Back-to-School Night 2015
Fourth Grade ~ Room 6~ Mrs. Long
September 15, 2015
Agenda
Welcome
Classroom Management
Daily Schedule
Curriculum Overview
Specialists at Warwick
Homework Policy
Grading/ Report Card
Parental Involvement
Parent/Teacher Communication
Q A
Thank you for coming to your child’s Back-to-School Night!
Classroom Management
Individual
Each student has a “puzzle piece” with their name/class number that they are responsible for the entire school year. Their goal is to keep their anchor at their desk. However, if they make poor choices that lead to the disruption of someone’s learning, including their own, they will be asked to give up their anchor for the day. If they contine to make poor choices for themselves after losing their anchor, they will be given a “pink notice” to write to their parents explaining their actions/choices along with a brief reflection as to what they could choose to do differently next time. I ask that those behavior notices are signed and returned to class the following day.
I also reward individuals with slips they may collect and turn in for prizes for showing respect, making good decisions, and solving problems. This gives me a chance to acknowledge those that are doing their best for their own learning throughout the day.
Team
Each group of desks is named as a team and each student must work cooperatively with their teammates to show respect, make good decisions, and solve problems. As they do this, they will earn points that will be recorded on the board. These points indicate which team is to line up first for each transition of the day. This will fluctuate during the day, depending on the team’s choices/behaviors, and will begin again each week.
Class
We have a Class Pledge that we recite together every morning as a promise to ourselves and each other. It was written by your children within the first week of school based on their answers to six questions. The questions were related to their expectations for what makes a successful classroom and school year.
Room 6’s Standards
- SHOW RESPECT
- MAKE GOOD DECISIONS
- SOLVE PROBLEMS
Our class goals are to…
Become independent, responsible learners
Develop both academic and life skills
Develop creativity and critical thinking skills
Increase self-esteem
Master fourth-grade concepts
Daily Classroom Schedule
Lunch 11:30-12:15
Recess 1:45-2:00
8:30-9:15 / 9:15-10:00 / 10:00-10:45 / 10:45-11:30 / 12:15-1:15 / 1:15-1:45 / 2:00-2:45Mon. / Good Morning Work/ Small Groups / Language
Arts / Writing / Mobile Lab / Math / Social Studies / Music
Ms. Chang
Tues. / Good Morning Work/ Small Groups / Physical Education Mr. Biggam / Language Arts / Math / Library (12:15-12:45)/
Literature / Writing / Social Studies
Wed. / Good Morning Work/ Small Groups / Langauge Arts / Writing / Science
Ms. Fermi / Math / Wednesday
Folders
1:30 Dismissal / No Class
(Early Release)
Thurs. / Good Morning Work/ Small Groups / Language Arts / Writing / Math / Physical Education Mr. Labasan / Literature / Social Studies
Fri. / Good Morning Work/ Small Groups / Science
Mrs. Fermi / Math/P.E.
(alternates) / Weekly Assessments / Mobile Lab / Social Studies / Art/
Project
*Estimated time periods, subject to change
Curriculum Overview
Math
CCSS Expectations: Fourth graders use their knowledge of place value to generalize to 1,000,000 and learn to round multi-digit whole numbers to any place. They fluently add and subtract using the standard algorithm and multiply and divide with multi-digit numbers. Fourth graders extend understanding of fractions to include equivalence, ordering and simple decimal notation. Students measure angles and classify geometric shapes by lines (parallel, perpendicular, etc.) and angles (right, acute, obtuse, etc.).
Text: California Math Expressions
This year we will begin using the new math curriculum California Math Expressions. The previous math program, Everyday Math, provided students with strong number sense and a deeper understanding of math concepts, but did not follow the new Common Core State Standards. The new California Math Expressions program continues to teach math in a way that leads to deep understanding, but directly follows the progression of the CCSS standards. Students and parents will probably find this curriculum to be more direct and straightforward than Everyday Math, although there will still be some new terminology and algorithms to learn. Parents can support their children by asking positive questions about the methods taught in the textbook and the classroom, and letting the children teach these new methods. Common Core seeks to provide total math fluency, which includes not only accuracy, but also efficiency and flexibility. Students achieve true fluency by learning and teaching multiple strategies to solve a problem. We give students many opportunities to teach others in the classroom, and encourage you to let them teach you at home.
