Curriculum Night

1. Curriculum Night Thursday, August 16, 2012

2. Purpose of the Evening • Offer an idea of the organization of the class • Give expectations of behavior • Establish lines of communication • Present a brief overview of the fifth grade curriculum

3. Introduction • Have taught in the District 27 years • Cielo26 years • Experience in grades 2, 4, and 5 • Degree—B.A. elementary education; minor in music performance; graduate work in counseling and school psychology • Highly qualified under NCLB; fully SEI endorsed

4. Communication • Hours—Monday-Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. • Conferences by appointment • School phone—480-541-2400 • Class phone—480-541-2526 (not for personal communication with students or emergency changes in plans) • E-mail: bzsore@kyrene.org • Access to website: www.kyrene.org

5. Behavioral Expectations

6. Behavioral Expectations • Students will behave in a safe manner throughout the school campus. • Students will respect the rights and properties of others. • Students will show respect and proper manners towards adult workers on campus.

7. Expectations, continued • Students will use school equipment in the proper manner and will be responsible for taking care of equipment in the classrooms and around campus. • Students will complete all work to the best of their abilities.

8. Positive Outcomes • Intrinsic feeling of success • Class recognition/Firebird Pride tickets • Certificates/Notes home • Character Cafe • Presidential Award of Academic Achievement (TBD) • Presidential Award of Academic Improvement (TBD)

9. Consequences • Tailored to each child and situation • Reminders • Time outs—pod/another classroom • Notes/e-mails or calls home • Note on weekly agenda • Conferences with parents/students • Conferences with parents/students/administration • Office referral

10. Weekly Evaluation • Students complete a weekly evaluation critiquing their behavior and work completion. • It is signed by me—may or may not have comments. It is stapled into the agenda. • Parents need to review their child’s evaluation and sign the form. It stays in the agenda • Signed evaluation should be returned by Monday

11. Study Skills

12. Schedule • Student arrival-no earlier than 7:15 a.m. • Math uninterrupted time is from 9:25 until 10:25 M,T, W, Th, Fri • Language Arts uninterrupted time is from 12:30 until 2:30 everyday except Wednesday • Please try to avoid uninterrupted times for scheduling appointments.

13. Agenda/Calendar • Students write down assignments on the day they are due. • Work that is not completed on the due date will receive a checkmark from me. • Late class work may be turned in by Friday for full credit. • Work not completed by the end of the week will receive an “F” grade. • Long term projects will be penalized 10% for each day they are late, and will not be accepted after five days. • Weekly evaluations will be stapled into the agendas each Friday. The evaluations need to be signed by parents each week.

14. Homework • Purpose is to enhance skills, extend classroom learning and build organizational skills • District guidelines used to suggest approximately 50 minutes per night (at fifth grade), three to four times per week; new guidelines are less specific, but the expectation for homework is still inherent. • Homework does not include the completion of classroom assignments.

15. Homework Logistics • Homework will come home approximately three to four times per week. • Study guides for tests will be given, and will be part of the homework for the week. • Project work will also be considered as homework. • Reading—minimum of 20 to 30 minutes, nightly.

16. Homework--Logistics • Classroom assignments may need to be done in addition to homework assignments. • Homework assignments will be evaluated for general effort, following directions, thoroughness, and neatness. They may also be evaluated as a grade in core subject areas. • My website will be updated daily for directions and suggestions for homework.

17. Suggestions for Parents • Provide a quiet place for your child to work on homework with all necessary materials easily available. • Help organize materials. • Help organize time management • Help with any directions • Give suggestions when needed • Do not complete homework or projects • Do not type for students • Parents can check my web page for specific directions and suggestions

18. Illness/Make-up • Work is expected to be made up • Number of days out is equal to amount of time given for make-up work • Absent work is collected daily at the end of the day for students. • Call the office or my number (or e-mail) if you would like assignments and I will do my best to have them for you by the end of the day

19. Trips--Makeup • Some material missed during class time is difficult to make up. • Please notify me at least one week in advance of your child’s being gone. • Some work may need to be modified or may need to wait until student’s return. • Homework or projects should be turned in prior to leaving on a trip, if possible.

20. Grading

21. Letter Grades • A = 90%-100% • B = 80%-89% • C = 70-79% • D = 60-69% • Below 60% = F

22. Proficiency Indicators Proficient = Student consistently demonstrates mastery of the subject. P means 85% to 100% Developing = Student is progressing towards mastery. D means 70% to 84% Area of Concern = Student demonstrates minimal progress towards mastery. AC = 69% or less

23. Curriculum

24. Reading • Alignment with the English Language Arts Standards (Common Core) • Three domains: language, reading, writing • Adoption-Harcourt Trophies • Trade books

25. Reading Components • Independent reading—This component reinforces ideas about the reading process, including how to choose books, how to sustain silent reading, how to respond to literature, both orally and in written form. • Guided reading—This component is where skills of reading comprehension are taught. This will be accomplished mainly through the Harcourt reading program. • Word Study—This component incorporates word study, and vocabulary building. • Literature study—This component incorporates using trade books in reading instruction.

26. Writing • Focus on the writing process including prewriting, drafting, revising and editing, publishing and presenting. • Narrative forms: realistic fiction; fables, personal experience • Expository forms: summaries, newspaper articles; journals; research • Functional text: directions; procedures; posters, etc. • Persuasive text • Grammar instruction • Spelling • Handwriting

27. Math • Newly aligned with the recently adopted Core Standards • Core strands: Operations and Algebraic Thinking; Numbers and Operations in Base 10; Numbers and Operations-Fractions; Measurement and Data; Geometry

28. Math—cont. • Investigations in Data and Space • Logical reasoning approach • Encourages flexibility in student thinking and also the development of multiple strategies for problem solving. • Addison Wesley—traditional approach

29. Social Studies • American history: Native American cultures to the Civil War • Strands: • American history • World history • Civics and Government • Economics • Biz Town

30. Science Implementing the State standards • Main strands include: • inquiry process; • history and nature; • personal and social perspectives; • life science; • physical science and earth

31. Science Strands • Inquiry process—being able to formulate questions, make predictions and hypotheses; planning and conducting investigations and recording and interpreting data • History and Social Perspectives—Identifying individual and cultural contributions • Topics: living things, basics of matter and energy and concepts of Earth and Space, forces of motion

32. Science Strands • Personal/social perspectives: interactions between human populations and the environment • Life Science—structures in plants and animals serve functions; human skeletal/muscular systems • Physical Science—basic properties of matter, mixtures and compounds, simple machines

33. Science Strands • Earth science—structure of earth’s atmosphere; understand the lunar cycle; study of outer space, the planets, celestial bodies, etc.

34. Health • Have recently adopted new curriculum and resources. • Focus on 9 strands: • Promotion of healthy habits and disease prevention • Accessing of accurate health information (consumer health and media influences) • Practicing of healthy behaviors—reducing risky behaviors;

35. Health • Goal setting—decision making • Working on interpersonal skills; conflict resolution • HIV-AIDS and Growth and Development

36. Parent Volunteers

37. Volunteer Opportunities • PTO • Office • Classroom • Academic help (as needed) • Office-type help—copying, etc • Parties • Chaperones

38. Conclusion • I am looking forward to a busy, productive year. • Please don’t hesitate to e-mail or call me with questions or concerns. Thank you for taking the time to come out to my presentation this evening!