'Twas the week before break and all through the class....

the kids are all stirring, but having a blast! Here is our work for the day. The kids are all enjoying a week off from Fluency and Spelling homework(we will allow time for this in class).


Math - Mrs. Grezlik's class has a Math test on Thursday on Unit 5 (this does not cover 5.5, 5.6, or 5.7 - we will work on those when we get back from break). Tomorrow, we will begin the study guide in class and it will come home for additional practice. TONIGHT - Study Link 5.9 and ESTIMATE ONLY on page 153 in the journal.

One minute script on your book review!! This must be written!

Bring in permission slips for the Robert Crown trip - this is $4.00.

See you tomorrow!

This weekend...

Hi KIDS!.
I hope you are having a great weekend. Remember to take a few minutes to look at your spelling list - our pretest is on Monday!! As this is the season to give, I am giving you no spelling HOMEWORK or fluency HOMEWORK this week - it will al be practiced in class!

My math class has a math test on Thursday this week - the study guide for Unit 5 will come home on Monday and will need to come back each day for review!

You will present your book reviews this week in a group activity. If you did an additional book review for a topic of your choice, you will have time to present that as well.

Finally, a permission slip came home yesterday regarding our field trip in January to Robert Crown. Please take some time to talk to your parents about this trip. It will focus on the changes you should expect in the next couple of years (or you could be going through these changes right now!), as well as the nature of human growth and development. If your parents have any questions about what to expect with the field trip, please tell them to contact me.

Have a great weekend!!!!!!

Winter is here (unofficially)

Well, did you all get blown away today on the way home?? I sure did!
We had a busy day. We took the GATES test today, which is an assessment of vocabulary and comprehension. We are also beginning our study of explorers, which includes a bit of study on lines of latitude and longitude (so studying those things would be beneficial).

Here is our homework for today:
Spelling contracts and Fluency - due Friday

Math - my class has journal page 135 ( they can complete page 134, but it is not due as homework)

Literacy - our test on the story Iditarod Dream is on Friday.

Remember, tomorrow night is our Family DInner Night out at Panda Express on Route 59 in front of the Meijer store. I'll be there about 5:30 - 6. :-)

Tuesday, December 8

Sorry again about missing posts - hope you will forgive that this time of year is extremely busy.

Here is our homework for today - it is a bit heavy, there was time in class to work on it, but we are still working on using time effectively.

Spelling - except for off contract and Word Challenge group - 3 activities fue Friday

Fluency - read passage about the History of a Toy - get it signes and return on Friday KNOW WHAT TO DO ON THE BACK ON FRIDAY!!!

Math - my class 5.3. and 5.4 study links!

Social Studies - answer questions 1-5 from page 41 on loose leaf paper

Lit. - reread Iditarod Dream - test will be on Friday.

THURSDAY IS FAMILY DINNER NIGHT TO RAISE FUNDS FOR HTE FIFTH GRADE GIFT OF A ROCK CLIMBING WALL. I will be there around 6p.m.

Work for today

Here is our work for today:

Spelling and Fluency
Math - 5th grade (5.1 sheet that came home today)

Science - read the 4 page packet about the types of magnets we experimented with today. We will have a test on Friday about Magnets. You should fill in your experiment sheet from today (the back only).

Science - Extra Credit - make a fun model of any atom. Use fun items, like cereal, candy, marshmallows.

Back to our routine!!

Hi everyone.
Ok, I am back. Posting will be done daily. We have a lot of learning going on, so it is important to check in and use the sites I put on here for your benefit! This week we will start talking about using the Classroom Learning Logs for extra credit for effort. This site will be a great place for you to find new things to learn.

This week, we are preparing to read the story Iditarod Dream. Here are some of the links we shared in class today:

Link #1

Link #2

Link #3

Link #4

Use these links to build more background on the sport. Keep track of what you learn for that extra credit!!

This week, we will be going into depth with magnets. Tomorrow we will explore magnets, and you are welcome to bring in some little doodads and doohickeys to check if they are magnetic. These items you bring in should be appropriate to bring to school as we discussed (nothing that resembles a weapon of any kind - no needles, nothing questionable - fun little things are fine!).

Here is your homework for today and part of this week:
Spelling - (please read below for more information on our new spelling procedure) If you are on the base or alternate list and are not off contract, you have 3 activities due on Friday. Remember, EVERYONE has the same opportunity to work towards the Word Challenge group. Challenge yourself to do and be your best!

Fluency - read the passage on the Arctic. This is in line with what we are studying on the Iditarod. Be sure to read it to someone at home and have them sign it. ALso, focus on the tip on the back page and be sure to read and understand the directions on the assignment(but do not do it at home). We will do this in class on Friday.

Literacy- 3, 2, 1 (3 things you learned today, 2 questions you still have, 1 prediction for what you think you will learn tomorrow)

Writing - 3 weekend memories (if you didn't finish in class). Be detailed.

Science - study your magnet notes from today. We will have a Magnet quiz on Friday. Pay attention this week, take great notes, and study a bit each night.

Math - 5G has journal page 121 (unless you finished in class). Parents, please help your child as needed, we are beginning a new unit of study (fractions). It will be much more in depth than 4th grade!

Parents, I know this seems like a lot, but time is given in class to begin some of this work.

I look forward to seeing you all at the band/orchestra concerts this week (THursday night).

Also, don't forget about the important parent meeting regarding the Growth and Development field trip at the Robert Crown Center. If you haven't had the chance to attend one of the 2 previous ones, try to make this final one:

Wednesday, December 2
7:00 p.m.
Longwood Elementary (take Route 59 north past North Aurora road, to the light where the BP gas station is, turn left - Bruce Lane, take it around the curve, the school is down a bit on the right). Can you tell I don't want to be the only parent there!?

Any questions, send me an email!!
Thanks!

Now I've got it!

As I am sure you've heard, I left early yesterday and was out again today. Terrible cough, bronchial infection. I was in early this morning to write plans and talked to the substitute, she said wonderful things about the class yesterday. It was great to have the same sub and beable to talk to herabout the plans for the day. I am so glad I live so close to the school so I could come in to plan for the day. I hate missing school, but it means so much to me when the kids can be respectful and helpful when I am not there. I plan to be there tomorrow - although my voice might be MIA - we'll make the best of it!

SPELLING - Unfortunately, I had planned on beginning the Word Challenge group this week. If your child is in this group - meaning they took their Spelling pretest on the alternate list, they are not on regular contract work. Tomorrow, I will outline what I wish for them to do. If they missed 0-3 (on the alternate list), they will not retake the test on Friday. They will have alternate work. The rest of the class will continue to follow the regular spelling program we have been working with. Next week, we will not have a spelling list due to the shortened week.

My math class has our Unit 4 test on Thursday. Today, the teacher should have gone through most of the study guide. The actual test is almost identical to the study guide.

Fluency - read to a parent and get a signature. We will do the back page on Friday morning.

Science - we are studying magnetism - tomorrow we will do a variety of experiments related to magnetism.

See you tomorrow (I hope!!)

Important Parent Meeting in the near future!

