Mrs. Whitley's Classroom Blog

Monday, May 16, 2016

Study of the Distribution of Water on Earth

These science notebook entries represent our learning about the distribution of water on Earth! We've learned that fresh water is actually quite scarce on our planet compared with the amount of salt water that exists in our world!

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Week of May 9-13

Good afternoon, parents! First of all, I would like to take a moment to thank each of you for your kindness and generosity during Teacher Appreciation Week! I received many sweet cards, beautiful flowers, tasty treats, and gift cards! I was also so surprised today to receive from the class a beautiful necklace with each of my sons’ names on it! I absolutely love it! It has been a joy to work with your children this year!

I would also like to thank all of the moms who helped with the 5^th Grade Picnic today! It was a tremendous success! The kids had so much fun celebrating and building community as an entire 5^th grade class!

Dates to Know

5/17 - Election Day – No School
5/21- Huskypalooza from 5-8 pm
5/27 - 5^th Grade Recognition @ 9:15 in the cafeteria
5/30 - Memorial Day – No School
5/31 - Ice Cream Social @ Wendell Moore Park
6/1 – Students’ Last Day

A Note from the Library
The last day for STUDENTS to check out books is next Wednesday, May 11^th and all STUDENT library books are due back by Friday, May 13^th.

Relay for Life

Hello Harmony Families!
We are so excited to share that the Harmony Elementary Community raised over $2,822.00 to support cancer research and Relay for Life. This money will be combined with funds raised by NOMS and NOHS for our "North Oldham Team" total. Once we know the total, we will share it with you.

This Saturday is Relay for Life (6pm-midnight at OCHS football stadium). There is information coming home TODAY with your student. Be sure to check it out. We'd love for students and families to stop by and walk a few laps at the relay at any time that works for your family schedule.

Thank you and if you have questions, contact one of us:

Mrs. Horn

Christie.Horn@oldham.kyschools.us

Mrs. Kinnison

kimberly.kinnison@oldham.kyschools.us

Here’s what we’re learning this week!

Science: During science this week we will engage in a project-based learning activity to find ways to reduce our human footprint on the world. Ask your child about his/her plan to reduce the human footprint in Qatar!

Social Studies: Our focus for social studies this week will be to complete the student-created stations that the kids created for one another. We will also be working on some social studies projects that are student-centered to help deepen study understanding of common themes like colonization, economics, government, and Native Americans.

Math: Measurement will be our focus this week as we begin to learn about customary and metric conversions. Students will play games, complete sorts, and relate measurement concepts to real life.

Reading: During reading this week I will be administering DRAs and the kids will also have the opportunity to engage in their own personal reading followed by written reflections.

Writing: The culmination of our personal narratives will take place this week. Each child will have the opportunity to create an iMovie trailer for his/her personal narrative and then we will be sharing these with a 2^nd grade class!

Monday, May 2, 2016

Recent Learning Events

Recently, we completed a series of learning events from making salt dough maps of the United States to designing and testing parachutes for an egg drop to creating PicCollages as though we were keeping journals for the Lewis & Clark Expedition. It's been a lot of fun! See below to check out what we've been up to!

This is an example of a PicCollage Journal Entry from our study of the Lewis & Clark Expedition!

The results of our egg drop were awesome! NONE of the eggs cracked on the first drop (in the grass). However, during the 2nd drop (on concrete), 3 out of 6 eggs cracked. It was so exciting!

We also got to make salt dough maps of the United States to help us identify key features including mountain ranges, rivers, climate of various regions, natural resources, and major bodies of water. As you can see, it was very hands-on!

Week of May 2-6

Our newest Leader of the Week is…

Lydia!!

Lydia was chosen as our Leader of the Week for her dedication and hard work in 5^th grade! She always puts first things first by making sure she does her work to the best of her ability before moving on to other activities. She also begins her writing with the end in mind. When she knows she only has 1 page to explain her thinking, she writes neatly and carefully in order to allow for enough room to express all of her thoughts. Lydia is also a pro at thinking win-win and synergizing! She is friendly and easy to work with! Great job, Lydia!