Reading & Language Arts
CCSS Expectations: Fourth grade students read longer words and use roots, prefixes, and suffixes to determine the meanings of unknown words. They use details and examples in the text to determine the main idea and describe a character, setting, or event. Students produce writing that is developed, focused, organized, and edited. They group related ideas in paragraphs and sections, and provide a conclusion. Fourth grade students know when to use formal English, and when informal English is appropriate.
CCSS categorize Language Arts into four categories: Reading, Writing, Listening & Speaking, and Language.
Text: California TreasuresFremont Unified School District began using a new curriculum for Language Arts in 2012. The reading text consists of stories centered on a specific theme. Instruction will focus on comprehension skills, vocabulary development, fluency, decoding, and word building skills.
Students will also learn how to plan and organize a variety of writing forms: sentences, paragraphs, essays, original stories, poems, letters, and research papers.
In addition, we will be reading several of the core and extended literature books that are recommended for 4th grade. The Fourth Grade Literature List for Fremont Unified is attached for your reference.
Curriculum Overview (continued)
Social Studies
Text: Scott Foresman— “Our California”
Students will be learning about California History this year. They will study the geography and landscape of California, lives of the Native Americans, exploration and colonization of California, the Mission system, the Mexican-American War, the Gold Rush, the water systems and the cultural contributions diverse populations have brought to California.
Health
F.U.S.D. provided Fourth Grade Health Lessons
Health instruction will include the following topics: nutrition, physical fitness, drugs/alcohol /tobacco, family life, safety/seatbelts, and the immune system.
Accelerated Reader
Accelerated Reader (AR) is the most popular and successful reading product of all time. AR’s advanced technology helps you make essential reading practice more effective for every student by personalizing the reading practice to each student’s current level. It involves students in all reading activities including read to, read with, and reading independently.
Accelerated Reader assesses students’ reading with four types of quizzes: Reading Practice,
Vocabulary Practice, Literacy Skills, and Textbook Quizzes and allows students to build a lifelong love of reading and learning.
Lexia
Lexia Reading Core5® is a computer program that has helps students develop reading skills through personalized learning. The activities and instruction in Core5 are aligned to rigorous English Language Arts standards, including the Common Core State Standards. Our school district is using Core5 as part of our curriculum in reading and language arts.
Students complete placement activities in Core5 to determine their appropriate, individualized starting level and work independently and at their own pace on activities in Core5 several days a week. They will also develop fundamental literacy skills in six areas of reading instruction that have been identified by national reading experts: phonological awareness, phonics, structural analysis, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
Specialists at Warwick
Your child will receive instruction from specialists in four different subjects, Science, Music, Computers, and Physical Education. These are separate classes from Room 6 and the instruction, assignments, and responsibilities required of the students in these areas are under the guidance of those teachers.
Science
Students will be covering the following areas this year in Science: electricity and magnetism, environments and sources of energy, rocks and minerals, changes in Earth’s surfaces and investigation and experimentation. This year, at Warwick, all Fourth graders will receive instruction and lab time with our Science Specialist, Mrs. Fermi, in our science lab/Room 3.
Music
We are so extremely fortunate to have Ms. Chang at Warwick as our Music Specialist. She is a talented and experienced musician that has a wonderful way of connecting with the students. This year students will be learning school-wide songs that correspond with our character traits each month as well as musical literacy.
Physical Education
The following areas will be addressed within the physical education curriculum: physical fitness and wellness, effective movement, social development and interaction, and positive sportsmanship. The students will participate in this as a grade level as well as with Warwick’s Physical Education Specialists,Mr. Biggam andMr. Labasan.
Homework
Homework is an important part of the curriculum because it builds responsibility and reinforces learning. The district policy for homework in 4th grade is 30-45 minutes per night. Daily homework is assigned Monday through Thursday. Assignments will be recorded daily in your child’s Student Agenda. Each student is responsible for recording their assignments in their agenda as we review the homework as a class. Upon return to school the following day, students will circle any missing or incomplete assignments with a pen. They are then responsible for completing and returning that assignment the following day. Please sign or initial the bottom of the column within the Agenda each day upon the completion of the day’s assignments.
Students will receive a spelling and vocabulary list to study each week along with a daily Reading Log, which is referenced below. Spelling assignments will vary.
A critical part of the homework is reading for at least 20 minutes per night at home. Students must read chapter books appropriate to their level. Your child will be given a Reading Log each Monday. It will be checked for completeness each day.
