MUSIC PROGRAM
The fifth grade music program will be presented this Thursday night (Dec. 3rd) at 6:30. Students will need to report at 6:15 to their classrooms. They should wear nice school clothes or be dressed as their character.
"MAP" TESTING
We started our Reading portion of the Measure of Academic Progress testing for the winter season this last Tuesday. Students set goals for themselves based on their two most recent MAP tests from the end of fourth grade and the beginning of this schoolyear, and many students surpassed them. We will take the Math portion this coming Tuesday, December 7th. Please make sure your kiddo is well rested and has eaten a good breakfast.
WRITING
We are starting a holiday memories narrative tomorrow. They will select any holiday they like and describe a memory using the five W's and the five senses to paint a picture for the reader. With going through the steps of the writing process, we hope to complete this before winter break.
READING
The kiddos are about half way through their Fantasy/Science Fiction novels. These also will be completed just before the winter break. Please check with your child to see if they are getting their novel response notecards completed to hand in every Monday and Wednesday! Also, help your kid's class win the star for the week by having the most weekly charts completed and signed each Monday. The class with the most stars at the end of the trimester gets a special treat! (I hope Mrs. Hegeman will be so nice as to help me again! :)
HELP
We would love your help. Fifth graders use TONS of notecards to respond to their novels. If you are ever able to pick up a few extra packs of white, lined index cards while you are out shopping for the fifth grade class to use we would appreciate it!
MOSES IS HERE
Mrs. Minor gave birth to a healthy baby boy this Tuesday morning! They are naming him Moses Christopher Minor. Way to go, Chris and Jessica Minor!
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Monday, November 16, 2009
Field Trip Tomorrow!
Science City
Please remember to arrive at school tomorrow at 8 o'clock for the field trip. Bring a disposable lunch and drink with your child's name on it. Do not bring a backpack or any electronic devices along. The bus ride is fairly short to KC, and a book is okay if your child would prefer something to do. If you must bring a cell phone to school, it will be locked in the principal's office while we are gone.
Reading
With the recent interruptions to our regular reading schedule we did not have a novel response notecard due today. There will be one due on Wednesday though, followed by a quiz over chapters 3-4 for City of Ember, or chapters 3-5 for Tuck Everlasting. Hegeman's class and King's class tied for having the highest number of weekly charts handed in this week. Please remember to make sure your child has completely filled out their weekly chart before you sign it at the top!
Writing
We started a new project today based on teaching both persuasive writing and proper dialogue use. Kids are expected to chose a topic to have two characters debate over, and then make a pros/cons prewriting chart as I modeled in class to hand in on Wednesday morning. I wanted to pick a topic that the students wouldn't chose, so my example ended up being toddlers vs. pets. In the rough draft that I modeled today, I had two characters debating whether it was "better" to have kids or pets. Since we don't have writing on Wednesdays, we will write our rough drafts on Thursday, and self edit and revise them on Friday while keeping in mind the rubrics that they will be graded by.
Science Test
The field trip tomorrow was selected to support what the kids have been learning in science class about levers and pulleys. A science test is scheduled for next Monday 11/23.
Math/Mrs.Minor/Maternity Leave
Mrs. Minor expects to begin her maternity leave shortly after Thanksgiving. We are fortunate to have two mathematicians stepping in to fill her shoes while she is out. Her substitute has taught math before, and Mr. Koerner, who has been co-teaching reading with me, will move to math now for most of the 2nd trimester. Dale Koerner taught 5th grade math at Langston Hughes just last year!
Index cards
The supply of notecards that I began the year with looked as if it would last us the entire year. I guess I didn't think about how we go through 180 on an average week! If you happen to have a stash of indexcards/notecards gathering dust, please donate them to the fifth grade class.
Thanks for reading another post about your fifth grader's class. Please do not hesitate to send email me if you have any questions or comments about what is going on . Also, don't forget to read the other two teacher's posts. There is a link to the right to see their blogs.
Please remember to arrive at school tomorrow at 8 o'clock for the field trip. Bring a disposable lunch and drink with your child's name on it. Do not bring a backpack or any electronic devices along. The bus ride is fairly short to KC, and a book is okay if your child would prefer something to do. If you must bring a cell phone to school, it will be locked in the principal's office while we are gone.
Reading
With the recent interruptions to our regular reading schedule we did not have a novel response notecard due today. There will be one due on Wednesday though, followed by a quiz over chapters 3-4 for City of Ember, or chapters 3-5 for Tuck Everlasting. Hegeman's class and King's class tied for having the highest number of weekly charts handed in this week. Please remember to make sure your child has completely filled out their weekly chart before you sign it at the top!
