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Spelling: We reviewed the idea that some words have silent letters.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 18-20 are available and due Friday.

Reading: None today due to poor choices and misused time.

Writing: We reviewed the five phases of writing:

1. Prewriting: students gather ideas, make a list or web, and brainstorm
2. Drafting: students write a first draft, skipping lines
3. Revising: students look again at their writing to add or remove ideas, trying to make it better
4. Proofreading/editing: students improve spelling, punctuation, capitals and other features to make the writing easy to read
5. Publishing: students write a final copy that can be read by others

Homework is for students to look through their authority list in their writer’s folder and select a topic to write about.

Portfolios are also due tomorrow. Students were asked to decorate their portfolio with drawings, photographs, stickers, magazine clippings–anything that is flat (the folders will be laminated) and is appropriate for school.

Math: None today due to art and poor choices. We’ll grade the math homework from last week tomorrow at recess.

Science: We finished up the Energy Fair today.

Social Studies: We started a unit on regions of the US by labeling a US map with state names and region areas. Homework is to finish labeling and coloring the Regions of the US map.

Behavior Homework: The class is still learning how to manage their time effectively. We’ve spent quite a bit of time on talking, moving magnets, practicing walking in line, practicing lunch count, practicing how to sit in an assembly. The unfortunate side effect of all this High Fives practice is that there is less time to finish work during school; hence, the homework. I’ve also given the class the homework assignment of writing a half page about how the class can better show the High Fives.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 5
• Orange magnets: 3
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 8
• Hours with no orange magnets: 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• There’s still room on the Pride Board for students to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.

Spelling: We reviewed common spelling patterns for the long o sound (oa, ow, old, o-something-e). 

Cursive: Cursive pp. 15-17 were reviewed today. Most students had their cursive completed, but nine students will have to complete their cursive during their own recess time next week.

Reading: None today due to the Energy Fair.

Writing: None today due to an assembly.

I’ve asked students to decorate their portfolio with drawings, photographs, stickers, magazine clippings–anything that is flat (the folders will be laminated) and is appropriate for school. The portfolios are due next Tuesday.

Math: We continued to review rays, lines and line segments today. The homework from Thursday will be graded on Monday.

Science: Today was the Energy Fair! Everyone brought in very interesting objects that displayed many different forms of energy. Due to an assembly and some poor behavior choices, we didn’t have enough time to finish the Energy Fair today; a few students will present on Monday.

Social Studies: We graded the homework from yesterday.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 6
• Orange magnets: 1
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 38
• Hours with no orange magnets: 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• View grades, assignments, attendance and even the report card at SnapGrades.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.

Spelling: We reviewed short and long vowel sounds and learned that short vowel sounds usually have one vowel (sat, spin, got) and long vowel sounds usually have two vowels (seat, spine, goat).

For more information on spelling this year, visit the Spelling page. And here is the Level Four 500 Word spelling list.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 15-17 are available and due Friday.

Reading: We read our shared book, Esperanza Rising.

Writing: None today due to technology. Today we viewed a digital presentation about September 11:

We will be starting a piece of writing this week and it will be due Friday, September 26. As a rule of thumb, generally a piece of writing is due every three weeks.

I’ve asked students to decorate their portfolio with drawings, photographs, stickers, magazine clippings–anything that is flat (the folders will be laminated) and is appropriate for school. The portfolios are due next Tuesday.

Math: We reviewed rays, lines and line segments today. Homework is to complete Math Journal pp. 4-5.

Science: We discussed the Energy Fair.

Our Energy Fair is this Friday, September 12 (click here for guidelines). The big idea is for students to find an object at home that demonstrates a form of energy, and to bring it in to show the class. Students are also asked to design a poster that introduces their exhibit to the class. Click here for complete details. This project is worth 30 points.

Social Studies: Students made Regions minibooks to take notes in. We also reviewed the continents, using this song:

Do You Know the Continents?
(sung to Do Your Ears Hang Low?)

Have you been to earth?
Do you know the continents?
There is North America and
South America, too.
Europe, Asia, Africa
And Australia, mate!
And Antarctica, brrrrr!

Click below to play the song, and sing along!

do-you-know-the-continents-song.mp3

Homework is to complete the Label the Continents worksheet started in class.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 2
• Orange magnets: 2
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 3
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 32
• Hours with no orange magnets: 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.

Spelling: None today due to library.

