th
4
Welcome to
Grade
Curriculum Night!
Take a minute to look around our learning
environment!
Please read the note your child has written to you,
and respond with a friendly letter for them to read
in the morning!
*No Curriculum Books this year…it is online!
Contact Information
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Email:
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Website: http://kyrene.org/cmerri
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Phone: (480) 541-3135 (voicemail)
(480) 541-3000 (office)
cmerri@kyrene.org
(best way to reach me!!)
Personal Background and Experience
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Grew up in Illinois
Married and have 2 daughters
Undergrad degree from Illinois State University
Masters degree and Reading Specialist endorsement from
Arizona State University
Structured English Immersion endorsement from Rio
Salado College
Taught 7 years in special education in Illinois and New
Mexico
Took an 10 year sabbatical to raise my family
Taught 3 years part time as a special education resource
teacher at Estrella
This is my 9th year teaching 4th grade at Estrella
Goals
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To make your child self-responsible
and self disciplined.
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To make connections between school
and the real world.
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To be prepared for 5th grade and
middle school.
Classroom Behavior
Classroom Responsibilities
 Classroom Behavior Plan
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Classroom behavior will be recorded daily on
their homework calendar (Green, Yellow, Red)
School Wide Character Counts Program
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Six Pillars of Character
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Trustworthiness
Respect
Responsibility
Fairness
Caring
Citizenship
Homework and Reading Requirement
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On Monday, I will send a Math Packet, Math Facts
Packet or a Word Ladder, and 2 Spelling worksheets.
It is all due on Thursday. I give a pretest on
Wednesday with another copy of the list so they will
have that to leave at home to study from.
 Students are responsible to read for 60 minutes and
fill out their reading log each week. Students should
total their reading minutes and parents should sign or
initial their calendar on Thursday night.
 Any student who does not complete his homework or
have his Reading Minutes completed and signed, will
not participate in Friday Fun
Completed Papers and Corrections
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Progress Reports will go home every Friday
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Any assignments with scores below 70% will be stapled
to the Progress Report and are to be corrected and
redone. Please sign that you have checked it over with
your child and return to school on Monday morning.
Completed papers from the week will go home
every Friday afternoon in a manila envelope
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Review the corrected papers from the week and
look to see how your child is doing
Friday Fun
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To participate in Friday Fun
Homework is completed and accurate
 Any corrections are completed correctly and
have been signed by the parent
 Homework Calendar is initialed and reading
minutes are complete
 Class Work is completed
 No days where behavior was on Red
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Rotations: Draw and Color, Games, Video, and
Study Hall
Assessments
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Portfolios
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Tests on Friday
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All published writing will be kept in the
student’s portfolios. Rough drafts will come
home for you to see
Math 4 Today, Spelling, and Daily Oral
Language
6 Traits Writing Rubrics
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Check website for all rubrics
Snacks and Birthday Treats
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Snack and Water
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Healthy snacks (prefer fresh fruits and veggies)
can be eaten during morning recess
Water only in a labeled bottle or container
Please no gatorade, vitamin water, or other colored
beverages
Birthday Treats
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Check the approved list on my website
Make sure that it is individually wrapped for easy
distribution
Summer birthdays will also get an opportunity to
celebrate
Math
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Scott Foresman textbook – traditional
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Check Curriculum Guide for Family Letters
Investigations – Problem solving and
encouraging mental math strategies
• Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
• Multiplication and Division Math Facts
memorization are crucial to success in
fourth grade!!
• Math 4 Today - spiraling curriculum
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Test on Friday
Reading
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Harcourt basal reader
textbook
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6 complete themes
Whole group and
small group
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Literacy Stations to
allow for differentiated
instruction
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Trade chapter books
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Novel studies
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D.E.A.R.
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Reading log
Read Aloud
Writer’s Workshop
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Ideas
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Organization
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Main topic is clear
Topic is narrow and focused
Message is clear from beginning to end
Interesting and important details
Effective lead that hooks the reader
Easy to follow, the reader doesn’t get lost
Good use of transitional words and phrases
Effective conclusion that wraps up the paper
Voice
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Has your fingerprint, it sounds like you
Has energy, is lively
Would enjoy sharing aloud
Writer’s Workshop
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Word Choice
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Sentence Fluency
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Uses strong verbs
Uses words that make pictures in your mind
Doesn’t use one word too many times
Is easy to read aloud, has a smooth rhythm and flow
Sentences begin in different ways
Some sentences are long, others are short
Conventions / Presentation
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Checked spelling, grammar, punctuation, paragraphing, capitals
Looks neat and looks good on the page
Spelling
All Lists available online
 Homework List (purple) due Thursday
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One column activity per night recommended
Take Home (purple) due Thursday
 Pretest given on Wednesday and will go
home in the blue homework folder.
Review those missed words for the test
 Test each Friday
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20 words plus two bonus words
Social Studies (Arizona History)
Now, Mapping and Landforms
 Next, Arizona
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Arizona’s Regions and Plants and Animals
Arizona’s Points of Interest
Native Americans
Mining and Territorial Towns
Arizona Counties
5 C’s (Cattle, Copper, Cotton, Climate, and Citrus)
Research of Arizona Animal
Field trip to Phoenix Zoo
Science
FOSS Kits
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Scientific Process & Experiments = Hands on
Learning
Matter & Energy = Electricity &
Magnetism
2. Renewable and Non-Renewable
Resources
3. Water and Weather
4. Earth Studies = Animal Classifications
1.
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Arizona Animal Reports
Health
Nutrition
 Safety – How to say “no” to risky
behaviors
 HIV / Aids
 Growth and Development
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District Controls, scripted lessons,
Previewing Available in May
Specials Schedule
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Music – Monday: 8:45 – 9:30
Computer Lab – Tuesday: 8:45 – 9:30
P. E. – Wednesday: 8:45 – 9:30
Art – Thursday: 8:45 – 9:30
Library – Friday: 8:45 – 9:30
Friday Fun – Friday: 9:50 – 10:20
Volunteer Sign-Ups
are on the Whiteboard
Parties – We need COORDINATORS!!
 Art Masterpiece
 Behind the Scenes
 Computer Lab (Tuesday: 8:45 – 9:30)
 Photographer for the yearbook to take
class pictures
 PTO is looking for a class mom or dad
from each classroom
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Wish List
is on the bulletin board outside
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Recess Equipment
Playground balls
 Jump ropes
 Hula hoops
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Electric Pencil Sharpener
 Pencils (presharpened please)
 White board markers
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Five Ways You Can Help Your Child Be
Successful in Fourth Grade
1. Check over the homework before it gets turned in.
2. Go over the papers that come home on Friday.
3. Make sure your child knows the basic multiplication
and division facts.
4. Make sure your child has school supplies. (pencils,
whiteboard markers, colored pencils, and a checking
pen)
5. Make sure your child reads 15 – 20 minutes
every night.
Thanks for joining us!!
I am looking forward to a great year. I know
that it will be a huge success with your help.
Please let me know if you have any questions
or concerns. My door is always open!
Questions?
Comments?
Thanks for all the classroom
supply donations!
Your child and I appreciate it!