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About 4th grade (for parents)

• Curriculum:  We begin with the study of plants, vertebrate animals and classification, and then move to digestion and nutrition.  In the winter, we cover basic physics and astronomy, and when spring arrives we  look at ecosystems.  See more details of the topics the boys study on the curriculum page.
• Text:  He will have a copy of the unit readings in his folder, and there is also a copy on this web site (look at the readings)
• Homework:  Yes, he has science homework.  Twice a week.  No matter what he says. It is review and extension of concepts he's learning in class.  It should be neat (see the proper header), thorough, brief, complete, and handed in on time.
• Tests:  You may not know photosynthesis or the three types of mammal, but your son does. He has an easy quiz once a week on the chapter lesson, and tests every five to seven weeks.  I tell him about chapter tests more than a week beforehand, and I send the marked tests home for your signature afterwards.  They are a challenging learning experience and a way for him to evaluate himself.  Most of the boys do well on these.  Remember they still don't get letter grades in 4th grade.
• Organization:  I know fourth graders aren't very organized. I know changing for class makes it tough for your son to remember his pencils, folders, homework, etc.  That's what I'm teaching him to do this year.  Believe me, if someone like me can end up with good homework habits, anybody can . . . of course, it took me until my junior year in high school.  Or was it halfway through college?  I forget.

Questions?  Send me some e-mail!  Click on the address below.

dturner@haverford.org

This page last updated August 15, 2002