Welcome to Miss Giles’s Fifth Grade Classroom!
Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians:
Welcome to Fifth Grade! We have an exciting year planned. This booklet is an introduction to our classroom and a way to answer the many questions you may have.
Each month you will receive a letter that explains what we will be covering during the month and what has been happening within your child’s classroom. Please review this letter with your child.
I have made sure every child in the classroom has received three notebooks, a pencil, correcting pen, and has access to crayons, colored pencils, markers, scissors, and glue. Every year I am asked what items could be donated to our classroom. These items include: paper (notebook or blank), pencils, boxes of tissues, band-aids, baby wipes, zip-lock bags, incentive/treats and hand sanitizer. If you would like to donate these items, it would be appreciated.
I am excited to work with you and your child. When we work together as a community of learners, we can make this a successful year. If you need to contact me or if you have any questions, you may call the school at 964-7935, or you may email me at my school email address ( kristie.giles@granite.k12.ut.us ). Once again I am looking forward to a wonderful year.
Thank You,
Miss Kristie Giles
Policy
Planners
Your child has been given a planner to keep track of the many things that we do each day. This planner is filled out at the end of the day and should be brought home every day. Please review the planner with your child and then initial that you have seen the day’s events. If you do not see the planner, please ask your child to show it to you. The planner acts as a communication between parent and teacher. You may write notes in the planner to me. I sign their planners daily. You also need to sign the planner each Friday and have your child return it on Monday. A treat will be given on Monday for planners signed for the previous week.
Rules
On the first day of school, we went over the rules that are important in our classroom. We came up with: Use Good Manners, Do What Is Right, Think About Other People’s Needs and Feelings, Work Together To Solve Problems, Offer To Help Someone Who Needs Help, Care About Others, Take Care of Your Own Needs and Feelings, and Always Do Your Best. These are posted on the wall in our classroom.
Staying Inside For Recess
Your child MUST have a doctor’s note to stay in for recess. A parent note WILL NOT allow your child to stay in. This is for your child’s safety as well as for the safety of the teacher. When a child stays in, they must be supervised at all times. This limits the teacher to no bathroom breaks during the day. This would not be acceptable for your child and it is not acceptable for the teacher.
Tardies
It is my expectation, as well as the school’s, that your child arrives to school on time. I expect my students to enter the classroom and be in their seats when the Tardy Bell rings at 8:20 AM. Any student not in the classroom, when this bell rings, will be marked tardy. Your child will have an assignment that needs to be completed at the beginning of the day. If they are out of the room, they will not have enough time to complete the assignment.
Absences
There are times when your child will be absent. It is your child’s responsibility to collect their missed work. A planner will be kept in the classroom listing the subjects and assignments for every day of the year. Your child is responsible to copy this planner when they return from their absence. Absent work is due two days after the child has returned from one day’s absence. When a child has missed multiple days, other arrangements will be made for when their work is due. NO MAKE-UP WORK WILL BE GIVEN PRIOR TO AN ABSENCE. Your child can make up the work when they return.
Attendance
Your child is expected to be in my classroom for 170 days. I expect to see them every day.
Birthday Celebrations
Your child may bring a treat to celebrate their birthday. This treat MUST be store bought and unopened when they arrive in class. No homemade treats can be given.
Consequences
Consequences for breaking a classroom or school rule include: Loss of priviledges (i.e. loss of recess time, P.E., class activities, etc.), restricted recess, note home to parents, call home to parents, conference with parents, and referral to principal. Other consequences will be decided depending upon the circumstance.
Holidays
We are allowed to have two holiday parties during the year. We will decide what those parties will be and let you know.
Homework
Homework is not assigned daily. A child will have homework if they do not accomplish their assignments in class. Occasionally they will have assignments to work on at home.
ITI: Life Skills
Throughout the year the students will be introduced to the Lifeskills of: Caring, Common Sense, Cooperation, Courage, Curiosity, Effort, Family, Flexibility, Friendship, Initiative, Integrity, Organization, Patience, Perseverance, Pride, Problem Solving, Resourcefulness, Responsibility, and Sense of Humor. These Lifeskills are taken from Susan Kovalik’s Book ITI: The Model, Integrated Thematic Instruction . These skills are used as each of us get along with one another.
On Task
During our first day discussion we talked about what it means to be on task. The suggestions the students came up with were written down and are posted on the wall. Being on task means: Listening, Being Respectful, Being Honest, Giving Undivided Attention, and Following Directions.
Academics
Interconnections
Interconnections is a way to teach Social Studies and Science together. We will be using this program this year. During this time your child will be learning about Ancient Civilizations (Roman, Greek, and Egyptian), Medieval Europe, Renaissance, World Wars, Europe Today, Microorganisms, Heat, Light, Sound, and Astronomy.
Math
We will be working with decimals, fractions, integers, geometry, measurement, algebra, ratios, percent, and probability.
I have found that students who practice their multiplication facts every day seem to have less difficulty solving multi-step problems. Please practice the multiplication facts with your child every day! We will be taking a timed test every day. Your child will complete 132 multiplications facts as quickly as they can.
Your child will be asked to write in a Math Journal every day. They will complete this during class time. If your child is absent, they will be expected to complete the Journal entry for the days they have missed.
At the end of every chapter in the math book, there is a Review Test and Test Prep. We will complete this assignment in class and correct it the same day. Please review this assignment with your child and have them correct any problems they missed. Then sign the page. Your child is responsible to return the signed page to school on the day of the test. Your signature gives the student 100% on the assignment. This is why it is important that you review the missed problems with them.
Reading
Reading instruction will take place every day. For the first few weeks we will discuss reading strategies for comprehension. We will use these strategies to read out of the Open Court Reading program. It is my expectation that your child is reading outside of school. Please encourage him/her to read at least 20 minutes a day in their spare time. This time will be kept on the library forms.
Writing
We are privileged this year to be working with Mrs. Elliot on Tuesdays and Thursdays. She will be coming into our classroom to teach the Six Traits Writing component. Your child will be asked to write paragraphs and stories for her as well as for classroom assignments.
We will also be writing poetry, reports and other stories. Your child will be writing a journal entry each day. They will be asked to read a short statement and respond to that statement.
Assignments
Assignments will be given daily in Math, Reading, Spelling and Interconnections. I have explained to your child that they may redo any assignment they want to so that they may receive a better grade. These redo assignments are due the day after the original assignment was due. Redo assignments will NOT be taken after the one day grace period.