Writing
We started a new project today based on teaching both persuasive writing and proper dialogue use. Kids are expected to chose a topic to have two characters debate over, and then make a pros/cons prewriting chart as I modeled in class to hand in on Wednesday morning. I wanted to pick a topic that the students wouldn't chose, so my example ended up being toddlers vs. pets. In the rough draft that I modeled today, I had two characters debating whether it was "better" to have kids or pets. Since we don't have writing on Wednesdays, we will write our rough drafts on Thursday, and self edit and revise them on Friday while keeping in mind the rubrics that they will be graded by.
Science Test
The field trip tomorrow was selected to support what the kids have been learning in science class about levers and pulleys. A science test is scheduled for next Monday 11/23.
Math/Mrs.Minor/Maternity Leave
Mrs. Minor expects to begin her maternity leave shortly after Thanksgiving. We are fortunate to have two mathematicians stepping in to fill her shoes while she is out. Her substitute has taught math before, and Mr. Koerner, who has been co-teaching reading with me, will move to math now for most of the 2nd trimester. Dale Koerner taught 5th grade math at Langston Hughes just last year!
Index cards
The supply of notecards that I began the year with looked as if it would last us the entire year. I guess I didn't think about how we go through 180 on an average week! If you happen to have a stash of indexcards/notecards gathering dust, please donate them to the fifth grade class.
Thanks for reading another post about your fifth grader's class. Please do not hesitate to send email me if you have any questions or comments about what is going on . Also, don't forget to read the other two teacher's posts. There is a link to the right to see their blogs.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wed. 10/28 "It's Been Awhile!"
Parent-Teacher Conferences
I can't believe we are almost to the end of the first trimester. Conferences are held this year on Wednesday, November 11th after school, and all day Thursday the 12th. I sent notes home today to remind you about the time you signed up for (or were selected for if you did not sign up.) Please sign these tonight and send them back with your son or daughter tomorrow.
Halloween Party
This Friday we will be celebrating silly and spooky costumes throughout the school. We have recess from 2:oo to 2:15, then we will have fifteen minutes to pull on out costumes before the school parade. The parade starts with the primary grades and weaves its way through the school, adding grades as it passes them, and will eventually end up outside on the blacktop (if the weather cooperates.) It lasts from 2:30 to about 2:45. Then we will go back to our classroom for some fun and treats until we pack up to go at 3:30.
Volunteers
Thanks to all the parents who volunteered for the two upcoming field trips! The first four parents to offer to chaperone for the November 17th trip to Science City were Mandy Yoder, Colleen Evans, Mary Beth Warinner, and Machaela Edmonds. Our trip to Allen Field house on January 12th to see the Lady Jayhawks will be a fun one too. Thanks to Jennifer Culbertson, Mandy Yoder, Shyla Strathman, Colleen Evans, and Rodney Eklund for quickly offering to come along and help keep kids safe. I will send out more info on these trips later.
Reading
It was so exciting to watch the kids intently devouring the conclusions of their mystery/suspense novels today. I love introducing students to great books! Next week we will have a fun review project for an independent book of each students choice that they have read this trimester and are eager to share out with peers. Then the following Monday, we will begin to explore the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre of reading with the books "Tuck Everlasting" and "City of Ember."
Writing
We have been working on some writing skills this week such as run-on sentences, and punctuation and capitalization when using dialogue. When reading with kids at home, please point out these rules to support what we have been discussing in class.
Congratulations
We are very excited to have one of our own fifth grader's story selected to be in the LJWorld this year, for the Spooky Story Contest. Way to go, Sabrea Platz!
Questions? Comments? Send me an e-mail and I will get back with you as soon as I can.
I can't believe we are almost to the end of the first trimester. Conferences are held this year on Wednesday, November 11th after school, and all day Thursday the 12th. I sent notes home today to remind you about the time you signed up for (or were selected for if you did not sign up.) Please sign these tonight and send them back with your son or daughter tomorrow.
Halloween Party
This Friday we will be celebrating silly and spooky costumes throughout the school. We have recess from 2:oo to 2:15, then we will have fifteen minutes to pull on out costumes before the school parade. The parade starts with the primary grades and weaves its way through the school, adding grades as it passes them, and will eventually end up outside on the blacktop (if the weather cooperates.) It lasts from 2:30 to about 2:45. Then we will go back to our classroom for some fun and treats until we pack up to go at 3:30.
Volunteers
Thanks to all the parents who volunteered for the two upcoming field trips! The first four parents to offer to chaperone for the November 17th trip to Science City were Mandy Yoder, Colleen Evans, Mary Beth Warinner, and Machaela Edmonds. Our trip to Allen Field house on January 12th to see the Lady Jayhawks will be a fun one too. Thanks to Jennifer Culbertson, Mandy Yoder, Shyla Strathman, Colleen Evans, and Rodney Eklund for quickly offering to come along and help keep kids safe. I will send out more info on these trips later.