A few weeks ago, we sent home a letter to all fifth grade parents regarding parent orientation sessions for our Robert Crown (human growth and development) trip. These sessions are scheduled as follows:

Tuesday, November 17
7:00 p.m.
Peterson Elementary

Monday, November 23
7:00 p.m.
Georgetown Elementary

Wednesday, December 2
7:00 p.m.
Longwood Elementary

You are invited to attend ONE of these sessions, which will be a parent orientation for our fifth grade health unit on Human Growth and Development. This unit includes a student visit to the Robert Crown Health Center in Hinsdale. The purpose of the parents' meeting is to inform you of the material your child will be seeing and to answer any questions you may have. Hopefully you will be able to attend one of these sessions. Talking to your child about what to expect before our trip will be an opportunity to develop a base for many conversations you should expect in the future.

Atomic Awesomeness

If you click on the title today, you will be taken to the chemical elements site and can play the game to help you understand the concept of atomic structure. ENJOY!

Also, I have the most awesome site that Mrs. Eaton has shared with me! It is a site designed to help you build your vocabulary in multiple subject areas. It is called

freerice.com

Now, here is what is expected of you this week (there will not be another posting on Thursday):

Spelling - there is no Unit list this week. Yesterday, the kids were instructed to develop their own personalized lists. They could have used the science book, social studies, etc. They are to turn in a copy of their list to me on Thursday. They will have their partner Friday give them their test. No contract work is due.

Math - Accelerated math has a family letter 5th grade needs to do journal page 101 and the worksheet that was handed out in class (some finished in class)

Science - use your periodic table of elements and the notes on Atoms to study for the quiz on Friday. ALso, draw a representation of the atom you chose to study. Use the half sheet with the Chlorine example to help you know what belongs in the nucleus and how to draw the electrons on the electons shells.

Writing - know what book you are reviewing for your Book Review. It should be a book you have recently read or you are almost finished reading (we will begin writing this next week).

Guided Reading - Mrs. Hebenstreit's class has reading to do.

Enjoy your days off!

It's Elemental!

Oh, goodness! We ended our day without me inquiring if you all remembered what the Atomic Symbol for Neon is, the number of protons in Neon, and the atomic weight of NEon. Do you remember?? If so, you have just memorized your first element (well, maybe the second after your researched element). Did you activate your mnemonic devices>> Do you remember how to find the number of neutrons? Do you remember why the number of protons(+) and the number of electrons (-) are the same? Do you remember what neutral means? Check out THIS link to find the game we played to learn all of this great stuff!! ENJOY! Hey, challenge your parents! Play a game and teach them what you know!

Here is the work that is due tomorrow:
Spelling contract and Fluency
Math - accel - test tomorrow
5th grade (5 self created division problems - challenge yourself!!)
Reading - if you didn't finish your DR-TA for Roberto Clemente, it is due tomorrow (most kids did). We will work on the PowerPoint in the morning and you will present to the class during Literacy. I can't wait to see them!

Have a great night and sorry for the late post. Madison and Makenna say hi to everyone!!!!!!

Homework for today

Spelling and Fluency

Math - 5th grade math is to complete all math boxes that were assigned last week and complete the extended response problem. The goal for extended response it for the students to explain what they did and why they did it. In their math notebooks, they have a sample t-chart that explains the problem we did as a whole group. They should complete the problem on the worksheet and then do a t-chart explaining their work.

That's it!!

Who is that man?

Today we began our study of Roberto Clemente. Students will be reading about him, not just in our reading book, but on many websites. Websites are bookmarked for students to work on developing good research habits. We will work on citing work that we get from other sources and paraphrasing what we find in our own words. Powerpoints will be created and shared. Here are some cites to look at on your own:

Roberto Clemente Site #1

Roberto Clemente Site #2

REMINDER - Please bring headphones to school so you can listen to the audio on laptops.

Other work for this week:
Spelling - unit 11 - 3 activities and test Friday

Fluency - "Ozified" read at home to someone and have them sign it

Math - 5th grade has box pages due on Wednesday (each student has a half sheet with the assignment)

Please return the report card envelopes and, if you wish, the preconference letter that came home today!

Thank you!

Have a GrEaT WeEkEnD!!

Have a safe and fun weekend. If you are Trick-or-Treating, be safe, walk in groups with adult supervision and be sure you are eating candy that has been checked by an adult to be safe to consume.

Only weekend homework is the spelling Unit 11 list. Pretest will be on Monday!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN to those of you who celebrate it!

TODAY

I am hoping that your kids came home today and told you that we are beginning our study of electricity. We watched a great Bill Nye video on atoms, molecules, and elements. Your child brought home a copy of the Periodic Table of Elements, do you remember that thing that brought you many nights of study joy in high school??? Oh, yes, the memories! Anyway, the kids are to pick their top three element choices and tomorrow they will choose one to study in depth. They will be creating a powerpoint and doing a presentation on their element. Also, we are writing a music parody to the song, "I Gotta Feelin'" by The Black Eyed Peas. We are calling it, "I am an Element." Your child will include their own research on their element. mmmm hmmmm.

Here is our other work:
math - 5th grade TEST FRIDAY - tomorrow is review day. a study guide for unit 3 came home, they need to take care of this packet. page 1 and 2 for Unit 3 should be done carefully. 6th grade - link 3.6

spelling and fluency, of course

tomorrow is our reading test for Elena. Our focus will be the narrative elements, including types of conflict in the story (internal and external), protagonists, antagonists, as well as the basic characters, setting, and plot. Don't forget the MORAL!!

Science - see above

Thank you!

Whew!

Well, I just got home from class! I am exhausted! During my break, I took some time to look at all the timed writing essays we did on Monday. I have to say that I am very impressed with the quality of writing and hope you all make it a goal to become the best possible writers this year. That will only happen with practice! We have amazing writers in our room, and some of you don't even know it!

Homework:
spelling, fluency, and science.. OH MY! (see yesterday's post for details)

Math - my class has a 8 section poster that we all worked on today in class - all about polygons - EVERYONE got a full page explanation of what is due. OUR TEST IS FRIDAY!! Review will come home tomorrow.

Reading - Bring one piece of figurative language tomorrow (entrance slip!) Our test is Thursday. Today we studied the figurative language in "Elena" and also talked about the author's purpose (why do they put those little pieces in the story that are not elaborated on - oooh, it is so frustrating!!!!) These make you better thinkers.

Conference slips - let me knwo if you can make our assigned time or call me (428-6133) to reschedule or to schedule a phone conference.

TODAY

Hi everyone.
Sorry I didn't post for a few days.

So, we are into the 2nd quarter of fifth grade. Report Cards will come home on Friday. I look forward to conferences with you next week or the week after. Remember that there is no school on Nov. 10 or 11. If you have not turned in your conference slip, please email or call me.

