Mrs. BuhacMrs. Buhac44thth Grade Grade

2013-20142013-2014Team Up in Room

21!

Welcome to the Welcome to the “Bee Hive”!“Bee Hive”!Room 21 is known as the “beehive” for several

reasons.

As a matter of fact, it all started with my last name! Buhac can be a challenging word at first, so I’m usually known as Mrs. B by many students! That led to my decision to create “the beehive” in my very first classroom…it worked so well, I’ve used it since!

Bees are a very useful way to show how successful we can be if we work together and believe in one another ~ in fact, it is the animal used to show the Cooperation block of the John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success!

Imagine how happy I was to find that Coach Wooden agreed that bees can be a great way to teach students about the importance of Cooperation. That led to my discovery of the Pyramid of Success character program for children. We will use this EXTENSIVELY in my classroom, as in the other 4th grade classrooms as well.

My Goals & My Goals & How we will How we will

achieve themachieve themEncourage life long learning

Give students the tools

they need to make good choices.

Build excellent character skills.

Focus on team building

activities

Use the Pyramid of

Success to reach our

Personal Best!

Learn and use classroom procedures

C.H.A.M.P.S.C.H.A.M.P.S.•C- ConversationC- Conversation•H – HelpH – Help•A – ActivityA – Activity•M – MovementM – Movement•P – P –

ParticipationParticipation•S - SuccessS - Success

CHAMPS is a school wide behavior program that we will be using this year. Students are provided with clear expectations for every activity and each period of time in the classroom, as well as around the campus. This will help students by having consistent expectations and rules no matter where they go. We are very excited to share this positive and proven method to help our Vine Eagles achieve their Personal Best!

Room 21 Room 21 ExpectationsExpectations

Room 21’s Vision

Statement

Work to protect

your relationships.

Solve conflict in a

peaceful manner.

Support each other to

achieve at high levels.

Give each other thebenefit

of the doubt!

I have very high expectations for your child, and I strongly believe that children respond to what is expected of them. As such, students will be expected to be kind, safe, responsible, and honest at all times. In addition, the MOST important standard in our class, our grade level and our school is to show RESPECT towards classmates, teachers, and other adults. Anything less will not be tolerated.

Room 21’s Room 21’s RulesRules

• Follow directions immediately.Follow directions immediately.• Use positive language.Use positive language.• Work and play in a safe manner.Work and play in a safe manner.• Work quietly and do your best.Work quietly and do your best.• Keep the classroom neat.Keep the classroom neat.• Follow the CHAMPS signs.Follow the CHAMPS signs.

The students in Room 21 worked together to The students in Room 21 worked together to create these rules, signed them and know that create these rules, signed them and know that they are responsible for following these rules. they are responsible for following these rules. These are the things they decided were These are the things they decided were important to them and what they need to do to important to them and what they need to do to be successful 4be successful 4thth graders. Please support them graders. Please support them by reminding them to always follow THEIR rules.by reminding them to always follow THEIR rules.

Room 21’s Room 21’s GUIDELINESGUIDELINESTHE SIX “BE’S”THE SIX “BE’S”

• BE responsible!BE responsible!• BE kind!BE kind!• BE respectful!BE respectful!• BE trustworthy!BE trustworthy!• BE a team player!BE a team player!• BE loyal!BE loyal! Guidelines and Rules are two different tihngs so Guidelines and Rules are two different tihngs so

as a class, students in Room 21 worked together as a class, students in Room 21 worked together to create these guideline as well. Guidelines help to create these guideline as well. Guidelines help students think about how to act, behave and “be” students think about how to act, behave and “be” at any given time. Please talk with them about at any given time. Please talk with them about their understanding of the different between their understanding of the different between guidelines and rules and why they chose these.guidelines and rules and why they chose these.

Behavior & Behavior & ConsequencesConsequences

Positive Positive ConsequencesConsequences

• Team pointsTeam points• Bee BucksBee Bucks• Eagle AwardsEagle Awards• Teacher Teacher

recognitionrecognition• Peer recognitionPeer recognition

Negative Negative ConsequencesConsequences

• Yellow Card – Yellow Card – WarningWarning

• Blue Card – Loss of Blue Card – Loss of a privilege and/or a privilege and/or parent contactparent contact

• Red Card – Visit Red Card – Visit with Dr. Torres with Dr. Torres and parent contactand parent contact

Please review your child’s life folder as their behavior card color will be recorded for each day of the week.

Team points will be given to encourage teamwork among students. The table that has the most points at the end of the week will be able to pick their jobs for the following week.

Life FoldersLife Folders• Go home every TuesdayGo home every Tuesday• Weekly Progress ReportWeekly Progress Report

– Missing assignmentsMissing assignments– Color of behavior cardColor of behavior card– Area for commentsArea for comments– Bi-weekly newsletter to Bi-weekly newsletter to

keep you informedkeep you informed

PLEASE review the life PLEASE review the life folder with your child folder with your child every week. This is every week. This is one of the most one of the most crucial forms of crucial forms of communication communication between school and between school and home.home.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Homework & Homework & Reading LogReading LogHomework vs. ClassworkHomework vs. Classwork

• Homework is usually built into my Homework is usually built into my classwork and there will NOT classwork and there will NOT always be another assignment always be another assignment required. Please ask your child to required. Please ask your child to explain their agenda to you.explain their agenda to you.

• When homework is assigned it will When homework is assigned it will be posted daily on the board. It is be posted daily on the board. It is the student’s responsibility to the student’s responsibility to copy these into their Student copy these into their Student Planner.Planner.

• Daily and Weekly Must Do Daily and Weekly Must Do assignments not completed in assignments not completed in class ARE TO BE COMPLETED AT class ARE TO BE COMPLETED AT HOME. This is the majority of HOME. This is the majority of homework in this class.homework in this class.

