Mrs. Marino is looking forward to an exciting 2010-2011 school year!!

This is going to be a wonderful year! We are going to learn, grow and have lots of fun.  Thank you for sharing your children with me.


Fourth grade is an exciting year! No longer in primary, fourth graders enjoy many new privileges and responsibilities. Lockers are the big hit this year. They can be a lot of fun to organize and decorate, but students are expected to have everything they need out of them when class starts. 


In Reading, we will use the textbook and workbook, but we will also do so much more! We use the Accelerated Reader program extensively in fourth grade. We also have one book report each month, and we will read and study at least three novels together as a class. Students will be expected to read silently for at least ten minutes each day when classwork is completed, before taking advantage of other  activities in the classroom. They should each have a novel and a reading log at their desks with them at all times. In Religion, the main focus is on the Ten Commandments. We also study the Beatitudes and memorize some important prayers.  In Social Studies, we will study the fifty states one region at a time. In each region we will have a map test identifying states and capitals and a project on one state in that region. In the spring, we will have the "Big 50" map test. We will also study Oklahoma history.   In Math, we will cover topics such as place value, measurement, graphing, fractions and basic geometry, but our main focus will be learning two-digit multiplication and one- and two-digit division. In order to ensure success, it is essential that fourth graders have memorized their basic facts. (Addition and subtraction 1-9 and multiplication 1-12).  In Science, we will continue to learn in each of the categories: Earth, Physical, and Life Science. In English, we will be writing a lot more this year. Increased writing and vocabulary skills and learning the parts of speech will be a focus. Students will be held accountable for topics mastered in previous grade levels. For example, I will expect in all subject areas for sentences to begin with capital letters and end with punctuation.  In reading, we will use the textbook and read many novels as a class. We will have silent reading time each afternoon. We will have 30 words on our Spelling list and two dictation sentences each week.

Any assignments not completed during the school day will be homework. We will not have much "homework" given the first few weeks and months of school. As the school year progresses will will have homework to reinforce what we are learning. Studying for a test is homework. Study guides and reviews will be given. Reading for 20-30 minutes each night and studying math facts 3-4 times per week is suggested.

We will still have time for fun! Classroom games are often a wonderful way to reinforce skills in math vocabulary and review for tests. 

Planners should be at school each day and brought home every night as an organizational tool, for you to see what your child is doing in class and or help your child with homework. Planners are to be signed every Thursday. Please check planners a few times a week. They do not need to be signed every night. Planners are also a good communication tool for parents and teachers to write short notes.