Curriculum Night 2010

1. Curriculum Night 2010 RobertsonElementary

2. 5th Grade Teachers • Laura Wall • wallL@friscoisd.org • Catherine Hinkson • hinksonC@friscoisd.org • Matthew Gameson • gamesonM@friscoisd.org • Jessica Douglas • douglasJ@friscoisd.org • Diana Westhoff • westhofD@friscoisd.org

3. Portable Classroom Guidelines • Please do not drop off or pick up students at the portables. This is a safety issue. • If students are tardy or need to be picked up they must check-in/out at the office. • Students will always be supervised by teachers when outside of the portable or be with a buddy. They have access badges to enter the building.

4. Attendance Rules • Senate Bill 25.092 states that in order for a child to be promoted to the next grade, the student must attend at least 90% of the days that school is in session. School is in session 176 days so that equals 18 days (both excused and unexcused) that they must be in school for promotion. • If your child misses more than 10% of the school year (18 days), Robertson Elementary will convene an Attendance Committee, comprised of the principal or his/her designee, the counselor, and your child’s teacher to review your child’s progress this year and determine grade placement for him/her next year. The principal will inform you in writing of the Committee’s determination within five working days of the meeting.

5. Attendance Rules • When a student has accumulated 5 tardies, unexcused absences, or combination of both, the assistant principal will contact the parent/guardian by letter. • When a student has accumulated 8 tardies, unexcused absences, or combination of both, the assistant principal will contact the parent/guardian by phone and letter. • When a student has accumulated 10 tardies, unexcused absences, or combination of both, a letter will be sent from the FISD Truancy Officer to the parent/guardian, and a conference will be scheduled to discuss attendance concerns. • After 10 absences, your child is placed on an attendance contract. The contract willrequire that all future absences be accompanied by a verified doctor’s note or the student must be evaluated by our school nurse and sent home by her. Parental notes will no longer be accepted by the campus.  This is the last intervention prior to filing truancy charges. • We will send two letters when there are attendance issues:  1 goes home with the student, the other is mailed to the home.

6. Attendance Rules • Attendance:  Parents should call the office if their child is going to be absent.  If they don’t,  the school will call them.  • We must have the reason for the absence in writing no matter what.  The parent can email Michelle Charles or the classroom teacher that day, or send a note when the child returns to school.  Either way written notice must be provided upon student’s return or within three school days. • The phone call is just to let us know that the child is absent and is not sufficient to excuse the absence.  • Tardies are never excused. 

7. Buses • Busing:  Thedistrict has very strict guidelines about bus transportation.  When a student needs to ride a different bus than usual, the parent must send an email or write a note.  The AP must approve the change in bus transportation, but will only give approval in emergency situations.  If the change is not an emergency, the parents will be called to make other transportation arrangements that day.  Students who are not eligible for bus transportation will not be allowed to ride the bus at any time. • Bus behavior:  When students are seriously disruptive on the bus, or in the bus line at dismissal, they are at risk for losing bus transportation privileges. (For examples of serious disruptions on the bus, parents may refer to pages 37 and 38 in the Elementary Student Handbook accessible online.) After three infractions, a student  will be referred to the Robertson Discipline Committee.  A possible consequence for such behavior may be suspension from riding the bus for a semester.  After a total of 4 infractions, the student may lose bus privileges for the rest of the year. 

8. School Rules • Respect yourself. • Respect others. • Respect Robertson.

9. 5th Grade Success Plan • A success log will be used each week. • This success log will be carried to all of the teachers in your child’s rotation, as well as to Specials. Teachers will note both positive and negative behavior by using the letter and number codes. • This log will be sent home in Thursday folders. It needs to be signed by parents and returned to school on Friday.

10. Behavior & Work Skills Rubric 4- The student consistently meets the required expectation. 3- The student usually meets the required expectation. 2- The student meets the required expectation with considerable assistance. 1- The student does not meet the required expectation, even with assistance.

11. Rewards • Students who behave appropriately will be given any or a combination of the following positive rewards: • Positive comments, verbal encouragement • Certificates, classroom tickets, positive notes or emails home • Positive phone calls home, positive office referrals, extra privileges such as Fun Friday, and recognition at Robertson Roundup!

12. Consequences Students who misbehave will have the following consequences: • If students have been reminded 3 times to correct a behavior, they will be completing a redirect form in another teacher’s class. This will give them time to think about making better choices. • Behavior will be noted on success log. • Parent notification by phone and / or email. • Loss of Friday privileges (Fun Friday) if they had more than 8 negative notations on the success log for the month. • Office referral with Mr. Iorio or Mrs. Davis.

13. Study Hall • We expect our students to give us their best effort every day. • If work is not finished or homework is not complete and turned in by the due date for each teacher in the rotation, students will finish their work during study hall Tuesday-Thursday. • This will be noted on the success log. • Study hall will begin in October.

