12/23/15

It is hard to believe that the first four months of the school year have concluded. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know and work with my students over the first few months of the 2015 school year. I very much look forward to picking up where we left off when we return in 2016.

I hope all of my students and their families have a peaceful and happy holiday break.

12/21/15

During math class, the fifth graders continued working in small groups to complete a multi-step fraction word problem. Groups have started to create a poster board that contains their solutions, explanations and visual models of their answers. The members of room 312 were very productive today.

Later in the day, the fifth graders worked on some holiday themed writing activities. This was a relaxing and enjoyable way for the students to show their creativity.

We were also fortunate enough to meet with our book buddies in Ms. Dichter's room one more time in 2015.

Wednesday, December 23rd will be a board game day in room 312. Students are welcome to bring ONE (1) board or card game with them to school that day.

Homework

30 minutes of quiet reading

Trivia

In order, what are the three tallest peaks in the world?

12/18/15

It was nice to be back in my classroom today after having to attend some meetings yesterday. Students continued to be hard at work as we wrapped up the last full school week of 2015. During math time, the fifth graders began to look at a challenging fraction related word problem. Students were placed into smaller groups to tackle this activity. Today was a nice start when dealing with this work. I was happy with the level of discourse that the students engaged in. This problem will continue into next week.

Later in the day, the fifth graders used an excerpt from Bud Not Buddy to practice some of our close reading strategies. Students looked at the significance of Bud's name as well as the idea of doors opening and closing, and how that has and will continue to impact the direction of the novel.

For those families that are leaving this weekend to begin celebrating the holiday break, I wish you happy and safe travels. I will see everyone else back in class on Monday as we wrap up our final pieces of work of the 2015 year.

12/16/15

Today, room 312 continued to read Bud Not Buddy. Students used close reading strategies to work through chapters 3 and 4. We spent time working with a particular passage and answering some questions about that portion of the text. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to dig into this book with my class.

Earlier in the day, the fifth graders continued their work with fractions and land plots. The last two days have been quite productive and I compliment my class for their dedication to the material.

Homework



Tenmarks - Finding equivalent fractions assignment on tenmarks.com. This assignment is due Friday, December 18. If possible, I would ask students to print out their certificates when completed.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading.


Trivia

Which major league baseball player holds the record for most runs batted in (rbis)?

12/15/15

During today's early release day, the fifth graders began to look at land plots in math class. Over the course of the next few days, students will be looking to assign fractional values to pictures of land plot grids. These lessons will serve to build the working knowledge of the relationship between fractions with unlike denominators.

I look forward to seeing parents and guardians this afternoon for the last session of conferences.



Homework

Math - wb. page 63

Tenmarks - Finding equivalent fractions assignment on tenmarks.com. This assignment is due Friday, December 18. If possible, I would ask students to print out their certificates when completed.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading.


Trivia

How many countries are there on planet earth?

12/14/15

As we began our last full school week of 2015 together, the fifth graders continued their work with fractions during math class. Today, the students had the option of playing one of three different fractions games that they have learned over the course of the last two weeks. I have noticed that students are getting more comfortable with their language and their ability to decompose fractions. Today was another beneficial session for the class.

Later in the day, the students began constructing the outline of a literary essay. This essay will eventually be published and I am eager to see students take what they learned from the first attempt at literary writing and carry that over into this material.

I look forward to meeting with parents and guardians tomorrow afternoon for the final parent teacher conference session.

Homework

Math - workbook page 61

Tenmarks - Finding equivalent fractions assignment on tenmarks.com. This assignment is due Friday, December 18. If possible, I would ask students to print out their certificates when completed.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading.


Trivia

What state was Abraham Lincoln born in?

12/11/15

As we wrapped up another productive and worthwhile week together in room 312, I wanted to thank all of the parents and guardians for coming in this week for conferences. I enjoyed meeting with everyone and I look forward to continuing these meetings next week.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and is able to get outside and enjoy the weather. I will see everyone back at school on Monday morning.

12/10/15

We continued to read deeper into Bud Not Buddy today. Students have been using their 3-step journals and other close reading strategies to better comprehend the text. The class discussions have been great to this point. I also think that the reading groups have been working very well together. We ended our reading on a cliff hanger moment today, so the fifth graders are eager to progress into the story to find out what happens next.

Earlier in the day, members of 312 began to use fraction number lines to play an educational game with one another. Students have been making steady progress to this early point in the fractions unit and today was another productive day.

I look forward to meeting with parents and guardians during tonight's conference time.


I also wanted to ask all parents and guardians to please donate boxes of tissues to room 312. It is only December, yet we are already running out of our supply. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 57 and 58

Kidblog - What do you believe the author's purpose was in writing Wonder. In a two paragraph essay, talk about what you believe to be the big idea or message of the book. Use evidence from the text to support your point of view. This essay is due Friday December 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Trivia

Who was the first man to walk on the moon?

