Diclosure Document

At Mount Mahogany Elementary, we believe it is our responsibility to work as a team to prepare each student to become a knowledgeable and productive citizen of the community, state, and nation. We feel this can best be accomplished by working cooperatively in a home and school partnership which will challenge and motivate each child to strive for his or her highest level of success. We are committed to stimulating and motivating each student to become the best that he or she can be.

Dear Parents,
Welcome to the Fourth Grade!
This brochure is for you to refer to during the school year. It contains information that is unique to our grade.

Course Description
Our curriculum is based on the Fourth Grade Utah State Core Curriculum.

Language Arts Reading
This crucial subject consists of several areas of activity:
a) Class work involves reading and responding to literature, and working on comprehension and other reading skills.
b) Recreational reading is reading for pleasure. Each Student will be required to read 15-30 minutes each night at home. Students will be given a record sheet to track their time.
c) Monthly book reviews provide motivation to read and comprehend books.

Language Arts Composition
This consists of several areas of study:

HANDWRITING
We will practice the Zaner-Bloser handwriting method directly at the beginning of the year, and indirectly throughout the year as we do our work. Neatness is emphasized!

SPELLING
Spelling will be on a dictation/application format. A list of Fourth Grade spelling words will be presented in a paragraph. It will be graded by counting points for every item that is correct, including spelling, punctuation, capitals, etc.

COMPOSITION
Students will participate in technical writing, note taking, and creative writing using the writing process.

LANGUAGE
This subject will consist of exercises on specific language skills, Daily Oral Language (D.O.L.), Mountain Language, weekly quizzes, and post tests on the language skills.

Math
Students will be encouraged to think, communicate, cooperate, and make mathematical connections with hands-on activities through an exciting program called Investigations. Homework will be given 3-4 times a week to practice and reinforce skills learned in class. An emphasis will be placed on knowing basic math facts for speed and accuracy. Mountain Math will be used to review various math skills.

Social Studies & Science
SOCIAL STUDIES will be based on Utah History. Students will develop map skills, research and write reports, participate in class activities, and prepare special projects that will help them learn more about our state. A culminating project will be a fabulous Utah book.

In SCIENCE, students will study animals and plants of Utah, soil and rocks, weather, water cycle, and fossils and dinosaurs.

Music, Art, Health, & P.E.
We will study basic elements of MUSIC, learn how to play the ukulele, and will participate in a musical program.

Activities in ART will consist of making creative projects that incorporate basic elements of art and correlate with other areas of the curriculum.

In HEALTH we study personal wellness and how to make healthy choices.

In P.E. students will develop skills in rhythm and movement, games, dance, and physical fitness. Children need to wear appropriate clothing and gym shoes to P.E.. If your child is unable to participate in P.E. or recess, please send a note excusing him/her.

Discipline
We want to provide an atmosphere that is conducive to learning consisting of mutual respect for teachers, students, and staff. Students receive positive rewards for good behavior and academic work. Warnings, loss of privileges, parent contact, and student contracts may be used as disciplinary measures.

Absences and Tardiness
Children who attend school regularly do better and enjoy school more than those who do not have regular attendance. Students are expected to arrive and be ready for school on time. The final bell will ring at 9:05, and a child will be recorded tardy after that time. Students are required to make up work missed when absent. The absent child’s work will be compiled and placed on his/her desk. The teacher is not expected to compile the homework until after the work is assigned. It is the student’s responsibility to check with the teacher upon returning to school to see what work needs to be made up.
Students have the number of the school days that they were absent to complete and turn in make-up work.

Homework
Homework will include reading 15-30 minutes each night, studying spelling, and completing math. If students do not complete their daily assignments, they may have additional homework. To receive full credit, this work must be completed and returned the next day. Each Fourth Grade teacher will have additional information concerning his/her homework policy.

Grading Policy
Grades will be determined on a percentage, and then assigned a letter grade. Students earned grades from daily assignments, preparation, homework, tests, projects, reports, journals, effort, and attitude. Results of major tests and assignments will be given within 5 days.
Report cards will be distributed 4 times during the school year. The following scale will be used:
A 93-100
A- 90-92
B+ 87-89
B 83-86
B- 80-82
C+ 75-79
C 70-74
C- 65-69
N 0-64

We encourage you to check your child’s grades on a regular basis.