Students are required to make up any homework they miss when they are absent as soon as possible. I will put a “Ketchup Folder” on their desk to collect handouts and to log the days homework for them.
School assignments are usually due the very next day of school. Quite often after I do a lesson I give enough time for students to start on, and even finish, their homework. If a student does not turn in their homework on time they will need to write a late work letter explaining what assignment they need to finish and how they will finish it.
We will have 2 or 3 auctions a year for items I have collected such as books, posters, and games. Students use the credits they tally on a “Credit Card” on their desk. Credits can be earned in many ways including the “Extra Credit Club,” extra homework pages, or projects of their own choosing such as cooking, artwork, making models, doing magic tricks, etc. They also earn credits for their behavior during Resource Classes.
I will hand out book and software orders from the Scholastic Book Club periodically. Ideally it would be great if parents would order books online. Please click on the words “Book Orders” above. Our Class/User name is: HAgr4. Our Password is: ClassOrder. If you want to send your order to school, please write checks to Scholastic Books and put the order in an envelope with your child’s name on it.
We will have two Parent Conferences a year. One will be in September and the other will be in April. At the first conference I usually meet with parents only. The second conference will include your child who will share his/her portfolio, Reading Olympics, and web based projects.
Every day we will have 2 (DOL) sentences on our SmartBoard that have errors in spelling, grammar. or punctuation. Students will correct them on their binder paper and hand all 10 sentences in on Friday. This is great writing practice.
In my classroom I believe in “firm kindness.” In our school we have Schoolwide Agreements:
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Mutual Respect -
Attentive Listening
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Appreciation for Others/No Put-Downs
We will have 2 or 3 field trips a year and students will bring home a permission slip for parents to sign in advance. If any parents have ideas for field trips that will tie in with our curriculum, please let me know.
93 - 100 = A 73 - 76 = C
90 - 92 = A- 70 - 72 = C-
87 - 89 = B+ 67 - 69 = D+
83 - 86 = B 63 - 66 = D
80 - 82 = B- 60 - 62 = D-
77 - 79 = C+ 59 - 0 = F
Students learn about personal health and hygiene. They study the digestive and circulatory systems, and how the brain works.
Most assignments are due the very next day. If a student does not turn homework in on time they will need to fill in a late work letter that tells what assignment was missed and how they will get it done. Parents need to sign the letter. This alerts parents. Letters put the responsibility for homework on the student. It’s amazing how 4th graders can be more accountable for themselves!
See me to sign-up for becoming a Room Parent at the beginning of the year. I have ideas for simple, but fun, parties. HAPA also needs your help. Any time you can spare is appreciated!
Students are given planners and are asked to write exactly what I assign up on the large planner in the front of the room. They do this on Monday through Thursday. Parents need to initial them daily.
Students are given one Progress Report in October or November. The second one is given at the April Parent Conference.
For a geography project in December students are given a school mascot Pueo (owl in Hawaiian), a journal, and luggage (an envelope). They are to give or send their pueo to a friend or relative. That person keeps it for 2 weeks and sends it on to someone else. During this time we receive postcards and emails so we can track the travels of the pueos on our map. Most pueos return in May.
Parents are sent one Report Card in January after the end of 1st Semester. The second one is sent after school ends in June.
I wrote a grant and received HAPA funds to get a SmartBoard that enables myself and my class to interact with this special board using my computer and screen projector. Please come into the classroom and see it in operation.
We have snack time daily from 9:30 - 9:45 and lunch from 11:30 - 11:50. Please send nutritious snacks and lunches with your child that are not loaded with sugar and salt, as can be found in most cookies and chips. Soda is not allowed.
Spelling pretests of 20 words from our spelling books are given on Monday so that students know what words they need to study for the test on Friday. An optional extra credit list of 10 words is given on Friday and students can earn 2 credits for each correct word. These 10 words are at the end of each spelling unit.
Students need to be in the classroom by 7:50 or they will me marked late.
I was an Apple Classroom of Tomorrow participant and I love technology! I integrate it into my curriculum wherever possible.
Please send fresh water bottles, sunscreen, and hats with your child daily, for obvious reasons!
We will do mostly science web quests that are linked on my science page.
