2014-2015 School YearRoom 27

Fourth GradeMr. Nutter

About me

I grew up nearby in Los Altos, and most of myfamily is in CA.

BA in Chinese and Language and Literature from Reed College in Portland, OR.

MA in education from UCSC.

I speak Mandarin and Spanish, and a smattering ofmany other languages.

In my now more scarce free time,

I love to garden, surf, and play sports.

My family:

My wife is a teacher here at Collins who is takingtime off to raise our two-year old daughter, Samantha, and our

nine-month old son, Justin.

Having kids at home helps me understandmy job a lot better from your end!

This presentation:

This presentation will cover:• My goals• Curriculum• Homework• Home/school communication• Field trips/class donation• Birthday policy• Volunteering

Welcome to Fourth Grade!

• What follows is a detailed overview of our curriculum. You will not be quizzed on it. Your questions, of course, are welcome.

• Our fourth grade curriculum is the vehicle by which I hope to achieve these goals:

My goals:

• To help your child to love school as much as possible and have a fun year

• To help your child improve in the areas where they will benefit the most

• To impart the belief that one can improve in any subject through work (aka the Growth Mindset).– See link on Growth Mindset on class webpage

• These goals are the most important responsibility I have, and I hope we may work together to achieve them!

Our Curriculum:• Our curriculum overview will

list: – Curriculum goals

– Subject areas covered, skills targeted

– Projects used to deliver curriculum.

Please also note:

• A curriculum is a dynamic and changing plan.

• Depth and scope of instruction, as well as projects listed, vary year to year and class to class.

• Curricula are undergoing major changes as the Common Core is implemented.

Writing:

• The goals of our writing curriculum are:– Student understanding that writing in all genres is

communication with the reader– Student understanding that writing in all genres is an art

form that develops with work

• Writing curriculum is focused on:– strengthening student writing in genres of writing – reinforcing student grammar and usage – enriching sentence structure and vocabulary.

Writing genres:

• Expository multi-paragraph essays: (About me introduction, Nonfiction reports)

• Summary/ Retelling (Cereal box book report, Social studies projects)

• Responding to Literature (Cereal box book report, reading logs, literature assignment

• Narrative (Fiction and non-fiction, Rock Cycle Story, personal narrative)

Writing journals

• Writing happens nearly every day in writing journals– Used for Writer’s Workshop, introduction of

writing genres– Students must brainstorm and outline

before writing– We will eventually have Writing Journal

homework

Grammar

• Daily Language Review (D.L.R.), Spelling sentences

• Focused on individual skills each week

• Daily homework, Tuesday-Thursday

• Tested weekly• Introduced in late fall

Spelling• Subject area vocabulary lists in

Literature, Social Studies, and Science (All year)

• Morpheme based spelling (root word, suffix, prefix) (Fall)

• SuperSpell program (Winter)– Individualized for each

child, phonics– Perfect sentence writing

Reading:

• The goal of our reading curriculum is to to strengthen the application of comprehension strategies across genres of books.

• Some of our reading selections are listed below, along with the skills we will focus on with each one.

• In italics are the skills we will mainly focus on with each book, although they all may be used simultaneously.

Reading Selections:

• Nonfiction: Science and Social Studies textbooks (All strategies)

• Student choice book for read aloud: (Introduction to reading comprehension strategies, Connections)

• Island of the Blue Dolphins: (Visualization, Questioning)

• In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson: (Empathy, Forming Opinions)

• By the Great Horn Spoon! (Character study, Inferring)

Reading journals

• Comprehension strategies will be practiced in journals– This is a way of monitoring student

development– Books read independently at SSR and at

home for book reports– Like Writing Journal, reading journals are

exchanged between teacher and student

A word on nonfiction

• Literacy instruction is not limited to stories – Nonfiction is what most adults read all day– Comprehension strategies will be taught

with science and social studies• In fourth grade, students are no longer,

“Learning to Read.” They are, “Reading to Learn.”

Mathematics:

• Elementary school math curriculum is designed in what is called a spiral review. – Concepts students are exposed to

will be similar to those from each grade level

– Layers of complexity and difficulty are added each year.

