Ms. Kearney’s

Course Syllabus

Room 23

2021-2022

1. Course Description

           Please note that this is a self-contained class, and our curriculum is modified. We will cover a combination of the fifth and sixth grade curriculum.   Students will participate in whole class lessons for Science and Social Studies.  Students will be taught Reading, Writing, and Math through mini lessons and small group instruction.  We will cover grade level standards as well as their IEP goals.  All our curriculum will be introduced at a pace that is appropriate for the students in this class.  

1. Curriculum

          We will use a combination of resources for each subject.  This includes textbooks, workbooks, websites, and hands on manipulatives.  

• Reading:  We will follow a Reading Workshop Model based on Lucy Caulkins’ Units of Study for Teaching Reading.  We will have a group mini lesson to cover grade level topics, followed by small group instruction based on the students’ current reading level.  (Current reading levels will be determined based on the Fountas and Pinnell assessment). Strategy groups will be utilized to target specific skills.

• Math:  Every other day, I will meet with one grade level to teach the math lesson. Fifth grade will be using Engage NY Modules, 6th grade will be using Math in Focus by Marshall Cavendish (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt). On the day the students are not with me, they will be working on math stations, small groups to work on IEP goals, and review of the lesson that was taught with me the day before. .  It is vital to 5th and 6th grade math that students are fluent with their multiplication facts.  We will be reviewing them along with strategies to aid in mastery throughout the school year, but it is the students’ responsibility to be practicing at home. Students will be assessed regularly on their facts. 

• Grade 5 Modules 

Module 1: Place Value and Decimal Fractions

Module 2:  Multi-Digit Whole Number and Decimal Fraction Operations

Module 3: Addition and Subtraction of Fractions

Module 4: Multiplication and Division of Fractions and Decimal Fractions

Module 5: Addition and Multiplication with Volume and Area

Module 6: Problem Solving with the Coordinate Plane

• Grade 6 Math Units

Unit 1: Number System - Operations

Unit 2: Number System - Positive & Negative Numbers

Unit 3: Ratios and Proportional Relationships

Unit 4: Expressions and Equations

Unit 5: Geometry

Unit 6: Statistics and Probability

• Science:  We will be using the Science 21 series and WCSD Mini-Units, Betterlesson following the 5E Model of Instruction.  During the 5E model students will be engaged, explore, explain, elaborate and evaluate.  These programs do not include a textbook.  Instead, students learn science concepts through whole class lessons and experiments.   

• Social Studies:  We will be following the district’s Integrated Social Studies and ELA program which was created by Putnam/Northern Westchester BOCES.    You can learn more about this program on the W.C.S.D. website.  We will also be using Prentice Hall’s  History of Our World: The Early Ages textbook.

• ELA/Writing:  We will follow a Writing Workshop model based on Lucy Calkins Units of Study in Opinion, Information, and Narrative Writing.  For vocabulary and spelling we will be following Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Journeys Guided Word Study.  For grammar, students will be working from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Write Source Skills  book.  Our program will be supplemented with the Writing Skills by Diana Hanbury King.

Academic Assessment Tools: The academic assessments that will be used this year are Fountas and Pinnell Benchmarks, I-Ready, Math units Tests, Writing and Reading Benchmarks. 

1. Classroom Expectations and Procedures

           Students have spent the first few days of school learning the classroom rules, routines, and procedures.  Our classroom rules follow our school-wide P.B.I.S. (Positive Behavior Intervention Services) program.  We will continue to revisit these topics throughout the year in order to keep our classroom running smoothly.

Be Respectful

Be Responsible

Be Safe

           The students have examined in depth what each of the rules mean, what it looks like to be following the rules, and what it looks like to not be following them.  

• Classroom Behavioral System:   Students have an individual behavior clip on the behavior chart.  These are color coded to visually help students track their own behavior throughout the day. Students always start on green, “Ready To Learn” and will be moved up, or down based on their classroom behavior. If a student was moved down, they always have an opportunity to move their clips back up. At the end of each day, if the students are on Great Job, Good Choices or Outstanding they will get a sticker for the day. Once the student gets seven stickers, they are able to pick a prize from the prize box.  Student’s clips are moved back to green, “Ready to Learn” so they are ready to start tomorrow off as a good day!  Students will track their behavior on a monthly behavior sheet.  This sheet is to be signed daily and returned to school.