Here is our homework for today:
Spelling - 3 activities (test Friday - pretest will remain on Monday, no change)
Fluency - read nightly (focus on facts vs. opinions)
Math - 5th grade is to study your SRB page 142-143 about Polygons. Know what the qualities of a polygon are and know the prefixes on p. 142 in the purple box! Also, you need to cut out (carefully) the polygons and bring them to school in the plastic baggy I gave you.
Science - we are starting our study of our new science unit on ELectricity. We are beginning with a study of the atom. Your homework (due Wednesday) is to find out some information on atoms (to share with the class). THis can be something your parents tell you that they know, you might find information on the internet or in reading.

See you tomorrow!!!!!!

FUNNY STUFF

Wow! You kids told some great jokes today. Today was Joke Day, as part of Red Ribbon Week. Everyone was prepared for today with a joke. Remember how we talked about how telling a joke is about knowing your audience, timing, and delivering the punchline so the audience can respond accordingly. Nice work!!

Remember how we learned about the Mexican Revolution yesterday? You were to write a paragraph in your reading notebook about the word revolution: What it means, what we talked about, what you remember. If you did not do this, please write something on a piece of paper to transfer into your reading notebook right when you get to school.

Remember to work on spelling (3) and the toothpick fluency. Fridays are so busy, I think we may start having our spelling tests on Thursdays. We will begin this next week. Let's do something different. Someone remind me to give out the new list (Unit 10) tomorrow.

Today in 5th grade math, we studied SO MUCH about angles. We played around with our compasses and learned how to use them as a tool to draw congruent line segments. You all did a great job - you impress me with your thoughts!

Remember today when C.B. told us about how to use our writing resources in our writing folders to see how a well written conclusion looks in an essay. That was incredible thinking!!!

Tomorrow is character day (wear a shirt with some character on it). This will be hard for me!! Also, bring back those green conference sheets signed by your parent. Tell your parents that they can email me or call me to schedule another time or to do a phone conference.

See you all in the morning!

REVOLUTION

PARENTS,

Do you use this blog site to check the assigned homework for your child? Is your child writing the homework down in their assignment notebooks? They should be! I have things come up (and class on Tuesday nights)so I don't always get to post a blog in a timely manner. This site should not be used as a replacement for good work recording habits for your child. YOUR CHILD SHOULD BE RECORDING THE WORK IN THEIR ASSIGNMENT BOOKS! I am considering NOT posting regular homework assignments on the blog for this very reason. I believe I could be doing a disservice to the students by enabling them to NOT pay attention to the assignments during the day. Even without writing the homework down, most kids should remember what the work for the subjects is each day. These are skills that the kids need to be developing for the future. Please email me and let me know your thoughts about this. I will talk to the kids about it, wait a few days to hear from you all, and make my decision over the weekend. I would still post daily, but NOT include homework, just talk about what we are doing in class.

That said, our work tonight was:
Spelling - 3 act.
Fluency - Read toothpick passage
GAME HOUR tomorrow (school-wide celebration for Thumbs Up Awards)
Reading - in notebook, write what you can about the word REVOLUTION. We studied the Mexican Revolution today in literacy.

INSPIRING POSTERS ARE DUE TOMORROW!

picture day is tomorrow!!

email: christi_grezlik@ipsd.org

Thank you for your input! I value your opinion.

Keeping Healthy

We spoke a lot today about how to stay healthy, not just because it is Red Ribbon Week, but because we had quite a few kids out sick today. Please talk to your kids about how they can stay healthy with proper handwashing, sneezing and coughing practices, getting a good night's sleep, eating healthy foods, and drinking plenty of water. Thank you!

Homework for today:
Spelling - Unit 9 3 activities

Fluency - Toothpick passage

Math - 5th ( study link 3.4)

TOMORROW is RED DAY for Red Ribbon Week!! Don't forget to get your joke ready for Wednesday!

U NEED 2 KNOW!!

This week is Cowlishaw's Red Ribbon Week. This is a PTA (Parent-Teacher Association) sponsored program where we are promoting good, healthy lifestyle choices. It is a great week to talk to your kids about how to stay healthy, including eating well, exercising, and staying away from drugs and other dangerous behaviors (especially with 5th graders). We will do lots of extra exercise this week with some fun music, so be sure to talk to your child about what we are doing to be healthy in class. The PTA is providing the kids with a special treat EVERY DAY. Here are the days:
Monday - Pajama Day (I'm wearing mine - don't make me the only one!!)
Tuesday - RED Day - wear something RED!
Wednesday (is PICTURE DAY, look handsome and pretty) - tell a joke day (this is an assignment, by the way!)
Thursday - character shirt day
Friday - Cowlishaw colors day (wear your blue and green)

On Friday, the PTA is sponsoring our Fall Party from 2:30 - 3:15. On Saturday, the PTA is sponsoring the Annual Halloween Party here at school. I am coming (dressed up!) and I hope you and your family can make it. Are you a PTA member? It is so easy to become a member, please just ask me or visit the school's website link to PTA. Your children all benefit from these great events and programs!

Finally (I think!), Wednesday night is a Family Dinner Night fundraiser at Buffalo Wild Wings (right here on 75th Street) to earn money for the 5th grade class gift. A flyer came home attached to the Tupperware fundraiser envelope. You can use that little slip or just tell your server that you are there to support Cowlishaw and 20% of your bill will go to our efforts to raise money for this gift. I will be there from 4:15 - 5:15. Hope to see you!

Open House Tonight

Are you coming (To Open House)?? I hope so!

Tomorrow:
Spelling Test - Unit 8
Math - Accelerated has a test - 5th grade has mental homework on today's lesson (angles)some kids did not have 3.1 in math - this is due Friday
Fluency - passage from last week.

DON'T FORGET!!

Tomorrow is OPEN HOUSE!! Come and check out our classroom from 6:30 - 8:00p.m. Sign up for conferences. Check out the BOOK FAIR!! Bring the whole family!

Here is our homework for today:
Spelling - 2 activitites
Fluency - passage from last week
Reading test tomorrow
Social Studies - What do you know about where you live??
Math - Extended Response (write about what you did to solve the problem)
Writing - finish up the introduction about Fall (what is in your three body blocks??)

Busy Tuesday!

Hello all! First of all, did your child tell you that today they were introduced to The Stones (The Rolling Stones)? We are using their song, "Jumpin' Jack Flash" as one of our brain breaks! They love it!

This is a busy week and today was a busy day. Here is a list for you to note:

Tomorrow we have late start (school starts at 9:15) and early dismissal (12:00). Don't worry, we will cram lots of learning in those few hours! Also, make plans now to attend our Open House on Thursday from 6:30 - 8:00p.m. I have some fun Smartboard activities for you to do together. You can even do some of our brain breaks!! Sign up for November conferences will take place this evening. Hope you can make it!

Here is our homework:Spelling - list 8 (short week so only 2 activities due Friday)
Fluency - we are continuing to work with the passage from last week. Kids should practice at home and bring in EVERY DAY!!
Culture Dolls are due tomorrow - WOW! You won't believe what some
kids have done!
Math - my class has an Extended Response assignment - it is just like the one we did in class together. The one they have for homework (and had time to begin in class) is easier than the one we did together.
Reading - Our test on the story, "Dear Mrs. Parks" is THURSDAY this week. Please study the story. The test will be a little different, the kids will be asked to answer a variety of questions as if they were Rosa Parks. This is a higher level skill that requires them to apply what they know and have learned about Rosa Parks and her life and mission. Vocabulary will also be assessed.

