Welcome to Curriculum Night

1. Please feel free to start coloring a bookmark for your child using supplies from their desk. Please write their name on the back and cut it out for me to laminate. Welcome to Curriculum Night ~Ms. Nordell Childhood is a journey not a race!

2. About Me

3. My goals for this class.. • Foster love and curiosity of learning • Build and enhance social skills • cooperation, communication, confidence • Increase independence and organization • Develop higher level thinking skills • Develop strategies for problem solving • Create an understanding of logical consequences • Prepare for the MSoP • Transition to upper grades, increase personal responsibility for learning

4. Student Expectations Students are expected to: • arrive at school on time • come to class ready to actively engage themselves in learning • be responsible for themselves • make choices that don’t cause problems for others • consistently turn in their best work • See attached handout on social/learning skills rubric

5. Parent Expectations Parents are expected to: • provide an appropriate and supportive environment for completing homework • empty and review your child's Home Folder • look at child’s planner • contact me with problems, questions, or concerns It is my hope that parents will become just as excited about fourth grade as their students!

6. A Day in the Life of a 4th Grader 8:30 Morning Work 8:50 Math 9:50 Recess 10:10 Snack 12:05 Recess 12:25 Lunch 12:45 Literacy (reading, writing) 2:00 Planners, Jobs, Pack Up 2:15 Specialist 2:55 Dismissal

7. Specialists A Week B Week Monday Time TBD Computer lab Tuesday 2:15 – 2:55 P.E. Thursday 2:15 – 2:55 Music Friday 11:25 – 12:05 Music Monday Time TBD Computer lab Tuesday 11:05 – 12:05 Library Wednesday 10:50 – 11:30 P.E. Thursday 2:15 – 2:55 P.E. Friday 11:25 – 12:05 Music

8. Classroom Management My goal is to keep classroom & behavior management as positive as possible! • Marble Jar • Team Points • Tickets • Praise • Treasure Box • Classroom Money/Marketplace As needed: • Verbal warnings • CC Points • Thinking Zone • Fines

9. Standards Based Curriculum • Reading – Daily 5/Café, Making Meaning, Words Their Way • Writing – Writer’s Workshop mini-lessons, 6 Trait Writing, Four Square, Step Up to Writing • Math – Everyday Mathematics • Social Studies – Washington State History • Science – Earth’s Changing Surface, Water Everywhere, Ecosystems, Matter & Space • Health – McGraw Hill • Art – Art Docent lessons & Pam Svore • PE/Music/Library/Computer Lab

10. Reading**Balanced Literacy** • Daily 5 Classroom • Read to Self • Read to Someone • Listen to Reading • Work on Writing • Word Work • Literacy Café • Comprehension • Accuracy • Fluency • Expand Vocabulary

11. Making Meaning and Reader’s Workshop • Eight units each lasting 4 to 5 weeks • Lessons begin with mentor texts that are books kids can relate to like A Bad Case of the Stripes • Teach reading skills such as: text features, determining word meanings, questioning, summarizing, & inferring • Our new book room is also full of leveled texts that can be chosen to target specific reading skills during small guided reading groups • Reader’s Workshop tubs include themed chapter books. Students will read at their own rate as they practice good reading skills.

12. P T S A I S F Helping Students Achieve Thank you for your support of our New Reading Adoption!

13. Help Students Achieve Join PTSA! Contribute to ISF!

14. Writing • Prepare for Measures of Student Progress - build stamina • Vary curriculum tools – differentiate for a wide variety of needs, skills, and preferences • Process – model, teach, and practice the writing process • Narrative Writing – write stories with characters, setting, problem/solution and strengthen all 6 traits of writing • Expository Writing – paragraph organization, mulit- paragraph organization, writing for different purposes • Poetry - reading, writing, and performing various forms of poetry

15. Words Their Way • Research based program uses word sorting • In place of a traditional spelling program • Children work within their “zone of proximal development” comparing/contrasting word categories and features • Word patterns become easily recognizable through daily word sorting activities • Short, nightly homework component • Weekly quizzes to track developmental spelling progress

16. Everyday Math • Spiraling curriculum, aligned to National and State standards in mathematics • Allows for differentiated instruction and ongoing assessment • Includes games for practicing skills & computation • Strong Home-School Connection with Family Letters and nightly homework • Online access to SRB and games from school or home! • Simple log-in and passwords - www.everydaymathonline.com

17. 4th Grade Math • Core Content • Multi-digit multiplication • Fractions, decimals, mixed numbers • Concepts of area • Geometry/Measurement, Algebra, Data/Statistics/Probability • Core Processes • Reasoning, Problem Solving, Communication • Explaining the “how” and “why” of mathematical thinking • Computation • Mastery of multiplication and division (0-12’s) • Memorize by first Winter Break • Please encourage practice at home!