– With the Common Core, some topics are shifted up or down a year to allow for more deep exploration of the topic

Math and the Common Core• Math instruction is undergoing much-needed

reform• Emphasis is being placed on teaching for

understanding, rather than memorization of procedures

• Projects allowing for multiple means of solving problems will be introduced

• Problems requiring multiple skills more accurately reflect real life mathematical situations

Great free online course for parents and teachers on math• Through Stanford Online

• Called “How to Learn Math”

• Great for parents of kids who think they are not “math people”

• Student course now on offer– Google “How to Learn Math Stanford

Student Course” to find it

Highlights of the course: How Students Should be Taught Math

• Inquiry relationship• Collaborative, with lots of explaining• Problems with multiple paths to solution• Tasks that are open-ended• Math requiring multiple operations reflecting

real-world situations• Growth mindset focus at all times• Diagnostic feedback on tests, not just grades

How to help with math homework

• Puzzles and games• Students should be able to explain their steps in

solving a problem; the answers should make sense to them

• Speed does not equal understanding (necessarily)

• Avoid telling your own math horror stories• Encourage number sense (Big time important)• Encourage a Growth Mindset

Try to avoid the “pedagogical contract”

• Many kids know that if they wait long enough, an adult will eventually provide them with an answer– This is a constant temptation for adults, myself

included!

• We need to ask the questions that guide students to construct their understanding – Where was the last place the child understood?

Where did they go wrong?

Standards for the Math Practice

• Standard 1: Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them

• Standard 2: Reason abstractly and quantitatively• Standard 3: Construct viable arguments and critique the

reasoning of others• Standard 4: Model with mathematics• Standard 5: Use appropriate tools strategically• Standard 6: Attend to precision• Standard 7: Look for and make use of structure• Standard 8: Look for and express regularity in repeated

reasoning

Math Facts Assessments:

• Facts assessments will be given at the start of the year and the end of each trimester

• Students will have chances to retest and practice before final grades are given on report cards

• Assessments will get progressively harder

Math Standards:• Number sense (place

value, multi-digit computation, estimation)

• Geometry (perimeter, area, volume, graphing, lines, solid figures, perimeter and area)

• Statistics and Probability (Graphing projects)

• Algebra

• Problem solving, including communicating work to others

• Graphing

Math Projects

• There will be a number of games and projects tied to these standards.

• It is important that parent help on these projects be limited to direction and guidance as much as is possible. Let them construct their meaning!

• These projects are concentrated more at the end of the school year.

Math Homework

• Homework will be nightly, Mon-Thurs.– students will be given time (15-20) to start

it in class– book homework, packets, or projects– corrected in class the next day– homework must be neat, on graph paper,

or on the packet provided

A Typical Day in Math

• 10-15 minutes of warm up– Will vary between word problem solving,

puzzles, math talks, games,and mental math

• Homework Correction– done by student groups

• Lesson instruction• Homework time

Science:• Our science curriculum is put together by the CUSD

Kit Stop.• We use the UC-Berkeley designed FOSS (Full Option

Science System) to create hands on experiences for students that are well connected with our excellent science textbook.

• We will also seek to integrate the Collins Garden into classroom instruction for our Life Sciences unit.

• You may also want to note that fourth grade science materials are a part of the fifth grade STAR science test.

Science Units:

• Earth Materials/ Rocks and Minerals (Earth Science; Fall)

• Electricity and Magnetism (Physical Science; Winter)

• Web of Life (Life Science; Spring)

The Garden as a Science Classroom

• A long-term goal of mine is also to integrate the Collins Garden more into science instruction. Projects include:– Line and circle graphs (Math)

– Pollinator/plant relationship study (Web of Life in the fall)

Science, Social Studies, and Literacy

• A major shift in the Common Core is an increased emphasis on nonfiction reading comprehension– We will integrate science and social

studies with comprehension instruction– It is also critical that all children develop in

interest in nonfiction books• Have students follow their own interests in

selecting nonfiction books to read

How Can a Parent Help Develop Nonfiction Reading?

• Family trips: Museums, historical sites

• Nature shows and documentaries– Develop background knowledge crucial for

understanding

• Reading together as a family: It’s never too late– Many parents associate fluent decoding with

comprehension when they are not equal

Nonfiction Writing and Science

• A major part of our science assessment are the excellent tests in our FOSS Units called I-Checks.– These tests require students to use subject

area vocabulary precisely to explain their thinking, often regarding unfamiliar situations

– The quality of these written responses will be a focus all year

Art:

• Art in fourth grade is a PTA funded program. It happens once every other week.

