Monday, April 30, 2012
Friday, April 27, 2012
Newsletter April 27, 2012
Math – We started unit 11
this week and it is a very short unit reviewing geometric solids as well as volume.
So far the test is scheduled for May 10th. This unit highlights many concepts that were
introduced both in 4th grade as well as earlier in the year.
Social Studies – We
wrapped up the timeline of the Revolutionary War. Poor Nathanael Greene who died of sunstroke
after refusing the post of Secretary of War.
I love seeing how the students’ overall knowledge of American history is
really playing into their discussions and inferences. Well done!
The final chapter of the year focuses on our Constitution and government.
Science – We continue
to observe our terrariums and the students have become quite adept at fixing any
small issues that may arise. Today we also
get to explore what happens when you overwater your plants. We are also working on our biome projects where
the students have to research and present their biome to the rest of the class
in some way. Many creative ideas have been
floating around the room.
Reading – The biography project is moving along smoothly
with a lot of time dedicated to it in class.
We decided that this Monday all students have to be ready to start typing
their first draft of their report. We
are hoping for a due date of later in May.
We have also discussed what the students would expect from a successful report,
I love when they add their teacher perspective.
Writing – We are working on writing scripts to create
informational plays for the incoming 4th graders on how to succeed in
5th grade. We are hoping to use
our new Adobe software to edit the movies, thanks Adobe for the donation! We have also been learning about pronouns and
journaling this week.
Special Notes –
* Talent show letters go home later
today. We had to cut more than half of
the acts this year, there are just so many talented kids at West Middleton! We cannot wait for the show at the PAC on May
11th, a parent letter will be sent home with details.
* Track meet is next week Thursday
(hopefully) and students need to bring a BROWN BAG lunch. We simply do not have rooms in our coolers for
any fancy bags or anything like that. Also,
all items in their lunches need to be disposable or students will have to carry
them in their backpacks. Please check the
weather forecast the night before to make sure your child has enough warm clothes
or sunscreen if need be.
* As I was tucking Thea in, I reminded her of
what she is good at such as painting, being kind, singing, and being nice. She interrupts me to add, “…And watch TV!”
*Huge congratulations to Nate who not
only took second place with his team at the math meet but also moves on in the competition!
* The egg drop is coming and we are
still looking for someone to donate eggs or Ziploc bags, let me know if you are
interested.
* I have some dates for you to put
on your calendars: Map testing Wednesday, April 25th 1:30 – 2:30
PM and Friday, May 4th 1:10 – 2:10 PM, Morning sub Wednesday,
May 2nd, Glacier Creek Visit 12:40 PM – 2:40 PM Wednesday,
May 2nd, 5th grade track meet Thursday, May 3rd,
Innovation Day Monday, May 7th all day, Junior Achievement Tuesday,
May 8th 1:00 – 1:50 PM, Talent Show Friday, May 11th
12:30 PM, Egg drop Friday, May 18th
1 PM, Junior Achievement Tuesday, May 22nd (final one), No
school Monday, May 28thSub in the afternoon Wednesday, May
30th, Lock Out Wednesday, June 6th , 5th
grade graduation Friday, June 8th 1:30 PM.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Great Site to Use For Citing Sources
As we continue to work on out biography reports we discussed how to cite sources today. I therefore showed the kids the site EasyBib which not only is a wonderful reference website on how to do proper citations, but will even create their bibliography with them. They will thus be using this site to create their bibliographies for their biography reports.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Another Great Math Website
This one comes from PBS and was brought to my attention by a colleague; Richard Byrne. I am hoping to have the students play some of these in the lab and there are even offline activities for them to do.
PBS Cyberchase
PBS Cyberchase
Monday, April 23, 2012
Caine's Arcade
We watched this wonderful short documentary today during journal time and then discussed the lessons learned from it. If you haven't watched it, you should! Great inspirational story about problem solving, creativity and perseverance!
The Biome Science Project
As part of our science unit on environment, we are studying the 6 different biomes. Students have therefore been split into groups focusing on their chosen biome. They will be reasearching their biome in class and then present their knowledge to the class, so act as the teachers of that biome.
Suggested ways to present their biome are mini-terrariums, dioramas, tri-fold posters, papers with a creative elements, Animotos, prezis, Stop-motion movies, clay models etc. they can also present their biome in more than one project.
More details will be discussed and given on Wednesday and we foresee the deadline being late May either the 18th or May 25th depending on everything else we have to do in science.
