Open the lines of communication between home and school

Get to know me and my teaching styles

Be aware of classroom schedule and procedures

Understand behavior and homework expectations/4 th grade responsibility

Review 4th grade curriculum

I believe in creating and managing a positive classroom environment that is organized and respectful in order for students to feel comfortable.

I believe in being honest with parents about their child’s performance in school.

I believe in creating a learning community where children feel free to take risks.

I believe in being a life long learner.

I believe that I constantly need to evaluate my own strengths and weaknesses in order to grow.

I believe in positive reinforcement

I believe in creating an environment in which all children can succeed.

Email: motis@kyrene.org

Phone: 480-541-2532

Communication emails from me

Assignment Book/Planner

Conferences: Usually end of October and

beginning of March, or by appointment

7:40 Students picked up from courtyard

7:45 Specials (Art, Music, P.E., Library-each 45 min/Computer Lab on Thursday)

8:35 Language Arts

10:05 Bathroom Break/Recess

10:25 Reading IFG

10:55 Read Aloud

11:10 Lunch/Recess

11: 55 Math

12:55 Math IFG

1:25 Science/Social Studies/Health/Writing

2:20 Discuss Homework/Agenda/Clean-Up

2:35 Dismissal (12:35 on Wednesdays)

Bathroom: Group breaks twice a day. Can use

at lunch/recess or at times when we are walking

by the bathrooms. Trying to limit individual visits

during instruction. Emergencies ok.

Snack: Healthy and quick/easy to eat-can eat at

recess.

End of day: We go over what their homework will

look like and fill out their agendas.

Students leave at second bell at 2:35 (except Tuesday)

Students are to head outside and not wait outside other classrooms

All car pick-up students are dismissed out of the back and will be waiting with duty teachers in the west parking lot

Kids Club students are dismissed out back

Bus riders and students being picked up by a parent on foot (even if you drove and parked) are dismissed out front.

If dropping off at West Gate: children

need to be inside the playground area

by 7:40 so they are lined up/in the

building by 7:45.

Seeing a lot of traffic back-up and tardy

arrivals increase

Traffic begins backing up at 7:30ish

Parties: Halloween/Fall, Winter,

Valentine’s Day, End of Year

Goal Club on Friday

Speakers (when able)

Children’s Book Author visit

The class expectations are posted in the classroom in the Classroom Promise that students recite daily. Students are able to earn various rewards for exemplary behavior. Consequences are given for those behaviors that detract from the learning environment.

• Students who end the day on Green or above earn a ticket. Tickets can be redeemed on Friday’s or saved for a bigger opportunity.

• Firebird Pride Tickets

• As a class, we will also be working toward a reward, which is earned by filling up a marble jar.

Missing homework: go to study hall during Goal Club

Late classwork: I will find time for them to finish (may include using their time)

Behavior is monitored using the Behavior Chart

In conjunction with our district-wide PBIS (Positive

Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program

which promotes a positive climate for our school

Emphasizes the importance of making good

choices

Promotes positive behavior and encourages

students to self-monitor their choices

Allows students to be acknowledged for positive

behavior, and provides a sense of accomplishment

for students who are able to “clip up”

Allows students who have “clipped down” an

opportunity to “clip back up” during the day-they

continue to stay motivated

Your child will write the behavior they ended on for

the day in their daily agendas

This immediate feedback will show you what color

he/she ended up on for the day.

I will contact you if necessary regarding major

incidents which required your child to clip down

I appreciate your understanding that it will not be

possible for me to contact you for every clip down

that occurs.

Clipping down from time to time is to be expected

and can be an important learning opportunity for

your child

Students should start to become more

independent and responsible for their work,

materials, communication, and decision

making

Report Cards with letter grades

A= 90%-100%, B= 80%-89%, C= 70%-79%, D=

60%-69%, F= 59% and below

› Proficient = 90% and up

› Developing = 70%-89%

› Area of Concern= 69% and below

Variety of assessment types: classwork, homework, quizzes, tests, writing assignments, in class projects

Tests directly reflect what we have been learning in class. Homework, Classwork and/or notes can be kept to help review..

