Welcome to Martin Kellogg Middle School Mrs. Leavitt’s Classroom: Language Arts & Social Studies

Classroom Expectations: Raise your hand when you have something to say Follow directions the first time they are given Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself Use respectful verbal and nonverbal communication Actively listen to the person who is speaking Treat others as you want to be treated.

Give Me Five!! When you hear any teacher say, “Give me Five,” you’ll have five seconds to: …immediately stop what you are doing and …have your eyes on the speaker.

Grade 5: Curriculum Map Science/Social Studies Units September and ½ October………………………………….Sound Geography & Map Skills ½ October, November, and December………………….Light Geography & Map Skills January……………………………….Earth, Moon & Sun Japan February………………………………………….Sensory Organs Japan Early-Mid March……………………………………………..Science Review/SBAC Testing Japan/Africa/Kenya continued April, May, and June……………..Inquiry-based scientific discovery Africa

Homework Procedures Homework is an extension of the class. Any work not completed in class should be taken home for completion. All assignments are due by 8:10 on the due date. Daily homework assignments/short term assignments/long term projects: Incomplete, missed, or late homework assignments not handed in by the due date will not be given credit. Student will receive a homework notice (example on next slide) to fill out. A parent’s signature is required. The assignment may be finished at home for partial credit and returned with the homework notice attached. Projects not completed by the due date will drop one letter grade each day it is late, unless prior arrangements have been made with Mrs. Leavitt. Students can miss four (4) assignments per trimester without consequence. Upon receiving the fifth (5) homework notice, student will lose the privilege to participate in a team reward activity. Students are expected to complete missed assignments when they are absent. All homework should be copied into your agenda from the Homework Board before leaving my classroom each day.

The following is a sample of a Homework Notice: # Homework Notice I understand that I did not receive full/any credit for my homework assignment because it was incomplete/missed/late. Name: Date: Assignment: I did not bring/complete/do the assignment because: Parent’s Signature: Please attach this notice to your assignment if you choose to make it up. You will receive partial credit for any made up work.

Bathroom Procedure All students are issued 2 bathroom passes, like the one above, on the first day of each month. These passes are to be used during class time when a bathroom break is needed. There are several times when a bathroom break is acceptable and a pass is not needed and those times are posted by my classroom door. They are: 7:55-8:05, 10:10-10:45, 10:50-11:30, and 1:25-1:35. The intent of the passes are to cut down on unnecessary bathroom trips during instructional times.

MKMS Pillars Martin Kellogg Middle School Mission Statement Martin Kellogg’s vision is to create a positive, collaborative learning community that challenges and supports students as they grow, change, and learn. Every Student, Every Day! Martin Kellogg students will demonstrate: Respect: for self, peers, staff members, school/personal property Responsibility: for their actions Integrity: through their ethical behavior in regards to personal choices, relationships, and citizenship Pride: in the diverse values, traditions, and achievements of our school community.

Grade 5 Non-Negotiables 1. You MUST put your first and last name on the upper left hand side of each paper. 2. You MUST put the date on the upper right hand side of each paper unless there is a spot for it already on your paper. 3. You must use a full sheet of paper. 4. All work needs to be done neatly, in pencil, turned in completed, and must be readable by the teacher. 5. You must answer all parts of questions.

Other Staff Members: Guidance Counselor: Jim Murphy Special Education: Renee Adetimirin Classroom Tutor: Pam Devinke Wellness Teacher: Denise Siano/Sandy Pilz Health: Kathy Leslie Band Instructor: Ken Bell Orchestra Instructor: Steve Corneau Chorus Director: Jessica Bocola Speech Therapist: Carol Corriveau

FAQ’S (Frequently Asked Questions) Do we switch classes in fifth grade? Yes, fifth graders now switch classes. You will have Mrs. Leavitt for Language Arts and Social Studies and Mr. Dowle for Math and Science. You will also switch classes for your Encore periods at the end of the day, as you did in Elementary School. You will remain with your whole homeroom through each transition. Do we get lockers? Yes, each student will be assigned a locker for the year. You will not have a lock for your locker, so please be sure not to leave anything expensive in your locker that you might be worried about losing. How much homework do we receive each night? Fifth graders typically receive between minutes of nightly homework. This can consist of a daily reading assignment, spelling, math, and/or a long term project.

What field trips do we take? Typically we go to the CT Science Center to support our science curriculum and Sake Restaurant to support our study of Japan in social studies. How does a student get a detention or office referral? (Refer to MKMS Handbook) Some acts students can get office referrals for are fighting, gum chewing, inappropriate language, and disruptive behavior in the classroom. Most detentions in the fifth grade are served during recess. Do the eighth graders bother the fifth graders? Fifth grade has little, if any interaction with the seventh and eighth grades. Their classrooms are upstairs. You eat lunch as a grade, and you walk in the hallways with your teacher to and from lunch and Encore classes. Some students will encounter eighth graders on the bus, but generally this has not been an issue. How long is recess? Recess is about 15 minutes a day after lunch. What “specials” do we take? Encore classes take place at the end of the day on a rotating schedule like the rest of the school, and include: Wellness (PE/Health), Music, Computers, STEM, Library, and Art.