¡Bienvenidos a Cuarto
Grado!
Welcome to Fourth Grade!
Un guía para padres de
familia
A Parent/Guardian's Guide
¡Conocer a los maestros!
Meet the Teachers!
Julie
Ignacio
Liz
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
720-561-2925
720-561-2928
720-561-2933
Celeste
(Math)
Lisa
Literacy
and L2
[email protected]
[email protected]
720-561-2934
720-561-2936
Home-School Communication
Newsletters & Updates: Teachers will regularly post information for parents on Edmodo.
Please check the site/app weekly to stay up to date. We recommend setting up notifications
using the Edmodo settings. You cannot reply to Edmodo messages- the parent accounts are
view-only. If you do not have regular internet access, communication newsletters &
updates will be sent home on paper in the Monday Folder.
Monday Folders: The office will continue to send out Monday folders in either email or
paper form. Teachers will sometimes add information to the Monday folder. Even if you are
signed up for digital communication, papers will still be sent home from time to time.
Whenever there are papers in the folder, your child is expected to take the folder home on
Monday and return it on Tuesday.
1:1 Communication: If you need to speak to us, we recommend contacting your child's
homeroom teacher. However, you are welcome to communicate with any of us!
Student Expectations
Water Bottle
Please send a water bottle for your child, labeled with their name. This is very
important, as it allows students to stay hydrated during the day without missing class.
Headphones
Please send a pair of headphones (labeled) to keep at school for your child.
Library Books
Your child will visit the school library each week and be given time to check out books.
It is vital that each student regularly return books and check out new ones. Daily
reading at home is a fourth grade expectation, and library checkout is an important
part of having high quality reading materials available at home, especially in the
language with which your child is least comfortable.
Homework Folder
Every student has a homework binder. They are expected to carry it to each class, bring
it home in the evening, and back to school every morning. Please regularly check this
binder with your child and help make sure it gets back to school every day.
Birthdays
If you would like to send a treat for your child's
birthday, please make sure there are individual
items for all 63 students (for example, cookies
rather than a cake that needs to be cut). We will
sing to your child during breakfast in the pod,
then share the treats during snack-time later in
class. Please do not send anything with nuts.
Homework
Purpose of Homework at University Hill
● Review, practice and reinforce the instruction that has been presented during the
school day
● Communicate to parents the content/skills covered in the classroom
● Support the development of positive home/school relations
4th Grade Expectations:
Reading: Our goal is for your child to read after school as much as possible. Our minimum
expectation is 20 minutes of reading in the language of instruction, 5 nights a week.
Writing/Spelling/Grammar: Your child’s literacy teacher will give an assignment once a
week tied to what we are doing in class.
Math: Math homework will be assigned for students to independently review what has been
learned in class. It should not be a struggle for students, and parents are not expected to
reteach math concepts at home. If your child is struggling with the homework, please ask
them to stop after 20 minutes and write your child’s math teacher a note on the page. Math
is assigned twice a week.
*Math homework will not be assigned as a "challenge" will most likely not reflect the
most difficult work that your child is doing in mathematics.
Incomplete Class Work: If your child does not use their class time wisely, incomplete
assignments may be sent home as additional homework that night.
Homework Schedule
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
ELD/SLD
(L2)
Math
Writing/
Spelling/
Grammar
Math
Due:
Due:
Due:
Due:
Friday/
Saturday/
Sunday
Reading Log:
Use the weekend to
catch up on your
reading and
practice your math
facts
Due:
Tuesday
in ELD/SLD
(L2)
Wednesday in
Math
Thursday
in Literacy
Friday
in Math
Monday
in Literacy
4th Grade Schedule
7:55
Bell Rings, Students Enter Building
8:00-8:15
Breakfast in Homeroom
8:20-8:55
Content (Science/Social Studies)
9:00-9:55
Math
10:00-10:55
Specials
11:00-11:45
SLD and ELD
11:50-12:35
Lunch and Recess
12:40-1:15
Individual Block (IBlock)
1:20-2:40
Literacy
2:45
Bell Rings, Students Dismissed
Notes About Our Schedule
Breakfast
➔
Students eat breakfast in their original homeroom classroom all year.
➔
We begin our day promptly at 8:00. Students who arrive after this time are marked tardy.
Content
➔
Students stay in homeroom groups but rotate to different teachers' classrooms for
social studies and science units.
Math
➔
Liz's math group will stay with her all year, working in both languages
➔
Celeste's math group will stay with her all year
➔
Ignacio (Spanish) and Julie (English) will rotate groups
SLD and ELD
➔
This is our L2 time
➔
Students work on Spanish Language Development or English Language Development.
➔
Students stay with the same teacher all year
Individual Block
➔
During Individual Block your child will work on individual academic goals. Both
intervention and extension work will happen during this time.
Literacy
➔
Liz (Spanish) and Lisa (English) will rotate reading and writing groups
➔
Ignacio (Spanish) and Julie (English) will rotate
Curriculum
Math
We will continue using Math Expressions, building on the skills from the
previous grade levels. As needed, students will receive both intervention
support as well as extension/challenge opportunities in the classroom
using district resources.
Literacy (Reading & Writing)
We are piloting a new literacy program this year called Wonders (English) /
Maravillas (Spanish). This program comes with great resources and closely
integrated reading and writing. Stay tuned for more information as the year
goes along.
ELD (English Language Development)
We are excited to pilot a new ELD program this year. The Wonders ELD program
is closely connected to the Wonders Literacy program to build consistency
and support for students.
SLD (Spanish Language Development)
We are in our second year of using Descubre el español con Santillana. We
had great success with this new curriculum last year and look forward to
continuing this year.
Content
Students rotate to the different teachers for the following units:
Science
Physical
Science:
Electricity
and
Magnetism
Earth Science:
Solar System
Spanish
Spanish
Social Studies
Life Science:
Adaptations
Geography
& Maps
Colorado
History
Economy
& Civics
English
Spanish
English
English
Social/Emotional Development
We will use a combination of Second Step lessons, Mindfulness practices and
community meetings to support students as they develop positive social
skills and conflict resolution strategies.
Technology
In the classroom
In fourth grade, students have access to a variety of devices including
interactive whiteboards, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. These
devices are available for academic purposes only. Please review the district
user agreement, which contains the expectations for technology use. In
addition, fourth graders are expected to treat devices responsibly (hold
them with two hands, plug-in devices after use, treat them gently, etc…).
Technology Resources
If you would like your child to build their academic skills using
technology at home, here are some resources.
###### = lunch number
####= last 4 digits of the lunch number
●
Google Apps for Education google.com
○ Username: flast####@bvsd.org
○ Password: bvsd.######b
○ Write, collaborate, create presentations
●
Wonders/Maravillas Reading goo.gl/K9K0n0
○ Username: -Not yet determined
○ Password: -Not yet determined
○ Access our reading program in both languages with audio
●
Typing Pal goo.gl/YvK280
○ Username: flast####
○ Password: bvsd######
○ Develop keyboarding skills
●
Raz Kids Reading raz-kids.com
○ Classes: unihill4a and unihill4b
○ Password: ######
○ Read in both languages with audio
●
Think Central Math goo.gl/DVMc01
○ Username: ######
○ Password ######
○ Access our math program in both languages
*If your child does not have access to the internet at home, please contact
Liz to discuss possible resources.