Dates to Know

5/4 - FREE Skate Night 6-8 pm @ Champs Skating Rink

5/5 – Farnsley-Moremen Landing Field trip

5/6 - Oaks Day Pink Out~Wear pink and bring $1 for cancer research

5/9 – NOMS Field Trip/5^th Grade Picnic

5/17 - Election Day – No School

5/21- Huskypalooza from 5-8 pm

5/27 - 5^th Grade Recognition @ 9:15 in the cafeteria

5/30 - Memorial Day – No School

6/1 – Students’ Last Day

Upcoming Tests

Friday, 5/6 ~ Math Test over Volume, Area, Perimeter, and Interpreting Line Plots with Fractions

Fifth Grade Picnic

Help us celebrate Harmony’s 5^th graders on May 9^th! They will be touring NOMS in the morning then having a picnic lunch, playing games, signing T-shirts, and having the annual Tug-of-War competition. We need all the help we can get setting up and organizing the events.

If you would like to volunteer please contact:

Julie Fadel at 608-5950 or jfadel@averyatms.com

Thank you!

Testing Window Reminder

We will be unable to have visitors or parent volunteers in the building from May 16^th – May 25^th due to state testing in grades 3-5. Please do your best to have your child at school during testing.

Relay for Life Change Wars

We are collecting change in the front office for cancer research. The race is on schoolwide, boys versus girls! This is our last big pull for Relay for Life. If you can send in any change, please do so this week. The winner gets bragging rights!

Save the Date

Our class will have 5^th Grade Recognition @ 9:15 in the cafeteria on Friday, May 27^th! Feel free to invite family members to share in this special celebration!

Here’s what we’re learning about this week!

Science: During science this week we will continue learning about the human footprint and we will engage in a project-based learning activity to find ways to reduce our human footprint on the world.

Social Studies: This week we will rotate through student-created learning stations to gather information about various social studies topics from government to Native Americans to Westward Expansion. The kids are excited to share their research and planned learning activities!

Math: It’s time to review what we’ve learned about measurement in preparation for our test this Friday. This week we will be reviewing area, perimeter, volume, and interpreting line plots. A study guide came home today. Please have your child complete it and return it by Wednesday.

Reading: During reading this week I will be administering DRAs and the kids will also have the opportunity to engage in their own personal reading followed by written reflections.

Writing: The kids have been working so hard on their personal narratives and they’re so interesting to read! Our writing task this week will be to finish, edit, and revise personal narratives.

Monday, April 25, 2016

Week of April 25-29

Dates to Know

4/27 - Book Exchange  
4/29 - Mother/Son Cornhole Tournament 6-8 pm  
5/4 - FREE Skate Night 6-8 pm @ Champs Skating Rink
5/5 – Farnsley-Moremen Landing Field trip
5/6 - Oaks Day Pink Out  
5/9 – NOMS Field Trip/5^th Grade Picnic
5/17 - Election Day – No School
5/21- Huskypalooza from 5-8 pm
5/27 - 5^th Grade Recognition @ 9:15 in the cafeteria
5/30 - Memorial Day – No School
6/1 – Students’ Last Day

Fifth Grade Picnic

If you would like to volunteer please contact:

Julie Fadel at 608-5950 or jfadel@averyatms.com

Thank you!

The Water Step

Harmony is currently old or unneeded shoes for Water Steps. Collection boxes have been placed throughout the school. If you have unwanted or unneeded at shoes at home, we will gladly take them!

Testing Window

Relay for Life Dime Challenge

We are collecting dimes for Relay for Life. Dimes can be sent in all week long. Our goal is to fill a 16 ounce water bottle in hopes of earning $100 for cancer research.

Here's what we're learning this week!

Science: Our focus for science this week will be on learning how we as humans impact the earth systems negatively. We will begin learning and brainstorming ways to reduce our human footprint on the world.

Social Studies: This week is going to provide students with a fun opportunity to research and gather information on a variety of social studies topics from economics to the Civil War to the U.S. Constitution. The kids will work in groups to research and then plan a display an activity to teach the other members of the class about their topic. Next week, we will rotate through stations to learn about each topic and to give everyone the opportunity to participate in the student-planned activities.

Math: Our focus continues to be on measurement, but this week we will begin learning how to calculate volume of rectangular prisms and of irregular prisms.

Reading: Our ELA unit on Coming of Age will continue as we read to learn about more “coming of age” events in America’s history including the Civil Rights Movement, the Cold War, and the Information Age.

Writing: This week our attention shifts to how these kiddos are coming of age. Our writing task this week will be to develop a personal narrative about a significant event in your child’s own history in which he/she learned a lesson. I’m excited to see read their personal stories!