5th Grade Curriculum Night

1. 5th GradeCurriculum Night Mrs. Vallory Darting & Mrs. Kim Fognani “Together We S.O.A.R.”

2. Teachers/Staff To Know: • Homerooms- • Mrs. Fognani (and all of science) • Mrs. Darting (and all social studies) • Resource- Jennifer Rule & Sandy King • ESL- Janet Fichter • Band/Orchestra- Mark Miller • Music- Jennifer Baker • P.E.- Andrew Schilling • Art- Diana Garren • Library- Lin Wareham-Morris • Counselor/Psycholoigist- Lisa George • Principal- K.C. Somers

3. Learning as a 5th Grader • Dependence • The attitude of “you take care of me” • Interdependence • The attitude of “we can do it together as a team” • Independence • The attitude of “I can do it!”

4. School and Classroom Respect Plan • S.O.A.R./ Our Signed Posters- • S- Show Integrity • O- Own Your Learning • A- Accept Responsibility • R- Respect Others and Self • Behaviors need to be observed in hallway, cafeteria, classroom, restroom, playground, bus/field trip, and assemblies • Ladder of Success

5. Respect Plan (continued) • S.O.A.R. Rewards: • S.O.A.R. Tickets or raffle tickets • Meaning rewards and motivators • S.O.A.R. club once a month • Individual and group positive rewards • Prizes from S.O.A.R. tickets can be redeemed for events such as lunch with a teacher or playing a game with a friend • S.O.A.R. Compliments

6. Attendance • Misconception: My child can make up all the learning missed. • While written assignments can and must be made up, learning takes place both verbally and in hands-on activities that can not always be recreated. • Misconception: My child can get homework before a trip, and we’ll schedule time during the trip to complete the assignments. • Work is not always available before an absence; the student is responsible for getting missed assignments after he/she returns. Students have 2 days to make up work for each excused day missed. • Misconception: It won’t hurt if my child returns from vacation a day or two late or leaves for vacation early. They won’t be doing anything important anyway. • Learning is significant EVERYDAY! Often times we are wrapping up units and assessments are given before breaks. Illness and doctor appointments should be the main reason why a child is absent. • Misconception: Attendance during CSAP testing is not important to our family. • When a child misses a CSAP test, he/she receives a zero score which impacts Blue Heron’s overall rating and can be significantly reduce the school score, which is directly related to our federal funding.

7. Class Schedule • 8:55 Opening • 9:00 Tardy Bell/Attendance • 9:10 Math • 10:00 Specials • 10:45 Math Small Group Work • 10:55 Interventions • 11:25 Science/Social Studies (homeroom) • 12:05 Lunch/Recess • 12:45 Science/Social Studies (rotation) • 1:25 Daily 5/CAFE (Writing/Spelling/Reading) • 3:20 Planners and Clean Up • 3:30 Dismissal

8. Literacy Overview • Daily 5- a management and organizational system that teaches and practices skills until behaviors become habitual, “default” behaviors • 5 Components of Daily 5- • Read to Self • Read to Someone • Work on Writing • Listen to Reading • Spelling/Work Work • CAFÉ- mini lessons, seat work, and goals focus on comprehension, accuracy, fluency, and expanding vocabulary • Curriculum aligned with all literacy areas and other subjects

9. Reading Curriculum • Word of the Week • Read Aloud- read to whole class to model and focus on the many other elements of reading • Fluid Guided Reading Groups (based on class test scores, body of evidence, and CSAP)- small groups to teach specific comprehension strategies • Shared Reading Groups- practice reading strategies in groups of similar interest and level (lit circles) • Independent Reading- silent, individual reading to develop stamina, practice reading strategies, and learn about a variety of genres • Reading Logs (150 minutes/week) and Reading Contract (800 pages and 3 books for the first trimester) • Library • 2nd Grade Buddies and Buddy Assistants (Please see the reading and writing literacy statements in the school handbook.)

10. Writing Curriculum • Rebecca Sitton Spelling • Implement with fidelity/research-based (may look a little different) • Individualized spelling lists • Research has shown that if spelling is studied exclusively in isolation (weekly tests, memorizing lists), it is not as effective as spelling studied with a context. • Spelling worksheets for reading centers or home practice on website • 5th grade “No Excuse” words: First 150 core words from previous grades plus new core words from our weekly spelling lists • Learn about 6 Traits + 1 as we compose stories, poems, and research on both paper and computers • Craft Studies of 6 Traits + 1 • Writing Workshops- review of writing process and traits • Multiple Forms (including): journals, poetry, explanations in math and reading, observations in science, recipes, letters • Functional/Procedural Texts: instructions, brochures, how-to essays • Persuasive (including): opinion, book review, or essay • Reflection Memoirs • Handwriting on final copies: 50% cursive and 50% typed

