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Here’s our week in 60 seconds:

• Spelling: Unit 9 test, word preview 
• Cursive: ten cursive sentences 
• Reading: Finished Literature Circles nonfiction groups
• Writing: I-search nonfiction project, research, planning, PowerPoint presentation 
• Math: Division using partial quotients and standard methods
• Science: Pitch related to tension and length, Science Inquiry
• Social Studies: test, American Revolution, Fort Michilimackinac relocated

Listen to The Weekly Wrap here:

4-20-07.mp3

***A Guest teacher was with us yesterday, so those activities are included in today’s post***

Spelling: Yesterday, students previewed upcoming spelling words. Today, we made baseball gloves to give our showcase a spring look. The unit 9 worksheets will be due on Monday. The unit 10 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences of seven or more words are due each Friday.  

Reading: Students created and presented posters yesterday to share their Literature Circles magazines with the class. We worked on the showcase today.

Writing: Yesterday and today, students worked on their “I-search” project, with the focus being on completing a PowerPoint presentation of their information. This project will be presented on Tuesday, May 1.

Math: Students played a game to practice division yesterday, and today they took a division MiniQuiz.

Science: No science yesterday due to an extra Literature Circles time. Today, students prepared for the Kids’ Inquiry Conference, which is April 27 at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Social Studies: Yesterday, students built marshmallow and toothpick Fort Michilimackinacs, then dismantled them and relocated them to “Mackinaw Island,” which is what the British did during the American Revolution.

 Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Would you like to be a moderator for KIC? We are looking for parents will to moderate student presentations for Kids’ Inquiry Conference on April 27. The moderators will introduce students and start the discussion after the presentation by asking questions and asking for student questions. Contact me if you are interested.  
• Juice Volunteers for Friday, May 4: Joshua W. and Alex S. Click here for a list of volunteers.
• Thank you to the nine chaperones who have volunteered for the Mackinaw trip. At this point, we have no more availability for additional chaperones. Spaces may open up as the trip gets closer.
• Upcoming Events:  Kids’ Inquiry Conference (April 27); I-search PowerPoint projects due (May 1); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!

Spelling: None today due to planning and working on our I-search projects. The unit 10 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences of seven or more words are due each Friday.  

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles, and groups are now finished with their magazines. The next step will be to create a small project to share their book with the class.

Writing: Students continued planning their “I-search” projects using Bubbl.us, an online brainstorming site. Some students also started their PowerPoint presentations. It is essential that all information needed for this project be collected as soon as possible. This project will be due on April 27, but will likely be presented on April 30 via PowerPoint.

Math: Students learned the standard method of division, which is the method that most parents are familiar with. Homework is to complete a division worksheet using this new method; students are allowed to cross out and not complete any two rows of problems.

Science: Students completed two experiments with “mini-gutbuckets” and rubberbands to see how length and tension are related. Homework is to finish recording observations for these experiments.

Also, Kid’s Inquiry Conference permission slips were sent home today.

Social Studies: We watched some video clips to learn about how and why the American Revolution started.

 Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers for Friday, April 20: Tiyanna and Alex H. Click here for a list of volunteers.
• Thank you to the nine chaperones who have volunteered for the Mackinaw trip. At this point, we have no more availability for additional chaperones. Spaces may open up as the trip gets closer.
• Upcoming Events:  KIC applications due (April 18); New writing piece due (April 27); Kids’ Inquiry Conference (April 27); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!

Spelling: Students completed the unit 9 spelling test today. The unit 9 worksheets will be due tomorrow. The unit 10 worksheets are available here.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences of seven or more words are due each Friday.  

Reading: None today due to an assembly by a Jump for Heart jump roping team from Okemos.

Writing: Students planned their “I-search” project using Bubbl.us, an online brainstorming site. Students will start working on their PowerPoint presentation this week, so it will be very helpful for all information to be collected as soon as possible. This project will be due on April 27, but will likely be presented on April 30 via PowerPoint. Students also recieved a paper today with guidelines on completing the I-search project.

Math: We practiced the partial quotients method of division, practicing problems with remainders today. Homework is to complete a division problem with remainder worksheet.

Science: Students finished experiments with partially-filled water bottles, xylophones, kalimbas, and rubberbands to see how length and pitch are related. We learned that short objects create high pitches, and long objects create low pitches. 

Also, Kid’s Inquiry Conference applications are due tomorrow, April 18. Kid’s Inquiry Conference will be April 27 at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Social Studies: Students took a test today over the French and British in Michigan.

 Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers for Friday, April 20: Tiyanna and Alex H. Click here for a list of volunteers.
• Thank you to the nine chaperones who have volunteered for the Mackinaw trip. At this point, we have no more availability for additional chaperones. Spaces may open up as the trip gets closer.
• Upcoming Events:  KIC applications due (April 18); New writing piece due (April 27); Kids’ Inquiry Conference (April 27); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!

Spelling: None today due to getting Hipster PDAs in class today. The Hipsters are index card-based organizers for students to write down homework and to-do items. We will have a spelling test tomorrow. The unit 9 spelling worksheets are available here.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences of seven or more words are due each Friday.  

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles. Students also completed a STAR computerized reading test, and the class average was 4.52, up from 4.47 a month ago, and 3.98 in September. We are still slightly off pace to make a year’s growth (4.98) by the end of the year, so any reading time spent at home will be very beneficial!

Writing: Students continued to research their “I-search” project topics, looking for information, video clips and images. We will start working on the PowerPoint presentation this week, so it will be very helpful for all information to be collected as soon as possible. This project will be due on April 27, but will likely be presented on April 30 via PowerPoint.

Math: We reviewed and worked on the partial quotients method of division. Homework is to complete a division worksheet.

Science: Students completed experiments with partially-filled water bottles, xylophones, kalimbas, and rubberbands to see how length and pitch are related. We will finish these experiments tomorrow.

Also, Kid’s Inquiry Conference applications are due this Wednesday, April 18. Kid’s Inquiry Conference will be April 27 at the University of Michigan-Flint.

Social Studies: We will have a test over the French and British in Michigan tomorrow.

 Behavior Update:

Ask your student what kind of choices they made.

Notes:

• Juice Volunteers for Friday, April 20: Tiyanna and Alex H. Click here for a list of volunteers.
• Thank you to the nine chaperones who have volunteered for the Mackinaw trip. At this point, we have no more availability for additional chaperones. Spaces may open up as the trip gets closer.
• Upcoming Events:  KIC applications due (April 18); New writing piece due (April 27); Kids’ Inquiry Conference (April 27); Straits of Mackinaw field trip (May 11). See the class calendar for more information.
• We are looking for donations of medium and long cardboard tubes (have plenty of short ones, thanks!) for class projects. The tubes can be sent in any time during the year; this project will be on-going. Thanks for any help you can give!