CADRE 21

Aurora Mendoza

Term 1

Table of Contents
Who Am I? Interactive PDF Website Grade Level Resource Booklet Progress Summary Ahhhs Reference List

Who is

Aurora Mendoza?
Wife, Mother, Sister, Daughter, Teacher, Parishioner, Friend

PERSONALLY
Mother of 2 (infant and toddler) Born in East Los Angeles Lived in Victorville for 24 years Married for 9 years Bilingual (Spanish/ English) Catholic 1st generation college graduate Love spending time with family Enjoy the beach

Professionally
Graduated from Victor Valley High School ~ 2000 Graduated from Victor Valley College with A.A. ~ 2003 Have taught for 6 years Received Educational Technology Certificate ~ 2003 Taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade Graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with BA ~ 2005 Taught 4th grade the last 4 years Multiple Subject Teaching Credentials w/BCLAD ~ 2006 Worked for Apple Valley Unified School District since 2006

Technically
Research on internet Create and post to blogs Send and receive e-mails

Hands on learner Prefer PC over Mac

In the classroom: Interwrite (MOBI) Classroom Response System Document Camera LCD Projector

Fluent in Microsoft Office Suite Currently use Windows 7

Interactives . The Rock Cycle . Introduction

Fourth Grade Standard

Choose Choose OneOne

Introduction | Types of Rocks | How Rocks Change | The Rock Cycle Diagram | Test Your Skills

Introduction
ROCKS come in cool colors, shapes, textures, and sizes and are found all around you, but how much do you REALLY know about them?

Discover rock secrets through these activities. Create a rock collection as you learn about the three main types of rock, find out how to tell the different rock types apart, and see how rocks change from one type into another! Begin with Types of Rocks

About this Interactive | Glossary | Rock Cycle Site Map

I love the colorful pictures! It's the only way for kids to see the difference between these and comprehend!

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Interactives . The Rock Cycle . Types of Rocks

Choose Choose OneOne

Introduction | Types of Rocks | How Rocks Change | The Rock Cycle Diagram | Test Your Skills

Types of Rocks
Rocks are not all the same!
The three main types, or classes, of rock are sedimentary , metamorphic , and igneous and the differences among them have to do with how they are formed. Sedimentary Sedimentary rocks are formed from particles of sand, shells, pebbles, and other fragments of material. Together, all these particles are called sediment. Gradually, the sediment accumulates in layers and over a long period of time hardens into rock. Generally, sedimentary rock is fairly soft and may break apart or crumble easily. You can often see sand, pebbles, or stones in the rock, and it is usually the only type that contains fossils. Examples of this rock type include conglomerate and limestone. Metamorphic Metamorphic rocks are formed under the surface of the earth from the metamorphosis (change) that occurs due to intense heat and pressure (squeezing). The rocks that result from these processes often have ribbonlike layers and may have shiny crystals, formed by minerals growing slowly over time, on their surface. Examples of this rock type include gneiss and marble. Igneous Igneous rocks are formed when magma (molten rock deep within the earth) cools and hardens. Sometimes the magma cools inside the earth, and other times it erupts onto the surface from volcanoes (in this case, it is called lava). When lava cools very quickly, no crystals form and the rock looks shiny and glasslike. Sometimes gas bubbles are trapped in the rock during the cooling process, leaving tiny holes and spaces in the rock. Examples of this rock type include basalt and obsidian.

http://www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/types.html[10/17/2012 2:21:27 PM]

Interactives . The Rock Cycle . Types of Rocks

Here's a chart of some of the key characteristics that can help you identify the rocks within these three main classes.
Crystals
Small, flat surfaces that are shiny or sparkly, like tiny mirrors.

Fossils

Imprints of leaves, shells, insects, or other items in the rock.

Gas bubbles

"Holes," like Swiss cheese, in the rock.

Glassy surface

A shiny and smooth surface, like colored glass.

Ribbonlike layers

Straight or wavy stripes of different colors in the rock.

