Welcome, Parents!Mrs. HarkinsMrs. Wilkins

Classroom Schedule

7:55 – 8:10 Morning Assembly in the Gym

8:15 – 8:25 Morning Routine (break, lunch count, etc.)

8:30 – 9:40 Harkins kids go to Math/Wilkins kids go to science

9:40 – 10:10 RTI

10:10 – 11:00 Teacher Conference/PE/Music

11:05 – 11:45 Reading/Social Studies

11:50 – 12:25 Lunch

12:30 – 12:50 RECESS

12:55 – 1:25 Reading/Social Studies Continued

1:30 – 2:40 Science/Math

2:45 – 3:20 Tutoring/UIL/Team Building/Pack Up

This is what a typical day in our classroom looks like.

Mrs. HarkinsThis marks my 17th year as an educator and my 4th year teaching in Tolar! I love being around kids, and I'm looking forward to another awesome year!

I love science and have adventurous activities, labs, and projects planned! Science is all about curiosity and being able to become a critical reader and thinker. I will also be teaching reading, grammar, and social studies this year. These are other favorite subjects of mine. It's going to be a productive time!

I began my teaching career in Midland, TX at Travis Elementary. I have taught Science, Social Studies, Language Arts, and Math. I obtained my bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of Texas of the Permian Basin and my master's degree in psychology from the University of Phoenix. My husband, Dewayne, is a middle school teacher and high school coach in the district. We have two kids. Johnna just turned five years old and Brayson will be four in February! I love to spend time with my family, do crafts, sew, and watch football! We are SO excited to be a part of this wonderful district!

Mrs. Wilkins

Class Goals

• Learn new skills

• Discover new interests

• Make new friends

• Have fun and support each other

Classroom Community

Our classroom rules help us get along with each other:

Below are minimum Behavior Expectations for fifth grade:

• Be on time with all necessary supplies.

• Be polite and respectful. Do not disrupt the learning environment.

• Follow all directions the first time given.

• Be aware of Tolar Elementary Handbook rules. You are expected to follow all rules and procedures.

Discipline ProceduresStudents who violate the classroom rules will be required to sign their discipline page. They will move up the discipline plan based on the number of signatures. The discipline plan is as follows.

• 1st offense – Verbal Warning

• 2nd offense – Written Warning, possible loss of recess (teacher discretion)

• 3rd offense – Phone call home, loss of Fun Friday

• 4th offense – Office Referral

It starts over each week! However, students who continually misbehave week after week will be referred to the office.

Class Subjects

• Reading and Writing/Grammar

• Math

• Science

• Social Studies

• Music and P.E.

Keep Up Folder

Students have created a Keep Up Folder. They will bring this home each day. Please check your child’s Keep Up folder daily.

Item in the Keep Up folder• Schedule• Calendar• Assignment Sheet• Homework or Information sent home for parents. This will be on

the side labeled homework. • Work that is not homework but not completed. This will be on the

side labeled In Progress.

Reading

• Students have a STAAR folder and a journal for Reading/ELA. We will be taking notes in our journal and completing some assignments. We will have notes and quizzes/tests in our STAAR folder.

• This year we will be reading…

• Frindle

• City of Ember

• Night of the Twisters

• Sign of the Beaver

Math

This year in 5th grade math we will be building on your prior knowledge and learning new concepts. The following is a breakdown of what we will cover throughout the year. We will be doing hands on activities, games, and projects every six weeks to cover our content.

The students will be completing notes in their math journal. They have a math folder that will contain their STAAR chart, homework, graded papers, and laminated multiplication chart.

Please check their math folder daily. Please have them practice their multiplication facts on the laminated sheet. They need a dry erase or vis-à-vis marker.

Science

• Your child will be creating an interactive science journal this year. It will be full of notes, labeled drawings, foldables, and lab write-ups. Hopefully it will be a keepsake for when your child leaves 5th grade.

• Fifth graders are taught general science this year. This includes: safety, tools, processes, physical, earth, and life sciences.

• Fifth graders will take a STAAR science test in April. It will contain many questions over the above sciences. It is critical that your child stay focused, work hard, study for tests, keep up with his/her journal, and use the strategies that will be taught this year. By doing these things, I know your child will be successful on this test!

• Science is my favorite, and I’m looking forward to working with your child!

Social Studies

• Fifth graders will study American History this year.

• We will begin with early explorers and end with the Civil War, and we’ll cover the “big events” in between!

• Your child will keep a social studies journal this year.

• This will be your child’s first introduction to our nifty-fifty states and how the United States came to be!

• Your child will learn about important documents and will be asked to memorize all /or parts of some of these.

Homework

• Students will have homework.

• Please check their Keep Up folder and math folder daily.

Field Trips

• We have lots of fun field trips planned for this year!

• Tarleton Music Class

• Camp Grady Spruce

• Dallas Love Field (possible)

• Collaboration with TCU chemistry classes (possible)

Camp Grady Spruce

• This is a wonderful experience for our students!!!

Fundraising

We will begin fundraising for the trip soon! We will do different things to raise money. If you know someone who would like to donate money for our trip, please bring it to us and we will make sure they receive a thank you note from us! Any donations are greatly appreciated. Our hope is to raise enough money to go on the trip and to have some extra money to have shirts made for the kids.

Keep in Touch

Visit our classroom websites!

Read the newsletter in the Monday folders. These are written mainly for parent communication.

Sign up for Teacher Text Messages!

Mrs. Wilkins – TEXT @e60c5 to 817-405-2477

Mrs. Harkins – TEXT @88ebf to 832-786-2875

Please email us or call if you need to schedule a conference. Our conference time is 10:10 – 11:00 Monday –Thursday and Friday from 12:50 – 1:35.

Questions?

Let’s Have aGreat Year!