As always, thank you for your support at home. Please tell your child that the secret word for this post is: Satisfaction (another Stones song!)

A couple days of learning

Hi everyone!
Well, I missed you all. For the last two days, I was at a class with Mrs. Eaton on how to be an even better teacher. We learned some new strategies and activities to use during our Literacy Block. We can't wait to show them to you. THe exciting thing was that some of the things the instructors were sharing with the whole group were things we are already doing with you. I hope you all had a good 2 days without me and I am looking forward to seeing how many letters you earned in GAME DAY. Feel free to email me this weekend to let me know how things went while I was gone and what you have planned for the long weekend (christi_grezlik@ipsd.org).

Here is what you should be working on this weekend:
Spelling list 8 was hopefully handed out yesterday-Pretest will be on Tuesday.
(we have a short week next week so only 2 activities will be due next Friday)
Culture Dolls - these are due on Wednesday so we can put them up for Open House (Thursday - 6:30 - 8:00p.m. BOOK FAIR TOO!)
Do you have any kid friendly magazines at home that we could have? They would be cut up, so don't send any if you want them back!! We will use them to add to another project we are working on. Thank you!

See you Tuesday! Remember - no school Monday for Columbus Day and early dismissal (12:00) on Wednesday for Staff Inservice.

Where's 5G?

Today, we began our geography study. This is something we will be studying and reviewing for the rest of the year. We are starting off with basic information:
What city, state, and country do you live in?
What countries are north and south of the U.S.?
WHat are the 7 continents? The 4 oceans?
What are lines of latitude? longitude?
What is a hemisphere? What is the equator?

We have started reading the beginning geography lesson in the Social Studies book. Students are responsible for the questions above and the information on pages G4 -
G11. in the book. Please help them with this information. We will study it in class, but the book will come home for additional study. I will lookonline for sites that can help with this study aswell.

5th grade had the math test passed out today. Before I handed it out, I had the students write a reflection on how they feel they did and how prepared they were. After looking over the test, they wrote how they felt about their performance. Please go over the test with your child. Thank you for any support you give at home on these skills. Today we talked about problem solving strategies and writing about math. Math boxes were assigned and they are due Friday.

Remember that the following are also assigned:
Spelling - 3 activities due Friday
Fluency - bring signed on Friday (should have been read multiple times - both sides)
Culture Doll (see halfsheet that came home on Tuesday)

Remember - NO SCHOOL on Monday!

Homework

Here is our work from today:

Spelling and Fluency (see post from yesterday)
Math boxes from unit 2 - only do boxes from what we have studied in unit 2
Interested in Student Council? Permission slips due tomorrow
Cultural Dolls due next Wed., Oct. 14 (see half slip in the home folder

TOMORROW is walk to school day!!

Going Back in History

TOday we started talking about our new story, Dear Mrs. Parks, a story about Rosa Parks. We built some background on this woman and her story by watching a re-enactment of an interview with her and looking at some realia from this time in history. We saw a picture of the real bus Rosa Parks rode on and watched a short video from the Discovery Channel about what really happened that day she was arrested. We talked as a class about the laws in our country and why we are asked to follow them. We did a "value line" activity where we demonstrated how we feel about following the laws. It was a great activity and the students were very engaged in the lesson. This could be a great discussion to continue at home.

The 5th grade is taking the OLSAT test today. It is a test that is given in 2nd and 5th grade. It will be taken during our literacy time.

Our homework for this week is:
FLUENCY - STudents are to read this nightly, it will take just a couple minutes to read. Part of the fluency homework is to look at the back at the tips for reading and look at the questions so they know what to do on the day we do the questions. Some kids are obviously reading this one time only and not even looking at the back where the actual lesson is that would help them answer the questions correctly. Yesterday, we completed the page about Bill Cosby. The tip side gave information about how to use specific text features to help understand words. Please look for this to come home, graded, and talk to your child about how to do better on these assignments. Fluency is what we are building, but I want them to be able to answer the questions as well. THank you for your support in this..

Spelling - Unit 7 list3 activities - due Friday - please remind your child to look at the list words every day.

Math - 5th grade will have math boxes assigned today and will have time to work on them in class. These are graded, so please have your child use their SRB to help.

6th grade Math had 2.8 due today.

DOn't forget to look at the events over in the right hand margin! TOday is Homework CLub after school.

Weekend things

We have finished up our studies of Yang the Third and her Impossible Family. The students have been issued a new challenge (optional) for our next story. It should be in their home folder. The questions from it are written below. They must be written, not just told:

Why are laws important? What is the reason for laws?
Is it ever okay to break laws? If so, for what reason? Be specific and detailed.
What should people do if a particular law is unfair?

Due by Tuesday.

Other work includes:
5th grade math - study guide problems (Unit 2)1-12 (use your SRB if you do not understand partial sums) PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THIS STUDY GUIDE PACKET AND DON"T RIP IT APART.

I forgot to hand out the spelling list for Monday. Here are the words:
Unit 7
charged
spied
moving
trying
practicing
injured
carrying
tasted
receiving
becoming
lying
dying
realized
provided
fried
created
tallied
carried
revising
wearing

Finally, we are going to be creating "Culture Dolls" this week. Ask your child what this means. A note will come home on Monday.

Thank you!

TODAY

Homework:
All from yesterday (see yesterday's blog)

DId you bring you artifacts for writing?

Math - 5th grade - create 5 numbers with 10 digits (only repeat digits one time)
continue to practice multiplication (traditional with two digits, add
some decimals, work on estimating) TEST ON TUESDAY NEXT WEEK!
6th - 2.5 link

Homework for Today

We had a very busy day in class! Here is our homework:

Spelling - test Friday and 3 activities

Reading - We have been studying this story for 2 weeks, our test will be Friday (including an Extended Response prompt)

Writing - bring in artifacts for your writing notebook

Fluency - read, due Friday, don't do questions (but be prepared)

Math - 5th grade (10 multiplication problems from worksheet - do on loose leaf paper, do estimates on the worksheet)

6th grade (page 60)

Social Studies - Scavenger Hunt worksheet - due Friday

I know this seems like a ton of homework. Please know that your child has been given adequate time to begin this work in class. I am trying to build some independent work time into each day and also building work endurance so your child can learn to use time wisely. If your child is bringing home this work and it has not been started or not much has been done, I would appreciate you talking about how he or she is getting started and using time in class.

Thanks!

Genres all around!

I apologize for not posting yesterday. As your child might have told you, I had to leave early to take care of my daughter who was home sick. The substitute teacher left a very nice report about how well the students got along (for the most part). I always like to know that the students behave for a substitute in the same respectful way toward each other and the teacher regardless of me being in class or not. That speaks a great deal to their character. Please speak with your child about your expectations for this.

