Mrs. Van Riper
4th Grade
WELCOME TO BACK-TO-SCHOOL
NIGHT
BEFORE WE BEGIN ON CURRICULUM:
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More independent; emphasis on responsibility, respect, and setting
goals
Dare to dream it; work to achieve it.
Honor Roll (3.2 GPA) and Principal’s Award (4.0 GPA & all advanced
marks)
Assignments need to be turned in daily; weekly envelope helps track
behavior & assignments.
Avoid appointments and absences; hard to make up the class time. If
your child is absent, arrange to pick up work to complete at home.
Infinite Campus Parent Portal is now available; it’s a constantly
flowing/ongoing process putting in scores. Sign up in west computer
lab.
Haiku page has back-to-school info, parent letters, directions for book
reports, links to websites.
IPADS & 21ST CENTURY LEARNING
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VCPUSD greatly values technology in the classroom/schools.
iPads are provided for each child in our class, and with the
iPads come expectations:
iPads go home so students may work on projects as part of
their homework.
Your child’s iPad is intended for use by your child and NOT
other family members.
iPads must come to school EACH DAY.
iPads must return to school fully charged EACH DAY.
A child’s citizenship grade (Responsibility) is negatively
affected when he/she fails to bring the iPad to school or
does not bring it charged.
VALLEY CENTER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS AN
OFFICIAL “NO EXCUSES UNIVERSITY” SCHOOL.
WHAT IS NO EXCUSES UNIVERSITY?
“No Excuses University is a network of
elementary, middle, and junior high schools
across the United States. These schools
actively promote a comprehensive model of
college readiness to all students the moment
they begin elementary school.”
(from website)
Every class at Valley Center Elementary
School has adopted a college or university.
Our adopted classroom university is
California Polytechnical State University
of San Luis Obispo.
CHARACTER EDUCATION
Emphasis on:
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Being respectful
Being responsible
Being caring
Being healthy
Our Ambassador Program and School-wide
Activities (on Early Release Days) support
Character Education.
CLASS RULES
1. Show respect to others and their property.
2. Follow instructions the first time given.
3. Talk at appropriate times and use appropriate voices (raise hand).
4. Be organized and ready to learn (pencils ready, sitting in seat, etc.)
Consequences
First warning
Second warning
Third warning
Fourth warning
Fifth warning
Severe clause
Verbal warning
Pay points on point cards
Lose 10 minutes of recess
Lose recess and teacher/parent/student
phone conference
Removal from class to principal’s office
Removal from class to principal’s office
POSITIVE REINFORCEMENTS
Class Points
Marble Jar – Marbles are placed in a jar when the class, as a whole,
works quietly, demonstrates excellent behavior in assembly, walks
appropriately to the library, etc. Reward - special afternoon activity
Individual Points
Point cards – Given when students turn in their weekly envelopes,
spelling homework, reading logs. Used as currency in class for bathroom
trips. May be redeemed at class store.
Group Points
Table points – Given throughout the day to table groups demonstrating
cooperative behavior. Reward – 15 minutes of free choice time beginning
of next week.
DAILY SCHEDULE
8:30 - 8:35
8:35 – 10:00
10:00 – 10:15
10:15 – 11:00
11:00– 11:45
11:45 – 12:25
12:25 – 12:45
12:45 – 1:30
1:30 – 2:15
2:15 - 3:00
Opening – Flag salute, attendance, and announcements
Language Arts – Daily warm ups, Reading Comprehension,
Response to Literature, Grammar, Vocabulary, Word Analysis, and
Writing
Recess
Mathematics
Physical Education with Coach Proclivo
Lunch
Mathematics (cont.)
Writing (cont.) and Universal Access (ELD, intervention, enrichment)
Reading – Guided readings, small groups, literature circles
Science/Social Studies/Art – Varies daily or weekly
** Library is every other Tuesday from 12:50 – 1:20; Computer lab – Wednesdays 2:15
– 3:00
GRADING POLICY
•It is essential that students complete all assignments since
missing work lowers a student’s overall scores.
•As mandated by our school district, test scores count for 50% of
students’ scores, while practice work counts for 50%. Students
complete more practice work, so tests will have a greater impact
on a child’s grades.
•Most daily assignments will be marked by comment, a
percentage score, or by the number of correct problems (e.g.
+ 45/50 correct).
•Classroom assignments that are given a star or a stamp have
been completed in class with teacher help.
PROGRESS REPORTS (KEEPING YOU INFORMED)
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Monday’s Manila Envelopes – First step in keeping
track of how your child is doing in class (records
behavior and any missing assignments).
