CURRICULUM NIGHT

August 26, 2015

Mrs. Franks

Fourth Grade

Ross Elementary

BIRTHDAY TREATS

Non-food

Stickers

Pencils, Pens

Markers

Crayons

Erasers

Bookmarks

Rulers

Trinkets (magnets, Frisbees,

etc.)

Play dough

Temporary tattoos

Suggested treats include:Parents may choose to send a treat bag to school for special occasions such as Halloween, Winter holiday, Valentines or Birthday. Treat bags must be filled with non-food items and will be sent home with the children. Treat bags ideas include:

EDUCATIONAL TRIPS

Must be educational and approved in advance through the office

Work will be organized if the office is given a two week notice

for the trip.

Work will be a general outline due to pacing of lessons.

Students have the number of approved days for the absence to

complete make-up work.

Keep in mind PSSA will take place the last 3 weeks in April.

Parent Teacher Conferences: November 2nd and 3rd ; March 21

EARLY DISMISSALS, ETC.

Plan ahead for early dismissals and have a note ready in the

morning—Best time is between 1:30 and 2:15 during our TRIBE

time.

If you do forget to send a note about the early dismissal, you must

call the office. I may not have an opportunity to check my email or

my voicemail.

Please make sure your child is on time each day.

Tardiness is a hard habit to break.

Absence excuses must be in writing.

MAKE UP WORK

Please do not request make up work for one day of

absence.

Pick up time for work must be at the end of the

school day of the second day of absence.

It takes at least 20 minutes to put packets

together.

Please send an email when you need to request

work for your child.

LITERACY

Using Mc Graw Hill’s Wonders program

Goal: to enable your child to become a

proficient/advanced reader.

Concentration on focus skills and strategies, oral

reading skills, comprehension, and developing

vocabulary.

READING ASSESSMENTS

Weekly Lesson Tests◦ Assesses story comprehension, vocabulary, focus

skill, grammar, and spelling

Theme Tests

Critical Thinking Skills-Thoughtful Logs or Reading Journals

GRAMMAR

Students will focus on one grammar skill per week.

Assessed on this grammar skill on each weekly

lesson test.

Written assignments across the curriculum can be

used to asses grammar, usage and mechanics.

SPELLING TESTS AND HOMEWORK

Each week, students will receive a “Lesson

Homework Packet” consisting of spelling homework

pages.

Homework assignments will be distributed on Day

1 and due on Day 6

Spelling Tests will be on Day 6 of the cycle

WRITING

Using the Lucy Calkins approach

Students will be writing in all subject areas

Spending a significant amount of time practicing to write

Argument, Narrative, and Informational Writing pieces

End of the Year Goal: to write a 4-5 paragraph essays

MATH IN FOCUS

MATH IN FOCUS

This is a conceptually-based program that focuses on problem-

solving and reasoning skills.

It is designed with fewer lessons which will be taught over multiple

days to allow time to explore each concept more in-depth.

Students will be keeping a folder in class that contains all pages

and resources for the program. When students have homework,

they will be bringing their folders home with them.

MATH IN FOCUS

The students’ homework will vary each night depending

on the amount of practice each student needs to learn the

skill. The homework will come from either the Student

Workbook, Reteaching Workbook, Extra Practice Workbook,

or the Enrichment Workbook.

Home –School Connection and Chapter Wrap Up

•Keep throughout the chapter and use to gauge chapter

test preparation

MATH IN FOCUS

The students will have access to their textbook

and all materials and resources online. Log-in

information will be coming home shortly.

The manipulatives that are used in the lessons

are also available to use online. The students

will be using the website: www.thinkcentral.com.

SCIENCE

We will be using the science series called, “FOSS”

(Full Option Science System) again this year. This

series has guided the development of successful

active-learning science modules.

The FOSS developers designed the curriculum

based on the fact that elementary students learn

science best by doing science.

SCIENCE KITS

They will be delivered every 9 weeks and include all

materials for students to participate in hands-on

investigations.

We will be using the following modules:

1st – Structures of Life

2nd – Physics of Sound

3rd – Earth Materials

SCIENCE BINDERS

Students will be responsible for keeping an

ORGANIZED binder

Binders will contain all notes, observations, and

drawings for each science investigation

Binders will be graded throughout the unit

SCIENCE GRADING

Response Sheets – students will apply skills learned

in each investigation to a real-world situation

I-Checks – students will be given as a pretest, 1 day

of review and then students are given the I-Check

back to make any changes before it is graded

Survey Posttest/Pretest – Module test given in the

same fashion as the I-Checks

SOCIAL STUDIES

Basic Geography- Map & Globe Skills- Continents & Oceans

Our Community

Native Americans

People From Many Places- Immigration

Our Government

SIGNATURES

Please sign and return all Literacy Tests, Math Tests,

Science Tests, and Social Studies Tests

Literacy Theme tests will be discussed during conferences

and only the grade sheet will be sent home ahead of time—

sign and return it.

Spelling Tests do NOT need to be signed and returned

Most quizzes do not need to be signed and returned

PSSA

ELA—Week of April 11th

Math-Week of April 18th

Science-Week of April 25th

Benchmarks: “A work is now considered C work”

Scores and data will be made public on September 29th.

My scores from last year:

ELA: 75%Advanced, 25% Proficient, 0% Basic or Below Basic

Math: 70% Advanced; 18% Proficient, 12% Basic, 0%Below Basic

PSSA PREPARATION

For the math, reading, and science portion of the

PSSA, students will be completing skills practice

packets and using Study Island to help prepare for the

assessment.

The practice packets will look like the real tests so the

students will be acquainted with the format and types

of questions on the PSSA assessment.

HOMEWORK

Homework will be given almost every single night.

Math is the subject where homework will be given on a

daily basis in most cases. Also, please study math facts

Reading—20 min each night—projects each nine weeks

Spelling –one page per night, but students may work

ahead

Social Studies-Mrs. Jordan

Homework Club is available for students afterschool

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT BOOK

The students are required to bring home their homework folders and assignment books each night with their assignments written in them. The assignment books should be signed by a parent or guardian each night and the student will bring their assignment book back to school on the next school day.Homework will be posted on my website each day.

REPORT CARDS

They will be distributed during the end of the first

semester (January) and at the end of the second

semester (June).

Please check Progress Book often for your child’s up-

to-date progress. A letter will be sent home with your

username/password if you do not have it already.

6 DAY SCHEDULE

Franks

Day 1 – No Special Day 4 – Art

Day 2 – Phis Ed Day 5 – Music

Day 3 – Phys Ed Day 6 – Computer Lab

Band:

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Mrs. Franks’ Email: frankss@nhsd.net Mrs. Jordan’s Email: jordanp@nhsd.net

Mrs. Franks’ Extension: (412) 318-1000 ext5122 Best times to call:8:30-8:50, 11:45-12:15, 3:45-4:00 Teacher’s Webpage

www.rossb42.weebly.com

(All assignments will be posted here daily)

HOME –SCHOOL COMMUNICATION

http://

www.movieweb.com/tv/TEAGGCmv2AGQED/frankie-sends-an-angry-email

Email Usage:

Setting up a phone conference or a meeting at school

Change in dismissal—before noon

Quick information-: “Luke might be tired because he was not feeling

well through the night.”

Quick Question: “ Are the kids allowed to bring a camera on the field

trip.”

THANK YOU!!

Thank you for coming to Curriculum Night!

Please do not hesitate to contact with me if you have any

comments, questions, or concerns throughout the school

year!

Curriculum Night Power Point can be accessed through

my webpage under the Classroom Homepage tab.