MrHowd.com

Students just completed a spelling pretest, so this might be a good time to talk about spelling:

1. The spelling page at MrHowd.com has a lot of information on how spelling works in Room 130.
2. We’ll have 2-3 tests per marking period, and they will be included as part of your student’s writing grade (there’s not a separate spelling grade this year).
3. Your student will not know the words ahead of time in order to study.
4. Your student should study words they have missed on prior tests. We haven’t taken any spelling tests this year, other than the pretest, but your student can study words missed from last year. Your student has a list of these words in their Google Drive. The list is called their Core Word List.
5. See the Core Word List here or print a copy.
6. One way to use the Core Word List is to choose about 10 words each night. Make up a sentence that includes the word and ask your student to spell the word. The sentence is important because that’s how your student learns what the word means. If your student spells the word correctly, cross it off the list! Whittle the list down to just words your student keeps missing and needs to practice.

Spelling: Students completed a spelling achievement pretest today.

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

Reading: Students received notebooks and bookmarks to use during Literature Circles this year as we read novels and informational writing. We also reviewed common reading strategies that good readers use: asking questions, finding important passages, visualizing, and making connections. Today, we practicing writing good, open ended questions.

Writing: We talked about focusing a topic on just the best part and time of the story. For example, if a student wanted to write about Christmas break, then they could focus in on just New Year’s Eve, then just the New Year’s Eve party, then finally focus on the ball dropping (the best part of the story). Focusing gets the writer to concentrate on the best, most interesting parts.

A personal narrative is due Monday, September 22. Students should be drafting at this point.

Math: None today due to Patriot Day activities.

Science: None today.

Social Studies: We remembered Patriot Day today by viewing some footage of the September 11 events.

Notes:

• Do you have a reluctant reader? Here are some ideas.
• Want to get an early start saving a spot for Fall Conferences? Go to MrHowd.com/conferences to sign up.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Visit our Links page: keep track of all the websites we use for learning, or try something new.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, report cards, behavior, assignments, and attendance online.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 6th grade.

Spelling: Today we practiced spelling contractions.

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

Reading: None today due to art.

Writing: Students used free-writing to quickly think of a list of ideas for their personal narratives. Homework is to finish prewriting and be ready to start a draft tomorrow.

A personal narrative is due Monday, September 22. Students should be finishing prewriting at this point.

Math: We practiced reading and writing large numbers today.

Science: None today due to our reading skills practice time.

Social Studies: We continued to review geography ideas from 4th grade.

Notes:

• Do you have a reluctant reader? Here are some ideas.
• Want to get an early start saving a spot for Fall Conferences? Go to MrHowd.com/conferences to sign up.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Visit our Links page: keep track of all the websites we use for learning, or try something new.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, report cards, behavior, assignments, and attendance online.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 6th grade.

Spelling: Today was a review of upcoming spelling words.

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

Reading: Students completed STAR Reading tests today.

Writing: Today, students made a map of a familiar place and labeled spots on the map were interesting memories happened. Each memory is a story waiting to be written.

A personal narrative is due Monday, September 22. Students should be prewriting at this point.

Math: We started some math facts practice today, and students have begin their review of 4th grade math skills.

Science: None today.

Social Studies: We started to review geography ideas from 4th grade.

Notes:

• Do you have a reluctant reader? Here are some ideas.
• Want to get an early start saving a spot for Fall Conferences? Go to MrHowd.com/conferences to sign up.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Visit our Links page: keep track of all the websites we use for learning, or try something new.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, report cards, behavior, assignments, and attendance online.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 6th grade.

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: We’ll begin cursive soon.

Reading: Students worked on a reading skills pretest in MobyMax today; students were reviewing summaries and comparing similarities and differences today.

Writing: Today, students made an Authority List of activities, skills, and places they know about. From this list, students will select a topic to write as a personal narrative, a memory or story about the author. A personal narrative is due Monday, September 22. Homework is to make a list of about three possible personal narrative ideas, and be ready to select one idea tomorrow.

Math: None today.

Science: None today. We used this time to play Win as Much as You Can again today. This time, students learned from their mistakes from last week and worked much better as a team. As a result, the class earned $4,000 out of a maximum of $5,000. Last week, the class earned $400.

Social Studies: None today. We used this time to remember the importance of practicing. I have students a set of directions on making an origami bird. Without the directions, most could not make the bird. But with directions and practice, they were much better and making the origami bird. Later, even without directions, most students could remember how to make the origami. Practicing helped them improve on this skill, and it will help with other skills too, such as improving a reading level, learning math skills, or becoming a better writing.

We also watched this video and noticed that someone can become very good at a skill if they want to and take the time to practice:

Notes:

• School Supply list
• Want to get an early start saving a spot for Fall Conferences? Go to MrHowd.com/conferences to sign up.
• Students will need a pair of earbuds this year. Something inexpensive will be fine.
• Need to update your contact information or send in your email address or phone number? Do that here.
• Parents and family members, find out more information about our class here.
• Students, visit StudentCentral here.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at ParentVue and StudentVue.
• More class information…
  • About MrHowd.com
  • Class Info
  • Contact Mr. Howd
  • Policies and Procedures
  • Subjects

• Visit our Links page: keep track of all the websites we use for learning, or try something new.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, report cards, behavior, assignments, and attendance online.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 6th grade.