Welcome to Fourth Grade! Room 19 Mr. Swaninger Phone: (480) 224-3249 Email: [email protected].

Welcome to Fourth Grade!Room 19

Mr. SwaningerPhone: (480) 224-3249

Email: [email protected]

A little bit about me…

• married for 15 years to my best friend, Jill – also a teacher

• three beautiful daughters (Macy 10, Phoebe 6, Holly 2)

• 13 years teaching experience (3rd – 5th)

• proud graduate of Arizona State University – Go Devils!

• M.A. in Counseling – Oakland University

• Advanced Specialization in Child and Adolescence Counseling – OU

• Ed.D in Educational Leadership with Northern Arizona University – in progress

• enjoy spending time with family and friends, running, hiking, mountain biking,

rock climbing, reading, sporting events – especially football and baseball

4th Grade Common CoreReading

• The standards establish a “staircase” of increasing complexity in what students must be able to read so that all students are ready for the next grade level and eventual demands of college.

• We have a new textbook this year by Houghton Mifflin-Harcourt

• There are many differentiation components for small group and whole group.

• With each reading piece there is a paired real-world non-fiction text.

• Students have a Reader’s Notebook that will have all spelling, grammar and vocabulary assignments. You will see this book coming home throughout the week.

• We will also do literature studies that will have assignments and projects to be completed.

Fourth Grade Common Core

Writing• The ability to write logical arguments based on supportive

details, sound reasoning, and relevant evidence.

• Research—both short, focused projects and longer term in depth written assignments

• Samples of student writing (mentor text) will accompany many assignments to help establish adequate performance levels in writing arguments, informational/explanatory texts, and narratives.

4th Grade Common Core

Speaking and Listening

• The standards require that students gain, evaluate, and present increasingly complex information, ideas, and evidence through listening and speaking as well as through media.

• An important focus of the speaking and listening standards is academic discussion in one-on-one, small-group, and whole-class settings.

• Major projects this year include: Civilization Project, Wax Museum, Weather Reports, and Literature Projects.

4th Grade Common Core Language

• We expect our 4th graders to grow their vocabularies through a mix of conversations, direct instruction, and reading. This will help students determine word meanings, appreciate the nuances of words, and steadily expand their repertoire of words and phrases.

• Vocabulary and conventions are treated in their own strand not because skills in these areas should be handled in isolation, but because their use extends across reading, writing, speaking, and listening.

4th Grade Common Core

Math

• Operations and Algebraic Thinking

• Number and Operations in Base Ten

• Number and Operations – Fractions

• Measurement and Data

• Geometry

Fourth Grade Curriculum

Social Studies

The students will be studying the history of Arizona. We may be taking a few field trips that enhance this study. We will also have a Wax Museum that showcases people from our state, which will include a research project and might require some extra help at home from parents. Because Social Studies involves a lot of reading and comprehension strategies, we will be integrating Reading and Social Studies as often as possible. In our classroom, we will also be using Primary Source documents and other supplemental materials when available for more in-depth learning about the topics of focus.

4th Grade Curriculum Science

• Classifying Living Things• Populations and Ecosystems• Animals and Adaptations• Energy and Magnetism• Water Cycle.

We will be exploring these topics through the scientific method. There will be science fair projects completed at school in the 2nd and 3rd quarter.

Classroom Procedures

Daily Assignment BookSomething should be written for each subject (the day’s lesson or homework) so you are aware of the area of focus

in each class.

Please check your child’s book, daily, for assignments, due dates, homework, missing assignments, upcoming

quizzes/tests.

Homework PolicyHomework is due back to school periodically throughout the week. All due dates will be recorded in your child’s planner.

Binders All work should be kept in a binder (Literacy, Math, Social

Studies/Science)

Food/Celebrations

• Students may bring in a healthy snack each day. (Quick and simple)

• Feel free to send in treats for your child’s birthday. We typically will have treats before we head out to recess at 1:45. All treats must be store bought.

Communication

Daily PlannersClassroom websiteScheduled AppointmentsPhone – (480) 224-3249Email – [email protected]

Our goal…to do what’s best for your child…So we’ll work together to make it happen!

Questions