I am very honoured and blessed to be your child’s teacher this year. It is an exciting time, as this will be your child’s first year in an intermediate grade. As an important transition from primary education, students will begin adjusting to being more independent and responsible: completing more homework, writing any due assignments in their agenda, and returning it promptly the next day. Students will be guided in their academic, social, and spiritual journeys as we explore our theme: “Living, Celebrating, and Proclaiming Our Faith.” The Grade 4 curriculum offers many opportunities for teacher-led, individual, whole-class, and small-group activities, providing “hands-on” learning experiences to support academic growth. Through a variety of learning activities, students will focus on developing their core competency skills—in particular: critical thinking, communication, and social skills. This year’s curriculum expands on the foundation established in the primary years. The following provides a summary of the main themes covered in each subject, as well as important details about the weekly specialist classes.
SOME IMPORTANT NOTES
Gym is scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday every week. Please ensure that your child is wearing his/her PE strip underneath his/her uniform everyday. A labeled drawstring gym bag containing the child’s runners is also required.
Library Book Exchange is scheduled for Monday. Please ensure that your child returns any books taken from the school library on this day.
Please ensure that all your child’s belongings (especially uniform) are labeled, including shoes. Uniforms look alike, and they can be easily mixed up when the children take them off, especially changing before and after PE. By having names (written in big and clear letters) on them ensure the items are returned quickly to the rightful owners.
Your child will receive an average of 45 minutes of homework each night. This will include approximately 15-20 minutes of nightly silent reading (book). It is of extreme importance that students read in order to build a vast vocabulary to express themselves well. The amount of time it takes students to complete their homework could vary greatly depending on each child. Please designate a set time and a quiet place where your child can maintain focus and not be distracted easily. If homework is not completed, the work will be sent home along with a homework slip, which will need to be signed by a parent. If it is not possible for your child to complete their nightly homework, please write a small note in their agenda letting me know. Any incomplete homework will be expected to be completed by the next day.
On a daily basis, your child is given time to complete their agenda book. After your child has completed his/her agenda, he/she must show it to you. Each evening, please check and review (i.e. ask your child what he/she learned earlier in the day) to make sure they have completed their homework and, as an acknowledgement, initial the day. I would encourage you to use the agenda as a form of communication between myself and you. If you have a short question that I could easily answer, please feel free to write it in the agenda book and I will do my best to respond. Please encourage your child to be independent and responsible for their own work. With your cooperation, we can help your child develop into a responsible, caring individual.
Please let me know if your child has any medical problems, allergies, hearing loss, impaired vision, etc. Also, if your child is absent for any reason, or needs to leave school early, a note MUST be written.
Please let me know about any problems before they get out of hand. I also would appreciate knowing when something is going well. A quick phone call may relieve a lot of unnecessary worries. It may also lighten up a teacher’s day! You may reach me at school in the mornings between 8:00-8:30 and after school (3:00-4:00) [however, there will be times when I will not be available due to staff meetings, supervision duty, or other extra-curricular activities]. If you wish to see me, please make an appointment with Mrs. Nguyen at the office.
Lastly, for all those who are Catholic, please bring your children to church every Sunday. It is important that they attend Mass to build up their spiritual strength. As well, it is important for them to experience the church community.
I look forward to getting to know you and your children. I know that with your help and support, we can have a successful and wonderful year, and that the children will grow academically, socially and spiritually. Thank you for your time and cooperation.
CLASS OVERVIEWS
In the Grade 4 Christian Education program, students will deepen their understanding of the Roman Catholic faith through prayer, scripture study, class discussions, and meaningful assignments. They will learn to locate, read, and reflect on Scripture, and engage in class reflections on a variety of religious topics. Students will explore different forms of prayer, including the Rosary, Lectio Divina, and morning and end-of-day prayers. They will also study the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and focus on the miracles and parables of Jesus. Additionally, we will use Theology of the Body for Kids materials, emphasizing the body in heaven and the body on earth.
The Grade 4 literacy curriculum focuses on guided reading, small-group work, and whole-class learning experiences. Through the Reading Power program, students develop key reading strategies such as making connections, asking questions, drawing inferences, analyzing text, and creating mental images. A wide selection of books—engaging, informative, and suited to students’ reading levels—is available to support individual interests and needs. Students will also learn how to select “just-right” books that match their abilities, helping them build strong reading and comprehension skills. In addition, we will undertake a novel study, during which students will participate in literature circles to discuss and explore the text in depth as a group. Students will use the Words Their Way spelling program and complete weekly spelling tests and activities with their new words. They will also develop their writing skills through the Writing Power and the 6 + 1 Traits of Writing programs. Each month, we will focus on a different trait, and students will learn to incorporate these traits into their journal, letter, report, poetry, prayer, and paragraph writing. Furthermore, students will be required to read each night and complete three Home Reading assignments per week.
In Mathematics, students will work toward mastering multiplication facts. Instruction will emphasize fractions, decimals, and the development of strong computational skills. They will explore patterns and relationships within multiplication and division, as well as investigate objects and geometric shapes. Students will also examine and interpret data through experiments involving probability. Problem-solving activities and interactive group projects will play a key role in their learning. Emphasis will be placed on developing critical thinking, mental math strategies, and the ability to solve two- and three-step word problems. The primary resource will be the My Math Path program.
In Science, students will focus on learning that matter has mass, takes up space, and can change phases. They will also study energy transformations, as well as the motions of the Earth and the Moon, and how these create observable patterns that affect living and non-living systems. Students will have the opportunity to explore how living things sense and respond to their environment and will engage in an inquiry-based research project on one of the five biomes.
In Social Studies, students will learn about the changing land, people, and communities of Canada. They will also explore how interactions between First Peoples and Europeans shaped Canada’s identity. In addition, students will learn about their rights and responsibilities, as well as how they can take care of the environment.
Miss O’Gorman will be responsible for delivering the music program this year. The students receive two 30-minute classes per week.
Mr. Campanile is the Physical Education Specialist. Students will take P.E. classes on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. Please ensure that your child comes to school with a full gym strip on these days (St. Jude shorts and T-shirt, white socks and runners). The students should wear their strip under their uniforms.
HOMEWORK EXPECTATIONS
Students are generally assigned homework, including home reading, three nights per week. Additional assignments may be given if a student does not finish work at school. Please ensure that homework is completed. If your child is having difficulty with the homework, let me know so that I can adjust or modify the quantity and content. Typically, Grade 4 students have about 40–45 minutes of homework, including daily reading and Home Reading assignments. If there is little or no homework on a particular night, encourage your child to read a book chapter or study for their spelling test. We are also focusing on mastering multiplication facts and multi-step word problems. Students will benefit from practicing with flash cards, card games, and math activities at home to reinforce mental math strategies and critical thinking skills. Homework should not take more than 45–50 minutes each night.