Welcome to Welcome to Cherry HillCherry Hill’’ss

Back To School Night! Back To School Night!

Mrs. KaramMrs. KaramRoom 107 Room 107

Welcome to Welcome to Cherry HillCherry Hill’’ss

Back To School Night! Back To School Night!

Mrs. KaramMrs. KaramRoom 107 Room 107

4K

My Life

Communication

• Email: Karamk@riveredgeschools.org• Website: Karamk.weebly.com (or through River Edge homepage)(Lots of information here – use Blog)• Call the office (201) 261-3405 • Send a note

Teamwork

Our goal in fourth grade is to give the students:

1. More responsibility2. Establish organizational skills

3. Work well independently and cooperatively when in groups

Class Parents

• Sherry Duerr - Captain• Jane DiMasso• Jackie Molina

Workshop RoutineMini-Lesson: (10-15 minutes) The students sit on the carpet for a short lesson

while the teacher models or demonstrates a strategy or skill to help everyone become a better writer or reader.

Independent Practice: (30-40 minutes)Reading = Children are reading their self-selected books at their independent reading level to help practice what they learned in the mini-lesson.Writing = Children will write entries and generate ideas in their writer’s notebooks and after a few weeks they will choose an entry from their collection to turn into a published piece.

Closing/Share Time: (5-10 minutes)The children meet back at the rug to review the mini-lesson and talk about their reading and writing.

Mondo Reading Program

The Mondo reading program is comprehensive instruction that

addresses oral language development, alphabetic knowledge, and

strategic comprehension.

Oral Language – Mondo provides materials for oral language

instruction for all students, with emphasis on language-deficient

native English speakers and English language learners.

 

Phonological Awareness – Mondo provides materials for explicit

differentiated instruction that targets the needs of all

students. It offers skills application with targeted word lists

and carefully crafted decodable texts.

Mondo Reading ProgramSequentially Leveled Texts – Mondo’s library provide fiction and

nonfiction books for sequenced and targeted instruction at each

student’s precise instructional reading level. The libraries include a

range of text types, such as fantasy, historical fiction, folktales,

procedural, persuasive, explanations, as well as science and social

studies themes and more.

Shared Reading and Read Aloud - Mondo’s “shared reading”

provides a range of materials for modeling, explicit teaching, and

teacher-supported practice of critical early literacy skills,

comprehension strategies, vocabulary and fluency. Mondo “read

aloud” provides a collection of 20 short (3 page) high-

interest stories and articles supported by a one-session focused

lesson plan. The selections represent a cross-section of genres and

text types.

Mondo Reading Program

Through read alouds and explicitteaching, students become more effective critical listeners, build vocabularies, and learn to apply strategic comprehension skills.

Writer’s Workshop• Writing is taught as process: Generating notebook

entries, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.

• Students will be given the opportunity to peer revise/edit, as well as conference with me about their writing.

• Through Writers’ Workshop I will be conducting mini lessons on individual skills one at a time.

• You may see errors in your child’s writing and that is to be expected with our workshop format!

• Some lessons I will focus on during writing time include: grammar rules, paragraph structure, dialogue, leads, voice, endings, word choice, sentence structure, and character development.

Spelling/Word Study/Grammar/Healt

h• Wordly Wise, dictation tests, spelling list words, word study, and grammar review sheets

• Spelling City, WW sites

• Type or write homework - heading

• Health discussions in class

• Newsletters each month-must be retuned to school at end of month

Science• Discovery Lab and/or lesson with Mrs.

Crawford or Mr. Corcoran will be taught every other week. the topics will be supported with lessons in class.

• Topics discussed in Science are challenging...Students will be taking notes and conducting many labs in school, and reading independently at home.

• There will be quizzes or tests at the end of each topic to assess your child's understanding of the material.

Topics to be covered• Water cycle/weather• Energy• Forces of Motion• Human Body

Social Studies• Students will be taking notes and doing research.

• There will be quizzes and/or projects at the end of each topic to assess your child's understanding of the material.

Topics to be covered• Map Skills• Native Americans• Explorers • New Jersey• Current Events

Everyday Math• At beginning of each unit, look for the letter

home with answers and helpful strategies (online- parent links)

• Spiral approach• Students are engaged with games and activities• Uses real-life applications• Work with hands-on problems and materials to

construct learning• Learning multiplication/division facts is

stressed: Quizzes throughout the year to reinforce basic facts.

• Optional extra math exemplars• There will be 2 or 3 creative math extension

projects

4K Homework • Website – Please check, I always post.• Planner – parents sign• Mon.–Thurs. (occasional Fridays/no holidays)• Keep work neat, clean, and organized • Book talk, math projects, & Internet• Read at least 20 – 30 minutes a night (parents can

read) • Writer’s & Reader’s notebooks that go home must

come back• Binders home and school everyday• Math 3-4 times/week• Social Studies, Science, Spelling 2-3/week• Health and Grammar occasionally

Homework Continued…• The students from time to time might need a little help with HW, but on average, they should not need your help as much as the year progresses. Please help them, but don’t do it for them.

• *See attached homework note• Consequences: May have to do assignments over, complete homework at recess, (if it becomes a regular occurrence) and/or parent conference

• Rewards: Free homework pass for entire night after 20 checks

• Yellow Folders – Office Notices (Also check CHS’s website – going green)

• Manila Folders –All graded papers must be signed & returned. This folder will also contain notices from Mrs. Karam.

• Homework Folder – Left at home & Right back. Please empty.

Folders

Instruments/Create• Many students will be taking advantage of the

school’s instrument program. • Students will have lessons every week• Students are responsible for any work that

they miss while they are at a lesson. • They should ask a "buddy" to keep track of all

the work they miss and turn it in the following day.

• They may also make it up during free time on that particular day or for homework.

• Students that are out for Create are expected to make up the missed work

Grading• All tests, quizzes, and projects will be sent home with a number percentage (100%, 95%, etc.)

• Report card grades are based on averages from homework, projects, quizzes, test grades, class participation and student effort.

• Missed assignments notice-50% when made up • Students are also assessed through one-on-one conferences, group work, class discussions, observation, and completion of class projects. Therefore, grades are not based on an average alone!

Additional Notes• Birthdays: Grades K-3 ONLY – no treats • Marble Jar: Students have the opportunity to fill the

marble jar for good behavior and we will celebrate with a marble party (free time, movie, etc.)

• Poor student behavior: Breaking classroom rules, not acting 4th grade appropriate, not being safe, being disrespectful to classmates or teacher and/or frequent missed homework may result in the following:

• Consequences: Explanation note home from the student, loss of special privileges at school, no recess, principals office, and/or parent conference.

DON’T FORGET!• Aide – Tara Deckler

• Guess Who?• Conference sign-ups

• Look around our room and visit specials‘ classrooms• Parent Questionnaire and letter to child

• Check online notices – going green• Picture Day – Oct. 18th