Welcome to

Room 5

Mrs. Whitestine

Who is Mrs. Whitestine ?This is my 17th year teaching, and my 8th year at

Hahn. I have taught grades 2nd-7th. I have a wonderful husband and 3 (usually) delightful kids! Maddie is my oldest in 8th grade. Colton is in 5th, and Cassidy is in 2nd. As a family, we love to camp, travel, and snow ski! Tahoe is our absolute favorite place to visit (winter or summer)!

My Philosophy and Expectations

Philosophy: For each student to feel safe, respected, and successful in order to create a learning environment that is beneficial to all!

Motto: Mutual Respect

Expectations:

• Complete all work (class work and homework)

• Working in successful collaborative groups/partners

• Stay Organized (PLANNERS!)

• Follow school and classroom rules

• Positive attitude and mutual respect

• Ultimately, doing their personal best!

Standards and the Common Core

Mission: The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world, reflecting the knowledge and skills that our young people need for success in college and careers. With American students fully prepared for the future, our communities will be best positioned to compete successfully in the global economy.

More complex words/tasks expected = Interpret, explain, compare

Smarter Balance Test

Website to view sample questions:

http://www.smarterbalanced.org/sample-items-and-performance-tasks/

“The Smarter Balanced assessment system—including summative, interim, and formative components—is aligned with the Common Core State Standards and will accurately measure student achievement and growth toward college- and career- readiness.  These assessments will go beyond multiple choice to include performance tasks that allow students to demonstrate research, writing, and analytical skills.”

Curriculum Overview Language Arts:

•Core Literature

•Houghton Mifflin Medallion Series

•Walk to Read

•Individualized Reading Stations “Daily Café”

Math:

•Eureka Math

Science:

•Foss (Earth: Weather, Water, Solar System; Life: Human Body, Plants; Physical: Atoms, Molecules, The Periodic Table)

Social Studies:

• Scott Foresman (U.S. History)

Project Based Learning (P.B.L.)

Eureka Math

EUREKA MATH SUPPORT Use the following link: http://www.oakdale.k12.ca.us/ENY_Hmwk_Intro_Math Example: Lesson ____ (clicking here will show you the answers to the problem set) -Homework (will allow you to look at the blank homework sheets)

-Video (explains & shows you how to complete homework sheets) Click on the appropriate grade levelClick on the module numberClick on the lesson numberWatch the video for each lesson assigned & complete the homework sheet(s) as you watch

Classroom Management

Individual:Positive- Gratitude GramsNegative – Clip Chart Dark purple= “W” Bucks Light Purple= Gratitutde Gram Orange= 10 Minutes on Thinking Wall Red= Detention and/or phone call home*Applies at the end of the day!

Tables:

Positive/Negative- Table points

Whole Group:Positive/negative- P.A.T. points

4th Graders: Class Cash

Homework Policy1st: Freebie- Because we all have a bad night! Work is due the

following day!

2nd: Homework Note 1- Needs to be signed and returned with homework the following day!

3rd: Homework Note 2- Needs to be signed and returned with homework the following day!

4th: Detention- Needs to be signed and returned with homework the following day! Detention will be served after school for 20 minutes!

5th: Start over from Homework Note 1!

Homework passes will be given out! These are a reward for a night off! No homework needs to be turned in! However, homework passes are not applied to projects or multiple day assignments! I buy these back at the end of the year!

Every trimester the entire process starts over! A new freebie!

* Your child was given a homework calendar at the beginning of the year! It is essential for your child to write in this nightly! This is an organization piece that will help them be successful throughout their life! Please check it frequently to see if it is neat and accurate!

Online Grading / Grading Policy

I use an online grading program called Engrade! Please check this regularly for your child’s grades and missing assignments.

Website: https://engrade.com/

Use your access code to login.

Grading Policy:

4 = 89% - 100%

3 = 76% - 88%

2 = 63% - 75%

1 = 50% - 62%

Sample Weekly Schedule 4th

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

8:20-8:30GMW (Good

Morning Work)Buddies GMW GMW GMW

8:30-9:40Whole Group

Lang. Arts

8:50: Whole Group Lang. Arts

Daily Café Daily Café Daily Café

9:40-10:20   Walk to Read Walk to Read Walk to Read Walk to Read

10:25-10:45 Recess Recess Recess Recess Recess

10:45-12:00 Math Math Math Math Math

12:00-12:25 Read Aloud   Blueprints Read Aloud Blueprints

12:30-1:15 Lunch   Lunch Lunch Lunch

1:15-1:30 Calendar/ Pack up   Calendar/ Pack up Daily Café and

Catch upCalendar/ Pack up

1:30-2:004th grade Catch

up  Switcheroo

 Switcheroo

2:00-2:30    PE/ Library/ Comp.

Lab 

2:30-3:00PE/ Library/ Comp.

Lab       

Sample Weekly Schedule 5th

  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

8:20-8:30GMW (Good

Morning Work)GMW GMW GMW GMW

8:30-9:40Whole Group

Lang. ArtsWhole Group

Lang. ArtsDaily Café Daily Café Daily Café

9:40-10:20   Walk to Read Walk to Read Walk to Read Walk to Read

10:25-10:45 Recess Recess Recess Recess Recess

10:45-11:15 Math Math Math Math Math

12:00-12:25 Read Aloud Home at 12:00 Read Aloud Read Aloud Read Aloud

12:30-1:15 Lunch   Lunch Lunch Lunch

1:15-1:30 Calendar/ Pack up   Calendar Calendar Calendar

1:30-2:00 1:40 Science   Daily Café Social Studies Catch up

2:00-2:30         Library

2:30-3:00     PE   Computer Lab

Monthly Book Reviews

Every month your child will turn in a book review on the last school day of the month. Each book review will differ in expectations. The guidelines will be discussed at the beginning of each month. For September and October, the guidelines are the same. Sentence frames will be available on my website.

