Welcome to Welcome to Back to School Night!Back to School Night!

Kristen Giangregorio, 7Kristen Giangregorio, 7thth Grade Core TeacherGrade Core Teacher

THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE!

Perseverance by Walter Perseverance by Walter WintleWintle

If you think you are beaten, you are.If you think you are beaten, you are.

If you think you dare not, you donIf you think you dare not, you don’’t.t.

If youIf you’’d like to win but think you cand like to win but think you can’’t, t,

ItIt’’s almost certain you wons almost certain you won’’t.t.

LifeLife’’s battles dons battles don’’t always got always go

To the stronger or faster man,To the stronger or faster man,

But sooner or later, the man who winsBut sooner or later, the man who wins

Is the man who thinks he can.Is the man who thinks he can.

My background…My background… I began my first 3 years of teaching in I began my first 3 years of teaching in

NYC and St. Louis. NYC and St. Louis. I had my own Interior Design business I had my own Interior Design business

for two years and have an art and for two years and have an art and design background. design background.

I missed the classroom and kids…went I missed the classroom and kids…went back to get my credential at SMC!back to get my credential at SMC!

I had 2 sons and worked in a preschool I had 2 sons and worked in a preschool for 6 years.for 6 years.

I’m thrilled to finally be here at WCI!!I’m thrilled to finally be here at WCI!!

My Website My Website Always (okay, 90+% of the time) completed Always (okay, 90+% of the time) completed

by Friday for the following week.by Friday for the following week. Contains some worksheets (if generated by Contains some worksheets (if generated by

me), but most importantly, it contains my me), but most importantly, it contains my agenda for the week that includes homework agenda for the week that includes homework and work due. You can also find the teaching and work due. You can also find the teaching points for reading and writing workshops, points for reading and writing workshops, book recommendations, student work, and book recommendations, student work, and all sorts of good stuff!all sorts of good stuff!

For Social Studies Work – Have your child not For Social Studies Work – Have your child not only check my website but their Google only check my website but their Google Classroom.Classroom.

My Agenda….My Agenda….

To access my website, please go to To access my website, please go to http://www.walnutcreeksd.org/wci/site/default.aspSelect my name Select my name ““Giangregorio, KristenGiangregorio, Kristen””Look at the left hand column and review Look at the left hand column and review

all parts of my site.all parts of my site.

Late Work PolicyLate Work Policy

Late work will be accepted in Late work will be accepted in accordance with the WCSD accordance with the WCSD ““Homework Policy.Homework Policy.””

Of note, I have built in extended time Of note, I have built in extended time for ALL students.for ALL students.

In general, if late work is turned in…In general, if late work is turned in…your child will receive a C grade, your child will receive a C grade, which is more than a which is more than a ““0.0.”” But this will But this will negatively affect the overall grade. negatively affect the overall grade.

Social StudiesSocial Studies

Through the inquiry process, we will study Through the inquiry process, we will study the social, cultural, and technological the social, cultural, and technological changes that occurred in Europe, Africa, changes that occurred in Europe, Africa, and Asia…a VERY long time ago!and Asia…a VERY long time ago!

We will examine the growing economic We will examine the growing economic interaction among civilizations as well as interaction among civilizations as well as the exchange of ideas, beliefs, the exchange of ideas, beliefs, technologies, and commodities.technologies, and commodities.

Conceptual Threads: Agriculture, Religion, Achievements (connections to today), Social Structure

In an inquiry-based In an inquiry-based learning environment the learning environment the teachers' job is not to teachers' job is not to provide knowledge, but to provide knowledge, but to help students along their help students along their process of discovering process of discovering knowledge.knowledge.

We will be studying…We will be studying…

IslamIslam

West AfricaWest Africa

ChinaChina

Feudal JapanFeudal Japan

Europe – Middle AgesEurope – Middle Ages

The RenaissanceThe Renaissance

The ReformationThe Reformation

The AmericasThe Americas

Mayas, Aztecs, and Mayas, Aztecs, and IncasIncas

The Age of ExplorationThe Age of Exploration

Overarching Focus Questions:Overarching Focus Questions:

Quarters 1 & 2: What makes Quarters 1 & 2: What makes a successful society?a successful society?

Quarters 3 & 4: How do Quarters 3 & 4: How do societies breakdown and societies breakdown and rebuild?rebuild?

Japan Core ActivityJapan Core Activity

WeWe’’ll need parent ll need parent volunteers!volunteers!

