OPEN HOUSE with Miss Armstrong

1
OPEN HOUSEwith Miss Armstrong

• Marlin Elementary School
• Grade 4
• Room 9
• August 27, 2009

2
Marlin Elementary School

• Address 1655 E. Bethel Lane Bloomington, IN
  47408
• Telephone [phone]
• Fax Number [phone]
• Principal Mr. Chris Finley
• Website http//www.marlin.mccsc.edu
• Class Website http//www.marlin.mccsc.edu/armstr
  ong
• School Day
• Class begins promptly at 900 a.m.
• Dismissal begins at 315 p.m.
• Lunch/Recess is from 1215-100 p.m.

3
TEACHERS INFORMATION
4
Miss Armstrongs Bio

• Born and raised in Mitchell, Indiana
• Graduated from Indiana University Bloomington
  with a B.S. in Elementary Education and
  concentration in math (1994)
• Received M.S. from Indiana University in
  Counseling/Counselor Education (2002)
• Have been teaching for 13 years, the last 5 years
  at Marlin
• Enjoy reading, writing and watching I.U.
  basketball games

Lets learn!
5
My Involvement at Marlin Elementary
Go Marlin!

• Peer Mediation Supervisor
• Member of Data/Assessment Team
• Member of PBS (Positive Behavior Support) Team
• Currently getting trained in Differentiated
  Instruction and Teacher Leadership programs
• Previously involved with Student Council, Marlin
  school newspaper, PTO faculty representative

6
Our Daily Schedule
7
Our Daily Routine

• 845-905 Morning Work
• 905-1000 Reading (Class instruction/Small
  groups)
• 1000-1050 Writing (Being a Writer)
• 1050-1125 Specials
• 1125-1200 Language (Writers Express)
• 1200-1215 Spelling
• 1215-100 Lunch/Recess
• 105-215 Math (Everyday Math/Maths Mate)
• 215-300 Social Studies/Science
• 300-315 Prepare for home
• 315 Dismissal

8
Our Weekly Routine
9
What do I expect from your child?
10
Marlin School-Wide Expectations

• Be responsible
• Be positive
• Be respectful
• Be engaged
• Show empathy

• Marlin Ambassador and Personal Best are awarded
  each week to students who show such behavior.

11
Homework Assignment Books

• Students receive an Assignment Book to list all
  homework assignments and keep track of class
  project deadlines. Parent signature is required
  every night.
• Always be fully aware of what your child is
  learning in the classroom by checking the
  Assignment Book.
• Homework is to be completed neatly and turned in
  on time every day.
• Graded homework will be sent home each week in
  the Monday Homework Folder. Please sign it to
  show that you have seen the work.
• Reading 20 minutes is required each night.
  Please initial the Assignment Book next to
  Reading.

12
Whats coming home each night?

• Every night, you should see your childs Take
  Home Folder. The Take Home Folder has a plastic
  sleeve in the middle. This sleeve contains
  important papers that we need over a period of
  time.
• One pocket of the folder has papers that stay
  home.
• The other pocket has papers that need to be
  returned (like homework).
• The Assignment Book goes home EACH night. It
  needs to be signed and returned the next day.
• On MONDAY, the weekly newsletter goes home. It
  tells you what is happening in the classroom and
  at Marlin.
• Also on MONDAY, the Monday Homework Folder goes
  home with your childs graded work from the
  previous week.

13
How are you doing?
If you see one of these scores on your paper,
this is what it means
Marlin Grading Scale

• 90 - 100 A
• 80 - 89 B
• 70 - 79 C
• 60 - 69 D
• ?59 F

• ? GREAT work
• ? O.K. work
• ?- Need to improve

14
4th Grade Curriculum
15
Reading Language

• READING
• 4th grade students are required to read 20
  minutes each night. Have your child tell you
  about what he/she read. Then, initial the
  Assignment Book next to READING.
• The Indiana Reading Standards are emphasized and
  practiced.
• Vocabulary strategies are introduced and
  practiced to strengthen reading comprehension and
  writing skills.
• Students will write responses to literature in
  their Readers Notebooks. Readers Notebooks
  will be sent home each Thursday evening.

• LANGUAGE (WRITING SPELLING)
• 4th grade students are expected to write
  narratives, responses to literature, summaries,
  research reports, and informational, persuasive,
  or descriptive pieces.
• Writers Notebooks are used to practice the
  different types of writing
• Grammar and conventions are taught through
  mini-lessons and writing.
• Spelling strategies are practiced in class and
  with contract activities completed at home.
  Students are able to choose 5 personal words each
  list (LISTS ARE FOR TWO WEEKS).
• Computer technology and information research will
  be learned.

16
Mathematics

• COMPUTATIONAL SKILLS
• Basic math facts should be practiced at home for
  automaticity and accuracy
• Facts tests are given each week
• Knowledge of place value
• Multiplication of large numbers
• Long Division
• Fractions
• Addition and Subtraction of large numbers
• Math logical reasoning word problems

• CONCEPTS
• Number Sense
• Algebra
• Geometry
• Statistics Data Analysis
• Fractions
• Measurement
• Mental Math
• MATHS MATE
• Due each Thursday.
• Skill Builders completed on Friday in class.

17
Science
18
Social Studies

• INDIANA HISTORY
• Economy
• Geography
• Government
• Native Americans
• Colonialism
• American Revolution
• Statehood
• Civil War
• Westward Expansion
• 20th Century
• Current history
• Honey Creek field trip

19
Classroom Economy

• Students earn money through jobs, behavior,
  homework, and clean desks.
• Students have weekly bills of desk rental,
  electric bill, and optional health insurance.
• Each student has an opportunity to earn 2 per
  day for good behavior.
• Earning 2 means appropriate behavior. If 1 is
  earned, that means the student was warned two
  times. Earning 0 means the student continued
  inappropriate behavior, lost the entire recess,
  and completed a Think Sheet to prevent the
  behavior from repeating.
• Each day, your childs assignment book will be
  stamped according to the money earned for the
  day. Please take note of the number stamp. In
  order for the behavior plan to work effectively,
  please go over the number with your child every
  day.
• Everyday, a superstar student is named in the
  classroom for appropriate behavior (earned 2,
  used manners, completed homework and class work,
  etc.). Please be sure to congratulate your child
  when he/she is the superstar for the day.

20
4th Grade Special Treats

• Honey Creek School field trip
• (One room schoolhouse)
• Lotus Blossoms World Bazaar
• BAT (Basic Aid Training)
• Learning Fair
• (with 5th 6th grade)

21
Parent Volunteers Needed

• Classroom parties
• Read aloud to the class
• Field trip supervision to Lotus World Bazaar
• THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE ALREADY VOLUNTEERED!

22
MY CONTACT INFORMATION
23
Miss Armstrong

• Assignment Books are a great source of
  communication. If you need to contact me, write
  a note in the Assignment Book.
• You can e-mail me. My e-mail address is
  earmstro_at_mccsc.edu.
• You can check the Website. The address is
  http//www.marlin.mccsc.edu/armstrong. It
  contains the newsletter, spelling lists/contract,
  calendar, websites to visit, class projects, and
  links to math.
• You might call me. My telephone number at Marlin
  is [phone] ext. 224.

24
Lets work as a team and have a great school year!

• Marlin Elementary School
• Grade 4
• Room 9
• August 27, 2009