Mrs. WattersAlvin Dunn Elementary School

My name is Mrs. Daniels-Watters…

…but you can call me Mrs. Watters.

This will be my tenth year as a teacher…

…and my fifth year teaching 5 th grade at Alvin Dunn

I studied Art and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Painting at San Diego State University.

I received my teaching credential from California State University, San Marcos.

I am a mural artist, and I occasionally still paint murals on the side!

Another favorite!

I have a 10 th grade daughter who attends Mission Hills High School. Her name is Erin Leigh.

She plays lacrosse and field hockey.

I have a brand new 12 week old son. His name is Finn Liam. Finn, four days old

He plays with Froggie.

My husband, Mr. Watters, has his own pool cleaning business. It is called Watters Clean Pool Service! Get it?

My family has a puppy named Rango (like the movie). He just turned one on August 1 st ! He wears a sheriff star as his name badge, and he loves the beach.

Rango, looking SMART! Erin Leigh and Rango Rango in the classroom Rango at the beach Rango as a baby puppy Rango, looking SMART! Rango as a baby puppy

Now that you know a few things about me, let’s get to know our classmates a little better.

Classmate Scavenger Hunt: Find someone who….

First, and foremost, we will begin our journey towards becoming an International Baccalaureate school.

This is a new program for us, and I am still learning about it! You will learn new things as I do. Each month, we will focus on specific learner profiles, attitudes, and skills.

 Each month, our focus learner profile, attitudes, and skills will be posted in our room.  I will also try to display books that highlight the learner profile.

International Baccalaureate, otherwise known as IB, focuses on real-world application of knowledge and….

The 4 C’s

Collaboration Communication Critical Thinking Creativity …and there may be a 5 th C: character!

We will be building on fourth grade skills in math and language arts. And lucky us… 5 th grade science and history is very interesting and exciting!

Part of the International Baccalaureate program is integrating the curriculum, which means combining units of study and incorporating subjects such as language arts and math into social studies and science units.

 Place Value and Rounding  Factors  Exponents  Fractions : Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division  Algebraic Equations and Expressions  Dividing Larger Numbers  Decimals: Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, Division  Percents  The Coordinate Grid  Integers  Lines and Angles  Area and Perimeter  Surface Area and Volume  Mathematical Reasoning and Word Problems

 Reading Comprehension Skills: Main Idea, Text Features, Inference, Fact/Opinion, Sequence, and Figurative Language (in conjunction with Theme and Symbolism)  Language Conventions: Grammar, Capitalization, Punctuation, Spelling, Editing and Revising, Root Words, Prefixes, and Suffixes  Writing: Response to Literature, Personal Narrative, Persuasive Essay, Research and Reports

Social StudiesScience United States History  Maps  States and Capitals  Early Peoples  Arrival Theories  Colonization  Uniting the Colonies  The American Revolution  American Government  The Constitution  Westward Movement  Matter and the Periodic Table  Changes in Matter  Cells and Organisms  Body Systems: Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive  The Water Cycle  Weather  The Solar System

In order to create a safe and productive learning environment for everyone, our school is beginning a new program called… The Dragon Way

Do your best! Make good choices. Be respectful of your school. All standard classroom rules and procedures are related to the above three rules. Students are also expected to follow the School Rules found in the green Student Handbook.

You will learn more about this school-wide program in the next few weeks! I’m ready!

We will be using a behavior card system to keep track of how our day is going.

Positive ConsequencesNegative Consequences  Tickets for Student Store  Tickets for Activities/Rewards  Team Points for Rewards  Principal Signatures  Verbal Praise  Notes/Phone Calls Home Behavior Cards Yellowwarning Orangeloss of recess Rednote/call home *If behavior continues beyond red, referral and/or parent conference

Good behavior Helping without being asked Doing the right thing Being a good friend to others in the class Volunteering answers Participating in discussions Scoring high scores on classwork and tests Following the rules Being ready on time Returning important papers on time Working well with others Making good choices

PrizesRewards  Homework pass  Extra recess time  Rent the classroom for lunch  Change your seat for a week

Let’s find our partners! Look for an A or a B on your desk.

First, match up! Tell your partner one thing you can do to earn tickets.

Now, mix up! Tell your B partner one other thing you can do to earn tickets.

