Mrs Caggiano s Fourth Grade Welcome Parents About

Mrs. Caggiano’s Fourth Grade Welcome Parents!

About Mrs. Caggiano • Master of Education from Holy Family University and The Graduate Institute • Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies from West Chester University • Eleventh year of teaching • My hobbies include reading, spending time with my family, and friends • Why I became a teacher …

My Beliefs as a Teacher My instructional day revolves around the belief that all children can and will learn! The big difference in fourth grade is that students are not learning how to read, but reading to learn information.

Communication • Red Folder – Homework given out Monday – Thursday (5 minutes off recess for each missing assignment) – Check for notes and changes in schedule • Planner – – Assignment Notebooks are filled out in class for Homework Reading Log and colors should be recorded each night Check for red Missing Homework stamp Parent/Guardian’s Signature: Please review and check that all work is completed before signing each night • Teacher Website • Email: ccaggiano@bridgeportedu. net • Power School – Power School is an online grading program. It will give you the chance to check your child’s progress via the Internet. – Grades will be updated weekly – Report cards will be sent home at the end of each quarter

Class Information • • • Class Information Pamphlet Fourth Grade Rules Fourth Grade Homework Policy Parent Survey Yellow Emergency Sheet Clinic Health Forms Swimming Forms Donors Choose Permission Slip Misc. Forms Volunteers – Bulletin Boards, Copies, etc.

4 th Grade Rules • Rules • Consequences – See yellow board – Students circle the color in their Planner • Rewards • Missing Homework stamp (5 minutes off recess for each missing assignment)

Student Organization • • Locker Desk - Cooperative Grouping Book Bins Classroom Planner/agenda Red folder Backpack

The Next Few Weeks • • Rules/Procedures (Class and School) Getting to Know Each Other Building a Classroom Community Reading: Realistic Fiction and Non fiction Language Arts: Narrative Writing Math: Place Value, Estimation and Multiplication Science: The Scientific Method through Force and Motion • Social Studies: Geography

Grading Scale A+ 100 - 97% A 96 – 93% A- 92 - 90% B+ 89 – 87% B 86 – 83% B- 82 – 80% C+ C CD+ D U 79 – 77% 76 – 73% 72 – 70% 69 – 67% 66 – 65% 64 or less Please know that grades can increase or decrease by 5 % depending on class work and participation Math Grade Reading Grade Writing Grade Science Grade Social Studies Grade Homework 10% Journal 10% Test 60% Quiz 30% Homework 40% Quiz 30% Book Report 20% Prompts 50% Test 50% Spelling 10% FCJ 10%

Reading • Reading: A Readers’ Workshop Model • Journeys, Strategies That Work • Focus on fluency, comprehension, and vocabulary Our Reading Block • • • Read Aloud or Shared Reading – Mini-lesson on skill or strategy using a read aloud or shared reading – Teaching students how to respond in writing Guided Reading Groups – Small flexible reading groups which the teacher selects Independent Reading – Building to sustain 45 minutes of reading – Students reading “Just Right” books at their desks – Partner reading – Literature Circles

Reading Expectations Uses Reading Processes Effectively in Text at Fourth Grade or Higher Level – Uses text features and prior knowledge to generate questions and predict story events and content – Identifies a purpose for reading – Use a variety of word recognition strategies – Read with fluency and understanding in texts at appropriate difficulty levels Constructs Meaning From a Variety of Text at Fourth Grade or Higher Level – Compares and contrasts information – Identifies and explains the main idea and provides support from text – Summarizes and sequences information from text – Recognizes and discusses cause and effect relationships – Expresses and support responses to various types of texts Demonstrates Effective Reading Behavior – Reads, listens to, and discusses a variety of text for a variety of purposes (extend knowledge, build vocabulary, gather information)

Language Arts • • • Writing: Based on The Six Traits of Writing Read aloud to model real life examples Modeled Writing Guided Writing Independent Writing Graded Holistically – Writer’s Notebooks – Three quarters focus on narrative writing then switch to expository writing – Continue to learn about the whole writing process – Cross-curricular – Rubrics Given With Assignments – Journals - 5 minute Quick write – YARC

Writing Expectations Focus: Topic Focuses writing on topic Organizes Ideas: Uses organizational pattern for narrative and expository Supports Topic With Details: • Develops, elaborates, & supports main idea • Writes supporting details that are specific & relevant • Uses precise and vivid words Uses Conventions: • Spells high frequency words correctly • Uses dialogue • Edits for conventions, sentence structure & handwriting Organizes to Communicate in Writing: • Uses various prewriting strategies (brainstorming, listing, mapping) • Writes a narrative piece that relates to an experience or tells a story • Write an expository piece that has a clear focus elaborated with many supporting ideas, facts, anecdotes or examples

