• Curriculum Night 2023/2024
    Steve Yontez
    (480) 883-4400 Ext. 4441
    Room 41
     
     
    Please let me know if you have any questions about any of this information. 
     
    CUSD STUDENT PLANNERS: This is a very important organizational tool. Each day, students will be required to write any homework/classwork or school information in their planners.  Students are expected to take their planners to their math classroom.  **This is one form of communication between myself, students and parents. 
     
    **Please sign it every Thursday.
     
    CLASSROOM CONSTITUTION: See below
    HOMEWORK POLICY/GUIDELINES: See below
    CURRICULUM OVERVIEW
    Reading: HMH Into Reading and four book projects (one a quarter, will be explained, posted on this webpage and kids will be shown examples and given printed directions).
     
    https://www.cusd80.com/Page/45109 Technology/Student, Parent Links, Clever which logs you into Think Central-online math homework, HMH for the reading text and my Google Classroom (once it's up and running). 
     
    Language Arts: Narrative, opinion, persuasive writing and grammar 
    Math: GO Math (online access).
    Social Science: physical/life, forces/energy, Ancient Civilizations, Indigenous Tribes, European Explorers and Colonization. 
     
    COMMUNICATION
    883-4400, ext. 4441
    yontez.steve@cusd80.com(Quickest way to contact me).
    **This site from the Basha webpage: Weekly homework listed by 4:30 on Mondays (Communication resource for students and parents). 
     

    GRADES: In class assignments and tests/quizzes. ***Homework does not count as any part of a grade average. However, completing homework reinforces learning objectives that are on in-class assignments and tests/quizzes.

                A = 90% - 100%                                B = 80 - 89%

                C = 70% - 79%                                  D = 60 - 69%  

                Below 70% (Students have an opportunity to resubmit tests only in order to earn a higher average of two scores. *The work is stamped “Correct and Return”, “Parent Signature” and is due within two school days).

                **I update Infinite Campus (IC) every week by Wednesday. **IC is the main communication in regards to academic progress (parents and students should check it weekly).

    Homework will be noted in IC, but it does not count as any part of a grade average.

    *If there is a family emergency or life was just too hectic one evening, late assignments will be accepted (please email or write note in the planner). If your child is absent, they will receive any missing assignments with the due date. Email me or (name coming soon) in the front office to notify us of your child’s absence.    

    *Assignments (in class, tests/quizzes) marked Missing in IC: Not turned in by due date or absent work (once submitted by the due date and graded, changes will be made in IC). Missing class assignments affect grade averages (missing homework assignments will not affect grade average, but again, see above***).  

     
     
     
     Procedures/policies so that everyone can succeed.
     
    HOMEWORK POLICY     CUSD recommends 30-40 minutes a night for 4th grade.
     

    All homework assignments are due at 8:40 a.m. If any assignment is not completed by 8:40 a.m., students can use lunch recess to complete work or they will use afternoon recess to complete any assignment (s).  If they do not turn in the homework after afternoon recess, the assignment is considered missing. *If assignment(s) cannot be completed due to an emergency or busy night, please send email or a note. Homework does not count as a grade. However, if homework is not being completed, in class assignments/tests (which reflect the homework) will probably reflect a lower average.  

     

      
    The Constitution of Room 41
    We the students of room 41, in order to form a more perfect classroom community, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do hereby ordain and establish this Constitution for Room 41.
     

    Article 1: Raise your hand for any questions/comments.      

    Article 2: Keep all body parts/items to yourself.     

    Article 3:  Face Forward to Focus.   

    Article 4:  Respect each other when speaking.     

    Article 5: Own your Learning.

    Article 6: Show PRIDE in the PACK! 
     