14. 2010-2011 Grading in FISD

15. Graded Items What Will My Child Be Graded On? Non-Graded Items CBAs after cluster units Literacy assessments (DRA, IRI) Reading logs TAKS released tests Daily Language Workout Sentences Grades from other districts Cumulative CBAs UPS Check problems Journal entries 5E activities Research projects Spelling tests Spelling activities Activities from Reader’s & Writer’s Notebook AIM/AIMs Activities from textbooks Written compositions

16. Math Curriculum • Cluster 1 • Whole numbers, estimation, relationships, +/- • Cluster 2 • Multiplication/division, factors, prime/composite • Cluster 3 • Fractions, equivalent, mixed/improper, compare, +/-, decimal relationships • Cluster 4 • Decimals, place value, estimate, +/- • Cluster 5 • Measurement, time, temperature, matching formulas to models, area, perimeter, conversions • Cluster 6 • Statistics, coordinate graphs, line graphs, graphing data, median, mode, range • Cluster 7 • Probability, possible outcomes, predicting results, describing results • Cluster 8 • Geometry, 2D and 3D, reflections, rotations, translations, congruence • Cluster 9 • Concepts * / + - fractions, line graphs, coordinate grids, probability 6th grade prep

17. Science Curriculum • Science Investigations and Reasoning • Lab tools and safety, journals, science processes • Earth and Space I & II • Earth’s Interior, Rocks, Fossils, Landforms, Fossil Fuels and Alternative Energy, Cycles, Sun Earth and Moon, Weather and Climate • Matter and Energy • Properties of Matter, Mixtures and Solutions, • Force Motion and Energy • Uses of energy, circuits, Light, and force on objects. • Organisms and Environments I & II • Ecosystems, flow of energy, changes in ecosystems, carbon dioxide/oxygen cycle, structures and functions of species, structures and functions of different species, metamorphosis, inherited traits, learned behaviors • Environmental Education/Health

18. CBA’s Curriculum Based Assessments • Science • There are 6 CBA’s (not graded). These are given after each topic section. These are formative in nature and used to assess mastery of the topics covered. • There is a Summative CBA given after the 3rd topic section. This is a graded assessment. • Math • There are 8 CBA’s(not graded). These are given at the end of each cluster. These are formative in nature and used to assess mastery of the topics covered. • There is a Cumulative Assessment after the 3rd cluster. This is a graded assessment.

19. Reading Curriculum • Shared Reading - Novels throughout the year • Guided Reading - leveled non-fiction books • Independent Reading – Student chosen books Strategies for reading • Vocabulary development • Context clues • Predicting outcomes • Sequencing • Drawing conclusions, inference • Main ideas and details • Integration with Social Studies/Science • Literature appreciation with Literature Circles • Read and Reflect on various texts

20. Language Arts Curriculum • Writing • Writer’s Workshop • 6 Trait writing • Grammar • Mini-Lessons based on district’s guidelines • Spelling • Spelling Tests • Spelling words should be studied at home daily

21. Social Studies Curriculum • Geography • Early Life, East and West • Connections across Continents • Colonial Life in North America • The American Revolution • Life in a New Nation • A Growing Nation • War Divides the Nation • Expansion and Change • The United States and the World

22. Thinking Maps • Thinking maps are graphic organizers that allow students to plan out or organize information. They allow you to break apart information, see sequences, classify items, etc. • These will be used in all classrooms and you can see examples of them hanging in the hallways.

23. TAKS DATES • Math • April 4th, 2011 (Monday) • Reading • April 5th, 2011 (Tuesday) • Science • April 28th, 2011 (Thursday) ALL 5th GRADERS MUST PASS THE MATH & READING IN ORDER TO BE PROMOTED.*These skills are reviewed and mastered in class. Any additional support your are able to provide would be truly appreciated. You may review these skills with your child by correcting reading passages, sentences, or math skill pages together. Please bring errors to your child’s attention, so they may learn from their mistakes, and to correct them in the future.

24. Helpful Hints for a Successful Year • Communicate with us! Check out our website for information and updates. http://teachersites.schoolworld.com/webpages/Robertson_5th/ • Check your child’s agenda for what we have been doing in class. (Parent signatures may be required/phased out as the year progresses.)

25. Helpful Hints for a Successful Year • All class notes can be found in their spirals. • Students should have a designated homework folder. • Thursday folders are blue and contain important school notices. • Absentee work can be found in the absentee file in each room if your child is out sick.

26. Important Upcoming Events • Camp t-shirt orders due September 15th. • Camp Pine Cove Informational Meeting September 23rd. • Parent Teacher Conferences October 11th • Camp Chaperone Meeting October 21st. • Luggage Bus for Camp October 26th. • 5th grade Camp October 27th -29th.

27. Let’s have a Fabulous year in Fifth Grade! THANKS for Coming! Mrs. Douglas Mr. Gameson Mrs. Hinkson Mrs. Wall Mrs. Westhoff