Date: Thursday, Date: Thursday, January 21January 21stst (Sign (Sign Up Genius can be Up Genius can be found in the E-found in the E-news starting news starting sometime in sometime in November/DecembNovember/Decemberer

Byzantine BazaarByzantine Bazaar WeWe’’ll need lots of ll need lots of

volunteers!volunteers! Date: Tuesday, Date: Tuesday,

June 7thJune 7th

EnglishEnglish

I teach English (reading & writing) in I teach English (reading & writing) in a workshop methodology (goes hand-a workshop methodology (goes hand-in-hand with Common Core).in-hand with Common Core). Grammar: Reinforced through warm-up assignments, Grammar: Reinforced through warm-up assignments,

mini-lessons, and writing.mini-lessons, and writing. Vocabulary – Exploration of word families, meaning, and Vocabulary – Exploration of word families, meaning, and

root words: Words derived from our literature book. We root words: Words derived from our literature book. We will also study vocabulary through school wide academic will also study vocabulary through school wide academic vocabulary, and from the Social Studies curriculum. vocabulary, and from the Social Studies curriculum.

Spelling/Word Study: Words are assigned on Spelling/Word Study: Words are assigned on Wednesdays and are tested on the following Wednesdays and are tested on the following Wednesday.Wednesday.

Read Aloud BooksRead Aloud Books

The OutsidersThe Outsiders CrispinCrispin

                                                           

 

Reading WorkshopReading Workshop

Reading is taught through a series of Reading is taught through a series of mini-lessons, student practice, mini-lessons, student practice, conferring, read aloud, and conferring, read aloud, and discussions.discussions.

Accelerated Reading or Reading Log Accelerated Reading or Reading Log (student choice)(student choice)10% of English Grade10% of English GradeReading correlates with test scores!Reading correlates with test scores!Read, read, read!Read, read, read!

Read Aloud Short StoriesRead Aloud Short Stories ““What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?What Do Fish Have to Do with Anything?”” by Avi by Avi ““The White UmbrellaThe White Umbrella”” by Gish Jen by Gish Jen ““ZebraZebra”” by Chaim Potok by Chaim Potok ““An Hour with AbueloAn Hour with Abuelo”” by Judith Ortiz Cofer by Judith Ortiz Cofer ““Thank you, MThank you, M’’amam”” by Langston Hughes by Langston Hughes ““War of the WallWar of the Wall”” by Toni Cade Bambara by Toni Cade Bambara Science Fiction Unit:Science Fiction Unit: ““The Monsters Are Due on Maple StreetThe Monsters Are Due on Maple Street”” by Rod Serling by Rod Serling ““Harrison BergeronHarrison Bergeron”” by Kurt Vonnegut by Kurt Vonnegut ““Dark They Were, and Golden-EyedDark They Were, and Golden-Eyed”” by Ray Bradbury by Ray Bradbury Non-fiction: Non-fiction: Names/Nombres by Julia AlvarezNames/Nombres by Julia Alvarez Excerpt from Excerpt from I Never Had It MadeI Never Had It Made as told to Alfred Duckett as told to Alfred Duckett Excerpt from Excerpt from BoyBoy by Roald Dahl by Roald Dahl

The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor RooseveltThe Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt by Eleanor Roosevelt

Writing WorkshopWriting WorkshopWriting is taught through a series of Writing is taught through a series of

mini-lessons, student practice, and mini-lessons, student practice, and conferring. conferring.

Five UnitsFive UnitsInformative (Literary Essay) – Quarter 1Informative (Literary Essay) – Quarter 1Argument – Quarter 2/3Argument – Quarter 2/3Narrative – Quarter 3/4Narrative – Quarter 3/4Pandemic Text Set (Informational Text)– Pandemic Text Set (Informational Text)–

Quarter 4 Quarter 4 Students will also write several on-Students will also write several on-

demand pieces throughout the school demand pieces throughout the school year, in English and Social Studies.year, in English and Social Studies.

HomeworkHomework

Homework is limited to reading, writing, and Homework is limited to reading, writing, and SS worksheets.SS worksheets.

A lot of work is completed in class or, at least, A lot of work is completed in class or, at least, started in class. Any class work, not started in class. Any class work, not completed in class becomes that studentcompleted in class becomes that student’’s s homework. homework.

Please feel free to email me on a weekly basis Please feel free to email me on a weekly basis to find out how your child is doing in regard to to find out how your child is doing in regard to turning in their homework – they still need turning in their homework – they still need your help! Email is the best way to get ahold your help! Email is the best way to get ahold of me.of me.

To contact me…To contact me…

kgiangregorio@wcsd.k12.ca.us – This – This is generally the best way to contact is generally the best way to contact me.me.

Telephone # 944-6840, x-8505Telephone # 944-6840, x-8505Only voicemail throughout teaching Only voicemail throughout teaching

day.day.My prep period is 3rd period.My prep period is 3rd period.

Questions?Questions?

Thank you for coming!Thank you for coming!

I look forward to I look forward to getting to know getting to know you and your child!you and your child!

Have a great Have a great evening!evening!