Sand or pebbles

Individual stones, pebbles, or sand grains visible in the rock.

Next: Start your rock collection

Photo credits : Rock photos Copyright Jerome Wyckoff and Copyright Dr. Richard Busch, courtesy Earth Science World Image Bank.

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Interactives . The Rock Cycle . Types of Rocks

Choose Choose OneOne

Introduction | Types of Rocks | How Rocks Change | The Rock Cycle Diagram | Test Your Skills

Identify Rock Types See if you can recognize rock characteristics and types.

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Interactives . The Rock Cycle . How Rocks Change

Choose Choose OneOne

Introduction | Types of Rocks | How Rocks Change | The Rock Cycle Diagram | Test Your Skills

How Rocks Change

Introduction
Does it seem to you that rocks never change? For example, if you find a chunk of granite today, can you expect that it will still be granite at the end of your lifetime? That may well be true but only because our lifetimes are very short relative to the history of the earth. If we take a step back to look at geologic time (which focuses on changes taking place over millions of years), we find that rocks actually do change! All rocks, in fact, change slowly from one type to another, again and again. The changes form a cycle, called "the rock cycle." The way rocks change depends on various processes that are always taking place on and under the earth's surface. Now let's take a closer look at each of these processes.

Heat & Pressure

What happens to cookie dough when you put it in the oven? The heat of the oven produces changes in the ingredients that make them interact and combine. Without melting the dough, the heat changes it into a whole new product a cookie. A similar process happens to rocks beneath the earth's surface. Due to movements in the crust, rocks are frequently pulled under the surface of the earth, where temperatures increase dramatically the farther they descend. Between 100 and 200 kilometers (62 and 124 miles) below the earth's surface, temperatures are hot enough to melt most rocks. However, before the melting point is reached, a rock can undergo fundamental changes while in a solid state morphing from one type to another without melting. An additional factor that can transform rocks is the pressure caused by tons of other rocks pressing down on it from above; heat and pressure usually work together to alter the rocks under the earth's surface. This kind of change, which results from both rising temperature and pressure, is called metamorphism, and the resulting rock is a metamorphic rock.

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Interactives . The Rock Cycle . How Rocks Change

Choose Choose OneOne

Introduction | Types of Rocks | How Rocks Change | The Rock Cycle Diagram | Test Your Skills

How Rocks Change

Melting
What happens to a chocolate bar when it gets very hot? It melts. The same thing happens to a rock when it is heated enough. Of course, it takes a lot of heat to melt a rock. The high temperatures required are generally found only deep within the earth. The rock is pulled down by movements in the earth's crust and gets hotter and hotter as it goes deeper. It takes temperatures between 600 and 1,300 degrees Celsius (1,100 and 2,400 degrees Fahrenheit) to melt a rock, turning it into a substance called magma (molten rock).

Cooling
What would you do to turn a melted chocolate bar back into a solid? You'd cool it by putting it into the refrigerator until it hardens. Similarly, liquid magma also turns into a solid a rock when it is cooled. Any rock that forms from the cooling of magma is an igneous rock. Magma that cools quickly forms one kind of igneous rock, and magma that cools slowly forms another kind. When magma rises from deep within the earth and explodes out of a volcano, it is called lava, and it cools quickly on the surface. Rock formed in this way is called extrusive igneous rock. It is extruded, or pushed, out of the earth's interior and cools outside of or very near the earth's surface. What if the magma doesn't erupt out of a volcano, but instead gets pushed slowly upward toward the earth's surface over hundreds, thousands, or even millions of years? This magma will also cool, but at a much slower rate than lava erupting from a volcano. The kind of rock formed in this way is called intrusive igneous rock. It intrudes, or pushes, into the earth's interior and cools beneath the surface.