If your child is absent, they will receive their missed work upon their return to school. Please do not call to requesttheir missed work because their only assignment until they return to school is to get well.
Followed, for your assistance, is a Nightly Checklist:
___ Check to verify prior night’s work was completed and turned in (a circle indicates incomplete or missing items)
___ Discuss new assignments and determine order for completing them
___ Give assistance as necessary
___ Review with child for upcoming quizzes and tests
___ Sign student agenda to verify the following:
- You are aware of what work has and has not been completed
- Your child has returned all work inside homework folder/binder
___ Have your child put folder/binder and supplies into his/her backpack
How to Help Your Children with Their Homework
(without doing their homework for them!)
Homework must be done in a proper study area that is quiet, well lit, and distraction free. Equip this area with a Homework Survival Kit containing items such as pens, pencils, paper, etc.
Homework must be scheduled into your child’s life.
Establish a Daily Homework Time that is scheduled in with other activities. Talk to your child’s teacher if you have any questions about the length of time that homework should require, given your child’s grade level and ability.
Use all of the Daily Homework Time for learning activities. This can help avoid common problems such as rushing homework, forgetting homework, or lying about homework.
If you cannot be home during this time, monitor your children to make sure they are doing homework.
Children must do homework on their own.
Some ways to encourage your children to do their homework on their own include:
Emphasizing their ability to do the work
Breaking down large assignments into simple steps
Providing encouragement each time they succeed
Having them do small parts of the assignment on their own
Motivate your children to do their best work through praise.
Consistently praise your children’s efforts.
Tell your children specifically what you like about what they are doing or what they have done.
Use incentives to motivate your children to do their best work.
Use an incentive your child will appreciate.
Create a contract with your child.
Be consistent.
Phase out incentives (but continue verbal praise!)
Remember that giving incentives is your choice.
If your children are not doing their homework, communicate assertively.
Tell your children that you expect them to do their homework responsibly.
Don’t argue—use the Broken Record technique.
Back up your words with action.
Tell your children that the choice is theirs: do homework or lose privileges.
Don’t make meaningless threats of punishment.
Be consistent in following through with your demands.
Be prepared for your children to test you with crying, anger, and/or indifference.
Guidelines by: Lee Canter & Lee Hausner, authors of Homework Without Tears.
Grading
This is the first year your child will receive letter grades on their report cards, for all subject matters, except for visual and performing arts, computer literacy, physical education, citizenship and conduct, listening and speaking and organizational skills.
Letter grades will be calculated from percentages using the following scale:
(Please note how the letter grades correspond with the O, S, N system used in primary.)
A – 90-100OutstandingWriting Scores:
B – 80-894 – Exemplary Performance
C – 70-79Satisfactory3 – Fair Performance
D – 60-692 – Limited Performance
F – Below 60Needs Improvement1 – Minimal Performance
Homework is not graded but is checked for completion and counts as a participation score.
Parent Involvement Opportunities
You can help by:
Listening to your child read every day
Checking to see that your child’s homework is completed and signing their agenda
Encouraging your child to proofread his/her work for errors and neatness
Providing a specific place to keep homework and supplies so that nothing is forgotten in the “morning rush”
Reviewing with your child all graded work that is sent home
Signing and returning notes from me so that I know you received them and are informed
Helping your child budget his/her time on long term projects and book reports
Volunteering your time at school:
- M.A.G.I.C.
- Wednesday Folders
- Project Prep Help
- Copying
Parent/Teacher Communication
Every Wednesday your child will bring home a yellow Warwick Folder containing corrected homework and class work from the past week, a weekly newsletter from Warwick and other correspondence from the school. Please review corrected work with your child and keep this work at home. The Warwick folder will need to be emptied and returned to school the next day. Feel free to include any comments or questions you may have.
Every other Friday there will be a Bi-Weekly Communication Packet containing all of your child’s graded assignments/tests from the previous weeks as well as an update on his/her homework assignments and behavior for the past 2 weeks. Please take time to review this packet with your child, as it will have the most impact on his/her report card grades. Please sign the cover sheet and return the ENTIRE packet the following Monday. Packets will be stored in individual student files and sent home each trimester along with their report card.
I will send home classroom newsletters twice a month updating you on events in the classroom and at school. Any additional comments/concerns/questions may be addressed by appointment. I am otherwise reachable by phone or email:
510-793-8660 ext. 56006