Edwards Elementary

4th Grade Parent Handbook

2016-2017

Introduction:

Welcome to the intermediate grades! We are each thrilled to be your childs teacher. This
year, your child will be challenged to exhibit more independence and responsibility than in the
primary grades. It is exciting to watch children embrace these opportunities. Many of the
tasks in 4th grade require a consolidation of the basic skills learned in the primary grades.
Coursework includes more frequent and lengthy daily class assignments. Parents are encouraged
to help their child find time to read at home each night.

Common Traits of 4th Graders:

Learn to take responsibility for own actions

Generally content enjoys family, peers, and friends
Shows signs of being more responsible, inner directed, and independent
Plans and organizes
Works well in groups enjoys clubs, activities, and team sports
Loses some interest in fantasy, shows more interest in the real world
Sets high standards and gets down on self when standards are not met
Begins hero worship of older members of the same sex
Usually truthful developing more mature sense of right and wrong

Steps for Helping Children Solve Their Problems:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Collect information about events and feelings while avoiding blaming (i.e. What
happened? How did you feel? What happened next?)
State the problem clearly (its easier to solve a problem if the child has a clear
understanding of it)
Brainstorm ideas to solve the problem
Evaluate the ideas
Ask for a decision and help children make a plan for carrying out the solution

Tips for 4

th

Grade Success:

Please help your child arrive to school as close to 8:15 as possible. The students have a
number of duties they are responsible for to get ready for their day.
Check daily to see if your child has homework in their take-home folder. There will be
other information sent home in these folders, as well.
Set aside a regular time for reading, studying and homework.
Help your child plan long-term projects so things are not left for the last minute.
Remind your child to pack homework and school materials into their backpack each night
so nothing is left at home.
Study spelling words regularly.
Review and practice basic facts as needed.
Assist your child in reviewing for tests.
Look over the graded work your child brings home. Express interest and show your child
that their work is important to you.
Make sure your child gets enough sleep each night.
Make sure your child eats breakfast each morning.

Communication:

General Information:

You can reach us at school: 515-239-3760 or by email.

Miss Andrist
Email: jamie.andrist@ames.k12.ia.us
Mrs. Lara
Email: julie.lara@ames.k12.ia.us
Mr. Riedeman
Email: austin.riedeman@ames.k12.ia.us

Homework

Reading for 30 minutes each day

Studying for unit tests
Weekly homework packet (not all teachers)
Weekly spelling lists

School Hours:

8:15 allowed in the building

8:25 tardy bell rings
12:05-12:45 lunch/recess
Regular dismissal at 3:30 and 2:05 dismissal on Wednesdays

Absences:

Please call the office if your child is going to be absent.

Its also helpful if you can let your childs teacher know as well.
It is VERY helpful if you can get work ahead of time for planned absences, so your child
doesnt get behind.
Also, feel free to let us know if youd ever like to pick up work for your child or have it
sent home with a friend/sibling.
Check in at the office first when picking up your child early.

Field Trips:

Iowa Capitol Building and Science Center in Des Moines (all day)
Play/Performance- Stephens Auditorium (half day)
Hatchet (Survival Skills) at McFarland Park

Classroom Parties:

4 Parties:
o Fall (Oct.)
Parent volunteers help by providing snacks, drinks, and paper products
o Winter (Dec.)
Parent volunteers help by providing snacks, drinks, and paper products
o Friendship Day (Feb.)
Parent volunteers help by providing snacks, drinks, and paper products
o End-of-the-Year (Last day of school)
Pizza party (each student brings a few dollars for pizza)
Parent volunteers help by providing dessert and drinks

th

Grade Curriculum:

General Work Expectations:

Score of 80% on assessments and daily work

Name should be written on all work
Work should be neat, legible, and completed on time
Directions should be followed
Assignments should be recorded daily in student planners, if needed.

