Meet the 4 th Grade Team

1. Welcome Families to the 4thgrade. We are excited to be working with you and your children this year and look forward to a successful year.

2. Meet the 4th Grade Team • Sophia Navarro – Language Arts and Social Studies • snavarro@ems-isd.net • Pamela English – Reading and Science • penglish@ems-isd.net • LaRae Witsaman – Math and Spelling • lwitsaman@ems-isd.net

3. Our Schedule 7:40AM - 8:00AM DEAR Time 8:00AM - 8:45AM Begin 1st Rotation 8:45AM - 9:30AM Block 9:30AM - 10:15AM Finish 1st Rotation 10:15AM - 11:50AM Start 2nd Rotation 11:50AM – 12:20PM Lunch 12:20PM – 12:50PM Rti/Enrichment 12:55PM - 2:25PM 3rd Rotation 2:25-2:40pm Recess 2:40 Dismissal

4. Meet the 4th Grade Team • Emily Bennett – Language Arts, Reading, Social Studies, Spelling • emilybennett@ems-isd.net • Steve Skidmore – Math and Science • sskidmore@ems-isd.net

5. Student Expectations - Rules Each class has a citizenship “book” which accompanies the class through the rotation of classes every day. Each teacher records citizenship transgressions in the book as needed. Severe problems will be sent to Mr. McLain or Mrs. Shipp immediately. The rules for fourth grade are: • Follow all directions • Keep hands, feet, objects, and mouth to yourself. • Bring all materials to class daily. • No interruptions of teaching or learning. The Book

6. Student Expectations - Consequences We have high expectations for the behavior of our students. Our positive approaches strongly encourage good citizenship necessary for academic success. However, when a child chooses not to follow the rules he/she can expect the following consequences: · 1st Verbal Warning · 2nd time: Name signed in the book and miss half of recess · 3rd time: Name signed in the book and miss all recess · 4th time: Name signed in the book and no recess/ Contact parent and principal visit The Book

7. Student Expectations - CHAMPS CHAMP’s is a district wide management system used as an instructional structure in which students are responsible, motivated, and highly engaged in the specific task at hand. Conversation – Can students converse during this activity? About what? With whom? For how long? Help – How do students get your attention for help? How do students get questions answered? What should they do while they wait for you? Activity – What is the expected end product of this activity? What is the task or objective? Movement – for what reasons can students get out of their seats during an activity? Do they need permission to do so? Participation – What behavior shows that students are participating or not participating? Success – All students successful!!!!

8. Student Expectations - Citizenship • Students will receive a citizenship grade on their report card each nine weeks based on the number of times they were signed in the discipline book. • E = 0-4 marks • S = 5-7 marks • N = 8-10 marks • U = 11 or more marks

9. Curriculum At EME, we follow the state mandated curriculum. The TEKS or Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills are a set of standards that we have to follow in each subject area . They cover the subject matter and objectives we will be teaching for the year. There is also a new accountability system and more rigorous STAAR testing which requires us to sharpen our instructional focus. For more information see the TEA website at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/

10. Curriculum – Social Studies In Social Studies the students are learning about Texas history.

11. Curriculum – Science In science the students will be participating on hands-on activities, labs as well as journal activities. We will be covering: *Physical Science - Matter and Energy - Force and Motion • *Earth Science • - Weather • - Water Cycle • - Sun, Earth and Moon System • - Resources • - Weathering and Erosion *Life Science - Adaptations - Life Cycle - Plants and animals - Inherited and learned traits

12. Curriculum – Reading • The Comprehension Toolkit – • focuses on reading, writing, talking, listening, and investigating, to deepen understanding of nonfiction texts. With a focus on strategic thinking, Toolkit's lessons provide a foundation for developing independent readers and learners. • The teaching and learning focus in The Comprehension Toolkit is on comprehension instruction, including: • - monitoring comprehension • - activating and connecting to background knowledge • - asking questions • - inferring meaning • - determining importance • - summarizing and synthesizing. • Guided Reading – • is 'small-group reading instruction designed to provide differentiated teaching that supports students in developing reading proficiency’. The small group model allows children to be taught in a way that is intended to be more focused on their specific needs, accelerating their progress.

13. Curriculum – Reading • Critical Thinking Skills for Reading: • Summarization • Main Idea vs. Detail • Inferencing • Vocabulary • Poetry • Comparing poetry with literature

14. Curriculum – Math Math – Investigations is the districts primary math resource. It is manipulative and higher level thinking based program. Topics covered in math this year: • addition, subtraction, multiplication and division • algebraic reasoning • length, perimeter, area, geometry • fractions and decimals • probability/statistics • financial literacy

15. Curriculum – Language Arts • Writing is assessed on a statewide level (STAAR) in 4th and 7th grade. • Components of Writing STAAR • Revising • Editing • Narrative Composition • Expository Composition • Two days of testing

16. Curriculum – Spelling Spelling Test Each week your child will get a list of words that focus on a pattern such as long I or homophones for the test. We will take five words off the list of words and put in five new words that follow the pattern.

