Mrs. Heinrich,

Ms. Hollstegge,

Mrs. Swiecki

& Ms. Averdick

   This web page was created to guide you through the fourth grade.  There is a lot of useful information for you and your parents.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact your fourth grade teacher and we would be happy to help you in any way! 

Field Trips:

We will be taking a field trip to Imago Earth Center in the fall to learn about plants and photosynthesis. Parents are welcome to chaperone.

Grade Level Expectations

Classroom Expectations – Consequences – Grading Scale

Homework Policy:  Students should expect to have about 40 minutes of homework each night.  They should read for 20 minutes at home every night.  If assignments are not turned in on time, students will receive a Late Homework Stamp in their planbook.  The planbook page must be signed by a parent and returned with the completed assignment the following day.  The homework score will be lowered one letter grade for each day the work is overdue.  If the assignment is not returned after 4 days, the grade will be recorded as a 0.  It is expected that students will turn assignments in on time, with few exceptions.  Students who are absent have the number of days they were out to make up work.

Academic Information

Weekly Newsletter Link

Language Arts:  (Link to reading series)

Much of our reading will come from the Scott Foresman reading series.  We will read short stories from the reading book most weeks.  There will be a selection test after each story.  Students are encouraged to use their books to find evidence for their answers.  They will also participate in leveled reading groups for on-level practice. We will also participate in novel studies this year. Students will take a spelling pretest each week and a spelling post test on Fridays.  Students will be assigned several at-home book projects during the year.

AR:  Accelerated Reader is a program which matches students with reading material on their own level.  Students will take the STAR test to determine their reading level.  They will then be expected to read books within their reading range (ZPD).  Students will take computerized quizzes after reading each book.  Those who score 60% or higher on quizzes will earn points.   Students will be assigned AR point goals each quarter.  Each student will earn a grade based upon the percentage of the goal he/she earned.  They will also earn a grade from the average percent correct on quizzes.  These two scores together count for 1/3 of the total reading grade for the quarter. 

It’s important to read well and read often! 

Check out our classroom libraries plus the school and public libraries for lots of good AR books. 

Math: 

We will be working hard on fourth grade concepts in place value, fractions, decimals, geometry, multiplication, division, data analysis and problem solving. Students should expect to have either a worksheet or a page(s) from their math textbook to complete each night for practice.  Students also take a timed “Fast Facts” test daily to improve speed and accuracy with +, -, x, & ÷ facts.    Most homework will be graded, but some will just be checked for completion. 

Students will take a test at the end of each unit in the Scott Foresman textbook. , There are lots of extra practice sections built into each chapter.  Reviewing these problems and graded assignments is a good way to study for tests.  It is also a good idea to review graded homework to make sure your child progresses in areas he or she may experience difficulty in.  

During the course of the year, students will learn many strategies to assist in mental computation.  They will solve multi-step word problems and solve for variables.  We will complete 2 and 3 digit multiplication problems as well as long division by 1 and 2 digit divisors.   Students will find elapsed time, area, perimeter, and averages.  They will also work with fractions, decimals, and percentages.

It is expected that parents are helping their children to develop math skills outside of school as well.  Practicing basic facts is a crucial way to help your child.  There is no way that we could spend enough time on review of basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts to commit them to memory.  There is simply too much to learn, and those facts are really expected to have been taught in third grade.  Reviewing problem areas with your child is also a great way to make sure he or she is making good progress. 

There are lots of great math links on my website for additional practice.  http://wve4h.com

Science/ Health:  (Science Link)

Students will spend the first three quarters of the year with a science focus, and then move onto Health for the fourth quarter.  Science topics for the year include Plants, Weather, Earth’s Changes, and Matter.  Health topics include Good & Bad Drugs, and Communicable & Non-communicable Diseases.  Homework should be expected 1-2 nights a week, on average.

Social Studies:

Students will be studying the following topics this year in Social Studies: Map Skills, Ohio History, Economics, Government, American Heritage, along with various cultural groups that settled in Ohio.  If there is any remaining time we might include topics about the United States, slavery and immigration. Students will not have homework nightly but will be expected to complete and turn in all assignments on time.