12/9/15

Today, students worked in small groups during our ELA block. Students worked together to reread chapter one of Bud Not Buddy. While they read, students used strategies to help them better access complex text. The fifth graders were responsible for writing about some of the character traits that Bud has exhibited to this point in the story. The students have done a nice job with the novel to this point and I get the impression that this will continue as we move deeper into this story.

Later in the day, the fifth graders were presented with another literary essay. Room 312 read Eleven by Sandra Cisneros. This short story gave the students another opportunity to identify the author's message or intent in writing the story.

I also wanted to ask all parents and guardians to please donate boxes of tissues to room 312. It is only December, yet we are already running out of our supply. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Homework

Math - workbook page 53

Kidblog - What do you believe the author's purpose was in writing Wonder. In a two paragraph essay, talk about what you believe to be the big idea or message of the book. Use evidence from the text to support your point of view. This essay is due Friday December 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Trivia

What four presidents have their likenesses carved into Mount Rushmore?

12/8/15

Students continued to be hard at work on their European explorer reports during this early release day. Students have been working on this topic for the last two weeks and I give the class credit for digging deep and truly exploring the topic fully. I look forward to seeing the final results.

I look forward to meeting with parents later today and on Thursday.


Homework


Kidblog - What do you believe the author's purpose was in writing Wonder. In a two paragraph essay, talk about what you believe to be the big idea or message of the book. Use evidence from the text to support your point of view. This essay is due Friday December 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Trivia

How old was George Washington when he passed away?

12/7/15

The fifth grade began to read Bud Not Buddy during our ELA block today. Last week was spent giving students a background into the setting and time period of the novel. I am confident that students will enjoy this award winning novel. During today's lesson, room 312 read chapter 1 together using out close read strategies. Students were tasked with using their 3-step journal to better access the text. I enjoyed getting to hear my students read and the meaningful discussion that followed.

Earlier in the day, we continued to use clock faces to help us better understand fractions. Just over the last two weeks, I have noticed the fifth graders improving in their ability to explain the relationship of certain fractions. I also commend my students for continuing to ask questions when things aren't quite clear.


Homework

Math - workbook page 44

Kidblog - What do you believe the author's purpose was in writing Wonder. In a two paragraph essay, talk about what you believe to be the big idea or message of the book. Use evidence from the text to support your point of view. This essay is due Friday December 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Trivia

Who was president when the Great Depression started?

12/4/15

I hope everyone has a great weekend. I look forward to seeing parents and guardians during conference time next week.

12/3/15

Students used clock faces in their fraction work during math class today. The fifth graders have been making steady progress this week at the start of our fraction unit. The level of discourse continues to be a real positive.

The fifth graders have also all selected an European explorer that they wish to investigate further. Over the next two weeks, the fifth graders will continue to gather information and type up a biography that gives a glimpse into the complicated lives of these explorers.


Homework

Math - wb. page 38, page 39 is optional

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading, fill out log on nightly basis

Visit Google classroom site to take a closer look at European explorer websites


Trivia

What is the largest planet in the solar system?

12/2/15

Today, the fifth grade continued their work with fractions. Students compared fractions with both like and unlike denominators. Later, the fifth graders worked to place fractions on a number line in comparison with landmark fractions. I have been terribly impressed with the level of discourse and the participation amongst the students.

During our ELA block, the fifth graders officially kicked off Bud Not Buddy. Students read the first chapter after previewing pertinent vocabulary and making some predictions about the direction of the story. I am a big fan of this book and I believe that my class will get a lot out of it.

Finally, during social studies, room 312 began their European exploration project. Students have been tasked with selecting an explorer to look at in depth. I can't wait to continue this work over the next few days.


Homework

Math - Turkey fraction sheet (students also need to order the fractions from the first 8 problems from least to greatest on the back of the paper)

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading, fill out log on nightly basis

Visit Google classroom site to take a closer look at European explorer websites


Trivia

How old was Marco Polo when he died?

12/1/15

The fifth grade continued their work with fractions today. Students have spent time creating a working definition of both numerators and denominators. Students have been active learners and have been participating fully in class. The fifth graders began to compare fractions with unlike denominators today.

Later in the day, room 312 read the short story Spaghetti by Cynthia Rylant. This short story helped to launch our literary writing unit. Students also looked at a practice literary essay to get them into the right frame of mind as we begin to look closer into this unit.

Homework

Math - wb. page 22

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading, fill out log on nightly basis

Visit Google classroom site to take a closer look at European explorer websites


Trivia

What is the largest species of bird native to North America?

11/30/15

As the fifth grade returned to school from the Thanksgiving holiday, it was nice to see the enthusiasm that students brought with them into the classroom.

I was happy with the results of the unit one assessments from math class. There are a few students who need to take the test, but I look forward to sharing the results with room 312. During today's lesson, we began to turn our attention to fractions. This work will continue over the next few weeks and I am positive that students will bring the same level of attention to this that they did during our work in unit 1.

Later in the day, we began to look at the novel Bud Not Buddy. This book was quite popular with the fifth graders last year. I have many students who love to read and I believe that my class will all find something to like about this story. The fifth graders engaged in a worthwhile discussion about the cover of the book. I love to see the passion that the fifth graders bring to their group discussions.