Math • Textbook Math In Focus • A lot of hands-on Practice • • Algebraic Reasoning: Patterns and Functions Numerical and Proportional Reasoning Geometry and Measurement Working with Data: Probability and Statistics • Daily 10 question spiral review • Chapter Tests and quizzes Our Math Block • • Start with a short review of previous learning Summarize the learning objectives for students Present step‐by‐step instruction, with interspersed practice Offer Clear and detailed…explanations Provide all students with lots of corrective practice First teacher‐guided practice, independent practice, guided groups Ask many questions and obtain answers from all students and provide systematic feedback and corrections to students in response to their work

Math Expectations • By the end of 4 th Grade, students will be able to: – Use place value with whole numbers to 100, 000 – Understand decimals involving tenths and hundredths – Compare and order fractions – Relate decimals to fractions – Add and subtract to solve meaningful problems involving whole numbers and decimals – Apply multiplication and division – Recall and apply multiplication facts through 12 x 12 – Estimate to determine reasonable results – Understand patterns in multiplication and division – Describe the relationship between two sets of related data – Solve problems involving elapsed time – Collect, organize, display, and interpret sets of data – Apply mathematics to solve problems connected to everyday experiences and activities in and outside of school – Relate informal language to mathematical language and symbols – Justify why an answer is reasonable and explain the solution process

Science • • Science Textbook; Kits Hands-on! Technology Inquiry-based Science Interactive Notebook Mini Science Board Science Fair United Streaming Videos Four Quarters: – – – The Scientific Method Electricity and Magnetism Force and Motion Land Water Ecosystems

Social Studies • • Social Studies Text; Chapter and Picture Books Hands-on project learning Technology: United Streaming Videos Four Quarters: – – – Geography Exploration Regional Studies Economics State History

Projects • Monthly book reports • Quarterly Science and Social Studies projects

Special Schedule Time M W Gym 8: 57 – 9: 39 T LLC 9: 41 – 10: 23 Th. F Media (Library) Computers 10: 25 – 11: 07 11: 15 – 11: 45 LUNCH Computer Rotation Art LUNCH 11: 47 – 12: 30 12: 32 – 1: 14 1: 16 – 1: 58 2: 00 -2: 42 Music Gym LUNCH

Art • Mrs. Polizzo • Students will explore the elements and principles of art using a variety of media • Students will study art history and art vocabulary • Most students have art once a week • 6 th grade has art twice a week • Grade is based on effort, following directions, behavior and creativity

PHYSICAL EDUCATION Mr. Tvardzik Mr. Bonaventura Mr. Whalen Through the traditional Physical Education curriculum, along with the Adventure-Based Learning curriculum, and swimming, the goal of the Physical Education Department is to promote a fun and safe learning environment that will enhance students' fitness levels and promote a physically active and healthy lifestyle that will lead to lifelong fitness and health. Information • Students must come prepared to class with appropriate footwear (sneakers). If your child is in 7 th or 8 th grade they must come to class with a change of clothes (sneakers, shorts/sweatpants, and a t-shirt. Uniform colors are acceptable) • 7 th and 8 th students are encouraged to bring a lock to secure all their belongings so nothing goes missing in the locker rooms. • If a student is unable to participate in PE, we must receive a written note from the parent or a doctor so he/she can be excused. One copy should be given to the PE teacher and another copy should be on file with the school nurse • More information to follow regarding swimming

Miss Melendez (LLC) Language, literacy and culture Grade K-4 Support for individual, small group and whole class literacy instruction.

Objective: Preparing students to master Common Core Literacy Standards and close the achievement gap for struggling readers and writers. Students will be exposed to texts of different cultures to give them a background to be better readers in all content areas.

High Horizons Magnet School 1 st Annual “LEGS FOR LITERACY” Literacy Day and 5 K Walk – A – Thon Saturday October 5 from 9 am till 12 Noon Goal – 100% Student Participation If you have not registered yet, please do so at our table outside the office TONIGHT! $5. 00 to register! Join in the fun and make it a family day! Each person registered gets a t-shirt and snack! Please, help us reach our goal !! All proceeds are for literacy events this school year.

Smarter Balanced Assessments • This will be replacing the CMT testing • A lot more rigorous • More information to follow

Technology • Study Island supplementary CMT support • Computer Lab • Streaming Videos/Interactive Websites • Responders • School Webpage

Any Questions?

Let’s have a great year!