The Superstars of Room 2317

1. STAR STUDENTS The Superstars of Room 2317 Carpenter Elementary/ 2013-2014

2. Classroom Community Our classroom is a community. In our community, we have rules to help us get along with each other. Students are expected to respect their teachers and peers, walk quietly in the halls, and keep their hands and feet to themselves. O.S.C.A.R. Behavior (Our Students Can Act Responsibly) Students will be awarded privileges for their star-studded behavior and may also work as a class toward a Class Goal, which may include activities such as pizza parties, movies, or cake and ice cream.

3. Expectations Our class symbol is the Star and the classroom character traits are: Strive for excellence Try your best Always ask if you don’t understand Respect others and be responsible

4. Teacher’s Goals • To give your child the academic and social skills they need to progress to the Sixth Grade. • To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment. • To discover new interests and provide multiple opportunities to challenge your child.

5. 8:45-9:15 Morning Arrival Students may start entering the classroom at 8:45. I may have students complete a Problem of the Day, work on a writing piece, or read independently. Every morning, I have students turn in their homework and any notes they may have from home. On Monday mornings, students write down their assignments for the entire week in their agendas for me to sign off on and place all of their homework in their homework or Tuesday folders. On Wednesday, students turn in their Tuesday folders upon arrival. I may also send students to the library in the mornings so that they may take advantage of open circulation. Students who arrive after 9:15 are asked to report to the office and are only admitted to the classrooms after obtaining a tardy slip from the front desk.

6. The Daily Cafe 9:20 – 11:00 This year, our school has implemented the Daily 5 and Café reading program by sisters Gail Boushey and Joan Moser. The Daily 5 is a literacy structure that focuses on building key skills in reading and writing. In 5th grade, we will only focus on 3 of the components: Read to Self, Work on Writing, and Word Work. Each day, students will learn new reading and writing strategies that will help them become more proficient readers and writers. Students will be rotating to various centers to work on comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding their vocabulary. In addition, they will work directly with me in small guided reading groups during this time.

7. Read Aloud 11:00 – 11:30 Our class engages in a daily Read Aloud from 11:00 until 11:30. During this time, I will read a book of choice to the students in order to model fluent reading. Our first selection is the novel Maniac Magee. On the last Friday of each month, I invite any interested parent volunteers to sign up to come in and read aloud to students as a Mystery Reader during our Read Aloud block. Sign-up forms will be emailed to interested parents shortly.

8. Specials 11:35 – 12:20 Students participate in Specials every day from 11:35 until 12:20. We have Specials in Music, Art, P.E., and Character Education with our school guidance counselor, Mrs. Schnitzer. Students rotate Specials each day. Please make sure that your child wears sneakers on P.E. days.

9. Recess 12:25– 12:50 Recess is very structured at Carpenter and students are supervised closely at all times. During recess, students have a chance to experience our entire 3-5 play area, which includes a state-of-the-art playground, track-and-field (with a soccer area), basketball court, covered picnic table area, and hopscotch area. When we have inclement weather, we play games indoors.

10. Lunch 12:55 – 1:25 Our class goes to lunch each day at 12:55. Parents are invited to share lunch with their child during our class’s lunch period. Our class has been assigned to the B Tables during lunch.

11. Math 1:30 – 2:30 In Math, we are using Houghton Mifflin’s Math Expressions program in addition to Wake County’s teacher-created Alignment curriculum. Math Expressions focuses instruction around the five strands in Number Sense, Algebra, Geometry, Measurement, and Data and Probability and utilizes a spiraling approach to allow students to constantly review and master concepts previously taught. This year, students will engage in topics such as: adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions and numbers with decimals; learning the order of operations; finding the volume of rectangular prisms and composite figures; and, interpreting points on a coordinate grid, among other things.

