English Language Arts
Reading: This year we will provide students with meaningful reading instruction through guided reading groups and whole class instruction. Focus areas include comprehension, reading fluency, story mapping, and higher-level critical thinking. In guided reading, we will be teaching comprehension strategies through explicit modeling and practice. These strategies include Predicting, Monitor and Clarify, Questioning, Making Connections, Inferring, Evaluating, and Summarizing. These will be used before, during, and after reading to help us become better readers. In guided reading, students will be working in very small groups with the teacher. We encourage all of our students to practice reading at home on a nightly basis. Students should read independently as well as be read to by a parent/sibling. The variation will help with comprehension, fluency, and expression.
Spelling: Our spelling program is based on Word Journeys: Assessment-Guided Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Instruction. This program focuses on understanding the knowledge children have about words. Children build upon their existing knowledge through a continuum based on sound, pattern, and meaning. Word study lessons target the recognition of specific word patterns and sounds. Word meanings are discovered and discussed as part of learning. Every Thursday your child will come home with a new word sort, which may or may not have a different pattern. A number of the words will be used for homework assignments. In class, we will have different activities to reinforce the patterns. All word study homework will be due and your child will have a writing sort (“test”). The goal is for each child to receive instruction and practice at his or her level. This promotes better understanding and thus children become better spellers. It will NOT be necessary for your child to memorize the words. However, sorting activities are recommended. Some “New” words, within your child’s pattern, will be used for the writing sort on the following Wednesday. This is done as a means to assess if he or she has internalized that pattern.
Writing: Students will be doing a great deal of writing this year through the “Being a Writer” program. This program combines grade level writing elements with the creation of a caring classroom writing community. The students will have the opportunity to work in pairs, groups, and as a class to listen to and discuss writing, brainstorm ideas for writing, and share their writing. The goal will be to utilize the writing process to increase each student’s skills in the five writing domains (Focus, Content, Organization, Style, Conventions). Students will be responsible for editing their own writing as well as their peers. This will provide an opportunity for your child to apply and/or find the patterns that he or she is learning about through word study.
Writer’s Notebook: Students will write in their writer’s notebook on a teacher-selected topic and times student-chosen topics (free choice). Writer’s Notebooks are used as a motivational tool to encourage creativity and enthusiasm for writing. They are also used as a strategy for working through “writer’s block.” The teacher will not correct writer’s notebooks, but will sometimes respond to the entries.
Spelling: Our spelling program is based on Word Journeys: Assessment-Guided Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Instruction. This program focuses on understanding the knowledge children have about words. Children build upon their existing knowledge through a continuum based on sound, pattern, and meaning. Word study lessons target the recognition of specific word patterns and sounds. Word meanings are discovered and discussed as part of learning. Every Thursday your child will come home with a new word sort, which may or may not have a different pattern. A number of the words will be used for homework assignments. In class, we will have different activities to reinforce the patterns. All word study homework will be due and your child will have a writing sort (“test”). The goal is for each child to receive instruction and practice at his or her level. This promotes better understanding and thus children become better spellers. It will NOT be necessary for your child to memorize the words. However, sorting activities are recommended. Some “New” words, within your child’s pattern, will be used for the writing sort on the following Wednesday. This is done as a means to assess if he or she has internalized that pattern.
Writing: Students will be doing a great deal of writing this year through the “Being a Writer” program. This program combines grade level writing elements with the creation of a caring classroom writing community. The students will have the opportunity to work in pairs, groups, and as a class to listen to and discuss writing, brainstorm ideas for writing, and share their writing. The goal will be to utilize the writing process to increase each student’s skills in the five writing domains (Focus, Content, Organization, Style, Conventions). Students will be responsible for editing their own writing as well as their peers. This will provide an opportunity for your child to apply and/or find the patterns that he or she is learning about through word study.
Writer’s Notebook: Students will write in their writer’s notebook on a teacher-selected topic and times student-chosen topics (free choice). Writer’s Notebooks are used as a motivational tool to encourage creativity and enthusiasm for writing. They are also used as a strategy for working through “writer’s block.” The teacher will not correct writer’s notebooks, but will sometimes respond to the entries.
English Language Arts Resources
Reading Log
Fourth grade students are expected to read on their own for a minimum of 30 minutes per night. In order to account for this, you can use the link below, or you can print a paper copy of the page and record your child's reading. The children may read books to themselves, to others (like a little brother or sister, or even to an adult), or for more challenging texts, they can read with an adult (where the adult can read with, or assist as needed). Texts can be freely chosen (please try to mix the texts up in terms of genre, but it's not mandatory). By the end of the week, mark up the minutes read, the type of reading, and write a paragraph-length response about something that was read (does not have to be written on Thursday - can be written for any night of the week). Then submit on Friday!