Ms. Bell's Classroom



5th Grade Math & Science SyllabusWelcome EVPS Rebel Students and Parents! Welcome Eagle Valley students and parents! My name is Ms. Bell and I am excited to be part of the excellent group of teaching staff here at Eagle Valley Public School. I am originally from Pillager, Minnesota where I attended Pillager Public School from kindergarten through 12th grade. I was involved in various activities throughout high school including basketball, volleyball, and softball. I graduated from Central Lakes College with my Associates of Arts Degree and began pursuing a career in Criminal Justice in which I obtained my Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Bemidji State University. I have always had a knack for working with youth and loved being a positive role model for children. I have worked in the juvenile detention facilities, residential treatment facilities, in youth and adult probation and as a truancy officer. However, I found myself wanting to be back in a school setting where my love for learning first began. While working as a paraprofessional and truly felt right at home in the school setting. I decided to make a career change and moved to Arizona in 2009 to pursue my Master’s Degree. I obtained my Master’s in Education with duel certification in K-12 Special Education Cross-Categorical Disabilities as well as in K-8 Elementary Education. I have taught both in the general education classroom and in the special education classroom setting for the past three years. However, I missed the small town community, the pride of the parents and students in these schools, and missed being away from family. I decided to move back to Minnesota and found myself fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to join the Eagle Valley Public School Teaching Staff. I strive to teach and reach every student as if they were my own child, to build strong lasting relationships, to celebrate the successes, to learn from our mistakes, and to positively impact the lives of each of my students. As Gandhi writes, “ Be the change you wish to see in this world”, and I truly hope you and your student will join me on this quest to reach our full potential and make a positive impact on our school, community, on others, and ultimately on our world. I am very excited about the opportunity to get to know each of you, your student(s), and to build a strong relationship in order to help each child reach his/her potential. This year I will be teaching 5th grade Math and Science as well as Elementary Special Education. I am anxious for the wonderful opportunities that I will enjoy with each of my students and the growth we will experience throughout the school year. Below you will find information about the math and science courses, classroom rules and expectations, grading scales, supplies, make-up work policies, etc. Please feel free to contact my with any questions you may have regarding the information on the following pages, to discuss any concerns you may have, or to share with me successes that your child experiences throughout the school year. Thank you, Ms. Kayla Bellkbell@evps.k12.mn.us5th Grade Math Course Description-This year Eagle Valley Public School has pursued a new math curriculum that will prove not only to be beneficial in providing necessary skills to help each child reach his or her potential, but will also be fun, engaging, and will allow for many hands on and real world opportunities for learning. The curriculum we will be using is McGraw-Hill My Math. This curriculum strives to provide a solid foundation in mathematics to all students to prepare them for college and careers in the 21st Century. Below are 5th grade math content that we will be exploring throughout the school year:Numbers and Operations in Base TenPlace value, multiplying whole numbers, dividing by one-digit and two-digit divisors, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing decimals.Operations and Algebraic ThinkingExpressions and Patterns.Numbers and Operations- FractionsFractions and decimals, adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing fractions.Measurement and DataMeasurement and data collection.GeometryGeometry including angles, volume, and classification of triangles, quadrilaterals, and composite figures.This curriculum will allow us to not only expand on our understanding of the above mentioned concepts, but will also allow for remediation of skills that students may find to be more difficult. It also includes reading connections, real life application and problem solving, and aims to assist students in higher order thinking while allowing for differentiation of curriculum to meet each students individual needs. Students (will internet access) will be able to also view, complete, and submit homework online, access supplemental tutoring to assist in homework or to further assist with mastering a particular concept. Further information about each standard will be available as we move throughout the course this year. I look forward to seeing how this curriculum assists our students in preparation for the 21st Century. 5th Grade Science Course Description-This year all 5th grade science students will be using MacMillan McGraw-Hill Science as the curriculum. This curriculum is aligned to meet the National Science Education Standards as well as the Minnesota Science State Standards. This year, students will be discovering a variety of science standards including; science as inquiry, physical science, life science content, earth and space science content, science and technology, science in personal and social perspectives, and nature and history of science. The following is a brief overview of the various content that we will be exploring throughout the school year:Life Science- Characteristics of Living ThingsClassifying living things, plant structure and functions, plant diversity, animal diversity.Life Science- Living Things and Their EnvironmentsInteractions of living things, ecosystems.Earth Science- Earth and Its ResourcesLandforms, rocks and minerals, air, water, and energy.Earth Science- Astronomy, Weather, and ClimateAstronomy, weather, weather patterns and climate.Physical Science- Properties of Matter and EnergyProperties and structure of matter, forms of matter and energy.Physical Science- Motion and EnergyNewton’s Law of Motion, sound energy, light energy.Utilizing this curriculum will allow your child to discover science in a whole new light! There are many