8:45 Morning Business (review schedule, announcements, CNN Student News, current events quickwrite, check in homework) 9:05 Math: warm-up, problem of the day 9:25Math: direct instruction, independent practice, centers, First in Math, reteach groups 10:25Reading Groups: comprehension skill practice 11:10 Recess 11:30 Social Studies/Science alternating units 12:10 PE, Technology class, Spanish class, or Art class 12:50 Lunch 1:35English Language Arts Block: comprehension skill direct instruction, roots and affixes, grammar skills, writing 2:50Read aloud: historical fiction/comprehension skill practice 3:10Dismissal

 We will have P.E. every Tuesday and Friday and alternating Wednesdays right before lunch. Please be sure to wear appropriate clothing and footwear to participate in running and sports activities on those days.  We have some exciting new classes that you will be attending on non-P.E. days! We will be going to art, technology, and Spanish class!

 We will also have an opportunity to visit the library once a week on Tuesdays to check out new books. Books are due on Monday afternoons.  Wednesdays are Professional Learning Community (PLC) meeting days for teachers, and the school day ends at 2:10.  Friday Flag Salute assemblies are held from 8:45 to approximately 9:15 to recognize student achievements, and will be held 2 to 3 times per month.

Every morning, we will watch to learn what is going on in the world around us! There are usually four news stories each day, and it lasts about ten minutes. During this time, I will be taking attendance and checking in homework. Sometimes, you will be writing about current events in your CNN Student News mini-books! Our favorite anchor, Carl Azuz!

Let’s watch the new school year kick-off of CNN Student News!

A monthly calendar is posted on the Language Arts wall behind the reading table. This calendar will highlight upcoming fun and important events! The calendar will also display our current reading skills, as well as the skill that is coming up next!

There are two main goals for all fifth grade students: to be successful on the 5 th grade CST and to be prepared to enter middle school. We also want to help our fifth graders become more creative, critical- thinking collaborators who have excellent communication skills!

We will work together to achieve these goals! As your teacher, it is my job to prepare you for your tests, expose you to new ways of thinking and doing things, and teach you the fifth grade curriculum. This will prepare you to be successful in middle school next year!

As students, your job is to be here each day, give your full attention to lessons, and keep a positive attitude! Doing these things will help you do your very best and learn as much as possible! I am confident that if you do your job, you will be fully prepared for sixth grade!

Let’s think about our own personal goals and objectives for this school year…..

San Marcos Unified School District uses a numerical system for elementary school grading Below 59%60-74%75-89%90-100% Student performs far below grade level Student performs below grade level Student performs at grade level Student performs above grade level

 Grades will be determined from a combination of test scores, quiz scores, class work grades, and project scores. Homework is an effort grade, and is not factored into academic grades.  We will also do projects that will allow us to create portfolios of work that will be graded using a rubric. Each student will be given a copy of the rubric at the beginning of the project.

 Students who earn a grade less than proficient on a math test will participate in a re-teach group, and then be given an opportunity to retake the test. So, if you score a 2 or a 1, you will have a chance to work on the skills and then try again.  Graded tests and quizzes that score a 2 or below will require a parent signature.

 Progress reports are sent home mid- trimester so that you have time to work hard and try to correct any problems before report card time.  Progress reports also give your parents (and me!) an opportunity to assess your achievement and help you improve.

 Nightly homework will be given Monday through Thursday. Homework will not be given over the weekend with the exception of an occasional special project.  Homework is practice of what has been taught that day in class. It is never new material.

 Homework will always consist of reading 30 minutes, “Five Most Difficult” math problems or a page from the math homework book, and other assignments that align with our lessons for the week.  Students will often be required to read assigned pages for their reading group. It is very important to come to school prepared for your group.

Homework grades are effort grades, and will show up under Citizenship rather than subject area grades. However, homework is VERY important. It is practice of key concepts taught in class and helps reinforce the lessons. You will NEVER have this much homework as a 5 th grader!

If the homework is difficult for you, here is how you can receive full credit:  Show all of your work  Write questions about it directly on the page  Give you best effort and make it clear that you tried. If you do all of these things, your homework will receive credit. It will also help me to know what skills you need help with! NEVER just put a question mark! This will not count as effort.

