Gardening Handbook

Room 373

 

Guidelines for optimal growth

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs. Saara Hipp

School office: 218-879-3361

Classroom: Ext 373

E-mail: [email protected]

 

4th Grade curriculum

Math (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Math Expressions)

Unit 1:  Solve Multiplication and division word problems

Unit 2: Quadrilaterals

Unit 3:  Place Value and multi-digit addition and subtraction

Unit 4:  Angles and Polygons

Unit 5: Multi-digit Multiplication

Unit 6:  The Metric Measurement System

Unit 7:  Multi-digit division

Unit 8:  Patterns, Functions, and Graphs

Unit 9:  Fractions

Unit 10:  Three-Dimensional Figures

Unit 11:  Decimal Numbers

Unit 12:  The U.S. Customary System

Science (Houghton Mifflin)          Taught by:  Mrs. Foxx [email protected]

Engineering

Matter

Energy

Rocks

Water cycle

Human interaction with Earth Systems

Social Studies (Houghton Mifflin)

Civic Skills

Political processes

Economics

Map reading and creating

Regions of the United States

Locate US states and capitals

Human Environmental interaction

Historical changes in people & cultures

Language Arts (Harcourt)

This series uses 6 themes to combine phonics, spelling, comprehension, fluency, vocabulary, grammar, and writing.

Theme 1:  Facing Challenges             Theme 2:  Getting the Job Done

Theme 3:  Natural Challenges                        Theme 4:  Imagination at Work

Theme 5:  A New Home                     Theme 6:  Exploring our World

 

We will be using the Reader’s Workshop format which includes Guided Reading and centers.  Students will receive large group instruction at the beginning of the week to introduce skills.  They will then practice and put these skills to use in the centers during the remainder of the week, also allowing for small group instruction.  Combined with our Reader’s Workshop routine will be our Daily 3 where students will: Read to Self, Work on Writing, and Read to Someone.

 

In fourth grade, students are required to read a minimum of 120 minutes each week outside of school.  This requirement will be documented using a reading log which will be turned in bi-weekly.  As a way to “represent their reading,” students will complete a home monthly book project. 

 

Spelling is incorporated into our language arts curriculum.  At the beginning of each week, students will receive a list of spelling words.  Lists have a pattern that will be the focus of study for the week.  The final test will be on the last day of each week.   If students show understanding of the pattern at the beginning of the week, a challenge list is provided.

 

Writing instruction will follow a Writer’s Workshop format.  Students will receive limited large group instruction and then “play” with the craft of writing and receive support through individual or small group conferences. 

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

      

Philosophy:

I believe that students are successful when they feel safe and valued.  A classroom needs to offer this safety while challenging students to strive to do their best.

 

Communication:

Please contact me if at any time you have a question or concern regarding your third grader’s education.  The best times to reach me are from 7:45-8:15 A.M. or 3:15-3:45 P.M.  If you are unable to talk with me, please leave a voice-mail message.  I try to check my voice-mail before school, at lunch, and after school.  My preferred form of communication is e-mail, which I check regularly throughout the day.

 

If your child is going to have a different after school pick-up ritual (change of bus, pick up, etc.), please send a note the day of the change.  By sending the note in the morning, I can notify the office and remind your child of the change.  This prior arrangement also alleviates the stress and confusion to the child.  If I don’t receive parent communication about a change in the afterschool routine, I am REQUIRED to follow the normal afterschool procedure. 

   

Classroom Webpage:

I have a webpage that you may access through the district website at:  www.esko.k12.mn.us

My hope is to use this as an additional tool for you to keep current with your fourth grader’s education.  You will find spelling lists, photographs, upcoming classroom events, etc.  I’m hoping to use Google calendar as another resource to keep you informed.

 

Class correspondence:

Periodically, I will send home a newsletter with important information.  Once I’ve received email addresses for families, I will also send out occasional e-mails with updates and happenings.  However, as 4^th graders, your child is going to be responsible for communicating upcoming events or school needs through the use of their assignment notebook.  PLEASE make it part of your nightly ritual to review your child’s assignment notebook WITH them.

 

Classroom Constitution:

I think one of the best ways to establish a positive environment is to have students be part of deciding the rules.  During our first week of school we will work together to develop our hopes and dreams for the school year and establish some general rules for our room.  These rules will be created as a classroom constitution and all members of the classroom will sign the constitution, agreeing to follow these rules throughout the year.

 

 

 

Classroom Behavior:

Our classroom will be run following the Responsive Classroom model of C.A.R.E.S (Cooperation, Assertion, Responsibility, Empathy, Self-Control).  If a child is not following the constitution he/she will be asked to “Take a Break.”  This means the child will go to an assigned chair and return when he/she feels ready to rejoin the class.  This is a warning to the child that the behavior needs to change.  If the child continues to break the constitution, the child will be asked to “Take a Break” again.  At that time, the child will go to an assigned chair and will only be able to return to his/her desk after a conversation with Mrs. Hipp and the child has agreed to follow through with their plan to change their behavior.  If a child receives a third “Take a Break,” he/she will be given a “Time-Out for Thinking” form and be assigned to another classroom until the sheet is filled out.   When the form is completed by the child, Mrs. Hipp will meet with the child to see what the plan is to have a successful rest of the day.  This form will go home for the parent to sign.  If a child would receive a fourth “Take a Break” in one day, the child would be sent to Mr. Harker’s office.  In severe cases, a child will immediately be sent to Mr. Harker.

