Orca Clan-  Grades 4-5
Thomas Martin

tlmartin@seattleschools.org

Orca Clan Syllabus

Classroom Teaching Style

My teaching style is student-centered and curriculum driven. My curriculum choices are based on on-going assessment of student skills and knowledge, focused on the achievement of school district standards. Children learn best when the curriculum takes their diverse learning styles into account, so learning takes a variety of forms. Students gain empowerment and ownership when asked to create or choose the form and direction of their learning, so options are often given. We value our differences in the diverse classroom learning community, and learn with and from each other in a mutually respectful atmosphere.

Reading

Reading in the Orca clan consists of Guided Reading Groups, reading and responding to self-selected literature, teacher read aloud, reading across the subject areas, and read-at-home.

Formal assessment of reading development is done three times per year using the DRA (Direct Reading Assessment), which looks at reading rate, decoding skill, and comprehension. On-going assessments of daily work and projects in guided reading groups further clarify reading achievement. Looking at expedition reports and projects reveals skill-level in non-fiction comprehension.

Writer’s Workshop

The fourth/fifth grade teaching team spent a week together this summer, training to improve our teaching of the Writing Workshop program of City College of New York. For a full hour each day students will work to grow as writers, expanding "small moments" from their lives into captivating, clear and detailed pieces of writing. Like reading, writing will be done in a variety of forms in all subjects.

Assessment in writing is on-going, using teacher-student mini-conferences, self-assessments, and peer-assessments. Writing assessment follows the Writing Workshop model, and the Six Traits of Quality Writing framework. Writing work will be looked at for proper paragraph form, as well as for continual improvement through the use of the writing process. Fourth grade will be assessed with the writing WASL, and fifth grade will do a direct writing assessment.

Mathematics

Problem-solving, computation, and number sense will be explored across the variety of math strands. Students will be asked to write, draw, and speak about their math thinking.

TERC Investigations, WASL style problem-solving tasks, math facts mastery, and developmentally-appropriate computation will give a well-rounded math experience. Math notes and vocabulary definitions will be kept in Math journals and used to aid in problem-solving.

Students will take a district math assessment three times during the year, as well as the mathematics WASL. Math facts testing, and looking at problem-solving and computation work, will determine classroom curriculum.

Listening / Communications

Skillful listening is critical to language acquisition and reading comprehension, so students will listen and respond to my oral reading. Students will also be encouraged to speak their mind, presenting their work to small and large groups. In class meetings and critiques, students will ask for and receive help and encouragement from their peers.

Assessment of communication and listening skills will be done by observing student performances and class meetings, among others.

Science / Technology

Seattle School District provides science kits from the National Science Foundation. This year, the Orca clan will explore Ecosystems, and and the science of electricity. Participation in the scientific method will be emphasized, in preparation for the Science WASL assessment. Science is also an integral part of our Salmon expedition.

Technology tools will be used to explore and present students learning. Computers and audio-visual equipment will be used as communication tools.

The science WASL and Science Notebooks will be used to assess science knowledge and skills.

Expeditionary Learning

The Orca Clan will be doing two Expeditions this year, first Salmon Survival, then Struggle and Resistance. Salmon Survival explores the salmon life cycle and ecosystem requirements, and ways that people can help salmon species to continue on. Struggle and Resistance will look at cultural groups in US history that have become empowered through grass-roots efforts. Both expeditions will involve both research and hands-on projects, and the presentation and celebration of students' discoveries. Students will be assessed on achievement of Science and Social Studies Grade Level Expectations using Expedition projects as evidence.

Social / Emotional Development

At Pathfinder, we strive to help children to grow into self-motivated, positive, pro-active members of their community. In the Orca clan, positive development of the whole child is emphasized, socially, emotionally, and academically. Children play a leadership role in their classroom and school communities. Students create classroom expectations and consequences, work together to problem- solve on-going personal conflicts, help eradicate bullying behaviors, and learn to stop and think about outcomes before acting.

Homework

Homework in the Orca clan gives further practice of the skills developed in school. A homework packet will be taken home each Tuesday, and is due the following Tuesday. Parents need to sign completed homework packets. Successful completion of homework requires parental assistance, creating a time, a place, and a positive atmosphere conducive to concentrated effort. Homework generally consists of the following:

* Reading log- to record 150 total minutes per week of at-home reading

* Reading responses- full-sentence responses to reading comprehension prompts

* Writing- Two Writing Workshop entries per week

* Math- a variety of problems to solve

* Language Arts- will include vocabulary, spelling, or oral language work

Homework will be sent electronically to parents wishing to receive it.