Welcome to Curriculum Night with Mrs. Otis

1. Welcome to Curriculum Night with Mrs. Otis Please sign in at the back table, find your child’s desk and take a seat. Feel free to check out our 4th grade textbooks on the tables. We will begin shortly.

2. Goals/Purpose of Tonight • Open the lines of communication between home and school • Get to know me and my teaching styles • Be aware of classroom schedule and procedures • Understand behavior and homework expectations/4 th grade responsibility • Review 4th grade curriculum

3. Philosophy • I believe in creating and managing a positive classroom environment that is organized and respectful in order for students to feel comfortable. • I believe in being honest with parents about their child’s performance in school. • I believe in creating a learning community where children feel free to take risks. • I believe in being a life long learner. • I believe that I constantly need to evaluate my own strengths and weaknesses in order to grow. • I believe in positive reinforcement • I believe in creating an environment in which all children can succeed.

4. Communication • Email: motis@kyrene.org • Phone: 480-541-2532 • Communication emails from me • Assignment Book/Planner • Conferences: Usually end of October and beginning of March, or by appointment

5. Daily Schedule 7:40 Students picked up from courtyard 7:45 Specials (Art, Music, P.E., Library-each 45 min/Computer Lab on Thursday) 8:35 Language Arts 10:05 Bathroom Break/Recess 10:25 Reading IFG 10:55 Read Aloud 11:10 Lunch/Recess 11: 55 Math 12:55 Math IFG 1:25 Science/Social Studies/Health/Writing 2:20 Discuss Homework/Agenda/Clean-Up 2:35 Dismissal (12:35 on Wednesdays)

6. Procedures • Bathroom: Group breaks twice a day. Can use at lunch/recess or at times when we are walking by the bathrooms. Trying to limit individual visits during instruction. Emergencies ok. • Snack: Healthy and quick/easy to eat-can eat at recess. • End of day: We go over what their homework will look like and fill out their agendas.

7. Dismissal Procedures • Students leave at second bell at 2:35 (except Tuesday) • Students are to head outside and not wait outside other classrooms • All car pick-up students are dismissed out of the back and will be waiting with duty teachers in the west parking lot • Kids Club students are dismissed out back • Bus riders and students being picked up by a parent on foot (even if you drove and parked) are dismissed out front.

8. Arrivals • If dropping off at West Gate: children need to be inside the playground area by 7:40 so they are lined up/in the building by 7:45.  • Seeing a lot of traffic back-up and tardy arrivals increase • Traffic begins backing up at 7:30ish

9. Fun Things • Parties: Halloween/Fall, Winter, Valentine’s Day, End of Year • Goal Club on Friday • Speakers (when able) • Children’s Book Author visit • Silent auction at winter party, end of year party.

10. Whole Brain Teaching • Combines direct instruction, sharing and immediate feedback. • Seeks to actively engage every student by incorporating a variety of teaching methods in one lesson. • Incorporates seven methods into my classroom.

11. Seven Methods • Class- yes! • Classroom rules • Teach-ok (informative part of lesson). • Scoreboard game- smiley’s or frownies for procedures performed well or performed poorly. • Hands & Eyes • Mirror • Switch- used with teach-ok.

12. Classroom Management • Used in conjunction with our district-wide PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program • Emphasizes the importance of making good choices • Promotes positive behavior and encourages students to self-monitor their choices • Allows students to be acknowledged for positive behavior, and provides a sense of accomplishment for students who are able to earn a Brag Tag.

13. Expectations/Rewards/Consequences • The classroom rules are posted at the front of our classroom. Students are able to earn various rewards for exemplary behavior (brag tags, move up the leader board). Consequences are given for those behaviors that detract from the learning environment. • Firebird Pride Tickets • Missing /incomplete homework: go to study hall during Goal Club • I will contact you if necessary regarding major incidents • Behavior issues during the day may result in missed recess.

14. Behavior-Continued • Behavior issues during the day may result in missed recess. • I will contact you if necessary regarding major incidents. • They will receive $5.00 and 2 individual bathroom passes (in case they need to go at a time different from our break times) for the week. • For students who are not responding to reminders regarding behavior, they will pay $1. In order to have the extra recess privilege on Fridays, they will need to have $2 of the $5 dollars left.

15. Understanding Your Fourth Grader • Most children can organize their own homework. • Homework should be easier for the parent because of the child’s increasing independence. • Children are capable of writing down assignments, bringing the proper materials home, and bringing back the completed assignment. • Refusing help from a parent when offered is very common. “Flexing the Independence Muscle” • Children can experience disappointment without withdrawing or becoming aggressive.

16. Understanding Your Fourth Grader • Friends become more important. • Children can experience more than one feeling at a time (love/hate). • Children can understand and empathize with others, but it is still not uncommon to blame others for their problems. • Fourth graders are capable of accepting rules and discipline that is fair and logical. • Fourth graders should have the ability to delay instant gratification or other impulses, like eating or bathroom. • Children at this age have a more realistic view of themselves. They can be very hard on themselves at times.

