Mrs. Fox’s Fourth Grade Class

1. Mrs. Fox’s Fourth Grade Class Welcome Parents!

2. Welcome to Fourth Grade • Please fill out a letter back to your child and leave in in their desks.

3. Back To School Night • Introduction • Sample Day • Report Cards/ Conferences • Snack/ Lunch • Homework/ Missed work • Curriculum • Discipline • Classroom Procedures

4. All About Me • My background • I grew up Butler, NJ • I attended Ramapo College of New Jersey • Have 3 sons who are now grown and successful adults • My experience: 9 years teaching 5th grade at LPMS and ….3 years teaching 6th grade Language Arts/Reading • Thrilled to be teaching 4th grade @LPES • This will be my third year teaching 4th grade. I am experienced now!!

5. A Day In The Life Of A Fourth Grader • 9:00-9:05 unpack and write down homework • 9:05- 9:45 Special • 9:45-10:49 Math • 10:50-11:51 Writing/ Language Arts • 11:53-12:33 Lunch • 12:35-1:57 Reading • 1:59-2:39 Social Studies • 2:41-3:21 Science • 3:21-3:30 Dismissal

6. Specials Class Special Schedule Monday~ Music Tuesday~ Library Wednesday ~ Computers Thursday~ P.E. Friday ~ Art Alternating weekly special 2:41-3:21 Week 1 Art Week 2 Computers Week 3 Physical Education (sneakers) Week 4 Music

7. My Goals for 4th Grade • To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment. • To help students and you to make new friends and discover new interests. • Communicate with parents through email/phone/letters. • Get your child ready for the 4th grade NJASK test and for 5th grade level.

8. Specials • Monday- Music • Tuesday- Library • Wednesday – Computers • Thursday- P.E. • Friday- Art *** Please remember sneakers on gym days!

9. Snacks and Birthdays • Please make sure that your child has a healthy snack. • Our snack is in the morning around 10:-10:30 A. M. • Please do not send canned drinks or any items that are overly messy • A note will be sent home a few days before the birthday. • Please only send in precut or individually packaged treats, and please deliver them to the office. They will be distributed to the class during a break in the afternoon. This will help to avoid disruptions during instructional time.

10. Room Parents • We will be choosing room parents this year. • These parents will help organize parties, special projects and events, etc. All parents are important to us. No one will be left out. Room parents will be called upon during the year to help with various activities. • Occasionally you will receive a note or a call from our room parents for help! Details will follow and we will be in touch throughout the school year. • I’d like to thank you in advance for your help this year, it’s not an easy job, and I appreciate your stepping up to the challenge • If you are interested, please feel free to sign up on the sign up sheet in the back of the room.

11. Report cards/ Conferences • Report cards and Progress Reports given each marking period. • Please sign up for conferences in the back of the room. • I will send home reminders.

12. Homework Time • Written homework will be given Monday-Thursday night. • A Spelling, Math, and Reading and/or Writing assignment will always be given. Please check your child’s student planner nightly to make sure all assignments are completed. • All homework is expected to be completed and handed in on the following day. Spelling is an exception. • Students will be expected to read 20 minutes every night. (with the exception of Tues./Thurs. when 10 minutes is required as they are writing in “Journal” nights.) • If homework is not completed, your child will be asked to complete the missing assignment at recess that day or for homework that night. • Too many missing homework assignments will affect your child’s grade at the end of the marking period.

13. Reading • In fourth grade we use the Houghton Mifflin Reading series. This series includes wonderful stories that the children can relate to, while also expanding their vocabulary and knowledge of different topics. • Focus skills include identifying main ideas, cause and effect, sequencing, summarizing, paraphrasing, fact and opinion, making inferences and building vocabulary. • The children will have a Reading test every Friday and will also be tested at the end of each theme. • We also read the following novels: Sarah, Plain and Tall, Stone Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Cricket in Times Square, and The Fighting Ground

14. Writing • We introduce and teach a variety of writing methods using the following writing styles: • Narrative (personal experience) • Expository (purpose is to inform, explain, describe, or define the author's subject to the reader) • Speculative (creating a fictional story based on a given situation – speculating (guessing) about what could happen next), and • Persuasive (main goal is to persuade or convince someone to do something that you want them to do.)

15. Spelling • Students will always receive their spelling words on Monday in school. • The goal is for the children to learn through practice and memorization how to spell correctly. • The students will choose a different written “Take Your Pick” spelling activity Monday through Wednesday for homework. • Thursday night homework will always be to study for the weekly Friday spelling test.

16. Math • The Everyday Mathematics program is used in fourth grade. • This is the same program that is used in all of the other grades at LPES, so your child and you should be familiar with it. • Skills we focus on include: geometry, place value, multiplication, division, decimals, fractions, percents, word problems, area, perimeter, volume, & symmetry. • It is extremely important that your child knows his/her multiplication facts. We do go over facts in school, but your child should also review them often at home.

17. Science • The Macmillan/McGraw-Hill series is new this year and features the following topics and sub topics: • Life Science: Living things and Eco Systems • Earth & Space Science: Earth & its Resources and Weather & Space • Physical Science: Matter and Forces & Energy • We also focus on hypothesizing, analyzing, drawing conclusions, experimenting, measuring, cooperating, reporting, & study skills.

18. Social Studies • The students will be studying our great state of New Jersey in Social Studies this year. They will be tested after each unit. We will also do state related projects for certain chapters. Skills we focus on include: map reading & designing, outlining, drawing conclusions, cause & effect, sequence, researching, cooperating, presenting, & study skills.

19. Discipline • Rewards~ Drawing from our “Mystery Box”, bonus points toward a test or specified “free time” on an alternating weekly basis. • Class Room Rules • If a student chooses to not follow classroom procedures then they will be given a verbal warning. • If a student continues to not follow procedures then they will stay in for recess the following day and complete a “Stop and Think” form which will be sent home to be signed by a parent and returned. • In the event of a more serious offense such as blatant disrespect to a teacher, cursing, fighting, damaging school property, etc., the student will be sent to the administration for immediate action. • All students are responsible for maintaining procedures and will be held accountable.

20. How can you help? • Please review your child’s planner with them. • Check over homework, but do not give them the answers. Help them move toward becoming independent learners. • I send tests and quizzes home as they are given. When a test comes home I would like you to sign it and kindly return it to school the next day. The assessments will be kept in a file in class for future reference and conference time review. • Review times tables

21. Other Information • What to do when my child is absent? • Any work that is missed when your child is absent must be completed when he/she returns to school. I always appreciate when missed work is picked up to do at home, especially when a child misses more than a day. If the missing assignments are something that can be done at home, your child will have less work and stress when they return. • It would be best to request class work as you leave a message with the nurse when calling in an absence. It will give me plenty of time to gather necessary materials, write detailed notes, and leave it in the office for you to pick up by the end of the school day.

22. How can I reach Mrs. Fox By Phone~ 973-696-5530 By Email~ Fox@lincpk.com Or send a note in your child’s planner

23. Let’s Have a Great Year!