This week, we have been talking about the different types (or genres) of writing. TOday we did some practice on categorizing material based on what genre we thought it would fall under. The groups did a great job at this. We spend a great deal of time working in small groups. THis mimics what real life is like, being able to work together in small groups effectively. Please discuss with your child what you expect from them during our small group work time (listening to others, speaking respectfully, focusing on the task, etc.) Tell them about how important it is for you in your work to be able to work well in a small group. If you don't work outside the home, you can list the many ways you keep your family running by listening to each other and talking respectfully. THank you for supporting this at home. If the kids hear the message at home AND school, it is greatly reinforced in both places!

Here is our homework:
Spelling - Unit 6 3 activities due Friday and test Friday

Fluency - read about Bill Cosby (remember! We are working on fluency - reading iwth speed, acccuracy, AND expression!) read it to a parent, get one signature, and look at the questions, but DO NOT ANSWER them. We will do this on Friday morning.

Math - 5th grade has link 2.7 6th grade has 2.4

Reading - our reading test for Yang, the Third and Her Impossible Family is on Friday. Kids were supposed to read the story again (we've read it already in class) and for homework answer questions #3 at the end of the story.

KEY WORD FOR ONE MONSTER BUCK = COOPERATION!! :-)

Thank you, Parents!!!

Bully Lesson

Today we had an assembly on bullying where we witnessed some fancy magic and learned some great strategies for dealing with bullies. We learned the "FANTASTIC" approach to dealing with bullies. Here is what itlooked like:
F = Friends first
A = Avoid hot spots
N = Negotiate situations (use I statements)
T = Travel with friends
A = Avoid conflict (walk away, say "Thank you!" - sarcasm, Agree with the bully)
S = Share wtih a teacher
T = Talk to a parent
I = Ignore this person (don't give in or "feed" the situation)
C = Count to 10 (Chill out)

Anyone can be the victim of a bully. I am going to share this information with my daughters to prepare them for the day when it happens to them (if it hasn't already, which I bet it has). Knowledge is power here!

Hope you all have a great weekend. Spelling list Unit 6 went out today. Kids should be filling in as much weather info in their weather folders as possible (don't take too much time to do this - it is an informal assignment) My math class have journal page 42 and 43 ( it was assigned Thursday - due MOnday) and the whole class was given the assignment to bring in some artifacts to inspire their writing (photographs, pictures, magazine clippings, advertisements, movie stubs, etc.) Please know these things will be taped or glue into thier writing notebooks, so send them cautiously.
THanks!!

A bunch of giggles!

Today, I determined that I need to always have the video camera on for any presentations. Your kids know how to put on a great show. Especially O.B. and his group! HILARIOUS! We put on some of our presentations today where the kids acted out the 4 types of clouds. Great job, everyone! Today, letters for 3 clubs came home today. Know that there is NO bus service this year for Homework Club!


Here is our homework for tomorrow:
math - 5th - Journal pages 42 and 43
(we don't have math tomorrow due to an assembly, so this work is due by MOnday)
6th grade - 2.3 link

spelling work and test tomorrow

Vocabulary to study for our story this week:
Accompany
audition
sonata
grimaced
accompaniment
simultaneously
Have your kids tell you about the "I Know, "I Have" activity we did today to reveiw all the vocabulary in the upcoming story!

Cloud-mania

Have you noticed your child has become more interested in the weather? I hope so. We have been studying different types of clouds and the properties those clouds have. At recess, we are looking up at the clouds to see if we can identify them. Today in class, we worked with small groups to develop a skit about the 4 main cloud types. TOmorrow, these skits will be performed and I look forward to seeing the groups that can correctly demonstrate the types of clouds in an entertaining way. One suggestion was to have the group become "The Cloud Family," where each member took on the name of their specific cloud and then "became" that cloud, acting like that cloud would. I even developed my own skit that I will ask volunteers to help me perform (another idea for writing). ANother suggestion was to become a band called "The 4 Clouds." We'll see if any kids were inspired and applied this knowledge to their group's skit. Ask your child about his or her group's skit, what role he or she played in developing it, and what it is. Also, your child has a weather folder (blue) with 4 weeks worth of charts. They are to try to accumulate all the data possible (using the online Weather Channel, the nightly news, or their own observations). Thank you for the support you give at home.

Here is our homework for tonight:

Spelling - 3 act. due Fri.

Math - 5th grade (journal p. 41 #1-5) Students should have their SRB to complete this data landmarks sheet (just look up the word in the index and turn to that page).

Weather folder data

THANKS!

What's Happening!

Tuesday is a busy day for me with my graduate classes at night, so sorry when I cannot post right away. Today we began our Guided Reading classes. Please talk to your child about what they are doing to become abetter reader. Children in 5th grade should start becoming aware of strategies they are to use to understand material better.

These include:
working to decode using strategies like chunking up parts of words they know

Rereading for meaning (if they have been reading but can't tell you what they have read, then it is time to start rereading - I periodically ask myself, "What did I just read?" and if I can't answer, then I reread.)

Using picture clues to help construct meaning of the text

Using words around a word to tell what the unknown word could be

These are just a few. If you would like more - keep posted - I will put some more up!

Homework for today:

math - 5th link 2.4

spelling - 3 activities

no fluency this week

study the 4 types (nimbus, cirrus, cumulus, and stratus) of clouds (are your notebook pictures and descriptions done??)


:-)

HOMEWORK

Eeeks! I can't believe how many typos were onmy earlier posting - that's what I get for being in a hurry! Here's an update!

Fluency will be passed out tomorrow

Spelling - Unit 5 contract (any 3 activities)These are due on Friday morning

Math - 5th - journal page 37, 38, and 39 (1-4 only) **class had 15 minutes to work in class

Reading - Finish extended response question:Why did the weroance come up with a new test? Time was given in class to begin.

Science: Study the 4 types of clouds we studied in class today- be able to demonstrate with the cotton balls.

Weather Folder: Try to take as much data for Monday (today) as possible (use the news, internet (Weather Channel) or just what you observe outside).

Chinese Culture Challenge

HI everyone!
As you may have read in the previous post, we are lucky to have a new teacher join us for Literacy, Mrs. Eaton. This week, we are starting a new story and are focusing on different cultures and how it feels to move to a new place and understand the culture of the people who surround you. For a challenge, check out this website:

http://www.china-family-adventure.com/chinese-culture.html
This is a great site to learn more about the Chinese culture. Read a little and write a bit to teach the class during some extra time! What can you teach us about this culture?

Do you have any sites that would teach us about other cultures? Sit down one night with your parent/child (always have a parent with you for safety) and google a country you are interested in. Find out something interesting you can share with the class.

What TROOPERS!!

Yesterday was a very full day! So full in fact, that I forgot to post last night! Sorry about that. I am grateful to hear so many of you are enjoying this form of communication.

We won't have many days like yesterday, where so many tests and quizzes fell on one day. I hope your kids have survived, they sure did well and had great stamina for it all. They must have been super energized about having a day off today.