12. Science 2:30 – 3:10 • In Science, our 4 major units of study will be: • Weather • Motion and Design • Human Body Systems • Ecosystems • During Science, students will work rotate through centers in small groups where they will be actively engaged in conducting experiments, researching and creating reports using PowerPoint and other formats, and playing vocabulary games. • It is essential that students study and become very familiar with the science vocabulary that goes home as it will significantly impact their score on this year’s Science EOG.

13. Social Studies 2:30 – 3:10 • In Social Studies, we will be studying the history of the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Central America. Students will engage in conversations and activities about the rich history and diversity of North America throughout the year. Topics being studied this year will include North American geography, economics, the Early United States, the Civil War to the Present, United States government, and technology’s impact on our society. Concepts in Social Studies may be integrated into our Literacy, Math, and Writing curriculum when necessary. • Social Studies and Science will be taught on alternating days.

14. Writer's Workshop 3:10 – 3:40 • In 5th grade, we continue focusing on the Writing Process: • Prewriting • Drafting • Revising • Editing • Publishing

15. Afternoon Dismissal 3:40-3:45 Students are dismissed around 3:35 each day. Students who ride buses and daycare vans are dismissed from various holding locations throughout the building and are expected to comply with our school’s silent dismissal policy. If your child’s transportation changes, please send a note. Otherwise, they will have to go home on their regular transportation, as per school policy.

16. Snack Due to our late lunch (i.e. 12:55 pm), students may bring in a snack of their choice to eat at any time during the day as long as it does not disrupt instructional time. Water bottles are permitted and may be left on students’ desks during instructional time.

17. Communication Please review and sign everything sent home in your child’s Tuesday folders each Tuesday night. Sometimes, information may be sent home in your child’s homework folder on any other day of the week. Please make sure that your child returns their Tuesday folder each Wednesday and homework folder every day. If you have a personal note, you may send it in your child’s folder as well. I will send all important information, as well as bi-weekly newsletters, home with your child in this folder. I have also created a classroom website. If you or your child misplaces their agenda or classroom newsletter, you may also find this information on the site. http://teacherweb.com/NC/CarpenterElementary/Johnson

18. Homework Homework is assigned daily. Your child is expected to write their homework assignment in their agenda every Monday morning and place their homework for the week in their homework folder. Your child will not be assigned any amount of homework that should take more than 30 minutes to complete. Additional time will be given for any short- or long-projects. In addition, please make sure that your child reads for at least 20 minutes each night. I do not assign homework on the weekends.

19. Overnight Field Trip This year, the 5th grade team at Carpenter is planning an overnight trip to Washington, D.C. for our 5th grade students. If approved, the 3-day, 2-night trip would be held in late February (19th -21st) and the cost would include transportation, lodging, food, tour guides, and admission to places such as the Smithsonian, U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Ford’s Theatre and Peterson House, all monuments and memorials, and a group photo in front of the White House. The approximate cost for the trip is $300 per person, which can be paid in several installments through January 2014. Students may also participate in fundraising events that will be held throughout the fall and winter in order to help fund their trip. We are currently seeking both male and female chaperones to accompany us on the trip as each hotel room of 3-4 students will have to have one adult chaperone. Male chaperones will be assigned to rooms with boys and female chaperones will be assigned to supervise rooms with girls. All interested chaperones will need to register to volunteer on field trips with Wake County by using the computers in the Media Center. We believe this trip will provide an excellent experience for our 5th graders!

20. Standard Based Grading The following scale will be used to grade and assess assignments: 4, 3(*), 2, 1 But what does it mean?

21. Standard Based Grading A Simple Recipe for Understanding

22. 1 “We’re working on it” Not there yet

23. 2 “We made this” Meets expectations with teacher support

24. 3 “I made this” Meets expectations

25. 4 “I made this” Meets or exceeds expectations independently

26. Thank You... for taking the time to attend Meet the Teacher Night! I look forward to working with you and your child this year. It is going to be a wonderful year filled with exciting learning activities!