Back to School Nite

1. Welcome to 4SF
Shanghai American School
Stefan Fisher
Grade 4
Stefan.fisher@saschina.org
Blog: http://sites.saschina.org/sfisher/

2. Who is Your Child’s
Teacher?

3. Goal for Open House
➣To help you understand the work your child will be
doing throughout the school year.
➣To work in partnership with you and explain the
expectations for your child.
➣To help remind them of their character traits and
how this will help them become successful learners.
➣To share information that will help you support
your child’s learning.

4. Mission Statement
SAS inspires in all students:
 a passion for lifelong learning,
 the commitment to act with integrity and compassion, and
 the courage to live their dreams.
EAGLES - Our EAGLES define the learner profiles we hope to
instill in our children:
Empowered-Adaptable-Global-minded - Literate- Empathetic-
Skilled Inquirers.

5. Grade 4 Curriculum
Five core subjects
➣Readers Workshop
➣Writers Workshop
➣Math
➣Science
➣Social Studies
Specials (7 Day Rotation)
PE (3x)
Art and Music (2x)
Library Checkout and Guidance (1x)
Technology and Library are integrated

6. Support Teachers
Helen Jin - EAL (English Additional Language)
Ms. Lourdis - EAL TA
Caty Romero- Academic Support for Math
Jeff Dungan - Technology Support
Kelly Barons – Academic Support
Jemer Danao - AS TA

7. Reading
The goal of our reading program is to foster a love of
readers. We do this through:
➣Shared, guided and independent reading activities.
➣Reading strategies and skills instruction.
➣Instructional read alouds.
➣Projects which encourage reading and celebrate books
read.

8. Readers Workshop Model
Each Readers Workshop session begins with a mini
lesson that focuses on a reading strategy.
Students then read independently and practice the
skills from the mini-lesson. This may include:
➣Meeting with Reading Partners
➣Writing in Reading response
➣Working in Guided Reading
➣Conferencing with the teacher
 Discussions in book clubs

9. Writers Workshop Model
Each Writers Workshop session begins with a mini
lesson that focuses on a writing strategy.
➣Students develop writing strategies.
➣The writing process includes planning, drafting,
revising, editing and publishing.
➣ Celebrating ourselves as authors.

10. The Writing Process
Five step writing process
➣Pre-write(planting the seed, organize thoughts)
➣Draft (put ideas on paper)
➣Revise (verbs, adjectives,adverbs and elaborating)
➣Edit (correct spelling, mechanics and grammar)
➣Publish (prepare a copy for others to read)

11. MATH
We are aligned to the National Common
Core Standards
LEARNING TARGETS:
Numbers, Geometry, Measurement,
Probability and statistics,
Algebra, Patters and Functions,
Problem solving,
Computational Skills

12. Everyday Math
• 1. Make sense of problems and persevere in
• solving them.
• 2. Reason abstractly and quantitatively.
• 3. Explain and support their strategy and
• reasoning.
• 4. Demonstrate real life application.
• 5. Use appropriate strategies.

13. Word Study
Words Their Way
➣Spelling patterns
➣Strategies
Learning Vocabulary
➣which allows us to hear the words
➣ declare(say) our words
Transferring learning to all curriculum
areas.

14. Science
➣Inquiries
➣Investigations
➣Analysis
Three units studied
➣Magnetism and Electricity
➣Structures of Life
➣ Earth and Space

15. Social Studies
Trimester 1
➣Geography: Maps, Atlas, Longitude/Latitude, Landforms
➣Geography of Asia and China
Trimester 2
➣Ancient China
Terra-cotta Warriors
Chinese artifacts
Dynasties
Trimester 3
➣Modern China
Ongoing
➣Current Events

16. Technology
Each class has a one to one laptop
➣Integrated into all curriculum areas
➣Support from Technology Integrationist

17. Technology
From 4th grade on we have become 1:1
BLOGS
PUBLISHED WORK
REFLECTIONS
READING LETTERS
CURRENT EVENTS
AUDIENCE
OTHER RESOURCES USED ARE:
TYPING ACE
MATHLETICS
ACCEPTABLE USE
COMPUTER/INTERNET AT HOME

18. Super Fourth Events
➣Soccer days (Fall Sept. 26th & Spring TBA)
➣Halloween Party
➣Field trips - Shanghai Museum
- China Alive - Peasant Painting
➣Sharing Lunch
➣Classroom Holiday Party
➣Book Swap
➣Other planned events

19. Homework
Homework is an opportunity for students to practice
and fine-tune the skills we are working on in class.
Each student will have an assignment book that they
are expected to carry to and from school each day.
Monday –Thursday Night!
➣30 minutes of reading each night. ( excluded from HW time)
➣40 minutes max of homework (including Language Block)
reading response assignments, word study or daily oral
language activities, math practice, writing assignments and
science/social studies work.

20. Class Agreement
As Life Long LEARNERS...
4SF will show …
 Collaboration
 Coniation
 Coitent

21. Thank you!