Mrs Gabels Fourth Grade Class Welcome Parents Welcome

Mrs. Gabel’s Fourth Grade Class Welcome Parents!

Welcome to Fourth Grade: TO DO • Please sign the attendance sheet on the semi circle table. • Please sign up for a conference time on the semi circle table. I will send home reminders a week or so before conference time. • Please sign up if you would like to me a Room Representative (I left a sheet of what the “job” entails if that helps). • Please write back to your child on the paper provided after reading his/her letter to you.

All About Me · My experience · Is exclusively with children! · I was a nanny for one family for 7 summers from 1988 -1994 Memorial Day-Labor Day. I am still in touch with those kids today-exceptional adults! · I was also a nanny for a family here in Kinnelon, NJ for 5 full years 1995 -2000. It was during that time that I also started my time here at Lincoln Park Elementary. · I began assistant in the Preschool Disabilities class in 1997. Transitioned into Kindergarten for a year and a half. Then I taught first grade for 11 years 2000 -2011. · I began teaching fourth grade in 2011 and I love it! I expected I would because I truly love teaching! · My background · I grew up Malvern, PA · Received my Bachelor’s Degree from Juniata College in Early Childhood & Elementary Education · Received my Special Education Certification from Felician College. · Hold a Master’s Degree in Supervision from Felician College. · I live in West Milford with my husband three children: Ryan, 13, Caroline, 10 and Jackson 7.

A Day In The Life Of A Fourth Grader · · · · · 9: 00 -9: 05 Homeroom 9: 05 -9: 45 Language Arts 9: 47 -10: 27 Special 10: 29 -10: 49 Character Ed. /Health/Handwriting 10: 11 -11: 51 Math 11: 53 -12: 33 i. Ready/STEM/Spanish 12: 35 -1: 57 Lunch 1: 17 -1: 57 Science (M. P. 1 & 3)/ Social Studies (M. P. 2 & 4) 1: 59 -3: 21 Reading

Specials Class Special Schedule Monday~ Library Tuesday~ Music Wednesday ~ Physical Education Thursday~ Art Friday ~ Computers

My Goals for 4 th Grade · To provide a supportive and fun classroom environment. · To help your child make new friends and discover new interests. · Communicate with parents through email/phone (Class Messenger)/planners. · Get your child ready for the 4 th grade PARCC test.

Thank you! · For encouraging your child to read daily · For supervising/assisting your child with his or her homework/projects · For helping your child learn to organize his or her homework/backpack · For communicating with me whenever the need arises, or just to check on your child’s progress · For coming to LPES Back-to-School Night!

Room Parents · We will be choosing room parents this year. · These parents will help organize parties, special projects and events, etc. All parents are important to us. No one will be left out. Room parents will be called upon during the year to help with various activities. · Occasionally you will receive a note or a call from our room parents for help! Details will follow and we will be in touch throughout the school year. · I’d like to thank you in advance for your help this year, it’s not an easy job and I appreciate your stepping up to the challenge · If you are interested, please feel free to sign up on the sign up sheet in the back of the room.

Snacks and Birthdays · Please make sure that your child has a healthy snack. · Our snack is in the morning at 10: 30 a. m. · Please keep in mind we are a NUT FREE classroom. Due to allergies, we are conscious and careful at all times. · · · Please try to jot me a note a few days before the birthday so I don’t have any “overlapping” parties. Please only send in precut or individually packaged treats, and please deliver them to the office. They will be distributed to the class during snack break in the afternoon. This will help to avoid disruptions during instructional time. Please keep in mind ingredients we love to share with all. Read all packaging if purchasing pre-made snacks.

Report cards/ Conferences · Report cards are given each marking period. We have gone “paperless” and all grades can be found online through Genesis. You can access Genesis using the link on my “Teacher Page, ” or through the District website home page. There are no more progress reports, so please do your best to keep up with your child’s gradebook.

· · · Homework Time Written homework will be given Monday-Thursday night. A Math, and Reading and/or Writing assignment will always be given. Please check your child’s student planner nightly to make sure all assignments are completed. Spelling, Social Studies or Science may be assigned occasionally. All homework is expected to be completed and handed in on the following day. Students will be expected to read 20 minutes M, W, & F. If homework is not completed, your child will be asked to complete the missing assignment at recess that day or for homework that night. Too many missing homework assignments will affect your child’s grade at the end of the marking period.

Reading · · · In fourth grade we use the Houghton Mifflin Reading series. This series includes wonderful stories that the children can relate to, while also expanding their knowledge of different topics. Focus skills include main ideas, inferencing, cause and effect, sequencing, summarizing, paraphrasing, fact and opinion, and vocabulary. The children will have a Reading test every Friday and may also be tested at the end of each theme. In addition we may have the chance to read the following novels: Stone Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Cricket in Times Square, and The Fighting Ground In addition to novels, I like to study authors works and styles and delve in Patricia Polacco and Chris Van. Allsburg for a few weeks during the year. Students are also using IXL Language Arts on the laptops to build skills. They are encouraged to use the program at home (Password Page in your child’s folder). I work on specific skill sets in school, but your child may choose their own at home. Additionally, they may work on 3 rd, 4 th, or 5 th grade skills, depending on their level with a particular skill.

