WELCOME TO BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHT!

While you are waiting for the presentation to begin, please take the time to do the following:

• Write your child a note on the index card. Please leave it on his/her desk for tomorrow.

• Complete the Student Info card.

• Complete Volunteer Form

ALL ABOUT ME! CSUSM –Degree in Social Studies with a

major in History and minors in Economics and Psychology and Multiple Subject Teaching Credential

7 years in the Education Field. Most recently 4th grade at Knob Hill

Wife and Mother with 3 children of my own; 3, 8, and 15.

A resident of San Marcos Philosophy: Growth Mindset

DAILY SCHEDULECheck HW/Morning Review 8:45 - 9:00Reading Groups 9:00 - 10:30Word Work/Vocab. 10:30 – 10:45Reading Comprehension 10:45-11;15Recess 11:15 – 11:35Math Instruction 11:35 – 1:00Lunch 1:00 – 1:45Writing 1:45 – 2:25Writing/Science/S. Studies 2:25 – 3:05 Library will be on Thursday afternoons. Books are due

Thursday morning. PE Days are Tuesday/Friday after recess- remind your

kiddos to wear their tennis shoes! • Our most important part of the day is our morning instruction.

Please just be mindful of this when your making doctors appointments, etc.

COMMUNICATION All communication will be sent home in the Wednesday Envelope.

Please return it every Thursday.I will try to update my Website bi-weekly.

If you ever have questions, please e-mail me. charityshepard@smusd.org

We want our students to be:o Critical thinkers- critique others’ thinking and question

the world around them.o Communicators- share their ideas, and also express

their agreeance and disagreeance on an issue or topic in a knowledgeable, educated, and respectful fashion.

o Collaborators- working independently many times is easier than working with others. We want students to be able to complete tasks with their peers by working efficiently and effectively together.

o Creative thinkers- solve problems, however they see fit. Solve problems in a variety of ways using multiple strategies. Approach situations from different angles, and do not give up when the ONE strategy they tried did not work.

• Switch in philosophy inch wide and a mile deep.• Teaching for conceptual understanding,.• Steering away from naked number problems, and moving

toward problems in context which can be solved through a number of approaches.

• The ultimate goal hasn’t changed, we still want students to recognize patterns and be fluent in using algorithms, etc. But rather than give them a formula and require them to memorize it, we want students to explore with numbers and try to come up with their own strategies by using what they already know.At Home

• Ask students to explain their thinking to you.

• Refer to the classroom website for resources and tools.

• Use the websites provided for more practice, and as a guide through the common core shift.

What does Common Core Math look like?

Knob Hill Parents Math Night October 7th @ Mission Hill High School

COMMON CORE MATH

More in depth, analyzing, and investigation Explain and justify thinking verbally and through writing New National Standards An “inch wide and a mile deep” Assessments include real world examples More about perseverance and true understanding than

memorization of a formula

Place Value to 100,000,000Addition/Subtraction of Large NumbersVariablesOrder of OperationsDouble-Digit MultiplicationLong DivisionFractions and DecimalsGeometric shapes

COMMON CORE ELA Accountable Talk- Common Core Focus on fiction Examplaes

Main Idea and Details Drawing Inferences and Making Judgments Supporting with Evidence Character analysis Making Connections

Focus on informational text Mirrors fictional text 50% of time spent/ Social Studies and Science

Writing Personal narrative (fiction) Informational Persuasive

SCIENCE/ SOCIAL STUDIES Science

Electricity Magentism Ecosystems Rocks and Minerals Landforms

History of California Geography/Regions Native Americans of CA Missions Gold Rush CA Statehood

HOMEWORK

o Homework is given Monday-Thursday, without exceptions.

o ELA homework will be focus on short reading passages with common core questions for comprehension

o Math practice worksheets.o I am not a believer of giving a lot of homework.

I believe the purpose is to keep them practicing whatever skills we are currently working on in class, not to keep them “busy”.

o Homework should be meaningful.o Helpful links for extra practice on my website.

GRADINGUnit tests will be sent home to be reviewed by parent and child. 90-100% 4 75-89% 3 60-74% 2 Below 59% 1

This grading scale will be used for all subjects.

ChromebooksWe have a class set of chromebooks! Throughout

the course of the year, students will work daily on their chromebooks, completing any of the following tasks:

Research on a given topic. This is typically related to our social studies and science content standards. This research is gathered and compiled for an informational paper or a project of some sort.

Powerpoint presentations- these may be individual or group tasks.

Typing papers on google docs.

All SMUSD students now have a Gmail account that is managed through the district. This allows them to collaborate with one another on projects, and communicate with me almost instantaneously.

CLASSROOM EXPECTATIONS

1)Be Respectful to others

2)Be a Problem Solver

3)Make Good Decisions

POSITIVE BEHAVIOR AND INCENTIVESIndividual: Praise Class Dojo Shout Out Cards when students go above and

beyond Character Education Signatures (students can sign a

poster reflecting a character trait when they exemplify the trait)

Positive Notes HomeSmall Group: Table Points towards lunch bunch or class tickets Community: Class Points (earn time for art, popcorn, games, etc.)

It is a way students are rewarded for making good choices, solving their problem, staying on task, exhibiting the character trait in our “Journey to Success” character program, etc.

It runs for a week, and then I reset the points at the end of school on Friday.

If students have 85% or above positive points, then they get to choose from the treasure the end of the day on Friday.

Students can also loose points for not following directions, making poor choices, etc.

http://classdojo.com

http://classdojo.com/parent

CONSEQUENCES FOR BAD CHOICESIndividual: Verbal Warning Writing Reflection Chips removed/ Loss of recess Sign S.T.A.R. book (Stop, Think, Act, Renew) Removal from classroom to buddy room Phone call home/note home/email Sent to office Small Group: Verbal Warning Separation of group Table Points opportunities lost/loss of points Community: Verbal Warning Class Points opportunities lost/loss of points

VOLUNTEERS, DONATIONS, AND FIELD TRIPS I hope to have volunteers every week If interested, please fill out the

volunteer interest forms. As for donations, our class would appreciate

Xerox Paper (We can never have enough!)Glue SticksCrayola MarkersClorox WipesGallon Size Ziploc BagsBooks for Class Library (Non-Fiction)Hand SanitizerDry Erase MarkersDry Eraser or sock to erase student's whiteboard

Gift cards to staples, target, walmartPrinter Cartridges

Field Trips/Activities San Luis Rey Mission GIA (Gemological Institute of America) Splash Van Gold Rush Experience

HERE’S TO A GREAT YEAR!

Questions?

charity.shepard@smusd.org760-290-2080 Room 8