1. September 24, 2015

2.  Michelle White – ELA/Social Studies  Kara Bartkus – Math/Science  Lynne Tousek – ELA/Social Studies  Shannaedi ElFadili – Math/Science  Amanda McGlothlin – ELA/Social Studies  Laura Parker – Math/Science  Aishah El Akkari – Self Contained

3.  Alvin Website www.alvinisd.netwww.alvinisd.net * Please visit this website for important information (student handbook, calendar and dress code). * Please visit school and teacher webpages for current events.  Alvin ISD Technology Connect  *Download free Mobile APP for quick district communication http://www.alvinisd.net/Page/15236http://www.alvinisd.net/Page/15236  *Follow the District and Marek Elementary on Twitter and Facebook  Marlin Messenger (e-news)  Please visit this website to enroll. http://alvinisd.schoolwires.net/Page/4569http://alvinisd.schoolwires.net/Page/4569  Teacher Email * (first initial, full last name@alvinisd.net) * Limited information pertaining to child as teacher’s respect student confidentiality  Mary Marek Phone: 281-245-3232 Conference time: 12:45-1:35pm  Tuesday folders: * Used to send important information home * Used as “one-way” communication * Send home on Tuesday and returned to school on Wednesday  Student daily binder and academic planner  Change of Transportation must be received by 2:30pm. Please call the office, email me and/or send in a written note.

5.  All students will be expected to behave in a manner which does not prevent me from teaching and/or other students from learning.  If a student makes poor choices, behaviors will be documented using the academic planner. Examples of consequences are verbal warnings, think time, Behavior Reflections, walking at recess, and office referral.  Capturing Kids’ Hearts * Good Things/Affirmations * Social Contract * Hand Signs * Home and School * Flip Flippen – The Flippen Group http://www.flippengroup.com/education/ckh.html  Mindset Moments *learning ways to fulfill our potential through growth-mindset instead of fixed-mindset * mindset The New Psychology of Success by Carol S. Dweck, Ph.D.

6.  Grades and attendance are posted on the TEAMs Parent Self Serve. This website is a resource for parents/guardians to view their child's grades, attendance and discipline information. Email notifications can also be set to receive notifications whenever an absence is posted or for low grades or missing assignments.  Register to activate your portal through the Alvin ISD website or by going to https://teamsapp.alvinisd.net/selfserve/EntryPointHomeAction.do?parent=true  Teams Mobile  Email Notification http://www.alvinisd.net/cms/lib03/TX01001897/Centricity/Domain/2092/Email%20Not ifications.pdf Alvin ISD Elementary Grading Guidelines:  With the Reading/Language Arts K-2 report card being based on a continuum of learning rather than based on a 0-100 grading scale, multiple opportunities should be given for a student to master skill prior to documentation on the report card. This documentation will be noted as 3, 2, 1. Math/Science/Social Studies is based on a 0-100 grading scale. Evaluation Key for Reading and Language Arts 3 - Proficient2 - Working on1- Not Proficient

7.  Homework is a reinforcement of skills learned in class.  Math  ASTROS stands for Alvin Students Training Rigorously on Skills.  Homework assigned Tuesday and Wednesday  Grades 1 - 5 have 2 ASTROS assignments per week.  The front 4 problems on ASTROS are a spiral review.  The back 4 problems are based on a focus student expectation. For example the ASTROS will be titled with Focus SE: 1.2E  Math reviews will be sent home to prepare for CBA Tests  Science/Social Studies  Assignment over topic for the week – Wednesday-Friday -Social Studies, Thursday-Science  Science reviews will be sent home to prepare for CBA Tests  Reading  Minimum of 20 minutes daily  Homework/Reading Log is checked daily for parent signature, information about book correctly written, and assignment complete.  Students will be expected to do the written work on their own and ask for help only after they have given it their best effort.  Reading passages and comprehension questions will be sent home to prepare for CBA Tests. ***It is YOUR CHILD’S responsibility to complete daily homework assignments and get their planner and reading log signed daily. ***

8.  Spiraling Curriculum- Each grading period students will revisit concepts learned from the previous grading periods and build on those concepts.  Concepts Include ◦ Represent, compare, and recognize relationships related to place value – to 999 Determine whether a number up to 40 is odd or even ◦ Open number line/numbers positioned on a number line ◦ Add/Subtract up to 20 ◦ Word problems ◦ Time - hour, half hour, to the minute, am, pm (analog and digital clocks) ◦ Length – nonstandard units, standard units ◦ Use concrete models of square units to find the area of a rectangle ◦ Graphing – interpreting and solving problems ◦ Fractions beyond one whole ◦ Addition/Subtraction (2 digit addends) ◦ Money and Financial Literacy ◦ Addition/Subtraction (within 1,000) ◦ Multiplication and division  Working with your child at home ◦ Keep your child’s ASTROS homework that is sent in Tuesday Folders to review for CBA Tests. ◦ Encourage your child to show their work using the Problem Solving Process on their homework, not just their answers. (Underline questions, circle important data, write if they are adding or subtracting, draw pictures to check their answers).