17. STAAR Dates April 1 – Writing Day 1 April 2 – Writing Day 2 April 22 – Math April 23 - Reading

18. Communication 4th grade will communicate with you in the following ways this year: • Emails home • Newsletters home • Our website page • Notes home in the homeroom folder • Our conference time is from 8:30-9:15AM. • Email addresses: • Sophia Navarro – snavarro@ems-isd.net • Pamela English – penglish@ems-isd.net • LaRae Witsaman – lwitsaman@ems-isd.net • Emily Bennett – emilybennett@ems-isd.net • Steve Skidmore – sskidmore@ems-isd.net • Our school webpage: • http://www.emsisd.com/Domain/364 • School phone: 817-236-7191 • If you have any questions or concerns, please call or email us. We are happy to answer any questions.

19. Student Binder • Each student should have a binder. The binder is designed to help keep your child organized and provide communication between home and school. • Homework Folder - there is a pocket for homework, notes to parents, notes for teachers, and another pocket for assignments and papers to stay at home. • Class Folders – there are folders for each class in the binder. The assignments in these folders need to stay in the folder. They are to be used for instructional purposes. • Assignment Calendar - Students are expected to copy the information in each class and get the assignment calendar signed each night. If the child has signed the book, the information will be recorded in the calendar. If they did not sign the book they will receive a stamp or sticker. • Pencil Bag – If possible, please make sure your student has a pencil bag to keep supplies inside of it. We did not have it on the school supply list, but would like for the students to have one.

20. School Supplies Please make sure your students have their pencils, stick glue, scissors and markers or colored pencils in their binder at all times!!!!

21. Absent and Make-Up Work • Absent: • If your child is going to be absent, please call the school and make the office aware. • Bring a note when returning to school. • Make-Up Work: • Student have time equal to the number of days absent plus one day to complete make-up work. • If you know your child will be absent and would like to pick up their work, please call during the morning hours and request that the work be prepared to send home. The assignments and books can be picked up in the office after 2:40pm or sent home with another child or sibling.

22. New School District Grading Policy • Daily Work: • All daily work that is to be graded should be completed at school under teacher supervision. Students cannot take it home to complete. • If a student chooses to not complete a daily work assignment, the code of conduct will be applied to this behavior. • Grade Weights: • Grades shall be calculated using the following weights: • - 40% daily work and projects • - 60% summative assessments • Assignments Under 70: • If a student did not master an assignment, the teacher will re-teach. The grade recorded will reflect an average of the two grades. • For more information, check the EMSISD website.

23. Housekeeping • Current Information on File – Please keep current home and work numbers and emergency contacts updated in the office. • School Hours – It is very important to have your student to school on time each day. Students are TARDY if they arrive after 7:40AM. • Early Dismissal – Please understand that you must sign your child out in the front office before your child leaves for an early dismissal. • Transportation Changes – If you have an afternoon transportation change, PLEASE CALL THE OFFICE and make them aware of the change. Teachers do not always have time to check their email or phones during the day. • Food Allergies – Please be aware we have many food allergies this year. • Birthdays – If you are going to celebrate your students birthday by bringing a snack, please following the following guidelines: • - please bring pre-wrapped (nut free items) that can easily be distributed to students. • - if you are going to bring a cookie cake, please bring plates or napkins and already have the cake cut into enough pieces for each student in class.

24. School Programs • DEAR Time – Drop Everything and Read. The first twenty minutes of each day will be spent reading. It is a school- wide initiative where everyone on campus stops and reads. We would like to encourage a life long love of reading. • Post Office – Students and parents can write and send letters at our school. EME has an in-school post office system. Letters can be sent and delivered to your child. The post office box is in the foyer of our school. • Watch Dogs – We would like to start the Watch Dog program again at our school Dads interested in becoming a ‘watch dog’ and helping out in the classroom, please let the office know. • Volunteering in the Classroom – We love volunteers in the classroom. Please make sure you have a current background check on file and contact your child’s teacher for opportunities.

25. How Parents Can Help At Home… • Reading and Writing • - Istation • - http://www.tea.state.tx.us • - Read each evening with your child • Math • - Think Through Math • - http://www.tea.state.tx.us • - Practice multiplication facts