Suggested ways to present their biome are mini-terrariums, dioramas, tri-fold posters, papers with a creative elements, Animotos, prezis, Stop-motion movies, clay models etc. they can also present their biome in more than one project.
More details will be discussed and given on Wednesday and we foresee the deadline being late May either the 18th or May 25th depending on everything else we have to do in science.
How To Access Everday Math Games Online
If you would like your child to play the Everyday Math Games from home all you have to do is to go to the district website, and click the following links:
FOR PARENTS
CURRICULUM GUIDES
(specific grade curriculum guide)
On the last page of the curriculum guide, there is link for edm online games. It simply needs to be clicked, and then the student just needs login name.
Login names and passwords were sent home at the beginning of the year but can be re-issued if need be.
FOR PARENTS
CURRICULUM GUIDES
(specific grade curriculum guide)
On the last page of the curriculum guide, there is link for edm online games. It simply needs to be clicked, and then the student just needs login name.
Login names and passwords were sent home at the beginning of the year but can be re-issued if need be.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Newsletter April 20, 2012
Math – Unit 10 wraps up
next week with the test scheduled for Tuesday.
Unit 11 goes into more detail with volume which will be somewhat of a
familiar territory. I have been excited
to see great gain in math facts as well as good note taking skills being
developed for vocabulary definitions.
Social Studies – We
finished the simulation this week and have been referring back to it as we
discuss this chapter in our social studies curriculum. I do love having all of the students for
social studies as it lends itself well to deeper in-class discussions as well
as more flexibility. I checked in with
all students regarding their biography project and most are still reading and
taking notes, while some have started their first drafts. Drafts and papers can be typed here at school
but projects can be worked on at home, particularly if it requires a lot of
materials. Next week we will discuss a
more definite timeline for completion but I am leaning toward the middle of
May.
Reading – The students are busy reading their biography
books and we have been using our compare and contrast skills in social
studies. We have also been working on
our skimming to search for information.
Writing – Another great round of blogging challenges
being posted this week concerning school rules.
Thanks Keller for the great challenge!
So far most students would change recess to be longer, I am not
surprised. Final writing project will be
script writing to focus on a specific audience, working on fluency, as well as
word choice. More details to come next
week.
Science – We planted
terrariums this week and the students have been very observant as to the
welfare of their plants, monitoring variables and changing conditions as much
as needed. Some are definitely having
more success than others. The super tube
challenge takes place today; I am so excited to see what the students will
create and will definitely film their process and final product. Who can beat 6 social studies books on top of
a toilet paper tube?
Special Notes –
* Schedules get really wonky in April and May
for 5th grade so I have posted a handy list of upcoming events on
our website. The calendar is also
continually updated with information, deadlines as well as other events so do
check it out.
* If your child signed up for the talent show
audition please make sure they are ready to perform. They should be well-rehearsed and ready to
shine. Also, if your child is singing
they need to have a karaoke version of the song. Auditions take place this coming Monday and
Tuesday.
*
The Egg Drop is coming! But not
until May… The students are thrilled they get to partake in this 5th
grade tradition. We are looking
for people to donate a box of ziplock sandwich bags, as well as 4 eggs. If you would like to donate one of those
items (such as one dozen eggs) please let me know as it will be used for the gg
drop. Eggs will not be due until May 12th.
*
Yes, it’s true; there will be another lock out this year. This year’s event will take place June 6th
and more information will come in May.
*
A parent letter with information about the talent show will be coming
home soon, please take a moment to read it.
* Final (I think) book orders for the year go
home today, they are due back to me next Friday.
* Innovation day planning slips are due next Friday with
parent signature. All materials needed
for the day needs to be brought to school by May 2nd.
* I have some dates for you to put
on your calendars: I have some dates for you to put on your calendars: Talent show auditions April 23rd and 24th
3 PM in the music room, Map testing Wednesday, April 25th
1:30 – 2:30 PM and Friday, May 4th 1:10 – 2:10 PM,
Morning sub Wednesday, May 2nd, Glacier Creek Visit 12:40
PM – 2:40 PM Wednesday, May 2nd, 5th grade track meet
Thursday, May 3rd, Innovation Day Monday, May 7th all day,
Talent Show Friday, May 11th 12:30 PM.
