More General Information for Parents

As a follow-up to the previous parent technology overview, here are additional helpful tips:

Teacher websites vs. Google Classroom: The teacher websites we each have are primarily for families, and most of what is posted here is with a parental audience in mind. We are working toward updating the calendar regularly, with the major projects and tests posted as they come up. Google Classroom is a platform for creating, distributing, and grading assignments. It began its existence during the 2014-2015 school year, so it is a relatively new tool. It is posted with a student audience in mind, and by design requires a student account to access it.

Agendas/Planners: These are expected to travel with each child every day, to every class. We instruct and usually model what to write, but it is up to the students to write for themselves. They all tend to catch on to the usefulness of these planners, but we will continue to support students with using them.

Class Schedules: All three classes follow the same basic schedule, and all three classes merge together for PE on Tuesdays and Thursdays (and half of Friday specials time).

• 7:40-7:50 Morning routines and KIOT news
• 7:50-9:05 Rotation block 1
• 9:05-10:15 Rotation block 2
• 10:15-10:35 Recess
• 10:35-11:15 Coyote Club/RtI
• 11:15-11:45 Kirby lunch / 11:20-11:50 Pinter & Ahn lunch
• 11:45-12:05 Flex time (agendas, read alouds, class business)
• 12:05-12:55 Specials (PE on T/Th/half F, art & music alternate M/W/half F)
• 12:55-1:35 Writing
• 1:35-2:45 Rotation block 3 (with homeroom teacher)
• 2:45-2:50 Dismissal

Class Dojo: This is used mostly as a way to monitor behavior. This is a new tool for the three of us, and we hope it helps us communicate with each other, as well as families, regarding behaviors. We may occasionally use Class Dojo to "push" reminders out to families. However, like Remind 101, it will be used as an outgoing information source. Parents wishing to contact us should continue to use email as the best method. Our goal is to respond within 24 hours, and Class Dojo notifications back to us aren't effective for this goal to be met.

We appreciate all of the questions, support, and involvement from all of our families. Thank you!

Weeks 1-3

In science for the first three weeks, we have reviewed science safety expectations, and looked at uses for different tools (mostly review, with a few new ones). In the coming weeks, we will examine the following essential questions:

• What are the physical properties of matter and how can they be measured?
• How can we compare and contrast matter?
• What are the similarities and differences among mixtures and how can they be separated?
• What is the effect on water when heat is added or removed?
• What changes occur to the outside of a glass when ice water is placed in it?

In social studies, we have covered some basics overviews of map skills. In addition, we have been taking a "tour" through the Texas regions. Next week, we will work more on social studies than science, in celebration and study of Freedom Week. Driving questions will include:

• What is the intent of the United States’ founding documents?
• How do Americans celebrate their freedoms?
• Why are the founding documents of the United States important?

In writing (for my homeroom), we are continuing to build stamina with journaling. Students are also reviewing the basics of building sentences. In the coming weeks students will work on drafting a personal narrative and taking it through the writing process.

Frequently Asked Technology Questions

Many of the questions asked at Parent Night involved the students' use of technology. Most of what we use is Google-based. Each student has a Google account through the district, and as they advance in grades, they will submit more and more assignments via Google Classroom. Most fourth graders are just getting started with this, and therefore, most technology required will be completed in class. However, extra practice at home often helps, so here are a few general tips:

Signing in with Google: Every RRISD student has a unique six-digit ID number, used for Home Access, cafeteria accounts, library checkout, computer login at school, and Google. Every email address is:

s_ _ _ _ _ _ @student.roundrockisd.org 

with the blanks representing the six-digit student ID. Each password is an 8 letter, two word phrase, like "dogchair" with no space and all lowercase letters. Every student should have that written inside his or her agenda. Often, if a student needs to login to Google at home, the "@student.roundrockisd.org" portion is forgotten.

Google Apps for Education: When a student is signed in to Google Chrome, and the data is linked, apps and bookmarks should automatically appear. If access at home doesn't allow for use on Chrome, most apps are also available in an iOS format as well. Students will simply need to login into the app with the Google account assigned. Quizlet is one example of such an app.

Other online accounts: Some web-based programs, such as iStation, Think Through Math, and ALI/STEMscopes, are separate from Google Apps for Education and may have different sign in instructions. These user names and passwords, just like the Google ones, are assigned to each student. These are just similar enough and just different enough to be confusing at first, and the companies involved frequently adapt their platform to co-exist with Google Apps. As these are introduced to students, they will be used during class time. Often students will want to access these programs at home, but because of the slight variation may not login easily. Again, we will be using these primarily in class, especially at first.

We are encouraging our fourth graders to own their academics, so instructions are given in class to the students directly. If there are problems with student access at home, I will be available to students during Coyote Club the first few weeks of school. It is usually helpful to know what systems or devices are being used at home, so students should be prepared with that information when asking procedural questions.

Hopefully this helps with some of the beginning questions. As we continue to add resources and online tools, I will work to expand the FAQs. Please email me with any additional questions.

Parent Night

Thank you all for coming in tonight -- the turnout was overwhelming! There were great questions brought up, and I will be posting some of that extra info here in the next few days. In the meantime, the slideshow we used is posted here, and please feel free to email us with questions.

In addition, one of the tabs says "Trio Home and Calendar" -- the Google calendar shows the bigger project & test assignments, and can be added to most personal family calendars. Hopefully, this will help with some of the concerns regarding agendas and upcoming dates and deadlines.

In science right now, we are wrapping up the safety and tool review (quiz on tools will be Tuesday 9/6). We will be shifting into classifying matter in the upcoming week. We have just begun exploring the Texas regions in social studies, and we will be practicing map skills working with latitude and longitude.

Have a great three day weekend!

Here is the link:  Parent Night Slideshow