Hello,
Okay, I am going to give this blog thing a go again! I will try my best to send out some info on what is going on every now and then. For immediate information on daily activities please check over your child's planner. If they are filling it out as I have practiced with them there should be something written in every category. If there is homework due the next day they should also have a circled "H." If they already completed the assignment and handed it in there should be a line drawn through the circled "H." If there is some work needed to have been done, but it will NOT be handed in first thing the morning, there should be a star. That is the quick and dirty on our planners. Feel free to send me a note or an email if you have any questions about this. Although I do not require my students to have their planner signed by you, I do require them to fill them out and give them time to fill it out at the end of every day. Of course, you can require that it be brought home daily as part of your own expectations.
READING
We are approaching the halfway point of our sci-fi novels. The kids are doing a great job of creating thoughtful response note cards twice a week to share in their literature circles. Most of us are remembering to have our weekly charts completed and signed over the weekends. Thanks with your help on these things. I think the weekly chart is useful for helping your child with organization, practice summarizing, reflection, and I mean for it to be a communication tool for YOU to know what your kiddo is doing too.
MATH
The past week, since the Ch. 1 test, we have been getting into pre-algebra. This has been exciting for some and overwhelming for others. You are free to help out your child with math homework. There are lots of resources from the textbook to help out. Let me know if you are looking for ways to help your child understand their work after arriving home.
SOCIAL STUDIES
We just recieved our first tests back today to bring home. Students who scored below a 70% have a note stapled to their test. I require a signature on these and offer the opportunity to make corrections for a little extra credit. We will be studying Mesopotamia next. A few days before the test, we will have 6 more students selected as posterboard makers.
PARENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES
The sign up sheet for conferences were not up yet when 6th grade had Parent Night. I have the sign up sheet hanging up outside of my door now. Please come by and select a time that works for you or email me your preferences about specific days/times and we can get one set up.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING EVENTS
Wed. Sept. 8th - MATH MAP TESTING!!!! Your child doesnt need to prepare for these test, but please send them to school well rested and with a great breakfast!
The year is starting off great! Please feel free to contact me anytime with thoughts/questions via email.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
MAY IS HERE (and the kids know it!)
Reading - We are about 3/4 the way through our final novels of the year. The kids are enjoying the adventure themes and the survival-on-an-island settings. We will take our final quiz for the novels on Monday, May 17th. Then we will reflect on the genre and the class throughout the school year and switch classes for the last time that Thursday, May 20th. I can't believe the end of the year is so close!
Writing - Our huge research project is concluded and I have returned the folders with scores on their final drafts. I had each student make a three part chart, categorizing how they feel they did on fifteen different aspects of the project. Some of the parts I graded and wrote notes to them about, while others, like their introduction paragraphs, the kids simply followed their intuition in categorizing them. We still have a final poetry project and a letter to YOU that I hope to get to before the year concludes. I can't believe the end of the year is so close!
Band and Orchestra - Starting next week and running through the 21st, the fifth graders will be getting an instrument appetizer before sixth grade band and orchestra begin. This will allow the instructors to have more time next year to practice since the preparations and instrument introductions will be done at the end of THIS year.
Class Point Party - After we reached our fifty class points last week, we compiled a list of ideas for what to do. A vote left "Mystery Court" the winner. I am still trying to figure out what a mystery court is though! It was Jaida Weavers proposal, so I hope to talk with her more and we will hope to have court in session early next week.
Various Dates You Might Want to Put on Your Calendar - I have to put these down here (as opposed to on the calender above) because I cannot get that crazy thing to work like I want it to. Oh well, here they are: Human Development Lesson tomorrow; Talent show Auditions - Mon/Tues, May 10&11; Net Smart lesson with the head of Boys and Girls Club - Friday, May 14th; Lunch in the classroom - Tuesday, 5/18; Field Day & Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? Game - Fri. 5/21; Yearbook Signing & Talent Show- Mon. 5/24; Blue and Silver & Last Day!- Tues. 5/25
Teacher Appreciation Week - I wanted to thank everyone for the nice flowers that are now decorating my classroom and house! I feel very fortunate to have such a kind and thoughtful class. Thanks again.