Reading
It was so exciting to watch the kids intently devouring the conclusions of their mystery/suspense novels today. I love introducing students to great books! Next week we will have a fun review project for an independent book of each students choice that they have read this trimester and are eager to share out with peers. Then the following Monday, we will begin to explore the Fantasy/Sci-Fi genre of reading with the books "Tuck Everlasting" and "City of Ember."
Writing
We have been working on some writing skills this week such as run-on sentences, and punctuation and capitalization when using dialogue. When reading with kids at home, please point out these rules to support what we have been discussing in class.
Congratulations
We are very excited to have one of our own fifth grader's story selected to be in the LJWorld this year, for the Spooky Story Contest. Way to go, Sabrea Platz!
Questions? Comments? Send me an e-mail and I will get back with you as soon as I can.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
WED. 10/14/09
Writing
We are finishing up our mystery writing pieces this week. Some kids have opted to apply for the Lawrence Journal World's scary story competition as well. To participate, students are required to start their story with a specific sentence and have their final drafts due on Friday morning via e-mail, as opposed to Monday morning. We will be typing on Thursday and Friday. Kids participating in the Journal World competition will probably need to take their flash drives home and finish typing on Thursday night.
Reading
The students are about half way through their mystery/suspense novels now. A few are having a hard time getting used to our recently modified schedule with the addition of our part time teacher, Dale Koerner. Reading response notecards are due, and novel comprehension quizzes are taken, every Monday and Wednesday now. The weekly charts are still due every Monday. I am very excited by the continually increasing number of charts being returned every new week. In one class last week EVERY SINGLE KID brought theirs in! Yahoo!
KU B-Ball Game
We are going to go see the Lady Jayhawks play on Tuesday, January 12th. Tip off is at 11 in the morning, but we will be leaving awhile before then as it will take awhile to get all the students in and seated. I need five parents to volunteer to help chaperone our class. First come first serve! Lunch and T-shirts will be provided for all kids and chaperones. Don't forget to tell me your size if you are volunteering to come along.
Don't Forget to See the Other Two Blogs!
Kathy King and Jessica Minor have great, informative blogs. Please check their blogs on a regular basis as well. You will find links to their blogs on the right hand side of this page.
We are finishing up our mystery writing pieces this week. Some kids have opted to apply for the Lawrence Journal World's scary story competition as well. To participate, students are required to start their story with a specific sentence and have their final drafts due on Friday morning via e-mail, as opposed to Monday morning. We will be typing on Thursday and Friday. Kids participating in the Journal World competition will probably need to take their flash drives home and finish typing on Thursday night.
Reading
The students are about half way through their mystery/suspense novels now. A few are having a hard time getting used to our recently modified schedule with the addition of our part time teacher, Dale Koerner. Reading response notecards are due, and novel comprehension quizzes are taken, every Monday and Wednesday now. The weekly charts are still due every Monday. I am very excited by the continually increasing number of charts being returned every new week. In one class last week EVERY SINGLE KID brought theirs in! Yahoo!
KU B-Ball Game
We are going to go see the Lady Jayhawks play on Tuesday, January 12th. Tip off is at 11 in the morning, but we will be leaving awhile before then as it will take awhile to get all the students in and seated. I need five parents to volunteer to help chaperone our class. First come first serve! Lunch and T-shirts will be provided for all kids and chaperones. Don't forget to tell me your size if you are volunteering to come along.
Don't Forget to See the Other Two Blogs!
Kathy King and Jessica Minor have great, informative blogs. Please check their blogs on a regular basis as well. You will find links to their blogs on the right hand side of this page.
Monday, September 28, 2009
Party on Wednesday!
The class voted to have a campfire themed read and relax party on Wednesday that will begin with some tasty s'mores. Kids requested to bring a pillow or a stuffed animal to relax with. If anyone has the fixin's to make a fake campfire, let me know!
New Teacher
Dale Koerner has returned! Staff and students are delighted to have Dale joining us as a half time teacher. He will work partial days from Monday through Thursday. He spent his first day today travelling with a class of students and observing how we have been doing things thus far. We are still designing our new schedule and should be implementing it within a week.
Reading
We started our new mystery-suspense novels today. I am excited to see if the students love the books as much as I do. Homework note cards are due on Thursday and we will have our first quiz then too.
Writing
Students are practicing using the writing process on their personification pieces. We are going over the differences between edits (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar) and revisions (adding, reordering, or deleting words or sentences to improve fluency or meaning).
