Dear Parent(s),
Welcome to a new school year! I am happy to have your child in my class. Children are truly special gifts from God. We have a great deal to accomplish in fourth grade. Presently, we are focusing on organization and neatness of written work. This includes learning how to use the assignment notebook, coming prepared to school, and being prepared for each class. I expect the children to always do their best!
The students switch for one class per day. Reading, Math, English, Religion, Science, Spelling, and Art are taught in homeroom. Mrs. Polli teaches Social Studies.
By now, you are aware of the discipline policy for grade four, as well as our reward system. A parent signature is required on Wednesday when the white St. Edward envelope is sent home with corrected papers and tests, as well as important school news.
Room 204 has computer class on Tuesday morning, for which they need their computer folder. Music is on Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.
Thursday morning is when we visit the library. Please make sure that their library books are in their school bags Wednesday evening.
Gym is on Thursday afternoons and Friday mornings. Please make sure that your child comes prepared, and follows the gym uniform policy.
Our Spanish class has been scheduled for Monday afternoons for 30
minutes. I provide 15 minutes each day for silent reading. It is VERY important that they are reading at home for at least 15 minutes a day.
I want to express my thanks for all of your support! I will always
strive to fulfill the educational and spiritual needs of your child.
Here is a sampling of skills and procedures that will be covered and followed in the various subjects this school year.
Reading: setting, classification, prefixes/suffixes, comparisons, multiple meanings of words, sequencing, making inferences, main ideas, details, cause/effects,
fact/opinion, dictionary skills, word meaning and vocabulary. A study guide is given out before each unit test. This study guide is to be signed for the day of the unit test.
The children will be required to take and pass 5 Accelerated Reading
tests each trimester. (Please review the note that was sent home regarding Accelerated Reading for more information). Failure to do so will
result in a check on their report card. The number of points is not considered. Each test passed is rewarded with a book buck. If you would like to take a look at the titles of the books that are on the accelerated reading list, you can access the information via internet at HTTP://WWW.STEDWARDSCHOOL.COM/ACCELREAD.HTML
Math: Place value, problem solving, graphing, multiplication
using one and also two digit numbers, long division, fractions and decimals. A pre-test is given before each chapter’s test as a source of review. This also
acts as a study guide, which needs to be signed for the day of the test. A test is given after each chapter. Please practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division facts with your child.
Spelling: A new unit is covered each week. The new words are reviewed on Monday. A pre-test is given, with the post-test on Friday. Each test is based on the 20
basic and 5 review words. I then give 3 challenge words as extra credit. The pages for the week’s unit must be completed for Friday, which is corrected for a grade. A worksheet is also given on Library day, due the next day.
English: Writing sentences, subjects and predicates, nouns, pronouns, verbs (linking, action, and helping), adjectives, adverbs, writing friendly letters, How to speeches, writing personal narratives, homophones, punctuation, and speaking. A pre-test is given before each unit’s test as a source of review. This also acts as
a study guide, which needs to be signed for the day of the test. A test is given after each unit.
Daily Oral Language (DOL) activity worksheets are given out weekly and are to be completed at the beginning of each day. Each daily
activity consists of five various skills that reinforce important Language Arts
skills. The completed worksheets will be collected on Fridays or the last day of the week. The students will be awarded a maximum of 5 participation points.
Science: Life Science: animals, adaptations, classifications, and characteristics. Physical Science: properties of matter, states of matter. Earth Science: Earth’s land resources- moving water, wind, ice, natural resources, and conservation efforts. Weather and Climate: Earth’s atmosphere, weather patterns, predictions, seasonal weather changes, and climate. The Human Body: Organs, functions of
the respiratory, circulatory, and excretory systems, and health measures that
prevent or fight diseases. A test is given after each chapter. The students
complete a study guide after each chapter as a source of review for the
test. The study guide needs to be signed for the day of the test.
Social Studies: Map skills and the study of the United States by region. The children will take frequent quizzes and a test at the end of each chapter.
Religion: The study of the Beatitudes and the Ten Commandments. A variety of Advent and Lenten activities. A focus on Creed, Liturgy and Sacraments, Christian Morality,
Prayer, and Family Life A test will be given after each chapter. We attend an
all school Mass on Wednesday mornings and on all Holy Days.
Service Hours: All students are required to complete five service hours per trimester, totaling fifteen hours for the year, as part of the Religion curriculum.
Absences: If your child is absent, please contact the office, alerting them of how your
child’s homework will be getting home, as well as the nature of the absence. Upon your child’s return to school, please send a note regarding the reason for the absence. The students will be allowed 2 days to make up the missing assignments. After the homework is completed, it is their responsibility to turn it in on time.
Music Lessons/Orchestra/Chorus: If a child leaves for a music lesson or orchestra, it
is their responsibility to find out what they missed. Attending a music lesson, orchestra, or
chorus is not a valid reason for missing a homework assignment. All homework and important things to remember are written on the chalkboard each day for the students to copy into their assignment notebooks.
Birthdays/ Holidays: The students are allowed to bring in treats for their birthday as well as for the major holidays including: Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and Easter. Please be advised that we have 17 students in Room 204. St. Edward is strongly recommending that students do not bring in store bought items with excessive frosting on them. Please be aware that members of our class
have food allergies.
Snack: The tudents are allowed to bring a HEALTHY snack. he snacks are eaten mid-morning, giving the students a boost between reakfast and lunch. Please make sure
that it is ready to eat and that the portions are of snack size.
Mid-Trimester Reports: Progress eports are sent home in the middle of each trimester in the Wednesday envelope. This report gives a letter grade for each subject and a list of any missing assignments they may have. The progress report requires a parent
signature and needs to be returned to school by the given due date. This report reflects the progress made for the first half of each trimester and is not their final grade. This allows the students to either maintain their grades or gives them a chance to improve them.
I have many exciting things planned, and look forward to a wonderful school year. If you should have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me directly before or after school, leaving a message in the school office, writing a note and sending it with your child, or via e-mail at kmchun@aol.com at any time.
Thank you for your help and
continuous support.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Chun
