Week of January 30 - February 3

Happy Monday!

Puberty Night

Please note that Puberty Night has been rescheduled for next Thursday, February 9^th.

Blog Homework

The kids seem to really be enjoying the blog homework.  This week’s reading log will require them to get on the blog and visit the links below to read about a few major Revolutionary War battles and summarize their learning.

Battle of Lexington & Concord:

http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0312848/boflandc.htm

Battle of Bunker Hill: 

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/bunkerhill/

Battle of Saratoga:

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/maps/saratogamap/

Battle of Yorktown:

http://www.virtualology.com/virtualwarmuseum.com/revolutionarywarhall/THEBATTLEOFYORKTOWN.COM/

Upcoming Tests:

Social Studies Test over the Revolutionary War (chapter 13) on Friday

There aren’t many reminders this week, but we are learning all kinds of good stuff!  Check it out!

Social Studies  We will continue studying the Revolutionary War with a test and open response on Friday.

Math  A new unit begins this week involving exponents, negative numbers, and order of operations!

Science  We will begin a month long study of the human body where the kids will now get an in-depth understanding of the major body systems, their components, and their functions.

Reading  We are wrapping up literature circles and beginning a new Response to Literature unit where the kids will analyze the story elements and the way events and characters come together to form a story.

Writing  Our opinion pieces are now entering the drafting a revising stages!

Blog Activity: Alaska's Winter Woes

        Since we've hardly gotten any snow this winter, I thought you might enjoy reading an article about a state that has received more than its fair share of snow.  Please read the article and respond below.  Explain what you think would be the greatest hardship suffered by the people of Alaska due to all of the snow and ice why.  
The link is:  http://www.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=3756854

*Reminder:  I'm looking for thoughtful answers with details and correct use of conventions.  :o)

Chinese New Year Celebration

Read Aloud about Chinese New Year with Mrs. Rauh

This book told us what animal is represented by the year we were born!  Very cool!

Below are pictures of the kids making their Chinese lanterns.  These turned out so cute and we're going to hang them from our ceiling!

 

Week of January 23-27

Chinese New Year

Today we had the privilege of having a visitor, Mrs. Rauh, come into our classroom to teach the kids about the Chinese New Year.  The kids loved it!  I will try to attach pictures this afternoon.

Puberty Night

Puberty Night has been rescheduled for Thursday, February 9th.

Early Release

Please don’t forget that tomorrow is an Early Release Day.  Dismissal will be at 12:25pm.

School BOB Competitions

Our school level BOB competitions will take place the week of February 13-17.  Please encourage your child to read as many BOB books as possible.  Remember, any child who reads 7 books is eligible to take the test to possibly compete in the district-wide competition this spring!

Upcoming Tests

Math Test on Friday

Antonyms Quiz on Friday

Our Lessons For the Week

Social Studies  Our focus in Social Studies is turning to the Revolutionary War and exploring how the colonists finally succeeded in defeating the British Army.

Math  We are wrapping up a unit on adding and subtracting fractions and data analysis.

Word Study  Our study of antonyms will continue this week.

Writing  The kids are developing thesis statements and beginning drafts for opinion writing.

Reading  Literature circles are wrapping up!  Our last meetings will be Friday, Monday, and Tuesday.

What is your opinion on fines for not finishing your food?

        Have you ever found yourself at restaurant ordering more food with a meal than you can possibly eat?  To go along with our study of opinion writing, I found this great link where I'd like for you to read an article and watch a video about restaurants that actually charge customers extra for any food leftover on their plate after they finish a meal.  Read the article and watch the video at the following link:  http://www.dogonews.com/2011/12/5/should-restuarants-penalize-customers-for-leftover-food.  Then leave a comment on the blog so we can debate about whether or not this fine is fair.  What do you think?  Should restaurants have this fine or not?  Support your answer with information from the video or the article.
*PLEASE use correct punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.  Also, give some thought to your answer and develop a good argument.  Remember, what you write is posted on the Internet for all to see!*

MLK, Jr. Homework

Please read the article at the link below and watch the video that follows.  You will learn all about Martin Luther King, Jr., the man who led the Civil Rights Movement.  Thanks to him and many other brave people, we now live in a country where it is unconstitutional to treat someone differently based on the color of their skin.  After viewing the video, please write a comment to share one thing you learned and please write one way our life would be different if not for the brave leadership of Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://www.dogonews.com/2012/1/16/remembering-the-legacy-of-martin-luther-king-jr

Blog Question

Do you think the colonists had a choice or was declaring their independence inevitable?  How else might they have handled their grievances against the king?

Week of January 16-20

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!  I hope everyone had a fabulous long weekend!  I’m going to tie in Martin Luther King, Jr. with the notion of declaring independence this week.  The colonists declared independence because they weren’t being treated fairly and, ironically, Dr. King led the Civil Rights Movement for similar reasons.

