Parent Orientation Grade 4: Pleasant Ridge Elementary School

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Parent Orientation Grade 4 Pleasant Ridge
Elementary School
August 30, 2005
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Grade 4 Subject Areas

• Math
• Language
• Reading
• Science/Health
• Social Studies
• Spelling/Vocabulary

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Science Curriculum 4 Units

• Life Sciences
• Earth Science
• Physical Science
• Space Technology

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Math Curriculum 7 Areas

• Number Sense
• Computation
• Algebra Functions
• Geometry
• Measurement
• Data Analysis Probability
• Problem Solving (Exemplars)

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Mid-Term Reports/Report Cards

• Mid-Terms will go home about half-way through
  each 9 weeks.
• The entire 4th grade uses the same mid-term
  sheet.
• Not all subject areas will necessarily receive
  grades every quarter. For example, Social Studies
  could have a grade when Science/Health does not.
  (S or CR for credit is usually given in the
  subject not covered in that period.)
• At times, the social studies grade may be a part
  of the reading grade.
• Report cards are issued every 9 weeks.
• Grades are taken from class assignments,
  homework, special projects, and tests.

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Assessment NWEA and ISTEP

• Every fall and spring, students take a
  computerized test called the NWEA.
• The NWEA (Also called the MAP test) provides data
  that is used to gauge each students overall
  strengths, and areas that need improvement, for
  diagnostic purposes.
• Unlike the ISTEP, NWEA scores are available
  immediately and are used to plan instruction in
  many ways.
• The NWEA gives all of us a snapshot of a
  student at the beginning of the year and at the
  end of the year. Scores can be compared and
  hopefully the students will show growth from the
  beginning of the year to the end.
• Copies of NWEA scores will be provided to parents
  at conferences, or by mail.
• More can be found at http//www.nwea.org/

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ISTEP Indiana State Test for Educational
Progress

• ISTEP is administered to all public schools in
  September. (Grades 3-10) It is a
  criterion-referenced (It measures what skills a
  student can and cannot do) standardized test
  based on Indiana's Academic Standards.
• The test is one way to measure mastery of the
  state standards. The test is used to determine
  mastery of the standards from the previous school
  year.
• For example, the 5th grade test is actually
  measuring the skills learned during 4th grade.
• Test results are reported in three categories
  Pass , Pass, and Did Not Pass.
• The state plans to have this years results
  available by December.

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School Website

• The Pleasant Ridge website is located at
  http//www.gcs.k12.in.us/pres/
• The site is regularly updated with info on school
  activities, supply lists, and other useful data.

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Special Area Classes

• 915 1000 Monday through Friday (Varies per
  teacher)
• Physical Education
• Library
• Music
• Art
• Computers (Every other nine weeks)

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Social Studies

• Indiana History
• Geography
• History
• Exploration and Conquest
• Laws
• Becoming a state
• The growth of Indiana
• Living in Indiana as a citizen
• The Civil War
• Lewis Clark Exploration
• Native Americans

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Language Arts/Behavior Management

• Literacy Groups
• Groups within our room
• Cooperative learning
• Graphic organizer
• Thematic units
• Novel units
• Creative Writing
• Six Traits of Writing
• Five steps of writing
• Genres
• Rubrics
• Buccaneer Bucs
• Procedures
• Rewards and Consequences

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Required Paperwork

• Review any forms needing immediate action
• Present timeframe for completing new employee
  paperwork

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Summary

• Discuss topics covered
• Reiterate welcome
• Reminder to submit paperwork
• Wrap-up