.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
Wonky Afternoon Events Coming Up
We have a lot of 5th grade events coming up in April and May, here is a breakdown of those that change our schedule
4/19 - Tornado drill 1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
April 24 - Junior achievement 1:00-1:50 PM
April 25th: MAP testing 1:30-2:30 PM
May 1st Junior Achievement 1:00-1:50 PM (note this day may be changed)
May 2nd: Glacier Creek visit 12:40 - 2:40 PM
May 3rd - 5th grade track meet all day
May 4th: MAP test 1:10 - 2:10 PM
May 8th: Junior Achievement 1:00-1:50 PM
May 11th: Talent show 12:00 - end of day
May 18th: Egg drop 1:30PM - end of day
because of this we will no longer be switching classes for social studies, we would not have enough time to get through the last two chapters if we did. Social studies will therefore be taught in our room the rest of the year.
4/19 - Tornado drill 1:15 PM - 1:45 PM
April 24 - Junior achievement 1:00-1:50 PM
April 25th: MAP testing 1:30-2:30 PM
May 1st Junior Achievement 1:00-1:50 PM (note this day may be changed)
May 2nd: Glacier Creek visit 12:40 - 2:40 PM
May 3rd - 5th grade track meet all day
May 4th: MAP test 1:10 - 2:10 PM
May 8th: Junior Achievement 1:00-1:50 PM
May 11th: Talent show 12:00 - end of day
May 18th: Egg drop 1:30PM - end of day
because of this we will no longer be switching classes for social studies, we would not have enough time to get through the last two chapters if we did. Social studies will therefore be taught in our room the rest of the year.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Newsletter April 13, 2012
Math – What a math unit
this is; lots of pre-algebra happening and the students are definitely putting
on their thinking caps before putting answers down. I will continue to stress the need for secure
math facts as 6th grade approaches; it is simply a lifelong skill
that needs to be emphasized. With only
two more units to go, the test for unit 10 will be April 24th.
Science – We planted
radishes, carrots, peas, corn and flowers today as we started our environment
unit. Now we observe the growth as well
ad start to discuss biomes. Almost all
of the students’ Goggle Sketch Up’s are on display in the hallway; it has been
great to see other students stop by and check them out.
Social Studies – We
are in the middle of the Revolutionary War! Our simulation started this week with three
groups of citizens; Patriots, Loyalists, and the undecided citizens. We have discussed the shot heard around the
world and the Declaration of Independence and even fought in a battle.
Reading – We are getting a
lot of work time on the biography projects with almost all students through
their subject’s childhood. This is not
homework but can be worked on at home. No
deadline has been set for completion but it will be in the later portion of May
to ensure a stellar product. I am doing
weekly check-ins with students to ensure they are on task.
Writing – Great blogging
challenge this week as students ponder what the purpose of education is. I love how they have been thinking about it
and not just saying, “to learn…” These
are due on Sunday and Keller has given us our next one; what is one school rule
you would change and why?
Special Notes –
* We are at such a fun stage of
the year where we get to have lengthier discussions as well as long-term
explorations of topics. The students have
the stamina and the tools needed to research with some guidance from me and I
love seeing how invested they get. Also,
the feedback given to me at various stages in invaluable.
*
Lots of 5th grade events coming up; Visit to Glacier Creek, track
meet and Innovation Day. There is even a
rumor of an egg drop! May will go by
very quickly!
* I am
thrilled to see how many students signed up for talent show auditions. Next week the order of auditions will be
posted on the music doors and in the entryway for parents to see. Ms. Bodell and I cannot wait to see what
talent they bring.
* Innovation Day is coming!
On May 7th, students will get a whole day to do whatever project
they choose. Some students are
researching and building models, others are thinking of making movies, whatever
they would like to learn more about.
Planning sheets were sent home yesterday and are due to me next
Friday. This day promises to be another
fantastic learning opportunity for these amazing 5th graders.
* Bob Weitzel, the
guidance counselor from Glacier Creek pays us a visit today. I look forward to hearing more about the
middle school experience.
* Thank you for the
kind condolences in the death of my grandmother. The day after she passed it would have been
66 years since my grandparents had met and fell in love; it was only fitting
that she got to go home to my grandfather that night again.
* I have some dates for you to put
on your calendars: Early Release CRT Tuesday, April 17th
, Talent show auditions April 23rd
and 24th 3 PM in the music room, 5th grade track meet
Thursday, May 3rd, Innovation Day Monday, May 7th all day,
Talent Show Friday, May 11th 12:30 PM.
From the mouth of Thea
Thea was studying my maternity jeans obviously confused as to the function of the large elastic band attached at the belly. She asked, "Mommy, what's this for?" When I answered it was for the babies, she thinks and then says, "To hide the babies?" I said, "Yes." She then looks at me very seriously and says, "That's a good hiding place..." I agree!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Diary of a Revolutionary War Soldier
Note: This project is only for my large group in our social studies switch - not my whole class.
