Syllabus
Welcome to the 2023 -2024 School Year!
Mrs. Martin
4th Grade Syllabus
My Contact Information
Email: emmartin@greenville.k12.sc.us
Phone: 864-355-1300
Also, connect with our class on REMIND!
Office Hours: Monday - Friday from 7:45 AM - 3:00 PM
Missed Work/Make-up Policy: All assignments need to be completed within five days after students return to school in order to receive credit. If it is not turned in within five days, it will be a zero in the gradebook. Assignments for a sick child can be requested by calling or messaging me. Assignments may be picked up after 2:00 p.m. in the school office. Your student also has the option of completing assignments digitally in Google Classroom.
Homework Policy: Math homework will be given Monday-Thursday related to the day’s learning. Multiplication facts are due each Friday. Students should practice spelling words every night. Students are also expected to be reading nightly for 20- 30 minutes.
Grading System: The grading for Math, Reading, Science and Social Studies will consist of major grades – 40% (unit tests and projects) and minor grades – 60% (Daily assignments and weekly quizzes). For Language Arts major grades = 30%, minor grades = 60% and Spelling Tests are worth 10%. Please see the GCSD Parent Portal for additional grading information.
Grading Scale:
A - 90-100
B - 80-89
C - 70-79
D - 60-59
U - 59 and below
Graded assignments: All grades can be checked in your BackPack account. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns about grades.
Student Records: Permanent Records will be kept in the office at all times unless the teacher has checked them out.
Attendance and Tardy Policies: All students in South Carolina are expected to attend school 170 days of the 180 days in a school year in order to be promoted to the next grade. Excuses for absences from parents and doctors must be turned into the office within two days after the student returns to school.
Students will be allowed no more than 10 tardies or they may not receive credit for the class that is missed. Students will not be given perfect attendance certificates if tardy more than three times or if the student has an early dismissal more than three times per report period.
Also, Greenville County Schools are allowed 5 eLearning days to use at our discretion. You will be informed in advance if one will need to be taken for any reason.
Parent Communication: I will be communicating with you in the following ways:
REMIND for any announcements and upcoming events. Our class code is: EMMARTIN
Backpack for your child’s grades and attendance.
Phone calls, texts, and parent-teacher conferences as needed.
Chromebooks: Chromebooks and chargers are checked out to your student for educational purposes only. They will need to be completely charged each night so they are ready for school. There is a fine for lost Chromebooks.
Presentation of Rules and Procedures: Our class will be using the
Positive incentives:
Individual
1. Dojo points
2. Visit the treat basket
3. Choice time
4. Positive notes home
5. Attendance and completed work reward
6. Class store on Fridays
Group
Class Bingo
Treat parties/ extra recess games
Eat lunch outside cafeteria
Procedures for Non-Instructional Routines:
1. Mornings: Students wait quietly outside in the hallway by their classroom door and read or study. Attendance is taken in the mornings at 7:45 while students complete Morning Work.
2. Restroom: We will have 3 bathroom breaks a day. Students will be allowed to go during transition times, not instructional times, except during emergency situations. If a student has to go during instructional time, they will need to sign out on the whiteboard.
3. Pencils: Each student will grab a sharpened pencil when they enter the classroom each day. If they need a new pencil, they may trade out their old one for a new one.
5. Lunch: Students are to go through their designated lunch line quietly. They are to get everything they need as they go through the line. We will be eating in the cafeteria this year.
6. Water bottles: Students are encouraged to bring water bottles for water only to have at their desks. They will take them home to be washed.
7. Parties: We love to celebrate in our class!. For parties, there will be a SignUp Genius sent to you with items that we need. If you would like to bring in treats, you may send in snacks that are prepackaged. You’re the best!
8. Dismissal: Bus and day care riders are to be dismissed at 2:15 PM to the bus loading area. Car riders are to remain in their classroom quietly and watch for their name on the Promethean Board.
9. Emergency Situations: If there is a fire drill, the students are to immediately get quiet, stand up, and line up at the door. The students are to follow their teacher to the back of the track and are to stay absolutely quiet. The first person in line is in charge of the emergency bag. This backpack is taken with the class whenever they leave the room. This includes related arts, lunch, and recess.
With weather related emergencies students remain in the building and calm and quiet as the teacher calls the class roll. All students sit on the floor with their hands protecting the neck area. In the event of an earthquake students are to quickly protect themselves under their desk and remain calm and quiet. During a lockdown, all students remain in the classroom in a designated corner of the room. Students are to remain still and silent until notification that all is clear from the office.
10. Field Trips - We will go on at least 3 field trips this school year. You will be informed well in advance of the dates and payment information. If you are interested in being a chaperone, you must complete a background check with the office.
What Will Your 4th Grader Be Learning This Year???
Science Outline
-First Nine Weeks: Light and Sound
-Second Nine Weeks: Stars and the Solar System, Weather
-Third Nine Weeks: Weather and Climate, Characteristics and Growth of Organisms.
-Fourth Nine Weeks: Characteristics and Growth of Organisms and PASS review.
Language Arts Outline - We are thrilled to begin using a new Reading curriculum called SAVVAS that combines Reading, Writing, Word Study and Phonics! Students will work on a big project at the end of each Unit.
Unit (approx. 6 - 7 weeks)
Reading
Writing
1
Narrative nonfiction and biographies, main idea and details, text features, summarizing, making predictions
Writing personal narratives
2
Informational texts, making predictions, building background knowledge, main idea and details, synthesizing, text structure
Article writing
3
Literary Genre Studies (realistic fiction, autobiographies, fiction and realistic fiction, poetry)
Realistic fiction writing
4
Traditional literature, myths and fairy tales, analyzing characters, theme, summarizing, making connections
Opinion essay writing
5
Analyzing argumentative texts, making inferences, comparing and contrasting texts, main idea and details
Poetry writing
Math Outline
-First Nine Weeks: Applying Place Value Concepts in Adding and Subtraction, Using Multiplication and Division Strategies, Composing and Decomposing Fractions for Adding and Subtraction, Exploring Factors and Multiples
-Second Nine Weeks: Understanding Fraction Equivalence and Comparison, Introducing Measurement Conversions, Solving Problems Using Multiplicative Comparison, Solving Measurement Problems using Operations
-Third Nine Weeks: Solving Measurement Problems using Operations, Solving Addition and Subtraction Problems with Fractions, Angle Measurement, Multiplying Fractions by Whole Numbers
-Fourth Nine Weeks: Multiplying Fractions by Whole Numbers, Comparing Decimal Fractions, Recognizing and Analyzing Attributes of 2-D Shapes, Problem Solving with Whole Numbers and End of the Year Testing Review
Social Studies Outline
-First Nine Weeks: Native Americans, Exploration, Settlement of the United States
-Second Nine Weeks: Colonies Unite and a Nation Emerges
-Third Nine Weeks: Motivations to Expand and Effects of Expansion
-Fourth Nine Weeks: A Nation Divided, Rebuilding a Nation