1. Welcome to Fourth Grade!
Miss Smelscer, Room 49

2. All About Miss Smelscer
I graduated from Slippery Rock University with a Bachelor's Degree in both Early Childhood and Special Education.  I am currently taking classes at Slippery Rock University to earn my Master's Degree in Special Education.  This is my third year teaching at CVE.  Last year was my first year in a fourth grade general education classroom, and I absolutely loved it! I live in Mars with my family, and when I'm not teaching, I enjoy walking at the park, watching sports, and doing crafts.  

3. English / Language Arts Curriculum
Asking Questions and Drawing Conclusions
Making Inferences
Fix – Up Strategies
Main Idea and Supporting Details
Making Connections
Cause and Effect and Fact vs Opinion
Determining Text Importance and Author’s Purpose
Summarize and Synthesize
Sequence of Events
Visualizing
FOCUS ON PROCESS OF READING, NOT HOW TO READ

4. Writing Curriculum Realistic Fiction / Narrative Writing
Personal and Persuasive Essays
Opinion Writing
Informational Writing
Grammar
Parts of speech, punctuation and capitalization, types of sentences

5. Mathematics Curriculum
Place value, fractions, and decimals
Geometry, patterns, and measurement
Time and data
Operations, estimation, factors, and multiples
Prime and composite numbers
Multi – step word problems
MASTERY OF MULTIPLICATION FACTS IS KEY

6. Social Science Curriculum
Life Cycles
Food Chains
Land and Water
Motion and Design
Food and Nutrition
Skin
Pennsylvania History

7. Staying Bully Free Weekly “Bully Free” meetings as a class
Be Safe, Be Kind, Be Responsible
Bullying = REPEATED BEHAVIOR
Emphasis on cafeteria, playground, bus
Sprigeo -

8. Miss Smelscer’s Website
Updated often
Important information for parent and child

9. Bring Your Own Technology (BYOT)
Bring a REGISTERED DEVICE to school (iPad, Kindle, Tablet, etc.)
Use in classroom for research, activities, etc.
Educational apps
BYOT
To register a device go to:

10. Lunch Money Marked envelope with child’s name and Room 49
Will be sent to the office/cafeteria each morning
Menu can be found on SVSD homepage in top right corner
Can put money on child’s account using My School Bucks n=home

11. Homework
Goal: reinforce, enrich, promote teacher/parent/student communication
Not graded for correctness – will go over in class
40 MINUTES PER NIGHT
Line and Sign Policy
Assignments in daily assignment book
Study hall at end of the day
Incomplete assignments done during free time at school, no grade penalty
Reading, math, spelling nightly
Social science occasionally

12. Class Dojo Positive behavior management Each student has a character
Students earn points for positive behaviors
In and outside classroom (special, lunch, hallway, playground)
Parents able to check in on child
Weekly boy and girl MVPs based on points get prize from bin / name on board
Students set point goals each week

13. Behavior Management
Classroom rules made as a group, based on principles of BE SAFE, KIND, AND RESPONSIBLE
Behavior managed by a 3 Strike system
Strikes 1 and 2: Warnings
Strike 3: You’re Out!
Logical Consequences
Positive behavior monitored with Class Dojo
Behavior expectations will be sent home soon

14. Party Planning 1 Room Parent (oversee party planning)
3 Parent Volunteers
PARTY PARENTS DO NOT NEED CLEARANCES
Fall / Halloween Party – October 31st, 1:30-2:45
Holiday Breakfast Party – December 22nd, 9:45-11:00
Valentine’s Party – February 14th, 1:30-2:45
Food must follow healthy snack guidelines / consider allergies

15. Parent / Teacher Conferences
November 10th from 8:00-3:30
15 minutes per conference
Check – in, ask questions, etc.
Sign up today!

16. Questions? Anything I missed? Didn’t cover?
Never hesitate to contact me:
Don’t forget to sign up in the back of the room!!