Welcome to Back to School Night!

1. Welcome to Back to School Night! Kristen Giangregorio, 7th Grade Core Teacher THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!

2. Perseverance by Walter Wintle If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you’d like to win but think you can’t, It’s almost certain you won’t. Life’s battles don’t always go To the stronger or faster man, But sooner or later, the man who wins Is the man who thinks he can.

3. My background… • I began my first 3 years of teaching in NYC and St. Louis. I also worked for 6 years at a preschool in San Ramon. • I had my own Interior Design business for two years and have an art and design background. • I missed the classroom and kids…went back to get my credential at SMC! • I’m thrilled to be here at WCI!

4. My Website • Always (okay, 90+% of the time) completed by Friday for the following week. • Contains some worksheets (if generated by me), but most importantly, it contains my agenda for the week that includes homework and work due. You can also find book recommendations, reading logs, and all sorts of good stuff! • For Social Studies Work – Have your child not only check my website but their Google Classroom.

5. My Agenda…. • To access my website, please go to http://www.walnutcreeksd.org/wci/site/default.asp • Select my name “Giangregorio, Kristen” • Look at the left hand column and review all parts of my site. • I like to provide information in advance for students so they can begin to learn how to plan their own time and prioritize.

6. From the Wci homepage:Click: Staff Directory, then my name.

7. Click on the weekly agenda you wish to view and you can see: • What we’ll do in class daily • Homework due each day

8. Late Work Policy Late work will be accepted in accordance with the WCSD “Homework Policy.” • Of note, I have built in extended time for ALL students. • In general, if late work is turned in…your child will receive 60% of the overall grade, which is more than a “0.” But this will negatively affect the overall grade, especially if it becomes frequent.

9. Social Studies • Through the inquiry process, we will study the social, cultural, and technological changes that occurred in Europe, Africa, and Asia…a VERY long time ago! • We will examine the growing economic interaction among civilizations as well as the exchange of ideas, beliefs, technologies, and commodities. • Conceptual Threads: Agriculture, Religion, Achievements (connections to today), Social Structure

10. Example of our Inquiry Task Sheet

11. Google Classroom

12. In an inquiry-based learning environment the teachers' job is not to provide knowledge, but to help students along their process of discovering knowledge. • We will be studying…

13. Islam

14. West Africa

15. China

16. Feudal Japan

17. Europe – Middle Ages

18. The Renaissance

19. The Reformation

20. The Americas • Mayas, Aztecs, and Incas

21. The Age of Exploration

22. Overarching Focus Questions: • Quarters 1 & 2: What makes a successful society? • Quarters 3 & 4: How do societies breakdown and rebuild?

23. Japan Core Activity • We’ll need parent volunteers! • Date: Thursday, January 26th (Sign Up Genius can be found in the E-news starting sometime in November/December

24. Byzantine Bazaar • We’ll need lots of volunteers! • Date: Tuesday, June 6th

25. English • I teach English (reading & writing) in a workshop methodology (goes hand-in-hand with Common Core). • Grammar: Reinforced through warm-up assignments, mini-lessons, and writing. • Vocabulary – Exploration of word families, meaning, and root words: Words derived from our literature book. We will also study vocabulary through school wide academic vocabulary, from the Social Studies curriculum, and Membean. • Spelling/Word Study: Words are assigned on Wednesdays and are tested on the following Wednesday.

26. Read Aloud Books • The Outsiders • Crispin

27. Reading Workshop • Reading is taught through a series of mini-lessons, student practice, conferring, read aloud, and discussions. • Accelerated Reading or Reading Log (student choice) • 10% of English Grade • Reading correlates with test scores! • Read, read, read!

28. Mini Lessons lead us to deeper thinking

29. Read Aloud Short Stories • “What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?” by Avi • “The White Umbrella” by Gish Jen • “Zebra” by Chaim Potok • “An Hour with Abuelo” by Judith Ortiz Cofer • “Thank you, M’am” by Langston Hughes • “War of the Wall” by Toni Cade Bambara • Science Fiction Unit: • “The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street” by Rod Serling • “Harrison Bergeron” by Kurt Vonnegut • “Dark They Were, and Golden-Eyed” by Ray Bradbury • Non-fiction: • Names/Nombres by Julia Alvarez • Excerpt from I Never Had It Made as told to Alfred Duckett • Excerpt from Boy by Roald Dahl • The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt

30. Writing Workshop • Writing is taught through a series of mini-lessons, student practice, and conferring. • Five Units • Informative (Literary Essay) – Quarter 1 • Argument – Quarter 2/3 • Narrative – Quarter 3/4 • Pandemic Text Set (Informational Text)– Quarter 4 • Students will also write several on-demand pieces throughout the school year, in English and Social Studies.

31. Writers Workshop allows us to connect with what our pen puts on the paper.

32. Homework • Homework is limited to reading, writing, and SS worksheets. • A lot of work is completed in class or, at least, started in class. Any class work, not completed in class becomes that student’s homework. • Homework will only be assigned Monday-Thursday; this follows the WCI homework policy. • Please feel free to email to find out how your child is doing– they still need your help! Email is the best way to get in touch with me.

33. To contact me… • kgiangregorio@wcsd.k12.ca.us – This is generally the best way to contact me. • Telephone # 944-6840, x-8209 • Only voicemail throughout teaching day. • My prep period is 3rd period.

34. Questions?

35. Thank you for coming! I look forward to getting to know you and your child! Have a great evening!