Meet the Teacher Miss Duke

Curriculum Reading- –Harcourt Reading Series- Weekly stories, EOS tests, vocabulary, focus skill, text dependent questions. –Common Core- Focuses on text dependent questions (citing evidence in response to reading). –Core Literature Books- Night of the Twisters –Read aloud and silent reading –Kansas Reading Assessment- Spring (I will send home specific dates as they become available)

Curriculum Math –Review basic math facts- Multiplication, division, addition, subtraction –Problem solving -DCCR/daily Envision lessons –Multiplication: 3-digits by 2-digits –Division: 4-digit dividend with 2-digit divisor –Fractions -adding/subtracting, converting to decimals, ordering/comparing, improper fractions/mixed numbers –Decimals- tenths and hundredths –Geometry - 3D geometric shapes, faces, edges, vertices, and types of triangles –Math vocabulary- Math dictionaries/glossary of Envision –Quizzes/Tests- Short quizzes throughout the year, Topic tests, 1 day review (book/online). –Kansas Math Assessment - Spring (I will send home specific dates as they become available)

Envision Math Designed to align with common core (tested indicators in the state of Kansas) Math textbooks- these can be viewed online Online access – see handout

Curriculum Spelling –Five core words –Twenty words from Harcourt spelling –Five challenge words for those that miss 5 or fewer on the pretest (*Extra challenge- 3 additional words for those that miss 2 or fewer on the pretest) –Pretests on Fridays, Posttests on Thursdays –Mini-Lessons –Review Games –Spelling City

Curriculum Science –Experiments/Scientific process - Soap floats and antacid experiment –4 units Environmental interactions- Trees/leaves, food chains/webs and biomes. Bones and Muscles/Senses- Names of bones/muscles, parts, purpose. Sight, sound, taste. Rocks and Minerals- 3 types of rocks, various minerals, layers of the Earth, changes in the Earth. Electricity and Magnetism- Poles, circuits, electromagnets. –Study guides provided- Homework assignments and assignments done in class will come home at the end of each unit. These are used as study tools. –Science Assessment- Spring (I will send home specific dates as they become available)

Curriculum Social Studies –Regions of the United States - Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, West. –States and Capitals - Test for each unit. Cumulative test at the end of the year over all 50 –Geography - Discussed in each unit –State projects and reports -one per unit –Study guides provided- Homework assignments and assignments done in class will come home at the end of each unit. These are used as study tools. –50 states parade - Cumulative state project at the end of the year. Each student will research one state and create a “float”.

Writing –Writing Process- prewriting, rough draft, edit, revise, publish –1 piece of published writing each quarter- narrative, persuasive, technical, expository –Six Traits - Mini lessons throughout the year –Daily Language Review - Completed daily. Covers conventions, parts of speech, synonyms/antonyms, etc. –Cursive handwriting- 90% of written work –District Writing Assessment- Completed second quarter Curriculum

Class Schedule A day– Art B day- Spanish & PE C day- Music & Library D day- PE & Spanish E day- Computer & Music

State Assessment Dates Reading~Feb Apr. 19 Math~Feb. 25 – Apr. 19 Science~Feb. 25 – Apr. 19

Homework Homework should reinforce skills taught in the classroom, build responsibility, and develop essential study habits. It is expected that a fourth grader could have up to minutes of homework each night. Homework will generally take place in two forms. –Practice of skills learned in class –Completion of unfinished classroom assignments Daily homework assignments that students’ can work on include: –Multiplication facts –Independent reading –States and capitals –Envision website –Spelling words

Grading Students will bring graded assignments home in their take home folder. Students who score below a 70% will have the opportunity to correct mistakes on their assignment to receive ½ point back. Corrections are not allowed on tests and quizzes. Please let me know if you catch any grading errors on my part!

Gotchas Students at Manchester Park will be Timberwolves on Track because they will be respectful, responsible, and safe. The teachers at Manchester Park will build a positive school environment by…using praise when students are “on-track”. Students will also receive Gotchas throughout the day as they display respectful, responsible, and safe behavior. Students can not receive Gotchas from their classroom teacher. They can only receive Gotchas from other staff in the building (i.e. special’s teachers, office staff, aids/paras, custodians, etc.) A copy of every student Gotcha will be sent to Mrs. DeGroot. Every Friday morning a Gotcha from each grade level will be randomly selected. These students will get to go down to the office and choose a reward from a menu of options.

Miss Duke’s Classroom Management Students in our classroom will be Timberwolves on Track because they will be respectful, responsible, and safe. As a class we have created our classroom agreements/expectations that will keep everyone on track. I will build a positive classroom by…using praise when students are “on track”. Students will receive blue carnival tickets throughout the day as they display respectful, responsible, and safe behavior. These tickets can be turned in on designated days in exchange for a reward off of our of classroom reward menu...\Behavior\Reward Menu.docx

Assignment Notebook 1.Each day it will be your child’s responsibility to complete his/her assignment notebook (I will complete the chart in class and your child should copy from it). 2.If your child has completed the activity or assignment they should check the box “complete”. If they have not completed it they should circle it and it is homework. It is your child’s responsibility to complete this, as I do not individually check with each student about incomplete daily work. 3.I will initial your child’s notebook at the end of each day, and your child should have you sign his/her notebook each night. 4.Your child will earn a sticker each time the assignment notebook is brought back to school initialed by me and signed by you.

Assignment Notebook… 5.At the end of each month any child who has earned a sticker for 90% of the days during that month’s time will earn 5 carnival tickets, which can be redeemed for items off of the reward menu. 6.The purpose of the assignment notebook is to help your child work on responsibility and staying organized. It also keeps you informed of daily activities.

Take Home Folder Should come home each night along with their assignment notebook. Mail- graded papers, notes, permission slips. Homework- Items that need to be completed and brought back to school.

Newsletters Newsletters come out every two weeks. Posted to my website. No paper copies are sent home. reminder will be sent out when the newsletter is updated. p/ p/

Birthday Treats, Refueling, and Star of the Week Birthday Treats- Please ahead of time to let me know the date you will be bringing in treats so I can plan accordingly. Star of the week. See attachment for information. Star of the Week Info. and Schedule.docxStar of the Week Info. and Schedule.docx Refueling- New guidelines. Refueling Note.pdfRefueling Note.pdf –Allergies –Quick and ready to eat –Cleanliness- We would like to keep our floors looking nice and our classroom materials in good condition.

Room Coordinator/Party Host Sign up is on the back table if you would like to host or provide activities/items for parties. C:\Users\sdukemp\Desktop\Party Host Guidelines.pdf C:\Users\sdukemp\Desktop\Party Host Guidelines.pdf Room Coordinator- Sign up on the back table if you would like to volunteer to be the room coordinator! A coordinator will be chosen by the end of the week. C:\Users\sdukemp\Desktop\Room Coordinator Responsibilities.pdf C:\Users\sdukemp\Desktop\Room Coordinator Responsibilities.pdf

Extra!!! Wish List- Please take a sticky note if you would like to donate an item for our classroom. Permission Form- Please fill out and leave on your child’s desk Mid-Quarter progress report (4 times per year)/Report card- At the end of each quarter