Grade 4

Click here to see an overview of the curriculum of this grade.
Click here to view the School Handbook (general policies for grades K through 8)
Click here to see photos from 4th Grade.

Classroom News - October 2008

Happy October! I would like to thank everyone for attending the recent Parents’ Night. I hope you all have a better understanding of how our day is scheduled, the expectations and the happenings in our classroom.

Language Arts with Mrs. Bigda

We have started our new language arts reading program! The program consists of the five essential components of reading; vocabulary, comprehension, fluency, phonics and phonemic awareness. This is built around a variety of fiction and non-fiction literature in the core reading as well as in the guided-reading program with the leveled reader system. It also includes a comprehensive writing program. Reading and grammar skills are addressed each week. The first theme is about Facing Challenges – we will read about characters that have the courage to face their challenges and learn something new about them. The skills we will work on are; character traits and motivations, and compare/contrast. Grammar skills will include the 4 types of sentences and subjects and predicates both simple and complete.

Please continue to review the weekly vocabulary words and your child’s Words to Learn for spelling. All students will be working on prediction book reports. These will be done in school. Ask to see their rubrics and their reports.

Social Studies with Mrs. Bigda

We are studying the climate, culture, geography, economy and resources of the Southwest. We will study maps, map reading skills, timelines and latitude and longitude. I will continue to include critical thinking skills that compliment our studies. We are also working on how to write a good essay.

Science with Mrs. Bigda

Our next few units in Earth science will focus on landforms, rocks, minerals, the solar system and the seasons. The children have been enjoying the exploration and inquiry activities. They have been working hard on explaining their observations and inferences. They are all using science notebooks for observations, recording diagramming, and conclusions.

Classroom News with Mrs. Bigda

The Family Life Program is underway every Monday and Friday morning and will continue until October 10th. First quarter grades close on Friday October 24th. Report cards will be available online on Friday October 31st. The parent conference schedule will be going home soon via the weekly envelopes. Conferences will be held from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Monday November 3rd and from 8:30 – 3:00 on Tuesday November 4th. Let me know if your scheduled time is not convenient for you and we can arrange an alternate time. Individual picture day is October 24th. There is no school on Monday October 27th and Tuesday November 11th. Students have no school on conference day, Tuesday the 4th. Please remember to check their planners on a regular basis and remind them of the importance of packing their own backpacks. Please do not throw any of their papers away without first checking with them.

I did not put out a list of needed science consumables this year because there are a few items that we could use for the language arts program: Post-It flags for marking text support, assorted colored cardstock for vocabulary words, scrapbooking supplies for publishing theme writing assignments and classical music CDs or tapes to listen to during process writing.

If you have any questions or concerns please let me know.

Religion with Sr. Borzi

Welcome to our Fourth Grade Religion classes! The children have been discussing the various types of sin, including mortal and venial sins, sins of commission and sins of omission. The Fourth Graders are learning about the gift of free will and the importance of forming a good conscience. These lessons are preparing the students to understand and appreciate the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a conduit of God’s merciful forgiveness to each of us. This, in turn, will lead the children to study the Ten Commandments in depth. Jesus tells us that if we love God, we will keep God’ laws. We must first know them in order to obey them. This is the challenge that faces the Fourth Graders throughout this school year. We learn them now, but we will hopefully use them for the rest of our lives.

Math with Mrs. Ethier

I share the grade 4 math teaching assignment with Mrs. Bigda. Students are divided into two heterogeneous groups. I meet with my students in the math room. We have completed the first two chapters which deal with place value up to the millions, rounding to the nearest ten, hundred, or thousand, comparing and ordering numbers and money sense and are currently working in chapter 3, addition and subtraction of whole numbers. Problem solving activities have stressed the strategies of guess and check and draw a picture. Students are developing their writing in math skills.  Next we will be collecting, organizing and using data. Students that have not mastered the addition and subtraction basic facts should continue to practice with their flashcards.