hands on experiences, science labs, and a variety of activities that provide real-world opportunities to get up close and personal with science and allow students to experience first-hand how science impacts our world, and prepare them for careers utilizing science in the 21st Century. Science Fair-All 5th grade students will be expected to participate in this year’s science fair. The Science fair project does count for a portion of the final course grade. More information will be given out during parent teacher conferences. We will also be covering expectations, examples, etc. as we get closer to the science fair time.Middle School Grading Scale-According to the Eagle Valley Public School grading scale, the following grading scale is used to determine student’s grade:A94-100B-78-81D+59-63A-90-93C+74-77D54-58B+86-89C69-73D-50-53B82-85C-64-68F0-49Math:Science:Unit Tests- 40% of GradeUnit Tests- 40% of GradeWorkbook and Assignments- 35% Workbook and Assignments- 35% Super Speed/50 In a Minute- 10%Science Labs- 5%At-Home Math Facts- 5%Science Fair- 10%Group Participation/Projects- 5%Group Participation/Projects-5%Homework- 5%At-Home Science Journals/Homework - 5%Additional information regarding grades:**Students will be required to practice 5-10 minutes per evening on math facts. They will be required to have parents sign off that they practiced math facts. More information will be provided during the first few weeks of school. ** Students will be required to complete 1 nature journal each month beginning in October. Requirements for these journals will be provided to students and example journals will be supplied in order to provide an idea of the requirements. **Retake tests- Retake tests will be allowed for unit tests for both math and science. A review of the information and content must take place prior to the retake. Test scores will be averaged together for a final grade. Absence Procedure-Should you be absent due to an excused absence through the office, you will be able to obtain classwork, independent work, and homework from another student, myself, online, or from the daily classroom work folder. It is the responsibility of every student to utilize one of the above mentioned methods to obtain any missing work in order to complete work missed. All students are responsible for making up any missed homework, classwork, tests, quizzes, etc. You will be allowed extra time to complete your work (inside or outside of school hours). Missing Assignments/Make Up Work-Students who have make-up work due to an absence will be given adequate time to complete the make-up work. However, it is the students responsibility to complete and turn in any make-up work promptly. Make-up work due dates will be given based on each individual circumstance. However, as a general rule, make-up work procedures will follow a similar grading scale to that of missing work once the make-up work has been given to the student. Students are expected to promptly complete any make-up work and turn it in by the scheduled due date. Students should discuss with me any questions they have regarding make-up work assignments and due dates. Should you be missing work due to failure to complete assigned homework or classwork, you will be informed of the missing assignments through discussion with me. Students will be expected to complete and turn in any missing classwork or homework promptly. Missing assignments will be accepted up to three (3) days past due. After the fourth (4th) day of missing work, students make submit missing work for up to 75% credit. After 7 days past due, missing work will not be accepted and students will be given a zero(0) in the grade book for the missing assignment. Assignment Notebook-All students will be required to keep his or her assignment notebooks up to date and are expected to bring them to class on a daily basis. We will be covering the assignment book requirements during the first few weeks of school. As a reminder, students will be given a few minutes at the end of each class to fill out the assignment notebook. As the year progresses, students will be expected to take initiative to fill out and complete their assignment notebook/planner independently.Grades & Mid-Quarter Grades-Grades are updated periodically throughout the quarter and are posted on our parent access system for you to access. Mid-Quarter Grades for your students will be available on the following dates. Mid Quarter 1- October 4Mid Quarter 2- December 6Mid Quarter 3- February 20Mid Quarter 4- April 24Should you have questions or concerns regarding your students grade throughout the school year please contact me or contact the office to sign up for access to your student’s grades online. Classroom Rules-It is my goal to ensure that my classroom is not only safe and inviting for every student, but it is also conducive to learning. In order to ensure that every child is able to have the opportunity to learn to his or her potential our class has the following rules:Follow Directions QuicklyRaise Your Hand for Permission to SpeakRaise Your Hand for Permission to Leave Your SeatMake Smart ChoicesKeep Your Dear Teacher HappyBe Respectful with Your Words and ActionsWe will be discussing and modeling during the first few weeks of school and reviewing throughout the school year our classroom rules. Please also review these classroom rules with your child to ensure that he or she understands how important they are in ensuring our classroom not only runs smoothly, but also creates an environment that promotes learning. Classroom Behavior Clip Chart-In our classroom we will utilize a behavior clip chart. Each student will be assigned a clip that can either be moved up or down on the clip chart depending on behavior. Students who make excellent decisions, follow classroom rules, and display model behavior may be moved up on the clip chart. Each color on the chart represents either a reward or a negative consequence. Students are able to move up or down throughout the day. Therefore, if you have a rough time at the beginning of class, there is always opportunity to change the behavior around and end on a higher color. As the year goes on, students will also receive classroom money (not real money) to be used throughout each quarter at our classroom store. Depending on behavior of each student individually, students will either earn money or they will be fined and have to pay money. Further explanation will be provided to all students. As a reference- Here is the behavior clip chart used in the classroom:Bright Yellow- You’re a rock star- Welcome to Hollywood {This is the highest level for students who display exceptional behavior}.Purple- Can I get your Autograph- You’re going to be famous {This is students displaying above average behavior and modeling of responsibility}.Pink- A Stellar Performance- Keep it up! {Students displaying responsibility, following class rules}.Green- Let’s Rock and Roll- You’re Ready to Learn {Good day, all students start each day on green}.Blue- Singing the Blues- Warning! Practice Makes Perfect {Warning; potential loss of privileges}Orange- Speak with Management- Take a break {consequence, teacher choice/teacher conference}.Red-All Tour Dates Cancelled-{Office referral/speak w/ administration/Parent contact/loss of privileges.