Speaking of today, we teachers spent the day looking at all of the data that we have been busy collecting from the first day of school and were talking about how to best meet the needs of all of our students. One way we do that here at Cowlishaw is by providing a Guided Reading program. This is a block fo time where we group kids according to what we think their needs are (using data from assessments) and provide instruction based on those needs. For some kids, these groupings are fluid, they should change during the course of the year, if not by the teacher, then the skill that that is being focused on. Some of the skills we focus on in guided reading groups are specific comprehension strategies like self-questioning, summarizing, and using a text format. Some groups will work on fluency goals. Be sure to ask you child what they are doing in guided reading so you can support that at home.

Speaking of fluency, I want to thank those of you who are taking the time to listen to your child read the fluency passage each week. Please don't just listen once...to build fluency, kids need to read it repeatedly. Fluency is more that just the speed at which a child can read, it has to do with accuracy and expression, too. Make sure your child is reading aloud with up and down tones and using voices when appropriate. You can use ANY reading material to work on this! THANK YOU! Also, be sure to go over the questions on the back with them so they are prepared to answer those questions on Friday (they only have a limited time to answer these since they are expected to understand what to do as they go over the questions during the week).

Homework for this weekend includes:Spelling list - pretest Monday - Unit 5 (can you believe this??)
Math - 5th grade Link 2.3 (the lesson 2.4 sheet is extra credit)
Reading Challenge (optional)

This week, Mrs. Eaton, our ELL teacher, will begin in our classroom during Literacy as my co-teacher! We are so lucky! Please ask your child what creative things we are doing with our reading story. Did your child tell you about the game we played with our reading story called "Hot Seat?" Oh, they did an amazing job and the two hot seat people were great under pressure! What a great class!

TO finish this novel of a posting, progress reports are coming home on Friday. Please look at the checklist carefully and let me know if you have any questions or would like to come in for a conference. Parent/Teacher conferences are not until early November, but I am happy to meet with you earlier in order to put things in place for your child's success!

Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Grezlik

DUE FRIDAY

Parents,
If you have not yet sent in the money for the Storyworks magazine, please do that tomorrow so I can put the order in. It costs $6.60 for the year andthis magazine is chock full of amazing writing examples and stories that we will use during our writing, reading, and guided reading blocks. If you can't afford the entire amount, please just send in what you can.

HOMEWORKMath 6th - test tomorrow
5th - journal p.35 (lots of kids finished this in class)
Spelling
test
2 activities

Fluency
this should have been read to you and your signature should be on it...the questions should not be completed

Science
quiz over layers of the atmosphere

Reading
Sees Behind Trees - reread, come up with your own name (similar to the names in the story), and our test over the story will be tomorrow

Time and bully management

While we had lots of time to work on our work in class, some kids are still working on time management with independent work time, so if your child has too much work for home today, please talk to him or her about how time is being used in class. TOday, Mrs. Akin (our new psychologist) came in and we role played how to deal with bully situations in and around school. Please talk to your child about the responsibility they have to stand up for themselves and also what they can do as a bystander when they are witnessing a bully situation.


Here's the homework for today:
Spelling - 2 activities

Fluency - practice reading the passage

Reading - Read story "Sees Behind Trees" in the reading book, complete "Stop and Go" sheet

Math - 6th grade - study guide 5th grade - journal page 32 and 33 and study link 2.2 (6-11 only) We had lots of time in class to work on this, only 2.2 should be homework.

Science - continue to study layers of atmosphere (not just the names of the layers but what is found in each)

Thank you for you support at home!

Outside time

Oh, the kids wish every day could be like today. We are working on harnessing our sensory input while writing. This means being able to put into words what we hear, see , smell, touch, etc. We went outside and sat on the grass with our writing notebooks today. It was beautiful. Ask your child what they wrote about what they heard, felt, and smelled. We are getting ready to read a story about a character who uses these senses for an important reason.

Homework:
Short week - 2 spelling activities due THURSDAY!! TEST THURSDAY!
(Only O.B., M.C., and K.S. are off contract - means no spelling activities are due because they have gotten 100% on their alternate lists words)

Math - 6th grade (accel.) - 1.11 link 5th grade - scale measurement (if your child cannot explain what they are to do, please have them measure one item in the house using either inches or centimeters - write the item and the measurement down and we'll complete at school.

FLUENCY - your child should read the passage on King Midas to you but DO NOT complete the questions on the back. Please sign so I know you were read to. Thank you. Fluency is a very important component to reading success!

STORYWORKS - letter went home on Friday. Bring in $6.60 for the Storyworks magazine for the entire year. Each month of the school year, we will use this magazine to develop our reading abilities (and we'll use it just for fun reading, too!) It is a great resource and the kids will bring it home when they are done with it for the month! You will love it!

Did you get my list-serve email this weekend? IF not, be sure to give me a current email address to send you important information.

NO SCHOOL ON FRIDAY !
THANK YOU, PARENTS!

Science, science, and more science

I just got back from attending Metea Valley's first home football game! How fun! I even saw a few Cowlishaw parents there! AND THEY WON! WOo Hooo!

Today in class, we worked at applying what we are learning about the atmosphere by creating a model of the atmospheric layers. Your child had lots of time today to work on this with guidance from me and other students. Please help your child remember to try to finish up the coloring (after labeling with black marker) the different levels and parts of their representation. They should study the model and know the layers, the altitudes of the layers, and some of the things that can be found or happen in those layers.

Next week, we will continue our study of cloud types and phases of matter.

5th grade math had time today to work on the math boxes that will be graded first thing Monday morning. There are only about a dozen (boxes, not pages) that will be graded. Kids were reminded that these boxes are perfect for practice during the unit and are encouraged to use any available "free time" to complete what they can using their SRB. If students did not finish, these will need to be completed at home.

Spelling list 4 was sent home to study for the pretest (if desired).

Thank you for your continued support at home. Make sure your child is reading every day, if possible. Have a great weekend!!

DUe Friday

Today we watched a little bit of a Bill Nye video on the phases of matter. We are studying the layers of the atmosphere and are building onto what we know about solids, liquids, and gases. One of our assignments today is to write 2 questions (and the answers) about the information in the video. We have been developing our notetaking skills this week, learning about how an outline looks and should be read. Some of us have been creating ways to take notes so that the information in our notebooks can be accessed easily. Ask your child what method they prefer for notetaking. Researching the best ways to take notes (this can be done online) would make for a great sharing lesson with the class, since there are so many ways to take notes! If your child needs more information from the video, check it out on youtube (if available)...just google "you tube bill nye phases of matter."

In addition to those questions, spelling activities (2) and fluency are due, and we'll have our spelling test.

Thanks!

a little lesson in factorization....

Today in Math, we were challenged by the task of taking a big number and factoring it down to prime numbers. In addition, we were then required to write the final factorization using exponents. Here is what one looked like (taken straight from the study guide). using a calculator is ok.