• Classwork assignments should be Classwork assignments should be copied into Student Planners so copied into Student Planners so students can plan their time students can plan their time properly. properly.

• Spelling words are to be copied Spelling words are to be copied into Student Planners on Monday.into Student Planners on Monday.

• All Must Do’s are due by FRIDAY.All Must Do’s are due by FRIDAY.• Monthly/Quarterly projects based Monthly/Quarterly projects based

on curriculumon curriculum

Reading LogReading Log• Research has never shown Research has never shown

a convincing link between a convincing link between traditional nightly traditional nightly homework and a positive homework and a positive effect on student learning. effect on student learning.

• However, it does show that However, it does show that students become better students become better readers by reading at their readers by reading at their ability level or at a slightly ability level or at a slightly higher level. It also shows higher level. It also shows that children who read that children who read consistently will have a consistently will have a richer vocabulary and richer vocabulary and writing ability.writing ability.

• Reading Logs sent home as Reading Logs sent home as neededneeded

• Must be enjoyable and not Must be enjoyable and not below reading ability for below reading ability for Reading LogReading Log

• Can they read a favorite Can they read a favorite book that IS below their book that IS below their ability?ability?

44thth Grade Grade CurriculumCurriculumEnglish Language Arts

Imagine It!

• Emphasis on skills and strategies for phonemic awareness, comprehension, writing, spelling and vocabulary development

Mathematics

enVisionMath•Understand large numbers, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division of whole numbers.

•Describe and compare simple fractions and decimals.

•Understand properties of plane geometric figures.

Science/Social Studies

California Science

Our California/California Studies Weekly

• Life, Earth and Physical Science

• California history, geography, civics and government, economics and culture

Physical Education

Sparks• Emphasis on healthy choices

•Cardiovascular health and endurance

• Teamwork

GradingGrading• Daily Practice:Daily Practice:

– Stamps, smiling faces, stars, stickers, check Stamps, smiling faces, stars, stickers, check marksmarks

• Formal Grading:Formal Grading:– 1: Student is working far below grade level. 1: Student is working far below grade level.

Minimum effort or understanding. Minimum effort or understanding.– 2: Student is working at a basic level (starting to 2: Student is working at a basic level (starting to

get get it but not quite there yet). Keep trying! it but not quite there yet). Keep trying!– 3: Student work is proficient and meeting grade 3: Student work is proficient and meeting grade

level level expectations. Pyramid of Success expectations. Pyramid of Success being used.being used.

– 4: Student work is above grade level 4: Student work is above grade level expectations. expectations. Personal best in effort and Personal best in effort and achievement.achievement.

• RubricsRubrics

Book OrdersBook Orders• Monthly or every otherMonthly or every other• Use checks made out to Scholastic Use checks made out to Scholastic

Book ClubsBook Clubs• Send book order (with STUDENT Send book order (with STUDENT

NAME) in an envelope marked NAME) in an envelope marked “Book Order” with child’s name and “Book Order” with child’s name and amount enclosed.amount enclosed.

• Competitively priced and great for Competitively priced and great for • class points to build our libraryclass points to build our library

CommunicationCommunication• Call of the DayCall of the Day• Life Folders!!!**Life Folders!!!**• Student PlannersStudent Planners• PhonePhone• Email** (jbuhac@wcusd.org)Email** (jbuhac@wcusd.org)• Website** at Website** at

http://teacherweb.com/CA/VineSchool/Mrshttp://teacherweb.com/CA/VineSchool/MrsBuhacBuhac

WebsiteWebsite•http://teacherweb.com/CA/VineSchool/MrsBuhac

•Weekly Must Do assignments

•Spelling words

•Vocabulary words

•Homework assignments

•Announcements

•Helpful websites and links

Team Eagles Important Team Eagles Important NewsNews

• There are some new polices as well as some to There are some new polices as well as some to remind you of - remind you of - – Perfect Attendance: NO tardies, must attend Perfect Attendance: NO tardies, must attend

school until at least 12 p.m. EVERY DAY.school until at least 12 p.m. EVERY DAY.– Parking lot is closed, an adult MUST pick up Parking lot is closed, an adult MUST pick up

the student. I will not send students across the student. I will not send students across the parking lot or across Vine without an the parking lot or across Vine without an adult.adult.

– Kinder gates/new front gate: Kinders must Kinder gates/new front gate: Kinders must enter through the kinder gates and all other enter through the kinder gates and all other students must enter through the front gate. students must enter through the front gate. The gate between K-land and the main The gate between K-land and the main campus will be LOCKED. New front gate is a campus will be LOCKED. New front gate is a safety measure, please be sure to get a safety measure, please be sure to get a visitor badge upon sign in at the office.visitor badge upon sign in at the office.

Classroom Classroom CollegeCollege

• Dream Big!Dream Big!• University of HawaiiUniversity of Hawaii• Wednesdays are College Team Spirit Wednesdays are College Team Spirit

DayDay• Order from U of H website, Order from U of H website,

www.fansedge.comwww.fansedge.com, Amazon.com, etc., Amazon.com, etc.

Pyramid of Pyramid of SuccessSuccess• Make each day your Make each day your

masterpiece!masterpiece!• www.coachwooden.comwww.coachwooden.com – USE IT! – USE IT!

Team EaglesTeam EaglesEE – Expect success; learning is our – Expect success; learning is our

job!job!

AA – Accept responsibility – Accept responsibility

GG – Give our best effort – Give our best effort

LL – Learn tolerance – Learn tolerance

EE – Encourage others – Encourage others

SS – Show respect to everyone! – Show respect to everyone!

Be part of the team…JOIN PTA!