Welcome to Curriculum Night!

1. Welcome to Curriculum Night! Miss Vlakancic’s Fifth Grade

2. Meet Miss Vlakancic • Parents – Mark and Sue • Siblings • Jacob (married to) Bridget (Veterinarian) • Claims adjuster • Ashley • Vet assistant • Alex (engaged to) Melissa (student at NIU) • North Aurora firefighter • Tech operator at US Foods • Pet – German Shepherd named Zeus

3. Teaching Experience • Fifth year teaching fifth grade • Fourth year teaching in Oswego School District • Earned bachelor degree in Elementary Education from Aurora University • Earned Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning from University of St. Francis

4. Homestead Mission Statement HOMESTEAD students are independent problem solvers who think critically and creatively to continually grow their academic, social, and emotional skills.

5. Attendance • Call the Office • Please send a note if you know in advance • Check in with the office and leave items with the office • Homework will be given for vacations, if requested with enough notice given.

6. Curriculum

7. Science • Ecosystems • Landforms • Ecology • Levers and Pulleys

8. Language Arts • Words Their Way • Word study program • Will switch classrooms • Teacher Read Aloud • Storyworksmagazine will be used for skills practice utilizing articles and Common Core aligned practice worksheets. • Literature Circles • Daily 5 Setup will be used • Read to Self • Read to Someone • Word Play • Work on Writing • Conference with Teacher • Grammar • 6 Trait Writing • Narrative, Explanatory, and Opinion

9. Social Studies • Civil War to Today • Lewis and Clark • Civil War and Reconstruction • World War I • World War II • Twentieth Century • Book quizzes and four square quizzes will be utilized • A variety of notes will be taught

10. My Math – New this Year! • I am excited to employ a new math program and resource this year! This new resource is My Math by McGraw-Hill. It is new to us this year which means we will be learning more every day. However, our greatest concern will be our students’ growth. • This resource is aligned to the Common Core. • This is a unit program that builds mastery within the unit skills. The skills are assessed by a unit assessment that is administered across the district. EDM was a spiral program where many skills were introduced, but not expected to be mastered until later. • If you want more information meet in the cafeteria at 7:30 or attend the Sept. 9 PTA meeting.

11. Math Units • Unit 1-Number Sense • Unit 2-Whole Number Computation • Unit 3-Decimal Computation • Unit 4-Fractions • Unit 5-Dimensional Geometry • Unit 6-Volume and Measurement • Unit 7-Coordinate Geometry

12. Second Step • Program that will teach students the skills to strengthen their ability to: • Learn • Have empathy • Manage emotions • Solve problems • 22 lessons that will be done throughout the year.

13. Class Rules, Discipline, and Grading • Classroom Rules • Character Counts • Character Always forms • Positive Reinforcement – Rewards given through our classroom checkbook system • Class Participation • Independent work and homework • Tests • Late assignments will result in monetary lost as well as notes home if habitual.

14. Homework • Expect homework every night • Reinforces concepts • Encourages responsibility, organization and independence • Projects • will always include directions and time frame • chance for creative and unique style to come through • will present at least once in front of class

15. Bits and Pieces • Robert Crown Program • Date TBD • Information will be provided to the parents • ALL questions must be presented to Nurse Laura  • Field trip to Harris Woods will take place on October 3rd • Please check every Friday on our website for our weekly newsletter!

16. Specials

17. Thank you for coming! • Sarah Vlakancic • 630-636-3152 • svlakancic@sd308.org