Welcome to Curriculum Night

1. Welcome to Curriculum Night Fourth Grade Mrs. Jennifer Danforth “This classroom welcomes all, embraces each, supports everyone, and hopes that you find yourself better for having been here.” ~ Sally Huss

2. Communication • Parent email addresses –– group e-mails • My email address: jd10bps@birmingham.k12.mi.us (best way to reach me) • BPSeNews • Voice mail: 203-3999 – I check in a.m. • Assignment Notebooks • Learning logs learninglog.doc • Harlan Hotline ..\harlan hotline.doc • Friday Folders • Parent meetings – I am available before school

3. A Little About Me… • Teaching 12 years in Birmingham, 2 years in Chicago • Enjoy reading, traveling, cooking, golfing, kayaking and visiting with family and friends • Married for 5 years to William • Grew up in Charlevoix • MSU – Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education • MSU – Master of Arts Curriculum Development

4. My Goals • To help each child develop the academic and social skills needed to be successful in fourth grade and beyond. • To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment. • To nurture each child’s desire to learn. • To help each child make new friends and discover new interests. • To ensure a safe environment, physically and emotionally. • To encourage thought provoking discussions • To provide multiple ways of learning content • To provide specific feedback to my students that will help them grow and improve skills.

5. Class Vision • We will respect each other and ourselves by being encouraging and having personal integrity. We will work together to create a fun, positive place to learn. Our room will be a safe place, both physically and emotionally. • Ways that we promote our vision: compliment chain, bucket fillers, morning meeting, aim high tickets, raffle on Friday

6. Behavior Plan • Students are expected to be on their best behavior at all times and to follow the Harlan Habits (respect, responsibility, and kindness). classroom expectation contract1.doc • Individual and group rewards will be given randomly as students are caught being kind, respectful, and responsible. • Further, in room 208 we realize each of us makes mistakes and sometimes our mistakes, or bad choices, result in consequences. Our discipline process begins with a reminder and may proceed to a warning (refocus form), and then a reflection form. • Depending on the mistake, students may miss part or all of recess, a phone call home, a conference with you and your child, or a visit to Ms. Thompson’s office for extremely inappropriate behavior.

7. Tidbits... • If you need to drop off lunch or an item for your child please leave it in the office. If you are picking up your child early, please check in the office and they will call up to our room and have your child come to the office to meet you. If your normal dismissal plans change please send in a note. • Classroom wiki/ moodle:Homework, web links, daily activities and calendars, pictures and video clips will be available here. • Snacks/Birthday Treats: Please send a nutrious and healthy snack for your child. You may send in birthday treats in the morning or drop it off in the office. Please send food that is easy to serve and any utensils, napkins, etc. that if needed for the treat. • Summer birthdays- June or half-year date

8. Unified Arts Schedule 11:45-12:30 • A - Spanish • B – P.E. • C – Music, Spanish • D – Art • Lunch 12:35-1:15 • Library – B – 3:00

9. Grading Grading Scale • A 94-100% • A- 90-93% • B+ 87-89% • B 84-86% • B- 80-83% • C+ 77-79% • C 74-76% • C- 70-73% • D+ 67-69% • D 64-66% • D- 60-63% • E 59-0% End of Marking Periods • Thursday, November 4 Friday, January 28 • Friday, April 15 Friday, June 17

10. Homework • Unfinished classroom assignments • Study links • District required reading minutes • Spelling • Practice for reinforcement or proficiency (spelling word, math facts) • Work on school related projects (Trading Day, Harland Map, Moodle) • Tests • Make up work due to absence • Late/missing assignments-Students will not be able to play Homeworkopoly and will have to go to Study Hall during Fun Friday

11. Language Arts Reading and writing: • Anthology short stories allow for skill development via 6 themes (1st – Journeys) • Whole group novel allows for whole group discussion and modeling • Grammar specific lessons offer targeted practice • Readers workshop offers choice, variety and self-directed reading and reflection with teacher conferencing to discuss reading choices and progress towards goals • Home reading log expectations (15-20 minutes per day)- calendars turned in at the end of the month • AR program -50 points • We use a writer’s workshop to develop writing skills such as idea development, voice, organization, word choice, sentence fluency, conventions and presentation style

12. Spelling • Pretest on Monday morning followed by a final test on Friday. Score on pretest will determine word level (A or B)– www.spellingcity.com • Students will be responsible for approximately 25 words per week that relate directly to the week’s reading focus skills. • Spelling assignment will be due on Friday.