} If a red or orange card is received, parents will be contacted via phone, email, note, or in person. Student will be expected to discuss the negative behavior with parents and return the orange or red card to the teacher the following day. Classroom Consequences-Should your child experience difficulty in displaying positive behavior, there may be negative consequences that he or she may experience. Such consequences may include loss of classroom privileges, loss of recess, writing assignment or other assignment to discuss how the behavior will be improved; parent contact, office referral and visit with administration, as well as a fine issued using the classroom money reward system. However, Consequences are not only negative. Should your student display characteristics of Rebel PRIDE, follow classroom rules, and show good character, there are positive rewards that your child may receive. Some of these incentives and rewards are discussed below. These rewards may change throughout the year depending on our classroom interests, student goals, etc. Classroom Positive Behavior Incentives/Rewards-Some of the behavior rewards include earning money to be used in the classroom store or for classroom auctions to receive prizes including a variety of items. Additional rewards may include a free homework pass, lunch with a teacher, etc. Rewards will be changing periodically throughout the school year. Classroom Rebel PRIDE-I truly believe that taking pride in our learning not only creates for a fun and educational learning environment, but it also creates an environment that allows the opportunity for all students to learn regardless of ability level, allows for students to be willing to take risks, allows for all students to learn from mistakes, and creates a positive, safe, learning environment that celebrates student success. Throughout the year we will be discussing each pillar of Rebel PRIDE and practicing and modeling what these behaviors look like. Please take time to discuss these with your student and ask them how they are showing Rebel PRIDE not only in the classroom, but in their community and at home. Below is the acronym and meaning for each pillar in the Rebel PRIDE:P- PerseveranceR(2)- Respect & ResponsibilityI- IntegrityD- DisciplineE- ExcellenceOdds & Ends- Things to look for throughout the school year- Check us Out- This is a classroom money reward system for students. Each student will be given a check book and check register in order to teach math skills such as balancing a check book, while also teaching responsibility. Students will learn more about our classroom money reward system in the first few weeks of school. Kindness Jar- I have a zero tolerance policy for bullying and unkind behavior. In my classroom we have a kindness jar. When a student says or acts in an unkind way, he/she draws from the kindness jar. They will be expected to perform the task assigned on the card. Such tasks include, picking up classroom, helping a friend with their work space, sitting next to someone new at lunch, etc. All students have the right to come to school in a safe environment and kindness not only makes learning more enjoyable, but teaches valuable life skills. Homeworkopoly- Occasionally, when students bring in their homework completed, they will be able to play the homeworkopoly board game. Rules of the game, expectations, etc. will be explained to students in the first few weeks of school. In our Class …We Try Our BestWe Are a TeamWe Respect each otherWe CreateWe Celebrate Each Other’s SuccessWe Learn From Our MistakesStudent Supplies-All students are expected to bring the following items to class daily:Assignment notebookPencils (number 2 only please)Highlighter2 Notebooks (one for Science/ one for Math)2 Double Pocket Folders (one for Science/ one for Math) CalculatorDry Erase Board Eraser /Rag(to be used as Dry Erase Board Eraser)RulerOther Supplies requested for each student to bring to share with the classroom are as follows:Box of KleenexGlue SticksDry Erase MarkerHand SanitizerHighlighterTeacher Contact InformationMs. BellEmail: kbell@evps.k12.mn.usI try to check my email and phone messages before school, during lunch and after school. I rarely get a chance during the school day to check and read messages. If you have an important message that I would need before the end of the day, please contact the office secretary to relay the message. Phone: (218) 756-3631 ext. 216Room: Room #112Classroom Website: will try to post links to homework, class lesson plans, upcoming news, and other pertinent information on this site. I have read and understand the expectations for Math and Science.Student Information:Student Name (Printed): ______________________________________________Student Signature: ___________________________________________________Student Home Phone Number: _________________________________________Other Contact if Parent is unavailable: __________________________________Home Address: _____________________________________________________Allergies: __________________________________________________________Parent/Guardian Information:Parent/Guardian Name: ______________________________________________Parent Signature: ___________________________________________________Parent/Guardian Name: ______________________________________________Parent Signature: ___________________________________________________Parent Phone Number: _______________________________________________Email Address: _____________________________________________________Preferred Method of Communication:_____Email _____Phone ................
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