Welcome to 4 th Grade Curriculum Night!

1. Welcome to 4th Grade Curriculum Night! Take a minute to look around our learning environment! Please read the note your child has written to you, and respond with a friendly letter for them to read in the morning! *No Curriculum Books this year…it is online!

2. Contact Information • Email: cmerri@kyrene.org (best way to reach me!!) • Website: http://sw.kyrene.org/Domain/1684 • Phone: (480) 541-3135 (voicemail) (480) 541-3000 (office)

3. Personal Background and Experience • Grew up in Illinois • Married and have 2 daughters • Undergrad degree from Illinois State University • Masters degree and Reading Specialist endorsement from Arizona State University • Structured English Immersion endorsement from Rio Salado College • Taught 7 years in special education in Illinois and New Mexico • Took an 10 year sabbatical to raise my family • Taught 3 years part time as a special education resource teacher at Estrella • This is my 8th year teaching 4th grade at Estrella

4. Goals • To make your child self-responsible and self disciplined. • To make connections between school and the real world. • To be prepared for 5th grade and middle school.

5. Classroom Responsibilities Classroom Behavior Plan Classroom behavior will be recorded daily on their homework calendar (Green, Yellow, Red) School Wide Character Counts Program Six Pillars of Character Trustworthiness Respect Responsibility Fairness Caring Citizenship Classroom Behavior

6. Homework and Reading Requirement • On Monday, I will send a Math Packet, Math Facts Packet or a Word Ladder, and 2 Spelling worksheets. It is all due on Thursday. I give a pretest on Wednesday with another copy of the list so they will have that to leave at home to study from. • Students are responsible to read for 60 minutes and fill out their reading log each week. Students should total their reading minutes and parents should initial their Reading Minutes on Thursday night. • Any student who does not complete his homework or have his Reading Minutes completed and signed, will not participate in Friday Fun

7. Completed Papers and Corrections • In an effort to save on paper, the fourth grade team has decided not to do Progress Reports this year • Completed papers from the week will go home every Friday afternoon in a manilla envelope • Any assignments with scores below 70% will be stapled to a bright pink paper and are to be corrected and redone. Please sign that you have checked it over with your child and return to school on Monday morning. • Review the corrected papers from the week and look to see how your child is doing

8. Friday Fun • To participate in Friday Fun • Homework is completed and accurate • Any corrections are completed correctly and have been signed by the parent • Homework Calendar is initialed and reading minutes are complete • Class Work is completed • No days where behavior was on Red • Rotations: Draw and Color, Computer Lab, Games, Video, and Study Hall

9. Portfolios All published writing will be kept in the student’s portfolios. Rough drafts will come home for you to see Tests on Friday Math 4 Today, Spelling, and Daily Oral Language 6 Traits Writing Rubrics Check website for all rubrics Assessments

10. Snacks and Birthday Treats • Snack and Water • Healthy snacks (prefer fresh fruits and veggies) can be eaten during morning recess • Water only in a labeled bottle or container • Please no gatorade! • Birthday Treats • Check the approved list on my website • Make sure that it is individually wrapped for easy distribution • Summer birthdays will also get an opportunity to celebrate

11. Math • Scott Foresman textbook – traditional • Check Curriculum Guide for Family Letters • Investigations – Problem solving and encouraging mental math strategies • Critical Thinking and Problem Solving • Multiplication and Division Math Facts memorization are crucial to success in fourth grade!! • Math 4 Today - spiraling curriculum • Test on Friday

12. Harcourt basal reader textbook 6 complete themes Whole group and small group Literacy Stations to allow for differentiated instruction Trade chapter books Novel studies D.E.A.R. Read Aloud Reading

13. Writer’s Workshop • Ideas • Main topic is clear • Topic is narrow and focused • Message is clear from beginning to end • Interesting and important details • Organization • Effective lead that hooks the reader • Easy to follow, the reader doesn’t get lost • Good use of transitional words and phrases • Effective conclusion that wraps up the paper • Voice • Has your fingerprint, it sounds like you • Has energy, is lively • Would enjoy sharing aloud

14. Writer’s Workshop • Word Choice • Uses strong verbs • Uses words that make pictures in your mind • Doesn’t use one word too many times • Sentence Fluency • Is easy to read aloud, has a smooth rhythm and flow • Sentences begin in different ways • Some sentences are long, others are short • Conventions / Presentation • Checked spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing, capitals • Looks neat and looks good on the page

15. Spelling • All Lists available online (soon!!) • Homework List (purple) due Thursday • One column activity per night recommended • Take Home (purple) due Thursday • Pretest given on Wednesday and will go home in the blue homework folder. Review those missed words for the test • Test each Friday • 20 words plus two bonus words

16. Social Studies (Arizona History) • Now, Mapping and Landforms • Next, Arizona • Arizona’s Regions and Plants and Animals • Arizona’s Points of Interest • Native Americans • Mining and Territorial Towns • Arizona Counties • 5 C’s (Cattle, Copper, Cotton, Climate, and Citrus) • Research of Arizona Animal • Field trip to Phoenix Zoo

17. Science • FOSS Kits • Scientific Process & Experiments = Hands on Learning • Matter & Energy = Electricity & Magnetism • Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources • Water and Weather • Earth Studies = Animal Classifications

18. Health • Nutrition • Safety – How to say “no” to risky behaviors • HIV / Aids • Growth and Development • District Controls, scripted lessons, Previewing Available in May

19. Specials Schedule • Art – Monday: 1:50 – 2:35 • Library – Tuesday: 1:00 – 1:45 • P. E. – Tuesday 1:50 – 2:35 • Computer Lab – Friday: 12:15 – 1:00 • Music – Thursday: 1:00 – 1:45 • Friday Fun – Friday 2:00 – 2:30

20. Volunteer Sign-Ups are on the Whiteboard • Parties – We need COORDINATORS!! • Art Masterpiece • Behind the Scenes • Computer Lab (Friday: 12:15 – 1:00) • Photographer for the yearbook to take class pictures • PTO is looking for a class mom or dad from each classroom

21. Wish List is on the bulletin board outside • Recess Equipment • Playground balls • Jump ropes • Hula hoops • Electric Pencil Sharpener • Pencils (presharpened please) • White board markers

22. Five Ways You Can Help Your Child Be Successful in Fourth Grade Check over the homework before it gets turned in. Go over the papers that come home on Friday. Make sure your child knows the basic multiplication and division facts. Make sure your child has school supplies. (pencils, whiteboard markers, colored pencils, and a checking pen) Make sure your child reads 15 – 20 minutes every night.

23. Thanks for joining us!! I am looking forward to a great year. I know that it will be a huge success with your help. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. My door is always open!

24. Questions?Comments? Thanks for all the classroom supply donations! Your child and I appreciate it!