CURRICULUM NIGHT

VANDERLYN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL2019-2020

Contact Information

Jennifer Kurtz

1877 Vanderlyn Drive678-874-9002

Jennifer_d_kurtz@dekalbschoolsga.org

Communications

• Campus Portal - https://campus.dekalb.k12.ga.us/campus/portal/dekalb.jsp• School website - http://vanderlynes.dekalb.k12.ga.us/• Teacher website – http://vanderlynes.dekalb.k12.ga.us/JenniferKurtz1.aspx

• Email – Jennifer_d_kurtz@dekalbschoolsga.org • Student agenda – available in the office $5

5th Graders MUST have an agenda!

Student Expectations

• 5th grade students are expected to act as role models throughout the school.

• Bullying, disrespect, and rudeness will not be accepted.• Homework will be assigned on Mondays and due on Fridays. Occasionally

students may be asked to complete additional assignments during the week.

• Classwork is assigned daily and must be completed in order to earn credit. When an assignment is not finished in class it may be sent home to be completed that night.

Teacher Expectations

• Emails will be answered within 48 hours during the

school week

• Progress reports will go home every 4.5 weeks. We will

send an email blast or Remind101 when progress

reports are sent home.

Discipline Procedures

Classroom Management • Consequences for misbehavior:

Verbal redirectionReflection

• Positive Reinforcement:Class reward (marble jar)

Complements

Viking Bucks

Discipline Procedures

Other Important Information

• Lunchroom procedures: After recess, we use the restroom, wash our hands and then we line up to go to lunch.

• Absences/ Tardies: We mark students tardy after 7:45 am. When your child is absent please send a doctor’s note or an excused letter of absence.

• Nut-Free Classroom: Mr. Elston’s class and Ms. Kurtz’ class are nut-free. • Dress Code: Short-shorts and tank-tops are not allowed. Tennis

shoes/sneakers must be worn every day.

Curriculum

• CCGPS for ELA and Math and GSE for Science and Social Studies • Advanced Content Model• Differentiated Instruction: I will teach each child at their appropriate learning

level and in they style that suits them the best in order for them to feel the greatest success

• STEM• PBL• Focus on Rigorous Writing• Focus on Academic Vocabulary

Social Studies

• This year in social studies, the students will learn…..

• American Life/Turn of the Century

• World War I

• Great Depression

• New Deal

• Harlem Renaissance

• World War II

• Cold War

• Civil Rights/Citizenship

• New Developments

Reading/Language Arts

• This year in reading/language arts, the students will learn…..

• Craft and Structure

• Theme

• Main Ideas

• Compare and Contrast

• Integrating Information

• Reasons and Evidence

Math

• This year in math, the students will learn…..

• Order of Operations, long division, and multiplication

• Four operations with decimals

• Four operations with fractions

• Geometry: 2-dimensional shapes

• Volume and measurement

• Graphing on a coordinate grid

Science

• This year in science, the students will learn…..

• Classification of Living Things

• Cells and Microorganisms

• Heredity

• Physical and Chemical Changes

• Earth Process

• Electricity & Magnetism

Assessment

• Universal Screener – MAP taken 3 times a year (fall, winter, spring)

• Georgia Milestones - 5th Grade will take ELA, Math, Science, & Social Studies (Note: They must pass Math and Reading)

• Fountas and Pinnell – Assessment for instructional reading level

New Recess Procedures

• Students will now have 30 minutes of recess everyday.

• All students in Mr. Elston’s and Ms. Kurtz’s homerooms will

have 15 minutes before activity and 15 minutes after activity.

Social and Emotional Learning

Social and Emotional Learning

SEL is a DeKalb County Initiative.

Social and emotional learning (SEL) is the process through which children and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions.

For more information please visit: https://casel.org/what-is-sel/

Special Events/Highlights

• Vocabulary Hat Parade – October 4th

• PBL Night – November 21st

• STEM Career Day (TBA)

• Passport Around the World - October 24th

• Field Day - May 7th

• 5th Grade Celebration- Last Day of School

Celebrations

• There will be 2 class parties during the school year; holiday party on December 19th and field day picnic May 7th.

• 5th Grade Celebration- Last Day of School

Birthdays

• Due to the large number of students with food allergies, for birthday celebrations, students are not allowed to bring in food.

• If students wish to celebrate their birthday with the class they may bring in a favorite book or poem to be read to their classmates. Parents are not allowed to bring in cupcakes or other food items for the class to share. Instead, treats such as books, pencils or other non-food items may be given instead. Parents may eat lunch with their student, but must not bring food to share with other students.

Field Trips

Blue Ridge – October 23rd

Growing up Boys- December 6th

Growing up Girls – November 15th

Johns Creek- December 4th (Elston & Kurtz)

Johns Creek-December 5th (Harris & Zaman)

Atlanta History Center- March 5th

Questions???