The class voted to have a campfire themed read and relax party on Wednesday that will begin with some tasty s'mores. Kids requested to bring a pillow or a stuffed animal to relax with. If anyone has the fixin's to make a fake campfire, let me know!
New Teacher
Dale Koerner has returned! Staff and students are delighted to have Dale joining us as a half time teacher. He will work partial days from Monday through Thursday. He spent his first day today travelling with a class of students and observing how we have been doing things thus far. We are still designing our new schedule and should be implementing it within a week.
Reading
We started our new mystery-suspense novels today. I am excited to see if the students love the books as much as I do. Homework note cards are due on Thursday and we will have our first quiz then too.
Writing
Students are practicing using the writing process on their personification pieces. We are going over the differences between edits (capitalization, punctuation, spelling, grammar) and revisions (adding, reordering, or deleting words or sentences to improve fluency or meaning).
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Thursday 9/24
New Help
I was given word today that our hunt for a half time teacher is over. I am told that Dale Koerner will be coming out of retirement to rejoin our fifth grade team starting Monday! Dale is an outstanding educator and we feel very lucky to have him helping us out.
Reading
We start our Mystery/Suspense novels on Monday also. Both books are fantastic and are sure to stir the wonderment in any fifth grader. There will be plenty of books this time - enough for everyone even if a few kiddos forget to return a book they check-out from the classroom. (Books can be taken home on Tuesday and Friday nights with the understanding that they will be returned the following day.)
Writing
Students are now on thier culminating project for personification. They are asked to show an understanding of this type of figurative language in a piece called "A Day in the Life of ______", in which they describe the day of something non-human using personification. Their rough draft for this is due on Monday morning.
I was given word today that our hunt for a half time teacher is over. I am told that Dale Koerner will be coming out of retirement to rejoin our fifth grade team starting Monday! Dale is an outstanding educator and we feel very lucky to have him helping us out.
Reading
We start our Mystery/Suspense novels on Monday also. Both books are fantastic and are sure to stir the wonderment in any fifth grader. There will be plenty of books this time - enough for everyone even if a few kiddos forget to return a book they check-out from the classroom. (Books can be taken home on Tuesday and Friday nights with the understanding that they will be returned the following day.)
Writing
Students are now on thier culminating project for personification. They are asked to show an understanding of this type of figurative language in a piece called "A Day in the Life of ______", in which they describe the day of something non-human using personification. Their rough draft for this is due on Monday morning.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
After some counseling from the tech-wise, Mrs. Minor, during collaboration today, I am finally off and running with this blog thing. I hope you find these posts informative. Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns and I will get back to you as soon I can catch my breath and go through my messages!
Reading
In about a week and a half we will be finishing our author study of Andrew Clements. After a few days of reviewing the two novels we studied, we will begin a new genre - Mystery/Suspense. With Autumn in the air it seems appropriate to explore some great stories with a touch of chill. Peppermints in the Parlor and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler will be our next featured novels. Students will continue to be responsible for studying the book as scheduled, responding to in on a note card that should be handed in every Monday and Thursday, and taking a brief quiz on those days as well. When students are not reading and responding to the assigned novel readings, they are practicing reading non-fiction magazines, or meeting with me in a small guided reading group to practice skills and strategies. If all else is done, kids are encouraged to work towards (or beyond) their independent reading goals, and record the details on their weekly charts.
Don't Forget...
*Students interested in running for Student Council will be giving a brief speech to their classmates on Friday
*the Sally Foster school-wide fundraiser begins this Friday
*Please look over your child's weekly chart for reading every weekend and sign it (IF it is completely filled out)
Reading
In about a week and a half we will be finishing our author study of Andrew Clements. After a few days of reviewing the two novels we studied, we will begin a new genre - Mystery/Suspense. With Autumn in the air it seems appropriate to explore some great stories with a touch of chill. Peppermints in the Parlor and From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler will be our next featured novels. Students will continue to be responsible for studying the book as scheduled, responding to in on a note card that should be handed in every Monday and Thursday, and taking a brief quiz on those days as well. When students are not reading and responding to the assigned novel readings, they are practicing reading non-fiction magazines, or meeting with me in a small guided reading group to practice skills and strategies. If all else is done, kids are encouraged to work towards (or beyond) their independent reading goals, and record the details on their weekly charts.
Don't Forget...
*Students interested in running for Student Council will be giving a brief speech to their classmates on Friday
*the Sally Foster school-wide fundraiser begins this Friday
*Please look over your child's weekly chart for reading every weekend and sign it (IF it is completely filled out)
Monday, August 3, 2009
First Blog
Hello to you. This is my first blog! I am so excited to teach fifth grade this year! The year is almost started. Here we go...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
