Welcome to Curriculum Night with Mrs. May

1. Welcome to Curriculum Night with Mrs. May Please sign in at the back table, find your child’s desk and take a seat. Feel free to check out our 4th grade textbooks in the cubbies. Your child’s cubby number is written on his/her name tag. We will begin shortly.

2. Background • Born and raised in Tempe, Arizona • Attended schools in the Tempe School District • B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix • Been at Cielo for 4 years • Worked in Kyrene Kids Club for 7 years prior • Married for almost 3 years • Have a 4.5 month old baby girl named Kenslee

3. Goals/Purpose of Tonight • Open the lines of communication between home and school • Get to know me and my teaching styles • Be aware of classroom schedule and procedures • Understand behavior and homework expectations/4 th grade responsibility • Review 4th grade curriculum

4. Philosophy • I believe in creating and managing a positive classroom environment that is organized and respectful in order for students to feel comfortable. • I believe in being honest with parents about their child’s performance in school. • I believe in creating a learning community where children feel free to take risks. • I believe in being a life long learner. • I believe that I constantly need to evaluate my own strengths and weaknesses in order to grow. • I believe in positive reinforcement • I believe in creating an environment in which all children can succeed.

5. Communication • Email: amay@kyrene.org • Phone: 541-2532 • May Communication emails from me • Assignment Book/Planner • Conferences: Usually end of October and beginning of March, or by appointment • Web Site: http://www.kyrene.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=14453

6. Daily Schedule 7:40 Students picked up from courtyard 7:45 Language Arts 8:40 Specials 9:30 Recess Break 9:45 Language Arts continued 10:20 Reading IFG 10:50 Socials Studies/Science 11:40 Lunch/Recess 12:25 Math 1:25 Math IFG 1:55 Writing 2:20 Discuss Homework/Agenda/Clean-Up 2:35 Dismissal (12:35 on Wednesdays)

7. Procedures • Bathroom: Group breaks twice a day. Can use at lunch/recess or at times when we are walking by the bathrooms. Trying to limit individual visits during instruction. Emergencies ok. • Snack: Healthy and quick/easy to eat-can eat in a.m. • End of day: We go over what their homework will look like, when it will be due and take time to fill out their agendas. Then they check mail boxes and put papers in their take home binder.

8. Dismissal Procedures • Students leave at second bell at 2:35 (except Tuesday-duty) • Students are to head outside and not wait outside other classrooms • All car pick-up students are dismissed out of the back and will be waiting with duty teachers in the west parking lot • Kids Club students are dismissed out back • Bus riders and students being picked up by a parent on foot (even if you drove and parked) are dismissed out front.

9. Arrivals • If dropping off at West Gate: children need to be inside the playground area by 7:40 so they are lined up/in the building by 7:45.  • Seeing a lot of traffic back-up and tardy arrivals increase • Traffic begins backing up at 7:30ish

10. Fun Things • Birthdays: No class treats please! Pencil and card from me and song from class • Parties: Halloween/Fall, Winter, Valentine’s Day, End of Year • Goal Club on Friday • Speakers (when able) • Children’s Book Author visit

11. Rules/Rewards/Consequences • Student generated rules • Positive reinforcement: DO THE RIGHT THING • Firebird Pride Awards: Respect, Integrity, Responsibility, Safety, Cooperation, Kindness • Missing homework: go to study hall during Goal Club • Late classwork: I will find time for them to finish (may include using their time) • Behavior is monitored using the Behavior Chart

12. Behavior Chart • In conjunction with our district-wide PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program which promotes a positive climate for our school • Emphasizes the importance of making good choices • Promotes positive behavior and encourages students to self-monitor their choices • Allows students to be acknowledged for positive behavior, and provides a sense of accomplishment for students who are able to “clip up” • Allows students who have “clipped down” an opportunity to “clip back up” during the day-they continue to stay motivated

13. Behavior Chart-Continued • Your child will write the behavior they ended on for the day in their daily agendas • This immediate feedback will show you what behavior he/she ended up on for the day.  • I will contact you if necessary regarding major incidents which required your child to clip down • I appreciate your understanding that it will not be possible for me to contact you for every clip down that occurs. • Clipping down from time to time is to be expected and can be an important learning opportunity for your child

14. 4th Grade • Students should start to become more independent and responsible for their work, materials, communication, and decision making • Report Cards with letter grades • A= 90%-100%, B= 80%-89%, C= 70%-79%, D= 60%-69%, F= 59% and below • Proficient = 90% and up • Developing = 70%-89% • Area of Concern= 69% and below

15. Grading • Variety of assessment types: classwork, homework, quizzes, tests, writing assignments, in class projects • Tests directly reflect what we have been learning in class. Homework, Classwork and/or notes can be kept to help review.. • Tests will receive a letter grade, A, B, C…

16. Grading Continued • Rubrics specifying requirements for A, B, C…are used for writing assignments, posters and other projects • Classwork and Homework is typically graded in class and is a lot of times self graded • Some writing is graded based on the 6 Traits of Writing • Spelling is a part of writing

17. Online Grades • http://sw.kyrene.org/Page/1411 (Parent Vue Link) • I will most likely be updating my grade book over the weekend so Mondays are a great day to check • Please include your child in the process of checking grades and ask them first about questions you have

18. Brain Break

19. Homework • Agenda: Filled out daily • Vocabulary: Monday-Thursday your child will have either a spelling or vocabulary worksheet (The vocabulary assigned on Monday is due on Wednesday-on my website) • Math: Tuesday and nights will be a skills sharpener worksheet and Thursday nights will be either be related to what we’re learning in class or another Skills Sharpener worksheet • Reading: Students need to read at minimum of 20 minutes a night and choose one response question to answer.