    Behavior Plan for good choices:
     
    Earn respect and compliments (classmates, other teachers, noon aides, etc)
    Earn P.A.C. K. awards (positive, achieving, compassionate kids)
    Earn "Excellent" indicators on report cards
    Earn entire afternoon recess (215 to 230)
     
    Behavior Plan for poor choices:
     

    1.     Verbal warning (review of expected school/class behaviors)

    2. Loss of afternoon recess minutes (5, 10, 15) 

    3. Earn less than excellent indicators on report cards.         

    4. Depending on continued behavior choices: parent email/phone call, Misconduct Ticket, office referral.  

     

    ** Depending on behavior that disrupts and/or disrespects the educational environment of our classroom, some of these steps may be skipped as appropriate. 

     

     
    BOOK REPORTS/PROJECTS:   (all will be explained and printed directions given beforehand). 
     
     
    QUARTER      TITLE                                                DATE ASSIGNED     DUE DATE
         

    1. 1st                           Poster Project                           August 7th               September 15th (realistic fiction or mystery)

                                       Project commercial                                                   September 21st 

    2. 2nd                          Movie Madness                         October 23rd          December 8th (book adapted into a movie)

    3. 3rd                          Mini-book                                  January 16th          February 23rd  (historical fiction)

                                        Project commercial                                                   March 4th      

    4. 4th                          Cereal Project                           April 1st                 May 10th  (fantasy/adventure/or science fiction)

                                        Cereal commercial                                                    May 15th

     
    Students have six weeks to complete each project. I do not require students to complete a nightly reading log; instead, I encourage daily reading of a variety of fiction and non-fiction books. I have a classroom library that students can choose from, as well as, books from the school library, public libraries, online sources and, of course books from home that they have not previously read. When/if students review and complete an assignment and there is time remaining, they should be reading a book that they have chosen for a book project or for the pure pleasure of reading a book.  
     
    Students will receive a detailed explanation of the requirements of each project. These will be posted on this webpage as each one is assigned (the first one is already posted). 
     
    The book report books should be chapter books (at least a 3rd grade reading level, exceptions can be made in certain circumstances).
     

    As a class, we will be reading: "Because of Winn Dixie","Holes", "The Kid in the Red Jacket and",  and "Freddy and the French Fries".  These cannot be used for any of the book projects since we will be completing in-class activities for them.

     
    Standard Weekly Assignments: CUSD recommends 30-40 minutes a night for 4th graders.
    Math:  
    • Printed Weekly Challenges are explained/assigned on Monday and due on Friday. Students do not have to get the correct answer for Weekly Challenges. However, they have to logically explain and support their solutions in grammatically correct sentences when applicable. Please show all trial and error work (I want to see your thinking!).  
    • Two assignments per week from GO Math online. These are usually due on Fridays (kids will be able to see correct answers). Objective: reinforce concepts taught in class. *The 20-30 minute/review rule (will explain). 
    Reading/Language Arts:
    • TENTATIVE: Three Square Vocabulary Builders: These are started in class on Mondays or Tuesdays, due on Fridays.  Objective: apply knowledge of new vocabulary toward reading comprehension and incorporate the words into verbal/written vocabulary. 
            
    Spelling:
    • Two to three homework assignments a week (lists are posted on this webpage). Due on Fridays. Students can choose to work ahead of schedule on these (I post several weeks on my webpage), as long as they are turned in on the due date (completing them on Google Classroom will be an option as well). 
      Objective: correctly spell and incorporate the words into their verbal and written vocabulary.
         
    Homework does not count as a grade. It is to practice what they are learning in class. I enter Homework "grades" into Infinte Campus to inform you of how well they are comprehending certain math concepts and to inform you of missing or incomplete homework. 
     
    **If students run out of time to complete work in class, then the assignment is due the following day. It is the student's responsibility to return these assignments.   
     
    Every day, after pm recess, all the assignments on the Homework Board are explained (the week's assignments are also listed on my webpage by 4:30 p.m. Monday). I also post a printed copy of the week's homework on a whiteboard.
     
     
    Dear parent (s), 
    Please take the time to review this information with your student. If you have any questions concerning any of the material, please contact me at  yontez.steve@cusd80.com. 
     
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Last Modified on July 12, 2023