Welcome to 4th Grade

Morelli Homeroom SCHEDULE

• 8:00-9:00 Specials: Art/Music for 30 min & PE for 30 min• 9:05 Switch from home room to Ms. Leimer • 9:05-11:20 Ms. Leimer for Math and Science• 11:20 Switch back to Mrs. Morelli for Reading/Language Arts• 11:35-12:15 Lunch & Recess• 12:15-12:20 Bathroom Break• 12:20-2:15 Mrs. Morelli Reading/Language Arts/Social Studies• 2:15-3:00 Mustang Round-Up

– Dyslexia Class– Intervention Groups– Enrichment– Small Math/Reading Groups

Quick Notes• Please label all of your student’s belongings .

– (lunch box, jackets, backpacks)

• Check website for school calendar.• Please see the district policy on the Thursday folder for 70% Rule for

Vacations during the school year.• Our field trip to the Bob Bullock Museum is scheduled for Dec. 11th. • Please help us in keeping “extra” items at home such as small toys,

jewelry, etc.• We will take scheduled bathroom breaks throughout the day to avoid

leaving class too often. • Students will be allowed to go to the nurse for emergency visits.

Classrooms are equipped with small first aid bags.

Communication• Please allow us 24 hours to return a phone call or

email . . . Email is the best communication!• The assignment notebook is a great way to send us a

quick note as well – especially about homework.• The office must receive all calls for a change in

transportation BEFORE 2:00pm. They will not accept changes after the 2:00 cut off.

• A note must be sent to school for a student to ride a different bus as a pass has to be obtained from the office.

• A copy of this info can be found on my webpage.

The Assignment Notebook

• Please initial the assignment notebook every night/weekend to signify that you are aware of assignments or announcements.

• This is a great tool for communication! Jot us a quick note when necessary.

• We check the assignment notebook everyday!

EXPANDABLE• The Homework section is for homework and

the assignment notebook.• The behavior folder is kept in the expandable

to be checked daily.• Please do not throw anything questionable

away from the expandable; simply send a note to your teacher with any questions.

Behavior FoldersThis system of communication between school and home will provide parents a description of student behavior and responsibility level for the week. The behavior folder will come home to be signed by a

parent on the day the warning or infraction occurs.

Remember: the number of entries will determine conduct grades.

MATH• enVision Math is our textbook.• There is an online component.• The next day’s lesson has a video which can

be viewed as a pre-teach at home (not mandatory, but is available).

• Four nights of Math homework should be expected.

• All videos can be accessed prior to an exam.• The textbook is available online.

SCIENCE

4th Grade TEKS

We will use an Interactive Science Notebook

-- housed at school, but may come home at times

Vocab words should be studied at home

Hands-on investigations

Spelling• We will not have a formal spelling list each week.• Our emphasis will be to recognize the spelling skill

and retain overall grammar skills.• The assessment on Friday will include a dictation

of four sentences:• The sentences will assess the spelling rule, the

grammar rule of the week, the use of capitalization, and the correct punctuation.

• Each correct sentence will be worth 25 points.

Reading

• Each student will interact within a Lit Circle group by reading a chapter from an assigned novel each night. On various days throughout the week, the small groups will meet to discuss their reading.

• The whole class will have direct teach lessons utilizing various forms of reading: Fiction, Non-fiction, poetry, drama or plays.

The Reading Brochure

• Each night, student’s will be assigned nightly reading in a chapter book/novel.

• The chapter book will be accompanied by a STAR (Student Talk About Reading) brochure.

• The questions are Bloom’s Taxonomy higher level thinking questions.

• This allows students to think critically about their reading while practicing their writing skills with a short answer response. Please use complete sentences!

Writing

• There is a strong emphasis in the 4th grade TEKS acknowledging a student’s ability to organize two types of essays: narrative and expository.

• All planning, rough drafting and editing will be done at school.

• Occasionally, a final draft will come home to be copied after all editing has taken place.

Social Studies4th grade is a content year for Texas History. It is a very exciting topic of study for this age group. We will correlate the learning with the reading curriculum to enhance the understanding of expository text, applying writing knowledge and research skills.

The Ford Wax Museum is an annual event for which students look forward to each year. We will send home assigned Texans and directions for costumes with ample time to prepare.

The Bob Bullock Texas History Museum field trip is scheduled for December 11th; parents may attend the field trip by meeting us at the museum; student groups will be assigned only to adults that have completed the GISD background check. Please check with the office for directions in completing this soon as possible.

Guidance lessons with our counselor will also occur during Social Studies.

Istation• Your child has access to this excellent resource at home.• If your child is struggling in Reading or Math, this is one

of the BEST ways you can help them.• We will assess them monthly at school during computer

lab time in order to monitor growth; you have access to this info from home.

• We will discuss the initial results during parent/teacher conferences.

Homework• Every night expect Math.• Every night expect Reading – A grade is taken for

each brochure and averaged in to the reading grade.• Science and Language Arts homework will come

home as needed; such as study for a science test or final copying a composition.

• We will utilize recess time to make up missing work or work not completed as homework.

STAAR Dates• WRITING

March 29-30, 2016

•MATH

May 9, 2016

•READING

May 10, 2016

GISD Grading Policy40% Homework and class work

60% Assessments and Tests

Language Arts

80% Writing, Grammar, Listening,

Speaking, 20% Spelling

Late Work Policy

10 points off per day – no study hall for missing work

Zero after four days

Questions and Concerns

Call us or email us anytime

……………………………………………..

Laura Morelli

morellil@georgetownisd.org

943-5000 ext 7927

Thank you for coming to open house!!!

We’re looking forward to an awesome

year!!!