Teacher: Ms. Betty Borges

Welcome to 4th Grade

DEAR PARENTS,
I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO WORKING WITH BOTH YOU AND YOUR
CHILD IN THE 2010-2011 SCHOOL YEAR. WE WILL BE NEEDING THE SUPPLIES LISTED BELOW. PLEASE REMEMBER: OUR DESKS ARE NOT THAT LARGE. DESKS FILLED WITH OVERSIZED SUPPLIES ARE DIFFICULT TO ORGANIZE AND HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO DEVOUR PAPERS...AND SMALL CHILDREN!
PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE BINDERS. THEY DO NOT FIT IN THE DESKS.

1. 2 PACKAGES OF #2 PENCILS (TICONDEROGA PENCILS WORK BEST!)
2. 4 RED PENS
3. 2 PACKAGES OF WHITE COLLEGE RULED PAPER (KEEP ONE AT HOME)
4. 1 GLUE STICK
5. 1 PAIR OF GOOD SCISSORS
6. 5 FOLDERS (BINDERS ARE NOT ALLOWED)
7. 1 BOX OF 24 CRAYONS
8. 1 SMALL STAPLER
9. 1 PENCIL SHARPENER (WITH ATTACHMENT FOR SHAVINGS)
10. 1 RULER (STANDARD AND METRIC MEASUREMENTS)
11. 4 ERASABLE INK PENS (BLUE OR BLACK INK)
12. 1 SMALL BOOK TO READ (YOUR CHILD SHOULD HAVE A BOOK TO READ AT ALL TIMES)
13. 1 PACKAGE OF 10 OR 12 MARKERS OR COLORED PENCILS (OPTIONAL)
14. 3 SEPARATE SPIRAL NOTEBOOKS (THESE SHOULD BE THIN. SEVENTY PAGES WILL DO.) THESE ARE FOR TAKING NOTES IN SCIENCE, HISTORY, AND SPANISH.
15. 1 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT CALLED A RECORDER (THEY ARE ABOUT $5.00 AT THE MUSIC STORE ACROSS THE STREET. SOMETIMES THE DOLLAR STORE HAS THEM!
(SCHOOL BOXES DO NOT FIT IN THE DESKS. PLEASE DO NOT PURCHASE
THEM UNLESS THEY ARE LONG AND THIN OR MADE OUT OF MATERIAL.)
FOR THE CLASSROOM THINGS WE USE FOR ART PROJECTS AND PETS
16. 1 ROLL OF PAPER TOWELS
17. 2 BOXES OF TISSUE WHITE CARDBOARD EGG CARTONS
18. 1 BOX OF BABY WIPES (UNSCENTED) WALNUT SHELL HALVES (NOT BROKEN)(ONLY IF YOU HAVE THEM!)

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

TICKETS: Tickets are given to students for good behavior, bringing back papers, and other positive actions. These tickets are accumulated and used in our auctions.

 

AUCTIONS: ChiIdren bid on items using their tickets. The chiIdren with more tickets can make a higher bid.  (While I usually purchase the items, I do welcome donations!)

 

TALK BOX: ChiIdren who feel they need to talk to me may leave a message in this box. I will speak to these chiIdren after school. If a child is upset for ANY reason, please encourage them to make use of the TALK BOX.

 

TARDY STUDENTS: Please have your child in school on time.  When children are late, the entire class is disrupted.  

 

 

Marking Codes for the Diocese of Oakland

HOMEWORK:

HOMEWORK BOOK Children will have a homework book.  You may want to check it each night.   

 

TIME: ChiIdren should not take longer than one hour to complete homework assignments. If you feel there is a problem, please have your child talk to me.

 

MONDAY PAPERS: Corrected papers will go home on Monday. Please sign and return the top sheet by Tuesday. If your chiId is missing any item in this pack of papers, please ask your child why it is missing.  If I have not received the item, then there will be a zero in my book.  If the item is excused, I will write this on your child’s packet.

 

SIGNATURES: I will be asking your chiId to have papers signed. Please be sure that your signature is written clearly. Please make sure that you know what you’re signing.  Signatures done in crayon, while the car is moving, are not helpful!

 

LATE PAPERS: I will not accept late papers unless your child was absent.

 

READING

SILENT READING: Children read silently for 20 minutes. They read from both their reading text and their library books.

 

READING CONTRACTS: Children have 25 minutes to answer questions taken from the text and to do workbook pages. Reading Contracts DO NOT go home. These contracts must be completed by Friday.

 

LIBRARY BOOKS: Children are given time to read from these books. At least one book report will be done each quarter.  Please make sure your child has a book to read

LANGUAGE ARTS

CREATIVE WRITING: Your child will work on a story or poem each week. The children are given 25 minutes each day. The story is to be completed weekly and will be due on Friday.

 

            •These stories are done in class and are often corrected for CONTENT ONLY.                             

            Spelling/grammar is sometimes listed as a separate grade.

 

Note: You are welcome to read your child’s work during the week. Feel free to help them with corrections. I do ask that you do not ACCIDENTALLY write the story for your child.

