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- this is anytime after 8:45. • Visitors: For safety reasons, all visitors must register in the office when they come on campus.

3. Reminders To Always Have: • A white board marker, two pencils, highlighter, grading pen and a chapter book

4. Parent–Teacher Communication • Agendas: Students will be provided with an agenda for their use. Students are required to use agendas and they must be initialed by parents Thursday nights to show for a grade Friday. • 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. All calls will be returned within 24 hours M-Th

5. Progress Reports/Grades • Parents and students have access to PowerSchools – we recommend PowerSchool check in at least weekly • Contact the school office for log-in information • Hard copies of mid-quarter progress reports for D’s or F’s per DC policy

6. Absent Work • Per district policy - two days for every excused absence. • Students are responsible to find out what work was missed.

7. Reading & Spelling:What will we be doing this year? • Reading Street • 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 a newly adopted program Words Their Way.

8. Writing: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.

9. 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, Google Drive, etc.

10. Math:What will we be doing this year? • Our main curriculum this year will be a program called Eureka Math (formally Engage NY) • It is based off the common core and has a great system in place that constructs a deep understanding of mathematical concepts by taking previous concepts and building on them to solve higher level problems • Review and practice will be built into morning daily math problems, as well as, the homework

11. Math:What will we be doing this year? • There will be regular homework in math, however it will not always be in the format of prior years • Quite often homework may be just one complex problem with a few days given to solve it or pre-chosen games to play online • Please watch my website as it will be updated on a regular basis with important information

12. Save The Date • Math night is Wednesday September 14th from 5:30-7:00 • It will be a new style this year – kids are not only welcome, but encouraged • We are hoping to get food carts • More info to come soon

13. Social Studies:What will we be doing this year? The students will investigate the following: • Economics • Geography • Exploration • Colonization • Revolutionary War • Government • Westward Expansion • Civil War BizTown field trip! • Monday, October 17th • 25 volunteers are welcome! • We will also need volunteers a week or two before to conduct “interviews”.

14. Student Grades & Assessments: • Diamond Canyon policy is that no student has a grade less than a 50% put into the grade book • All Missing assignments will be coded with an “m” and a grade of 50% will be recorded • Late assignments are accepted, points will be taken off

15. Test Retakes • Since we want students to do their very best, we do encourage test retakes when necessary • The number of retakes will be limited per quarter at teacher discretion • Retakes must be scheduled in advance • Forms may be requested from the teacher

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 This is not a step system

17. Class Dojo • Individual sign in codes for EACH class • Great messaging feature • Teachers can use to give positive feedback • Separate code for students and parents

18. Contact information:(623) 445- XXXX Mrs. Beth Uebelherr X8062 (Math) Beth.Uebelherr@dvusd.org Mrs. Natoli: X8071 (Science) Theresa.Natoli@dvusd.org Ms. Lawrence X8069 (Language Arts) Demi.Lawrence@dvusd.org Mrs. Hackash: X8061 (Social Studies) Liz.hackash@dvusd.org

19. Speaking of communication • We need room moms • Hoping for 1-2 per homeroom • PTA will be contacting if interested • Carin Gallet will be organizing • Please see Mrs. Uebelherr at the end of the night to sign up

20. Fifth Grade Website Each teacher has their own website. Please make sure you check them frequently. Math: dvusd.org/dc-uebelherr Language Arts: dvusd.org/dc-lawrence Science: dvusd.org/dc-natoli Social Studies: dvusd.org/dc-hackash Learning Center: SAGE: dvusd.org/dc-ellis 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.