For more information on spelling this year, visit the Spelling page. And here is the Level Four 500 Word spelling list.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 15-17 are available and due Friday.

Reading: We practiced the five-finger rule today. Students practiced reading a page of text, then, for every word they didn’t understand, they held up a finger. If there were five or more words they couldn’t understand, the book was too hard for them. If they held up no fingers, the book might have been too easy. For one to three fingers, the book is probably just right. This is a good way for students to choose books in libraries and bookstores.

Writing: We made “Authority Lists” today. Everyone listed things they were authorities on and experts in: places visited, clubs, vacations, things learned, teams played on, etc. Students will use this Authority List to choose a topic for their first piece of writing.

We will be starting a piece of writing this week and it will be due Friday, September 26. As a rule of thumb, generally a piece of writing is due every three weeks.

Also, today students received a manila file folder as their “writing portfolio.” I’ve asked students to decorate their portfolio with drawings, photographs, stickers, magazine clippings–anything that is flat (the folders will be laminated) and is appropriate for school. The portfolios are due next Tuesday.

Math: We didn’t have much time for math today due to some poor choices and discussion about the poor choices. Homework is to complete Math Boxes 1.1 in their math journal.

Science: We reviewed the Energy Hunt activity and it was collected for a grade.

Our Energy Fair is this Friday, September 12 (click here for guidelines). The big idea is for students to find an object at home that demonstrates a form of energy, and to bring it in to show the class. Students are also asked to design a poster that introduces their exhibit to the class. Click here for complete details. This project is worth 30 points.

Social Studies: None today due to library.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 4
• Orange magnets: 4
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 3
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 26

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.

Spelling: The class was introduced to the Unit 1 spelling worksheets (PDF). Spelling worksheets for the year can be found on the Spelling Worksheets page in the spelling section of the website. Spelling worksheets are made available at the beginning of each unit, and they are due at the time of the spelling test.

For more information on spelling this year, visit the Spelling page. And here is the Level Four 500 Word spelling list.

Cursive: Cursive pp. 15-17 are available and due Friday.

Reading: The class received their copy of our shared reading book, Esperanza Rising today. We will read this book throughout the year as a way to review and practice reading strategies. The book also provides opportunities to think about real world themes, such as poverty, diversity, adversity, even the death of loved ones. It also provides good exposure to the Spanish language and Mexican culture.

Writing: Everyone made their writer’s folders today. This folder will be where students will collect their thoughts, write down ideas, prewrite, brainstorm, draft, revise, and edit. Students are allowed, and encouraged, to take their writer’s folders to work on their writing.

We will be starting a piece of writing this week and it will be due Friday, September 26. As a rule of thumb, generally a piece of writing is due every three weeks.

Math: We played Math Dots to continue to review third grade math concepts. Tomorrow, students will receive their math journals and we will start a unit on geometry, polygons, and two and three-dimensional figures.

Science: We completed an Energy Hunt today by looking for examples of various forms of energy around the school. Homework is to complete the Energy Hunt worksheet, including the forms of energy questions at the bottom of the page.

Our Energy Fair is this Friday, September 12 (click here for guidelines). The big idea is for students to find an object at home that demonstrates a form of energy, and to bring it in to show the class. Students are also asked to design a poster that introduces their exhibit to the class. Click here for complete details. This project is worth 30 points.

Social Studies: None today due to deciding our class goals. Yesterday, we decided our class mission statement would be the following:

Every student in Room 130 leaves happy and prepared for fifth grade.

In order to achieve this mission, we came up with three goals:

1. We will improve our STAR reading scores monthly and grow at least one year by the end of the year.
2. All students will pass the multiplication and division “Super Mad Minute” tests by the end of the year.
3. We will move our magnets no more than ten times each week (or, less than 40-50 magnets each month.

Track our progress at our online Data Center. The graphs will be updated monthly. Currently, 18 magnets have been moved this week, well over our class goal of ten.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 5
• Orange magnets: 4
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 3
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 18
  

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet.

Notes:

• I’ve asked students to bring in up to three things to put up on our Pride Board. Students are welcome to bring photos, awards, medals-anything that can be put on a bulletin board. Students can replace the items at any time and will get them back at the end of the year.
• Sign up for daily email updates, including activities, homework and important information.
• Find a list of school supplies here. I have poly envelopes for sale for $0.75 each, and dry erase markers for $0.75-$1.00.