Information for Parents and Families of Room 16 Lake Forest Park Elementary, 3/4 Mrs. Johnston September 27, 2011 Lake Forest Park Elementary, 3/4 Mrs. Johnston September 27, 2011

Expectations & Goals  Students  Be prepared.  Be on time.  Be courteous.  Parents  Provide a nightly homework routine.  Provide encouragement and support.  Teachers  Provide clear communication between home & school.  Provide safe learning environment.  Model expected behavior.  Teach to the WA State Learning Standards.  Students  Be prepared.  Be on time.  Be courteous.  Parents  Provide a nightly homework routine.  Provide encouragement and support.  Teachers  Provide clear communication between home & school.  Provide safe learning environment.  Model expected behavior.  Teach to the WA State Learning Standards.

WA State Learning Standards The Basic Education Act of 1993 led to the development of the following four learning goals which have provided the foundation for the development of all academic learning standards in Washington State: The Basic Education Act of 1993 led to the development of the following four learning goals which have provided the foundation for the development of all academic learning standards in Washington State:

WA State Learning Goal I  Read with Comprehension,  Write Effectively, and  Communicate Successfully in a variety of ways and settings and with a variety of audiences;  Read with Comprehension,  Write Effectively, and  Communicate Successfully in a variety of ways and settings and with a variety of audiences;

WA State Learning Goal II Know and apply the core concepts and principles of: 1. mathematics; 2. social, physical, and life sciences; 3. civics and history, including different cultures and participation in representative government; 4. geography; 5. arts; and 6. health and fitness Know and apply the core concepts and principles of: 1. mathematics; 2. social, physical, and life sciences; 3. civics and history, including different cultures and participation in representative government; 4. geography; 5. arts; and 6. health and fitness

WA State Learning Goal III Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and to Integrate different experiences and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and Think analytically, logically, and creatively, and to Integrate different experiences and knowledge to form reasoned judgments and solve problems; and

WA State Learning Goal IV Understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities. Understand the importance of work and finance and how performance, effort, and decisions directly affect future career and educational opportunities.

Math  EnVision Program  3rd and 4th grade students will be taught separately  For the first 3-4 weeks, all students will be reviewing place value, telling time to the minute, breaking apart numbers, and addition and subtraction of up to a 4 digit number and place value.  With the review of addition and subtraction comes fact families, fluency with basic facts, subtracting across zeros and estimating sums and differences.  OSPI Website -- Math Standards ult.aspx  Math Facts: Focus on multiplication for 4th, 3rd will start with subtraction with Rocket Math  EnVision Program  3rd and 4th grade students will be taught separately  For the first 3-4 weeks, all students will be reviewing place value, telling time to the minute, breaking apart numbers, and addition and subtraction of up to a 4 digit number and place value.  With the review of addition and subtraction comes fact families, fluency with basic facts, subtracting across zeros and estimating sums and differences.  OSPI Website -- Math Standards ult.aspx  Math Facts: Focus on multiplication for 4th, 3rd will start with subtraction with Rocket Math

Reading 3rd and 4th grade will be taught together.  Skills will be taught by trimester based on 3rd and 4th grade reading standards through picture books, chapter books and Literature Circles. Fiction and non-fiction texts will be used.  Fall: Character/Setting, Summarizing, and Main Idea/Details  Winter: Story Mapping, Fact/Opinion, and Compare/Contrast.  Spring: Inferences/Conclusions, Cause and Effect, and Main Idea/Details (again!).  Skills will be taught by trimester based on 3rd and 4th grade reading standards through picture books, chapter books and Literature Circles. Fiction and non-fiction texts will be used.  Fall: Character/Setting, Summarizing, and Main Idea/Details  Winter: Story Mapping, Fact/Opinion, and Compare/Contrast.  Spring: Inferences/Conclusions, Cause and Effect, and Main Idea/Details (again!).

Writing  Two major forms of writing: Narrative & Expository  Narrative is telling a story, expository is explaining  Being a Writer curriculum  Organization, conventions, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, ideas and presentation  Unit 1: Building a Writing Community (6 weeks)  Exploring authors, learning to work in partners, using our writing notebooks, learning procedures for writing independently and sharing writing and gathering topic lists for our writing.  Unit 2: The Writing Process  Prewrite, drafting, revise/edit, publish  Two major forms of writing: Narrative & Expository  Narrative is telling a story, expository is explaining  Being a Writer curriculum  Organization, conventions, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, ideas and presentation  Unit 1: Building a Writing Community (6 weeks)  Exploring authors, learning to work in partners, using our writing notebooks, learning procedures for writing independently and sharing writing and gathering topic lists for our writing.  Unit 2: The Writing Process  Prewrite, drafting, revise/edit, publish