11. Science Curriculum • 5th Grade Curriculum Units: • Human Systems • Heat and Change • Force and Motion • Weather • Growing and Changing • 5th graders will go to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science on October 28th. • Objectives: To learn to make observations, gather data, collect specimens, state hypotheses, investigate, construct explanations and models, identify features, ask questions, make predictions, compare properties, and conduct research to formulate conclusions Jefferson County Science Curriculum Online

12. Social Studies Curriculum • Study of Economics, Geography, History, and Civics • Units: • World in 1492 (Ancient Civilizations) • Exploration fo the Western Hemisphere • Colonial America • American Revolution • 5th graders attend Young AmeriTowne on February 23rd (need volunteers for interviews and to attend YAT with us) Jeffco Social Studies Curriculum Online

13. Math Curriculum • Investigations (2nd Edition) 5th grade curriculum focus: Develop a repertoire of problem solving strategies and ability to communicate mathematical knowledge orally and in writing • Units: Factors, Multiples, Multiplication, Division, 2-D and 3-D Geometry, Algebra, Decimals, Fractions, Percents, Data Analysis, and Probability • Students have text booklets for each unit • Differentiated Instruction (including Inside Math) • Visit the Jeffco Math page for more information, the Investigations curriculum site, or the information page for Parents for more info.

14. Blue Heron Homework Philosophy • 5th graders should have 30-60 minutes of homework a night (including 30 minutes of independent reading 5 times a week) • What if students are not done in that time? • Extension/completion of classroom work • Typically there will be homework in math • Log (class work takes first priority) • Reading Log (150 min./week)

15. Importance ofIndependent Reading "The amount of free reading done outside of school has consistently been found to relate to growth in vocabulary, reading comprehension, verbal fluency, and general information," explains Bernice Cullinan of New York University in an article on independent reading and school achievement in 2000 (Anderson, Wilson, and Fielding 1998; Greaney 1980; Guthrie & Greaney 1991; Taylor, Frye, & Maruyama 1990). She continues by explaining that research shows the more students read outside of school, the higher they score on reading achievement and standardized assessments (Anderson, Fielding, & Wilson 1998).

16. Homework, cont. • Students are responsible for asking teachers about homework missed in class. • Set aside a quiet place to study at home • Our hope is that you make it a priority and make it the student’s responsibility • Planners: • Please check and initial planners every night. • Homework is not due until the next day, so they need to show you. • A tool to build study skills and independence

17. Grades/Report Cards • 4’s: Advanced/Above Grade Level Expectations (similar to an “A+”) • 3’s: Proficient/Meeting the Standard, where we strive for all students to be at or above (similar to an “A”) • 2’s: Partially Proficient/Making Progress Toward the Standard, student’s work is not quite satisfactory (similar to a “C” or “D”) • 1’s: Unsatisfactory/Lacking Adequate Progress, student needs to redo (similar to an “F”) Look at our Jeffco Report Cards online: Intermediate by Number Grade, Trimesters with Spelling Tests

18. Special Dates • Flex Days: • Fall- August 20th and September 17th • Spring- April 29th and May 3rd • Conferences: • Fall- October 12th and 14th • Spring- February 15th and 17th • Report Cards Home: • Trimester 1- November 19th • Trimester 2- March 4th • Trimester 3- May 27th • Trip to Denver Museum of Nature and Science on October 28th • CSAP: First few weeks in March (please plan for students to be in class, all day, every day) • Young AmeriTowne: February 23rd

19. 5th Grade Web Site • Please visit www.dartingteacher.com for classroom newsletters, homework, and links that support our classroom work. • Also links to Blue Heron, the new math curriculum, the Student Internet Use Policy, and Jeffco’s Connections page • Students are required to look at homework page every night, along with filling out planners • Updated nightly

20. Donations • SOAR Club trinkets and little prizes • Donor’s Choose: www.donorschoose.org (projects, put “Blue Heron” in keyword) • Scholastic online book orders: www.scholastic.com

21. How to Contact Us • Send a quick note with your child to school in his or her planner, send us an e-mail, or arrange for a short meeting for after school • Mrs. Kim Fognani- kfognani@jeffco... • Mrs. Vallory Darting- www.dartingteacher.com • Please don’t forget to leave us your e-mail on the sign in sheet before you leave!

22. I Dreamed I dreamed I stood in a studio And watched two sculptors there, The clay they used was a young child's mind And they fashioned it with care. One was a teacher; The tools she used were books and music and art. One was a parent with a guiding hand And a gentle, loving heart. And when at last their work was done They were proud of what they had wrought. For the things they had worked into the child Could never be sold or bought. And each agreed she would have failed If she had worked alone, For behind the parent stood the school, And behind the teacher stood the home. -Ray A. Lingenfelter

23. Thanks for coming! To review anything from this presentation again, please log onto our class website and go to “Extras”.