 

HOMEWORK POLICY

Students will be given work time in school to complete assignments.  Any remaining work will be considered homework. With our new math curriculum, students will receive a Homework and Remembering page at the end of each lesson.  This is designed to help transfer knowledge to a new setting (home) and time.   I believe at this age, students still need to have play and rest.  I also value family time during the evenings.  Homework will usually only by the required 120 minutes of reading each week, studying for weekly spelling tests, math Homework & Remembering, and other subject area tests. 

 

Take home folders:

Each student will have a designated homework folder that will travel to and from school each day.  Please check it each night and return it with your child each morning.  Students will be given plenty of time to work on assignments during class.  If they do not finish during this time, they must bring it home, finish it, and return it on its due date.  This folder will also transport completed work, spelling lists, study guides for upcoming tests, and notes from school. 

 

Your child will also have an assignment notebook that will be required to be completed at the end of each day.  This is a mode of communication to ensure your child is prepared for their next day of learning.  Please make it a part of your nightly routine to review this with your child.  If your child would lose or destroy their assignment notebook throughout the year, another one would need to be purchased.

 

LATE WORK POLICY

 

Philosophy:

Because I see homework as an important part of a student’s education, I will expect all work in on time.  If you feel there is a legitimate reason why a student is not able to complete homework, please call me prior to the due date of the assignment.

                   

Late Work Consequences:

1. All work is to be completed on/before the due date.If it is not, students will log the name of assignment and reason it is late.Each time your fourth grader has late work, they will complete a late slip.The completed assignment and the yellow slip with a parent signature are due the next school day.If not, it will be considered as an additional late assignment.

    

2. Every student will be allowed three late assignments each quarter before an additional consequence will result.

 

1. On the fourth and future late assignments, the student will be required to miss the next recess period. This will occur whether the work is completed or not by the time the next recess occurs.(For example, an incomplete assignmentfor a Monday afternoon subject would result in missing Tuesday’s recess)The recess time would be used to complete late assignments and ensure completion of current assignments.

 

Testing/Mastery

Learning activities are based on the Minnesota State Standards.  Students are tested on these standards through the use of quizzes, projects, and tests to check for mastery and may have until the end of the quarter to demonstrate it (see “Redoing Long-term Assignments and Tests”).  Most of the student’s grade is based on these quizzes, projects, and tests.

 

Redoing Long-term Assignments and Tests

Long-term projects and tests are used so a student can show mastery of the Minnesota Standards.  If student is not able to show mastery, the teacher may allow assessments to be retaken and/or long-term assignments to be redone.  Important things to remember for redone work:

 

• ŸAll redone work is done at the teacher’s discretion.Situations may come up where a student may not be allowed to redo work.
• ŸIf a student needs to redo tests or assignments to show mastery on a regular basis, there may be another problem that needs to be addressed by the student, parent(s), and/or teacher.
• ŸParents must sign the original work before it can be redone.
• ŸThe teacher reserves the right to change the format for redone work and assessments.
• ŸIn order to accurately report on a student’s mastery and not point accumulation, the student shall receive the higher score between original and redone work.
• ŸThe original work must be stapled or attached to the redone work.
• ŸAll redone work must be turned-in before the last week of the quarter.

 

 

Healthy snack POLICY

In the afternoon,  we will be having a healthy snack each day.  My healthy snack policy will stress healthy eating and brain friendly snacks.  To reinforce the concept of healthy eating I have some guidelines for the healthy snack.  Please no peanut products due to allergies!

 

A filled water bottle is highly recommended every day.  Please no flavored water or sports drinks!

 

Rules:

1. All fresh fruits and vegetables are allowed and encouraged.

1. Students may bring fruit snacks, fruit roll-ups, yogurt or a granola bar.

1. My rule of thumb is it should be something low in sugar and fat.

1. Please avoid popcorn, chips, cookies, Twinkies, candy and any type of “junk food."
2. This is a snack and not a meal.One snack is plenty.

1. Snacks cannot be shared.

 

STUDENT BIRTHDAYS

I want each child to feel special on his/her birthday.  I try to coincide a child’s birthday with their week of being the master gardener.  Throughout the week, each day is designated with a special activity to honor your child.  If your child’s birthday is during the summer, they will still have their assigned week to have the spotlight.  Treats are optional and must be store purchased.  You are responsible for sending all needed products—napkins, cups, plates, etc. A HIGHLY SUGGESTED option instead of food products is to donate a book for our classroom library that will be labeled with a sticker signifying its honor of your child.