Dear Fourth Grade Families,

Part of being a successful fourth grader requires students to beaware of their ability to be organized, responsible, and independent.Attached, please find some suggestions and reference pages to helpchildren reach these organizational and personal goals. Please reviewthem with your child. Although not all suggestions may apply, theremight be one or two new ideas that could help make life at home andschool easier.
Thanks in advance for your help and cooperation.

Sincerely,
The Fourth Grade Team



**Tips for an Organized Child at Home**

1. Lay out clothes the night before. This will eliminate the "morning rush" to find clothes. This also helps the morning move morequickly and avoid arguments.

2. Children should be responsible for cleaning up at home and putting things in appropriate places.

3. Have a chart with chores/responsibilities. This way, children can be independent, responsible, and accountable.

4. Give your child his/her own workspace with a calendar. Use thecalendar to organize assignments/activities. Help them organize thisspace with bins, cups, paper caddies, etc. Color code: Homework in bluecaddy, Notes for mom in red caddy, Writing supplies in green bin…

5. When assignments are completed they should go in their folders.Folders should be placed in the backpack (along with anything else thatneeds to go back to school) and the backpack should go near the dooryour child exits in the morning.

6. Have a special place for library books, notes, etc. This eliminates the need for last minute searches.

7. Hold your child accountable for materials, assignments, and belongings.


**Understanding Organization**

Form of Organization:
Material/Spatial

Definition:
The ability to deal with various materials and equipment.

Manifestations of Difficulty:
Loses things; trouble remembering what to take to school; messy with belongings

Suggestions:
Work station, supplies color-coded, a "home" for everything, label belongings

Form of Organization:
Temporal/Sequential

Definition:
The ability to plan and use time efficiently.

Manifestations of Difficulty:
Trouble allocating time; difficulty estimating how long somethingwill take; Problem knowing the order in which to do something; Losingtrack of time; Procrastinating

Suggestions:
Time log, model building, recipes, using timers, calendar, project planner, clock


Form of Organization:
Transitional

Definition:
The ability to shift gears and prepare for what is coming next.

Manifestations of Difficulty:
Rushing from activity to activity; Failure to take home needed materials; Difficulty with routines and settling down to work

Suggestions:
Previewing, planning ahead, preparing things in advance.


Form of Organization:
Prospective/Retrieval

Definition:
The ability to remember to do something at a later date.

Manifestations of Difficulty:
Tendency to forget assignments, Perform poorly on errands, unreliable with daily responsibilities

Suggestions:
Lists, charts, schedules, computers, calendars, post-its, monthly contracts



**Materials for an Efficient Work Station**

o Post-its
o Paper
o Electric pencil sharpener
o Container with pencils
o Container with makers, crayons, colored pencils
o Ruler
o Stapler
o Paper clips
o Colored folders
o Hi-liters
o Glue sticks
o Scissors
o 3 hole puncher
o Shelf space (organize notebooks, folders, books)
o File box organizer
o Cursive writing chart