Please feel free to send me any questions or concerns. I would love to talk with you. Also, please check the other 5th grade teacher's blogs. I imagine they have been more regular about their blogging! I try to do this when I have free time. There just doesn't seem to be much of it at Langston or at home lately.
Writing - Our huge research project is concluded and I have returned the folders with scores on their final drafts. I had each student make a three part chart, categorizing how they feel they did on fifteen different aspects of the project. Some of the parts I graded and wrote notes to them about, while others, like their introduction paragraphs, the kids simply followed their intuition in categorizing them. We still have a final poetry project and a letter to YOU that I hope to get to before the year concludes. I can't believe the end of the year is so close!
Band and Orchestra - Starting next week and running through the 21st, the fifth graders will be getting an instrument appetizer before sixth grade band and orchestra begin. This will allow the instructors to have more time next year to practice since the preparations and instrument introductions will be done at the end of THIS year.
Class Point Party - After we reached our fifty class points last week, we compiled a list of ideas for what to do. A vote left "Mystery Court" the winner. I am still trying to figure out what a mystery court is though! It was Jaida Weavers proposal, so I hope to talk with her more and we will hope to have court in session early next week.
Various Dates You Might Want to Put on Your Calendar - I have to put these down here (as opposed to on the calender above) because I cannot get that crazy thing to work like I want it to. Oh well, here they are: Human Development Lesson tomorrow; Talent show Auditions - Mon/Tues, May 10&11; Net Smart lesson with the head of Boys and Girls Club - Friday, May 14th; Lunch in the classroom - Tuesday, 5/18; Field Day & Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? Game - Fri. 5/21; Yearbook Signing & Talent Show- Mon. 5/24; Blue and Silver & Last Day!- Tues. 5/25
Teacher Appreciation Week - I wanted to thank everyone for the nice flowers that are now decorating my classroom and house! I feel very fortunate to have such a kind and thoughtful class. Thanks again.
Please feel free to send me any questions or concerns. I would love to talk with you. Also, please check the other 5th grade teacher's blogs. I imagine they have been more regular about their blogging! I try to do this when I have free time. There just doesn't seem to be much of it at Langston or at home lately.
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
March 31, 2010
Yikes! It's been a long spell since I have been able to find time to do one of these. I will try to keep you all up to date with what your kids are doing in fifth grade.
State Testing: We have our final reading test tomorrow. We will have math testing Mon/Tues/Thrs next week. Thanks for making sure your child is well rested on these days!
Reading: We are getting to the end of our Historical Fiction novels. On Monday we will have our ninth literature circle, and then on Wednesday (4/7) we will have our last peer meeting after finishing our books. After completing the novels, the kids will hand in the ten journal entries they have collected, and their ten rubrics they have filled out grading themselves on their literature circle participation. These together will become their fiction grade so far this trimester. Action/adventure novels start on April 12th. Students will be either reading The Cay or Island of the Blue Dolphins. They will be fun books to conclude the year with.
Writing: We are currently taking notes on our research project. They should have between 40 and 100 facts on their topic, organized onto note cards based on which of their questions it answers. Next week we will start creating outlines. A tentative due date for the outlines is Thursday, April 8th. Things are going great with our research project. Feel free to go over your child's work with them, however, please keep it their work.
Don't forget to check the other teacher's blogs and email me if you have any questions about anything. I love working with your kids! I cannot believe how quickly we are coming up on the end of the year.
State Testing: We have our final reading test tomorrow. We will have math testing Mon/Tues/Thrs next week. Thanks for making sure your child is well rested on these days!
Reading: We are getting to the end of our Historical Fiction novels. On Monday we will have our ninth literature circle, and then on Wednesday (4/7) we will have our last peer meeting after finishing our books. After completing the novels, the kids will hand in the ten journal entries they have collected, and their ten rubrics they have filled out grading themselves on their literature circle participation. These together will become their fiction grade so far this trimester. Action/adventure novels start on April 12th. Students will be either reading The Cay or Island of the Blue Dolphins. They will be fun books to conclude the year with.
