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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.

Career Day 2017

11 new photos · Album by Christian Howd

Spelling: None today due to Career Day.

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

Reading: None today due to Career Day.

Writing: None today due to Career Day. A literary essay (here’s our example essay) will be due Friday, February 10. Homework is to work on writing for at least 15 minutes.

Math: None today due to Career Day. 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

Science: We worked on collecting class data for our recent experiment modeling how animals use their traits to survive, and we also started making a line graph.

Social Studies: Today was our reading skills and AR practice day.

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.
• Middle school course request sheets are due February 14.
• 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.

¡Hola Mexico!

We won’t be having your normal party. There won’t be any cupcakes. No balloons or pointed little hats. This December, Room 130 is going south of the border to learn more about our neighbor —Mexico.

Over 17% of our country is Hispanic, which is the largest minority group in America, and according to the New York Times, America has more Spanish speakers than Spain. More than half of the foreign-born population in the US is from Latin America, with more immigrants coming from Mexico than any other country.

Yet, many of us have little exposure to the rich culture of a significant and growing population in our own country and an important neighbor to the south.

In December and January, Room 130 will experience Mexico and its traditions through a look at the holidays Mexicans celebrate during this time of the year. This study will be in conjunction with our reading of Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan. Esperanza Rising is about a young girl from Mexico who must move to California to start a new life after family tragedies in Mexico.

Nuestro Fiesta de Navidad

Our class will learn about Mexico through study of the following traditions celebrated during this time of the year:

• Arbol de Navidad—typically a decorated artificial tree or shrub. Ours is will be displayed with Flores de Noche Buena (poinsettias).
• El Nacimiento—the primary holiday display in most Mexican homes, a nativity scene, complete with moss, lights, animals, cactus, mountains, and many people.
• Las Posadas—celebrated from December 16th to December 24th (Noche Buena). This is a reenactment of the story of Mary and Joseph seeking shelter in Bethlehem. Entire towns in Mexico form processions to “seek shelter” in the inn (posada) and have a huge fiesta when they finally find room in the stable. Children are usually treated to a piñata.
• Noche Buena—December 24th, the last night of Las Posadas processions. This evening usually involves a meal with traditional tamales (corn husks lined with corn dough and filling and steamed), and champurrado (a corn-thickened hot chocolate). Buñuelos de Navidad (fried flour tortillas with sugar and cinnamon) are also enjoyed.
• Dia de los Reyes—Three Kings Day, January 6th. This is the traditional day in Mexico that children receive gifts. Their shoes are left out and they awake to find little gifts in their shoes left by the visiting Wise Men.

In addition to studying about these Mexican traditions, our fiesta will include making traditional Mexican tacos (not like Taco Bell!), buñuelos, and Mexican hot chocolate (move over Swiss Miss!), having a piñata, singing a few traditional canciónes (songs), and playing games. Later in the day, we’ll play the Jewish dreidel game and compare that game and tradition to a similar game Mexican children play.

The ultimate goal will be to experience the culture of such a large and growing portion of our own country and one of our nearest neighbors. This will allow us to celebrate the differences among cultures, appreciate the wealth of diversity our country enjoys, and recognize the value of our own traditions and cultures. The hope is that the world will become a little smaller place to Room 130. And so, to that end,

¡Feliz Navidad y Prospero Año Nuevo!

Does your family have a holiday tradition that you would like to share with our class? Feel free to comment, email or send in a note and we’ll compare and contrast with Mexican traditions.

Hawaiian Beach Bash 2016

95 new photos · Album by Christian Howd

We had a great time at field day today! Everyone who was here today worked hard during the year, or worked hard this week to finish up whatever leftover work they had to finish so that everyone today had their field day fun. The class learned that being responsible leads to good results, and today was the proof!

Field Day 2016

Notes:

• Our Rollhaven field trip is on Tuesday, June 14
• We are having an End of the Year Potluck and Picnic on Wednesday, June 15 from 10-1:30. Family members are invited to join us. We’ll need help with donations, games, serving food, and cleanup. Here’s our volunteer and guest list.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• Visit our Links page: keep track of all the websites we use for learning, or try something new.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at ParentVue or StudentVue.

Our Mission:
All students in Room 130 will do their best and get ready for 5th grade.