Welcome to Back-to- Welcome to Back-to- School Night!School Night!

Welcome to Back-to- Welcome to Back-to- School Night!School Night!

Room 204Room 20455thth Grade Grade

Mr. ArwadyMr. Arwady432-5837432-5837

tom.arwady@gpschools.orgtom.arwady@gpschools.org

Behavior Plan Our Rules:

Be Respectful, Be Responsible, and Be Safe!

1. Listen when others are talking.2. Follow directions.3. Keep hands, feet, and objects to

yourself.4. Work quietly and do not disturb others.5. Show respect for school and personal

property.6. Work and play in a safe manner.

Behavior PlanConsequences:1. Verbal warning.2. Break another rule: flip card from greengreen to yellowyellow –

warning. 3. Break a rule for the third time: flip card from yellowyellow to

red – lose ½ of the next recess and fill out a Think Paper.

4. Break a rule for the fourth time: flip card from red to blue, miss all of recess, fill out a Think Paper which is signed by parent, and miss an entire recess. Also, Mr. Howell is notified.

Positive Consequences: good notes or calls to parents, extra silent reading time, videos, games, stickers, etc. If a child stays on greengreen all day, he/she earns a ticket which can be used to buy privileges.

Desktop Garage Sales may occur twice a year where tickets earned are the currency.

Curriculum OverviewLanguage Arts• Students will participate in Reader’s

Workshop this year. Children self-select books at their “just right” level, read daily, record, and reflect on their reading. Mini lessons guide reading and teach comprehension strategies used by readers.

• Read-Alouds from a variety of genres: tall tales, fantasy, mystery, historical fiction, science fiction, etc.

Making Meaning and Vocabulary ProgramThrough the use of read-alouds, partner work, discussions and daily independent reading, students learn comprehension strategies to help them make sense of text.– IDR: Individualized Daily Reading

20 + 5 At-Home Reading

• Students read at home for 20 minutes and write for 5 minutes about their reading.

• Students read for a minimum of 3 nights/week.

• Students select an activity from the 20 + 5 Activity Menu (see handout in packet).

• Notebooks are due each Monday.• Once a month notebooks are graded for

effort, thoughtfulness of reflection, and whether they followed directions.

Writing• We use the Write Source text, the Oakland

Schools ELA units, and the 6+ 1 Traits writing program as models for writing.

• We will write narrative, descriptive, and persuasive pieces, poetry, and a tall tale. We will also focus on essay writing.

• Independent Research Project in spring• We will use the writing process steps to create

and publish personal pieces.• We will use our writing skills to reflect on

literature and the content areas.

Spelling and Vocabulary

Spelling:Rebecca Sitton “Spell-It-Write” program. Pretests focusing on a spelling pattern are used to assess students. Missed words and words from other sources suchs as high frequency lists, Social Studies, and Science are used to create a list of 15 words. Tests are every Friday. Emphasis on correct spelling in daily work.

•Making Meaning VocabularyIncreases reading

comprehension and is an excellent vocabulary builder. Words are first introduced in read-alouds and taught within context. Periodic quizzes on word meaning will be given.

Mathematics• Everyday Math/University of Chicago• Groups are used to meet individual needs.• Assessment is ongoing and built into lessons through teacher

observations; periodic quizzes, and tests given at the end of each chapter.

• Homework consists of nightly Study Links pages to reinforce skills and review for tests and quizzes.

• Areas of study:statistics, algebra, decimals, measurement, patterns, fractions,

geometry, ratios and proportions, probability, multiplication, and division.

•

Science with Mrs. Schrage

FOSS Science CurriculumEnhances observation and descriptive skills.Develops students’ abilities to understand

scientific inquiry.Tests are given at the end of each unit. Four Units:1. Variables 3. Energy

2. Mixtures and 4. Living Systems Solutions

Social Studies with Mr. Arwady

Text: The United States by Scott Foresman

-Early history of the United States (Native Americans, explorers, colonies, Revolutionary War, Declaration of Independence, and Constitution–Economics of the U.S.–Geography of the U.S.–Civics/Government of the U.S. (three branches, checks and balances,citizenship, Core Democratic Values: popularsovereignty, common good, justice, and diversity)-origins and customs of holidays-variety of projects: colonial travel brochure, posters, maps, Ladder to Freedom–tests given at the end of each unit– study guides, test-taking skills, and in-class review

New Report Card• Standards-based Assessment (see example)

• Standards are a set of learning outcomes that students are expected to meet within a given grade level.ES Exceeds StandardsMS Meets StandardsAS Approaching StandardCA Concerns in the AreaN Not Marked this Period

Although we will not be using letter grades any longer, I will

continue to put a percentage (%) on student work.

Extras• Throughout the year, students will

be required to complete a variety of projects, a research report, and experiments which will enrich our curriculum.

• At the start of each, a letter will go home outlining the assignment, requirements, expectations, and due dates.

Homework• unfinished class work• Spelling/Vocabulary activities• study for a quiz or test• Math Study Links page nightly• special projects

• “20+5” at-home reading activities

Special Classes

Day A Day B Day C Day D

P.E. Library/Spanish

Art Music

10:20-11:05

Mondays:10:45-11:25

10:20-11:05

Mondays:10:45-11:25

10:20-11:05

Mondays:10:45-11:25

10:20-11:05

Mondays: 10:45-11:25

• Instrumental classes are Tuesdays (11:05-11:50) and Fridays (8:30-9:15).

Field Trips

• Grosse Pointe musical-We may support the arts by attending a high school musical sometime during the year.

• Greenfield Village-TBD (spring) We will visit the farms, houses, and crafts buildings to learn about colonial times, Life Skills heroes like Thomas Edison, and Harriet Tubman, and complement our study of U.S. History.

– We are always looking for good suggestions.

Standardized Testing• MEAP testing: October 2013

– 5th Grade: Language Arts, Math, and Science.

• Fountas and Pinnell Reading Assessment:

• Given by classroom teacher 2 times a year, or three as needed. Provides reading level, fluency rate, and comprehension rate.

• NWEA: Three testing windows: – September – February – April

Grosse Pointe Writing Test: May 2013Middle School Math Assessment: May

2013

Parent Communication

• bi-monthly newsletters (paper and on webpage)

• voice mail: 432-5837• e-mail: tom.arwady@gpschools.org• office phone: 432-4500• webpage: I’m in the process of

updatingit for 5th grade. Stay tuned!

Thank you for being here!

• If you are interested in being a room parent this year, please sign up before you leave. We only need one more!

• Did you add your name and e-mail address to the sign up sheet circulating?

• Any questions?