Welcome Back!!

1. Welcome Back!! Welcome to Mr. Hammer’s Class 2011-2012 A copy of this Power Point Slide is on your student’s desk, please take it with you, thanks.

2. Housekeeping Items • Unwanted items – Please do not send anything to school with your student that if lost, stolen, or broken could be upsetting. We will not spend time dealing with or looking for electronics, stuffed animals, trading cards, or any other toys. Thanks. • Birthday Treats – We love Bday Treats! Please keep it simple and easy. We normally have the treat during our snack time. Our snack time is…………… • Pets – Unfortunately, pets are not allowed at school but pictures are. • School Hours – 8:55-3:40 – It is extremely important for your student to be at school and in class for the entire day. Please allow your student to be here until 3:40. Thanks.

3. Housekeeping Items Con’t • Dressing for the Weather – Please make sure your student is prepared for the weather. We go outside for recess in most conditions. • Lee Elementary Website – Go to the TK Schools Website (www.tkschools.org), then go to the “Schools” tab and click on “Lee Elementary”. My website is under the “staff” link. I update this often and students can link to educational websites from there.

4. Housekeeping Items Con’t • General Schoolwork – We often recycle work we do in class that is primarily used for learning concepts and practicing them. Certain assessments and assignments will go home with your student, but some work we complete is intended for practice or introduction. I’m constantly monitoring students work but some work isn’t expected to be scored. I save assignments and tests of importance for conferences. • Correcting Work - We correct a lot of our own work in class. It’s instant feedback for your student, instead of your student getting their work back days later in their mailbox where they will never look at it again and it will then disappear into the “Backpack Abyss.”

5. Housekeeping Items Con’t • Math Assessments – If students achieve an 80% or above on their assessments, they will bring their assessments home for the fridge. If they don’t achieve 80%, I save the assessment for your student to retake that test and then I give you those tests at conferences. • Parents Volunteers – There is a PTO sign up sheet at the front of the room, please sign up if you would like. If you would like to volunteer at the classroom parties, there will be many opportunities. If you did not sign up at the Open House/Curriculum Night, please contact me with your interest. • Classroom Volunteers – As of right now, I am not in need of help in the classroom but if something were to come up, I send a note home with all of the students. Thanks.

6. Math Objectives for the First Trimester • Identifies and recognizes place value to ten thousand • Adds numbers up to one thousand with regrouping • Adds numbers up to ten thousand without regrouping • Subtracts numbers up to one thousand with regrouping • Subtracts numbers up to ten thousand without regrouping • Solves number stories involving addition and subtraction • Estimating

7. Math Connects • We complete lessons in preparation for our common assessments • Common Assessments follow MGLCE’s • Forms A, B, and C • Self Check Quiz/Computer Lab • Students will take the online Self-Check Quiz in the Computer Lab • Students will need to receive an 80% or higher to print the quiz or a Reteach sheet will be sent home that night and due back by Wednesday.

8. Math Connects Online • Website www.macmillanmh.com • Personal Tutor / Games / Self-Check Quiz • Student Works Plus Online • Use this feature to review the daily lesson, print homework sheets, or practice skills through Math Connects games. • Access code – D55A03DDBA • Online Textbook, Homework pages, Reteach pages, etc.

9. Reading / Language Arts • Writing • Subject/Predicate, Nouns, Sentence Structure, Verbs, Adjectives • Notebooking-A period of time for 15 minutes where students are writing to a prompt. • Paragraphs • Narrative, Compare/Contrast, Cause and Effect, Problem/Solution, Research Report • Process Writing • Reading • Guided Reading-Leveled Reading • Reading comprehension strategies • Non-Fiction Practice • Spelling-Words Their Way & RTI -RTI: (Response To Intervention) This involves assisting students with understanding words and how to work with words which will assist in reading.

10. Spelling Words Their Way • Friday –List goes home • Weekend – Practice spelling at home • Monday – Practice Sort • Tuesday – Practice Sort • Wednesday – Spelling Games, ABC order or Rainbow Words • Thursday – Posttest-Graded test go home • This occurs most weeks but it is subject to change due to schedule changes in our week. Lists will begin soon!

11. SRI and Lexiles • The SRI score =a score for that your student receives. It is a measurement of their reading, vocabulary, and comprehension. • SRI Score = Independently generated by student on computer • Lexile Score = Books receive this score and it coincides with the SRI Score. • Go to www.lexile.com for more information and to find out what a particular book’s

12. Social Studies / Science • Social Studies • Michigan History • -Students will take a journey through Michigan history. • -Students will study Michigan geography. • Core Democratic Values • Three Branches of Government • Elections • Economics • Science • Light and Sound • Simple Machines • Natural Disasters • Vertebrate/Invertebrate Animals • Life Cycles • Preservation and Conservation of Natural Resources

13. Important Folders • RED – Urgent Notes / Homework – This folder needs to come back to school the next day. It will contain important information and homework. I ask that parents check this folder when it comes home. (Homework will be on Tuesday and Thursday normally. If students do not finish their work, it may come home that night.) • Orange – This folder stays at school and will contain our daily work or projects.

14. Homework • HOMEWORK • Math homework is generally given out on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. The goal is to have it completed and returned by the next day. • Reading homework is given out on Tuesday and is due back by Friday. • There is a grace period for all of the homework to be handed in by Friday. • Homework is supposed to be a 20 minute or less process. If it takes longer, please email or write a note on the homework so that your student will still receive credit for the attempt. • “Fab Friday” is a 15-20 minute period offered to those students who have all of their class work and homework turned in for the week. Students will be able to go to a games or movie room if they have completed their assignments for the week. Students who haven’t completed their work will go to the homework room.

15. Specials Schedule • Monday – Music – 10:35-11:15 / PE 2:55-3:35 • Tuesday – PE-2:50-3:35 • Wednesday – Art-2:55-3:35 • Thursday – Computer – 2:00-2:45 • Friday – Art–10:45-11:30 Lunch – 11:50-12:10 Recess – 11:35-11:50 / M-T-W – 2:00-2:15 TH-F – 2:45-3:00 • Lunch – 12:15-12:35 • Recess – 9:45-10:00 / 12:35-12:50

16. Computers / Technology • We will be working on • Typing Websites • Math programs • Power Point Slide Shows

17. Upcoming Dates • MEAP Testing-October • Conferences-November • Report Cards-November

18. To Contact Mr. Hammer • Ways to get a hold of Mr. Hammer • Email – bhammer@tkschools.org • (Can be linked through TK’s Website) • TK’s Website – www.tkschools.org • Phone – (269)795 – 5400 Ext. 4596

19. See You on Tuesday!!!