10.  Concepts Include * Intro. to Science Unit – What a scientist is and does, safe practices * Objects in the Sky – Sun, Moon, Constellations * Force and Motion * Magnets * Matter – physical properties * Weather – types of weather, weather patterns, water cycle, seasons * Organisms & Environments – animals(needs, physical characteristics behaviors, life cycle) plants (basic needs of plants & animals, physical characteristics of plant to meet needs), environments (environmental factors, interdependency, food chains) * Natural Resources – rocks, fresh water vs. saltwater, natural vs. manmade resources, use, conservation, & disposal of natural resources * Energy Unit - effects of increasing or decreasing the amount of light, heat, and sound energy * Science Careers Exploration Unit

11. Format: 60 minute block of time Students are working independently, or in partners, in Literacy based work stations Teacher is working with small groups Purpose: Students are able to practice skills that were introduced in class or in small groups Teachers are able to work with small groups to enhance reading skills and strategies Goal: To instill a love of reading in all children For students to read with meaning Build fluency and comprehension To make at least one year’s growth based on the DRA

12. Guided Reading LevelsDRAGoal I/J16/18 Beginning of Year K20 Middle of Year L24 Middle of Year M/N28/30 End of Year

13.  DRA Level 16/I 18/J  Readers at Level I:  Read short texts (8-16 pages) & easy chapter books (40-60 pages)  Understand longer sentences of more than 10 words  Read many texts silently, without pointing to words  Automatically read a large amount of high frequency words (from all previous levels & more)  Reads out loud & sounds like normal speaking (not like a robot)  Reads out loud & sound like an actor (pauses, reads with expression)

14.  DRA Level 28/M 30/N

15.  Procedures  Personal Narratives  Small Moments  Genre writing -fiction, non-fiction, traditional literature, poetry/drama  Writing process  Brief stories with BME  Dialogue (brief)  Time order transition words  Letter writing  Reader’s response  Write brief comments on literary or informational texts  Expository and Procedural Texts  write brief compositions about topics of interest to the student  Write short letters  Types of sentences: declarative and interrogative  Write short poems that convey sensory details  Write persuasive statements about issues that are important  Begin cursive handwriting instruction

16. Weekly phonics lessons  High Frequency Words & Schlegel Word Test  short and long a, e, i, o, u, review compound words  Review Syllables  open syllables  closed syllables  consonant clusters/blends with s  vowel-consonant silent e words  inflectional ending -ed  inflectional ending -ing  diagraphs - oo/ee  diphthongs - ou/ow/oi/oy  r controlled vowels - ar,er,ir,or,ur  - ight Spelling patterns  Consonant digraphs - sh/th/wh/ch  hard & soft c/g  inflectional endings er/est  inflectional endings ly/less/ful  Change y to i and add es  spell simple contractions - not/is/will  Common prefixes - un/re/dis  Abbreviations  ick/ack

17.  Weekly spelling tests of 10 words.  5 words are chosen from word study list using a specific spelling concept  5 words are chosen by the student from their list of High Frequency Words they need to work on.  Students have the opportunity to work on these spelling words during the week during Buddy Study:  Build, Mix, Fix  Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check  Buddy Check  Making Connections  Buddy Test

18.  Nouns and Verbs - (Capital I and Names)  adjectives  punctuation marks  subject verb agreement  capitalization for proper nouns (review)  letter writing  apostrophes and possessives  prepositions and prepositional phrases  pronouns  adverbs

19.  Making connections through knowledge, strategies, skills, and vocabulary to other learning area such as reading, writing, and math concepts.  Whole group discussions and lessons  Variety of Topics  My Community / My Country  Fall Season and Geography  Origins of America and American Traditions  Winter Season and Cultural Customs  Historical Figures  Texas Culture, Geography, & Natural Resources  Economics  State and National Government

20.  Working independently and building stamina  Learning mouse control  Enhancing fine motor skills  Practicing basic computer functions  Learning how to manipulate and operate various computer programs and devices  Enhancing reading, math and phonemic awareness skills  Each week students will be visiting the computer lab as well as using the classroom computers to continue education.  Some of the technology integration used in the classroom includes  Promethean Board  SMART Promethean Activslate  Promethean Activote  PC Computer/laptop computer  Flip Video camera  Samsung Galaxy Note, Apple iPad, and Kindle Fire devices

21.  Your child will be interacting with several of the websites listed below. Please feel free to use the following online website resources at home. Click on the link and it will take you directly to the webpage.  Book Adventure - http://www.bookadventure.comhttp://www.bookadventure.com  Starfall - http://www.starfall.comhttp://www.starfall.com  Kids Spell - http://www.kidsspell.comhttp://www.kidsspell.com  Storyline Online - http://www.storylineonline.nethttp://www.storylineonline.net  Tumble Books – http://www.tumblebooks.comhttp://www.tumblebooks.com  Seussville - http://www.seussville.com/http://www.seussville.com/  Online Story time http://www.barnesandnoble.comhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com  National Geographic for Kids - http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/  NASA for Kids - http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.htmlhttp://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html  ABCya - http://www.abcya.com/http://www.abcya.com/  PBS Kids - http://pbskids.org/http://pbskids.org/  Dance Mat Typing - http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/  Internet Safety - http://www.netsmartz.org/Safety/SafetyTipshttp://www.netsmartz.org/Safety/SafetyTips

22. Thank you for attending tonight. Please email any questions, comments and concerns to your child’s teacher.