4th Grade Information

Welcome to Grade 4! This year will be filled with a lot of exciting lessons and topics of instruction! In our class, we will be exploring new concepts in Plane Geometry, Fractions, Decimals, Multiplication of Larger Numbers, Long Division and Line Plots. Of course, we will also complete activities in Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division, as well. In Reading and Language Arts we will be exploring the different genres of literature, and we will begin to express our ideas in organized ways. We will learn to use various literary tools, such as figurative language as well as building more complex sentence structures. I look forward to a rewarding year with all of my students!

A note from Mrs. Keller:

Here we are, ready to start a new year together. It seems like summer was a blur, and I am feeling a touch of the back-to-school blues, much like your child may be experiencing. Thankfully, once we get started, we will quickly get into the routine of a regular school schedule. When I meet parents of my new students, many of them ask what they can do at home to support their child's growth in math. There are many things that you can do to help out! First of all, make math an important part of your everyday lives. Allow your child to help cook - calculate the cook time and measure ingredients! Allow your child to help with a weekly grocery list, including working on a food budget. Look for math in everyday life - shapes, patterns, fractions. And perhaps most importantly, work on those math facts. Fourth graders are expected to know their basic facts for addition, subtraction, and multiplication when they arrive. Students who do not have their facts mastered will struggle with the complexities of their calculations. So - work on those facts!! Online programs are great, and so are flashcards! Use your time in the car or around the house drilling and practicing. If you need materials, please do not hesitate to let me know!

As students transition from third to fourth grade, their reading skills begin to transition, too. In the early grades of elementary school, children learn to read. Now, they read to learn. Independent reading should be a part of your child's every day routine. It is also important to encourage your child to read all sorts of materials - directions for completing a project, researching how to get rid of ladybugs in the house, picture books for younger family members, and chapter books that are of interest to your child. Writing skills are just as important. Have your child write a thank-you note for a gift that is received. Write a letter to a soldier or a veteran. Keep a journal of our school year together. There are so many ways to encourage children to write in meaningful ways!

I am looking forward to a great year together. Please have your child access our Google Classroom for on-going assignments.