Welcome to Curriculum night 2012 - 2013

1. Welcome to Curriculum night 2012 - 2013

2. This evening’s agenda homework Class work The subjects we study Our class website Questions, possibly some answers

3. The stationery on the desk is for you to write an encouraging note to your child. You may sign up for conference times if you want, or you can certainly wait until we’re closer to the dates in December. The schedule is on a clipboard going around the room. Don’t worry----I will post many reminders.

4. Classroom Celebrations We’re allowed to have 2. I am thinking Halloween and…? Parent Helpers Photocopies Setting up science stuff Tutoring or reading with a student

5. Please donate snacks and paper products if you’re able to.

6. PRO Your instructor’s thoughts about homework Practice skills students need for middle school. Add structure to the weekday. Build responsible habits (regarding organization and managing time). CON Can seem like drudgery to kids and yet one more thing for parents, most of whom worked all day at their own sometimes maddening and tedious tasks. The skills we’re working on are not necessarily tailored to each student’s needs. Many students see it as a relatively meaningless task to complete, and therefore invest little attention to quality.

7. Homework has 3 purposes this year: To practice academic skills To help students build responsible habits for success in middle school To increase the amount of time children read It is never my intent for homework to intrude on a balanced and reasonable family life. If the policy I’ll have explained isn’t working for your child, please contact me and we will negotiate a better fit for your family.

8. I DO PERMIT STUDENTS WHO’VE COMPLETED THEIR CLASS WORK TO WORK ON HOMEWORK AT SCHOOL. In my opinion, this is a reasonable way to make the best use of time. From my point of view, the important thing is that the student takes responsibility for completing work on time and hands it in on time. Some families agree with this, but some prefer that their youngsters have homework time at home,especially since we’re heading into middle school in two shakes of a lamb’s tail. This is your right and responsibility as a parent, and I will support you if you want your child to save homework for home. You will have to let me and your child know If this is your preference and keep in touch to let me know if it’s working. school home

9. Homework packet goes home on Monday. It’s organized with a cover page to help prevent scenes like this. Your teacher forgot to assign you homework again?!

10. There’s a daily math assignment. Tuesday due Wednesday Monday due Tuesday Thursday due Friday Wednesday due Thursday I have posted each week’s assignment on our class website.

11. I have created Alternative Math Home Work Assignments

12. Play a math game: there are dozens on our website.. Make something that required measurement: brownies; origami; AN ESTIMATE FOR A NEW CARPET; A picture that tessellates.. . . Complete one of the everyday math projects; there are five. You Can Download them from our class website.. Complete a khan academy website lesson.. Do flash cards or mental math with someone.. FILL IN A BLANK GRID WITH THE MULTIPLICATION FACTS; FILL IN A BLANK GRID WITH THE ADDITION TABLES. Choosing the alternative math homework assignment is up to you, the parents. I need some kind of note or email In order to give the youngster credit.

13. five book reports during the year Right before February break Right before spring break Right before christmasbreak Right before Halloween You can find each of these on our class website if yours doesn’t make it home for some reason. Right before memorialday

14. problem of the week In my professional opinion, one weakness of the Everyday Math curriculum is a regrettable absence of “story problems,” which, most of us, frankly, hated when we were in school. I offer my sympathy. Nevertheless, mathematics removed from any practical application strikes me as incomplete. The POTW is an opportunity to apply problem – solving strategies. I acknowledge that some of these are very easy, and some of them are fairly challenging. In my opinion, these experiences help children develop patience and perseverance along with their math skills. I am willing to be flexible with the POTW: for some kids, it’s still very difficult. Thus, I will encourage it, but will also accept one of the alternatives.

15. I encourage, students to work on this in class during the week. It is in each youngster’s homework packet because some students will need more time than what we have in class. Rough drafts are due THURSDAYS. We’ll peer-edit the papers on Thursdays, so it’s very important that each student’s rough draft is finished by Thursday morning. We then have time to revise in class or at home. Students share their essays in class on Fridays. Each student has to share at least 2 essays during the trimester. “homework” essay Each week we’ll work on two vocabulary words and one writing convention in a 1-3 page essay. These assignments are on our class website

16. reading log The reading log is due every Friday, but I want to see it every school day. In short: it should go to and from school throughout the week. Your youngster receives it on Monday as part of his or her homework packet. There are blank ones on our class website, too.