Blue~ Outstanding!!!

Purple~ Great Job!!

Pink ~Good Choices!

Green~ Ready to Learn

Yellow~ Think About it

Orange~ Warning!

Red~ Consequence 

~Consequences will be between the student and the teacher. (Phone call, time off recess, principal’s office)

4. Activities/Projects Unique to this Class

Students who signed up last year will be participating in Orchestra or Band.  Students will be given the choice this year to join combined 5th & 6th grade Chorus.  The students are also welcome to join any of Oak Grove’s clubs.  Please keep an eye out for sign ups in your child’s take home folder.     

Each grade level also has activities unique to their program.  Students will participate in all grade level activities that scheduling permits.  

5. Grading Procedures

Students will be graded based on a variety of formal and informal assessments and observations.  Students will be assessed in reading using Fountas and Pinnell.  Students' writing will be graded based on rubrics.  In other subject areas, they will have quizzes and unit tests. Students will be given advance notice for unit tests.  Daily work will also be factored into their grades depending on how much support they received.

Some work in our class will be completed together as a group, some students will need more support at certain times on assignments, and some work will be completed independently to the best of your child’s ability.  

Report card grades will reflect each student’s ability to meet their respective grade level standards with their program modifications and testing accommodations as stated in their I.E.P.   

The following scale will be used for grading students in each subject area. 

Level 4: 95 and above (Meets State Standards with Distinction)

Level 3: 80-94 (Meets State Standards)

Level 2: 70-79 (Approaching State Standards)

Level 1: 69 and below (Does Not Meet State Standards) 

6. Homework Policy

Homework is to be completed the night is assigned and brought to school the next day.

Nightly Homework (Monday-Thursday):

Reading: Read for 20 mins Monday- Thursday

Math: Worksheet.  The math worksheet will be a review of the lesson learned, or fluency. If the students have a topic quiz or test, they will have a review sheet to finish and/or study.

Spelling:

Monday, write the words three times each.

Tuesday, write the words 1-10 in a sentence.

Wednesday, write the words 11-20 in a sentence.

Thursday, study using the Look, say, spell method.  

         Students will also occasionally receive Writing, Science, and Social Studies homework.  Please check your child’s agenda/red folder nightly (as it is subject to change).  Use your best judgment to determine the level of help your child needs to complete their homework and learn from it.  If your child can complete their homework independently, then please go over the directions with them before they begin and check their work when they are finished. Also, please check your child’s  Red Take Home Folder nightly for any other important papers that will be sent home.

*** Homework is a review of the concepts taught for the day. If you find that your child is struggling, please jot me a note and I will happily sit with him/her one-on-one to reinforce the concept.

7. Teacher Contact Information

                  Please feel free to contact me.  The best ways to contact me are to write a note and put it  in your child’s red folder,  send me an e-mail, or a message on the remind app.  Please note that if you send me an e-mail or remind message that I am not always able to check my email during school hours.  

Phone:  298-5280 (Oak Grove)

Email:  laura.kearney@wcsdny.org  

Remind App: https://www.remind.com/join/sc562

8. Tardy, early dismissal and Absences 

Tardy- Students are considered tardy after 8:35. Students will need to go to the main office and get a tardy pass. 

Early Dismissal- If a student needs to be picked up early, please provide me with a note with the reason for the early dismissal, your child’s name and ID number. 

Absences- If your student is absent, please provide a note with the reason for the absence, the child’s name and ID number. 

9. Birthday Celebrations

We would love to celebrate your child’s birthday in school!  Please send me an email or note stating when you would like to send in a birthday treat.  Birthday treats must be store bought!  We have 15 students in the class, please make sure you send in enough for everyone :) 

10. Working Snack

(Students will be permitted to have one snack during the day while they are working.  It is their responsibility to be active and focused learners while they have their “working snack.”  Please send your child to school with a healthy snack and water or water 

bottle to be filled at the fountain each day.)

**Please put your child’s snack in a zip lock bag, with their name on it. 

11. Schedule: 

Please see the attached schedule.

Please note that the daily schedule does change a little bit each day, at the end of the day.