Behavior Expectations

Graded Work  Be sure to check folders each Tuesday.  Review work you see your child having trouble with.  Contact your child’s teacher if you have any questions.  If your child receives below 70 on an assignment, re-teaching of the skill will be provided and there will be an opportunity to improve the grade. The highest grade that can be earned on a second attempt is a 70.  There are many great resources available on the Internet. If you search for a specific concept or skill, you can find many practice pages, online games, background information, etc.

Homework *Assigned Monday-Thursday *Up to 40 minutes a night *Used to review skills *Students should be reading (or on Istation) minutes every day outside of school hours *It is important to set up a regular routine for doing homework and making sure it is returned to school the next day.

Conferences *Ms. Carandas and I are available by appointment on A and E days (calendar on 4 th grade wiki) from 8:10-8:40. Please contact either one of us to schedule an appointment.

Schedule Important times to know: First bell – 7:40 Tardy bell - 7:45 Instruction begins immediately Magnet – 8:00-8:45 (A, C, D, E, F days*) P.E. – B days* Recess – 10:30-11:00 Lunch – 11:56-12:36 (staggered by teacher) Dismissal – 3:00 *Calendar showing A-F days found on 4 th grade wiki page

Testing Dates for 4 th Grade  STAAR Writing – March 30/31  STAAR Math – April 21  STAAR Reading – April 22  IOWA – May 4-8

VIPS Clearance We will be taking a field trip to Camp for All (near Burton, TX) in the spring. We love to have volunteers! Remember that VIPS clearance is an annual process. You must show your driver’s license at the front office every year. Please take care of this early. The clearance process can take 2-3 weeks.

IStation Letters will be sent home next Tuesday with installation and login information. Istation is a program to help with a variety of reading skills. It is individualized and assesses the student’s progress monthly. I would like each student to be on Istation at least 30 minutes per week at home.

C A F E Comprehension Accuracy Fluency Expand Vocabulary

STAAR Writing Test 2 day test (March 30/31) 4 hours each day 1 composition each day + multiple choice revision and editing questions 2 styles of writing– Personal Narrative and Expository 1 page/26 lines Parent Information Writing Night

Magnifying This is a strategy for narrowing focus on a personal narrative. One of the biggest mistake students make is ‘listing’ everything that happened rather than telling about one part of an experience in detail. Write down 3 ‘big’ ideas in response to the prompt. Pick one. Write down 3 ‘smaller’ ideas about the idea you picked. Write a central idea sentence for each idea. Pick one.

Magnifying Step 1 Prompt: Write about a favorite memory.  college graduation  visiting the Great Wall of China  getting a new puppy Pick one idea to write about.

Magnifying Step 2 Write 3 ‘smaller’ ideas about the idea you picked.  driving to get the puppy  picking the puppy from the litter  driving home with the puppy in my lap

Magnifying Step 3 Write a central idea sentence for each.  As we drove down the street, my heart beat with excitement at the thought of getting my new puppy.  The fluffy puppies tumbled over each other, and my heart melted when I caught sight of a small brown and white bundle of fur I knew would soon be mine.  The puppy squirmed in my arms as we drove home.

Check the wiki!

Questions