Goal: A book that looks and reads like a diary from a developed character.
Process:
- You must develop a soldier character - you decide whether he is fighting for the British or the Colonists
- This character will keep a diary of their trials with at least 10 entries in it.
- Each entry should be at least 2 paragraphs.
- You should also write and include one “letter from home” to be put in the diary. You may choose whom this letter came from. You may include other things such as drawings, maps etc, whatever you want to to make it more realistic.
- Diary entries can include: where they are fighting, outcomes of battles, how your character is feeling, tidbits about home, plans for further battles, hopes and fears etc.
- The diary needs to be bound in some way to look like a diary - be creative.
- This should be handwritten and the spelling should reflect the background of the soldier. Really develop your character through brainstorming before you start to write these entries.
- Due on May 9th.
Expectations:
- Time will be taken to fully develop your character before you start writing.
- Each entry should be grounded in history, meaning you use the knowledge you are learning in your entries.
- Creativity matters, try to make it look like a diary. Paper can be supplied by Mrs. Ripp
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Spaghetti and Marshmallow Tower Challenge
In science we had another small challenge in teams. Here is a video depicting it.
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Newsletter April 5, 2012
Math – We finished unit 9
this week and next is a unit on pan balances, circles and getting ready for
algebra. The biggest obstacle many
students face in math is slowing down to read the directions and then following
them. We have discussed this at length
in class and I hope to see those discussions pay off in their work. Overall, I am very pleased with their
progress and dedication in math.
Social Studies – With
only 18 lessons left we have finally reached the Revolutionary War. We will still switch classrooms for our
instruction until the end of the year; however, in here we will also embark on
another simulation as well as dedicate time to work on our social
studies/reading biography project. I
realize that the biggest obstacle has been to find good books for the students
to use as sources; thank you for your help and patience in this. I am keeping am aster list for coming years
for suggestions for people. Also, the
students were given a handy packet to day providing tips for their biography as
well as steps to take. No deadline has
been set for this project as we are still waiting for some students to get
their books, however, ample time will be given in school to work on it.
Reading – A lot of our
reading ties in with social studies and students are excited that they get the
time to read in class.
Writing –
Students are presenting their super hero books and also to answer any
questions their peers have. What
wonderful imagination and detail work that went into many of these projects. A lot of writing will be focused on the
biography project as this is a culminating end of year project.
Science – The Grand Canyon
challenge was wonderful with the results of the students’ work being displayed
in the hallway. My favorite part has
been when the students present and their peers ask them challenging
questions. The ability to think on one’s
feet and answer questions that one has not had time to prepare for is a life
skill, and the students are doing incredibly well at it. On Monday our final unit starts;
environments.
Special Notes –
* Thank you for all of your congratulations on
the twins; we are very excited to have a boy and a girl as well.
* What a great week it has been,
the students are invested and dedicated and providing me with such wonderful
feedback to lessons and ideas. It is a
thrill to be their teacher.
* I run the West Middleton talent
show along with Ms. Bodell and auditions are April 23rd and 24th. I encourage all students to audition, there
is no act too big or too small to audition with and we are always in need of
joke tellers etc. The actual talent show
will be Friday, May 11th at 12:30 PM at the PAC.
* We continue working on grammar
with a great need to figure out what constitutes a verb and what doesn’t.
*
A new blogging challenge has been posted, it is due NEXT Sunday.
*
Innovation Day is coming on May 7th! This is one of those days the students ask
about all year and more information will be sent home soon. You can see more about it on our blog from
last year.
*
All student presentations using Prezi are posted on our website, please
take a moment to view some if you are interested.
* I have some dates for you to put
on your calendars: Mrs. Ripp pie in the face Tuesday, April 10t 8:40
AM (Assembly), 3rd Grade Market Wednesday, April 11th,
PTO Bowling Saturday, April 14th, Early Release CRT Tuesday,
April 17th , Talent show
auditions April 23rd and 24th 3 PM in the music room,
5th grade track meet Thursday, May 3rd, Innovation Day Monday,
May 7th all day, Talent Show Friday, May 11th
12:30 PM.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Tips on Biography Report
Tips
On Biography Report
A biography is a written
account of the series of events that make up a person's life.
Each biography will
include the basic details. The first information you should gather in your
research will include biographical details and facts. You must use a
trustworthy resource to ensure that your information is accurate.
Using research note
cards, collect the following data, carefully recording the source for each
piece of information:
Basic
details include:
- Date and place of birth and death
- Family information
- Lifetime accomplishments
- Major events of life
- Effects/impact on society, historical significance
While
this information is necessary to your project, these dry facts, on their own,
don't really make a very good biography. Once you've found these basics, you'll
want to dig a little deeper.