13. Social Studies • The focus of 4th grade social studies is regional geography of the United States. We will be integrating technology as we take virtual tours and plan “road trips” to different locations. • Topics include: • Peopling of the United states • Northeast • Southeast • Midwest • Southwest • West • Social Sciences • Research Techniques • Core democratic values • Economics

14. ScienceBirmingham Public Schools uses the program Science for Life and Living and FOSS Kits. Our science program focuses on questioning, observing, recording data, manipulating and controlling variables, providing evidence, making inferences, forming conclusions, and extending the results of one investigation to another investigation. • Ecosystems (will need 2 liter pop bottles in January) • Variables • Land and Water • Health

15. MathEveryday Math • Each math lesson consists of a mini-lesson – a 10-15 minute instructional time where I am presenting information and asking students to make connections to prior knowledge. Students work independently and with math buddy. • At home, your child will be required to complete math study links each night that we have a math lesson (most nights). We check study links at the start of our math lesson. At the end of the unit, students can study from the study links packet. • At the beginning of each unit I send home the study links packet. The Family Letter is a letter to you explaining the content. Please take the time to read these. They will help guide you through the unit and it’s content and expectations. • One copy of the Student Reference Book (SRB) will be kept home as reference for support with homework/studying for tests. Please return in June.

16. Math Continued… • Our content consist of: • Geometry • Using numbers and organizing data • Multiplication and division • Number sentences and algebra • Decimals and their uses • Big numbers, estimation and computation • Measures of angles • Fractions and their uses • Chance and probability • Perimeter and area • Fractions, decimals and percents • Reflections and symmetry • 3-D shapes • Weight, volume and capacity • Rates

17. Math Continued… • Students in fourth grade are expected to develop automaticity around basic math facts. Please help your child practice at home by using websites, practice sheets, flash cards, etc. Practice with numbers 0-10. Knowing basic facts without using any counting strategies is key to successfully using algorithms to solve problems. • Our district guideline is that by the end of fourth grade students can do: • 50 addition problems in 3 minutes • 50 subtraction problems in 3 minutes • 100 multiplication problems in 5 minutes • 25 multiplication problems (11 and 12) in 2 minutes • 100 division problems in 5 minutes

18. The End of Math… • Students will take a unit test at the end of each unit. I will give 3-4 days advance notice, spend a class period reviewing, and encourage students to spend time studying notes, journal pages, and study links. Study guides will be handed out a few days prior to the test day. • It is important that students write about math, talk about math, draw about math and build math problems with manipulatives in order to develop a deep understanding of content rather than just steps to solve a problem.

19. !gnite- 21st Century Learning • Digital Learners • Teacher as Facilitator • Multi-Taskers • Independent Problem Solvers • Team Work • Self Direction • 21st Century Skills • Communication • Knowledge • Digital Citizenship******Internet Safety

20. !gnite Glossary • Moodle: Virtual Classroom • Wiki:A webpage where multiple people can collaborate • Podcast:Voice recordings others can subscribe to, create, and post (digital radio show) • Inspiration: Graphic Organizing Software • Audacity: Program used for voice recording

21. Tech Tools • Laptops • Flip Cameras • Digital Cameras • Podcasting Headsets • Audacity • Skype • Inspiration • USB Drive (Flash Drive)- if possible please purchase one

22. Special Events • Detroit Symphony Orchestra • Nature Center • Morley Candy Factory • Disability Awareness Day • Trading Day • Battle of the Books

23. Thank you for coming! I am extremely excited to be sharing the year with you and your child!