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Interactives . The Rock Cycle . The Rock Cycle

Choose Choose OneOne

Introduction | Types of Rocks | How Rocks Change | The Rock Cycle Diagram | Test Your Skills

The Rock Cycle Diagram

A useful way to illustrate how the three main types of rock are related to one another and how changes to rocks happen in a recurring sequence is the rock cycle. It can be presented in a diagram like the one below. The concept of the rock cycle is attributed to James Hutton (17261797), the 18th-century founder of modern geology. The main idea is that rocks are continually changing from one type to another and back again, as forces inside the earth bring them closer to the surface (where they are weathered, eroded, and compacted) and forces on the earth sink them back down (where they are heated, pressed, and melted). So the elements that make up rocks are never created or destroyed instead, they are constantly being recycled. The rock cycle helps us to see that the earth is like a giant rock recycling machine! Explore the diagram by rolling your mouse over the names of the rock types and clicking on the images.

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Interactives . The Rock Cycle . Transform a Rock

Choose Choose OneOne

Introduction | Types of Rocks | How Rocks Change | The Rock Cycle Diagram | Test Your Skills

The Rock Cycle Diagram

The interactive parts of this pdf are excellent for instruction!

About this Interactive | Glossary | Rock Cycle Site Map

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FOURTH GRADE WEB RESOURCES

Fourth graders are very special to our school. It is one of the reasons why they are the only grade levels to have their own personal laptop to use in the classroom. Students will be using their own personal laptop every day to complete assignments, do research, and express their creativity through various projects throughout the school year. We greatly encourage parents and guardians to look through this booklet for some very important information on different websites which students will be utilizing. We recommend that if there is internet access at home, you encourage your child to visit some of these sites for some extra support and reinforcement on math and language skills.

TOPICS OF INTEREST:

District/ School websites Aeries Parent Portal Renaissance Programs Math Resources Reading/Language Resources Scholastic Book Club Cyber Safety

www.avusd.org
DISTRICT WEBSITE
The district website is a very valuable website to visit. On it you will find important announcements, the school calendar, and access to schools websites. This website will also keep you updated on school closures during inclement weather days. You can also find district phone numbers and the address.

You will also be able to access Aeries Parent Portal from the district website. More importantly, you will find a direct link to Phoenix Academys website by clicking on the tab that says Our Schools and scrolling down to where it says Phoenix Academy K-8.

ON PHOENIX ACADEMYS SITE:

You will find access to: Information about After School Program, AVID, Character Counts, Family Center, Love & Logic Teachers e-mails, Link to Renaissance Home Connect, and Other educational websites Aeries Parent Portal
Parent Portal is a great way to keep track of your childs grades, assignments, attendance, and messages from the teacher. We understand that some parents schedules are very hectic, but they still like to keep track of their childs progress. With Aeries Parent Portal you can easily get an update on how your child is doing on your own time.

To access Aeries Parent Portal:

Go to the districts website: www.avusd.org Click on the Parent tab Scroll down to Grade Book Portal for Parents Click on New Account and follow the steps to create an account.

E-mail

An open parent/teacher communication plays an essential part in the success of our students. Face-to-face and phone conferences are sometimes difficult for parents because of work schedules, but e-mails are quick and easy, and probably the best form of communication. Teachers check their work e-mails many times throughout the day. You can expect to receive a response within 24 hours, but usually in less time than that.

To access teachers e-mails:

Start at Phoenix Academys website Click on Our Teachers tab You will get a list of teachers names, grade level, and phone extension. All e-mails follow the following format: first name_last name@avusd.org

Renaissance Home Connect:

The Renaissance programs are a HUGE part of our family here at Phoenix Academy. Students use these programs on a daily basis as an addition to our curriculum for math and reading. You will be receiving a Parents Guide which will walk you through the various features of the Home Connect component part of the website. Here you will be able to view your childs progress in Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, and Math Facts in a Flash.