17. 4th Grade • Students should start to become more independent and responsible for their work, materials, communication, and decision making • Report Cards with letter grades • A= 90%-100%, B= 80%-89%, C= 70%-79%, D= 60%-69%, F= 59% and below • Proficient = 90% and up • Developing = 70%-89% • Area of Concern= 69% and below

18. Grading • Variety of assessment types: classwork, homework, quizzes, tests, writing assignments, in class projects • Tests directly reflect what we have been learning in class. Homework, Classwork and/or notes can be kept to help review.. • Tests will receive a letter grade, A, B, C…

19. Grading Continued • Rubrics specifying requirements for A, B, C…are used for posters and other projects • Classwork and Homework is typically graded in class and is a lot of times self graded • Most writing gets graded based on the 6 Traits of Good Writing. • Spelling is a part of writing

20. Online Grades • http://sw.kyrene.org/Page/1411(Parent Vue Link) • Email the system administrator if you have forgotten you username and password, or if you weren’t sent an activation code. • Please include your child in the process of checking grades and ask them first about questions you have

21. Homework • Agenda: Filled out daily • Spelling/Vocabulary: Monday-Thursday your child will have either a spelling or vocabulary worksheet • Math: Tuesday nights will be a skills sharpener worksheet and Thursday nights will be related to what we’re learning in class • Reading: Students need to read at minimum of 20 minutes a night and I ask that you sign off on it-Friday the signature is due

22. Absences/Make-up Work • Please have your child try not to miss too many days of school • Each day is so important • I typically do not make up spelling tests if they are absent on a Friday • E-mail/call if you would like work sent home with a sibling, neighbor, or up to the office

23. Curriculum – MathIncorporating Common Core Standards • Place Value and Estimation • Understanding Addition and Subtraction Algorithm • Word Problems • Multi-digit Multiplication and Division • Graphing and Data Analysis • Probability • Measurement • Geometry • Fractions • Decimals • Algebra

24. Math Resources • Engage NY (which can be accessed on the internet) • CGI – Cognitive Guided Instruction • Teaching through problem solving where students must understand the problem and may create their own ways to solve

25. Curriculum – Language Arts Reading Class • Vocabulary • Comprehension Strategies • Reading Groups with Discussion • Short Stories • Novel Study • Narrative and Expository Text • Independent Reading • Read Aloud • Narrative Elements • Sequencing • Summarizing • Main Idea/Detail • Compare and Contrast • Drawing Conclusions • Cause/Effect • Author’s Purpose Main Reading Skills

26. Curriculum – Language Arts Writing: • Writing Process • 6 Traits • Writing Journal • Personal Narrative • Creative Stories • Friendly Letters • Persuasive Essay • Research Writing • Sentence Types • Sentence Parts • Nouns • Pronouns • Adjectives • Verbs • Adverbs • Prepositions Language and Grammar:

27. Curriculum – Social Studies • Basic Geography and Arizona Geography • Arizona History (Pre-historic People to World War II) • Arizona Government (symbols, branches, local and state powers) • Migration and Growth in Arizona

28. Curriculum - Science • Water and Weather • Electricity and Magnetism • Animals (Adaptation and Classification) • Renewable and Non-renewable Resources

29. The DISCOVERoom is open tonight!!!Come Check us out!!! A place where kids can PLAY &EXPLORE during lunch recess. Earth & Space Engineering/Invention Physical Science Life Science & Chemistry Electricity/magnetics • What We Need: • Parent/Grandparent/Community Member Volunteers to help supervise students in the room during lunch recess (approx 11:15-12:45) • Volunteers to help with administrative tasks before/after school or at home • Supplies: Any old/unused science kits, legos, snap circuits, marble runs, other science or building toys that you no longer want. New is GREAT! Gently used is GREAT! • Sign up to volunteer with your teacher tonight! Stop by and see us!

30. PTO • A video from PTO • Visit CieloPTO.org for more information • If you can volunteer to be the PTO volunteer coordinator for our classroom, please email me.

31. Volunteer Opportunities • Classroom Volunteers - Copying - At home projects - Classroom Support - Art Masterpiece- sign up sheet in back - Discovery Room-sign up sheet in back

32. Art Masterpiece • Begin in October and will finish in April • Has been changed so that the whole school is doing the same print at the same time • All the projects have been determined, but volunteers are welcome to change it up • Looking for volunteers to Prep things every month, as well as Volunteers to Present the print of the month.  • If a volunteer would rather ONLY do prep work, they would love your help! .

33. Student Directory • Both computer labs will be open you to visit and submit information for the Student Directory • Stop by when you’re done here and input your information

34. Thank You and Good Night!