20. Typical Homework Schedule • Monday: Vocabulary Practice Assignment (due Wednesday), Reading • Tuesday: Vocabulary Practice Assignment if not done(due Wednesday), Skills Sharpener Worksheet, Reading • Wednesday: Spelling Worksheet, Reading • Thursday: Spelling Menu, Skills Sharpener Worksheet and Reading

21. Tour of Web Site: • Web Site: http://www.kyrene.org//site/Default.aspx?PageID=14453

22. Absences/Make-up Work • Please have your child try not to miss too many days of school • Each day is so important • I typically do not make up spelling tests if they are absent on a Friday

23. Curriculum – MathIncorporating Common Core Standards • Place Value and Estimation • Understanding Addition and Subtraction Algorithm • Word Problems • Multi-digit Multiplication and Division • Graphing and Data Analysis • Probability • Measurement • Geometry • Fractions • Decimals • Algebra

24. Math Resources • Investigations ll by Scott Foresman • Open ended lessons and student activity book which require students to explain their thinking • CGI – Cognitive Guided Instruction • Teaching through problem solving where students must understand the problem and may create their own ways to solve

25. Curriculum – Language Arts Reading Class • Vocabulary • Comprehension Strategies • Reading Groups with Discussion • Short Stories • Novel Study • Narrative and Expository Text • Independent Reading • Read Aloud • Narrative Elements • Sequencing • Summarizing • Main Idea/Detail • Compare and Contrast • Drawing Conclusions • Cause/Effect • Author’s Purpose Main Reading Skills

26. Curriculum – Language Arts Writing: • Writing Process • 6 Traits • Writing Journal • Personal Narrative • Creative Stories • Friendly Letters • Persuasive Essay • Research Writing • Sentence Types • Sentence Parts • Nouns • Pronouns • Adjectives • Verbs • Adverbs • Prepositions Language and Grammar:

27. Curriculum – Social Studies • Basic Geography and Arizona Geography • Arizona History (Pre-historic People to World War II) • Arizona Government (symbols, branches, local and state powers) • Migration and Growth in Arizona

28. Curriculum - Science • Water and Weather • Electricity and Magnetism • Animals (Adaptation and Classification) • Renewable and Non-renewable Resources

29. Extension Activities • There will always be plenty to do if your child finished their work early • What To Do When Done Poster

30. PTO • Watch video from PTO • Visit CieloPTO.org for more information

31. Cielo’sDiscovery Room The DR desperately needs room Volunteers during lunch recess (11:15-12:45) Mon, Tue, Thurs, & Fri - No Science Background Needed!! Grandparents welcome!! Our Discovery Room Day is_______________. Kids of volunteers get a special pass to come when their parent/grandparent is volunteering. If an adult visits a child for lunch, they can both come to the DR. Sign up tonight on the sign up sheet OR take a volunteer form home and send it back in to your teacher. Contact Marni Anbar atmarnibo1@mac.comfor training Volunteer Training is: Monday Aug 18 at 8am, 9:30 am, and 1:30 pm Wednesday Aug 20 at 8am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am; more as needed A place where kids can scientifically PLAY & explore during lunch recess. • Earth & Space • Physical Science • Life Science & Chemistry • Engineering/Invention • Astrobiology

32. Volunteer Opportunities • Classroom Volunteers - Party Donations/Planner (items, not money) - Copying - At home projects - Classroom Support (occasionally) - Art Masterpiece - Discovery Room • Sign Up Genius

33. Art Masterpiece • Begin in October and will finish in April • The whole school is doing the same print at the same time • All the projects have been determined, but volunteers are welcome to change it up • Looking for volunteers to Prep things every month, as well as Volunteers to Present the print of the month.  • If a volunteer would rather ONLY do prep work, they would love your help! .

34. Signing up on List Serve • Sign up to receive e-mails to inform you about Cielo news. You can also choose to sign up for District news. • Go to Kyrene.org  On the left side of the Home page click on Subscribe to Newsletter  Select all Newsletters & Informational Updates to which you would like to subscribe  Add your e-mail and name and hit the subscribe button

35. Student Directory The Cielo PTO is once again putting together a student directory through an online sign-up system. Click the student directory link above to go directly there OR you may go through the Cielo PTO website. We would like 100% participation in completing the process. There is a Spot for you to opt out on the online form if you do not want your information published.

36. Outside Bulletin • Check out the Recipe of Me project outside the classroom • Enjoy!!

37. We’re DoneThank You and Good Night!