Writing · We introduce and teach a variety of writing methods using the following writing styles: · Narrative (personal experience) · Expository (purpose is to inform, explain, describe, or define the author's subject to the reader) · Speculative (creating a fictional story based on a given situation – speculating (guessing) about what could happen next), and · Persuasive (main goal is to persuade or convince someone to do something that you want them to do. )

Spelling · Students will always receive their spelling words on Monday in school. · The goal is for the children to learn through practice and memorization how to spell correctly. · The students will choose a different written “Take Your Pick” spelling activity Monday through Wednesday and will start the assignment the last 1015 minutes of the school day. The rest (if any) will be completed for homework. · Thursday night homework will always be to study for the weekly Friday spelling test.

Math · The Scott Foresman en. Vision math 2. 0 curriculum is used in fourth grade. · The goal was to create a program for which one could promise student success and higher achievement. · The program starts with a curriculum that research has shown to be highly effective. Additionally, it fully embraces time-proven research principles for teaching mathematics with understanding. One understands an idea in mathematics when one can connect that idea to previously learned ideas. · It is extremely important that your child knows his/her multiplication facts. We do go over facts in school, but your child should also review them often at home. · In addition, students are using IXL Math on the laptops to build skills. They are encouraged to use the program at home (Password Page in your child’s folder). I work on specific skill sets in school, but your child may choose their own at home. Additionally, they may work on 3 rd, 4 th, or 5 th grade skills, depending on their level with a particular skill.

Science · The Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Science Dimensions series is new this year and features the following Units: · Engineering & Technology · Energy · Waves and Information Transfer · Plant Structure & Function · Animal Structure & Function · Changes to Earth’s Surface · Rocks and Fossils · Natural Resources & Hazards

Social Studies · The students will be studying our great state of New Jersey in Social Studies this year. They will be tested after each unit. We will also do state related projects for certain chapters. Skills we focus on include: map reading & designing, outlining, drawing conclusions, cause & effect, sequence, researching, cooperating, presenting, & study skills. · The students will also be working on an American Revolution unit of study.

Spanish & i. Ready · We have a new Spanish Teacher this year (Mrs. Von Recklinghausen) & we are really excited about it. Be sure to check in with your child on Thursdays to discover new learning of the Spanish language. · i. Ready is web‐based – – Your child can access the program from any computer with an internet connection EXCEPT a tablet or other handheld device. – The program can be accessed on a computer & i. Pad 4, i. Pad Air 2, & i. Pad Pro. i‐Ready’s adaptive test identifies students’ strengths and weaknesses in reading and mathematics. An adaptive diagnostic automatically adjusts the difficulty of the questions according to each student’s ability levels Once students finish the Diagnostic, the results are used to provide customized and differentiated instruction to meet their needs i‐Ready will support your child whether he is below, on, or above grade level. · ·

Handwriting Without Tears Program · A cursive curriculum that suits modern life. The letters and connections have been simplified by using a vertical style that gives the writing a clean, easy-to- read appearance. · Students will develop a wide variety of writing activities after a complete review of cursive letters and connections.

Laptops · We have our own set of laptops for our classroom this year. Students as well as myself are very excited about this. We have subscriptions to a variety of educational site that include IXL, i. Ready, Pearson, and Accelerated Reader. Additionally, your student has been given a Gmail account that is District wide. We will be utilizing Google Classroom often throughout the school year. · Passwords are available on your child’s password page in their folder. · Your child is encouraged to bring in earbuds or headphones in a zipper-style bag.

Discipline · Class Room Rules · · If a student chooses to not follow classroom procedures then they will be given a verbal warning. If a student continues to not follow procedures then they will stay in for recess the following day and complete a “Stop and Think” form which will be sent home to be signed by a parent and returned. In the event of a more serious offense such as blatant disrespect to a teacher, cursing, fighting, damaging school property, etc. , the student will be sent to the administration for immediate action. All students are responsible for maintaining procedures and will be held accountable.

How can you help? · · · Review your child’s planner with them Check over homework, but do not give them the answers. Help them move toward becoming independent learners. I send tests and quizzes home as they are given. When a test comes home, please look it over with your child and discuss strengths and areas for improvement. Review multiplication facts. Insist on cursive handwriting! Join the PTO and stay involved with your child’s home and school. Our connection is invaluable!!!

Other Information · · What to do when my child is absent? Any work that is missed when your child is absent must be completed when he/she returns to school. I always appreciate when missed work is picked up to do at home, especially when a child misses more than a day. If the missing assignments are something that can be done at home, your child will have less work and stress when they return. · It would be best to request class work as you leave a message with the nurse when calling in an absence. It will give me plenty of time to gather necessary materials, write detailed notes, and leave it in the office for you to pick up by the end of the school day.

How can I reach Mrs. Gabel 1. ) Email: gabel@lincpk. com Or gabelkm@yahoo. com 2. ) Via Classroom Messenger app. 3. ) A note in the planner or other type of hand written note. 4. ) By phone: 973 -696 -5530

Let’s Have a Great Year!