Welcome to 4th Grade!

Communication: Communication is essential for success in education. I will keep you informed daily, weekly, and monthly about your childs progress. Feel free to call, e-mail, or send a note if you have questions or concerns. The school office number is 449-3110, and our classroom number is 449-3138. I believe in differentiating instruction in a brain-friendly classroom to increase achievement in all students. To do this, it is essential that students arrive at school on time and have good attendance. Much of our learning is interactive, inquiry-based learning that cannot be made up at home. Differentiated Instruction: Differentiating instruction is doing whats fair for students. Its a collection of best practices strategically employed to maximize students learning at every turn, including giving them the tools to handle anything that is undifferentiated. It requires us to do different things for different students some, or a lot of the time. Its whatever works to advance the student. Its highly effective teaching! ~Rick Wormeli Brain-Compatible Classroom: Absence of threat Respecting the uniqueness of learners Engagement of emotions Understanding the brains attention span Active, relevant choice-driven learning Complex, real-life learning Eating proper foods Specific, immediate feedback Utilization of patterns in learning Engagement of meaning

Benefits of a Brain-Compatible Room: Skyrocket Memory Improve Intrinsic Motivation Help Create Meaning Build Lifelong Learners Instill Key Learning Skills Boost Attention Levels Build Self-Esteem

Brain Books: The purpose of the Brain Books is to have a daily record of students learning. It is also a means of communication between teachers and parents. Your childs responsibility is to fill out the Brain Book and make sure it goes home and comes back to school each day. Your responsibility is to read it and sign it each day. I encourage you to use the Brain Book to ask questions about what your child is doing each day at school. Finally, my responsibility is to check the Brain Book for a signature each day. It is important that we all work together to make this a successful tool for communication. This will be located in your childs home-to-school binder. Friday Folders: Your child's work will be sent home once a week in the home-to-school binder. Please look over this section every Friday, comment if you wish, and return it on Monday. Each week, a newsletter will be included in the Friday Folder that contains a summary of the weeks learning and a glance at what well be learning the following week. This is one of the best ways I can keep you informed of our plans and share our successes. Ill also upload the newsletters on our class website: www.cd-4.net. Curriculum: 4th Grade Curriculum can be found at www.nixapublicschools.net. Click on the Parent Link and then scroll to the bottom. On the right side there is a link to Elementary Curriculum Cards. Homework: We use every minute of our day for meaningful learning experiences, and we work very hard! In addition to the work students complete in class, there may be nightly homework. Students are expected to read and practice multiplication facts. Reading: Part of your childs reading grade will come from their nightly reading. Each child is expected to read at least 20 minutes per week, four-five nights a week outside of school. The more your child reads -- the better reader he/she will become. According to No Child Left Behind, students must be reading not more than one grade level below their current grade level at the end of fourth grade to be promoted to the

next grade. This means that at the end of the school year, your child MUST be reading on a minimum of the third grade, ninth-month level. Multiplication: Each week, your child will take a five-minute multiplication quiz consisting of 100 problems. Times will be recorded, and students will strive to decrease their time. I have a multiplication game for practice linked on our website at www.cd4.net. Www.multiplication.com is also another resource for practice. Graded Work: If a student receives a grade below 70% on an assessment, the paper will be sent home for a parent signature. Ill staple it in the Brain Book with a note saying, See attached paper. It will need to be returned to school the next school day. This will serve to help in the communication of your childs grade. Late Work: All work should be turned in on time. If a student does not complete an assignment during the allotted class time, he/she will be expected to take it home and complete it for homework. The work will be due the next day unless otherwise specified. If a student does not turn in the required work on time, they may lose points on the assignment. This decision will be made on an individual basis and will be communicated to you. Absences: Daily attendance is highly encouraged! Many of the classroom activities and assignments are hands-on and interactive. When a student returns from an occasional absence, it is their responsibility to ask the teacher for appropriate make-up work. It is also essential that your child arrive to school on time each morning. Tickets: Throughout the year, students will be given tickets. Tickets will be awarded for good behavior, parent signatures in the brain book, homework completion, etc. Students will save their tickets for prizes and/or drawings throughout the year. Classroom Behavior: My classroom discipline is aligned with the principles of Love and Logic and Positive Behavior Support (PBS). Please visit the Mathews School Fusion Page and visit the PBS for Families link if you would like more information on this. **Our classroom is a fun, positive, and orderly place. We will expect appropriate behavior and respect for ourselves, others, and property. We will work together to develop a warm class community. Students will treat each other with respect and empathy. We will celebrate our teamwork, achievements, cooperation, and good choices!

Classroom Guidelines: 1. You may engage in any behavior that does not create a problem for you or anyone else. 2. If you find yourself with a problem, you may solve it by any means that does not cause a problem for you or anyone else. 3. You may engage in any behavior that does not jeopardize the safety or learning of yourself or others. Unkind words will not be tolerated. 4. If you feel something is unfair, whisper to me, Im not sure thats fair, and we will talk later. 5. At all times, we will be safe, outstanding learners who are respectful and responsible in all settings. Parents and Visitors: Parents and visitors are always welcome in our classroom and volunteering is encouraged. Here are a few options that you have: ~Mystery Reader ~Class Parties ~Field Trip ~Copying Papers

Supplies: 1 Box crayons (at least 24) 1 Pkg. markers 1 Pair of scissors 1 Red checking pen 1 Wooden ruler with inches and centimeters 1 Large box of Kleenex 1 Pkg. dry erase markers 2 Pkg. wide ruled notebook paper 2 Spiral notebooks 2 Pkg. No. 2 pencils (at least packs of 10-12) 5 Folders with brads and pockets (solid colors) 1 Backpack 1 Box colored pencils 1 Black Sharpie 1 Antibacterial wipes Boys: 2 glue sticks Girls: 1 bottle glue ART Supplies: 2 Sharpie markers 1 pack thin Crayola markers **These are the supplies required for all fourth grade students in the district. Additional Mathews 4th Grade Supply List: 1in. Binder Optional Supplies: 1 package post-it notes Wet Wipes or Zip Lock Bags

Snacks: At this time, food allergies in the in our classroom include: milk, artificial colors or flavors. School District is currently implementing the Child Nutrition and WIC Reauthorization Act of 2004 again this year. A committee was formed to come up with a district policy. Unhealthy foods or foods of no nutritional value will no longer be served for school breakfasts or lunches. As well, teachers are no longer allowed to give out candy or gum as incentives in the classroom. Although we do not require the students snacks from home to be healthy, we strongly recommend it. One way that this will affect ALL students is that parents are no longer allowed to bring in cupcakes for their childs birthday. If you want to bring in a special snack, it must be considered healthy. If you would like to bring in a cupcake for your child only on their birthday, you may do this. Please do not bring enough for the whole class because they will not be allowed to take part. We will have time in the afternoon for snack each day. I also encourage students to drink water throughout the day. Here is a list of some healthy snack options. Fresh Fruit Raisins Chex mix Dry cereal pretzels Popcorn Rice cakes Gingersnaps Yogurt/Gogurt Fruit cups 100% juice Trail mix Breakfast bars Goldfish Tortilla chips Bread sticks Graham crackers String cheese Fruit and cheese Dried fruit Juice boxes Raw vegetables Granola bars Plain granola Cereal bars Vanilla wafers Flat bread Cheese & crackers Fig bar/cookies Peanut butter & crackers Animal crackers Nuts/peanuts/seeds Whole wheat crackers

Thank you for your understanding!