I will be checking in your homework daily. Here is what I will be looking for: ◦ Signed binder reminder (This tells me that your parents acknowledge that you read for 30 minutes the night before.) ◦ Every assignment completed (or showing enough effort to receive credit!) Students who come to school without their homework are unprepared for class and will immediately turn their card to yellow as a warning. They may be required to make up the work at recess, as well.

Let’s get out our Binder Reminders and do a “bookwalk.” We will also find today’s date and write down our homework.

Our classroom is a very special place. During the week, most of us will spend the majority of our waking hours right here in this room! That includes me. For this reason, it is important to me to keep our classroom looking cheerful, motivational, neat, and organized.

We all play a part in making our classroom a place we like to be. I expect every person to do their best to keep the room neat and organized. If we all work together on a daily basis, it will be easy to maintain a clean and happy environment!

What you can do to keep your classroom in top shape:  Keep your desk clean, inside and out. This includes keeping the top of your desk clear.  Pick up trash when you see it.  Keep your team desk caddy neat and organized.  Keep your team desks together neatly in their group.  Keep your attitude positive: this goes a LONG way towards creating a happy environment!

 You may not keep items on the floor without permission. Backpacks remain outside on the hooks unless I ask you to bring them inside due to heavy rain.  You may not bring food into the classroom.  You may keep a water bottle on top of your desk, as long you are not distracting others with it. However, you must bring it home with you each night. You may not leave it on your desk; it will be thrown away if you do.

Over the years, I have bought many books and added them to my classroom library. Slowly, over time, I have built a library of 1,000 books!

 Our library is carefully organized so that you can easily find the books you want to read.  Most of the books are labeled with their AR level.  Books in a series are kept together, as well as books by the same author

Side note: I love Dr. Seuss!

In order to keep our library neat and organized so that everyone can find the books they want to read, I have strict rules about borrowing books:

 You may only borrow one book at a time.  You must put the library card behind your name on the check-out chart.  Please try to check out books that will help you advance in your AR Goal.  Do NOT put any book back on the shelf. Turn books in to the book bin by the check-out chart, and I will put them away. Leave the card behind your name and I will put it back in the book.  Please take care of the books! I love to have a fantastic library for all of my students to use, but I can’t afford to replace books that are damaged.

There will be two Teacher Assistants approximately every two weeks that will help keep the classroom running smoothly and maintain organization. Every student will have an opportunity to be a Teacher Assistant for two weeks. Some students will have an opportunity to do it twice! Teacher Assistants will have a little bit of extra work to do…but they will be rewarded for a job well done!

We will now appoint our first two Teacher Assistants! They will begin their jobs right away!

Neat, professional work is very important to me. A proper heading on your paper gets you off to a good start, and helps me keep your work organized. I expect every student to write a proper heading on every single assignment done on lined paper.

Let’s take a look at the whiteboard for a demonstration of a proper heading.

Students who do not use a proper heading will lose points, be required to begin again, or both! Make this your motto: DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME!

Let’s take a few minutes and write a proper heading on a piece of lined paper. Put it aside….we will be using it in a little bit!

 Alvin Dunn is participating in the One-to-One Technology Grant, which gives students access to technology while in school on a one-to-one basis.  We will be using ipads in the classroom to improve and enrich our learning experience.

 All students will be expected to be responsible and follow school rules when using technology in the classroom, and will be closely monitored. Students who use technology inappropriately will face consequences, which include losing technology privileges.  As a class, we will be learning about proper use of computers and the internet, and will focus on internet safety.

 We will also be using PCs in the classroom. We have many school programs for our PCs that are very beneficial to the students, such as Accelerated Reader, First in Math, and Education City.  We will also use PCs for word processing and to learn how to create PowerPoint presentations.

You may have noticed my college wall. Here at Alvin Dunn, we want to create a college-bound culture, where the students think about, talk about, and plan to attend college after high school.

We will talk with you about many different kinds of college opportunities, about careers you can aspire to, and about the PACE Promise program, which unites San Marcos Unified School District with California State University, San Marcos. This program is helping many of our students pay for college!

You will be provided with the supplies that you need to be successful in school. However, if you are interested in buying some additional supplies, I recommend the following:  1 ½ inch Binder (no zippers, please)  Wide-ruled Paper  Pencil Box  Extra Pencils  Dry-erase markers

Let’s take a look at our supplies in and on our desks!

Let’s have a great year!

One more thing…….