Standards-Based Grading- What does a "3" Really Mean?

Hi families,

I have had a few questions about the grading system our school district uses for elementary students.  The grading system is a standards-based grading system, set by the school district, and does not match up with the traditional A/B/C/D/F letter grade system that most people are familiar with.  I use this grading system on class assignments and assessments, as well as on report cards.  Using a standards-based system means that there are learning targets the students in our class are progressing toward throughout the year. When students are able to fairly consistently show mastery of a learning target, we say that they meet standard.  This aligns with a grade of a “3.”  When a student demonstrates expected progress, they earn a “3.”  That is why there will be some assignments that go home graded where your child hasn’t missed one question but they still earn a “3.”  Those are assignments where it was expected that students should miss very few or none to be “at standard.”  The difference between a “2” and a “3” is consistency.  A student who receives a “3” fairly consistently meets standard/expectation.  A student who receives a “2” meets standards sometimes but other times falls short of the standard.  Sometimes they show they understand or have a good grasp of the learning target but other times, they do not.

So what about “4s?”  Many parents dream/expect that their child will have straight “A”s someday so why not straight “4”s you may wonder.  Well, it’s not that simple.  A “4” does not equal an “A.”  A “4” means that your child is exceeding the standard consistently.  That means that every task or nearly every task that your child engages with on that particular learning target, your child demonstrates beyond expectation performance.  This is very difficult to achieve, even for Excel students. I would expect that a student who wants to earn “4”s completes the extension/more challenging assignments or projects when offered.

A “4” can be earned by:

·         Careful attention to directions

·         Accuracy in work

·         Checking for neatness

·         Going beyond minimum set criteria (for example, I ask for 5 sentences and your child writes more than asked for but still maintains high quality)

·         Complete demonstration of thinking

At this point in the year, I tend to “round” down if there is any question to whether or not a student is meeting standard as we just finished the first trimester.  Students still have two trimesters to make progress and grow in their understandings.

I hope this explanation helps to clarify our grading system a bit.  Please let me know if you have further questions or concerns.

Kindly,

Karri Allen

Winter Story Writing Starting This Week- Do You Have Pics?

 

This coming week our class will be starting a story about something that has happened to us during the winter time. I thought that would give kids an opportunity to write about Christmas (the best present/worst present) or other winter holidays, sledding, skiing, staying in a cabin, going to Grandma's for the holidays with a long car ride, ice skating, etc. My story that I am writing takes place during the HUGE storm of 2008- you know the one where we got like over a foot of snow and city was virtually shut down? I am keeping it simple by writing about sledding with my family (my husband and daughter almost crashed in the creek!). Through this assignment they will learn how to slow down time in writing, build excitement at the climax, STOP to Describe further, etc.

I am going to bring in some pictures from that time period. I am wondering if you have pictures that you wouldn't mind sending in with your child for a few weeks of them doing winter activities that might spark their writing (it's okay if you aren't able)? It might be best to chat with them about a favorite winter weather memory where something exciting happens and then see if you have photos that go with that.

I want to get these pieces written and published before winter break. We will also make 3D snowflakes and have hot cocoa to celebrate when they are finished! :) Should be tons of learning and fun!

Painting our Salt and Flour Maps

Yesterday was a busy day with choir rehearsal for many students, a fun math lesson to build discourse and working with time skills set in an amusement park, and we finished it all off with painting our salt and flour maps!

Classroom Monsters Artwork!

Wish List for Items and Needed Help

Hi there,
I often get asked how parents can help when they can't be in the classroom volunteering as a math "mom," art discovery volunteer, or a weekly helper. 

Well, I have a need for a few things to help things run smoothly in our classroom.  Some ideas:
* 5 sets or markers- one for each table group
* a color print cartridge for an hp 5550 printer- color is important when I am creating visuals for the kids
* gold ink pens for revising- kids love to revise their writing when they can use a gold pen!  :)

I also need help getting the students' Classroom Monster drafts typed up.  This is a great job for someone who is a fast typer and wants to help our classroom but can't volunteer during the school day.  Kids LOVE to see their work typed and polished-looking!  You would need to meet with me for maybe 5 minutes toward the end of next week to hand off the papers and chat about formating.  You can send the typed stories to me attached in an email and I will print them at school.  Just send the drafts back with your child in your backpack.  Thanks for considering helping us out in this way!

Thank you to all the families that donated items for the Classroom Monsters artwork to go with our writing.  They turned out fabulously and such fun to complete on Halloween.  I will post pictures soon and of course when the writing is completed, you will see the finished project on display in the hallway!

Thank you to everyone!

NOVEMBER NEWSLETTER- what's coming for our class!

Dear Families,

            It has been a pleasure getting to know you all through conferences.  If you would like more time than we had allotted for conferences, feel free to contact me at any time to ask more questions or check on your child’s progress.  Thank you for your support!  J

Lifeskills: This month we are featuring the life skill of Responsibility.  Learning about life skills and practicing them adds to our positive learning environment at school.  We will be talking about what it means to be responsible during our class meet and greet time.

