Below is a link to a video about standards based grading.
https://sites.google.com/a/stcharlessd.org/sbg/home
Here is a link to our proficiency scales. These are detailed descriptions of what your child is expected to know for each standard. These can be found on the district website.
https://sites.google.com/a/stcharlessd.org/sbg/proficiency-scales/elementary-proficiency-scales
Math
During math, students work in whole group, small group, and independently to master different math skills. The goal of our math curriculum is to move students from thinking about math problems in concrete forms to abstract forms. The math lessons will follow steps that start with breaking the math skill down to simple and concrete terms and build the skill until the student can complete the math skill independently. We also practice fact fluency using different applications to help build students ability to quickly answer math computation questions.
Reading
During reading instruction or reading workshop, each student will be engaged in a mini-lesson that is focused on specific reading strategies and skills. Each student will then work in both small groups and independently to practice these skills and read both self and teacher-selected texts. Students may be participating in guided reading groups, which focus on similar skills, and book clubs, which allow students to engage in more conversations regarding their learning.
Fundations (phonics)
We will use the Fundations program to guide students through 4th grade phonics and spelling patterns. Through the 7 units students will work through prefix, sufix, vowel, multi-syllabic, and r-controlled spelling patterns. Students will also look at homophones, trick words (words that do not follow a normal spelling pattern), and cursive handwriting.
Writing
In the Writing Workshop program your child will follow the Lucy Calkins component of writing and will write about independently chosen topics in a variety of genres. Writing Workshop involves mini-lessons focusing on the writing process followed by independent writing and sharing.
In addition to our writing workshop, students will also work with Patterns of Power. This is our grammar curriculum. Students will look closely at sentence structure, parts of speech, and proper usage. We will look at these both in isolation with direct instruction and through literature and student discovery.
Science
In fourth grade, we use MySci to give kids an interactive and student-centered interactive approach to learning science! MySci is a program partnership with Washington University. Students will complete three MySci programs that all utilize a discovery learning process and culminate with a student design project. We look at Life Science (Animal needs, wants, habitats, Food Chains/ Webs, and Ecosystems), Earth Science ( Rocks, classifying rocks, The Rock Cycle, earthquake, plate tectonics, and erosion) and lastly Physical Science (Gravity, Energy Systems, Simple Machines, etc.).
Social Studies
For our Social Studies learning this year we start with Geography, map skills, and then move in to U.S History (20,000 BCE- 1860 CE). We cover many, many topics in that time (Human migration, early Native Peoples, World Exploration, Colonization, Thirteen Colonies, The American Revolution, Westward Expansion, Slavery and then the build up to Civil War). Throughout the year, we will discuss the Three Branches of Government and Economics in the U.S. as well.