To Access Renaissance Home Connect:

Go to the Phoenix Academy website Under Quick Links click on Ren. Learn Home Connect Then type in the students username and password to begin

(username and passwords are the same ones students use in class)

Renaissance Home Connect is

Connecting Parents and Extending Practice Renaissance Home Connect improves the school-to-home connection by allowing parents and students to log in to a Web site and view the students reading and math practice and progress towards goals. Access to online results promotes discussion between parents and students, which motivates students and can make reading and math practice even more effective. In addition, parents can specify up to six email addresses to receive automatic updates in English or Spanish on their students math and reading progress. (www.renlearn.com)

Here is an example of what you will be looking at once you log on to Renaissance Home Connect. It gives you a snap shot of how your child is doing with their reading and math. It is an easy way to keep track of your childs progress, and give them encouragement to keep working towards their goals.

Renaissance Home Connect is a tool that connects the school and home to keep parents informed of their childs progress toward Accelerated Reader, Accelerated Math, and Math Facts in a Flash goals, and encourages the child to practice reading and math at home.
(www.renlearn.com)

Accelerated Reader

(AR)

The Accelerated Reader (AR) Program is a great tool for helping students improve their reading. Each trimester teachers meet with their students individually and they come up with an attainable goal. With the teachers guidance students will decide on a certain number of points they feel they will be able reach before the end of the trimester. At the end of each trimester we have a school wide AR celebration for those students who reach their goal with a 85% or better accuracy rate. Reaching their goal is easy to do if students read an AR book for homework every night and test on it the very next day. In class they are also given 45-60 minutes each day to read. We encourage all our fourth graders to try to read chapter books. This will get them ready for the more challenging reads in the coming years, and it gives them a chance to acquire more points quicker. Each book comes with a certain amount of points. Picture books are usually worth half a point, and chapter books can be anywhere from one full point to fifty plus points depending on the level of difficulty. Even though some students may be tempted to try the harder level books in order to accumulate a more points, we advice them to stay within their ZPD (Zone of Proximal Development). When students read outside their ZPD they run the risk of not passing the quiz assigned for that book, and thus lowering their accuracy percentage. If a student feels he/she is prepared to read a book which is outside his/her ZPD, he/she can meet with his/her teacher and decide whether it will be a wise book choice or not. On the Renaissance Home Connect website you will be able to view your childs accuracy rate percentage on quizzes taken, the accumulated amount of points for the trimester and/or year, and the average level of book your child is reading at. Viewing your childs progress frequently it will show them that you care, and it will help them to stay on the right track to meeting their goal. If you have books at home, or from the public library, and would like to know if they are AR books, you can go to www.arbookfinder.com. Here you will be able to get the books level and point value if it is a book compatible with the AR program.

Accelerated Math (AM)

The Accelerated Math (AM) program works in a similar way as the AR program. Students meet with the teacher individually to discuss an attainable amount of objectives as their goal for the trimester. At the end of the trimester those students who reached their goal will be rewarded. Each student will be working at their own pace to master each objective. Students will always have a Practice assignment to work on individually. They are encouraged to take these Practice assignments home to help them move along with meeting their objective goals. Students will also be assigned Exercise assignments. Exercise assignments are used to either re-enforce a lesson taught in class, or as an intervention to reteach certain objectives students are having difficulty with. The Accelerated Math program will generate test based on the individual objectives students have been working on. Once a student shows competence with those objectives, the program will design a test using only those objectives that are specific to the student. Test are to be done independently without assistance. Because students will be tested for mastery of objectives, we ask them not to take the test home. They are to be done in the classroom with the supervision of the teacher. Because students will be submitting their answers on a scan sheet, it will very important for them to bubble in their answers very carefully. Messy bubbling is usually the number one reason why students receive a low score on their assignments. It will be important for them to look through their answers once they have scored their assignments to see which answers they really missed, and which answers were marked wrong because of miss bubbling. Miss bubbled answers can be corrected by the teacher, and incorrect answers can be reviewed with the teacher. With the Renaissance Home Connect you will be able view your childs accuracy rate on test, view how many objectives they have mastered, and even view some sample problems for the objectives they are currently working on. It is a great way to show support for your child, and help them feel successful in the classroom. to

