Writing
The class will work on a variety of assignments with the bulk of the focus on original stories and persuasive writing such as opinion pieces. Factual writing will be worked on as well. The class will explore the writing process through prompts that are engaging and fun. The biggest way to get young writers to see themselves as writers is to tap into their imagination and this classroom will be doing that with a healthy emphasis on humor, adventure and fanciful settings.
The first few assignments are: About the Author, Setting/Action/Character, My Horrible Transformation, Finding Treasure, Personal Narrative and Dimension X.
The pieces will run from 2-6 pages with some students producing up to 20 pages when they really get inspired. They will work on these pieces in class and are expected to go home four nights a week and write 7-10 more sentences each night.
The smartest thing a student can do this year is hunker down and not be afraid of the paper. A writer who takes chances and doesn't put off writing is one who will improve and grow quickly. Students will get to the point where they can lay down two sentences or more in a minute by the end of the year.
Science
I love the units we work with this year. It's an important year as they take an EOG in science for the first time. Don't panic. I get tremendously good results every year.
Units covered are: Forces and Motion, Genetics/Living Systems, Weather/Heat Transfer/Properties of Matter, and Ecosystems.
We will work with living organisms, design and build vehicles to encounter and overcome friction, check in with a weather station, look closely at the role of genetics in determining traits, delve into all the delightfully gruesome systems in the human body, and ignite marshmallows in different ways to show the three methods of heat transfer. We'll also expose bananas to yeast and watch as they decompose and produce a smelly waste product. And so much more! Will the fun and learning ever stop?
Science homework is usually one or two nights a week.
Math
We will multiply and divide. Expanded form and understanding place value. A heavy focus will be on fractions. Algebra and decimals will also be a very keen focus. Math homework will come home four nights a week and should take about ten minutes each night.
The class will work on a variety of assignments with the bulk of the focus on original stories and persuasive writing such as opinion pieces. Factual writing will be worked on as well. The class will explore the writing process through prompts that are engaging and fun. The biggest way to get young writers to see themselves as writers is to tap into their imagination and this classroom will be doing that with a healthy emphasis on humor, adventure and fanciful settings.
The first few assignments are: About the Author, Setting/Action/Character, My Horrible Transformation, Finding Treasure, Personal Narrative and Dimension X.
The pieces will run from 2-6 pages with some students producing up to 20 pages when they really get inspired. They will work on these pieces in class and are expected to go home four nights a week and write 7-10 more sentences each night.
The smartest thing a student can do this year is hunker down and not be afraid of the paper. A writer who takes chances and doesn't put off writing is one who will improve and grow quickly. Students will get to the point where they can lay down two sentences or more in a minute by the end of the year.
Science
I love the units we work with this year. It's an important year as they take an EOG in science for the first time. Don't panic. I get tremendously good results every year.
Units covered are: Forces and Motion, Genetics/Living Systems, Weather/Heat Transfer/Properties of Matter, and Ecosystems.
We will work with living organisms, design and build vehicles to encounter and overcome friction, check in with a weather station, look closely at the role of genetics in determining traits, delve into all the delightfully gruesome systems in the human body, and ignite marshmallows in different ways to show the three methods of heat transfer. We'll also expose bananas to yeast and watch as they decompose and produce a smelly waste product. And so much more! Will the fun and learning ever stop?
Science homework is usually one or two nights a week.
Math
We will multiply and divide. Expanded form and understanding place value. A heavy focus will be on fractions. Algebra and decimals will also be a very keen focus. Math homework will come home four nights a week and should take about ten minutes each night.
Clopper Cash
Students earn and lose Clopper Cash for their work. They can use their cash once a week to purchase original cartoons done by me. I did over 1400 last year and went through over a hundred Sharpies.
Pricing: Small Cartoon--$40 (no color), Large Cartoon from my imagination--$50 (in color), Large Cartoon the student requests--$70 (in color)
If a student is really doing their best and participating in class, they will earn about $40 a week. Some students earn that with one writing assignment alone because they fill it with word choice, idioms, similes and the numerous other skills we will be adding to their writing tool belts this year.
Students earn and lose Clopper Cash for their work. They can use their cash once a week to purchase original cartoons done by me. I did over 1400 last year and went through over a hundred Sharpies.
Pricing: Small Cartoon--$40 (no color), Large Cartoon from my imagination--$50 (in color), Large Cartoon the student requests--$70 (in color)
If a student is really doing their best and participating in class, they will earn about $40 a week. Some students earn that with one writing assignment alone because they fill it with word choice, idioms, similes and the numerous other skills we will be adding to their writing tool belts this year.
Cartooning Club
Once a month after school we will meet for a Cartooning Club. Students can only make it if they have all their homework in for the previous month and are keeping up on their AR goals. The cost is $25 Clopper dollars. It will be from 3:45-4:45 and parents can pick their child up at the front of the school at 4:45. We will have six or seven of these club meetings. The first will teach them how to draw aliens and monsters. We will then work on superheroes, drawing the skull and facial expressions and then move into designing comic pages. I will need parent help in providing snack and drinks for each meeting.
Once a month after school we will meet for a Cartooning Club. Students can only make it if they have all their homework in for the previous month and are keeping up on their AR goals. The cost is $25 Clopper dollars. It will be from 3:45-4:45 and parents can pick their child up at the front of the school at 4:45. We will have six or seven of these club meetings. The first will teach them how to draw aliens and monsters. We will then work on superheroes, drawing the skull and facial expressions and then move into designing comic pages. I will need parent help in providing snack and drinks for each meeting.
Daily Schedule
Students will come to me for Science/Writing in a group that will be a mix of all Track 4 students. They will go to Mrs. Valentine for Reading/Social Studies as well.
Below is the schedule:
8:45-9:15 Morning Work (It's always better to arrive closer to 8:45 than to get her at 9:15.)
9:20-10:15 Math
10:20-11:00 Specials
11:04-11:30 Math
11:35-12:25 Rotation 1
12:30-1:00 Lunch
1:05-1:35 Rotation 1
1:40-3:00 Rotation 2
3:05-3:35 Recess
3:05-3:35 Recess
Students will come to me for Science/Writing in a group that will be a mix of all Track 4 students. They will go to Mrs. Valentine for Reading/Social Studies as well.
Below is the schedule:
8:45-9:15 Morning Work (It's always better to arrive closer to 8:45 than to get her at 9:15.)
9:20-10:15 Math
10:20-11:00 Specials
11:04-11:30 Math
11:35-12:25 Rotation 1
12:30-1:00 Lunch
1:05-1:35 Rotation 1
1:40-3:00 Rotation 2
3:05-3:35 Recess
3:05-3:35 Recess