Big Walnut Intermediate School
5th Grade Curriculum Night
Thursday,
August 21, 2014
Joe
Evener (LA/SS) joeevener@bwls.net
Welcome
I consider it an honor and a
privilege to be able to inspire and guide your student through his/her journey
of learning this school year. With the excitement of a new year, there may be a
few adjustments along the way. Communication is the key. We, parents and
teachers, are partners in your child’s education.
A
little about me:
This is my second year in the
classroom. I was a 1982 graduate of Big Walnut High School. The very room(s) I
am teaching in, are the rooms I learned high school English my junior and
senior years. I began coaching wrestling for Big Walnut in 1986 and continued
until 2003 in one form or another. I coached Middle School Track and Field for
Big Walnut from 1989-1991, in 1995 I was named the head coach of the high
school program, a role I still cherish today. In 2005 I started attending The
Ohio State University – Newark and earned my Associate Degree (2007) and my
Bachelor Degree (2009) in Language Arts and Social Studies. I graduated in 2011
from Mount Vernon Nazarene University with my Masters Degree in Middle
Childhood Education. In 2011-12, I was a Reading Tutor for Big Walnut
Elementary, and in 2012-13, I was the Reading Tutor for Big Walnut Intermediate.
My first book, The Heart of Seras:
Journey to Seras, a fantasy series, was published in November 2013. Book
two, The Heart of Seras: The Elders,
is tentatively scheduled for release in the spring of 2015.
My wife, Bronwen (1979), and I have
been married for thirty-two years (today). We have two sons: Joey (2003) and
Jacob (2004), and two grandsons: Jacob (4th grade) and Jamison (2nd
grade).
Homework
and Agenda
The
purpose of homework is to reinforce what has been learned in the classroom.
Homework helps to achieve content mastery and teaches responsibility as well as
positive study habits. Your child will write daily homework assignments in
his/her agenda. Most of the homework received in Social Studies or Language
Arts will be able to be complete in a short period of time or have a week or
longer to complete it.
Assignments
The
majority of projects done in Language Arts and Social Studies will come with a
Rubric – please look over the Rubric to see what is being asked of the student.
I will often start the day with 3 Quick Questions or a Writing Prompt.
These questions will check the students’ comprehension of what was discussed
the day before. They generally have the first ten minutes of class to answer
the questions prior to starting the day’s lesson.
Language Arts
Treasures, published by Macmillan McGraw- Hill, is the
recently adopted literature based program aligned with the new Common Core
State Standards. Treasures
provides instruction in reading fluency and comprehension, vocabulary,
writing, spelling, listening, and speaking. Students will work in whole group,
small group, and with partners. We will also be doing several group or
individual projects along the way to strengthen skills in Language Arts.
We will be
discussing elements of storytelling, genres of stories, figurative language, types
of sentences, types of formal writing, grammar, and reading comprehension
skills.
The three
books we will be reading this year are:
Tuck Ever Lasting by Natalie Babbitt
Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Sign of the Beaver by Elizabeth George Speare
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
As well as
several short stories from the Treasures’
Textbook.
The students also have a Daily Comprehension Workbook. They will do these exercises every day to help strengthen their reading comprehension skills. I collect them every Friday for grade (5 points).
Social
Studies
This year’s Social Studies content
will focus on the economics, geography, governments, and history of the Western
Hemisphere. The curriculum is based on the revised Common Core Standards
adopted by the state of Ohio.
Students will be engaged in
research, projects, in-class discussion, debate, and other critical thinking
exercises meant to extend their learning. Important details such as reading a map, making a timeline, taking notes,
and doing research will be taught. Paper writing will work in collaboration
with Language Arts skills.
Classroom Guidelines:
Within this classroom, the guidelines are simple:
1. Follow the directions.
2. Refrain from disrupting the class.
3. Respect the feelings, rights and property of
other students and adults.
4.
Show up prepared on time with required items (homework, paper, pencil, etc) and ready to add to
the discussion.
I want you to know that I have been extremely pleased at
the behavior and attitude of the students in my classes. They have worked hard
and impress me every day. It is my hope to let them have fun while learning,
and make 5th grade and Big Walnut Intermediate a great experience
for them.
If there is anything I can do to help make this year a
better success for your child, please let me know.
Joe Evener
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