18. Social Studies • Washington state • History • Geography: Regions • Economics • Biz-town • Trade in Northwest • Learning skills • Outlining, writing, reports, projects, researching tools • Washington Weekly newspaper • Time For Kids current events

19. Science • Domain 1: Physical Science • States of matter • Domain 2: Earth & Space Science • Earth & Sun • Formation of Earth’s Materials • Land & Water • Domain 3: Life Science • Food Webs • Ecosystems • Science Docent • Kate Poaster’s Science to Go lessons to enhance units (1/22, 1/25, & 3/28)

20. Health • Social Skills • Nutrition/Food Pyramid • Communicable and chronic diseases • Mental and emotional health • Stress

21. Technology • Computer Lab once a week • Practice Keyboarding skills • Microsoft Word, Power Point, Publisher, & Excel • Windows Movie Maker & Photo Story • Reliable vs. Unreliable research tools online • Internet/Computer safety

22. Enrichment Opportunities • Student Planner - $6.00 to Endeavour • Publications - $13.50 to Endeavour • Corn Maze - $15.00 to Endeavour • WA History Museum – TBD • Biz Town – TBD • Pam Svore - $16.00 to Endeavour **PAY ONLINE OPTION!** https://web.issaquah.wednet.edu/touchbase/ or No More Fees for ONLINE payment. Please make sure you are paying “Nordell” fines/fees only!

23. Homework • Meant for practicing skills covered in class • Establish a consistent, organized place for homework to be completed • Encourage, motivate, and prompt your child, but don’t do the work for them • Approximately 40 minutes per night • 5 minutes of Everyday math due the next day • 5 minutes of word study evidence due each Friday • 30 minutes of classroom homework due the next day unless otherwise stated • Additionally, 100 minutes reading each week (15 min/night!) • Read to someone, Be read to, Read independently

24. Grading • Issaquah School District uses a standards based report card system • See website for standards…great resource! www.issaquah.wednet.edu/academics/curriculumstandards.aspx • 4th grade evaluation key used on most assignments • 4 Exceeds grade level expectations • 3 Meets grade level expectations • 2 Approaches grade level expectations/needs additional practice or support • 1 Below grade level expectations/area of concern • Four criteria: • Accuracy, Timeliness, Completeness, Neatness

25. Absences and Tardies • Pre-approve planned absences with Mrs. Connally • Call or email the office if your child is home sick to excuse the absence • Make up work will be sent home with student upon their return to school. No work home sent in advance per school, and district, policy. • Please, please, please keep your child home if they are ill!

26. Volunteers • Room parent – Anyone? • Clerical Assistant - days/times flexible • Library - A week Tuesday 11:05 – 12:05 • Math facts - Wednesday 8:30 - 9:00 • Star Math - Friday 8:30 - 9:00 (day flexible) • Party Parent - As Needed • Art Docent - Monthly Many, many more PTSA needs! See neon pink sign ups on the counter. Sign up tonight, email me or call…I appreciate your help!!!

27. Conference Sign Ups • Conferences will be scheduled online this year using Google Docs. Available times will be listed. Please don’t “write in” your own time as I may not be able to honor your request. • I will email you the link as soon as it is active and post it to my classroom Connect page. This should happen school-wide on October 3rd at about 1:00! • Limited number of evening conferences available.

28. Communication • Open door policy • Methods of contact • Phone: 425.837.7330 • Email: nordellc@issaquah.wednet.edu • Connect website - newsletters, blog • Regarding email • Check and respond to email between 3:15 - 3:30 • Please keep emails brief • For longer messages, consider a phone call • Beware of slippery fingers  • Send urgent messages to the office • Allow 72 hours for a response

29. Miscellaneous • Birthday book club • No treats, please • Snacks • Healthy, not messy • Bus Passes • Must have a written note • Drop off in the office in the morning, pick up at lunch • Note should include your child's name, the child they will be riding with, bus number, and signature

30. Wish List • New “Chairback Buddies” for the children’s chairs http://www.carsondellosa.com/cd2/Products/CarsonDellosa/PID-158035.aspx?CM_VC=10001 • Prepackaged emergency snacks • Prize box prizes • Ziploc baggies • Water dispenser cups • Kid friendly books on 4th grade topics like Washington State or any of the science units • Vacations, golf lessons, fishing trips, more sleep…

31. Thank you! Please… • Leave any questions you have on a sticky note with your name and I’ll get back to you • Make sure the bookmark is cut out with your child’s name labeled • Sign and leave the Washington State Patrol forms • Leave your volunteer interest survey and sign up for additional jobs • Remember to pay for the Corn Maze by Sept. 28th , volunteers needed!