Curriculum Night

1. Curriculum Night Welcome to the fifth grade!

2. General Information • Attendance: Regular on time attendance helps students be successful. • School Hours 8:45am - 3:30pm • Late Students: Late students are required to get a pass from the front office before class. • Visitors: For safety reasons, all visitors must register in the office when they come on campus.

3. Parent–Teacher Communication • Agendas: Students will be provided with an agenda for their use. • Email: Feel free to email us with any questions or concerns. This is the fastest way to contact us. • Phone: We retrieve our voice mail messages before school, during prep, and after school.

4. Progress Reports/Grades • Parents and students log on to PowerSchools to access • If you do not have your login information, contact the school office • Please check their child’s grades on Powerschools weekly • Parents can request daily or weekly reports sent for grade updates • Hard copies of progress reports will only be sent to students currently receiving D’s or F’s per DC policy

5. 5th Grade Homework Policy • Reading Logs Requirements: • Minimum of 30 minutes five days a week. • Due at the end of each month with a parent signature. • Book Reports are assigned quarterly. • Incomplete class assignments will become homework. • In all subject areas, practice work to reinforce specific skills on a regular basis.

6. Absent Work • Every student is given two days to make up assignments for each day he/she has an excused absence. * Please note it is the student’s responsibility to find out what work was missed by asking another student, checking the absent work file, and asking their teachers.

7. Reading & Spelling:What will we be doing this year? • Reading fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension will be facilitated through the district adopted language arts program, Reading Street. • Reading Street is aligned with the Common Core State Standards. • Students will interact with increasingly complex and diverse text across multiple content areas. • Novel studies will be utilized to reinforce the implementation of Common Core skills and strategies. • Spelling lessons will be supported using the Reading Street curriculum as well as word study activities.

8. Writing & Spelling:What will we be doing this year? • Writing will be an intrinsic part of our curriculum as it is integrated into each content area. • Students will be using the Six Traits of Writing when completing personal narratives, expository text, friendly and business letters, opinion text, and literary response. • Teachers will keep students’ writing in a portfolio which will reflect student growth over the course of the school year.

9. Read 180 Read 180 is a well researched reading intervention program that uses teacher instruction and innovative technology to help kids succeed at reading worldwide. It is highly motivating and incorporates writing, social studies and science. More information can be found at http://read180.scholastic.com/familyportal/

10. Science:What will we be doing this year? • Foss Program: hands on investigations • Inquiry Process (Scientific Method) • Life Science (Human Body) • Physical Science (motion, forces, and matter) • Earth and Space (Solar System) • History of Science (Scientist Informational Report) • Technology: research, Glogster, Power Point, Voicethread, Microsoft Office, etc.

11. Math:What will we be doing this year? • Using both the enVisionMath Program and Investigations Program along with a variety of supplemental materials to ensure that the Common Core State Standards are met • Pre and post tests for every unit • Unit 1: Understanding volume • Unit 2: Multiplication and division for multi-digit whole numbers • Unit 3: Using equivalency to add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators • Complete list on my web page

12. Social Studies:What will we be doing this year? • The students will investigate the following: • Geography • Exploration • Colonization • Revolutionary War • Establishment of our government • Westward Expansion • Civil War • February 11, 2014 is our trip to BizTown. • 25 volunteers are welcome!

13. Technology:What will we be doing this year? The use of technology is incorporated into each classroom to enhance learning in all content areas. Students will have a chance to use a variety of software programs to assist with the learning process.

14. Student Assessments: • Throughout the school year in a variety of ways in each content area • Daily class work • Homework • Participation in class • Classroom observation • Writing portfolios • Tests/quizzes • Projects • District assessments and state assessments (AIMS)

15. Character Education: Character education will be incorporated into the curriculum using all content areas. Pillars of Character: • Respect • Responsibility • Trustworthiness • Fairness • Citizenship • Caring

16. Classroom Discipline: • In the instance that discipline is needed, any of the following consequences can be expected: • Verbal warning • Think Sheet • After school detention • Office referral * Think Sheets will be filled out by the students. The students must reflect on which Pillar(s) of Character they did not achieve and why. This reflection is signed by the student, teacher, and parent. A copy of this sheet will kept by the teacher who assigned the Think Sheet. If the sheet is not returned the next day a detention will be assigned.

17. Rewards: Students that demonstrate good character have the opportunity to earn: ~ “Pillars of Pride” ~ Notes/calls home ~ DC Stars ~ Lunch bunch ~ Verbal praise ~ High fives

18. Contact information:(623) 445- XXXX Ms. Elizabeth Moen X8062 (Math) Elizabeth.Moen@dvusd.org Mrs. Natoli: X8071 (Science) Theresa.Natoli@dvusd.org Mrs. Kurtenbach X8069 (Reading) Kristin.Kurtenbach@dvusd.org Ms. Birch: X8061 (Social Studies) Amanda.Birch@dvuds.org Mrs. Brown: X8082 (Learning Center) Katherine.Brown@dvusd.org

19. Boosterthon! Fitness – Leadership – Character http://vimeo.com/m/46523531

20. Fifth Grade Website • Each teacher has their own website. Please make sure you check them frequently. Math: www.dvusd.org/Page/3893 Reading: www.dvusd.org/Page/8599 Science: www.dvusd.org/Page/3888 Social Studies: www.dvusd.org/Page/5760 Learning Center: http://mrsbrownskidsrockdc.weebly.com/ • Please see your child’s teacher for questions that are specific to her classroom.

21. Thank You!!! Thank you so much for your shared enthusiasm regarding your child’s successful 5th grade year! We look forward to many wonderful experiences throughout the year and are thrilled to share the experiences with you.