Phonics/Word Study  Students will be studying the key elements (morphemes) of words: roots, prefixes & suffixes in addition to weekly vocabulary that we are learning through our core academic subjects.  Spelling word lists will go home on Monday and will be due on Friday. Tests will be Friday.  Commonly misspelled words and individual word lists to master  Students will be studying the key elements (morphemes) of words: roots, prefixes & suffixes in addition to weekly vocabulary that we are learning through our core academic subjects.  Spelling word lists will go home on Monday and will be due on Friday. Tests will be Friday.  Commonly misspelled words and individual word lists to master

Science  One unit taught per trimester focusing on using the Scientific Method.  First Unit is Measurement. Most work done in class Hands-on exploration Intermittent homework In the spring we will work on an enrichment biology unit using microscopes to investigate pond water organisms, plant cells and animal cells. Students will construct an experiment of their choice and present it to the class.  One unit taught per trimester focusing on using the Scientific Method.  First Unit is Measurement. Most work done in class Hands-on exploration Intermittent homework In the spring we will work on an enrichment biology unit using microscopes to investigate pond water organisms, plant cells and animal cells. Students will construct an experiment of their choice and present it to the class.

Social Studies/Geography  Native American History 3rd grade In third grade, students explore Native American contributions to our culture, past and present. Focusing our lens on NW Tribes, students will gain historical perspective, develop a timeline of events in our region, and be able to make connections between past and present.  Washington State History 4th grade In fourth grade, students explore Washington State in the past and present. Students learn about the state’s unique geography and key eras in early Washington State history.They use this historical perspective to help them make sense of the state’s geography, economy, and government today.  Most work done in class  Intermittent homework  Native American History 3rd grade In third grade, students explore Native American contributions to our culture, past and present. Focusing our lens on NW Tribes, students will gain historical perspective, develop a timeline of events in our region, and be able to make connections between past and present.  Washington State History 4th grade In fourth grade, students explore Washington State in the past and present. Students learn about the state’s unique geography and key eras in early Washington State history.They use this historical perspective to help them make sense of the state’s geography, economy, and government today.  Most work done in class  Intermittent homework

Homework minutes a night  Friday homework packet: Given on Friday and due the following Friday. Work in this packet is review of the concepts that we have been working on that week.  Reading: 20 minutes each night  Effective Vocabulary Instruction By Joan Sedita “ Students who do not read outside of school affects vocabulary development. The amount of time spent reading and the amount read are important. For example, a student who reads 21 minutes per day outside of school reads almost 2 million words per year. A student who reads less than a minute per day outside of school reads only 8,000 to 21,000 words per year. ” (Texas Reading Initiative, 2002). Published in Insights on Learning Disabilities 2(1) 33-45, 2005  Practice “ No Excuse ” Words for Friday test  Friday homework packet: Given on Friday and due the following Friday. Work in this packet is review of the concepts that we have been working on that week.  Reading: 20 minutes each night  Effective Vocabulary Instruction By Joan Sedita “ Students who do not read outside of school affects vocabulary development. The amount of time spent reading and the amount read are important. For example, a student who reads 21 minutes per day outside of school reads almost 2 million words per year. A student who reads less than a minute per day outside of school reads only 8,000 to 21,000 words per year. ” (Texas Reading Initiative, 2002). Published in Insights on Learning Disabilities 2(1) 33-45, 2005  Practice “ No Excuse ” Words for Friday test

Policies & Procedures  Homework: Website will have daily homework and what we accomplished in class listed  Weekly Work Log: Filled out daily in class-in the return section of the Take Home Folder  Behavior Level Warnings  Level 1: Verbal or Non-Verbal Warning  Level 2: 5 min off recess  Level 3: 10 min off recess  Level 4: miss all of 2nd recess  All behavior issues will be discussed with the student through an informal “conference” with the teacher. I will listen to the student and we will work out a plan of action to help curb inappropriate behavior.  If Absent--opportunity to make up work  As many days to make up work as was absent  Homework: Website will have daily homework and what we accomplished in class listed  Weekly Work Log: Filled out daily in class-in the return section of the Take Home Folder  Behavior Level Warnings  Level 1: Verbal or Non-Verbal Warning  Level 2: 5 min off recess  Level 3: 10 min off recess  Level 4: miss all of 2nd recess  All behavior issues will be discussed with the student through an informal “conference” with the teacher. I will listen to the student and we will work out a plan of action to help curb inappropriate behavior.  If Absent--opportunity to make up work  As many days to make up work as was absent

Looking Ahead/Nuts and Bolts  Conference sign up for October 12th, 13th, and 14th  Parent Volunteer sign up  $6.00 for Scholastic News Magazine  Come visit our classroom anytime! Just check in at the office and come on down.  Conference sign up for October 12th, 13th, and 14th  Parent Volunteer sign up  $6.00 for Scholastic News Magazine  Come visit our classroom anytime! Just check in at the office and come on down.

Questions?  or call me at home if you have an questions!  home phone: I very much look forward to discussing your child at October conferences. Best Regards, April Johnston  or call me at home if you have an questions!  home phone: I very much look forward to discussing your child at October conferences. Best Regards, April Johnston