4th Grade Handbook 2019-2020

949-548-6866 Mrs. Tornow, 4th Grade

mrs.tornow@christcm.org

“The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.” Psalm 118:14

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Fourth Grade Class Schedule - Mrs. Tornow  

2019-2020

MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

7:55-8:05 Morning Gathering (classes line up in the quad for prayer)

8:05-8:15 Classroom Arrival (jobs, prepare for the day)

8:15-8:50 Discipleship Discipleship Chapel  

Discipleship Discipleship

8:50-9:10 Number Corner Number Corner Number Corner Number Corner

9:10-10:15 Math

10:15-10:30 Snack Recess

10:30-11:55 Language Arts (Spelling/Handwriting, Reading, Writing, Grammar)

Language Arts  10:30-11:30  CA History  (11:30-11:55)

11:55-12:30 Lunch and Recess

12:30-12:45 Read-Aloud Read-Aloud

CA History  (12:30-1:30)  

12:30-12:55  Choir  

Read-Aloud

12:45-1:00 Silent Reading Silent Reading Silent Reading

1:00-1:15

Science  Science  

Memory Test  Silent Reading   Language Arts  1:15-1:30

1:30-1:45 Number Corner

1:45-2:00 Music   Science  

CA History

Art  2:00-2:15

Flex Time  

2:15-2:30 Planners/Pack Planners/Pack Planners/Pack

2:30-2:45 PE   Spanish (2:20)   PE  

2:45-3:00 Planners/Pack Planners/Pack

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Staying Informed

We are partners in your child’s educa�on! It is so important to me that you feel comfortable reaching out when you have ques�ons, concerns, or informa�on to share. I will do my best to be proac�ve in communica�ng with you regarding your child’s behavior and learning. It is always my goal to respond to any communica�on from parents and students within 24 hours.

● Check and ini�al your child’s Student Planner daily. Homework, behavior slips, the reading log, and a place for parent comments are all in the planner.

● Watch for weekly newsletters from the school on Sunday a�ernoon. You will receive a Constant Contact with a link to my updated website.

● Visit RenWeb with your account to see grades for your child. I recommend checking RenWeb each Monday, when the newest scores will be posted. You will no�ce that next to assignments with low grades or missing work, I try to give a brief descrip�on of the reason for the grade or follow-up required.

● We will share classroom experiences and student work through the Seesaw app. ● Email or call if you have any situa�ons that require personal a�en�on. Students are

encouraged to email their ques�ons or concerns as well, if needed. Please note that

emails and messages sent during the school day will not be read until after school, as I

am focusing fully on your children. If you need to reach me during the school day,

please call the school office at 949-548-6866.

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Weekly Communication and Events

Sunday

● Class News (“Tornow Times”) -- You will receive a school newsle�er with a link to our updated class website on Sunday. Classroom events, test reminders and other announcements will be included.

Monday

● Graded papers will be sent home with students in their “Graded Work Envelope.” Please sign and return the empty folder so we can verify that you have received the graded work.

● Students will receive their new spelling list each week and write it in their planner.

Wednesday

● Chapel -- Parents are invited to join us for chapel at 8:30 a.m. ● Offering may be brought to the classroom any day of the week. Collected offerings will

be brought to chapel on Wednesday. The offering will be given towards Christ-centered causes, which will be explained to students and families. We encourage you to help

your child develop a regular habit of worship through the giving of their own

resources.

Thursday

● Memory is due. Students will say their memory orally for a percentage grade. There will be �me for a brief review, but students should be prepared before they come to school.

Friday ● Spelling test is given.

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Classroom Management Plan

Successful learning happens when students receive engaging, high-quality instruc�on in a well-managed, orderly environment. Students have the responsibility of following the rules as taught and giving their best effort in learning each day. The teacher has the responsibility of following the classroom management plan in a fair, calm, and consistent manner while providing engaging lessons and ac�vi�es.

RULES

1. Listen and follow direc�ons quickly. 2. Raise your hand for permission to speak or leave your seat. 3. Respect your classmates and your teacher. 4. Keep hands, feet, and objects to yourself. 5. Respect school and personal property.

CONSEQUENCES

1. Warning (“ Name, That’s 1.”) 2. Warning (“ Name, That’s 2.”) 3. Take a break. (“ Name, That’s 3… take __ minutes.”) - A note will be a�ached to the

student planner, which must be signed and returned the following day. If the note is not ini�aled, a follow-up phone call will be made.