Math Facts in a Flash

Math Facts in a Flash is yet another Renaissance program. It is designed to help students master the basic math skills needed to be successful with the fourth grade math curriculum. Math Facts in a Flash is a tasklevel learning information system that focuses on acceleration of student learning and fluency in mental math operations. Students at all levels practice their addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, and other skills at their own pace on the classroom computer, or at home using Renaissance Home Connect. At home, students can choose which levels they want to practice so they will be prepared to master the level the next day at school. Renaissance Home Connect also provides information on your childs math facts practice, including overall practice, the results of the last session at school, levels mastered at school, and the results of the last practice session at home.
(www.renlearn.com

If you would like to view more information on these Renaissance programs, feel free to visit their website at www.renlearn.com. Here you will also be able to view and download apps for the Renaissance programs which are compatible with iphones, ipads, and ipod touches. Also, feel free to ask your childs teacher questions you might have regarding these programs and your childs progress.

Study Island
Study Island supports the learning process and builds off of our students enthusiasm for technology with engaging, interactive lessons and activities. Students can work through the web-based program at their own pace, or teachers can guide students through the program. And with dynamic content, students dont memorize the answers, they learn the topics (www.studyisland.com). Study Island is a great resource for students to practice on skills in language arts and math. Not only can students utilize this resource at school and work at their own pace, but they can also access the program at home. Study Island is a great way to keep students motivated on working on the skills assigned by the teacher. Here is how it works: 1.) The teacher will teach a lesson in class, followed by some sort of activity. 2.) Students will long on to Study Island and click on the lesson just presented by the teacher. 3.) Once a student reaches 85% or better on an assignment, they are free to choose from one of the many games on the program. Heres the best part: While students are playing the games they are still working on the skills that were taught during the lesson. If their score drops below 85% while playing the games, they will be required to return to the assignment and re-complete it until their percentage returns to 85%.

Accessing Study Island from home is easy to do...

Getting Started:
1.) go to www.studyisland.com 2.) enter user name and password (same as at school) 3.) Start working on the assignments provided by your teacher.

Our students progress in school is extremely important to us teachers, as it is to their parents. There is nothing more that would delight us than seeing each and every one of our students succeed in our class. There are a few things parents can do to guarantee their child is progressing adequately: 1. Have your child read to you, or someone else, every day. 2. Go over their daily assigned homework with them before they turn it in. 3. Have your child practice their math facts daily, either with another person, flash cards, or on a website.

Here are some helpful websites that will provide extra reinforcement for your child:

MATH

Language

www.multiplication.com www.fun4thebrain.com www.studyisland.com www.highstakesmath.com MathFacts in a Flash (Renaissance Home Connect)

www.studyisland.com www.spellingcity.com www.funschool.com

www.funbrain.com/words.html

READ, READ, READ, then READ some more!

Reading plays a major role in contributing to students success. Making sure students get ample opportunities to practice their reading will improve their reading fluency, and thus make them a more confident reader. Helping students find books they will enjoy reading will make their reading experiences that much more rewarding, and encourage them to keep reading.

Ways in which students can go about acquiring books:

School Library: Students will have many opportunities to visit the school library and check-out books that are interesting to them. Classroom: Our classroom library has a wide selection of books from which students are more than welcome to borrow. Public Library: The Apple Valley Public Library has an even wider selection of childrens books. You can have your child sign-up to receive a free library card, and check books out for free all year long. They just have to remember to return them by the due date or they will charged a small fee for each day it is late. Scholastic Book Clubs: Our class is signed up to receive the Scholastic Book Club catalogs. Students can look through the catalogs each month and find books that are of interest to them.

Reminder: www.arbookfinder.com will help your child figure out if the books they are picking out are compatible with the accelerated reader program.

Ordering from the Scholastic Book Club is quick and easy. There are two ways in which you can place your orders: 1.) Mark the book(s) you would like to order on the last page of the catalog, and write the childs name at the top of the order form. Then, send the order form back to class with your child along with the payment. You can pay with either cash or check. 2.) You can place your order online at www.scholastic.com and pay with a credit card. All you have to do is find the right catalog and type in the teachers online code. All orders should arrive at the school within two weeks of placing an order.

If you ever have any questions, comments, and/or concerns about anything please feel free to call, e-mail, or send a note to your childs teacher. You can also drop by before or after school to speak with any one of us. You are also more than welcome to set up a conference if you would like. Sincerely, The Fourth Grade Team

Cyber Safety
In this booklet we have included a few kid friendly websites which students can visit and utilize as extra reenforcement to some of the skills they are working on in class. But what if your child wants to play other online games? Please be advised that as useful as the internet is in the aid of learning, there are also many dangers that lurk out in cyberspace. Many of the online games kids like to play have a chat feature on them which can pose a possible risk for children. Please discuss these following tips with your child as a precautionary measure to keeping them safe as they explore the world wide web.

Unwanted Contact:
Sometimes you can meet someone or see something online that is unpleasant or makes you feel uncomfortable. This could be communication from someone you met online who starts asking personal questions or sends you photos or material that are upsetting or that you dont like. It can sometimes be from someone you know. Do you know what to do? TIPS:

Tell someone you trust, like your mom, dad, older brother or sister. Dont respond to messages and leave the site or chat session immediately. Set your profile to private so your personal details are kept secret and its harder for people you dont know to contact you. Dont open messages from people you dont know. They could be nasty, contain viruses, or be trying to sell you something.

www.cybersmart.gov

Cyber Safety
Sharing:
Its great to share things online with your friends. Part of the fun of sharing videos, images and other content, is that lots of people can view and respond. Remember that what you share with your friends may also be viewed by others who you dont know. They may also be able to look at it for years to come. Everything you post adds up to make your digital footprint and, once its online, it could be there forever. So think before you post. TIPS

Keep your personal details private. Use appropriate nicknames instead of your real name. Ask your parents before giving anyone on the internet your name, address, phone number, or any personal details. Dont share your user name or password with anyone Think before you hit send or post. Once posted, it can be difficult to remove content. Dont post anything you dont want others to know or find out about or that you wouldnt say to them face-to-face. Remember that private images and videos you send to friends or post on social networking site (like facebook or twitter) may be passed on to others and uploaded to public sites. Be respectful of other peoples content that you post or share. For example, a photo that your friend took is their property, not yours. You should post it online only if you have their permission and make a note about where you got it from.
www.cybersmart.gov

Progress Summary
This term I have learned a tremendous amount! Starting with Adobe Acrobat Pro X. This is such an awesome program. There are so many neat tools and functions embedded into this program that I never knew were even possible. I have also learned new ways to collaborate with my fellow colleagues, and ways to stay connected with students and parents. I can now proudly say that Sakai has become fully transparent to me, and I no longer have to waste time trying to figure out what my assignments are. I will continue learning with the Adobe Acrobat program until I am proficient with it and it becomes fully transparent. This term has been the best experience with online courses by far. I am so excited to keep moving forward in this Educational Technology Journey!

Ahhhh...
I learned so much this term! Here is a list of a few things that made me say ahhh throughout this term:
Turning any website into a PDF Turning any document into a form Edmodo The collaboration aspect of Adobe Acrobat Combining websites into one PDF The fact that it is possible to self-plagiarize Having to ask for permission to use images taken from the web

When something doesnt seem to function correctly, try a different browser

References
Adobe. (2012). Retrieved September 24, 2012, from www.adobe.com American Psychology Association. (2010). Publication Manual of the American Psycho logical Association (6th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychology Association. Apple Valley Unified School District. (2012). Retrieved July 18, 2012, from www.avusd.org Cyber Smart. (2012). Retrieved July 21, 2012, from www.cybersmart.gov.au/kids.aspx Interactives: Rock Cycle. (2012). Retrieved October 18, 2012, from http:// www.learner.org/interactives/rockcycle/ Renaissance Learning. (2012). Retrieved July 20, 2012, from www.renlearn.com Scholastic. (2012). Retrieved July, 18, 2012, from www.scholastic.com Study Island. (2012). Retrieved July 20, 2012, from www.studyisland.com