Forestville Academy

Fourth Grade, at Forestville Academy, is an exciting and challenging experience. Students describe their year as: "Fourth grade is the best. We learn so much and we get to go on lots of fun trips." "Fourth grade was my favorite year. I liked learning about the missions and doing all of the stuff when we went on our mission trip." "I can't believe that I can write so much. I used to be bad at it but now I am really good." " I liked all the books we read. I really liked Fever and The Island of the Blue Dolphins. And The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was so exciting, and then we had our own tea with cakes and cookies. It was so fun." "I wish I could stay in Fourth grade forever." The reading curriculum is enriched with special projects that encourage students to explore units on business, medicine, survival and communication. These units are supported with interesting field trips and class presentations. Math is taught supportively and students have enriching experiences using math manipulatives in centers. Language Arts and Writing Skills are practiced through daily writing and specific exploration of narratives, responses to literature, summaries and poetry. Science provides hands-on experiments with electricity, magnetism, earth study, population and ecosystems and geology. Social Studies is taught with hands-on experiences in map making, studying world geography, the study of early American Californians, the westward expansion of the U.S.A. and the gold rush to California. Students are taught to develop a power point presentation on a mission of their choice. A highlight is the environmental history experience where students participate in candle making, basket weaving, cooking and other crafts done by neophytes in California missions. The year culminates with a trip to Sacramento, Sutter's Fort, and a train ride. Students also have a chance to participate in a Gold Rush play presented for parents.

The Fifth Grade Teachers at Forestville Academy provide students with a comprehensive, challenging, and engaging curriculum based on the California Content Standards and District Curriculum for Fifth Grade. Through a variety of whole group and differentiated lessons, activities, events and learning experiences throughout the year, students will gain a deeper knowledge and understanding of the core subject areas. The following are just some of the other curriculum areas students may participate: • Performing Arts: 50 minutes a week • Visual Arts: 50 minutes a week • Physical Education: 140 minutes a week • Technology • Cross-Age Tutoring • Book Clubs, Core Novels, Novels-on-Tape • History Simulations: Galleon and Oregon Trail by Interact • Revolutionary War Newspapers • Geography Dictionary and Discover Your Own Continent • 50 States and Capitals • Heritage Feast Day and Family Recipes • 4-6th Grade Business Simulation events: Once a trimester • Hands-on science experiments and demonstrations for all units of study • Field Trips: 1. The Chabot Observatory and Museum, 2. Meteorology and Water Cycle Field Experiences 3. The Exploratorium Museum 4. The Invention Convention Day 5. End of the Year Activity After School Opportunities: • Passport Program: After school tutoring • Live Theater: After school program • Science Olympiad: After school club • ASAP: After School Activities Program

Class work is unfinished assignments started in class during the day. The day's class assignments and other necessary documents/materials for the assignments should be found in your student's plastic envelope each night. Any assignments completed in class should be reviewed for accuracy and completion and turned in the next school day. Any unfinished work is to be completed at night and brought back to school the next day. Highlighted work is late and must be finished asap, then attached to Homework Log and brought back to school the next day. History and Science assignments from Mrs. Blechel, Mrs. Graves, and Mrs. Pola-Hoard will not be found on this list. History assignments for Mrs. Pola-Hoard's students will be included on this list.