17. In summary: daily reading log daily math assignment weekly homework essay problem of the week five book reports spaced throughout the year

18. Class work There is a class Work assignment Due every day for Math and writing. Usually, it is some Exercise or activity to Build on whatever that day’s Objectives are.

19. Class work In spelling, history, geography, And science, there are typically 2 assignments to hand in during The week. A student records each assignment That’s turned in on our “assignment Chart.”

20. ASSIGNMENT CHART FOR WEEK #___ MATH HW READING LOG MATH CW WRITING CW

21. ASSIGNMENT CHART FOR WEEK #3 MATH HW READING LOG MATH CW WRITING CW Two pointers Three pointers

22. classroom expectations safe respectful responsible

23. Mathematics: please make sure your child has… Basic addition, subtraction, Multiplication And division facts. A Basic understanding that ½ and 2/4 are equal; a basic understanding that ½ means 50%.

24. Mathematics Everyday math Has 12 chapters or “units.” Each unit takes about 2 weeks and Culminates in a unit test. There are whole-class activities, games to play with a partner, and Independent exercises. Class work is available on our website.

25. Polygons we learn about.

26. Important concepts in measurement Using a ruler to measure accurately to the 16th of an inch Using a protractor to measure angles Converting units (i.e., meters to centimeters; inches to yards) Finding perimeter and area in triangles and some polygons Using a clock and stopwatch Estimating

27. reading Students should be reading at least an hour a day between school (about 40 minutes) and home (about 20 minutes) from a good fit book. • At school, we follow a structure called readers’ workshop. • Briefly, it consists of a short whole-class lesson modeling • a particular element of reading, followed by small group • “guided reading” and individual reading conferences. • During the 90 minutes of reading, each child can expect to • Write in his or her reading journal 2 times a week • Listen to me read and model a concept in reading • Read to him or herself for about 40 minutes • Work with a small group on a reading skill • Read directly to me from his or her good-fit book • about once or twice a week.

28. We follow a structure called Writers’ Workshop, which involves the following elements: Daily whole-class mini-lesson Independent and small group Writing activities in class A weekly essay, somewhat-but-not- entirely mis-named the homework essay; there is class time dedicated to this weekly project. Peer-editing Conferring with teacher Collecting a portfolio of work as the year progresses. Effective writing is organized with a clear beginning, middle, and ending; offers acompelling, or at least important, idea presented to a particular audience for a specific reason; includes examples, descriptions, and reasons that deepen the main idea; . adheres to conventional punctuation, grammatical forms, spelling, and aesthetics.

29. C correcting misteaks and errors is part of the learning process but I acknowlege that it isn’t always the most funnest part mistakes , dge activity.

30. Science • life science • energy and motion • fossils • emphasis on systems & inquiry • emphasis on scientific method

31. geography We use the 5th grade program Called Daily Geo. We will check the assignment together in class on Fridays.

32. history Events; timelines; points of view; fairness &justice; bias And propaganda

33. aboilerplatedisclaimerre: the presidentialelection We’ll have to discuss the election sometimes----it will be on students’ minds, some will have strong opinions, and some will ask me questions. I’m not comfortable discussing my personal views with students, and I don’t think it’s appropriate at their age to be influenced by a public employee. Please feel secure in knowing that your child is definitely not receiving any intentional or subtle or indoctrination into modern politics. We will, however, discuss the election process and students are welcome to share their own opinions about candidates and issues as the topic arises.

34. F.L.A.S.H. exploitation physical and emotional changes during puberty reproduction H.I.V. and A.I.D.S.

35. http://connect.issaquah.wednet.edu/elementary/ive/staff/mr_arthurs_site/default.aspxhttp://connect.issaquah.wednet.edu/elementary/ive/staff/mr_arthurs_site/default.aspx

36. Gladys, did you know Mr. Arthur respectfully asks parents and students to follow a no-gift policy at the holidays and end of the year? Thanks Mabel. I am just going to make my child write a forced and awkward thank you note in lieu of spending money. Edna, I heard that he actually gets paid a salary to do this job; we’re grateful, though, so we are going to donate money to the PTA or something. Just not to Mr. Moneybags. He is a public employee, after all. Myrtle, thanks for letting me know. I never know what you’re supposed to get for a guy teacher anyway. Good to know he wants us NOT to buy stuff for him.