Curriculum Night

1. Curriculum Night Wednesday August 29, 2012

2. Welcome to Room 10 • Thank you for coming to Curriculum Night, a.k.a. Back-to-School Night • My goal this evening is to give you an overview of the curriculum. • Time is limited so there will not be an opportunity for individual conferences • Thank you again for your time and support. I look forward to working with you and your child this year.

3. Mrs. Gina Cahill • I was born and raised in Indiana • I received my Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Purdue University. • This is eighth year teaching fifth grade at Blue Hills • I have five years previous experience teaching second and third grades in Florida • I am married to an actual rocket scientist and have two wonderful children; Megan, age 18, and Scott, age 14. • My indulgences include Starbucks and scrap-booking.

4. Communication Information • School phone number (408) 257-9282 extension # 210 • E-mail address: cahill_gina@cusdk8.org • Website: • http://teacherweb.com/CA/BlueHills/Mrs.Cahill/index.html • Homework postings • Announcements - is where I post my monthly newsletter

5. Fifth Grade Focus • Fifth grade is a pivotal year before your child reaches middle school and pre-adolescence. This year we will focus on your child’s ability to develop, demonstrate and accept responsibility for his or her learning and behavior.

6. II. Class Expectations and Discipline Policy: • Our classroom emphasizes The Three Bobcat Be’s; Be Safe, Be Responsible, and Be Respectful. • BeSafe includes safety for yourself and others. • Be Responsible means owning the behavior and choices they make. • Be Respectful includes showing respect to adults, peers, and school property. • ICMM means I Can Manage Myself and is a way to keep track of completed homework assignments. • Study Hall: For missing assignments, the student will need to go to study hall during recess..

7. ICMM • ICMM stands for "I Can Manage Myself". It is an incentive and recognition system for the students to turn their homework in on time and complete. • After each twelve week period, if the student has missed three assignments or less, they earn an ICMM card. • 1st card Blue • 2nd card Silver • 3rd A Trip to the Prize Table • Many students are excited by getting this reward and recognition of their good work habits.

8. Consequences • Students making good choices earn privileges • Students making inappropriate choices will earn a consequence that is commissary with their behavior. It can include: • Changing card on the Behavior Chart • Time Out in another part of the room or in a different room • Loss of class earned “free time” • E-mail home • Parent/Teacher/Student conference

9. III. Homework Policy • Homework is an important way of developing skills, responsibility, and organizational strategies. • Students are responsible for their homework. • Students should have no more than fifty minutes of homework per night, unless they are behind because of their failure to complete previous assignments on time. • For most assignments I allow students time to work on them during class. • Generally homework will not be assigned over the weekend, sometimes there are exceptions. • A parent needs to write me a note or e-mail me if there are extenuating circumstances to incomplete homework. • If you feel your child is spending too much time on homework, please contact me.

10. IV Grading • Students will be graded on a combination of homework, projects, in-class assignments, tests, quizzes, informal assessments, and participation. • Physical education and music are graded by their PE and Music teachers • CUSD use a 6-point rubric • 1: not yet demonstrating understanding • 2: demonstrates below grade level understanding • 3: approaching grade level understanding • 4: grade level understanding and mastery TARGET • 5: consistently demonstrates above grade level understanding and abilities • 6: consistently demonstrates abilities far exceeding grade level expectations and abilities

11. V. Organization • A large part of fifth grade is organization • Names on all papers • Deadlines • Binders • dividers with pockets • ALL homework and class work is stored in their binder until it is due, this makes it easier for you to check their completed work. • Notebook • WW: Writing Warm-up notebook • Folders • Awesome Graded Science Papers -reccomended • Kept at home

12. VI. Reading/LanguageArts READING: • Response to Literature • Possible Literature Books: Frindle, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,Esperanza Rising,Holes, and/or Indian in the Cupboard. • Text: Houghton Mifflin Reading • The reading strategies are: summarize, evaluate, predict/infer, phonics/decoding, monitor/clarify, and question. • Grammar • D.L.R. Word of the Day, Latin Root Words, Parts of Speech,

13. IX Writing and Speech: • Our writing curriculum is mainly based on the Step-Up-To Writing Program and the genre’s include: • Narrative • Persuasive • Expository (The State Report) • Responses to Literature • Poetry/Creative • Editing RED editing folder • Speech and Oral Presentations • Individual and group presentations are throughout the year.

14. X. Spelling • Each Monday, students will take their spelling pretest. The spelling lists are based on the spelling curriculum from our reading textbook. • Vocabulary building will be separate from the spelling curriculum. • A spelling packet will be sent home every week. Spelling grades on the report card will be based on transferring these patterns and skills in their everyday writing.

15. Spelling Homework • a. Monday: Correct their pretest,write each missed word on the pre-test three times, and define the five challenge words, including the part of speech. • b. Tuesday: do a workbook page, front and back, that corresponds to the spelling unit. • c. Wednesday: do a second page, front and back, that corresponds to the spelling unit. • d. Thursday: the student should take a practice test at home. A parent or other responsible person should give the test and sign the test.

16. VII Math • Mathematics (Houghton Mifflin). All classes will take tests over the same chapter on the same day; however, homework assignments are not necessarily exactly the same each day. • There is a DVD available upon request, but does not work with all systems. Email me with your DVD request and I will send home a copy with your student. • Concepts include place value, exponents, fractions, decimals, percentages, geometry, algebra, and the coordinate grid.

17. The fifth grade standards are taught in all three classes. • Our goal is to prepare every student for 6th grade math. • Both enrichment and re-teaching opportunities will be given to students. • Near the end of the year, Miller and Kennedy will test the students for placement into the 6th grade math classes.

18. VIII. Social Studies • A New Nation (Mc Graw Hill) In Social Studies students will be learning: • Note taking skills • Test taking and study skills • Group projects, oral presentations, and group discussions. • Social studies topics this year include: • Native Americans, Explorers, Colonialism, American Revolution, the 50 states, The Constitution, and Western Expansion.

19. XI. Science • BHEF provides us with the funds for Science Lab, hands-on enrichment that supports fifth grade concepts. • Fifth grade science covers three major units: • Water Planet • Mixtures and Solutions • Living Systems • And two smaller units: • Human Growth and Development. • Too Good For Drugs • Rockets: an extra-curricular activity during lunch • Parents volunteers are needed to work the program.

20. XII. Long Term Assignments • Long-term assignments are given throughout the year. • Long-Term assignments teach responsibility and the students will be given several reminders of the due dates once the assignment has been given. • Some will be in-class assignments and some are to be done at home.

21. XII. Specials • Tuesday Music 8:05AM - 8:50AM • Tuesday Library 9:00AM - 9:30AM • Wednesday P.E. 8:05AM - 8:50AM • Thursday P.E. 8:50AM - 9:35AM • Friday Computer Lab 8:05AM - 9:05AM ALSO • Science Lab: scheduled for 19 Thursday afternoons 10:55AM - 11:55AM

22. Miscellaneous • Traffic Duty October 15th - 26th We need everyone’s help! Information to sign up will be e-mailed to you. • Book Orders • Classroom donations $61.00 - pink form • Facebook • Separation of personal and professional activities Classroom Volunteer Opportunities • Correct spelling Birthday Celebrations - no food • Donations • Ultra-fine sharpies • Electric Pencil Sharpeners • Origami paper • Color Sharpies

23. Thank You for Coming Tonight!