Writing: We are currently taking notes on our research project. They should have between 40 and 100 facts on their topic, organized onto note cards based on which of their questions it answers. Next week we will start creating outlines. A tentative due date for the outlines is Thursday, April 8th. Things are going great with our research project. Feel free to go over your child's work with them, however, please keep it their work.
Don't forget to check the other teacher's blogs and email me if you have any questions about anything. I love working with your kids! I cannot believe how quickly we are coming up on the end of the year.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
TFK envelopes PLEASE!
HELP! - First off, I am sending a plea for more TFK address envelopes to find their way back to school tomorrow! For each packet with seven addresses that comes back to us, our school gets two year-long subscriptions for Time For Kids. It comes every week and kids really love the glossy pictures and the up-to-date news. If you still have one of those yellow and red booklets at home, please fill it out and send it back for kids at Langston tomorrow.
READING - This week Dale and I have been excitedly training the kids in literature circles, which will be the model for how we share our upcoming historical fiction novels. There are six different "jobs" which each analyze the latest reading from a different angle. Kids rotate to a different job with each new reading. Today we showcased what a literature circle will look, feel, and sound like. Next week we'll start Number the Stars and Witch of Blackbird Pond. A three quarter page journal entry will be due each Monday and Wednesday while we read these books. There will be no more notecard responses or quizzes though. I hope the kids will be honest in how they assess themselves with this novel!
WRITING - We have almost entirely completed our persuasive letters to a person of authority. Starting after conferences we will delve into poetry. You might help support the curricullum at home by pointing out similies, metaphors, alliterations, and use of imagery, onomatopiea, etc. if you are reading with them. We plan to start reseach papers after Spring Break.
MATH - Tests went back with kids today. Some kids were to correct theirs. Everyone has to have them signed tonight and brought back.
STATE TESTING - We do our reading part March 29th through April 1st (no joking). The math section is from April 5th through April 8th. Testing will happen just after lunch during those two weeks from Monday to Thursday. (Friday is for make up testing.)
OTHER BLOGS - Please check the Mrs. King and Mrs. Minor's blogs to see more about what is going on in their classrooms.
KIDS AT CONFERENCES - If you feel comfortable, I would love it if you brought your 5th grader to our conference next week. Since this meeting is really about how they are doing as a student, I think it is great for them to be there to hear our thoughts.
Send me a message if you have a question or a comment. I'd like to hear from you and I will respond back as soon as I can. See you all at conferences next week on Wednesday and Thursday!
READING - This week Dale and I have been excitedly training the kids in literature circles, which will be the model for how we share our upcoming historical fiction novels. There are six different "jobs" which each analyze the latest reading from a different angle. Kids rotate to a different job with each new reading. Today we showcased what a literature circle will look, feel, and sound like. Next week we'll start Number the Stars and Witch of Blackbird Pond. A three quarter page journal entry will be due each Monday and Wednesday while we read these books. There will be no more notecard responses or quizzes though. I hope the kids will be honest in how they assess themselves with this novel!
WRITING - We have almost entirely completed our persuasive letters to a person of authority. Starting after conferences we will delve into poetry. You might help support the curricullum at home by pointing out similies, metaphors, alliterations, and use of imagery, onomatopiea, etc. if you are reading with them. We plan to start reseach papers after Spring Break.
MATH - Tests went back with kids today. Some kids were to correct theirs. Everyone has to have them signed tonight and brought back.
STATE TESTING - We do our reading part March 29th through April 1st (no joking). The math section is from April 5th through April 8th. Testing will happen just after lunch during those two weeks from Monday to Thursday. (Friday is for make up testing.)
OTHER BLOGS - Please check the Mrs. King and Mrs. Minor's blogs to see more about what is going on in their classrooms.