Literacy:

Our literacy block includes: word work, vocabulary, Lucy Calkins Units of Study Writing,
curriculum, reading to self, reading with others, small reading groups meeting with the
teacher, read alouds by the teacher, explicit lessons on reading strategies, literature
genres, and literacy projects.
4th graders should be reading a minimum of 30 minutes almost daily (at least 6
days/week) outside of school. The majority of the time the student should be doing the
actual reading (silently or aloud). This could include:
o Reading with an adult
o Reading silently
o Listening to a tape and following along in the book
o ITS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOUR CHILD IS READING AT THEIR
INDEPENDENT READING LEVEL. Your child will be regularly assessed on their
reading skills and assigned a Guided Reading letter (between A and Z) that
indicates their current reading level. We will continually monitor and assess to
move them to the next letter as they progress. Your child will make the most
progress as a reader if they consistently read at their assigned range of letters.
o There is a very helpful website that allows you to look up MANY (not all) books to
see what that books letter is. It is the Scholastic Book Wizard site:
http://bookwizard.scholastic.com/tbw/homePage.do
Type in the title or author of any book into the search box at the top of the page.
Click on the book. Look on the left side of the page for the Guided Reading
Level. If it is available, you will see a letter of the alphabet given.
o If your child is choosing a book and its information is not available on the website,
they should use the Rule of 3they read the first page and if they come to 3 or
more words they dont know, its too hard.

Math:

Our math curriculum is

by Scott Foresman
Topics of study include: multiplication, division, patterns, place value, adding and
subtracting whole numbers, fractions, mixed numbers, measurement, data, and geometry.
Math games and small groups taught by the teacher are used to teach and practice
skills/concepts
Family letters are sent home for each unit to help you as parents to be aware of what we
are doing at school and how to assist your child, if needed.
Basic Fact Memorization
o 4TH GRADE GOALS:
o 95% MASTERY IN 5 MINUTES
SEPT.15: ADDITION
OCT.15: SUBTRACTION
NOV.15: MULTIPLICATION
DEC.15: DIVISION
Please look over basic fact tests as they come home, so you can plan
how much time your child should practice at home. There are copies
of the 100 fact tests for each operation included in this handbook
for you to make copies, if you wish. Other great ways to practice
include flashcards, games (cards and dice), and computer programs. A
good website to practice any of the operations is:
www.softschools.com/math/games/

Social Studies:

Curriculum:

Regions of the United States: Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, and West
Topic studies in each region: Geography and Environment, People and Culture, History, and
Economics
Map skills
Iowa government, history, and citizenship

Science:

Students will approach learning science by asking questions, investigating with hands-on
experiments, making a claim (the answer to their question), providing evidence (the proof
for their claim), and presenting their claims and evidence to the class.
The class will respectfully negotiate one anothers claims to further their learning and
thinking.
o Science content includes:
Earth and Space Science (Earths rotation, moon, solar system, sun)
Weather (water cycle, clouds, atmosphere, weather tools and measurement)
Physical Science (electricity, magnetism)
Human Body (skeletal, muscular, and digestive systems)
Health (wellness & nutritionl)

Technology:

Weekly instruction from the schools Media Specialist

Additional integration into classroom instruction, including science, social studies, and
literacy

Assessments:

The Ames Community School Comprehensive Assessment Plan (CAP) has 4th graders
scheduled to take the Iowa Assessments (IA) in February.
4th grade students will take the Ames District Math Assessment in May.

Daily Schedule:

Monday/Tuesday/Thursday/Friday

8:15-8:25Opening routine
8:25-8:45Morning Meeting
8:45-9:15Additional Instruction (AI)
9:15-9:45Math
9:50-10:30Related Arts
10:35-11:35Math
11:35-12:05Writing
12:05-12:45Recess/Lunch
12:50-1:00Quiet Time
1:00-2:30 Literacy/Science/Social Studies
2:30-2:45Recess
2:45-3:20 Literacy/Science/Social Studies
3:20-3:30 Closing Circle
3:30 Dismiss

Wednesday

8:15-8:25Opening routine
8:25-8:45Morning Meeting
8:45-9:20Additional Instruction (AI)
9:25-9:55Related Arts
9:55-10:40Math
10:40-11:10Writing
11:10-12:05Literacy/Science/Social Studies
12:05-12:45Recess/Lunch
12:45-1:00Quiet Time
1:00-1:30 Literacy/Science/Social Studies
1:30-2:00Buddy Time with 1st Grade
2:00-2:05 Closing Circle
2:05 Dismiss