HVCS 4^th Grade  Curriculum Guide

Textbook:  Harcourt Pathways to Adventure 

Students will be responsible for textbooks issued to him/her.  If a textbook is lost, there will be a replacement cost.  Textbooks will remain inside the classroom unless an assignment is given from the book.

Course Overview:  The text and trade books will be used to introduce students to a variety of genres.  Literary elements and reading skills and strategies will be taught via the Four Block Method, SRA Reading Laboratory, Specific Skills Series, and Reading Comprehension in Varied Subject Matter.  Journal writing, various essays, written book reports, and a PowerPoint presentation will be used to expand writing skills.

 Expectations

Academic:  Daily work, quizzes, and homework will account for 50% of the quarterly grade.  Tests will make up the other 50%.  Individual quarterly Accelerated Reader goals will be established with each student.  Students will be required to read a minimum of five (5) AR books each quarter:  (2) fiction, (1) non-fiction, (1) biography, and (1) book pertaining to another culture.

Throughout the year students will also be required to complete four (4) book reports: (2) oral with the use of visual aids, (1) written, and (1) PowerPoint presentation.  Guidelines will be issued and due dates will be written in student’s agenda book as well as posted in the 4^th grade Monday Mail Newsletter.

Class Time:  Students should arrive prepared to work with a pencil, paper, text/trade book, and an AR book.

Homework:  Class work is assigned daily and should be written in student’s agenda book.  Usually there is work time allotted to begin or complete assignments.  Each student is expected to complete the entire assignment unless otherwise noted.  If the student does not have the assignment for the class he/she is presently attending, the student has until 3:00 to turn it in.  He/she has a choice to forfeit a portion of recess time or complete it during a study hall if one is scheduled for that day.  Failure to turn in the work by 3:00 will result in a 5% reduction of the student’s grade.  The assignment must then be turned in the next morning or the student will receive a zero for his/her grade.  However, the zero can be changed to a grade of no more than 50% if the assignment is received the following morning.  All assignments will be expected to be completed even when they are late. 

Behavioral:  Each student is expected to exhibit appropriate classroom behavior at all times by showing respect for others and their belongings.  If a problem arises during class, the student will be given a visual or verbal warning with no consequences.  If the problem persists, the student may be moved to another location in the classroom and he/she will be asked to run 5-10 laps during recess or PE class.  The third warning will require the student to run laps, complete a responsibility sheet, and write a note of apology.  The responsibility sheet and note of apology will require a parent’s signature and need to be returned to the teacher the following day.  A phone call, email, or conference with the parent, student, teacher, and/or principal may/will occur.

Attendance:  When it is necessary to miss class, it is the responsibility of the student to determine the work that was missed, and submit it in the allotted amount of time.  If a test is missed, the student is responsible to reschedule with the teacher the first day he/she returns to class.  Failure to make up work will result in a zero.

If your child is sick, please pick up his/her work in the front office no earlier than 3:15.  If you know that your child will be out for more than one day with an illness, please inform the teacher ASAP.  It is possible the teacher can assign additional work.

If the student is leaving for an appointment before class and will not be returning, the student should pick up his/her class work prior to leaving. 

If your child will be out due to a vacation/trip, please inform the teacher ahead of time. In most cases, work can be assigned to be completed prior to the trip.  Otherwise, please collect all work prior to leaving.   All work is due when the student returns from an absence.

LANGUAGE ARTS

Textbook:  Houghton Mifflin English 4

Texts will remain in the classroom unless a homework assignment is given or the class work is not completed.  Any textbooks or workbooks lost or damaged will have to be replaced and a replacement cost issued.

Overview:   Students will be given writing assignments between each unit studied in the World of Language text.  Students will be assigned corresponding pages in their workbook to coincide with the lesson.

Grade 4 Language Arts workbook will be used to reinforce student’s learning.  Pages will be assigned for homework when the skill from the text requires review or reinforcement.  These assignments will be entered into your child’s agenda book and listed in the Fourth Grade Monday Mail Newsletter on the school’s webpage.

Merrill Spelling:  New units will be assigned on Thursdays with the tests given on the following Wednesday. 

Sadlier-Oxford Vocabulary Workshop Level Orange will assigned to each student.    New vocabulary units will be assigned on Wednesday.  Unit tests will be given the following Wednesday.  

Class Time:  Students are required to bring their textbook, Grade 4 Language Arts workbook, spelling and vocabulary books, pencil, paper, and journal to class each day. 

Homework, Behavioral, Attendance:  See Reading Syllabus