Math

This week will be pretty intense in math as the kids learn to compare, add, and subtract fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators.  Please feel free to help at home as needed.  This is the time of year when knowing those multiplication facts becomes crucial.

BOB

This is another reminder that the BOB competition is coming to a close.  Please encourage your child to be an active participant.  If you need ideas for ways to motivate and help your child, please look at last week’s blog post.  I’d love to see us win the school competition and it would be really cool to send a few on to the district competition this spring!

Upcoming Tests:

Social Studies (Declaration of Independence) on Friday
Word Study (Antonyms) Quiz on Friday

Here is what we’ll be learning over the next 4 days!

Social Studies:  Watch out, parents!  This week I’ll be asking the kids to declare independence and there’s no telling from what or whom they will declare it!  We will wrap up this unit by interpreting the Declaration and discussing what declaring independence actually meant for the colonies…war!

Math:  Fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals!  We will be comparing, estimating, adding, and subtracting.  The assessment for this unit over fractions and data analysis will take place late next week.

Word Study:  Let’s talk about antonyms!

Writing:  Our study of opinion writing will delve a little further as the kids begin to examine their collecting and select a seed for an opinion piece.

Reading:  Literature circles!  Keep on keeping on with those literature circle books!

Act-It-Outs and Slave Artifacts

       Below you will find videos of the students acting out some of the tensions which led to the Revolutionary War. The kids always love performing and they're anxious to share these videos with you here on the blog! Enjoy! :o)

Proclamation of 1763

Quartering Act

Stamp Act


The Boston Tea Party 0

The Boston Massacre

      I also wanted to share with you some really interesting artifacts, one of our students, Sophie, brought back from her visit to see family over Winter Break.  These artifacts are old items from an actual slave house.  It was fascinating to be able to examine these firsthand with the kids!  Thanks, Sophie and family for sharing!

Week of January 2-6

Battle of the Books

The BOB competition is looming!  It will take place in early February, so please have a chat with your child about BOB.  Here are some ways you can help them get ready for the competition.

1)        Ask your child how many books he/she has read.

2)      Have a discussion with your child about each book he/she has read.

3)      Encourage your child to read more.

4)      Help your child develop a plan for reading more BOB books.  E.g, Finish your literature circle reading at home and you can read a separate BOB book at home.

5)      Encourage your child.  Remind your child that by reading 7 BOB books he/she can take the quiz for an opportunity to compete in the district level competition!

 Puberty Night
Please remember that Puberty Night is this Thursday.  The girls' session is at 6:15 and the boys' session is at 7:15.

Upcoming Tests:

Word Study Quiz over the rules for comma use on Friday

Facts Quiz

This Week’s Learning
Social Studies:  Having wrapped up our study of the tensions which led to the Revolutionary War we will now delve into the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence!  Warning:  The kids will be declaring their own independence as well!
Math:  Over the next couple of weeks we will continue learning about fractions as well as exploring data analysis with line plots and stem-and-leaf plots.
Word Study:  We are still working on commas and today I sent home a list of the rules for comma use to help them with their homework as they prepare for Friday’s quiz.
Writing:  This week I’ve introduced opinion writing and I am immersing the kids in several different examples of opinion writing to help them understand what it is, why it’s done, techniques used, and to help them generate ideas for their own opinion piece.
Reading:  We are going strong on our 2^nd round of literature circles!  The kids seem to be actively engaged and enjoying their books.

Week of January 2-6

Welcome back!  I hope everyone had a fun and restful break!  Happy New Year 2012!

In today's Wednesday folder you will find a form for Puberty Night.  If you would like to attend, please respond by Friday.  The girls' puberty night is at 6:15 on January 12 and the boys' puberty night will be at 7:15 on January 12.

Aside from a facts quiz, there will be no tests this week.  However, we will be starting lots of new units!

Here is what we're learning in class:
Social Studies:  I will become "king" this week as we begin learning about the tensions that led to the Revolutionary War.  The students will get to live life as a colonist dealing with taxation without representation.  It should be fun!
Math:  Over the next couple of weeks we will continue learning about fractions as well as exploring data analysis with line plots and stem-and-leaf plots.
Word Study:  Our focus this week is commas.  The kids are having a lot of trouble knowing when and how to use commas so we will be learning the rules and practicing.  I found a great website that has all of the rules on it which you and your child may use for extra practice http://www.towson.edu/ows/modulecomma.htm.
Writing:  The final touches on our second open genre unit are happening now and next week we will begin a unit on opinion writing.
Reading:  The kids are excited to be kicking off our second round of literature circles with a focus on BOB books.