Welcome to the Purple Hall Fifth Grade

1. Welcome to thePurple HallFifth Grade Mrs. Racheal Derrick 2013-2014 School Year

2. My husband Brad and our sweet son, Steven, who is in second grade here at Overpark this year.

3. Ava Kay

4. I graduated from Collierville High School – Go Dragons! I have a Bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Memphis – Go Tigers! I have a Master’s of Arts in Teaching from the University of Memphis – Go Tigers Again! OverparkElementary School This is my seventh year with DeSoto County Schools and my second year in fifth grade. I also stayed at home with my son for five years- Go Mustangs! Excellence is a commitment! If it's to be, it's up to me!

5. The key to a successful year is communication and teamwork. • The 411 Information (general class info) • Leader’s Notes (class newsletter) • Students’ Agendas (boomerang- back and forth EVERY DAY) • Graded paper folders and weekly reports (Wednesdays for now) • Teacher and School Website (update on Thursdays) • Parent Portal (update grade book on Thursdays) • Remind 101 text messages • Email / Text/ Cell phone (try to check once in the am and once in the pm)

6. Believers. Achievers. Leaders. Believe anything is possible. Achieve the goals you set. Be a leader in your school and community.

7. Classroom Management

8. Keep it Simple: • For positive behavior students can earn • Fish • Team points – winning team gets reward on Friday contact. • For negative behavior • Break a rule = your name goes on the board • Break a rule a second time for the day =checkmark and have silent lunch • Break a rule a third time for the day = silent lunch and walk at recess the following day • I do not expect anyone to go past this, but if it so happens then it will involve “teacher’s choice” and parent contact.

9. New math curriculum www.connected.com • Student workbook • Rulebook • Daily Drills • Homework

10. Science workbook • Flashcards • You must study for science nightly • Study guides • Science Case 21 test in December or January (grade book grade given) • Fifth graders will take a state test for science • The science curriculum is not something that the average student will pick up on easily (with common sense), rather the curriculum has many new concepts for fifth graders and certainly goes deeper with understanding science terms and concepts. • We will try to do as many experiments as possible. Thank you in advance for sending in supplies!

11. Language Arts grade will come from tests, projects, and homework from reading and grammar. We do not have separate vocabulary or spelling tests in Fifth grade. Our social studies skills will be integrated into our language arts block. Writer’s Notebook – grammar tools in the back half My Vocabulary – self selected vocabulary • Students have many resources for books. • Classroom library • Overpark library • Olive Branch library • Myon Reader program / AR • Scholastic book orders Want to guess how many books we have in our classroom library?

12. Let’s fall off the logs and fall in love with reading! I would rather students read without having to complete a reading log; however, I will use my daily observations to check student’s individual reading progress. If keeping up with a reading log helps, then I will use it with those particular children. Students should be reading a minimum of 30 minutes each night. Instead of reading logs, I encourage the students to set goals such as: “I would like to finish this book in 7 days,” or “I would like to challenge myself to read 20 pages each night.” My goal is for fifth graders to read many authors from different genres to have ideas in their minds about what they enjoy as readers and have a constant stack or list of books to read next.

13. …a few comments: • All tests will start including more open-ended questions rather than being made up mostly of multiple choice. • I try to spread tests out over the week; students will not be tested in every subject every week. • All subject areas will include more project based assessments, rather than constant testing with teacher made tests. • I will try as often as possible to post videos and links on my website to help with any and all tests and assignments. • I will also try to send home study guides as often as possible. • It is absolutely essential that fifth graders learn responsibility and organization. The top complaints that I have heard from students who have moved on to middle school have had to do with organization and responsibility (getting to class on time with their supplies, keeping up with writing their own assignments down, and planning out assignments and study schedules. Please check your child’s backpack, agenda, binder, and homework NIGHTLY. Organization and responsibility are taught skills, and the majority of fifth graders have not mastered these yet.

14. Question Fundraiser You may ask as many questions as you would like. Questions are $1.00 each. If you ask a question that someone else has already asked, you will be charged a $.50 fee for not paying attention. Lunch/ snack Schedule PTO Supplies New attendance policy Field Trips and attendance Transportation Homework Tests Curriculum/ Common Core Absences

15. Life is busy. Thank you for taking the time to come tonight! I look forward to working with you and your family this year.