Jim Filoso

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DISTANCE-LEARNING INFORMATION

LETTER SENT BY EMAIL TO FAMILIES 3/16/20

Dear Families,

SCHEDULE of CLASSES & LESSON TOPICS
Mr. Filoso's Courses

CHALLENGE READING
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays
(40 min classes)
Lessons via Google Classroom
Louis Sachar's There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom.  iReady sessions.
Zoom meetings Tuesdays, 11:00

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS/WRITING
Wednesdays & Fridays
(40 min classes)
Lessons via Google Classroom
Journal Writing:  "Living History"
Zoom meetings: alternate Wednesdays, 11:00

SOCIAL STUDIES
Tuesdays & Thursdays
(20 min classes)
Lessons via Google Classroom
"History of..." mini-lessons on various topics, such as the history of April Fools' Day, the history of the Sandy Hook Lighthouse, the history of chocolate, and more.

MATH
Mondays through Fridays
(40 min classes)
Lessons via Google Classroom
Understanding Fractions:  meanings, equivalents, comparisons, mixed numbers & improper fractions, addition & subtraction, decomposing fractions, decimal connections; problem-solving activities. iReady sessions.
Zoom meetings:  Thursdays, 11:00

MINDFULNESS & JOY (optional)
Materials posted via Google Classroom
Various positive-mindset and inspirational videos, including guided meditations, Go Noodle songs & dances, Tiny Kitchen and Kid Snippet videos, classic TV sitcom scenes, and other motivational clips.

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OUR CLASS OPERATING PRINCIPLES

HERE YOU WILL SEE US....

Being a team that makes sure everyone learns, succeeds, and feels proud

Creating an encouraging place where we feel safe

Apologizing and forgiving

Knowing when to express and when to listen

Caring even when it is difficult

Making sure no one feels badly

Celebrating hard work and achievement

Asking for clarity and listening

Helping others to understand without being degrading or pompous

Looking out for those who need

Smiling, welcoming, including

Having compassion

 

GRADING POLICIES, STUDY GUIDES, TESTS, SIGNATURES, ETC.

Please review grading policies sheet that you should keep at home.  This sheet explains the grading philosophy, how marking period grades are determined, homework, making up work when absent, and tests.

Study guides are distributed about one week before major tests.   Students may earn extra credit points on tests if study guides are signed and returned at the time of the test.  Study guides are not distributed for short, in-class graded assignments or quizzes. 

All tests and assignments that are graded need to be signed and returned.

 

HOMEWORK

Please ask your child exactly what he/she learned in each class each day.  Read the assignment pad and check that assignments are completed.  Test dates, project due dates, and other information can be found in the assignment pad as well.

 

PLEASE DISREGARD THE LESSON TOPICS BELOW UNTIL DISTANCE-LEARNING ENDS.  SEE DISTANCE-LEARNING INFORMATION ABOVE.
 

CURRENT LESSON TOPICS

Please note that quiz/test dates may need to be adjusted from time to time.  Check here, assignment pads, study guides for updates.

 

CHALLENGE READING

INDEPENDENT READING LOG/RESPONSE: 
Select independent reading book, read, complete log, written response from many choices; due Fridays           New reading log options beginning in late January.
Use of Fountas & Pinnell reading levels

VOCABULARY:  
VocabULit workbook
Lessons assigned most Mondays, workbook pages usually due Thursdays, quizzes from time to time covering several vocabulary lessons.

Lesson 12 - week of February 24
Lesson 13 - week of March 2
Lessons 12 & 13 Quiz - Wednesday, March 11.

CURRENT INSTRUCTION:

SIGN POST TEST - Corrections due no later than Monday, March 9.   

STRATEGIES FOR CLOSE READING:  POETRY
Introduction to Poetry.  Biographical background on Emily Dickinson.  Videos, close reading, discussions, and instruction & practice of strategies for reading poetry.  Anchor text:  Emily Dickinson, "In the Garden".

Assessments:  Project on Emily Dickinson (due Friday, March 6); Test applying strategies to another Emily Dickinson poem (TBA/week of March 16)

Next:
Strategies for Close Reading:  Non-Fiction/Informational Texts

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS

CURRENT INSTRUCTION:  

EXPOSITORY WRITING (ON-GOING)
Frequent, in-class writing exercises to build foundational skills:  stamina, organization, craft, and mechanics.
Writing practice exercises based on Expository Writing Master List
Assessments:  Writing exercises, trimester assessment

WRITING A MEMOIR
Mentor texts:  Saturdays & Teacakes and student-written memoirs.
Creation of Master List of features of great memoirs.
Lessons and Workshops:  planning and organizing a memoir, using transitional words, writing dialogue, etc.
Assessments:  Memoir features test.  Student-written memoir graded against master list.  
Test Date:  Tuesday, March 3
Memoir due date:  TBA/mid-March.

NEXT:
Writing a Non-Fiction/Informational Text booklet.

MATH

CURRENT INSTRUCTION:  

iReady
Individualized computer program (45 minutes/week; on-going)

Multiplication Facts
One-A-Day program.  

Unit 3 - Multiplication Strategies
Multiplying 1-digit numbers by up to 4-digit numbers 
Multiplying 2-digit numbers by 2-digit numbers
Area Model
Expanded Algorithm

Videos, instructional/practice packets, group work, targeted support
Test date: Friday, March 6

Next
Division:  Area Model
(Quiz date:  around March 11)

SOCIAL STUDIES

Mr. Filoso teaches social studies to both fourth-grade classes. 

CURRENT INSTRUCTION:   INTEGRATING HISTORICAL INFORMATION:

Black History Month
The history of Black History Month
Exploration and investigation of prominent Black historical figures.  
Focused research on one person of interest.
In-class project:  poster of one important historical Black individual

Women's History Month
The history of Women's History Month
Exploration and investigation of historically-important women.  
Focused research on one important woman of history.
Assessments:  In-class project:  poster (graded) on one individual (due around March 6) along with results of BrainPop quiz.

New Jersey's Government
Videos, texts, organizers to understand the branches of government, the history of our Constitution, etc.  
Research & writing activity:  Scavenger hunt to find answers to questions about our state and local governments, presented in well-written sentences.  Using government websites to understand the roles of government in New Jersey and in Atlantic Highlands.
Assessment:  Activity/Responses to state and local government exploration questions

Later:
Document-based questions

                                                                              

SPECIALS / ADDITIONAL CLASSES & INSTRUCTION - SCHEDULE FOR 4FILOSO

MONDAY -   GYM AND SPANISH

TUESDAY -  ART AND TECHNOLOGY
                       

WEDNESDAY -  ART AND MUSIC;
                               - INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS (as scheduled)         
                  
THURSDAY -  TECHNOLOGY AND HEALTH
                            - INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS (as scheduled) & AM BAND

FRIDAY - MUSIC AND GYM 
                   - MEDIA CENTER (according to alternating schedule)