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??)


:-)