Welcome to 4 th Grade

1. Welcome to 4th Grade Miss. Moss Fourth Grade Teacher Smithsburg Elementary School

2. Background Information • Graduated from Frostburg State University in 2010. • Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education/Early Childhood. • Currently pursuing Master’s Degree • Instructional Technology at UMUC • 3rdyear at Smithsburg Elementary School • 2 years Kindergarten • 1st year teaching fourth grade! • Long-Term Substitute • Emma K. Doub • Reading Intervention • Bester Elementary School

3. Our Schedule(In Packet) Spanish: To Be Determined Computer Lab: Not scheduled

4. New Initiatives at SES • PBIS – Purple Pride and Leopard Loot • Class Reward Bingo • Planners • Used daily for communication and homework • Purple Take Home Folder • Used daily • Thursdays: When majority of our information from school will be coming home. • New Report Cards • http://wcpsreportcard.weebly.com/ • Morning Drop-Off • No entrance before 7:30 • Students will not be held in the gym

5. Focus and Priorities for ELA • Expand on current reading abilities and stretch • Appropriate opportunities for small group guided reading instruction that is individualized • Develop a true “love” of reading with a heavy emphasis on self-selected reading opportunities • Develop a community of readers by conferencing and discussing reading together • Reading, Writing, and Spelling will have a very connected approach • Implement new curriculum in Maryland – Common Core Standards (focus on higher order thinking and rigor)

6. Focus and Priorities for Math • Heavy emphasis on Math Facts • Expectation: Students must past all 28 levels by the end of 4th grade • Problem based group activities that focus on authentic experiences • Defend thinking and reasoning beyond “getting the right answer” • Guided Math groups to allow for differentiation with required content

7. Focus and Priorities for Social Studies • Opportunity to enhance reading ability by reading to learn (using informational text) • Maryland State History and Government is large component of curriculum • Focus on Economics • Focus on Five Themes of Geography • Writing within the content

8. Focus and Priorities for Science • Sun, Moon, Stars • Structures of Life • Electricity and Magnetism • Integration of Math and Science • Writing within the content

9. Homework • Quality over quantity • Spelling • Focuses on analyzing spelling patterns, connections between reading and writing. • Math Facts • Sheppard Software: Send scores twice a week • Reading • 20 minutes every night • Reading log to calculate total minutes read at the end of each month. • Opportunity to PRACTICE what is being perfected in class • Please DO NOT stress about homework - it is used as a tool to guide instruction

10. Frequently Asked Questions • Volunteering • Volunteers are welcomed and needed! • Missing School • If you child is absent, please be sure you send a note indicating the absence when your child returns to school. Any assignments that are missed will be placed in a missing work folder to be completed when the student comes back to school.

11. Questions? 

12. Thank you! • Please feel free to call the school or email me with any questions or concerns. • Email Address: MossKen@wcps.k12.md.us • I am looking forward to a wonderful school year!