Welcome to
4th Grade Curriculum Night
Thursday, August 30, 2012
Grade
PLUS
4th and 5th Grade
2012-13
12-13 Grade PLUS
All 4th and 5th grade classrooms
across Forsyth County will be using
the Grade PLUS system of
reporting. This reporting system
uses both standards-based scores
of 1-4 and traditional percentage
grades.
Assessment and Grading
The learning expectations and
standards for performance have been
outlined for each quarter based on
the Common Core GPS Standards.
Teachers will use two types of
classroom assessments, formative
and summative.
Formative Assessments

Daily, ongoing assessments/observations that
are used to monitor student progress toward
mastery of standards.
 Formative assessments will receive a standardsbased score as outlined in the rubric.
 Formative scores will not be posted in Parent
Portal. These scores will be communicated to
parents in the weekly work folder sent home by
the teacher.
KEY TO FORMATIVE BASED
ACHIEVEMENT
4
Mastery of Standard
3
Consistent
achievement
of standard
2
Ongoing progress
toward standard
1
Limited or minimal
progress toward
standard
Summative Assessments

Cumulative assessments will receive a
traditional numeric grade and will be used to
measure student mastery of standards.
 Summative grades will be posted in Parent
Portal at the end of the quarter and will serve as
the report card grade.
KEY TO SUMMATIVE BASED
ACHIEVEMENT
A
90-100%
B
80-89%
C
70-79%
F
<70%
Work Habits

Student work habits will be reported using
the following categories:


Responsibility, Participation,
Assignment Completion, and
Interpersonal Skills
In each of the above categories, students
will receive one of the following scores:

Does Not Meet (D), Successful (S), or
Exemplary (E).

{Successful (S) is the expectation of students}
Report Card
The Grade Plus report cards will have both
a traditional numeric grade for subjects
and standards based scores for each of
the domains from the rubrics. This system
of grading will only be used
English/Language Arts and Math.
Science and Social Studies will receive
traditional numeric grades.
Change to Common Core: Why is This Important
for Students, Teachers, and Parents?
College and work readiness
Consistent expectations across the nation.
Key Features of the Standards

Rigorous content with application

Evidence and research

Internationally benchmarked
ELA Shifts
o
Complex texts, quality, range
o
Evidence that reading is anchored in the
college and career readiness (CCR) standards.
o
Rich reading of literature as well as extensive
reading in science, history/social studies, and
other disciplines.
Informational Text
(increased importance in Common Core)
Grade
Level
Percent of GPS
Curriculum
Percent of Common Core
Curriculum
3rd
20
50
5th
40
50
8th
45
55
12th
30
70
Guided Reading








Students will be guided on their instructional
reading level through fiction and nonfiction
texts.
Comprehension
Fluency
Decoding
Vocabulary
Genre
Author’s Purpose
Theme/Moral
Writing
We will be teaching writing across the
curriculum.
 We will focus on these types of writing
throughout this year to prepare students to
be life long authors:
- Narrative
- Persuasive
- Expository

Grammar
Relative pronouns (who, whose, whom,
which, that) and adverbs (where, when, why)
 Verb tenses
 Prepositional Phrases
 Complete, simple, and compound sentences
 Correct capitalization and punctuation
 Correct spelling

Spelling

Spelling will not be taught in the
traditional manner.
Students’ spelling will be assessed within
their writing.
 Misspelled words will be noted in student
work.
 Students will keep a “personal” spelling list
by writing misspelled words.
 Teachers will hold students accountable for
grade level appropriate words.

Mathematics Shifts
o Coherence: Think across grades and link to
major topics within grades
o Rigor: Require fluency, application, and deep
understanding
Mathematics


Place value, addition and subtraction of multidigit numbers, factors and multiples,
algebraic reasoning, multiplication and division
of whole numbers, measurement, graphing,
geometry, compare fractions and decimals,
addition and subtraction of fractions and
mixed numbers, and geometry.
We will be working on multiplication all year.
Please practice facts with your child at home.
Science

-
-
-
-
This year in science students will be
learning about:
The solar system, stars, and planets
Weather, light, sound, and simple
machines
Mass/motion/gravity
Ecosystems, food webs/chains, and
adaptation
Social Studies

-
-
-
-
This year in social studies students will be
learning about:
Regions of the U.S.A. and Native
Americans
North American Explorers and Colonial
America
American Revolution, Constitution, and
New Government
Westward Expansion
HOMEWORK


The STUDENT is responsible for completing and
turning in all homework assignments on the day it
is due.
Homework will be:




Read for at least 20 min.
Practice math facts
Homework will be assigned on a weekly basis from your
child’s teacher
Please sign your child’s agenda each night to show that
you are aware of the completed homework and behavior
for the day.
Classroom Discipline
Class Dojo
Parents will receive a weekly report via email.
Students will receive positive and negative points
throughout the week. Examples of
positive behaviors include respect,
hard work, great thinking, etc.
Examples of negative points include being offtask, misbehavior in hallway, lunchroom,
specials, incomplete assignments, etc.

The goal of this plan is to promote positive behavior by
rewarding students with Fun Friday. They are allowed to
participate if they have 5 or fewer negative points.
Parent/Teacher Communication
Please view 4th grade’s webpage for
information regarding grade level news,
academic websites, and more.
 VIP folders will be coming home on
Tuesdays. Please sign and return all graded
papers.
 All transportation must be hand written and
sent in with your child by 8:30 am. We
cannot accept emails or faxes for the safety
of children.

Parent Communication

Quarterly Rubrics, provided each nine weeks
outlining standards by quarter to assist with
monitoring student progress

Weekly student work sent home in the VIP folder

Weekly email report from the Class DoJo
THANK YOU FOR COMING
TO CURRICULUM NIGHT!