Welcome to Back To School Night Wednesday August 27, 2014 4 th grade with Mrs. Miller Room #22

1. Welcome to Back To School Night Wednesday August 27, 2014 4th grade with Mrs. Miller Room #22

2. Agenda • Welcome • Thank You for your support! • Communication • Educational Philosophy • Common Core • What’s so different about 4th grade? • A typical day in Room #22 • Special to Room #22 • 4th grade curriculum • Websites • Room Parent • Things to do before you leave

3. Thank you for your generous Shark Fund Donations! • 7 hours of para-educator time each week • COW (mobile computer lab) • 75% Mrs. Reedy’s Salary (librarian) • Mrs. Turpen (TSA) • Enhanced Rainbow Room • Reading Intervention programs Thank you for your generous Classroom Donations! • Supplies on top of the desk • Supplies in the desk • Books, books, books • Field trip • Scholastic news

4. Communication How to reach me…. jmiller1@srvusd.net jenmichelemiller6@gmail.com • How I communicate with you ? • Always check my Website for important classroom information • I will email you as a method to communicate to you about your student, but very rarely send out mass emails* • Wednesday folders will go home each Wednesday with completed assignments and school notices. • *Rebecca Adams may send occasional emails for me and for party planning • *I DO NOT check my email during class time (7:00 am – 3:30 pm)

5. My Educational Philosophy • I believe that each child is a unique individual who needs a secure, caring and stimulating atmosphere in which to grow and mature emotionally, intellectually, physically and socially. It is my desire as an educator to help students meet their fullest potential in these areas by providing an environment that is safe, supports risk-taking and invites the sharing of ideas. • My personal connection with each student begins the first day he or she walks into this classroom. The students will learn quickly I am here to support them and guide them. I want them to feel intrinsically motivated to achieve their very best results in all they do this year. .

6. What Is Common Core??? AKA CCSS “The Common Core State Stato learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge ndardsprovide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.” www.corestandards.org • Since 2010 45 states have adopted the English and Math CCSS • In 2012 The California State Board of Education adopted our implementation plan (47th state) • What does that mean for SRVUSD? And you? Your student? • New report cards (still in transition) • Different curriculum than in the past (transitioning math)

7. What's so Different about 4th grade ??? • Band/Strings and/or Chorus instead of weekly Music classes • Switching classes for Math to allow for leveled grouping • 2 Science Labs per week with Mrs. Lawrence and Mrs. De Mello • 1 PE per week instead of 2 • Lunch is open seating • COW – “Computer on Wheels” 2-3x’s per week • Work done at home and school using Google Docs • Buddy Class with a 1st grade class (Mrs. Gilroy) • Student Council Officer Election opportunity • Study Hall for incomplete or missing homework • Field trips – WOW! 4 offsite and 1 onsite • Later lunch • Much more responsibility!

8. “Typical” Day in Room #22 • 8:35 Unpack, check-in homework, warm-up • 9:20 Reader’s Workshop • 10:15 Recess • 10:30 Math (switch) • 11:35 Writer’s Workshop • 12:30 Lunch • 1:15 Shark Planners and Read Aloud • 1:45 Science/Social Studies • 3:00 Dismissal • PE: Mondays 9:30-10:15 • Library: Thursdays 2:30-3:00 • Science Labs: Tuesday 11:45-12:30 Friday 2:15-3:00 • Art Docent: TBD • COW: TBD What Makes it not “Typical”

9. Special To Room #22 • “It’s Your Turn…” • Homework Policy – Homework Lunch each Trimester, Flub Stubs, study hall • CA Driver’s License • Birthdays • Smarty Pants • Class Experts • 3 Parties (Halloween, Valentine’s Day and Last Day) • Booklegger

10. 4th Grade Curriculum • 6 Writing Units • Realistic Fiction (new) • Non-Fiction – Informational • Personal Essay • Literary Essay (Response To Literature) • Non-Fiction – Historical • Poetry Reading New York Model – Lucy Caulkins • Strong emphasis on Non-Fiction reading (CCSS) • Nightly Reading Homework (M-TH) • Reflections using post-its, journals and unit packets • Assessments - NY Reading/Writing • Leveled library in classroom • Read Aloud Units • Reading Partnerships and Clubs • Character Studies • Historical Fiction (WWII) • Folktales • Monthly Review in Reading Logs Writing New York Model – Lucy Caulkins Language Arts • Spelling Rules • Prefix Study • Growing Your Vocabulary

12. Homogeneous grouping (Just Right Math) across entire grade level based on 3rd grade teacher recommendation, and beginning of year assessments. • All groups cover same material based on 4th grade standards (old standards with CCSS transition standards), but have a different pace and/or depth. • Combination of hands-on activities with written practice • Emphasis on problem solving strategies • MARS (mathematics assessment resource service) days 1-2 per month with homeroom • Place value, 2x2 • multiplication, long • division, fractions, • measurement, • geometry and • decimals. Math Science • 2 labs each week - with Mrs. Lawrence and Mrs. De Mello • 3 Units of Study: Life: Plants & Animals Earth: Rocks & Minerals Physical: Energy & Electricity • Textbook reading and vocabulary done in class and as homework • 6Unit Tests throughout the year - taken in class • One “project” per chapter Social Studies • Geography • California History: Native Americans Explorers Missions & Ranchos Trappers and Trailblazers Mexican/American War Bear Flag Revolt Gold Rush • Emphasis on note taking for use with open note tests.

13. What your 4th Graders are saying about being a 4th grader… I am very scared and jumpy about 4th grade… I think it’s fun to do group work. Iam really scared about long division. I feel that I am the leader to the younger grades because I am the new 4th grader! I think I’m going to have lots of fun and learn, laugh and grow. I feel so big because we are on the playground with the 5thgraders. I feel small and nervous, but I’m getting over it. I thought 4th grade was going to be hard, but it’s so fun I feel like I was a 3rd grader 12 years ago! I feel more responsible – more, mucher! I feel hungry! I don’t like that we go to lunch later. My classroom is very colorful, I think it has the whole rainbow. 4th grade pretty much makes you a big kid and that feels good. I like my desk, it’s a lot emptier than my 3rd grade desk. Mrs. Miller said we would do lots of stuff in 2 weeks and I want to do it all now! I thought I wouldn’t fit in this class until we played the get-to-know games and now I feel like I belong here. I feeltired. I think I’m going to come out of here super smart. When I walked in the room and saw the Sharpies, I immediately knew that 4th grade was a big responsibility. Mrs. Miller is like a teacher angel from heaven – Ahhhh……She is so nice!

14. Helpful Websites - Bookmark them *Mrs. Miller’s Website http://www.sycamoreelementary.org/cms/page_view?d=x&piid=&vpid=1346748930084 *District Website www.srvusd.net *Sycamore’s Home Page www.sycamoreelementary.org

15. Before You Leave This Evening… • Meet our room mom,Rebecca Adams • Leave your student a special note (purple paper) • Sign-up for volunteer opportunities (PLEASE ) • Introduce yourself to me if we have not met • Ask Questions! • Fill in information on email sign-up list • I am looking forward to a magical year…