly, as well. If your child asks for spelling assistance during the completion of a homework assignment, I recommend that you “sound out” applicable words with your child and have him/her record the sounds. This will provide you with valuable information regarding your child’s logical or illogical choice for letter sounds. If your child requests assistance with a sight word/word that can’t be sounded out, ask, “What do you have so far?” or “What do you have for the first letter? Then what?” Many times, it turns out a child can actually spell the word.  After a homework assignment is completed, I recommend that you encourage your child to circle or underline words that s/he would like checked for spelling, so that you can give the correct spelling for those specific words. Please do not demand that your child correct all spelling in a writing assignment. Exact spelling is only necessary for specific spelling homework.

The spelling grade appears as part of “Conventions” in the Writing area of the Progress Report.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

THE SIX TRAITS OF WRITING

These Six Traits of Writing and brief descriptions are listed below. Instructing and scoring with the Six Traits allows teachers to focus on specific aspects of an individual student’s writing to increase improvement. We will often score papers for one specific trait to heighten awareness of each trait.

The Six Traits

Ideas & Content: A message that makes sense, more than one statement on the same topic, details, new information, a strong main idea.

Organization: Use of an introductory device (such as a title), use of words to suggest a beginning (once, one day, yesterday, etc.), use of words that connect ideas (meanwhile, however, then, next, etc.), use of words that show a sense of conclusion (at last, finally, when it was all over, etc.), more than one sentence about the same idea.

Voice: Text that makes the reader feel like laughing or crying, text that makes a connection to a personal memory, text the reader wants to share with others, text that makes it easy to identify the author.

Word Choice: Words the reader can read and make sense of, words that replace old standards (something other than “good,” “nice,” “fun,” “cool,” “neat,” “really,” “very,” etc.), strong verbs, words that paint a picture, sensory words (to help the audience hear, smell, feel, or touch the moment), a stretch to use a new or unusual word, the right word at the right moment.

Sentence Fluency: Use of varied sentence beginnings, a mix of statements and questions, a mix of long and short sentences, a complex or compound sentence mixed in with simple sentences, use of connecting words (however, then) that link sentence together,

Conventions: Phonetic spelling on more difficult words, correct spelling of simple words and high frequency words, end punctuation that is correct or mostly correct, capital letters for names, capital letters to begin sentences, correct use of periods and question marks, use of exclamation points, use of commas in a series, experimentation with more sophisticated punctuation marks (parentheses, semicolons, colons, dashes, ellipses, etc.).

WRITING IN FOURTH GRADE

The Arizona College and Career Ready Standards offers the following areas of focus for fourth grade writing:

Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information. This will include comparing and contrasting information.
Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.
Write narratives to write real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, descriptive details and clear event sequences.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

The 200 Most Commonly Misspelled and Misused Words

/ careful / equipped / immediately / naturally / possible / secretary
category / exaggerate / incidentally / necessary / practical / separate
ceiling / excellent / independent / neighbor / prefer / shining
cemetery / except / intelligent / neither / prejudice / similar
certain / exercise / interesting / noticeable / presence / sincerely
absence / chief / existence / interfere / occasion / privilege / soldier
accommodate / citizen / expect / interpretation / occurred / probably / speech
achieve / coming / experience / interruption / official / professional / stopping
acquire / competition / experiment / invitation / often / promise / strength
across / convenience / explanation / irrelevant / omission / proof / studying
address / criticize / familiar / irritable / operate / psychology / succeed
advertise / decide / fascinating / island / optimism / quantity / successful
advice / definite / finally / jealous / original / quarter / surely
among / deposit / foreign / judgment / ought / quiet / surprise
apparent / describe / forty / knowledge / paid / quit / temperature
argument / desperate / forward / laboratory / parallel / quite / temporary
athlete / develop / friend / length / particularly / realize / thorough
awful / difference / fundamental / lesson / peculiar / receive / through
balance / dilemma / generally / library / perform / recognize / toward
basically / disappear / government / license / permanent / recommend / tries
becoming / disappoint / grammar / loneliness / persevere / reference / truly
before / discipline / guarantee / losing / personally / religious / twelfth
beginning / does / guidance / lying / persuade / repetition / until
believe / during / happiness / marriage / picture / restaurant / unusual
benefit / easily / heroes / mathematics / piece / rhythm / using
breathe / eight / humorous / medicine / planning / ridiculous / unusually
brilliant / either / identity / miniature / pleasant / sacrifice / village
business / embarrass / imaginary / minute / political / safety / weird
calendar / environment / imitation / mysterious / possess / scissors

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

High Frequency Words

Students exiting entering fourth grade are expected to read/recognize these 350 words.

Words 1-25 / Words 26-50 / Words 51-75 / Words 76-100 / Words 101-125
Read by end of kindergarten / Read by middle of 1st grade / Read by end of 1st grade / Read by end of 1st quarter of 2nd grade / Read by middle of 2nd quarter of 2nd grade
the / or / will / number / new
of / one / up / no / sound
and / had / other / way / take
a / by / about / could / only
to / word / out / people / little
in / but / many / my / work
is / not / then / than / know
you / what / them / first / place
that / all / these / water / year
it / were / so / been / live
he / we / some / call / me
was / when / her / who / back
for / your / would / oil / give
on / can / make / now / most
are / said / like / find / very
as / there / him / long / after
with / use / into / down / thing
his / an / time / day / our
they / each / has / did / just
I / which / look / get / name
at / she / two / come / good
be / do / more / made / sentence
this / how / write / may / man
have / their / go / part / think
from / if / see / over / say

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS