Mr.

Currys
5th Grade Class
Welcome Students
and Families!
Welcome to 5
th
Grade!
This is an important
year for you!
I will give you an
introduction to 5
th
grade
and to our classroom.
If you have any
questions, please be sure
to ask me.
All About Me
My Background
I grew up in San
Francisco.
I attended parochial
grammar school and
attended St. Ignatius College
Prep.
I attended San Francisco
State University and
graduated with a Multiple
Subjects Teaching Credential
and 2 BA degrees in Liberal
Studies and in History.
All About Me
My Experience
Ive been teaching since
1981, in San Francisco,
Oakland and San Jose.
I am now returning for my
8th year at Vinci Park, after
8 years at Piedmont Middle
School
I have taught 4
th
through
8
th
grades, but 5
th
is my
current favorite grade to
teach.
My Family
4 brothers and 3 of
us are teachers
I teach
7
th
grade
Near
Phoenix
I taught 1st
h

grade in
Yuma
Arizona
I teach 5
th

grade at
Vinci Park
I work for
Denny's in San
Diego, but I live
in Tijuana,
Mexico
My Family
My Wife Noel She often will help us out by going
on field trips when she can.
I met her when I was 18 and finally asked her to
marry me 17 years later. Talk about procrastination!
We have been married for 20 years now.
I have been
a surrogate
father to a
former
student since
his parents
died when he
was in his
teens. I am
now playing
the role of
being a
grandfather
to his kids,
now aged 15
and 13.
My Other Job Union President
I am the President of the
400 member California
Teachers Association of
Berryessa
Most Tuesdays I am not
at school as I have a
release day to do teacher
union business.
Mrs. Cindy Plares will be
my regular substitute every
Tuesday so students will
have an uninterrupted
program.
My Interests
I am a huge San
Francisco Giants
fan and of the San
Jose Giants minor
league team as well.
I am also a life-long
fan of the 49ers and
Warriors as well.
I love to travel. In the past 10 years I
have been to Ireland, England, New
York City, Chicago, New Orleans, LA
and 3 trips to Washington DC
Goals
Students will learn the content and the skills
needed to succeed academically and socially.
Students will learn in a supportive, safe and
nurturing learning environment.
We will have fun while we learn.
Students will be introduced to the jobs of the
future and they will be encouraged to start
preparing for their future.
Class Content
We will cover all the subjects and topics that
our state believes are important for students to
learn during 5th grade.
We will use a Project Based Learning
approach, especially in the content areas. This
will also involve cooperative learning activities
and the use of technology throughout the
curriculum.
Reading/
Language Arts
We use the state adopted Houghton-
Mifflin Reading program.
We also have students read a variety
of quality literature as well..
Reading/
Language Arts
This year, we will be fully implementing the
Common Core Standards in which literacy skills will
be focused on in Science and Social Studies as
well.
The literacy block will normally be for 75 minutes each
morning
We will also be using Accelerated Reading to help
students find their appropriate reading level from which
they can succeed.
Reading/
Language Arts
This year, Mr. Currys class will be
participating in 3 additional reading
programs.
Reading Is Cool Students keep track
of the # of pages they read each month and
they can qualify for awards. Last year Mr.
Currys class got a trip to the Shark Tank!
Book It! Students can earn free Pizza
Hut pizzas for reading books.
Newspapers In Education- SJ Mercury
News Free online newspapers for all
students and families
Writing
We will be using the district's adopted
Step Up to Writing writing program
throughout the district in grades K-8.
Mr. Curry requires a minimum of 1
composition per week plus book reports
and research projects.
History / Social Studies
Students will study the United
States from prehistoric times through the 1850s.
We will study the land forms, Native Americans,
Explorers, Colonization, the American Revolution,
The New Nation and Westward Expansion.
We will also do a special unit on slavery,
immigration and modern Civil Rights.
Students will also do a long term State Project.
We will connect these units with our Eco-
Project in cleaning up Vinci Park City Park
adjacent to our school as part of the citys Adopt-
A-Park program.
Science Camp
Scheduled for this year
Fundraising Encouraged
Check it out at:
Official Walden West Website ,
Vinci Park at Camp 2003-04
Mr Curry missed Walden West so much, he returned
from 8 years in exile teaching middle school.