4. Extended break (in office), le�er home, possible deten�on Consequences will be given in a calm, clear manner. If students argue, they will immediately move to the next step. For minor infrac�ons, (such as blur�ng, leaving their seat, whispering to neighbors, etc.) the first three steps may be repeated more than once throughout the day. More disrup�ve behavior, including disrespect to classmates or the teacher, throwing objects, or other unsafe behavior will result in moving to step 4. Each day, the student begins with a fresh start. ZONES OF REGULATION In addi�on to learning the rules of the classroom, students will be learning about the Zones and developing strategies to stay in the Green (learning) Zone. The “Take a Break” area in the classroom will have Zone tools that have been introduced and prac�ced to help students return to a state of readiness to learn.

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Homework Policy

Coopera�on between home and school is necessary for students to develop excellent homework habits. Therefore, each student is required to fill out his/her Student Planner each day, lis�ng assignments that need to be completed at home. Your child will build habits of responsible work by wri�ng down tasks and checking them off when completed. Parents

should view and sign the planner daily.

There are daily assignments which students should complete at a regular �me during the a�ernoon or evening. Homework should generally not take longer than a total of one hour. If homework is consistently taking longer, please contact me to discuss op�ons.

● Math homework (approx. 15-20 min.) ● Assignments not completed in class (varies by student) ● Read 15 minutes and record minutes on the Student Planner ● Study memory (5 min. daily) ● Study spelling words (5 min. daily)

Homework is due by 8:15 a.m. There will be a specific loca�on in the classroom for turning in homework. Some work will be corrected together in class before being turned in. Digital assignments will generally be given and collected on Google Classroom.

Students who have not completed all their homework by the �me school starts will receive a reminder slip in their planner. They are expected to complete the assignment(s) by the following morning. Any work that is missing by the end of the school week will receive a 0% in RenWeb. Late work will be accepted un�l the first day of the following school week. Late work may receive reduced points. If an assignment can not be completed within this �me frame, the parent must communicate with the teacher to develop a comple�on plan in order for the work to be accepted. If your child is absent, work will be collected to complete. Work from absences must be completed a�er the same number of days as the absence.

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Grading Policy

Graded papers will be sent home in an envelope each Monday. Please review all papers together with your child, sign, and return the empty envelope. Papers will be marked in the following ways: Percent Grade, Letter Grade (A, B, C…), or Points – If a percent grade, le�er grade, or points are recorded at the top of the paper, it has been checked and the score has been recorded in RenWeb. (E) Excellent, (S) Satisfactory, (N) Needs Improvement, (U) Unsatisfactory – You may see these marks on assignments that are given for prac�ce. It is an indicator for you whether or not the requirements are being met. These grades may not be entered in the grade book. “ E” indicates that most or all requirements were met. “ S” indicates that some of the requirements were met. “N” and “U” mean that the work was handed in, but few or none of the requirements were met. Papers marked with an “ N ” or “ U ” should be corrected and returned.

Correct and Return and Test Retakes – Any assignment receiving lower than a 70% score may be corrected and returned within one week in order to improve the score. Tests receiving lower than 70% may be retaken in the classroom to receive a new grade if it is agreed upon by both the parent and teacher. Students who studied diligently but s�ll need more �me to master the concepts will be considered for a retake. It is the student and parent’s responsibility to schedule the retake with their teacher within one week of the original test date.

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Grading Policies by Subject

Math: The math grade will be based on in-class assessments, assignments, and homework. Homework is considered prac�ce and will be given points for comple�on (see below). Math Homework Points

5 pts. - Complete, mostly correct

4 pts. - Complete, many errors

3 pts. - Late

0 pts. - Incomplete/Missing

Reading: The reading grade will be made up of book responses, the reading log, Accelerated Reader quizzes, and other daily assignments as well as special projects. Reading skills such as decoding, comprehension, and fluency will be assessed.

