th
4
Grade Parent
Orientation
Mrs. Yesland- ELA
Mrs. Long-Science
Mrs. Koikkal-Math (sub: Mrs. Skelton)
Mrs. Cessna- ELA/SS
Mrs. Hughley- ELA/SS
Mr. DeLoach M/Sci
Ms. Timme- M/Sci
Classroom Expectations:
Each class has compiled a Social Contract for
each subject. We will abide by our Social
Contract, and this helps us to manage
ourselves and form better relationships!
If you do not meet an expectation:
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Conversation/Warning
Sign Planner
Call home/email parents
Office Referral
~Consequences will be issued based on
severity of infraction.
Rewards
Daily:
Weekly:
Praise
Marlin Tickets
Positive Notes
Some vary with teacher
Marlin Ticket Store
Other treats as situations allow
Teacher Websites
● Teacher websites are a great resource for information
about what’s going on in class.
● All websites have our schedules, academic skills being
taught, an about me page, contact information, and
conference hours
● You also may see instructional videos, helpful links,
classroom handouts, Twitter feeds with pictures or
videos of classroom activities, student login instructions,
and other items as the year progresses..
● If you still have questions, please email us! We will get
back to you within 24 hours
● How to find our websites?
Alvin ISD
BYOD
● The Alvin ISD BYOD program allows students bringing their
own technology devices to school for educational purposes.
If your child chooses to not bring a device, he/she will still be
able to participate in all classroom activities. We have a
technology rich campus!
● Examples of allowed devices: iPad/iPod touch, Kindles,
Android tablets, cell phones, laptops
● Conduct for devices will be handled as with any related nondevice behavior (ex: off-task, inappropriate, etc..)
● Students will be responsible for their own device and MAY
NOT loan or share their device with others.
BYOD cont’d
● Examples of classroom uses of BYOD:
○ Google Apps- drive and sites
○ Edmodo, Socrative (responses), Today’s Meet, others
○ Research and presentations
○ Reading, in lieu of physical books
● Students bring electronic communication devices to
school at their own risk, just like any other personal
item. The district will not be held responsible if an
electronic device or other item is lost, stolen, or
misplaced, including those that have been confiscated.
Planners/Tuesday Folders
● Please check and sign planners DAILY.
● All important papers will be sent home, on
Tuesday, in Tuesday folders.
● The students must have their planners DAILY.
○ This will be our primary form of communication for
behavior.
○ Please encourage your child to bring us his/her
planner if you have written a note in the planner, or
feel free to email us or send a separate note.
Graded Work/TEAMS
➔District-based program that allows parents
to stay informed about grades, attendance
and student discipline
➔Sign-up through the district website; you will
need your child’s Student ID#
http://www.alvinisd.net/parents
➔Late work and make-up work will be
accepted as per district policy:
◆ -10 points (1st day late), -20 points (2nd day), -30
points (3rd day), ZERO (4th day)
English/Language Arts (ELA)
Academic Expectations
Homework
➔ Spelling/Word Study: Students will have weekly spelling
homework. Spelling is due each Friday.
➔ Reading: Students have a weekly reading log, on which
they record their reading. Please initial the log. We will
be checking it weekly, and it will be turned in at the end
of each week.
*Please note: Homework will be adapted as the year
{and student skills} progress
Social Studies Academic Expectations
Texas History
➔ Often integrated with reading - focus on non-fiction
➔ Various research projects and presentations will
take place throughout the year.
➔ Assignments will primarily be completed in class.
➔ Grades will often be based on participation,
completion of assignments, and understanding of
material covered as measured by project rubrics or
other assessments.
Science Expectations
Science Year at a Glance
Scientific Tools and Process
Earth’s Resources
Weather
Constructive and Destructive Forces
Patterns (Sun, Earth, & Moon systems)
Soil
Matter
Plants
& Animals
Energy
Ecosystems
Forces
Students are expected to come each day with their binder including their
planner, and Science and Homework folders. They will require a pencil,
sharpener, and red pen, as well.
