Welcome to Fourth Grade

1. Welcome to Fourth Grade 2014-2015 School Year Mrs. Kaplan D-1

3. Our Class Joel Altman Jose Rueda Mariah Amaya Lorenzo Villegas Aadi Anand Kaylana Viray Jessica Arakawa Coco Xu Alina Chang Christopher Yu Kyle Chang Catherine Zhang Umair Chaudry Jolina Zhao Riane Chen William Durani Max Eibert Grace Farias Olivia Gagar Kelia Gebala Katie Howard David Hu Melody Lin Bridget Lowe Aiden Lupu Ryan Mikkelson Cameron Miller Tabetha Mora Jennah Mostafa Emily Pham Angela Quintua Tiara Ramos Mavrik Rancour

4. Our Daily Schedule • 8:30-8:40- Morning Check-In • 8:40-9:40- Math Groups • 9:40-10:20- Morning Work • 10:20-10:35- Recess • 10:35-12:30-Language Arts and Science Block • 12:30-1:15-Lunch • 1:15-2:15- DOG/Social Studies Block • 2:15-2:30-Recess • 2:30-3:10- Binder Reminders, Class Jobs, Clean. • 3:10-Dismissal Music will be every Tuesday TBD P.E. is every Wednesday 1:20-2:20 Early Dismissal Every Friday 1:20 p.m.

5. Communication • I consider it a privilege to work with your child. I take my career seriously, I look at it as a calling rather than a job. It is very important to me that we work as a team to ensure the success of your child. Together we can show your child the importance of education. • Instructional time is limited throughout the day. If you need to contact me or your child during the day, please check in with the office first. • Binder Reminders: students will write down homework in their binder reminders every day. I will personally initial each and every one of their binders. Your part is to check homework for completeness and initial only the binder reminder EVERY NIGHT. This communicates to me that you have seen your child’s homework completed. • Blue Slips will be handed out to your child when an assignment is incomplete or not brought to school on time. I ask that you sign and return it with your child the next day. Your child will receive 10% off for each day the assignment is not complete. Assignments not turned in at all will be a zero. • All homework assignments, except, math is due at 8:30 a.m. • Three Ways of On-Going Communication • Follow us on Collegewood.org • Bi-weekly progress reports • E-mail: tkaplan@wvusd.k12.ca.us

6. Homework • I ask that homework is fully completed. My objective for the completeness of homework is to ensure that students are trying their best at success and using grit to get through it. • If your child is having a hard time on a specific assignment, please have them see me the next day, this will not be construed a missing assignment. Otherwise, all assignments are due upon arrival of school. • All homework assignments must be done in pencil and as neat as possible. • Final writing assignments must be either typed or written neatly in pen.

7. Common Core

8. Language Arts • Reading and Grammar • AR: Each student will have 3 goals to reach by the end of each trimester.; a percentage goal, points goal, and book level goal. Each child’s points and book level goals will differ. However, every child will have a set percentage goal of 85%. • Reading Logs: Students must read independently at least 30 minutes every night. A weekly Reading Log will be given to your child on Monday. They must return it the following Monday for credit toward their Reading grade. I ask that you initial their reading log each night. I will check for initials daily, if an initial is missing your child will not receive credit for that night. • Please note that 30% of their reading grade will be from Accelerated Reader. • Core Literature throughout the year: Island of the Blue Dolphins and By the Great Horn Spoon. • Writing Curriculum • We use the gradual release model (I do, we do, you do) of writing instruction. Research repeatedly states writing is not a natural act and that it takes clear explicit instruction. • Your child will be encouraged to use academic vocabulary in their writing. • Three writing areas are focused on: • Informational • Opinion • Narrative

9. A Plug Fisher and Frey,2013

10. Spelling • Program used is Sitton Spelling. • No specific list to memorize for a test. • Focused on lifetime spelling words • Concepts are taught Monday-Thursday. • Skills Test will be given on Friday through a “Cloze-Procedure.” • Words that students missed will be recorded in their spelling/writing notebooks. • Words will show up frequently throughout the year. • Use “No Excuse Words list” “Priority word list”

