Archive for May, 2006

Class activities for Friday, May 5

Friday, May 5th, 2006

Reading: Today, we finished our fluency and expression project by visiting Anderson Elementary and reading to Ms. Barcome’s and Mr. Nicholas’ classrooms. You can continue to build reading fluency with your child by practicing “one minute reads.” During a one minute read, your child will read silently or out loud, with a goal of trying to get “one more word” read each time they do the one minute read. If your student uses the same book for the one minute reads, then you can just measure lines or inches.

We will begin our last cycle of Literature Circles next week.

Language Arts: Students completed a “Take a Stand” position paper on whether dogs should be licensed. The paper was turned in for a grade. Homework is to complete the paper if it was not finished in class.

Next week students will explore their own controversial subject, complete surveys, and write a position paper. An example of this would be whether or not students should be allowed to wear slippers in school, or to dye their hair. Their paper will be due Thursday, May 11.

Spelling: None due to visiting Anderson Elementary.

The Level Four Core Word list is an option for continued practice.

Math: Students completed a timed multiplication or division test. For the class, 77% has passed the multiplication facts test, and over 50% has passed division. Ask your child where they rank.

Health: We had a lesson about how self-control leads to increased responsibilities, and also about how family members are people, too, with special talents, interests and abilities. Homework is to complete a family member interview.

Science: We discussed the movement of the moon and the earth:

  • The earth revolves once  around the sun in 365 days.
  • The moon revolves once around the earth in about a month.
  • The earth rotates (spins or turns) once in 24 hours.
  • The moon rotates once in about a month. 

Homework  is to complete a crossword puzzle about the movement of the earth and moon. Page numbers on which to find answers are included on the worksheet.

Notes:

  • Important information about Mackinaw, including the permission slip, went home in students’ shuttle folders today. 
  • Donating towards Mackinaw? Thank you for sending in any final donations within the next week! We are very near our class and grade level goal.
  • Thanks for volunteering! A volunteer appreciation luncheon is being planned for Monday, May 15, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Please come! RSVP here or send in a note.
  • HELP WANTED: Mr. Keilitz is looking for parents willing to help with Field Day, which is May 31. If you are willing to help, please fill out the form here. Thanks!
  • McGrath Family Cookbooks are on sale now. Copies can be purchased for $10 and all proceeds go towards our Mackinaw trip. Checks are payable to McGrath.

Class activities for Thursday, May 4

Thursday, May 4th, 2006

Reading: Today, our class visited Anderson Elementary and read to Ms. Goodall’s classroom. We will read to two more classrooms on Friday. Homework for this week will be to continue reading their book to an adult at home, if your student hasn’t yet read to a classroom.

Language Arts: Students had mini-conferences and revised their “Take a Stand” position paper on chewing gum in school. We also reviewed the elements of persuasive writing, and started to discuss next week’s writing project: students will explore their own controversial subject, complete surveys, and write a position paper. An example of this would be whether or not students should be allowed to wear slippers in school, or to dye their hair. Students will work on this project next week; it will be due Thursday, May 11.

Spelling: None due to visiting Anderson Elementary.

The Level Four Core Word list is an option for continued practice.

Math: None due to Relay for Life Basketball assembly.

Science: We reviewed food chains and food webs today by playing Food Chain Rummy and Food Chain Top-It. Students practiced determining where energy moves in a food chain: grass –> mouse –> cat, with the arrows showing energy movement.

Social Studies: We started the Chapter 3 test, and will finish it tomorrow or Monday.

Notes:

  • Donating towards Mackinaw? Thank you for sending in any final donations within the next week or so! We are very near our class and grade level goal.
  • Interested in going to Mackinaw? We have only one more chaperone spot available for the trip. Fill out the form here if you would like to go.
  • Chaperones…we will need a final count of parents chaperoning the Mackinaw Trip by Monday, May 8.
  • Thanks for volunteering! A volunteer appreciation luncheon is being planned for Monday, May 15, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Please come! RSVP here or send in a note.
  • HELP WANTED: Mr. Keilitz is looking for parents willing to help with Field Day, which is May 31. If you are willing to help, please fill out the form here. Thanks!
  • McGrath Family Cookbooks are on sale now. Copies can be purchased for $10 and all proceeds go towards our Mackinaw trip. Checks are payable to McGrath.