● Grades
○ Students will earn grades based on the following
district scale:
■ class work 80%, tests 15%, homework 5%
Science Expectations
cont’d
● Make Up Work
○ Students can find their assignments in the Make
Up Work file in our room. If a student has a
question, he/she should see me. Make Up work is
expected to be returned in the amount of days that
the student was gone.
● Late Work
○ Late assignments will be accepted for a reduced
amount of points.
■ -10 points (1st day), -20 points (2nd day), -30
points (3rd day), No Credit (4th day)
Math Academic Expectations
● Fourth Grade Math Year at a Glance:
○ place value
○ adding/subtracting
○ patterns/tables/ordered pairs
○ multiplication
○ division
○ fractions, decimals
○ geometry
○ graphing, measurement, and probability.
● As we progress through these units, we will
continue to work on problem solving; using P.S.P.
and the problem solving strategies.
● The purpose is to show the students the way we
use math in everyday life.
Math Academic Expectations
● Everyday Items: The students know what is expected
each day when they walk into their math classroom
- Binder (including Planner)
- Astros homework
- Math Interactive Notebook (Spiral)
- Pencil
● Daily Routine
- Warm-up
- Brace Map(P.S.P.), Thinking Map, Multiplication Chart
- Check Astros/Homework
- Lesson/Game
Math Academic Expectations
● Grades
- Make up work: It is the student’s
responsibility to pick up his or her make up work
from me when he or she is absent.
-Late Work: Late assignments will be accepted
for a reduced amount of points based on district
policy
-10 points 1st day, -20 points 2nd day, -30 points 3rd day, ZERO 4th
day.
Math STAAR (May 9)
● The State of Texas Academic Assessments test is
48 questions long. The test is timed.
● Students will have four hours to complete the
assessment.
● The majority of the test will be problem-solving
questions that incorporate operations. Not too
many questions will be straight computation
problems. There will be many multi-step
problems, as well.
● The state wants to have a precise tool to show
where our students are. The scope is broad.
Reading STAAR (May 10)
The Reading STAAR will take place on May 10. The
Reading STAAR is a one day, four-hour test.
Similar to the third grade Reading STAAR, but longer, more
in-depth text, and paired passages.
Preparation:
We analyze many genres of both non-fiction and fiction
texts throughout the year.
District benchmarks/simulations will be given to expose the
students to new format prior to actual test (October,
January,and March).
Writing STAAR (March 29?)
The Writing test previously took place over two consecutive
days, and each day students had four hours to complete that
day’s portion of the test.
However, TEA has announced that there will be changes in this
year’s test. A likely change is that it will take place on only one
day. As soon as the information is passed to schools, we will
send an email home.
Students will take a SIM (simulated) test for practice in January.
Each day consists of:
STAAR Writing, cont.
In the past:
STAAR Compositions (one each day, the order varies):
-students had 26 lines to write as well as extra paper to plan
1. Expository: Explains with reflection.
*Example prompt: Write about a role model in your life and
explain why this person is important to you.
2. Personal Narrative: A story about an event (small moment
expanded with details)
*Example prompt: Write about a time when you learned
something new.
More info: TEA website (tea.texas.gov)
Volunteering
● If you would like to lend us a hand; sign up
with your student’s teacher to:
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Make copies
Assist with Tuesday folders
Tutor (reading or math)
Hall bulletin board
Other classroom tasks as needed
○ Donate supplies
■
Please see the teacher’s webpage for specific
items each teacher needs.
How to contact us:
●
Email is the most efficient method of
communication.
● kcessna@alvinisd.net (Mrs. Cessna)
mdeloach@alvinisd.net (Mr. DeLoach)
● vhughley@alvinisd.net (Mrs. Hughley)
● jskaria@alvinisd.net (Mrs. Koikkal)
● llong@alvinisd.net (Mrs. Long)
● mtimme@alvinisd.net (Mrs. Timme)
● dyesland@alvinisd.net (Mrs. Yesland)
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Or, please call us during our conference
period.