- Drawing, crafts, painting, sketching• We will also integrate art into all subject areas

with projects and class activities.

Social Studies:• Fourth grade social studies focuses on California history

from before Columbus to beyond the Gold Rush and is one of the highlights of the year.

• Social studies this year is with Mrs. Jercha in Room 30 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

– Feel free to contact her with any questions you have at

jercha_leslie@cusdk8.org • We will also work in class on writing components of

social studies projects

Social Studies Units

Below is a list of topics explored. •Geography •Native Californians •Explorers•Spanish California•Mexican California •The Mexican-American War•U.S. California, including the Gold Rush

Physical Education

• PE occurs twice a week on Monday and Tuesday• Fitness, games, skills• Please send children to school on PE days with good footwear

and a water bottle• Our teachers are Mr. Bentley and Mr. Hutt

• We also will do some PE activities in class to provide students with extra exercise, reward good behavior, and provide “brain breaks”

Music

• Once a week on Tuesdays for 45 minutes

Homework:

• District policy is 45 to 60 minutes per night for Grade 4.

• Homework varies child to child, class to class, and week to week.

Types of homework:

• Math (application of day’s lesson, some projects: daily)

• Spelling (weekly assignments) and grammar (three days a weeks)

• Long term projects (work on a little each night)

• Assignments not finished in class* A late or incomplete assignment

still needs to be turned in

Grading• We use the

following three grading systems:– O, S, N– The 1-6

rubric – +, /, -

• I always seek to grade from a rubric on projects

O,S,N

• O,S, and N are used to mark major subject area and are ONLY seen on the report card.

• O= Outstanding• S= Satisfactory• N= Needs Improvement

1-6 Rubric:

• The 1-6 rubric is used on major projects in class. On report cards, the 1-6 rubric is used for each major grading area.

• 6= Exceptional, highly advanced work. Very rarely given on report cards.

• 5= Above grade level, an excellent grade• 4= Grade level, average• 3= Fair, slightly below grade level• 2= Limited, well below grade level• 1= Minimal, no effort shown, or incomplete assignment

+, /, -:

• The +, /, - grade marks the students progress in the skills that are a part of each grading area.

• On a more daily basis, it is used to grade homework and class assignments.

• += above average• / = average• - = below average

Communication between school and home:

• I am always happy to meet or talk, and believe that effective parent/teacher communication is key to a good year for kids, parents, and teachers.

Friday Folders :

• Friday Folders come home each Friday.

• The work inside is to be reviewed by parents.

• Weeks without a Friday do not see Folders sent home.

• The child brings the signed folder for the teacher on the following school day, usually Monday.

Other ways to communicate

• October parent/ teacher conferences

• Other conferences at parent or teacher request

• E-mail/ phone calls– I have an open door policy with parents, with after school being

better. Please drop by whenever I am around to chat or check in.

My Contact Information:

• Phone: (408) 252-6002 ext. 227• The phone will not connect to my room during

instructional hours. Calls will go straight to voicemail. After and before school the phone will ring through.

• Email:• nutter_christopher@cusdk8.org

– I am much more easy to track down over email than voicemail.

Field trips/ Class donations:

• Class donations of $85 are needed to help cover the cost for scheduled field trips, guest speakers, and grade level assemblies. All trips and and assemblies support the classroom curriculum.

• Donations are not required, but are depended on to go on the trips. If our donations come up short, we may have to cancel trips.

• Checks payable to Collins School.• - Field Trips: Mission San Juan Bautista $18, Hidden Villa

field trip and classroom presentation $35, Peralta Adobe $17• - Time for Kids Magazine ($5 a student), StoryWorks $5• End of the Year Picnic $5

A quick note on birthdays:

• Monthly parties only, on last Friday of each month

• Please don’t send food on your child’s B-day• No cakes or cupcakes, healthier treats only.• Students are responsible to organize their parties

with other students in their month themselves.• Check to be sure food is nut-allergy safe• Up-to-date TB tests required to serve food or

come to party. You are welcome to come!

Volunteers:• Volunteers are always welcome and needed

for field trips, copying and other tasks, and parties.

• Volunteers must:– Have TB test on file, have undergone the

volunteer training, and have been fingerprinted

• There are hands-on projects for science that could benefit from additional adult supervision.

• There will be volunteer trainings and fingerprinting:– 9/10 at 6:00 PM in GLC

• Please let me know your availability! Thanks.