1080 (a composite - find 2 factors that make that number)
2 x 540 (1080 is even, so 2 will always break down an even number)
2 x 2 x 270 (520 was even too - hey so is 270...will this madness ever stop??)
2 x 2 x 2 x 135 (ok, here's a new one.. 135 is not divisible by 2, but it is by 5)
2 x 2 x 2 x 5 x 27 (nearing the end..I can feel it - what makes 27? 3 and 9)
2 x 2 x 2 x 5 x 3 x 9 (9 is a composite, so I need to break that down! )
2 x 2 x 2 x 5 x 3 x 3 x 3 (all primes, so that part is done - now the fun part, put those primes together!)

Ok, I don't know how to make an exponent on the computer, but here is what it would read like: 2 to the 3rd power (since there are 3 of them) times 3 to the third power (since there are three of those) times 5 (no exponenet needed since there is only one).
SO..... the prime factorization of 1080 is what is in bold right above. I hope this helps. Try a smaller number first.

HOMEWORK
5th grade - math test tomorrow (study guide due and finish 1.9 - time was given in class today)

Fluency

Spelling activities

band/orchestra tomorrow

bring environmental club sheet tomorrow (if interested)

GOAL BOOKS SIGNED?? $2 in your bank!!

See you tomorrow... :-)

Bring on the WEATHER

Yes, we are beginning our study of weather. Today's science homework is to find out how much of the earth is covered by water. We will learn how the water on earth affects the weather. We will study the layers of the atmosphere and do some neat experiments.

Here is our homework for today:
Math (5th) we will have a test over Unit 1 on Thursday and the study guide is due back tomorrow. IF your child doesn't have their SRB (reference book), remind them of your expectations to be prepared to study for a test.

Spelling - ONLY 2 activities this week and next - due to the shorter weeks.

If your child is off contract (5 students), no activities need to be turned in (but studying should still be done!)

FLuency - your child should read this to you and you should sign it somewhere on the page or on the back. THEY ARE NOT TO DO THE QUESTIONS AT HOME (although they can study them and talk tbout them with you).

LATE START TOMORROW _ Be here and in your seat working by 9:15 (doors open at 9:00)
:-)

Over the weekend

Parents,
Another successful week! Next week, we do not have school on Labor Day! I'll see your kids Tuesday morning. Remember that we have late start on Wednesdays for the rest of the year.

Some kids do have some homework to finish up that they did not finish today in Math (journal page 25 and the top of page 26 (5th grade) and 6th grade has 1.8). Also, Unit 3 spelling list went home, the pretest for that will be on Tuesday and next week, only 2 spelling activities are due on Friday.

This week, we began using the laptops that our school received this year. Our class learned how to unplug them, carry them, and care for them at their desks. We were very excited to use them in our classroom. A suggestion was made for kids to purchase a "flash drive" or "zip drive," which is a little memory holder for them to keep their work on. They really just need one that has 512 megabytes, unless they are going to use it for LOADS of pictures or data. A small one for writing projects should run you about $5 - 7. You can pick one up at Target or Walmart in the video section. Just ask a worker to show you where they are and just tell them your child will be using it for school work - documents, papers, etc. This is completely OPTIONAL (a safe way to protect your work).

Have a great weekend!
:-)

The importance of knowing the facts!

If you are checking this blog send this word to school with your child: Responsible. That word will earn them one monster buck.

Thank you for taking the time to look at this blog. I hope you find it helpful and a resource to help your child at home.

Due tomorrow:
Math (5th) study link 1.7

3 spelling activities

fluency - should have been read at least once to a parent and signed. The questions on the back should not be completed until class tomorrow.

we have our first reading test over the story, "Hot and Cold Summer" Your child should have their reading book at home to reveiw the vocabulary and the story.

we take our 2 minute math fact test on Fridays. If you are noticing that your child is not advancing through the levels of the math facts each week, please take some time to sit down with him or her(3-5 minutes each night) and make some flashcards and practice together. Make sure your child is reading the entire fact, including factors and the product. If your child struggles with a fact, tell the product and have him or her repeat the whole number sentence 3 times. This repetition will greatly increase their memory of the fact. THANK YOU IN ADVANCE for supporting your child. From this point on in school, knowing those multiplication facts, automatically, is necessary for success! Please let me know if you would like extra Otter Creek tests for practice at home. I am happy to provide flashcards for home as well!

Have a great weekend and Happy Labor Day to all!

Happenings

We had a terrific day today in 5G. Did your childtell you that we have earned our first Game Day? This is a class incentive for following our Rules of Thumb for the classroom. This class could be a role model for how cooperative grouping should look. No matter how the kids are placed in groups, they are meeting my expectations. We are having a fun time modeling what each part of our day should look like. Ask you child what brain break we did today? Who knew "Simon Says" could be a brain break? Thanks for the idea, Rumi! Tomorrow, we get to use the laptops for the first time. I can't wait.

Homework:Math: 5th - link 1.7 (kids had time in class to work on this and it will be graded tomorrow) our test will be next week on Wednesday or Thursday (we will do the first study guide together in class on Tuesday - subsequent study guides will be done as practice at home and we will go over in class).

Spelling: Everyone is still on contract this week - so that means 3 activities due Friday

Fluency: Your child should read the passage about the crayon to you at least one time (building fluency) and you should sign it when they do. This is due back on Friday and the questions on the back should not be done at home (although they can be looked at and discussed).
Writing: mental homework - think of a good school memory you can share during "storying" tomorrow

See you tomorrow! Get your fingers ready for the laptops!!

Science Fun!

Sorry I didn't post last night, I couldn't get on - I must have added something and it was preventing me from getting on anywhere. Luckily, I took off a few things I added and now it seems to be fine. Here is our homework for yesterday:

MONDAY
Math - (5th) Link 1.6 and (6th) Link 1.5
Spelling - 3 activities due Friday - test Friday
Fluency - read to at least one parent and have him or her sign the sheet by Friday. Questions can be looked at and discussed, but NOT filled in. We will do this in class on Friday morning.

TUESDAY
Spelling and Fluency - same as above
Math : (5th )Journal box page 19 (6th)box pages and link 1.6
Science - study the steps to the scientific method (kids should have science journals at home)

We continued our investigation of pendulums using the scientific method today. Ask your child about that! Also, ask your child about Crazy 8's!!

Homework

Due Friday

Math
5th - journal page 14 (read divisibility rules carefully at the top of the page)

6th - Link 1.3

Spelling
test tomorrow

3 activities due tomorrow

Writing
cursive sample (many of you have completed this and turned it in already)

See you tomorrow night!

Just a reminder that Curriculum Night is tomorrow from 6:30 - 8. There is an invitation in your child's home folder! Hope to see you!

Today we started reviewing/learning about the Scientific Method. We had art today and need to remember to bring paper grocery bags in to keep our work we complete during the year. IF you have extra paper grocery bags at home, can you please send them in for kids who don't have them? Thanks a bunch!

If your child signed up for the band and orchestra preview program, it begins tomorrow at 7:50a.m. It is tomorrow and the next 2 Thursdays at 7:50a.m.

Homework:
Spelling (3 activities)
Math: Link 1.3 (all on the bottom and one of the rows on the top - doing it all is not necessary)

:-)

REMEMBER!!