Tests will receive a letter grade, A, B, C…

Rubrics specifying requirements for A, B, C…are used for posters and other projects

Classwork and Homework is typically graded in class and is a lot of times self graded

Most writing gets graded based on the 6 Traits of Good Writing.

Spelling is a part of writing

http://sw.kyrene.org/Page/1411 (Parent Vue

Link)

Email the system administrator if you have

forgotten you username and password, or if

you weren’t sent an activation code.

Please include your child in the process of

checking grades and ask them first about

questions you have

Agenda: Filled out daily

Spelling/Vocabulary: Monday-Thursday your child will have either a spelling or vocabulary worksheet

Math: Tuesday nights will be a skills sharpener worksheet and Thursday nights will be related to what we’re learning in class

Reading: Students need to read at minimum of 20 minutes a night and I ask that you sign off on it-Friday the signature is due

Please have your child try not to miss too

many days of school

Each day is so important

I typically do not make up spelling tests if they

are absent on a Friday

E-mail/call if you would like work sent home

with a sibling, neighbor, or up to the office

Place Value and

Estimation

Understanding Addition

and Subtraction

Algorithm

Word Problems

Multi-digit Multiplication

and Division

Graphing and Data

Analysis

Probability

Measurement

Geometry

Fractions

Decimals

Algebra

Investigations ll by Scott Foresman

› Open ended lessons and student activity book which

require students to explain their thinking

› Also using Engage NY (which can be accessed on the

internet)

CGI – Cognitive Guided Instruction

› Teaching through problem solving where students must

understand the problem and may create their own

ways to solve

Reading Class Main Reading Skills

Vocabulary

Comprehension

Strategies

Reading Groups with

Discussion

Short Stories

Novel Study

Narrative and Expository

Text

Independent Reading

Read Aloud

Narrative Elements

Sequencing

Summarizing

Main Idea/Detail

Compare and Contrast

Drawing Conclusions

Cause/Effect

Author’s Purpose

Writin

g:

Lan

gu

ag

e a

nd

Gra

mm

ar:

Writing Process

6 Traits

Writing Journal

Personal Narrative

Creative Stories

Friendly Letters

Persuasive Essay

Research Writing

Sentence Types

Sentence Parts

Nouns

Pronouns

Adjectives

Verbs

Adverbs

Prepositions

Basic Geography and Arizona

Geography

Arizona History (Pre-historic People to

World War II)

Arizona Government (symbols, branches,

local and state powers)

Migration and Growth in Arizona

Water and Weather

Electricity and Magnetism

Animals (Adaptation and Classification)

Renewable and Non-renewable

Resources

Watch video from PTO

Visit CieloPTO.org for more information

A place where kids can PLAY &

EXPLORE during lunch recess. › Earth & Space

› Engineering/Invention

› Physical Science

› Life Science & Chemistry

› Electricity/magneticsOur Class’s Discovery Room Day is_______________.

If an adult visits a child at lunch, they are welcome into the DR during recess.

The DR needs lunch recess Volunteers*** (11:15-12:45 any days except

Wednesdays)

No Science/Engineering Background Needed! Training Provided!

Schedule based on individual availability! Grandparents welcome!

*** Kids of volunteers receive a special pass.

Sign up tonight OR take a volunteer form home and send it back in to your teacher.

Classroom Volunteers

- Party Donations/Planner (items, not

money)

- Copying

- At home projects

- Classroom Support

- Art Masterpiece- sign up sheet in back

- Discovery Room-sign up sheet in back

Begin in October and will finish in April

Has been changed so that the whole school is

doing the same print at the same time

All the projects have been determined, but

volunteers are welcome to change it up

Looking for volunteers to Prep things every month,

as well as Volunteers to Present the print of the

month.

If a volunteer would rather ONLY do prep work,

they would love your help! .

Both computer labs will be open you to

visit and submit information for the

Student Directory

Stop by when you’re done here and

input your information

Thank You and Good Night!