Welcome to the River Otters Team!

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Welcome to the River Otters Team! 2011-2012
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River Otter Team Teachers

• Team Leader Science Teacher Kennan Poulakos
• kpoulakos_at_crec.org, x3250
• Social Studies Teacher Dave Giangrave
• dgiangrave_at_crec.org, x 3252
• Math Andrea Caggiano
• acaggiano_at_crec.org, x 3254
• Integrated Language Arts
• Love Peace lpeace_at_crec.org , x3255
• Martha Stepnowski mstepnowski_at_crec.org, x3256
• Resource Gina Carbone
• Gcarbone_at_crec.org, x 3257
• Paraprofessionals
• Barnett Senegal bsenegal_at_crec.org
• Polly Griffin (temporary)

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TEAM APPROACH

• Transition to Middle School
• Team Meetings
• Concerns
• Contact
• Collaboration
• Parent Conferences - Fall
• November 8 letter to go home in October
• Parent Conferences - Spring
• Held in March
• Students are invited (and encouraged) to attend

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Supplies

• Part of our universal support system for all
  students.
• Important to the success of your son or daughter,
  especially in the beginning of the year, AND
  throughout their whole lives!
• Please replenish your students supplies often!

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Standards Based Report Cards

• Parent session will be held by administration
  this evening to give you more detailed
  information.
• Please refer to page _26_ in the planner for the
  RUBRICS
• Achievement
• Homework
• Classwork
• Citizenship

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PLANNER/AGENDA

• Students should be writing all homework in their
  agenda during each class.
• Teachers may also write notes to the parents in
  the agenda. (page 51)
• Parents will sign the agenda to indicate they
  have seen the teacher note.
• Several missing assignments will get a phone call
  or email home.

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HOMEROOM

• Morning homeroom begins at 825. This is a time
  for us to make sure students are prepared for the
  day, are familiar with the schedule and are
  compliant with dress code.
• PM Homeroom is at 305. This is a time for
  students to check their agendas and make sure
  they have all necessary materials for homework.

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HOMEWORK

• Integral part of day
• Approximately 60 minutes per night plus 20-30
  minutes of an Accelerated Reading book
• Team Page - www.tworivers.crec.org
• Highest quality every paper, every class, every
  day

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Math

• Inquiry Based Program - Investigations Class
  work, Homework
• Fact Fluency www.honorpoint.com
• Pre-Assessments
• Informs instruction (compacting out/MIT)
• Students will track their progress
• Post-Assessments
• Students will bring home their progress monitor
  for a parent signature for all assessments.
• We will be keeping Data Portfolios in our
  classrooms
• CREC Common Assessments
• Given four times a year
• Students will track progress in their data
  folder.
• Parents will be informed of progress.

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Math Units
Grade 6 Math
Grade 6 Advanced Math

• Unit 1 Expressions Equations
• Unit 2 Operating with Fractions
• Unit 3 Operating with Decimals
• Unit 4 Positiveand Negative Numbers
• Unit 5 Ratios and Rates
• Unit 6 Geomery
• Unit 7 Algebraic Reasoning
• Unit 8 Statistics

• Unit 1 Relationships among Fractions, Decimals,
  Percents
• Unit 2 Problem Solving with Fractions
• Unit 3 Algebra Part 1
• Unit 4 Problem Solving with Decimals and Whole
  Numbers
• Unit 5 Problem Solving with Ratios and
  Proportions
• Unit 6 Geometry and Measurement
• Unit 7 Add/Subtract Rational Numbers
• Unit 8 Multiply and Divide Rational Numbers
• Unit 9 Probability and Percents

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6th Grade Science

• 1st Unit- Matter
• Materials can be classified as pure substances or
  mixtures, depending on their chemical and
  physical properties.
• 2nd Unit- Ecosystems
• An ecosystem is composed of all the populations
  that are living in a certain space and the
  physical factors with which they interact.
• 3rd Unit-Weather
• Variations in the amount of Suns energy hitting
  the Earths surface affect daily and seasonal
  weather patterns.

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6th Grade Science

• Assessments
• Common Assessments are indicators for 8th grade
  CMTs when students will be tested in the area of
  science.
• It should be understood that these tests are
  intentionally rigorous and should only be looked
  at as an indicators.
• In house assessments will be on grade level and
  counted for achievement.

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Social Studies Modern World Cultures

• Unit 1 Japan, India, China
• -Economic Powerhouses
• Unit 2 Nigeria South Africa
• -Developing Developed Economies/ Democracies
• Unit 3 Venezuela Brazil
• -Developing Economies Emerging Democracies
• Unit 4 European Union
• -Division Unification of Modern Europe

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Social Studies

• Responsible for the direct teaching of
• Expository writing in preparation for CMTs in
  the spring
• Persuasive writing after CMTs
• Formatives given throughout the units that
  indicate knowledge of material
• Study guides provided at least 1 week before
  assessments to be completed by using all
  handouts used during the unit
• Reflections sent home after each assessment and
  Performance Task for communication
• All handouts are numbered and are to be kept in
  order
• Follow the same standards set in ILA for writing

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Integrated Language Arts What is WRITERS
WORKSHOP?

• students explore multiple genres of writing
• mini lessons teachers use published sample texts
  as models for authors craft
• focus on strong idea development with an
  emphasis on the writing process
• daily opportunities to write
• direct instruction to improve mechanics and
  conventions of standard English
• Students are expected to demonstrate a basic
  understanding of punctuation and
  capitalization to make goal (4)

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What is READING WORKSHOP ?

• an instructional model where students participate
  in whole group, small group and/or individual
  instruction, and discussion
• the teacher begins with an interactive read aloud
  and/or an mini-lesson
• students read self-selected texts and applies
  skill or strategy from mini-lesson

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READING WORKSHOP

• daily opportunities to read and respond to
  literature
• direct teaching of reading strategies that
  support deeper understanding of the text
• responses to literature emphasis on critical
  thinking supported with text evidence and
  personal connections
• regular student-teacher conferences to monitor
  progress and set goals
• differentiated instruction to meet all learners
  needs.

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• AT HOME READING REQUIREMENT to reach students
  individual goal, determined through Accelerated
  Reader

• REGULAR WEEKLY HW includes
• Record of reading in planner 20-30 minutes x 5
  nights a week minimum

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Response to Intervention RtI
Please take an LIT handout for more details and
teacher contact information
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LIT Literacy Intervention Team
LIT at Two Rivers is small group reading
instruction for students who have not yet reached
the Proficiency level on the CMT.

• Literacy reading and writing with understanding
• Intervention identifying a students reading
  weakness and designing and implementing a plan
  that will measurably improve comprehension.
• Team LIT teacher and Associate Instructor, ILA
  teacher, core teachers, parents/guardians,
  student

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MIT Math Intervention Team

• Small group instruction to address students
  specific learning needs.
• We support learning that is occurring in the Math
  classroom.
• We reinforce specific foundational skills that
  are critical to mathematical success.
• Grades in MIT
• Citizenship/Full-Value Contract
• Classroom Performance.
• Students are not assessed on academic
  performance.
• Generally, homework is not assigned in MIT class.

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We Need Your Help!

• Donations for an auction of high-five stamps
• -box/bag of cookies or snacks
• -large chocolate bars
• Popcorn bag and soda can
• -gift cards in small amounts (5) from any where!
• -sports equipment
• -items from the Dollar store!
• -small gift sets of cream, shampoo
• -school supplies
• -art supplies/crafts
• -hair stuff
• -ITunes Gift Cards
• -movie tickets
• -paraphernalia/small promotional items from YOUR
  company
• (t shirts, pens, hats, etc)