8/20/2014 Mrs. Fitzgerald Mrs. Huber Mr. OConnell Mrs. Peterson

 Focus on specific learning outcomes  Students take part in creating mission statements, analyzing data, and setting goals Progress monitored throughout the year and tracked on graphs displayed in room Plan  Do  Study  Act

Comprehension Vocabulary “Digging” into the text

 Common Core Standards –  dig deep (explain, evaluate, defend, analyze, …)  look at writer’s technique  focus on various genres including non- fiction  Develop strong readers with a solid skill base to understand and retain literature  Focus on Expository Text.

Materials – Reading Street Book – Reading Folder – Independent Reading Book – Reading Notes (Composition Book) Reading Logs – 20 minutes per night for total of 400 minutes per month

 This class uses FOSS (Full Option Science System) as the basis for study. FOSS is aligned with Arizona State Standards and was developed through rich collaboration of scientists, educational researchers, curriculum developers, assessment specialists, teachers, administrators, community members, and parents. Students learn by doing science. FOSS engages students to construct an understanding through investigations and analyses, using lab equipment, readings, and interactive technology.

 Landforms  Environments  Magnetism and Electricity  Water and Weather

Using the Common Core Standards

Opinion: To support a point of view with reasons and information Informative/Explanatory Writing: To examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly Narrative: To develop real or imagined experiences, using effective technique, descriptive details, and clear event sequences

 Prewriting - Using strategies to generate, plan, and organize ideas for specific purposes.  Drafting - The use of prewriting activities to create a first draft containing necessary elements for a specific purpose.  Revising - Evaluating and refining the rough draft for clarity and effectiveness. “Ask: Does this draft say what you want it to say?”  Editing - Proofreading and correcting the draft for conventions.  Publishing - Formatting and presenting a final product for the intended audience.

 Writing program used by the district  Helps writers with the pre-writing step in the writing process.  Use of Thinking Maps to organize ideas before starting a piece.  A skill-based program.

 Deer Valley has adopted this program of word study to replace the spelling program from last year.  Students will work in differentiated groups at their level of knowledge to acquire new spelling patterns.  Students may be tested on words that follow their pattern weekly or every other week.  Spelling is now part of the 4 th grade writing program.

 Common Core! Shared Standards between states in the United States  Common Core! Philosophy for math…go for a deeper understanding of the concepts rather than teaching numerous standards with little depth

Place Value Multiples and Factors Multiplication and Division Fractions Angle Measurement Measurement Conversions Decimals

 Curriculum this year is a more common core oriented program called Engage New York.  The daily classroom lessons will be reinforced with nightly homework.  For additional practice the students have access to a online math website called IXL.  ID’s and passwords will be handed out soon.

 Facts about Arizona  Arizona’s Location and Regions  Surrounding Areas  Ancient People and Tribes of Arizona  Spanish Explorers and Missionaries  And more…

 Don’t forget to send in your $5 to cover the cost of this newspaper

 Deer Valley is changing to a new report card for grades 3 – 6.  We’ll look at a Power Point from the district that will be available for parents to read on the 4 th grade website.