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Spelling: Students worked on making Words to Learn lists from words missed on the last spelling test.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Students auditioned for our class play today by reading parts.

Writing: Students continued to work on prewriting for their persuasive letter (here’s a student example). Homework is to finish prewriting these parts:

1. Introduction describing a public policy problem in America (vaccines, fighting ISIS, body cameras for police officers, healthy foods for schools, etc.).
2. Their opinion about a solution to the problem.
3. Some kind of data to support their opinion.
4. At least one core democratic value to support their opinion.
5. A conclusion restating their data and opinion.

A persuasive Letter to the Editor (guidelines) about a public policy issue facing the US will be due Friday, March 3.

Resources:

• Persuasive Letter Guidelines
• CNN Student News
• Pollingreport.com
• Debate.org
• Petitions.whitehouse.gov
• annenbergclassroom.org/speakouts

Math: We tried to take a STAR Math test today, but it was interrupted by a lockdown drill. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or Khan Academy.

Science: We learned about how fossils show that some organisms have remained the same over time, and some creatures that lived long ago are now extinct. Fossils are created when animals or plants are buried rapidly, usually in some type of catastrophe (flood, landslide, volcanic eruption).

Social Studies: We finished learning about the French and Indian War; France lost to the British and was expelled from their territory.

Notes:

• Our school is looking for some volunteers to help with the book fair March 7-10 during the school day. Please contact me if you can help.
• Spring conferences are March 7-9. Here is the schedule.
• Our class will be performing a class play in March. Here are the after school class practice and performance times. Hopefully getting the schedule early will allow everyone to work out scheduling conflicts.
• Have you set a Daily Homework Time for your student? Consider 15 minutes of math, 15 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of something else to make a brain smarter!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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

Spelling: Today was a preview of upcoming spelling words.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Students completed a STAR Reading test today.

Writing: Students published their research questions for their persuasive letter about improving our country. We also read a student example letter and students started prewriting. Homework is to work on prewriting these parts:

1. Introduction describing a public policy problem in America (vaccines, fighting ISIS, body cameras for police officers, healthy foods for schools, etc.).
2. Their opinion about a solution to the problem.
3. Some kind of data to support their opinion.
4. At least one core democratic value to support their opinion.
5. A conclusion restating their data and opinion.

A persuasive Letter to the Editor (guidelines) about a public policy issue facing the US will be due Friday, March 3.

Resources:

• Persuasive Letter Guidelines
• CNN Student News
• Pollingreport.com
• Debate.org
• Petitions.whitehouse.gov
• annenbergclassroom.org/speakouts

Math: We worked on graphing again today, focusing on making shapes by graphing points. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or Khan Academy.

Science: We learned about how animals survive by their behaviors (wolves hunting in packs, spiders making webs) and by their traits (sharp teeth, woodpecker beak, eagle beak).

Social Studies: We started to learn about the French and Indian War.

Notes:

• Our school is looking for some volunteers to help with the book fair March 7-10 during the school day. Please contact me if you can help.
• Spring conferences are March 7-9. Here is the schedule.
• Our class will be performing a class play in March. Here are the after school class practice and performance times. Hopefully getting the schedule early will allow everyone to work out scheduling conflicts.
• Have you set a Daily Homework Time for your student? Consider 15 minutes of math, 15 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of something else to make a brain smarter!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles; some groups worked on breaking words apart and looking for context clues as reading strategies.

Writing: Students researched topics for a persuasive letter about improving our country; most students used pollingreport.com for ideas. After researching, students were asked to form a question (Should America do _______?). Homework is is to decide on a question to write a letter about and be ready to prewrite tomorrow.

Here are parts to a persuasive essay that we’ll be prewriting tomorrow:

1. Introduction describing a public policy problem in America (vaccines, fighting ISIS, body cameras for police officers, healthy foods for schools, etc.).
2. Their opinion about a solution to the problem.
3. Some kind of data to support their opinion.
4. At least one core democratic value to support their opinion.
5. A conclusion restating their data and opinion.

A persuasive Letter to the Editor (guidelines) about a public policy issue facing the US will be due Friday, March 3.

Resources:

• Persuasive Letter Guidelines
• CNN Student News
• Pollingreport.com
• Debate.org
• Petitions.whitehouse.gov
• annenbergclassroom.org/speakouts

Math: We worked on graphing today by learning how to plot and read coordinate points. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or Khan Academy.

Science: None today.

Social Studies: We continued to work on our persuasive letter prewriting during social studies today. We also continued to listen to an audio drama about slavery and the Underground Railroad.

