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Spelling: We continued to practice compound words today.

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

Reading: Students received magazines today. Students will read their magazine silently in their book group and write notes in the Literature Circles notebook. On alternating days, they will discuss their notes with their book group. Today was just started reading the first page, and will read more pages tomorrow.

Writing: We talked more about using details to prove ideas so that the writing is more interesting and realistic. We also reviewed the three common details in narrative writing:

• talking (or thinking)
• action (what characters or objects do)
• visual details (what characters, places, objects look like)

Students also worked on revising their personal narrative. Homework is for students to continue to work on their story for at least 15 minutes.

The first piece of writing, a personal narrative, will be due on Monday, September 26. Your student should be done with at least a half-page draft and looking for ways to change and improve their writing.

Also, students were provided with a colored file folder this week that they should decorate with stickers, pictures, clippings, or drawings. The folders are due Friday. 

Math: We practiced using equivalent fractions to change one fraction into an easier fraction, and to then convert that fraction into a decimal. For example, 3/5 is equivalent to 6/10, and that is easier to change into the decimal 0.6. We also used MobyMax Math to continue to work on decimal and place value skills. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or something else.

Science: We reviewed the Solving Problems-Save Fred! experiment from yesterday and students submitted their notebooks for a grade. Some students didn’t finish this homework yesterday and are already starting to put a strain on their report card.

Social Studies: We learned today that the first American Indians were hunter-gatherers, but then learned to farm. That helped large civilizations to spring up in Mexico.

Notes:

• Our BioBlitz field trip in Friday, September 23 from 9:15-2:30. Students will need a sack lunch and a blanket (optional). We can take a few chaperones, but please have the volunteer form completed and turned in to the office if interested.
• Have you set up 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!
• Here is important information from the chromebook meeting. If you are purchasing insurance, please do that by September 21.
• 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: We practiced two more reading strategies today: visualizing and determining importance. In Literature Circles, students will show their visualizing by drawing illustrations, and they will show that they can identify important passages by writing about parts of a text and why they selected that part. Students also turned in their notebooks for a grade.

Writing: We talked about proving ideas by using details. For example, if a student says a place if fun, prove it!. Is a ride scary, prove with with talking and visual details! Is a park beautiful, prove it! Details make a writing more specific and interesting to read.

Students also worked on their draft. Homework is for students to finish their draft of at least half a page. The first piece of writing, a personal narrative, will be due on Friday, September 23. Your student should be nearing the end of their draft by now. Also, students were provided with a colored file folder. I asked students to decorate the folder with stickers, pictures, clippings, or drawings and to return by Friday to be laminated. This will be each student’s writing portfolio for the year.

Math: We practiced converting fractions to decimals and vice versa today. We also used MobyMax Math to continue to work on decimal and place value skills. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or something else.

Science: Students worked with a partner to complete the Solving Problems-Save Fred! experiment. Homework is to finish writing details steps on how each group solved the Save Fred problem, and to finish analysis questions 1 and 3 on p. 7. Students should write all notes in their science notebooks. Also, I shared a digital copy of our science book to each student. They can find it in their Google Drive.

Social Studies: We learned today that Asians migrated to America from Russia over a land bridge that appeared in the past when ocean levels were lower.

Notes:

• Our BioBlitz field trip in Friday, September 23 from 9:15-2:30. Students will need a sack lunch and a blanket (optional). We can take a few chaperones, but please have the volunteer form completed and turned in to the office if interested.
• Here is important information from the chromebook meeting. If you are purchasing insurance, please do that by September 21.
• 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: We started practicing compound words today.

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

Reading: Today was a reading skills practice day using MobyMax Reading Stories.

Writing: We continued to talk about focusing a topic on the best part and best time.

Students also worked on their draft. The first piece of writing, a personal narrative, will be due on Friday, September 23.

Math: Nine today due to art. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or something else.

Science: We had a dental health lesson from the Mott Children’s Health Center.

Social Studies: Today was Constitution Day. We reviewed the Preamble of the Constitution. Then we reviewed the Bill of Rights. Finally, we watched a movie to see what America would be like if we didn’t have the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. It wasn’t pretty.

Notes:

• Here is important information from the chromebook meeting. If you are purchasing insurance, please do that by September 21.
• Students will need a pair of earbuds this year. Something inexpensive will be fine. Earbuds are preferred over large headphones that are hard to store and usually more expensive to replace.
• 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.

Here are important links from the Chromebook information night. You can find the full details here.

• Click HERE for the August 30, 2016 Parent Letter
• Click HERE for the Required Forms for Students and Parents.
• Click HERE for the complete 1:1 Device Handbook.
• Click HERE for the Pay Schools Link for Insurance Payment via check or Credit Card.
• Click HERE for the Parent Meeting Presentation.
• Click HERE to submit a question to the 1:1 staff.  We will place all answers on this page.

Spelling: Today was a preview of upcoming spelling words. Here is a yearly spelling list. You can learn more about how spelling works here.

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

Reading: Students received Literature Circles notebooks today and we used them to start reviewing some reading strategies. Today, we focused on questioning and making connections.

Writing: We talked about focusing a topic on the best part. For example, if a student wants to write about Christmas break, they can focus on the best day, and from that day they can focus on the best few hours. This way, the student focuses in on just the best parts of a story.

Students also started their draft. The first piece of writing, a personal narrative, will be due on Friday, September 23.

Math: We continued to practice reading and writing large numbers today using place value. Students also practiced place value skills using MobyMax Math today. Homework is to practice math for at least 15 minutes using MobyMax Math or something else.

Science: We set up our science notebooks for the first experiment and we’ll complete this in a future science class.

Social Studies: We continued to preview our upcoming topic about how American Indians had to adapt to their environment and use available resources.

Notes:

• The Chromebook Informational meeting is today, Thursday, September 15 at West Middle School. There are two times. Here are forms for students and parents to sign.
• Students will need a pair of earbuds this year. Something inexpensive will be fine. Earbuds are preferred over large headphones that are hard to store and usually more expensive to replace.
• 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.