Writing: This month we will be finishing our work on a piece called Classroom Monsters and then we will continue exploring the writing trait of Organization with a narrative story.  A piece of writing that is strong in organization should meet the following criteria:

• Has a beginning, middle, and end
• Indicates paragraphing with noticeable indentions
• Has an interesting lead that hooks the reader
• Has sequence/transition words such as first, then, after that . . . etc.
• Has an ending that doesn’t leave the reader hanging

In class this month, we will focus deeply on writing a personal narrative that tells the story of something that has happened to us.  As part of their homework, students are working on either an essay that includes information from an interview with a veteran or a letter to a veteran.  Students have written directions for this project in their homework folder.  Ask your child about it if you have not already seen the project directions.  Please check in with your child often about their progress on this project.  The Veteran’s Day project is due on Monday, November 21^st.  I will be out of town Nov. 21 and 22^nd and there will be a guest teacher in our classroom, but we will share these pieces the following Monday when I return.  One final note: handwriting and spelling are still a bit of a sticking point- please encourage careful, best effort writing across all subject areas.

Math: Topics this month will be learning the concepts behind the multiplication algorithm (many students know it but not why it works, vocabulary needed, or what it looks like visually with base-ten blocks), practicing it, and applying multiplication in real world settings.  We will also get into understanding division concepts for basic facts, begin to work with division problems that are close to memorized math facts, and learn how to interpret the amount that is left over (the remainder).  We will work further with problem solving strategies.  Please keep reinforcing the practicing of basic math facts at home.  I need to have all students MASTERING their multiplication table facts by the holiday break in December.  This is vital to success in math this year.  Kids who are not fluent in their multiplication facts will struggle with new concepts. Students should be working on them at home nightly.  There are great websites that make practicing fun through games.  My hope is that even the busiest of parents can find time to work with their kids if they practice the facts orally when driving to and from after school activities.  Weekly math tutoring for math facts is very successful as long as students are practicing their facts at home.  J  Your child is working with a parent to quiz and improve their fluency with their math facts and the parents are reporting gains from most students.  Please check with your child to find out which ones they are working on and work on them at home.  Thank you to our math “moms”!  You are a tremendous help to our class! 

Reading: Book Reports are due Monday, November 7^th and we will be doing presentations all next week!  Check in with your child about the progress in finishing their book, poster, and mystery box of 5 to 7 objects.   In class, determining importance is the reading strategy that we are focusing on the next 6 weeks.  We’ve talked that what’s important to remember when reading is like the noodles strained in the colander when making spaghetti.  The water is the information or details that aren’t important.  We’ve also talked about the fact that sometimes some of the most interesting tidbits are details that aren’t “most important.” We are continuing our High Five Book Club in class.  The challenge to the students is to read 500 pages by the end of this trimester, Dec 2nd.  Each time they finish a book; they complete a summary of the book and turn it in.  They receive a star shaped hole-punch in their High Five Book Club card and once they reach the goal, they receive a prize.  Check with your child about their progress toward this goal. 

Social Studies: Soon we will be learning about Coastal and Plateau Northwest Indians of our state.  Students will be exploring all sorts of resources to deepen their understanding of these cultures.  As part of our learning about Northwest Indians, students will be creating a possibles bag.  A possibles bag was a bag that Native Americans or early explorers wore to carry items that might be needed in their travels.  Some items carried might be a compass, dried meat, twine, candle, etc.  Directions and a pattern for this project will be coming home the week after Thanksgiving and will be due mid January.  This project is a great way to spend some time one on one with your student in our class.

Science:  We will be finishing up our focus on rocks and minerals this month.  We’ve been exploring the properties of rocks and minerals. The kids will be learning about the rock cycle, fossils, and erosion.  The kids have shown amazing gains in their understanding!  They will take a post-test later this month.  I will let you know the date.

Other Classroom/School Helps:  Collecting BOXTOPS is an easy way to earn money for the school from the things you already buy.  Remember to check packages and clip off the BOX TOP coupon.  They are on everything from diapers to Kleenex to food boxes.  November’s Boxtops for Education Challenge will be starting in a few days.  Collections will continue by classroom this month.  The class with the most boxtops for the month of November will win a prize- can you help our class win?  J  Please be sure to include your child’s name and Mrs. Allen or Room 209 when sending in your boxtops.  Thanks for your great help in October!  J

 The school year is really speeding along!  This time of year is filled with excitement and distractions as the holidays approach.  Can’t believe I’m already seeing Christmas stuff in the stores!  Please encourage your child to concentrate on learning in school.  I also appreciate your efforts to help your child complete homework on time with their BEST effort.  It is making a HUGE difference in class.  The children who complete their work have a clearer understanding of the next day’s lessons and are more confident.  This is a very special class-they are all such sweethearts!  We are beginning to really hit our stride!  I hope you have a safe and a wonderful week!

Reminder- Our Harvest Party is Monday!

This is a friendly reminder that we have our Harvest Party on Monday.  Kids are to bring an apple cut up into slices in a zippy bag along with one topping they signed up to bring.  We will be having a caramel apple "bar" where kids get to choose three toppings to put on top of an apple with caramel sauce.  Should be a lot of fun!