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Review the graded class work and homework that
comes home in the envelope. The scored papers are
a major part of report card grades.
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Academic progress reports are sent home midquarter, as well as mini progress reports on several
subjects about once a month.
BOOK REPORTS
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Approximately 3 – 4 throughout the year
Assigned on a particular book genre
Book reports are mostly at-home
assignments.
Students are evaluated on content,
neatness, creativity, mechanics, and how
well the student followed the directions.
Late book reports will lose grade points.
FIELD TRIPS
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grade has two planned field trips:
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College Bound Field Trip to an university
planned for autumn.
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Visit to Mission San Luis Rey or other historical
landmark in spring 2015.
IPAD AND COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
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Students will work on interactive websites or apps such
as Pages, Notability, iMovie, iXL Math, iXL Language,
Khan Academy, Spelling City, Nook, and others. My
fourth graders will use websites for research, word
processing, and dictionary/thesaurus tools during class
time as well as during computer lab.
Students will take STAR Reading/Math tests and AR
tests via their iPads, as well as at the Learning Center.
iPads are used in my classroom throughout the day,
primarily during Language Arts, Writing, Math, and
Social Studies.
MATH TARGETED STANDARDS
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Make sense of problems & persevere in solving them.
Reason abstractly.
Construct viable arguments & critique the reasoning of
others.
Model with mathematics.
Use appropriate tools strategically.
Attend to precision.
Look for and make use of structure.
Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
CURRICULUM: LANGUAGE ARTS
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Spelling (including “challenge” words)
Vocabulary Development
Grammar
Target Reading and annotation
Reading Fluency (reading aloud with voice inflection)
Close reading for deeper knowledge
Supporting argument with evidence from text
Word analysis (homographs, homonyms, root words,
etc.)
Figurative language (metaphor, simile, idioms, etc.)
STATE STANDARDS FOR READING:
(50% Fiction, 50% Nonfiction)
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Prepare for & participate effectively in a range of
conversations/collaborations with diverse partners,
building on others’ ideas; expressing their own clearly
& persuasively.
Read closely to determine what the text says explicitly;
make logical inferences from it; cite specific textual
evidence.
Read/comprehend complex literary & informational
texts independently & proficiently.
Write arguments/support claims in an analysis of
substantive topics using valid reasoning/relevant/
sufficient evidence.
LANGUAGE FRAMES (EXAMPLES):
Character: In the beginning, the character ____
was feeling _________ because ____________
(evidence).
 The passage ________ is mostly about ______.
One important detail is __________________.
 The word ________ is a _________ (part of speech
because it ____________ (characteristics).
 From the author’s clues, I can infer __________.
 Based on _________ (evidence), I predict _______.
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WRITING & WRITING STRATEGIES
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Annotation Techniques (District Adopted)
Cornell notetaking skills train students to take Cornell
notes and prepare them for middle school.
4th Grade Writing Emphasis:
• Personal Narrative & Creative Narrative
• Reports of Information; Expository
• Argument with Evidence
CURRICULUM: SCIENCE
Units of Study:
Living things: ecosystems; food webs; etc.
 Rocks and minerals; weather; volcanoes;
earthquakes
 Electricity and magnetism: circuits, energy,
magnets, etc.
 Scientific method; inquiry
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CURRICULUM: SOCIAL STUDIES
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Emphasis on:
Geography: Landscape of California
Native American Tribes of our state.
Spanish Explorers
Spanish Missions
Gold Rush
Statehood of California
Transportation: Transcontinental Railroad
PARENT PORTAL & HAIKU
Infinite Campus Parent Portal
https://ic.vcpusd.net/campus/portal/valleycenter.jsp
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Parents may view their child’s attendance, grades, and
assignments.
Progress reports and report cards will be viewable.
Parents may update emergency contact info: phone numbers,
etc.
Parents may email teachers.
Please note: The best day for up-to-date grade info is Friday
afternoon or Monday morning. Grading may be in progress
during the week. Your child’s Monday Progress Envelope
marks the missing work for the previous week.
HOW TO CONTACT ME:
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Email me with concerns or questions:
vanriper.ka@vcpusd.org
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Or call me at 760-749-1631 ext. 276
BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT INCLUDES:
Please visit the Scholastic Book Fair in the R-1
portable. Turn in the raffle ticket for $25 in
books! School t-shirts are also available for
$10.00.
 Visit the computer lab in the west hallway
(other side of the school near the front) to sign
up for the iPad agreement and set up Parent
Portal so you can have access to your child’s
grades and progress reports.
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