Bryker Woods

4th Grade
Handbook

Back-to-School Night
2019-2020
 Welcome to 4th Grade!
What a great beginning to this school year! We have enjoyed taking the first few steps
into Fourth Grade with your children. Below is a list of important information we hope will
make your Fourth Grade experience easier.
If you have additional questions or need to schedule a conference, please feel free to
contact your child's teacher.
Fourth Grade Website
bwfourthgraders.weebly.com

Bonnie Cross Richard Dowell

email: bonnie.cross@austinisd.org email: richard.dowell@austinisd.org
phone: (512) 841-2308 phone: (512) 841-2312

Lorene Wallace Mackenzie Wright

email: lorene.wallace@austinisd.org email: mackenzie.wright@austinisd.org
phone: (512) 841-2307 phone: (512) 841-2309

Please scan the QR codes (using an app such as unitag) to

download our contact information into your cell phone.

**Please keep in mind that due to limited planning time or

possible illness, teachers will respond to emails as soon as
possible but it is possible that responses may not be sent
within the same calendar day as the sender’s initial
email.**
 4th Grade Classroom Management
“I will allow the teacher to teach and the learner to learn.”

Bryker Woods students will be:

1. Respectful
2. Responsible
3. Kind
4. Safe

In our continuing efforts to build a community of learners, each Fourth Grade classroom
has discussed guidelines for successful learning. By following the Bryker Woods Peace Plan, we
stress positive reinforcement and strive to create a nurturing environment where all students will
succeed. To acknowledge appropriate student behavior we offer:
1. Verbal Praise
2. Notes of Praise
3. Note/email/phone call home

Should inappropriate behavior occur, a student may be given:

1. Verbal reminder requesting appropriate behavior.
2. Reflection—Student is removed from the activity for a short period of time to reflect on
his/her behavior and devise a verbal plan. With composure, the student will
communicate this plan and return to the activity.
3. Refocus—Student is finished participating with the group for that period. Behavior plan
will be developed and documented.

For specific policies and schedules regarding your child’s fourth

grade teachers, please refer to the fourth grade website:
https://www.bwfourthgraders.weebly.com

For specific school-wide guidelines please refer to the

BRYKER WOODS PARENT/STUDENT HANDBOOK.
 4th Grade Grading
Grading policies, including homework, are available for your child’s specific

A+
teachers on the fourth grade website. Special projects and additional practice
work may be assigned throughout the week. These assignments may include
work not completed during school and applied practice of material covered in
class. Practicing skills is an important part of being a successful learner. If your
child is struggling with homework, please let us know.
Due to limited planning time, teachers may be unable to input all students’ grades in one sitting to the digital
gradebook. For this reason, parents may be notified that their child is “missing” an assignment, though this
may not be the case. All student grades will be input digitally as soon as possible following the teacher’s initial
creation of the assignment within the gradebook. If your child is still missing the assignment after a significant
period of time, please contact the subject area teacher on how to make-up the missing assignment.
All Austin ISD students have access to a site referred to as their student portal. As fourth graders, the fourth
grade teachers expect that all students regularly check their grades on the site and approach us if they have
any questions. Parents have access to a similar site to keep track of their student's grades. Please visit the
fourth grade website for a link that will assist you in setting up a Parent Cloud account.

4th Grade Testing Information

Tuesday, April 7: Writing STAAR
Make-up Day(s) Completed by April 10
Monday, May 11: Mathematics STAAR
Tuesday, May 12: Reading STAAR
Make-up Day(s) Completed by May 15
**Benchmark dates for each of these tests will be
announced by your child’s homeroom teacher and
added to the fourth grade calendar available on
the fourth grade website.**
On testing days, please make sure to remind your
child to get a good night’s rest the night before each
exam and to eat a healthy and filling breakfast in
the morning.
Students are allowed to bring their own gum to
chew during testing and are also encouraged to
bring a sweater. Additionally, students should bring
two books with them to school on these days to
read once they are finished testing. Please keep all
electronic devices at home on these days or let
your teacher know that you have them.
 4th Grade Special Recognition
Throughout the year, fourth grade students have the opportunity to receive recognition for
academic, social, and emotional growth.

4th Grade Bluebonnet Books

Students are expected to read five Bluebonnet Books by January 15th . Their progress in reaching this
goal will be monitored by Mrs. Kettler in their Bluebonnet Folders. Please check in with your student about
their progress in reaching this goal!

4th Grade Activities

Parties:
Field Trips: ● 4th Grade Panther Holiday
● Austin Symphony Party (Dec. 19)
● Science Mill (Dec 13) ● Individual Class Valentine’s
Party (Feb. 13)
● 4th Grade Panther End-of-
Year Party (May 27)
 Information About Conferences
General Conferences:
Parents are welcome to request a conference with any of their child’s teachers throughout
the year as parents and teachers see fit. Please email the teacher you wish to conference
with, and they will respond with a few dates and times that fit the teacher and parents’
availability. To ensure your child’s privacy and the teacher’s undivided attention at the time of
the conference, please refrain from conferencing with teachers during their duty times or
when other students and parents are nearby.
Fall Conferences:
This year, fall conferences will be held on October 14th. Your child’s homeroom
teacher will send home a sign-up sheet for a specific conference time on this day in
mid September. Fourth graders participate in student-led conferences during this
first semester. Students will practice for conference day during homeroom time,
preparing discussion points and focuses to share with parents at the time of their
conference. Multiple students will be utilizing the classroom space during each
conference period, and the homeroom teacher will be roaming and available for
any additional questions that may arise.
Spring Conferences:
Spring conference day is scheduled for February 17th. Your child’s homeroom
teacher will send home a sign-up sheet for specific conference times in mid
January. These conferences will be structured in the traditional, teacher-led
format and students are not required to attend.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A WONDERFUL YEAR!

We are excited about the opportunity to get to know all of you and look
forward to the happy and productive school year ahead. If you have any
questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for your time,
The Fourth Grade Team
 4th Grade Language Arts
Reading: Writing: Spelling:
● Novels ● Writer's Workshop ● Vocabulary and Word Study
● Short Selections ● (Developing organization, word-choice, covered in all subject areas
● Texas Treasures voice, sentence fluency) ● Application of Spelling
● Independent Reading with ● Personal Narratives checked in Students’ Writing
Book Projects ● Expository Compositions
● Realistic Fiction
● Poetry
● Application of Grammar, Capitalization,
and Punctuation in Students’ Writing

4th Grade Social Studies

Texas History Texas Economics Social Studies Skills
Texas Civics and Government Culture and Society Geography

4th Grade Mathematics

Numeration Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division Number Sense Time
Temperature Multiplication and Division Facts Multiplying by 2-Digit Numbers
Dividing by 1-Digit Divisors Fractions and Decimals Patterns and Expressions
Lines, Angles, Shapes, and Solids Transformations, Symmetry, and Congruence
Estimating and Measuring Volume, Capacity, Weight, and Mass Converting Measurements
Probability and Statistics Financial Literacy
***Problem-Solving Skills and Strategies are included in ALL topics.***

4th Grade Science and Health

Inquiry and Scientific Processes Matter Force, Motion, and Energy
Sun, Earth, and Moon Systems Organisms and Environments
Safety Nutrition Body Systems Social Emotional Learning