1. Welcome to Fourth Grade Miss. Mathieson 2018-2019

2. Questions and Comments
Feel free to ask anything along the way.
We’d love to meet you after the PP. That would be a good time to share with us anything you think will help make your child’s year the best it can be.
Communication needs to be open and honest in order to ensure the success of your fourth grader.

3. Communication The easiest way to reach me is via email.
Calling:
Land Line:
Voic
If you need immediate attention, please call the school office

4. Vision
Everyone feels safe, respected, and confident as a learner and individual.
Academic growth is evident and valued.
Students and teacher have a growth mindset with high expectations for learning.
Students, staff, and parents work together to achieve success.

5. Classroom Information
Students may bring a healthy snack and a water bottle to school each day.
Birthdays: will be recognized over the loud speaker and in the classroom.
Brain Gym: As a class, we will be using Brain Gym as way to help us stay focused & energized during instruction.
I will be sending a newsletter every two weeks via my webpage or electronically if you so wish.
All tests will come home after they are graded to be reviewed and signed by a parent/ guardian. Please see that they are returned to school.

6. Classroom Management
Our overall goal is for the children to be responsible, respectful, safe and kind.
At May Whitney we want the students to take accountability and try to work through their actions during the school day. It will be the student’s responsibility to “fix” or amend their actions if for any reason they are deemed inappropriate.
If the students are not able to do this, I will first talk to the students privately to find a solution.
In after their attempt to fix it, if the problem continues, I will or call you directly.
3 step system 1- warning, 2- fix it, 3 contact office or parents

7. Feedback, Reporting, and Homework Policy
As a staff we have reflected on our feedback, grading, and homework practices to ensure they are positively impacting student achievement & their mindset towards their work.
The purpose of homework is to reinforce learning connected to specific standards. Homework should be minimal as there is little evidence to support its positive impact on elementary aged students.
· Reading will be assigned for pleasure and to foster a love of reading
· Math and other content areas will be focused on reinforcing learning that has already taken place at school
· Study guides may be utilized to help students develop the skills required to prepare for assessments
· We will follow a no “zero” policy. If a child does not complete his/her work, instead of receiving a zero on the assignment or homework, the students will complete the Late or Incomplete Assignment Form and then follow through on whatever intervention has been identified.

8. Homework Expectations
All homework will be recorded in the assignment book. This will go home daily and return the following day. Please check your student’s assignment notebook and sign it daily.
Reading
Read for about 20 minutes a night for pleasure.
Math
Fact Fluency practice/games
M-W practice pages of skills worked on during class.
Occasional study guides or pages
Unfinished work from class

9. Folderes
The students will bring their red folder home each night. The right pocket will contain any notes from the office or me, and your child’s work.
The left pocket is where you will place any other school related papers that you need to return. This is also the pocket where notes to me or the office may be placed (or their assignment books).
Please empty the contents of the folder each night. Any pages you need to pass to the school should go no the left side of the folder.

10. Literacy
Classrooms use a workshop model for literacy instruction. Components of a reading workshop model include read-alouds, direct instruction mini-lessons, small group instruction, time for independent practice, writing about reading, conferring with the teacher and time for collaborative conversations. Students will read and work with a wide variety of authentic literature and trade books.
Reading Fundamentals is the series K-5 classrooms will use to guide reading instruction. Each Unit of Study includes mentor texts, a variety of leveled books for guided reading and independent reading, and a selection of digital shared teaching resources that systematically integrate reading skill/strategy instruction with the study of genre. For more information visit
Please note: Students will be assessed using the Fountas and Pinnell Benchmark Assessment System in the fall and spring by the classroom teacher to determine guided reading levels. Additional assessment may occur if needed.
4th Grade Units of study: Launching, Fiction, Nonfiction, and Poetry

11. Writing
Schoolwide is the district 95 curriculum we will be using during our writing/literacy block.
Writing Workshop Model - Components include guided small group writing, interactive read aloud, shared writing, and independent writing.
4th Grade Genre Units –Non-fiction, Author Study, and Featured article & Editorials.

12. Word Study/Phonics/ Spelling
Teachers provide direct instruction of word study as it is developmentally appropriate for students.
Word Study is based on learning word patterns rather than memorizing a list of spelling words.
Words Their Way resources are used in the classroom to support a developmental approach to word study.
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13. Math
The implementation of the Illinois Common Core State Standards brought shifts to math instruction.
Greater focus on fewer topics
Coherence: Linking topics and thinking across grades
Rigor: Pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency, and application with equal intensity
For more information about the shifts to the Common Core, please visit:
mathematics/

14. Math Continued
Stepping Stones 2.0 by Origo is the series used in K-5 classrooms to teach mathematics. Stepping Stones is an online teaching resource that is fully aligned to the Illinois math standards. Students have print journals, but there is not a printed mathematics textbook. The focus of the Stepping Stones series is an emphasis on conceptual development of mathematics. You can expect your child to have many hands-on experiences with manipulatives and visual representations in addition to traditional computation. Number sense and fact fluency will continue to be emphasized.

15. Science
In fourth grade we will study units on earth, life, and physical science topics over the course of the school year. The current text resource for science instruction is National Geographic Science. The series offers a broad range of print and digital resources as students engage in science study and inquiry.

16. Social Studies
Fourth grade students learn about the regions of the United States. A variety of textbook resources are used.
It will be integrated with reading and writing.
Students will practice research skills and note taking.

17. Assessments
The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC)
Aligned to measure whether students are on track to be successful in college and their careers
Computer-based K–12 assessments in Mathematics and English Language Arts/Literacy
Allows teachers and parents access to tools to help customize students learning  
Measure of Academic Progress (MAP)
Used to assess in both Mathematics and Reading
Tiered test based on student responses
Gives valuable feedback regarding student present levels and potential growth as well as skills to be covered individually

18. MAP testing for our class will begin in September:
Math Sept 10 am
Reading Sept 10 am

19. Hallway Duties
If you did not sign up for a fall conference in the hall, please do so before you leave.
Room Parent volunteer sign up is now online, please check your for the website. Please consider helping out.
Anyone who will be in the school volunteering needs to secure and fill out the liability waiver (found in the hallway)
Please take a minute to fill out the T-shirt order form for your child, return tonight or in their binders.

20. Check It Out
Before you leave you feel free to check out the following:
Classroom
Hallway
Fixed vs. Growth Mindset hanging in the room
Your child’s locker (feel free to peek inside)

21. Thank you for coming!