Mr. Franey
September 2015
Introduction
• A little bit about myself
– 19th year teaching in Montgomery
– Undergraduate degree from Rutgers College
– Graduate degrees from Rutgers Grad. School of Ed.
– Married with a daughter who is a 4th grader in the
Bridgewater School District
Tonight’s Agenda
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Curriculum Overview (It’s quick. I promise!)
A Typical School Day in Your Child’s Life
Responsive Classroom
Class Rules
Homework
Report Cards
Testing
Communication
Fourth Grade Reading
• Reader’s Workshop Format
• Mini-lesson (Whole Class Direct Instruction)
• Independent Reading
• Individual Reading Conferences
• Reading Partnerships
• Guided Reading
• Interactive Read-Alouds
• Partnership with Teachers College
Fourth Grade Reading Units
• Interpreting Characters: The Heart of the Story
• Reading the Weather, Reading the World (Nonfiction)
• Interpretation Book Clubs
• Historical Fiction Book Clubs
• Reading History: The American Revolution
• Nonfiction Book Clubs: Author Studies
Fourth Grade Writing
• Focus on writing instruction at all grade levels through Writer’s Workshop
• Writer’s Workshop Daily Format
• Mini-lesson (Whole Class Direct Instruction)
• Independent Writing
• Individual Writing Conferences
• Strategy Groups
• Share
• Interactive Writing
• Partnership with Teacher’s College
Fourth Grade Writing Units
• The Arc of Story (Realistic Fiction)
• Boxes and Bullets: Personal and Persuasive
Essays
• The Literary Essay
• The Craft of Fiction
• Bringing History to Life
(American Revolution)
• Journalism
Fourth Grade Language Arts
Homework
• Language Arts Homework will be assigned
nightly to students
• Homework may be related to reading OR
writing
• A specific task will accompany each night’s
homework
– i.e. Reading: Reading an article and
responding in reading notebooks
– i.e. Writing: Drafting multiple versions of
thesis statements for a literary essay
• There may be additional optional homework
related to reading self-selected texts at home
or practicing spelling activities
• Spelling word lists/features will be given each
week, but the majority of spelling practice will
take place in the classroom
K-4 Mathematics
Math in Focus
Math Workshop Approach
Mini-lesson
• Whole Class Direct Instruction using a Concrete-PictorialAbstract progression.
• Includes opportunities for students to discuss concepts and
big ideas in each unit.
Practice
• Games, Activities, & Written Practice
Small Group Instruction
Infused Technology
Goal Based Fact Fluency Practice
Problem Solving Experiences
Tonight’s Year at a Glance document will provide more information about
grade level topics and a ThinkCentral e-blast with information about online
textbook access is coming soon.
K-4 Science and Social Studies
Students will learn about their communities and the world around them
through:
Social Studies
•Culture and Diversity
•American Colonial Period
•American Revolution
Science
•Scientific investigations in Life, Earth, and Physical Sciences
•Developing Science Process Skills, such as Observation, Hypothesis, Scientific
Drawing, Measurement and Collecting Data
•Engineering projects embedded within units of study
At all grade levels, there is an increased focus on non-fiction and
informational texts in both Science and Social Studies.
Technology
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Chromebooks (7)
Google Drive Student Accounts
Open Computer Lab Time
www.Xtramath.org (helps students master basic facts)
www.thelearningodyssey.com (Math & Reading)
www.raz-kids.com (Reading)
www-k6.thinkcentral.com (Math)
A Typical Day
9:20-9:45
Morning Work
9:45-10:00
10:00-11:00
11:00-11:10
11:10-12:00
12:00-12:05
Morning Meeting
Math
Snack
Writing Workshop
12:05-12:50
12:50-1:25
Energizer
Reading Workshop
Science or Social Studies
1:25-2:10
Lunch/Recess
2:10-2:50
3:05-3:45
Word Study & Read Aloud
Special
Responsive Classroom
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Based on the belief that the social curriculum is as important
as the academic curriculum.
To be successful academically and socially, children need a
set of social skills: cooperation, assertion, responsibility,
empathy, and self-control.
Morning Meeting
Hopes and Dreams
Rule Creation
Modeling of expected behavior
Logical consequences for misbehavior
You break it you fix it, Temporary loss of privilege, Take a
break
Homework
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Establish good independent study & work habits, reinforce
learning
Should be able to be done relatively unassisted
Expect between 30 to 40 minutes most nights split between
math and literacy (this includes the 20 minutes of reading on
reading nights)
Homework assignment books
Opportunity to make-up missed or forgotten homework.
• I understand that our late dismissal time can make it difficult
to finish homework on days when students have after school
activities. If you could send me a note or a quick email when
this happens I would appreciate.
Online Report Cards
• Three per year (December 23, late March, & June 21)
• No letter grades, instead student understanding of
content is graded as proficient, partially-proficient, or
non-proficient.
Standardized Testing
• MAP – Reading & Math (Measure of Academic Progress)
– Last 2 weeks in October
• PARCC (Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers)
– One week, sometime between April 11 & May 11.
– District PARCC info: http://www.mtsd.k12.nj.us/domain/1141
• NJASK – Science (NJ Assessment of Skills and Knowledge)
– May 25th
Band & Orchestra Lessons
• Students will miss instruction when they leave for
orchestra and band lessons. Twenty-one students
leave in eleven different groups over four days each
week.
• Students are responsible for making up any work that
they miss while at music lessons. I will do my best to
help them during recess or other times that present
themselves during the school day, but it is their
responsibility to make up what they miss.
Communication
• E-mail
– kfraney@mtsd.us (best bet)
• e-mail reminders from me about important dates (tests,
field trips, school events...)
– I’ve sent a few emails using a distribution list I compiled from
school records. If you haven’t received them, or want add or
remove an address please send me an email.
• My website: www.mtsd.k12.nj.us/Domain/500
• Parent Pick-up notes help me remember to send
students to parent pick-up.
• Parent-Teacher Conferences
– November 19, 20, 23 & 24
Food in School/Class
• Please send a healthy snack with your child.(our lunch is not until
1:30!)
MANAGEMENT OF LIFE-THREATENING ALLERGIES IN SCHOOLS
• All classrooms are nut-free (i.e. snacks consumed in the
classroom must be free of peanuts, tree nuts and nut byproducts). Nut products may be kept in a student’s
backpack/lunchbox for later consumption in the
lunchroom only.
• No outside food is permitted to be shared in the
classroom (i.e. no food is permitted to be brought into
the classroom to be shared for celebrations/birthdays).
Room Parents
• We currently have no volunteers to
be room parents this year. If you’re
interested in volunteering, please
email me. Thank you!
http://www.mtsd.k12.nj.us/Page/3508
Wish List
• Tissues
Questions
Thank You for Coming Tonight!