These are just a few of our classroom procedures.
- Planners
- Homework
- Bobcat Class Work Folder
- Grading
- Tests and Quizzes
- Absences
- Effort
- Accelerated Reader
- Snacks and Water Bottles
- Book Orders
- Arrival Time
- Special Schedule
- Missing Work
Planners
The First week of school your child will be given a planner.
Students will
fill out this planner ever day listing the assignments and
activities for the
day and possibly the week. Please check your child's planner
every
night. This is also a great communication tool
for those questions or comments that you may have for me.
Homework
Homework will be given approximately 2 times a week to enrich the
skills that
have been taught in class. In many cases, homework is simply
class work that
was not finished. I try to give ample time in class for the
completion of
most assignments, but some students work more slowly than others
and must
finish at home. I encourage you and your child to set up a
scheduled time and
place to complete homework each day. Even on days your child
does not have
homework, keep this study time a part of his or her consistent
routine by
having them do one of the following activities.
--Read a book at his/her ability level for a minimum of 20
minutes
--Study Spelling words and multiplication facts
Students should be able to do most of these assignments
independently.
Bobcat Class Work Folder
In order to help students keep their assignments organized, they
will be give
a Bobcat work folder with two pockets labeled �Finished Work�
and �Unfinished
Work�. When an assignment is not completed in class, it is to
be placed in
the �Unfinished Work pocket�. The unfinished work needs to be
completed that
night for homework and placed in the �Finished Work� pocket to
be returned the
next day. It is your child�s responsibility to take home
unfinished work,
complete the assignment and return it the next day. It is
important that you
check your child�s Bobcat Assignment Folder and Planner each
night. Please do
not take out and keep any assignments. I expect all assignments
to be turned
in the next day. As a general rule, late assignments will be
marked down one
grade for each day they are late.
Grading
Fifth grade students will earn letter grades on their report
cards. Four
report cards will be given along with four mid marking period
reports.
Students will be given letter grades on their daily assignments,
quizzes, and
tests. The grades are converted into points when entered into
the grading
program.
**Practice Assignments: 10 points
Daily Assignments: Varied points (percentage grade used)
Tests and Quizzes: Varied points (percentage grade
used)
**Practice Assignments are considered practice of new skills,
therefore,
students will earn 10 points if completed with few mistakes, 5
point if
completed with many mistakes, and 0 points if incomplete or
evidence of no
effort.
Tests and Quizzes
Students will know at least 2 days prior to a test or quiz,
unless, it is a
pop quiz. This will be written in their planners when they are
notified.
Students will have some time to review in class, but most of
there studying
should take place at home. Students will often be given a review
assignment
that he/she can complete prior to the test. Spelling tests are
given every
Friday, when we have spelling. We will often skip spelling on 4
day weeks and
during holidays. Spelling curriculum is significantly reduced
once students
enter the Fifth grade. More of our time will be spent of
vocabulary and
English skills.
Absences
When students are absent, they are responsible for making up the
work.
Students will have an absent folder on their desk when they
return and must stay in the day they return. Much of
our classroom activities cannot be done at home such as
experiments, group
work, in class learning games etc, so regular attendance is
encouraged!
Effort
Students are always expected to turn in their best work. If
students do not
turn their best work they will be asked to redo the assignment.
Accelerated Reader
Students will receive a classroom A.R. goal for each term. This
is based on
the student�s individual reading ability. Students may write a
book review
for any book that is not an AR book and I will give credit toward
their goal,
but not their AR Levels. This will also give the student credit
toward their AR Goal, but not their AR Levels.
Snacks and Water Bottles
Students may bring a healthy snack to eat mid-morning. Good
items to send for
a snack would be fruit or vegetables, applesauce, yogurt, cheese
sticks,
crackers etc. Please do not send items with lots of sugar in
them (No Candy).
I also allow the students to keep a water bottle with a spill
proof lid at
school. This avoids several students waiting in line for one
drinking
fountain!
Book Orders
Students have the opportunity to purchase books from the book
orders sent
home. If I send two order forms home, feel free to combine the
two orders and
use one check to pay for the books. Please make checks payable
to �Scholastic
Book Clubs�.
Arrival Time
As you know our start time is 8:30 and all students must be in
class at
8:30 or they are considered tardy. It is also very important
that students
arrive on time this year because all of our specials classes
start at 8:45.
Please remember to send in an extra pair of indoor gym shoes.
Special Schedule
Monday: Health 1:35-2:10
Tuesday: Gym 8:45-9:20
Wednesday: Computers 1:35-2:10
Thursday: Gym 8:45-9:20
Friday: Music 8:45-9:20
We have also started D.A.R.E. which is Wednesday's at 9:00.
Missing Work
Every day that the paper is late I will mark it down by 10
percent. As for
missing work that students do not have, I do not give them an
additional
copy. They will have to make their grade up throughout the
remainder of the
marking period. I know this is a big adjustment from fourth
grade, but this
is done in preparation for middle school. In middle school
students are not
given additional assignments if they failed to turn it in on the
day it was
do�it is automatically a zero.
1st Marking Period--Adjustment 1 day to return before
marked down 10%
2nd Marking Period--Next Day Next Day the assignment is
due or it's a 0%-make-ups still allowed
3rd/4th Marking Period--Zero Due next day or a zero--No
make-ups