Tomorrow is our first LATE START DAY! You are to be here between 9 - 9:15. The morning bell will let you enter at 9:00 and the final morning bell will begin school at 9:15a.m. You should be in your seat, ready to work at 9:15. We have art tomorrow, so bring a smock if you haven't yet.

Homework for today:
math: journal page 10 (5th)/1.2 (6th)

Spelling: 3 assignments from contract (due Friday, but can be turned in when done)


Reminders:
Thursday (if you have a permission slip signed) is band "prelude" day at 7:50 a.m.

Thursday (6:30 - 8:00p.m.) is Curriculum Night. Come and learn what you need to know about what we will be studying this year.

:-)

Homework

Ok, so this is our first homework posting for the year! Hopefully, parents, you received my explanation of MY 5th grade spelling work and options. I will answer all questions at Curriculum Night Thursday (or you can email me). The kids will get it as the weeks go on, but rest assured that this plan will motivate them to do their best. Today alone, all but 5 are on the alternate list.

Today, we were introduced to an option ONLY OPEN TO 5th graders: Band and Orchestra! Let the advantages and priviliges begin!! Mr. Cappert and Mr. Ruhs introduced us to all the instruments available to the 5th graders. THe "prelude" program begins THIS THURSDAY at 7:50 a.m. Your child has a green sheet in their folder (they SHOULD!!)that you need to read, sign, and return tomorrow giving them permission to take part in this activity. THis is a time for them to try out ALL the instruments before making a decision. They can hold them, play them, talk about them, see some great videos, and then, with the help of the instructors, they can decide what (if anything) is right for them! Awesome!

HOMEWORK for 8-24
Math (5th) - Study Link 1.2
Writing - Bring things to decorate your writing folder (stickers, pictures, stencils, etc.)
"Me" bag (if you haven't shared yet)
Spelling - 3 activities (any 3 from the contract sheet or created by student) due on Friday.

I look forward to seeing you again (or meeting you for the first time) on Thursday night!

YOU FOUND IT!

Congratulations! You made it through your first couple days as a fifth grader! THat wasn't so bad, huh??

I have had such a great week with you this week! How lucky I feel! I look forward to meeting all of your parents next Thursday at Curriculum Night! I hope you have a great weekend. If you are still missing a transportation sheeet or an emergency sheet, please bring it Monday. Also, if you did not share your "Me" bag today, please try to bring it Monday. See you Monday morning!

Secret word: Ethiopia

:-)

Welcome to 5G!!

Hi everyone!
I am so excited to have you as part of our learning community. You are looking at this blog because you are part of our classroom community! You might be a student or a parent. You might be a grandparent, a friend, an aunt, or a neighbor. You are, in some way, an influence on what we are doing in our classroom. It is an important job, so please let me know if there is any information you might need (on this blog or another form of communication) in order to be an effective part of our class! There will be a lot of information shared within the next couple weeks, so check in often! Thank you for your support and I look forward to an amazingly fun year!

Our last week of school....

I can't believe it is the last week. It has been such a great year. On Monday, we will update our goal books and see the amazing progress we have made as 4th graders! Many 4G students have increased their words per minute by more than 50 over the course of this school year. Many have increased their math by more than 50 digits answered as well. AMAZING! We have a busy, but fun week planned, so check out the things going on this week over in the margin to the right! Be sure you dress for the activity. Also, for our FIELD TRIP on Friday to Naper Settlement, students need to bring a disposable lunch (which means they can throw everything away when they are done) with their name on it. We will go rain or shine, so check the weather and dress appropriately.

weekend thoughts

We sure have a lot of fun things to look forward to in the last few weeks of school. The most important thing I would like to see is everyone making the best decisions, about our work, our behavior, our attitude and energy... thinking about the way we behave and how it reflects our character. Are we being our best selves? This is the time for everyone to remember that our actions represent our thoughts, and that old adage,"If you have nothing nice to say (or do), then don't say (or do) anything at all." Be your best!

I have been very impressed with the blogging that has been going on on the Blackboard site. Remember to do at least 2 blogs per week (Friday a.m. - Friday a.m.).

4th grade math will have a test this week over our short Chapter 10. It has been fun learning about reflections, symmetry, and images. We will be learning about positives and negatives this week and, of course, reviewing many skills we have studied from past units. THank you for all the support you can get at home!

Happy Mother's Day, Moms!

Soon to be 5th graders....

Yikes! I have just been thinking this weekend about how much I have to do with my class before school is up for the year. I have to send them to 5th grade with so many skills. I know this because I taught 5th grade for a few years! One of the things I am most proud of is the fact that the strong majority of our class is on Otter Creek division facts and moving rapidly through those. Yay! Our class is so supportive and cheers the progress made by others.

I hope that we all do our very best to have a great end to the school year. I will try to keep this updates, at the very least with the upcoming announcements! Don't forget to do your 2 reading blogs a week. SOme of you are doing a great job blogging about what you are reading! I really enjoy reading the posts and the comments you are all making to each other. THey have been positive and encouraging. I hope you all are taking the time to go back to your posts and read what others are commenting on!

You are all awesome!

New blogging site

Hi everyone!
There is something new in 4G. Reading Blogs on Blackboard!
There was a letter sent home Friday about this. The letter explains what Blackboard is and how to access it from home. A new part of our reading grade will be to show that students are reading at home by writing a brief reading log (3 or more sentences) 2 times per week. If a computer is not avaiable, the logs should be written on paper. Logs or blogs are due by Friday each week. Please eplain the importance of your child keeping their ID and password private - this may be their first experience with the world of online communication and we need to approach it with safety as our first priority. Be aware that ONLY kids from 4G are able to access these reading blogs. I am able to see every entry, deletion, and comment made on each student's site. Sitting with your child to experience this would a great way to read and talk about reading together (all while setting expectations and rules about behavior). Thank you for your support. As always, email me with questions (christi_grezlik@ipsd.org). Have a great break!

Has your child told you that I write too much??

Ok, I am back in business. It has been a while since I posted. I decided even if you check this out only every once in a while, if it helps you get a better sense of what we are doing in class and connect with your child, then it is worth my time to put the information on here. If you check this site out, tell your child to come to me with the secret phrase (at the bottom of this post) and they can earn some bucks for their bank. You can just add me to your favorites for your child to check out (with your permission, of course! I will attempt to keep up on the homework listed, but want to have more information about WHAT we are doing in class as well as some links to help you help your kids. Please tell me what you might like on this site. Email me and let me know. Thank you!

Did your child tell you that we have been practice some test taking skills for ISATs that are comingup in a couple of weeks? We have been practicing test taking and reading skills, reading lots of science related materials, as well as writing practice and math practice. It is really helpful to allow kids practice time so they are more comfortable with the test taking procedure. With the advent of No CHild Left Behind, District 204 expects us to see that all students are given the opportunity for success. I want all kids to feel confident in their abilities. In the coming weeks, please check this site for some links to practice some ISAT questions with your child. It really allows you to feel what your kids have to go through. Telling your child how much you believe in them and getting them lots of sleep and staying healthy makes a huge difference!