You choose a certain
person because you think he or she is interesting, so you certainly don't want
to burden your paper with an inventory of boring facts. Your goal is to impress
your reader!
You'll want to start off
with great first sentence. It's a good
idea to begin with a really interesting statement, a little known fact, or
really intriguing event. You should
avoid starting out with a standard but boring line like:
"Meriwether Lewis
was born in Virginia
in 1774."
Instead, try starting
with something like this:
"Late one afternoon
in October, 1809, Meriwether Lewis arrived at a small log cabin nestled deep in
the Tennessee Mountains. By sunrise on the following
day, he was dead, having suffered gunshot wounds to the head and chest.
You'll
have to make sure your beginning is motivating, but it should also be relevant.
The next sentence or two should lead in to your thesis statement, or main
message of your biography.
"It was a tragic
end to a life that had so deeply affected the course of history in the United States.
Meriwether Lewis, a driven and often tormented soul, led an expedition of
discovery that expanded a young nation's economic potential, increased its
scientific understanding, and enhanced its worldwide reputation."
Now that you've created
an impressive beginning, you'll want to continue the flow. Find more intriguing
details about the man and his work, and weave them into the composition.
Examples of interesting
details:
- Some people believed that Lewis and Clark would encounter elephants in the western wilderness, having misunderstood the wooly mammoth bones discovered in the United States.
- The expedition resulted in the discovery and description of 122 new animal species and subspecies.
- Lewis was a hypochondriac.
- His death is still an unsolved mystery, although it was ruled a suicide.
You can find interesting
fact by consulting diverse sources.
Fill the body of your
biography with material that gives insight to your subject's personality. For
instance, in a biography about Meriwether Lewis, you would ask what traits or
events motivated him to embark on such a monumental exercise.
Questions to consider in
your biography:
- Was there something in your subject's childhood that shaped his/her personality?
- Was there a personality trait that drove him/her to succeed or impeded his progress?
- What adjectives would you use to describe him/her?
- What were some turning points in this life?
- What was his/her impact on history?
Be sure to use
transitional phrases and words to link your paragraphs and make your
composition paragraphs flow. It is normal for good writers to re-arrange their
sentences to create a better paper.
The final paragraph will
summarize your main points and re-assert your main claim about your subject. It
should point out your main points, re-name the person you're writing about, but
it should not repeat specific examples.
As always, proofread
your paper and check for errors. Create a bibliography and title page according
to your teacher's instructions. Consult a style guide for proper documentation.
Labels:
Information,
reading,
social studies,
writing
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Students Define Volume and Capacity
Perfect Monday for a math scavenger hunt trying to define volume and capacity
Monday, April 2, 2012
SS Biography Report Components
After discussion with the students, these are components that are necessary for a complete biography project:
Report
Extension Project:
Students will be turning in their typed report to me, no deadline set yet, and will be presenting their extension project to the class. So along with their project, they should prepare an explanation of that project.Report
- Report is written as a story with a beginning, middle, end, and no bullet points.
- Length is between 2 and 5 typed pages, double spaced, font is Times New Roman, size 12. Title needs to be size 14 and underlined.
- Final report should be a mini biography of the person, not a question and answer paper.
- Students must read at least one good sized biography (at least 200 pages) or books can be added up. Some students have very narrow topics and we have discussed the possibility of finding more books or even adding internet sources to their page count.
- The internet can also be used but most details should come from book.
- Students will cite all sources using MLA citation - to be taught by Mrs. Ripp. For now students should just keep track of their sources in their notes.
- Other important detail to possibly includes:
- Why are they famous?
- Why did you pick them to study?
- What are their accomplishments?
- What is their connection to America?
- When were they born and when did they die?
- Connections between other famous people?
- Family history?
- Education?
- Important events that made them who they are?
- Title page instructions to come but a picture of the person (if available) should be included.
Extension Project:
- Can be a multimedia project, such as : Prezi, Animoto, PowerPoint, Video, Stop-motion, Digital story, Podcast, digital scrapbook etc.
- Or it can be an artistic project, please no posters, but a model, invention, 3-d sculpture,or something else you create (check with Mrs. Ripp)
We will be giving a lot of work time in school to work on this project and steps will be outlined for students based on the infographic posted below.
![]() | |
Image from herehttp://ilearntechnology.com/?p=4599Thank you Kelly Tenkelly for the great source! |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)