Welcome to Fifth Grade!

Ms. Ostlund

Thank you for coming. Please find your child’s desk and follow the instructions listed. Be sure to write a note back on the sheet I’ve provided. :-)

Ms. Ostlund5th GradeRoom L-4

Welcome!

This is my third year teaching. I have taught 4th grade my first two years.

I have been happily married for almost 10 years. We have two children. Our daughter Amaya has started her first year at Las Positas College. Landen, our son, has started first grade at Vintage Hills in Pleasanton in a special needs classroom for children with Autism.

About Ms. Ostlund...

My Educational Philosophy• Provide meaningful and fun

learning experiences for students

•Promote critical and higher-level thinking skills• Develop and nurture the “whole child”• Create a positive classroom community• Promote and practice respect, responsibility,caring, and tolerance

•Instill a passion for learning

Our Class Expectations

• Listen when others are speaking.• Treat people the way you want to be

treated.• Respect others and materials.• Always do your best.• Have a positive attitude.• Have fun learning!• Be responsible.• Help each other.

•Strive to be a ROLE MODEL...

Our Schedule• School starts at 8:25 a.m.• Monday and Tuesday dismissal is at 2:00,

Thursday and Friday at 3:00 p.m.• Early release is at 2:00 on Wednesday,

Collaboration days. (Please look at sheet for exact dates.)

• Music on Monday• Library on Thursday

•PE on Tuesday & Friday-students dress appropriately

• Computer lab weekly

CurriculumReading/ELA: Core Novels, Reading Strategies, Literature Circles, GrammarWriting: Lucy Calkins’ programMath: Envision Math; differentiation will occur within the classroom per pre-test resultsScience: Weather and Climate, Water on Earth, Matter, Human systems and Plant systems, Solar System; Outdoor Ed. in SpringSocial Studies: U.S. History, Explorers, Colonization, Revolutionary War

Curriculum continued...• Literary Analysis: Reading strategies, grammar, literature response and analysis, literature circles and more to support reading and writing.• P.E.: Tuesday (8:30) and Friday (2:00 -

running the mile!)• Music: Monday (8:30) with music teacher• Art: Integrated across curriculum,

occasional art projects • Spelling/Vocabulary: weekly word lists and

tests on Fridays

Learning Schedule• 8:25 a.m. Warm Up/Daily

Language/Journal, Check-in Homework/Small group

• 9:30 am. Math• 10:30 a.m. Recess• 10:45 a.m. Writer’s Workshop and Language Arts• 12:20 p.m. Lunch• 1:00 p.m. Small group rotations• 1:00 p.m. Social Studies/Science/Liberal

Arts (Art on some Fridays)• 1:45 (M-T) or 2:45 p.m. (W-Th-F) Clean

Up/Homework; 2:00 / 3:00 p.m. Goodbye!

Kolb Grading Standards• A+ 100%• A 94-

99%• A- 90-

93%• B+ 87-

89%• B 84-

86%• B- 80-

83%• C+ 77-

79%• C 74-

76%• C- 70-

73%• D+ 67-

69%• D 64-

66%• D- 60-

63%• F 0-59%

✓ Students will receive a percentage grade for exams taken in class.

✓ Other work will be graded with O, S, or N or 4, 3, 2, or 1.• Exceeding

Standard• 4 above

100%

• Meeting Standard• 3 85%-

100%

• Approaching Standard

• 2 70%-84%

• Below Standard• 1 below

70%

Star PapersStar Papers are an additional/optional assignment for students who would like an additional challenge in Language Arts. Students may complete ten Star Papers per trimester. During the trimester, students must read two nonfiction, one picture and 7 fiction books. When finished with the book, students should get the appropriate “Star Paper” from the classroom, complete, and return it. Students should complete Star Papers as they complete books to ensure that the information is fresh in their minds and that they do their best work. Students may use the books they read for “reading log” as Star Paper books.

Homework• Daily Monday through Thursday:

Math,Spelling/Vocabulary, Read 20 minutes• Projects, other class work as

assigned• Students record homework in planner at end of each day• Parent signature in hw planner each night and atend of week for reading log-most Fridays are free...

Homework Continued…9 Strikes

• The nine strike policy: If you have a missing assignment, you receive a check. If you have received nine checks in a trimester, then a field trip, party, etc. will be taken away as a consequence.

• Please note: I do this more to help students be organized and responsible. Most students do not want a check and all students want to attend the parties and have fun.

Thursday Folders and Homework Progress Reports

▪Every other Thursday, students will bring home a folder of classwork and homework with an attached progress report.

▪Please look through the work in the Thursday Folder and review confusing concepts with your child.

▪The progress report lists missing assignments.

▪Additionally, student behavior and effort for the two weeks is indicated.

Classroom Management

• Positive Reinforcement - pink tickets, blue character trait tickets, table points, cube jar

• Consistent and fair expectations• Logical Consequences/Individual needs

basis

Communication

• Please feel free to communicate with me! • Best reached by email, but you may also call my

extension• Visit my website at the Kolb home page (teacher sites)• Bi-weekly Thursday folders• Weekly newsletter on Friday: “The Ostlund Gazette…”

Camp Arroyo- (Outdoor Ed)

• Outdoor education...and memories that last a lifetime!

• We still need drivers and chaperons- Please turn in completed driver clearance forms and notify me if you can drive.

• Medical forms: Please get them in as soon as possible!

How Can I Help My Child?

• Help them find a quiet place where they can work on homework.

• Organization: Binders and Homework• Let them do the work; be there for support

and some guidance; help with editing and finding resources if needed

• Eat well, sleep well, daily exercise•Pack extra snacks•Gradual release of responsibility….middle school is just around the corner!

I look forward to a Wonderful Year!• Thank you so much for coming• Complete the form on my website☺• Donations- ☺ (treasure box toys, goldfish, Smarties, lollipops)• Questions?????