Notes:

• Our school is looking for some volunteers to help with the book fair March 7-10 during the school day. Please contact me if you can help.
• Spring conferences are March 7-9. Here is the schedule.
• Our class will be performing a class play in March. Here are the after school class practice and performance times. Hopefully getting the schedule early will allow everyone to work out scheduling conflicts.
• Have you set a Daily Homework Time for your student? Consider 15 minutes of math, 15 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of something else to make a brain smarter!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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

Feb Factor Valentine’s Party 2017

58 new photos · Album by Christian Howd

Our Feb Factor Valentine’s party was so good, it was scary, literally! We passed out our cards and ate sloppy joes, crackers, fruit and veggies.

Feb Factor games included sticking conversation hearts, slurping jello, munching cranberry jelly, passing love notes, tossing bouncy balls and sticking conversation hearts!

Thanks to everyone who donated food and supplies; we had more than enough! A big thanks to all the family members that helped with serving food, cleanup and games!

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays. This week’s assignment will be due Tuesday.

Reading: Today was a reading skills and AR practice day.

Writing: We finished notes about core democratic values today and started to think about ideas for a persuasive letter about improving our country. Here are parts to a persuasive essay that we’ll be working on next week:

1. Introduction describing a public policy problem in America (vaccines, fighting ISIS, body cameras for police officers, healthy foods for schools, etc.).
2. Their opinion about a solution to the problem.
3. Some kind of data to support their opinion.
4. At least one core democratic value to support their opinion.
5. A conclusion restating their data and opinion.

A persuasive Letter to the Editor (guidelines) about a public policy issue facing the US will be due Friday, March 3.

Resources:

• Persuasive Letter Guidelines
• CNN Student News
• Pollingreport.com
• Debate.org
• Petitions.whitehouse.gov
• annenbergclassroom.org/speakouts

Math: None today due to our party. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or Khan Academy.

Here are some skills that should be leveled up at this point:

• Dividing Decimals 1
• Dividing Decimals 2
• Dividing Decimals 3
• Dividing Decimals 4
• Dividing Decimals 5
• Dividing Decimals 6
• Dividing Decimals 7
• Dividing Decimals 8
• MobyMax Math Decimals skill

Science: Students used paper DNA strips to model how traits are blindly passed from parents to offspring.

Social Studies: None today.

Notes:

• Our class will be performing a class play in March. Here are the after school class practice and performance times. Hopefully getting the schedule early will allow everyone to work out scheduling conflicts.
• Have you set a Daily Homework Time for your student? Consider 15 minutes of math, 15 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of something else to make a brain smarter!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Today was a reading and discussion day in Literature Circles; some groups worked on summarizing and determining importance.

Writing: Today we worked on our next writing project, a persuasive letter about improving our country, by writing notes about core democratic values. Here are parts to a persuasive essay that we’ll be working on next week:

1. Introduction describing a public policy problem in America (vaccines, fighting ISIS, body cameras for police officers, healthy foods for schools, etc.).
2. Their opinion about a solution to the problem.
3. Some kind of data to support their opinion.
4. At least one core democratic value to support their opinion.
5. A conclusion restating their data and opinion.

A persuasive Letter to the Editor (guidelines) about a public policy issue facing the US will be due Friday, March 3.

Resources:

• Persuasive Letter Guidelines
• CNN Student News
• Pollingreport.com
• Debate.org
• Petitions.whitehouse.gov
• annenbergclassroom.org/speakouts

Math: Students worked on catching up with unfinished decimal division skills, or worked ahead with graphing skills. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or Khan Academy.

Here are some skills that should be leveled up at this point:

• Dividing Decimals 1
• Dividing Decimals 2
• Dividing Decimals 3
• Dividing Decimals 4
• Dividing Decimals 5
• Dividing Decimals 6
• Dividing Decimals 7
• Dividing Decimals 8
• MobyMax Math Decimals skill

Science: We learned that traits can be inherited from parents or acquired from the environment or through learning. Homework is to finish the traits note page started in class.

Social Studies: None today due to our reading skills and AR practice time.

Notes:

• Our Feb Factor Valentine’s Party is Thursday, February 16. Here’s our volunteer and guest list.
• Our class will be performing a class play in March. Here are the after school class practice and performance times. Hopefully getting the schedule early will allow everyone to work out scheduling conflicts.
• Have you set a Daily Homework Time for your student? Consider 15 minutes of math, 15 minutes of writing, and 20 minutes of something else to make a brain smarter!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View links to all the websites we use in class.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at JupiterGrades.

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