FOURTH GRADEKERBY ELEMENTARY

2013 – 2014Bill Pfeuffer

WELCOME TO BACK-TO-SCHOOL-NIGHT

TONIGHT’S AGENDA

6:45-7:15 Welcome7:20 – 8:00 Homeroom, Language Arts, and Math8:00 – 8:15 Rotate to Science (Room 10) to meet with Ms. Walsh.8:15 – 8:30 Rotate to Social Studies (Room 11) to meet with Ms. Zens.

4th GRADE TEAM CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT AND HOMEWORK

• Philosophy of Teaching: Positive reinforcement with high expectations

• Classroom Rules and Consequences– Kerby rules/color flip chart/ownership of room– DEBUG system– FISH

• Homework: Will vary Forty minutes: math, spelling, reading/literature,

book projects, various assignments (check planners daily)

Twenty minutes: reading at home every night

ACTIVITIES FOR FOURTH GRADE

• Student Council• Choir• Enrichment

activities at lunchtime

• Safety/Service

Field Trips• Lansing trip: Spring:TBA.• Henry Ford Museum: “If I Had A

Hammer” taken in the late Spring.• North H. S. Planetarium.

COMMUNICATION

• Assignment books (Planners) should be signed/reviewed daily by parents.

• Weekly Report: Summary of past week and a look ahead to upcoming events/tests will be posted on Mr. Pfeuffer’s web page.

• Conferences: December and March.• Email is most efficient.• By appointment as needed.• Phone calls, carbon-copy notes, voicemail.

Departmentalizing• Ms. Walsh: Science (plus focused

writing)

• Ms. Zens: Social Studies (informational reading and writing) and Spelling

• Mr. Pfeuffer: Math

• MTSS: All teachers

• Switching begins September 11th

TEACHER CONTACT INFO

• Located on Kerby website:• Bill Pfeuffer william.pfeuffer@gpschools.org

• Voicemail: 432-5250

• Kristen Zens kristen.zens@gpschools.org

• Jennafer Walsh jennafer.walsh@gpschools.org

DAILY SCHEDULE: Monday

• School begins 9:05• Announcements 9:10• 1st Period 9:10-10:00• Rotation to 2nd Period 10:00-10:50• 3rd Period 10:50-11:40• Homeroom 11:40-11:56• Recess/Lunch 11:56-12:44• Tardy bell 12:46• Language Arts 12:50-1:55• Special 2:05-2:45• Language Arts/Wrap-up 2:45-3:35• School ends 3:38

DAILY SCHEDULE: T-Fri

School begins 8:25Announcements 8:25-8:301st Period 8:30-9:20Rotation to 2nd Period 9:20-10:103rd Period 10:10-11:00MTSS Switch 11:00-11:20Recess/Lunch 11:20-12:27Tardy bell 12:32Writing 12:35-12:55Language Arts 12:55-1:50Special 1:50-2:35Language Arts/Wrap-up 2:40-3:30School ends 3:38

SPECIAL CLASSES

•Specials from 1:50-2:35 Tues-Fri

•Special from 2:05-2:45 Monday

A Day Library/Spanish

B Day Music

C Day Gym

D Day Art

•Computer Lab TBD

COMPONENTS OF FOURTH GRADE LANGUAGE ARTS

• Spelling Practice

• Grammar/DOL

• Reading Workshop

• Making Meaning

• Read Aloud• IDR (independent reading)

• Wordly Wise• 6 +1 Writing

Traits• GP Writing• Writing Workshop

• Zaner-Bloser Spelling Program • New spelling list weekly• Sentences assigned weekly • Puzzles/Games• Alphabetizing• Regular testing with notice (Friday)• Spelling emphasized and assessed in writing

projects

SPELLING

READING

• Genres Narrative: identify and describe poetry, myths, legends, fantasy,

and adventure. Inferences and context clues studied. Informational: identify informational text patterns in

autobiography/biography, personal essay, and newspaper• Possible titles we will read: Paddle to the Sea, The Lion, the Witch,

and the Wardrobe, The Westing Game, Mystery on Mackinac Island, and Because of Winn-Dixie.

• Comprehension assessed through written questions, discussions, and open-book quizzes.

• Reading Workshop• Making Meaning Program

SELF-SELECTED READING

• IDR (Independent Reading Time)• Teacher Read Aloud • Reading At Home (RAH!) every night for 20

minutes • Book Bingo: Bi-monthly book reports

– experience different genres– selection of report activities– allows students to read at their individual levels – class presentations

BOOK BINGO

• Bi-monthly book reports

• Experience different genres

• Choice of report activities

• Class presentations• Awards!

6 +1 Writing Traits

• District-wide emphasis on writing instruction• Student writing improves when writing traits are

used in a systematic way throughout the school• Provides a common language for students to use

to write, revise and edit their work• Traits are: Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word

Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, + Presentation

WRITING

• Narrative: myth, legend, fantasy, adventure, poetry

• Informational: comparative piece, research project, directions, opinion, and letter

• DOL (Daily Oral Language) – conventions• Taught through mini-lessons and conferences• Writing Packets/Journal/GP Writing focus• Pen Pal and Around The World projects • 6 + 1 Writing Traits

– Ideas, Organization, Voice, Word Choice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, + Presentation

Everyday MathematicsMaterials

• Student Math Journal

• Study Link Masters

• Student Resource Book

• Geometry template

• Workbook stays at school unless assigned as homework.

• Homework book. Family letter and answer key at beginning of each unit.

• May be taken home for homework help.

• May be used for homework; one issued per student.

Math: EverydayOverview

• Content: Very challenging with differentiation options in all units. • Focus: Meeting the needs of all students (Reinforcement and building skills

and confidence, to higher/above grade level challenge—5th and 6th grade material-- with no ceilings).

• Pacing: Brisk with a focus on spiraling coverage over repetitive mastery. Content and skills are recycled throughout the year. Less lecturing, more “doing” of the math. One section per day.

• Homework: Most nights, try to avoid Fridays. Self-corrected. Grades not issued daily, but credit given for completed work and selected problems assessed.

• Assessments: Frequent and varying, students will have announced mini-quizzes. Examples: Chapter Test, Journals and Study Links, in-class work and extensions.

• Hands-on: Students will need dry erase pens, calculators, flash cards.• Keys to success:

– Listen and focus in class– Participate in the learning activities– Complete the homework (and extensions)– Parental involvement – Math at home – Use Links and Journal as study guides for Chapter Tests. – Helpful Apps: Math Motion; WolframAlpha

TESTING SCHEDULE

• NWEA: September 10th - October 10th for Reading and Math.

• NWEA: also given in Winter and Spring.• MEAP: October (2-3 day window)

Language ArtsMath

• Grosse Pointe Writing Assessment: May

MAKING THE GRADE

A+ 100 % C+ 78-79

A 93-99 C 72-77A- 90-92 C- 70-71B+ 88-89 D 60-69B 82-87 U 59B- 80-81

Current Report Cards:

ES: Exceeding Standards: (A)MS: Meeting Standards: (C+ to B+/A-)AS: Approaching Standards: (C-/C)CA: Concern Area: (D+ and below)

CLOSING COMMENTS

•Please sign up for your December conference tonight using the schedules outside the gym door•Please sign up for class parties and room helpers! •We will have a great year!