Welcome to the Intermediate Class 2012-

2013

Classroom Staff

Mrs. Barbato

Mrs.

Budelman

Mrs. Torraca

Mrs. Gursky

Ms. Papalia

Covert School Community

Students in the Intermediate Class enjoy a welcoming school community. There are

numerous opportunities for integrated experiences based on individual goals and schedules.

Students eat lunch and play at recess in an inclusive setting. Students in the fourth and fifth

grade chorus participate in the school winter and spring concerts. Everyone shines in the

school’s annual variety show. Our students enjoy field trips with both their integrated class and self

contained class. Fifth grade events are enjoyed by all fifth grade students and our end of the year

video yearbook is always a treat to our students preparing to move to the South Side Middle School.

Communication between the Intermediate Class and Middle School Class is ongoing. Many activities

afford the children with an easy transition when the time comes.  

English Language Arts

To meet Common Core Standards in English Language Arts, the intermediate class utilizes a balanced literacy program. Students will be immersed in a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction literature to enhance their knowledge, vocabulary and understanding of concepts. Students will recognize that individual letters have associated sounds, they will recognize and identify some sight words and read familiar texts at the emergent level. Children will ask and answer questions in response to texts and interpret information represented in simple charts and webs.

Writing instruction involves spelling, handwriting, composition and motivation to write. Practice in writing for a variety of reasons includes charting data, writing letters, recording academic activities and completing personal data information forms.

Students will learn to listen attentively to spoken language for different purposes. They will listen respectfully when others speak without interrupting and attend for specified periods of time. Students will learn to listen to group read alouds for information.

Students are exposed to a variety of poems, literature, fiction and non-fiction books, Scholastic Books on Tape, songs, rhymes, word plays, assemblies, field trips, plays to provide opportunities to listen in a variety of settings. Students work on their listening skills during interactive play with peers and adults. Students also have an opportunity for refining listening skills when they are listening to peers share projects and reports.

Students will increase their vocabulary and conventional grammar in their own speech. They will speak for different purposes. They will learn to focus on audibly speaking with speed and expression appropriate for the listener and setting. They will learn to take turns speaking and respond appropriately to what others are saying. Children will report on their research as well as other projects. They will navigate the school community with a number of speaking tasks including running errands. 

Mathematics 

The Common Core Curriculum State Standards in Mathematics are met in the non-graded class through a variety of hands on activities. Our program is designed to reach a number of ability levels. Through the variety of manipulatives used and hands on activities students will better understand, enjoy and appreciate mathematics. Students are taught to express their mathematical thinking through words, pictures and numbers. Students are taught to use calculators. Games are used and provide strategic mathematical thinking and an opportunity to review concepts. Students will participate in mathematical operations, algebraic thinking, numbers, measurement and geometry.  

Social Studies

The Core Curriculum Standards are incorporated to help students learn about roles in a family and school community. The students explore self, family, and school. They learn about families now and long ago as well as different kinds of families in various societies. They begin to use a map and globe. Students will compare different cultures to their own. Citizenship will be explored in relation to rules and laws. Environment and physical settings will be a focus of study as well.

 

Science

Students will experience the process of scientific inquiry through hands-on experiments and activities. Students will participate in activities such as: classifying, communicating, comparing, contrasting, creating models, gathering data, organizing data, generalizing, identifying variables, interpreting data, making decisions, manipulating materials, measuring, observing and predicting. Students will learn about keeping their bodies safe and healthy and compare how these issues overlap in a variety of science units. These skills will be addressed based on the Common Core Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science, and Technology. 1. Living things change and grow.2. Living things have basic needs.3. Living things reproduce.4. Plants and animals are interdependent.  

Health and Safety

The class will understand that many diseases can be prevented by practicing good health habits. We will recognize that good nutrition, regular exercise and rest promotes healthy minds and bodies. Students will identify emotions and develop skills to deal with them. They will understand that as they mature, it is important to practice good hygiene.Understanding emergency information and procedures is stressed. Children will follow classroom and school safety rules. 

Behavior Management

A positive approach to behavior management is incorporated into the Intermediate Classroom. Expectations for behavior are clearly stated and listed on a classroom poster. The behaviors reinforced by the classroom token economy are stated positively,. Students have a reinforcement chart clearly visible in the classroom. Children earn money for following the classroom rules and they are required to pay fines for not following the posted rules. This token economy reinforces the understanding of working with money. Children participate in keeping track of their earnings throughout the day by making coin exchanges. At the end of the week students use their earned money to participate in a classroom center of their choosing. The centers include the “Communication Center” where students can pay to send an e-mail, a letter or make a phone call. These activities also reinforce academic writing goals, social emotional goals as well as speech goals. In the “Class Store Center”, students use their money to purchase items such as school supplies, games, toys and jewelry. Students make money exchanges for items practicing the independent skill of being a consumer. At the “Café Center”,students purchase snacks choosing among a variety of healthy items and ”sometimes foods” or “treats.” Students make decisions with their behavior during the week, remembering that if they earn enough money they have more choices at centers.

Some students require more immediate reinforcements so individual interventions are used on an as need basis. Providing consistency for children helps them understand what is and is not acceptable behavior in their home and school environments.

 

TechnologyStudents in the Intermediate

class use the Smartboard daily as a part of the class routine, which covers calendar skills and the “Morning Meeting.” We watch videos ranging from the life cycle changes of a tadpole into a frog, to how life was for the Native Americans helping the Pilgrims plant crops. We record and compare data on the Smartboard as well as research and report. We refine skills using ipad2 applications that provide fun ways to drill Individual Education Plan goals. We may use computer programs or websites individually or with a friend when we finish our independent work. We use teacher made adaptive keyboards as an alternative to writing. We have a Smart Table in STELLAR that we can use as well as one that is shared between both Core Classrooms.

A Typical Day•Arrival : Care for personal items and supplies

•Morning Meeting: Calendar skills, Fundations Letter Stories, Smartboard

•Exercise Circle:

Students exercise crossing the midline of their bodies helping them to integrated both sides of their brain functions. These activities provide sensory input. Research shows that these types of exercises help prepare students to focus and get ready for academic work.

•Snack: Please mark as “snack” and provide a separate drink. Remember to focus on healthy choices.

•Reading/Writing Work:

Students work on their individual writing goals incorporating some math and some reading that they work on independently at their desks while other students are called to guided reading groups.

•Math: Students work in large groups, small groups, with manipulatives and technology to explore the curriculum

•Recess/Lunch: Inclusive environment

•Exercise Circle: Same as above

•Reading/Writing Work: Same as above

•Science/Social Studies: Another opportunity for technology use to explore the curriculum

•Balanced Reading/ELA: Students have the opportunity to participate in a variety of reading/writing instruction with teacher modeling

•Song Circle/Dismissal: Token economy is reviewed throughout the day and money is managed at this time. Students earn the privilege of participating in song circle which is another motivating social time. Students prepare their belongings for dismissal at the buses.

Communication Communication is an ongoing partnerships between home and school. We have our communication notebooks, marked “Communication” for daily correspondence. Staff can be contacted via telephone by calling the office and leaving a message for a return call (255-8916). We can also be contacted by e-mail – lbarbato@rvcschools.org. We have two parent teacher conferences and we also have morning team meetings scheduled throughout the year. You will receive your letter tonight for your meeting. The Covert Website will also have classroom information and monthly newsletters.

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