Monthly Genre

September: Fiction October: Historical Fiction

November: Non FictionDecember: Your choice

January: BiographyFebruary: Poetry AnalysisMarch: Mystery/Fantasy

April: Your choice

TechnologyI LOVE technology and hope to use it regularly in the classroom! We will have access to our own 9 chrome books in our classroom! I will be helping students create and/or continue to use an educational Gmail account where they will be able to put documents, powerpoints (slides), etc. in a Google docs. account. This Gmail account will follow them as they continue on in CRPUSD.

I’m hoping to get more IPads to help quick research in the classroom!

*** Any help from knowledgeable parents is GREATLY appreciated!

5th Grade Field Trips (tentative)

Squid Dissection (Once per student: time will vary).…………………….…..2.00

SRJC Native American Museum (October)…………………………….……….…7.00

Charles Schulz “Peanuts” movie (November)……………………………………10.00

Sonoma County Water Agency (Jan/Feb)………………………………………….Free

Colonial Day (March)………………………………………………………………………...6.00

AT&T Park (April)………………………………………………………………………………25.00

Safari West (May)…………………………………………………………………………….15.00

Total …………………………………………………………………………………………………65.00

4th Grade Field Trips (tentative)

•Rohnert Park Gymnastics…….. End of September $8.00

•Pt. Reyes National Park…………..TBD $8.00

•Symphony at Green Music center/SSU tour..Feb. $5.00

•Sonoma Historical sites...March $10.00

•Bouverie Nature Preserve…….April $10.00

•Sacramento Historical Sites...May $15.00 (PTA supplements)

  On Site

•Gold Mining Day…….May

•Business Day ………….……Oct/Nov. and Feb./March

•Approx. total cost= $60.00 This includes bus/field trip expenses and supplies for special events. Checks payable to Marguerite Hahn Elementary by Sept. 18th please.

4th Grade Business Day•Project Based Learning is a dynamic classroom approach in which students activiely explore real-world problems and challenges and acquire a deeper knowledge.•Driving Question: How can we, as young entrepreneurs, create a product, service, game or raffle, that will attract and appeal to the Hahn community?

•Twice/three times a year in the multi-Use room•Class cash•Business Plan•Market (Advertising)•Create jingle, logo, motto•Guest speakers from the community

• Customer service and marketing ideas•Math standards: profit/loss, computation, balancing, making change.•ELA standards: public speaking, writing, analysis •4c’s: creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication

Hygiene

Hmm… here comes the awkward part! Your children are growing up and their bodies are changing! Please talk to your children about deodorant, teeth brushing, and other hygiene issues! Walking into a 5th grade classroom after lunch can be quite an experience! Especially in the spring! So, please help me avoid any awkward conversations later in the year!

Dress Code

Dress code is a school rule and will be enforced in class. All students need to wear shoes with heel straps…no flip flops! We encourage students to wear comfortable shoes everyday as we try and do some PE activities every day.

Shorts need to reach past a students’ fingertips and tank top straps need to be at least “two-fingers” wide. No halter tops or bare midriffs.

Classroom Volunteers and Donations

I really appreciate both of these!!!

Volunteers needed:

Room Parent: the liaison for the PTA (does not have to attend meetings), helps plan parties in class, coordinates classroom events

Clerical Parent: makes copies, corrects papers, etc.

Art Docent: Lead art docent lessons (training available)

Reading center: work with small group of children, needs to be reliable. (Wed, Thurs, Fri - 9:00-10:30 and Thurs. 1:45-2:20)

Book order parent: place order every month, organize book orders to go home, distribute books

Field Trip chaperones

Donations: large jug of white glue, glue sticks, baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, tissues and graph paper

Snacks / Birthdays / Morning Walk / Buddies / Boomerang Folders / Band

•Please make sure your child has a HEALTHY snack everyday!! They don’t go to lunch until 12:30!

•We have a school policy of no birthday treats in the classroom. We will still celebrate your child on their special day !

•Please encourage your child to walk every morning from 8:10-8:20! This is a great way for them to get a little exercise before school, and research shows it gets the brain ready to learn!

•We will be buddies with Mrs. Dale and Mrs. Forni’s classes!

• Graded work and school notes usually go home on Wednesdays. Please review these items and sign & send the folders back the following day!

•Band will be 30 minutes a day after school on Mondays and Thursdays from 3:05-3:35.

P.T.A.Please become a member of our AMAZING PTA!! These parents work extremely hard to provide our school with fabulous opportunities!

Family fun nights!!!

Technology funding

Art docent lessons

Field trips

And SOOOOO much more!!!!

Conferences

• Conferences will be held in late October and November.

• Sign ups are on back table.

• I do set one Saturday aside for conferences.

Scholastic Book Orders

• I put orders in at the end of every month and we accept late orders. So, if you find an old book order sitting around, feel free to send it in. I can’t guarantee that it won’t be on back order, but it’s worth a shot!

Website / Email

My email: shawnawhitestine@gmail.com

Website: Will be updated once a week (usually on Mondays). Homework is usually posted daily.

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