Writing/Grammar: Wri�ng and grammar grades are based on grammar prac�ce assignments and ac�vi�es, and wri�ng assignments. Wri�ng is graded on a variety of factors, including ideas, organiza�on, voice, word choice, sentence fluency, and conven�ons. Spelling: 75% of the spelling grade is based on the weekly spelling test. In addi�on, students will be graded on comple�on and quality of spelling prac�ce assignments. Prac�ce will count as 25% of the grade. Spelling will be used to review and prac�ce cursive handwri�ng. Studies Weekly: There are a variety of assignments including Studies Weekly sheets, projects, and quizzes that will make up the history grade. Students will be expected to study vocabulary and concepts for each weekly newspaper at home before tests are given. Science: Science grades are based largely on the hands-on science ac�vi�es. Wri�en assignments and tests will also be given occasionally. Memory: Students will be given a memory test each Thursday. They will say the verse orally and be graded on a percentage of words said correctly. Please prac�ce orally at home. E, S, N, U Subjects

Art, Discipleship, Handwriting, Music/Choir, Spanish and Physical Education are graded based on par�cipa�on, growth, and skill level. On the report card, they are on the E (Excellent), S (Sa�sfactory), N (Needs Improvement), U (Unsa�sfactory) grading scale. Students will be marked regularly in these subjects.

● E - Full posi�ve par�cipa�on, direc�ons followed, demonstrates personal best ● S - Par�cipated, minimal behavior reminders, demonstrates ability ● N - Minimal par�cipa�on, several behavior reminders, does not show personal best ● U - Non-compliant, distrac�ng or disrup�ve, ability not demonstrated

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Technology Use

Students will integrate Chromebook use throughout the school day. Please see the Christ Lutheran Student Computer Use Agreement for rules regarding the proper use of technology on campus. In our classroom, God-pleasing, safe, and appropriate use of the internet and the Chromebook will be emphasized daily. Students will have specific instruc�on in digital ci�zenship and safety. If you have any ques�ons regarding Chromebook use at school or at home, please don’t hesitate to contact your teacher for more informa�on.

In third and fourth grade, students are required to be “managed users” with limited access to

websites.

In third and fourth grade, students are required to be “managed users” with limited access to websites. However, when their Chromebook is at home, they are managed based on what security measures you have put into place on your personal wifi. Please be advised that Chromebooks will be kept at school. Student with parent permission may take them home over the weekend. Occasionally, projects or homework may require Chromebook use. You will be no�fied when this happens. Chromebook use is to be supervised at all �mes. When the Chromebook is at home, find a common living space in your home where your child is allowed on their chromebook and where

they will charge their chromebook .

To make it easier to manage the many educa�onal websites we will be using, our class website where you find our newsle�er will also have frequently used sites.

www.clstudents4.weebly.com

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Field Trips, Parties, Birthdays, Parent Volunteers

Field Trips

Students will go on several curriculum-related field trips during the school year. Parents are invited to drive and chaperone. Field trips may include:

● La Brea Tar Pits ($3-4 per student to cover parking and chaperones) ● Heritage Hill Living History Museum and Mission San Juan Capistrano (about $15 total) ● Water Educa�on Fes�val - March 26 or 27 (free) ● Columbia Memorial Space Center ($3) ● Lunch at Mrs. Tornow’s house (priceless)

Class Parties

Nov. 22 - Thanksgiving Celebra�on Dec. 20 - Christmas Party Feb. 13 - Valen�ne’s Day Party Apr. 8 - 4th grade Seder Meal (Chris�an Passover celebra�on modified for children) June 3 - Last Day Celebra�on Birthdays

Each student is invited to celebrate his/her birthday in the classroom with a small treat. If your child’s birthday falls on a holiday or summer date, a half-birthday or alternate date may be coordinated. Parent Volunteers

Please think about how you could volunteer this year! Some op�ons are listed below. ● Commit to praying for each student and the teacher daily ● Collate and file papers on Monday morning ● Drive for field trips ● Help or donate food/supplies for class par�es ● Help maintain the classroom library ● Share a skill, hobby, job, or other area of exper�se with the class ● Serve as room parent or room parent assistant ● Volunteer during school events like Fall Fes�val and Jog-a-thon ● Donate towards specific classroom needs as they arise

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Class List

Number First Name Last Name

1 Sophia Casillas

2 Eleanor Dawkins

3 Cash Dena

4 Rihanna Detken

5 Jus�n Fairchild

6 Maddie Fallzone

7 Dylan Fortman

8 Sammy Hicks

9 Drake Lambert

10 Ziyi Liu

11 Chloe McCluskey

12 Conall Maddock

13 Adam Schoonbeck

14 Haven Thinnes

15 Rubi Valle

16 Julianna Vallejo

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