McGarity Elementary School Meet Your Mindcrafter Night August 25, 2016

Agenda Welcome School Improvement / School initiatives Frequently asked questions The who, when, where, and how of fifth grade. Additional Questions

School Improvement Initiatives Area of Focus: Strategy / Initiative: Teachers will create an academically- challenging environment that cultivates higher-order thinking skills and processes during math instruction. Teachers will focus on increasing the rigor of tasks, questions, and assessments. Strategy / Initiative: Teachers will provide differentiated reading instruction to support and monitor the progress of students using the differentiated piece of the Comprehensive Reading Solutions (CRS) program. Teachers will implement 2016-17 literacy plan to help students achieve a Lexile score on or above grade level.

Who? Meet the Crafters! Mrs. Mullis Mrs. Stone Mrs. York

Communication We all feel that communication is very important to a successful school year. Agenda – Please sign each day. Weekly Folders – Please sign and return. Email – Please email us with questions or concerns. Monthly Newsletters

Our Goal What will my child know and be able to do at the end of fifth grade? Reading Math Writing Social Studies Science

Reading Myon is an option for reading at home. If a child reads on Myon they do not have to write a response. User name – student number (lunch number) Password - student number (lunch number) Reading goal for fifth grade 130 words per minute with a retell of 50%. Students below 100 will have fluency passages to practice each week. Finding a book on a child’s independent reading level.

Scores in the 90th percentile on standardized tests. Reading Expectations Students should read a minimum of 20 minutes each day. Studies have proven that children who read everyday for pleasure become good readers. WHY READ FOR 20 MINUTES A DAY? How do you make a child a better reader? READ MORE! STUDENT A STUDENT B STUDENT C   20 Minutes Per Day 5 Minutes Per Day 1 Minute Per Day 1,800,000 Words Per Year 282,000 8,000 Scores in the 90th percentile on standardized tests. Scores in the 50th percentile on standardized tests. Scores in the 10th percentile on standardized tests.

Reading Making Connections: “That reminds me of………”   Making Connections: “That reminds me of………” Proficient readers use prior knowledge, information, and experiences to make meaning from text. They search for connections between what they know and new information they encounter in their reading. They may make connections between a book and their own lives, between two or more books, or they may make connections between a book and real world knowledge and events.

What does this remind me of in something I have read? Text to Text - When readers make text to text connections, they are reading one book and thinking of similarities in another book or books that they have read or have had read to them. Questions the student may ask themselves are: What does this remind me of in something I have read? How is this text similar in something I have read? How is this different from other texts I have read? How did something else I have read help me to understand this text better?

What does this remind me of in the real world? Text to World – This third way of making connections refers to a readers linking real world knowledge with what he or she is reading. Questions the student may ask themselves are: What does this remind me of in the real world? How is this text similar to things that happen in the real world? How is this text different from things that happen in the real world? How did my knowledge of something in the world around me help me to understand this text better?  

What should a parent do to support his/her child’s reading? All children need practice reading aloud. Open ended questions to use when discussing what your child is reading are located in their binder. When reading a story, ask yourself these questions: 1. The story takes place…………………. 2. The setting is important to the story because…………… 3. What is the main problem in the story? 4. What do you think will happen next in the story? What information in the text helped you make that prediction? 5. What is the story mainly about? 6. Why did the author probably write the story? 7. This story was mainly written to: (inform, persuade, or entertain the reader) 8.  You can tell in the story that ……………………… 9.  Choose a main character. How did he/she feel throughout the story? 10. Why do the character(s) act like they do in the story? 11. What do the main characters learn in the story? 12. What will the main character(s) probably do in the future? 13. What is the theme? 14.  What other story or experience could the theme be related to?

BYOT Students will be allowed to use technology for educational purposes only. Notes will be sent home when technology will be used in the classroom. Students should come to school with their devices fully charged. They will not be allowed to charge devices at school. Students who used their devices inappropriately will lose the privilege of participating during the BYOT activities.

Social Studies IAN – Inter Active Notebook – Interactive resources and notes from each days lesson can be found in their notebook and utilized during homework practice. Students will be writing in each subject area including Social Studies. Students will be expected to answer constructed response questions using the formats they have practiced in class. One of these formats includes RACE R- restate the question A- answer the question C- Cite text evidence E- explain your evidence Students MUST STUDY for tests. Study guides will be sent home prior to the test.

Science Science Journal – Student activities and notes from class will be placed in their science journal. The science journal is a great resource when preparing for a test. Students Must STUDY for tests. Study guides will be sent prior to the test. At various times throughout the year student will be given science projects to complete at home. Our units of study include: Life Science- cells, microorganisms, animals kingdoms, plants, inherited traits Physical Science – physical and chemical changes, electricity and magnetism Earth Science- constructive and destructive forces, weathering and erosion

Math Math is practice not studying. Homework will be given each day Monday through Thursday. Homework is practice of the skills that were taught in class. Each unit, different standards will be introduced and assessed. If your child receives a 1 or 2 in any standard during the year, be aware that they will have all year to master all standards (bring it to a 3). Students can retest any time after an assessment is given and the month of May will be used for re-assessment as well.

Writing All graded writing must be completed at school. If a student doesn’t finish in a timely manner, recess may be used as a time for them to complete the assignment. Each quarter students will have a writing prompt given to all fifth graders in Paulding County as a writing assessment. We are using Lucy Calkins for our writing curriculum.

When? When are progress reports / report cards sent home? Grades will be limited on the first progress report. When are parent-teacher conferences? October 10-14.

Where can I find resources to help my child? Weekly Folders Parent Resource Center Teacher Websites Canvas Facebook page “McGarity Elementary” and “McGarity PTA” E-mail your child’s teacher when ever you have a question or concern.

How? How can I monitor my child’s progress? Weekly folders are used to send home students work. Student Absences procedures. How can I reach the teacher if I have questions or concerns? E-mail or leave a message with the front office and we will get back with you ASAP. Please allow 24 hours for your teacher to respond.

School T-Shirts Please purchase your child a McGarity t-shirt, $10.00. These t-shirts will be worn on our field trip, during our Mustang Dash, and on days when we all want to dress alike.

Questions?