MS.KIM'S
4TH GRADE CLASS
all about 4th grade
"Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant." -Robert Louis Stevenson
Core Concepts for 4th Grade:
The core math concepts we will focus on this year:
1) Place Value/Number Sense/Base Ten
2) Multiplication/Division
3) Geometry/Measurement/Data
4) Fractions
These math concepts are taken from the common core math standards. These can be found at: http://www.corestandards.org/Math/Content/4/introduction/
The core language arts concepts we will focus on this year:
1) Reading Comprehension & Skills - literature and informational text (fiction/non-fiction)
2) Speaking/Listening Skills
3) Writing - Narratives, opinion pieces, and informational reports.
These language arts concepts are taken from the common core ELA standards. These can be found at: http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/
weekly
assignments
Every week your child is expected to explore these times at home:
1) ST Math
2) Read 20 minutes a day
3) Reading blog
4) Practice multiplication facts
Forms of Assessment
Ways we update on child's progress in the year
1) Home Visits: Home visits will be held from September-November. I will be visiting students at their home or their place of choice to get to know them better outside of school. Home visits are also an opportunity to a private conversation with parents about their child's progress, what we are working on and answer any questions they have might. These visits are about 30 minutes long.
Read more about Home Visits here.
2) Student-led Conferences: SLCs are similar to a traditional parent/teacher conference but the student is at the focal point of the discussion. Students will be leading the discussion on their own progress, articulating their own goals and steps towards accomplishing those goals. These are held twice a year: October & April.
Read more about Student-led Conferences here.
3) Family Morning Meetings: These are meetings held once a month or every other month. (Depending on the calendar). All families are welcome to attend to collaborate, connect, learn more about Project Based Learning at High Tech, as well as other topics of support.
Read more about Family Morning Meetings here.
4) Students' Personal Digital Portfolios: All students are responsible for documenting their progress throughout the year on their own personal digital portfolio. These will be displayed online and parents will have access to this 24/7 with a private password. On here will be video/images/reflections of students' work at school. Students will also have a hardcopy binder which will include their work which they can bring home at any time.
View students' digital portfolios here.
5)Progress Reports: Progress reports are given on a trimester system. These progress reports will reflect how students are doing in various subject areas including our habits of heart and mind. These will be sent home to families in the mail. Progress reports include standards as well as thorough commentary of each student's progress. (We do not score on grades/percents/scales for progress reports.)
Classroom Habits
The beginning weeks of school, our 4th grade students have been learning about each other, about themselves and developing norms and habits for their classroom. The purpose of this is to build a strong learning community where students feel safe to share their work and engage in project-based learning. Below are the norms and habits they have developed in their classroom.
Habits of a Mathematician
Habits of a Mathematician to follow by:
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Practice
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Persevere
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Finish what you started
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Critique to help you revise and improve
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Take risks to try new strategies
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Be present
Habits of a Writer
Habits of a Writer to follow by:
Habits of a Reader
Habits of a Reader to follow by:
Classroom Norms
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Treat others how you want to be treated
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Use kind words
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Put everything back the way it was
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Keep your body to yourself
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Take care of our new school
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Respectfully listen and focus on your work