September 9, 2014
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Kara Bartkus
Shannaedi ElFadili
Amanda McGlothlin
Laura Parker
Crystal Weber
Michelle White
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Alvin Website www.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 Mobile APP http://www.alvinisd.net/Page/15236
* Please visit this website to download a free APP for quick district communication.
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Marlin Messenger (e-news)
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Please visit this website to enroll. http://alvinisd.schoolwires.net/Page/4569
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Teacher Email
* (first initial, last name@alvinisd.net)
* Limited information pertaining to child as teacher’s respect student confidentiality
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Mary Marek Phone: 281-245-3232 Conference time: 1:00-1:50pm
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Tuesday folders
* Used to send important information home
* Used as “one-way” communication
* Sent home on Tuesday and returned to school on Wednesday
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Student daily binder and academic planner
 Change of Transportation must be received by 2:30pm.
Please call the office, email me, or send in a written note.
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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/parent/
 Teams Mobile
 Email Notification
http://www.alvinisd.net/cms/lib03/TX01001897/Centricity/Domain/2092/E
mail%20Notifications.pdf
Alvin ISD Elementary Grading Guidelines:
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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.
Evaluation Key for Reading and Language Arts
3 - Proficient
2 - Working on
1- Not Proficient
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Homework is reinforcement of skills learned in class.
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Math
A.S.T.R.O.S- Tuesday-Wednesday
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Science/Social Studies
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Assignment over topic for the week - Thursday
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Reading
Minimum of 20 minutes daily
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Homework is checked daily.
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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.
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***It is YOUR CHILD’S responsibility to complete daily
homework assignments and get their planner and reading log
signed daily. ***
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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
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Spiraling Curriculum-Each nine weeks we will revisit concepts learned from the
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Concepts Include
previous nine weeks and build on those concepts.
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Related addition and subtraction problems (word problems)
Number Patterns
Numbers to 120
Graphs
Add/Subtract within 12
Time to the Hour and Half Hour (analog and digital clocks)
Coins/Cent symbol – Pennies, Nickels, Dimes, Quarters
Coins (skip count to determine coin collection value)
Length
Geometry (2D and 3D shapes)
Number Patterns (skip count by twos, fives, tens up to 120
Fractions – ½ and ¼
Addition/Subtraction within 20 (using strategies to solve problems)
Meaning of Equal Sign and Unknown Equations
Personal Financial Literacy
Working at Home
◦ Keep your child’s ASTROS homework that is sent in Tuesday Folders to review for
Benchmark Assessments.
◦ Have your students show their work 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)
 A.S.T.R.O.S. stands for Alvin Students Training Rigorously on Skills.
 2 ASTROS assignments per week (Tuesday and Wednesday).
 The front 4 problems on ASTROS are a spiral review.
 The back 4 problems are based on a focus student expectation or
group of similar student expectations. For example, the ASTROS will
be titled with FOCUS SE: 4.2A
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
Guided Reading Levels
DRA
Goal
C/D
3-4
Beginning of Year
E
6-8
Beginning of Year
F
10
Middle of Year
G
12
Middle of Year
H
14
Middle of Year
I
16
End of the Year
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DRA Level 3
◦ “I like oranges,” said the boy. “Do you?”
◦ “No,” said the girl. “I like apples. Do you?”
◦ Repeated text with picture clues
◦ DRA Level 4
◦ “Where is my hat?” said Ben.
◦ Ben looked under his bed. “It is not here,” he said.
◦ More sight words with picture clues and
comprehension questions
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DRA Level 16
◦ Birds make nests in the spring. Mother robin finds mud and twigs and
leaves. She makes a round nest. She puts soft grass inside the nest.
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Monkey and his mother lived in the jungle. One day Monkey wanted to
take a walk to look for butterflies.
◦ “Don’t go too far,” said his mother. “There are lots of animals who eat
monkeys.”
◦ “Don’t worry,” said Monkey. “I won’t go too far.”
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Level 16 can be either non-fiction or fiction
Story lines or information are more complex
More focus on comprehension
First grade sight words should be mastered at this point
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Writer’s Workshop This Year
• Where Writer's get ideas
• Writer's Workshop
. Procedures and expectations
• How to use different writing tools
• Telling stories in illustrations
“Spelling”
Typical Schedule: (in class activities)
Make, Say, Check, Write, Mix
Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check
Making Connections
Buddy Study
Buddy Test
Students will come home soon with a list of 10 words: 5 words are
chosen from a list using a specific spelling concept, 5 words are
chosen by the student from a list of High Frequency Words.
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Making connections through knowledge, strategies,
skills, and vocabulary to other learning area such as
reading, writing, and math concepts.
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Whole group discussions and lessons
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Variety of Topics
 Communities
 Timelines, maps, graphs
 Historical figures
 Folktales and Legends
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year your Scientist will cover the
following Topics:
Introduction to Science
Weather/Seasons
My World (Soil, Rocks, Natural Sources of Water, Conservation
and Recycling)
Matter
Energy and Forces (Forms of Energy, Motion and Magnets)
Living and Nonliving
Animals (Characteristics and Life Cycles)
Plants
Interdependence (Ecosystems and Food Chains)
Project Based Learning
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Working independently and building stamina
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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.
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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 and Kindle Fire devices
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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.com
Starfall - http://www.starfall.com
Kids Spell - http://www.kidsspell.com
Storyline Online - http://www.storylineonline.net
Tumble Books – http://www.tumblebooks.com
Seussville - http://www.seussville.com/
Online Story time http://www.barnesandnoble.com
National Geographic for Kids - http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/kids/
NASA for Kids - http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forkids/kidsclub/flash/index.html
ABCya - http://www.abcya.com/
PBS Kids - http://pbskids.org/
Dance Mat Typing - http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/typing/
Internet Safety - http://www.netsmartz.org/Safety/SafetyTips
Thank you for attending tonight.
Please email any questions,
comments and concerns to your
child’s teacher.