I hope your child feels comfortable in his/ her new classes and accepts the responsibility of becoming one of the "big kids" in the school.  They are now role models for the other children as they walk through the halls, play outside, eat lunch, etc.  

This year, the 4th grade teachers are trying a different approach to better meet the needs of the students: flexible grouping for math.  Each nine weeks your child will be assessed on the math topics to be covered and placed on a team for that grading period.  He or she will have the opportunity to be with other children with similar strengths and weaknesses, and the students will be in a more comfortable setting.  They will not get frustrated and struggle because they are behind the others, nor will they be bored because they are way beyond their classmates.  Your child may be on one math team for a particular set of math concepts and switch to another team for the next nine weeks.  The 4th grade teachers will work together to ensure that all classes follow the same pace for science, language arts, and social studies to allow for a seamless math team switch at the new nine weeks.  We are very excited to implement this and look forward to seeing the results.  Mrs. Upshaw has also allowed us to have math group times each week to address the needs of the children on a more immediate basis.  During this time, the teachers will have enrichment or reinforcement activities, small group tutoring, etc. for the children to rotate through.  This may be a bit confusing for you at first, but the children will love it!  Each teacher will maintain a website or blog so you can keep up with who currently has your child in class.  You may access all of our websites on the NCES link. 

What are we learning?

This section will contain weekly topics of study, not weekly or nightly homework.  I am trying to encourage development of your child's responsibility and independence by holding them accountable for writing down nightly homework.   I do draw attention to where it is written each day on the board and will initial filled out homework agendas for parents if the child asks.  Your child's time in my class will not only include 4th grade learning, but preparation and training for middle school requirements.   This may take a little adjustment period, but your child will catch on quickly and will be just fine!  My class will be an environment where your child can feel safe to learn and can blossom into successful young ladies and gentlemen.

Reading: We will begin reading a novel called Stone Fox .  We will be reviewing all the standards with this story.  The vocabulary words are: palomino, sturdy, explanation, enabled, gully, mature, ricocheting, mended, harmonica, and irrigation. 

Spelling: There is no spelling this week.  Use knowledge of letter sounds, word parts, word segmentation, and syllibication to monitor and correct spelling. 

Language:  We are starting a new unit discussing parts of speech (adjectives). 

Writing:  We are using technology (photostory) to create a social studies report.

Social Studies:  We are continuing our unit on the making of a nation.  We will also start an in class research project on different topics dealing with the American Revolution.