Class activities for Wednesday, May 3

Wednesday, May 3rd, 2006

Reading: Today, our class visited Anderson Elementary and read to four classrooms. We will read to three more classrooms on Thursday and Friday. Homework for this week will be to continue reading their book to an adult at home, if your student hasn’t yet read to a classroom.

Language Arts: We starting writing position papers on the controversial subject of students chewing gum in school. We spent class time planning pro and con arguments, including Core Democratic Values (CDVs), data, and prior knowledge as evidence. Homework is for students to write a rough draft of their “Take a Stand” paper about chewing gum in school. A persuasive piece of writing is due Thursday, May 11.

Spelling: None due to visiting Anderson Elementary.

The Level Four Core Word list is an option for continued practice.

Math: Students applied their skills with division to solve some number stories, using a chart to plan their solutions. Homework is for students to complete math journal pp. 153-154. StudyLink 6.2 and 6.3 were also passed out, and these are extra credit assignments worth one table point. We are at the end of our study on division, and will have a test over division, number stories, and remainders next week.

The final major topic of the year is fractions, with mini-units in perimeter, area and symmetry.

Science: We learned today that the sun is much larger than the earth (one million earths could fit in the sun), and that the sun is very, very far away. We read about the features of the sun, including sunspots, flares and prominences. Homework is finish reading pp. 27-30 and to complete Investigation Review p. 43.

Social Studies: We played a game to review for tomorrow’s test over Chapter 3, also including the Huron Indians.

Notes:

  • Donating towards Mackinaw? Thank you for sending in any final donations within the next week or so! We are very near our class and grade level goal.
  • Interested in going to Mackinaw? We have only one more chaperone spot available for the trip. Fill out the form here if you would like to go.
  • Chaperones…we will need a final count of parents chaperoning the Mackinaw Trip by Monday, May 8.
  • Thanks for volunteering! A volunteer appreciation luncheon is being planned for Monday, May 15, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Please come! RSVP here or send in a note.
  • HELP WANTED: Mr. Keilitz is looking for parents willing to help with Field Day, which is May 31. If you are willing to help, please fill out the form here. Thanks!
  • McGrath Family Cookbooks are on sale now. Copies can be purchased for $10 and all proceeds go towards our Mackinaw trip. Checks are payable to McGrath.

Class activities for Tuesday, May 2

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006

Reading: Students continued to practice reading their picture books with fluency and expression. Homework for this week will be to continue reading their book to an adult at home. Students will read to classes at Anderson Elementary beginning on Wednesday.

Language Arts: We learned a way to remember that persuasive writing, especially on civic issues, requires a position, a Core Democratic Value (CDV) for support, some data, and some prior knowledge in order to make a case. Students will begin to “take a stand” on issues this week. A persuasive piece of writing is due Thursday, May 11.

Spelling: Today, we reviewed the meaning of the prefix, “re-“, by students answering questions posed to them using words containing that prefix, such as, “Why might a road need resurfacing?” 

The Level Four Core Word list is an option for continued practice.

Math: Students played a game to continue to practice division. Homework is for students to create and solve five division problems, with parents checking the work and signing off.

Science: We read the second Investigation of chapter one in the science book, about how movement on the moon would be different than on earth, due to the moon having one-sixth the gravity of our planet. Students also learned that while an object’s weight would be less on the moon than on earth, its mass (the amount of matter) would remain the same. Homework is to complete Investigation Review p. 42.

Social Studies: We reviewed and journaled important concepts about the Huron Indians in our First People of Michigan minibook. There will be a test over Chapter 3, also including the Huron Indians, on Thursday.

Notes:

  • Donating towards Mackinaw? Thank you for sending in any final donations within the next week or so! We are very near our class and grade level goal.
  • Interested in going to Mackinaw? We have only one more chaperone spot available for the trip. Fill out the form here if you would like to go.
  • Chaperones…we will need a final count of parents chaperoning the Mackinaw Trip by Monday, May 8.
  • Thanks for volunteering! A volunteer appreciation luncheon is being planned for Monday, May 15, from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm. Please come! RSVP here or send in a note.
  • HELP WANTED: Mr. Keilitz is looking for parents willing to help with Field Day, which is May 31. If you are willing to help, please fill out the form here. Thanks!
  • McGrath Family Cookbooks are on sale now. Copies can be purchased for $10 and all proceeds go towards our Mackinaw trip. Checks are payable to McGrath.

Straits of Mackinac Field Trip Page Updated

Tuesday, May 2nd, 2006

Visit the our Straits of Mackinac page for fresh information updated today. The schedule has been revised.