11. Math • We will be flexibly grouping students among three classes for math. Students will be taking the end of the year 3rd grade benchmark test to assess. • Common Core math calls on the following: • Greater focus on fewer topics • In grades 3–5: Concepts, skills, and problem solving related to multiplication and division of whole numbers and fractions • Coherence: Linking topics across grades • In 4th grade, students must “apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication to multiply a fraction by a whole number” • Rigor: Pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application with equal intensity Procedural skills and fluency: The standards call for speed and accuracy in calculation. Students must practice core functions, such as single-digit multiplication, in order to have access to more complex concepts and procedures. Fluency must be addressed in the classroom or through supporting materials

12. ScienceNext Generation • Earth Science • Rocks and Minerals • Weathering • Physical Science • Energy, Waves and Information • Life Science • Plants and Animal Survival

13. Social Studies California History Daily Oral Geography: DOG questions are written on the board. Students copy questions in composition booklets. Study questions throughout the week. DOGquizzes are given every Thursday. Outline of Year: • The four major regions • Native American California • Spanish Explorers of California • Mexican California • Gold Rush Era • Present Day California

14. Field Tripscosts and dates • California Adventures • Thursday, October 23/about $90 (docent-led tour, admission into park, and transportation) • Mission San Juan Capistrano • Some time in March Side Note: Due to limited space on school buses, there is a limit of 3 chaperones to California Adventures and Mission San Juan Capistrano. For CA Adventures, many parents have met us down there after the tour is complete. We welcome that. Please note, YOU WILL NOT be allowed to take a group of your own if you meet us.

16. How Children Succeed • Grit: Finished whatever he or she began. Stuck with a project or activity. Tried very hard even after experiencing failure. Stayed committed to goals. Kept working hard even when it was easy to quit. • Optimism: Believed that effort will improve his or her future. When bad things happened, he or she thought about things they could do to make them better next time. Stayed motivated, even when things didn’t go well. • Self-Control (School): Came to class prepared. Remembered and followed directions. Got to work right away instead of waiting until the last minute. Paid attention and resisted distractions. • Self-Control (interpersonal): Remained calm even when criticized or provoked. Allowed others to speak without interrupting. Was polite to adults and peers. Kept temper in check.

17. How Children Succeed • Gratitude: Recognized what other people did for them. Showed appreciation for opportunities and said “thank you.” Did something nice for someone else as a way of saying thanks. • Social Intelligence: Was able to find solutions during conflicts with others. Showed that he or she cared about others. Adapted to different social situations. • Curiosity: Was eager to explore new things and asked questions to learn better. Took an active interest. • Zest: Actively participated and showed enthusiasm. Approached new situations with excitement and energy.

18. Bill Gates 11 lessons not learned in school. From “Dumbing Down our Kids” • Life isn’t fair, get used to it. • The  world won't care about your self-esteem. The world     will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you  feel     good about yourself • You  will NOT make 40 thousand dollars a year right out     of high school. You won't be a vice president with     car phone, until you earn  both. • If  you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a     boss. He doesn't have tenure. • Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your     grandparents had a different word for burger flipping     they  called it Opportunity. • If  you mess up,it's not your parents' fault, so don't     whine about your mistakes, learn from them. • Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as     they are now. They got that way from paying  your bills,     cleaning your clothes and  listening to you talk about     how cool  you are. So before you save the rain forest     from the parasites of your parent's generation, try     delousing the closet in your own room. • Your  school may have done away with winners and losers,     but life has not. In some schools they have  abolished     failing grades and they'll  give you as many times as     you want to  get the right answer. This doesn't bear the     slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life. • Life is not divided into semesters. You don’t get summers off and very employers are interested in helping you find yourself. Do that on your own time. • Television is not real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and work. • Be nice to nerds. Chances are you’ll end up working for one.