Downtown Elementary

Rm 1 - Fourth Grade

Mark Smith smithma@bcsd.com

I am so excited about this school year and about the opportunity that I have to be your student’s teacher! As many of you know I started at Downtown as a cafeteria playground supervisor five years ago, but my dream of becoming a teacher came long before that. I was a fifth grader when I decided that I wanted to be a teacher. Today, I am so excited because that dream has finally come true. I look forward to this year and the many events that will take place here at Downtown.

Grade 4 Academic Goals

The academic goals include the following:

• In Social Studies, 4th Graders will learn about the state of California. We will take a 4th Grade Mission trip.
• In Math, students will master basic facts, demonstrate an understanding of computation - multiplication of three-digit by two-digit numbers, long division with a two-digit divisor. They will be able to solve age-appropriate word problems. All students will be exposed to beginning algebra and geometry.
• In Language Arts, students will read and analyze words, give speeches, study whole language as well as phonics. They will also develop basic writing skills and will be able to write in different styles.
• In Science, students will learn about the interactions of living things, the changing of the Earth, as well as about matter and electricity. Students will also participate in the Science Fair where they can show all that they have learned about scientific method.

Homework

Homework will be given out in weekly packets on Mondays and will be due on Fridays. In the weekly homework packet, the students will have daily homework assignments that will cover all areas of the curriculum. The assignments given will be a review of what they have learned that week, or prior in class. They will have two or three assignments plus twenty minutes of reading every night. Anything that is not completed in class will also become homework.

It's going to take us working together as a team to accomplish all the expectations that have been set forth. I feel as a team we can do this. The communication line is always open. Feel free to contact me anytime there is a concern.

Sincerely,

Mr. Smith
smithma@bcsd.com