KIDS AT CONFERENCES - If you feel comfortable, I would love it if you brought your 5th grader to our conference next week. Since this meeting is really about how they are doing as a student, I think it is great for them to be there to hear our thoughts.
Send me a message if you have a question or a comment. I'd like to hear from you and I will respond back as soon as I can. See you all at conferences next week on Wednesday and Thursday!
Thursday, February 4, 2010
TWO QUICK NOTES!
1. Conference reminder notes were sent home with your kiddos yesterday and I would like to have all of them back before the weekend. Please sign and return the note tomorrow morning, if you haven't already, letting me know if the time you came in the Spring will work again on the 24th and 25th of this month.
2. Our class won a pizza party from the Sally Foster sales. We will be having the party for lunch this coming Wednesday, the 10th. There will be two free slices of pizza for everyone. Your child is welcome to bring a bit more lunch if they like. Also, I'm asking the kids to bring a drink with their name marked clearly on it in the morning. I will put these in the fridge until lunch.
As always, let me know if you have any thoughts or questions!
2. Our class won a pizza party from the Sally Foster sales. We will be having the party for lunch this coming Wednesday, the 10th. There will be two free slices of pizza for everyone. Your child is welcome to bring a bit more lunch if they like. Also, I'm asking the kids to bring a drink with their name marked clearly on it in the morning. I will put these in the fridge until lunch.
As always, let me know if you have any thoughts or questions!
Thursday, January 28, 2010
We are about halfway through our Realistic Fiction novels. I have being forced to come up with alternatives to our weekly schedule with all the irregular weeks recently, but the kids are not too upset since they are getting extra vacation! Next week will be more of the same with a district professional development day on Monday. The extra credit I told the students about almost two weeks ago must be in by Tuesday, February 2nd – the day they return from their three day weekend. I have reminded each class of the various projects that they can complete to boost their grade and offered a print out with the specifics to anyone interested. I still have several extra sheets.
Writing
We are currently working on technical writing. The project focuses on writing down sequenced directions (for a pet, younger sibling…or an alien) on how to get from their home to Langston Hughes. We went over what makes technical writing what it is, and I showed the class the rubric that they will be scored on. Tomorrow I will show them my own final draft for an example, accompanied by a hand drawn map. Final drafts and their illustrated counterparts are due on Friday. We will share our projects with our second grade book buddies, who will be coming down to our class on Friday.
Science
Excellent job on your science fair presentations and functional robotic inventions! I loved seeing all the creative work that the kids were so proud to share.
Math
Mrs. Minor is back. Yahoo!
Family Health FYI
About two weeks back my family was slapped with a pretty terrible cold, which eventually turned into “Baby Bronchitis” in our five month old, Abel. Both kids were a coughing mess, and were in and out of fevers, which forced Mrs. Hegeman and I to take turns staying home for over a week. Thanks to some good substitute teachers, and a helpful and well behaved group of kids, I believe things in the classroom stayed pretty smooth while I was in and out of attendance. Kudos to my wonderful class!
State Testing
Monday, January 4, 2010
MONDAY, January the 4th
READING
Today we started new book clubs! We will be studying the Realistic Fiction genre as we read "Holes" and "Bridge to Terabithia" for about the next five weeks. Both books are award winning and wonderful. In fact, I have discovered that several students had already read one of the two, and a few kiddos have already read both! I reminded them that rereading has been shown to strengthen fluency and comprehension, and there will be scores of interesting details they will be sure to uncover as they study it this year.
As it is just past the middle of the second trimester, I am organizing things so that current reading grades will be coming home by the end of the week. Please talk to your child about their scores and your expectations, and sign and return the sheet by Monday, the 11th.
WRITING
This week we are beginning a short three paragraph paper about a special gift that kids have received. The goal is to differentiate between the following three types of writing - narrative, descriptive, and persuasive. They will include one paragraph of each, take it through the writing process, and then read them aloud for their peers to guess which is which.