 

SKILLS:

SENTENCE TYPES	ADJECTIVES
SENTENCE STRUCTURE	ADVERBS
SYNONYMS AND ANTONYMS	PREPOSITIONS
TYPES OF NOUNS	TYPES OF VERBS
PRONOUNS	REPORT WRITING
LETTER WRITING	WRITING STORIES AND DESCRIPTIONS
PHRASES	POETIC DEVICES

 

 

SPELLING CONTRACT: Children will be given 16-20 words to study each week. A contract will be given out on Monday. Children will be expected to complete the work and return the contract on Friday.

 

SPELLING QUIZ: This quiz consists of three parts:

 

A. 16 or 20 words that must be correctly spelled.

B. 3 definitions from which the children must derive the correct spelling word.

C. 3 sentences which must be correct in ALL aspects.

 

SPELLING GRADE:  The final grade in spelling will be based on both the spelling tests and your child’s spelling in daily work.

 

RELIGION

WITHIN A CATHOLIC SCHOOL, RELIGION IS NOT SIMPLY A SUBJECT. ALTHOUGH WE DO TEACH SPECIFIC CATHOLIC DOCTRINES, WE ALSO TRY TO CREATE A CHRISTIAN ATMOSPHERE WITHIN OUR CLASSROOM. RELIGION IS NOT ONLY TAUGHT, IT IS ALSO EXPERIENCED.

 

AREAS OF STUDY:

THE STUDENT LEARNING EXPECTATIONS

            • CHRISTIAN LEADERS

            • ACADEMIC ACHIEVERS

            • RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS

 

THE SACRAMENTS

THE SACRAMENT OF RECONCILIATION (CHILDREN WILL RECEIVE THIS SACRAMENT)                 

USE OF THE BIBLE

DIFFERENT FORMS OF PRAYER

PREPARATION OF PRAYER SERVICES AND MASSES

THE COMMANDMENTS

THE TRINITY

RESPECTING ALL GOD’S CREATURES (EVEN SPIDERS AND SNAKES)                                

 

MATH

MORNING MATH: Several mornings a week, children will be given a review sheet. This sheet usually has five problems on it.  If you notice your child experiencing difficulty with these review problems, please encourage them to speak to me.  It is extremely helpful when you have your child go over any problems that were missed.

 

AREAS OF STUDY::

 

PLACE VALUE (TO MILLIONS)

ROUNDING NUMBERS

ADDITION:  ADD UP TO 5 DIGITS WITH REGROUPING

SUBTRACTION:  SUBTRACT UP TO 5 DIGITS WITH BORROWING

MULTIPLICATION:  MULTIPLYING 1-3 DIGIT NUMBERS BY 1-3 DIGIT NUMBERS           

DIVISION:  DIVIDE 2-5 DIGIT NUMBERS BY 1-2 DIGIT NUMBERS            

FRACTIONS:  BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF FRACTIONS

                           FINDING EQUAL FRACTIONS

                           ADDING AND SUBTRACTING FRACTIONS

DECIMALS:  BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF DECIMALS (ADDITION, SUBTRACTION,

                        MULTIPLICATION AND DIVISION)

GEOMETRY:  UNDERSTANDING OF BASIC GEOMETRY (SHAPES, ANGLES AND LINES)

GRAPHING:  BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF GRAPHS

 

SOCIAL STUDIES

MAIN AREA OF STUDY: This year our main area of study is the history of California.  We will begin with the first people of California and we will end with California today.

 

OTHER TOPICS

 

LEARNING HOW TO RESEARCH

READING MAPS

REGIONS OF CALIFORNIA

CULTURES OF CALIFORNIA

SCIENCE

AREAS OF STUDY:

 

LAST YEAR WE BEGAN USING F.O.S.S. KITS.  THESE KITS WERE RECOMMENDED BY THE BAY AREA SCIENCE PROJECT AND THE LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE.  THE KITS TEACH SCIENCE THROUGH GROUP ACTIVITIES AND EXPERIMENTS. 

 

OUR KITS ARE DESIGNED TO STUDY:

 

•MAGNETS AND ELECTRICITY

•EARTH MATERIALS (ROCKS AND MINERALS)

 

WE WILL ALSO BE STUDYING:

 

•ARACHNIDS AND REPTILES

•THE EGG (WE WILL INCUBATE CHICKEN EGGS)

•PLANTS

•COMPUTERS

OTHER TOPICS OF INTEREST:

 

 

BIRTHDAYS:  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND IN A TREAT, PLEASE LIMIT IT TO CUPCAKES OR COOKIES.  BOXED OR INDIVIDUAL DRINKS ARE ALSO FINE.  PLEASE DO NOT SEND IN CAKES OR LARGE BOTTLED DRINKS. 

 

LUNCHES: PLEASE BE SURE THAT THE DRINKS HAVE SECURE TOPS.  WE HAVE RUINED MANY BOOKS IN SATURATED BACKPACKS.

 

IDENTIFICATION:  PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU LABEL YOUR CHILD’S REMOVABLE CLOTHING (SWEATERS, JACKETS ETC.).

 

BATHROOM:  DUE TO MANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH LEAVING THE CLASSROOM TO GO TO THE BATHROOM, I AVOID THIS AT ALL POSSIBLE COSTS.  IF YOU PREFER THAT YOUR CHILD BE ALLOWED TO LEAVE AT ANY TIME DURING THE DAY, PLEASE WRITE ME A NOTE.  YOU DO NOT HAVE TO GIVE ME A REASON.