Transcript Curriculum Night - Chandler Unified School District

2013-2014
 This
is my 6th year at Patterson, as well as
my 6th year teaching 4th Grade.
 This is my second year teaching CTA.
 Personal Info:
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Bachelors in Elem. Ed. from ASU in 2006
Masters in Elem. Ed from NAU in 2007
Kids (Owen 7 and Hayden 5 ½).
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Uses Saxon Math and is 1
year ahead.
Math concepts are taught
through spiraling.
To keep aligned with new
Common Core math
standards, supplemental
material is used.
4th grade students will be
piloting a new district
acceleration program.
Weekly timed tests will be
graded. This is a separate
line on the report card
and does NOT affect the
overall math grade.
CTA
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Uses Scott Foresman for
math, and is on grade
level.
Math concepts are taught
in overall units.
To keep aligned with new
Common Core math
standards, supplemental
material is used.
4th grade students will be
piloting a new district
acceleration program.
Timed tests are not part
of the Classic report card.
Classic
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Uses Opencourt, as well as
McCall Crabs.
Supplemental materials
may be used.
Easy Grammar and Spalding
is used to meet Common
Core standards.
2 Oral Recitations a quarter.
The Writing Road to Reading
and Thinking Maps are
used.
Projects are the same or
similar. 50% Non-Fiction and
50% Fiction
Silent Reading Time
CTA
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Uses Harcourt.
Supplemental materials
may be used.
Easy Grammar or Harcourt
is used to meet the
Common Core Standards.
The Writing Road to
Reading and Thinking Maps
are used.
Projects are the same or
similar. 50% Non-Fiction
and 50% Fiction
Silent Reading Time
Classic
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Uses The Spalding
Method. It integrates,
spelling, writing, and
reading.
Spelling words are from
the Ayres word list.
Phonograms
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OPR & WPR
Spelling notebooks.
Dictation and marking.
 Spalding Cursive is used.
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CTA
Words are from the
Harcourt text.
 The weekly words
usually have a skill or
theme, such as words
with the “long a”
sound.
 Weekly spelling tests
are given.
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Classic
 CTA
and Classic use the same Harcourt Social
Studies text.
 Supplemental materials, such as Splash!
Publications are often used.
 Lessons, assignments, and projects are
aligned with state and district standards.
 Quarter 1 Project: Salt Dough Map of AZ
 Quarter 2: Pioneer/Western Day
 Quarter 3 Field Trip: State Capitol Museum
 Quarter 4: Famous Arizonan Wax Museum
CTA and classic use the same Harcourt Science
text.
 Supplemental materials, based on the unit being
taught, are used.
 Lessons, assignments, and projects are aligned
with state and district standards.
 Quarter 1: Life Science (Cells, adaptations,
resources).
 Quarter 2: Electricity and Magnetism… Begin
Science Fair. Field Trip: Chandler Water Festival
 Quarter 3: Finish Science Fair… Earth Science
(The Water Cycle, Weather, etc.)
 Quarter 4: Review and apply The Scientific
Method.
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HW will take the average student around an
hour. This does NOT include AR time.
 HW is assigned Monday-Thursday.
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30 math problems from the Saxon text.
 Finish/Correct timed tests from the day.
 Spelling
 Either a grammar or reading assignment.
 AR Reading if needed.
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Long-term projects will require extra HW time.
 HW is graded based on COMPLETION. There is a
separate line on the report card for HW.
SIGNATURES count as part of the HW grade.
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Students will take a STAR test quarterly to see what
their Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) is. This is
the level at which the student can successfully read
independently.
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I am somewhat flexible with this because of students’
interests and background knowledge.
Students will receive a Quarterly Goal.
Students will read books and test on them.
Students WILL be graded on AR, based on the
completion of their goal, and their average scores.
This does NOT affect the overall Reading grade.
AR Home Connect
My Expectations: Students should test on a nonfiction book at their AR Level weekly. They should
continue to read chapter books of interest to them.
 Mr.
Douwstra has made changes to the
Millionaires Club.
 Awards are based on word count.
 4th graders’ word count goal is 750,000
words.
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Students will receive an award when they’ve
reached ½ of their grade level goal.
When they’ve reached their goal.
If they read 1, 2, 3, or 4 Million words.
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the last 2 years, a 4th Grader has been
the top reader in the school. Last year the
top reader read over 6 million words. Can we
do it again?
 4th
Grade’s Incentive Program. (Similar to
“Rock Star Readers” in 3rd Grade).
 Students will receive awards in 4 categories…
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Word Count
# of non-fiction books read
Meeting their goal and going over it
End of quarter average score.
 The
difficulty for reaching these awards will
change quarterly, so watch for the flyer each
quarter.
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I will e-mail 1-2 times per week with information that
I feel is valuable.
I will try to send an update e-mail on Fridays in lieu
of a newsletter.
When we need volunteers or supplies, I will either
contact you via e-mail, or through signupgenius.com.
E-mail is the easiest way for us to keep in touch.
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns,
please come to me first.
My classroom phone number is 224-3672. It will
automatically go to voice-mail and I will call you back
at my earliest convenience.
Students MUST have a note, or I must have a phone
call or e-mail if there is a change of plans for the way
your child gets home. If I don’t have this, your child
will go home their “normal” way.
We will be using
ClassDojo, and online
program.
 Students will earn
positive or negative
“Dojo Points”
depending on their
behavior.
 Points will be logged
in students’ agendas.
 A weekly e-mail
should come to you
from ClassDojo.
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Behavior
Daily Brain Break
 Fun Friday
 Tickets (to be drawn
on Fridays for a visit
to the treasure box).
 Praise
 Notes home
 Phone calls
 Special Treats
 Etc.
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Incentives
 Agendas
are filled out at the end of the day,
reminding the students what their HW is for
the night. You DO need to sign this.
 Filling out agendas and having them initialed
by a parent is part of the HW grade.
 Behaviors will be logged in the agenda.
4th Grade is the year that we study AZ.
Therefore, there are a LOT of great field trip
ideas.
 The only way we can go on one or more of these
field trips, is if YOU help out with Tax Credit
money.
 This is NOT a deduction, but is a refund. (Talk
with your tax preparer for more information).
 Singles can donate up to $200 and Married
Couples can donate up to $400.
 Make sure to mark your form for 4th Grade Field
Trips.
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 Online
grade book: Infinite Campus
 Math Book: PDF is online.
 Website: Patterson
http://mychandlerschools.org/patterson
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Select “Teacher Pages”
Select Cumbo
 Website:
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Cumbo
http://mychandlerschools.org/page/19260
 Long-term
assignments, oral recitations, or
assignments that need an explanation will be
posted.
 I will try to put up the weekly HW.
 Thank
you for attending Curriculum Night…
 I’m sure you have questions… Ask away!