GEOGRAPHY BEE
The preliminary rounds of the Geography Bee will be held tomorrow in the fifth grade. Students with standout knowledge of geography will move on to represent their grade in an upcoming bee between other students in the fourth and sixth grade.
SPELLING BEE
We are also preparing for a Spelling Bee this week. On Thursday, each fifth grade class will hold a competition in their own classroom to select eight class representatives. This will be followed by a grade competition in the pod to select which three students (I believe) will be representing the grade in the school wide competition on Thursday, January 14th. You are welcome to attend the school Bee!
LHTV
Mrs. Fredrickson, the librarian and media specialist at LHES, visited our classroom today to talk about LHTV. If you don't know, LHTV is the student run, morning announcements which are projected onto screens throughout the building each day. We are the only elementary school in the district to have this fantastic resource! Fifth graders will soon be able to partake in its production. I will be handing out applications for the various jobs in the crew later this week, and these applications should be filled out and signed by you by Monday, January 11th if they wish to a part of this.
FIELD TRIP NEXT TUESDAY!
We will be spending a few hours in Allen Fieldhouse next Tuesday, the 12th, watching the Lady Jayhawks stomp on their opponents (hopefully). Every child will be given a T-shirt and a sack lunch. Thanks again to the five parents that will be coming with us: Jennifer Culbertson, Mandy Yoder, Shyla Strathman, Colleen Evans, and Rodney Eklund. Each parent will also get a T-shirt, and will be responsible for keeping an eye on a group of five kids from our class. The game is set to tip-off at 11 o'clock. I will get back to you about when to show up at school on Tuesday to board the buses with us.
Today we started new book clubs! We will be studying the Realistic Fiction genre as we read "Holes" and "Bridge to Terabithia" for about the next five weeks. Both books are award winning and wonderful. In fact, I have discovered that several students had already read one of the two, and a few kiddos have already read both! I reminded them that rereading has been shown to strengthen fluency and comprehension, and there will be scores of interesting details they will be sure to uncover as they study it this year.
As it is just past the middle of the second trimester, I am organizing things so that current reading grades will be coming home by the end of the week. Please talk to your child about their scores and your expectations, and sign and return the sheet by Monday, the 11th.
WRITING
This week we are beginning a short three paragraph paper about a special gift that kids have received. The goal is to differentiate between the following three types of writing - narrative, descriptive, and persuasive. They will include one paragraph of each, take it through the writing process, and then read them aloud for their peers to guess which is which.
GEOGRAPHY BEE
The preliminary rounds of the Geography Bee will be held tomorrow in the fifth grade. Students with standout knowledge of geography will move on to represent their grade in an upcoming bee between other students in the fourth and sixth grade.
SPELLING BEE
We are also preparing for a Spelling Bee this week. On Thursday, each fifth grade class will hold a competition in their own classroom to select eight class representatives. This will be followed by a grade competition in the pod to select which three students (I believe) will be representing the grade in the school wide competition on Thursday, January 14th. You are welcome to attend the school Bee!
LHTV
Mrs. Fredrickson, the librarian and media specialist at LHES, visited our classroom today to talk about LHTV. If you don't know, LHTV is the student run, morning announcements which are projected onto screens throughout the building each day. We are the only elementary school in the district to have this fantastic resource! Fifth graders will soon be able to partake in its production. I will be handing out applications for the various jobs in the crew later this week, and these applications should be filled out and signed by you by Monday, January 11th if they wish to a part of this.
FIELD TRIP NEXT TUESDAY!
We will be spending a few hours in Allen Fieldhouse next Tuesday, the 12th, watching the Lady Jayhawks stomp on their opponents (hopefully). Every child will be given a T-shirt and a sack lunch. Thanks again to the five parents that will be coming with us: Jennifer Culbertson, Mandy Yoder, Shyla Strathman, Colleen Evans, and Rodney Eklund. Each parent will also get a T-shirt, and will be responsible for keeping an eye on a group of five kids from our class. The game is set to tip-off at 11 o'clock. I will get back to you about when to show up at school on Tuesday to board the buses with us.
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