Homework

Math - double sided faction sheet (complete both sides)

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading, fill out log on nightly basis


Trivia

About how many pounds of turkey are consumed each Thanksgiving?

11/24/15

Room 312 took their unit 1 math assessment. The time and energy that the fifth graders have put into the first term has been second to none. I have seen great progress from all of my students and I look forward to sitting with these assessments over the weekend. I am quite confident that the results will be positive ones.

Finally, students completed an entertaining Thanksgiving activity that involved both some creative writing and a little math.

Tomorrow, students will have an opportunity to play a favorite board or card game. If students have a favorite at home, they are welcome to bring 1 game with them to school tomorrow. I would caution students to bring something easy to set up and play, because time will be an issue.

Homework

30 minutes of quiet reading


Trivia

What is the largest turkey breed?

11/23/15

As we began our last week before the Thanksgiving break, the fifth grade had a busy day. During math class, the students completed their work with the Star Wars math problems from Friday. Time was also spent reviewing for the unit one assessment which will be given tomorrow. Students have worked tirelessly throughout the first three months of the school year and I believe that will be reflected in the results of these assessments.

Later in the day, students undertook a writing activity to generate ideas for future use during our narrative writing unit. Room 312 created a story blueprint of either a place or room that holds special significance for them. The fifth graders had some fun with this activity and I enjoyed getting to have students share their memories with the class.

This week, the fifth graders will also all have published their opinion writing pieces, these papers have taken a lot of time and work. I commend my students on their dedication to the writing process.

Homework

Math - unit 1 assessment tomorrow

Science - finish plant packet

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading


Trivia

Can you name all four members of the Beatles?

11/20/15

As we wrapped up our last full week in room 312, many different things happened today. Students once again partnered up with their peers in fourth grade to take part in a Star Wars math activity. Partners worked to solve area and perimeter problems in a collaborative effort. Students had an engaging and productive math period.

Later in the day, the fifth grade was able to have book buddies with our friends in Ms. Dichter's class. Per usual, the older students did a very nice job of working with their younger buddies.

I hope everyone enjoys the week and I will see everyone back at school on Monday for the start of the short pre-Thanksgiving week.

11/19/15

During math today, the fifth grades worked together on some Thanksgiving related division and line plot problems. The fifth graders enjoyed these group stations today and I believe there was much benefit to the work.

Later in the day, students continued their work with their long-form opinion pieces while others were writing about the Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Students are eager to share their work with their classmates and I look forward to that next week.


Homework

Blog topic - choose a character trait that Jack Will has displayed in the novel Wonder. Use specific evidence from the book to support your claim. (This post must be a paragraph of at least 8 sentences.) Due - Friday 11/20

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - pg. 67


Trivia

How many voyages did Columbus make to the Western hemisphere in his lifetime?

11/18/15

Students began to look at the causes of European exploration of the western hemisphere today. This will lead into a closer examination of some other European explorers who left a lasting impact on the world around them. I continue to enjoy the enthusiasm with which my students have been engaging with this material.

Later in the day, students continued to forge ahead with their writing. The fifth graders turned a critical eye on their own writing over the last few days, and worked to improve certain components of their opinion pieces.


Homework

Blog topic - choose a character trait that Jack Will has displayed in the novel Wonder. Use specific evidence from the book to support your claim. (This post must be a paragraph of at least 8 sentences.) Due - Friday 11/20

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading




Trivia

Can you name two other European explorers who were contemporaries of Christopher Columbus?

11/17/15

Students were hard at work during math today. The fifth graders worked on a division compare activity, reviewed order of operation problems and finally ended the session by tackling a rather challenging volume problem. A busy period, but a very productive one.

Later in the day, the fifth grade continued their opinion piece on heroism. Students have been tasked with writing a piece in which they give their view of whether or not the young man William, from the book The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind, was a hero no not. Students really took to this book and I have enjoyed getting to hear my students explain to the class what heroism means to them.

Homework

Blog topic - choose a character trait that Jack Will has displayed in the novel Wonder. Use specific evidence from the book to support your claim. (This post must be a paragraph of at least 8 sentences.) Due - Friday 11/20

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Science - practice MCAS problem



Trivia

How many men did Columbus take with him on his expedition to the new world in 1492?

11/16/15

Students completed their Columbus Day opinion pieces during social studies. The fifth grade has engaged in lively debate over the course of the last week concerning whether or not this holiday should be celebrated. Later this week, we will turn our attention for the causes of exploration and some of the other more well known names to cross the Atlantic Ocean in the 1400s.

Room 312 continued to progress through our work with division today. After the successful mixed up math session last Friday, the fifth graders are approaching the end of this unit. Later this week, we will have our end of unit assessment

Homework

Blog topic - choose a character trait that Jack Will has displayed in the novel Wonder. Use specific evidence from the book to support your claim. (This post must be a paragraph of at least 8 sentences.) Due - Friday 11/20

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - workbook page 65 (all). Workbook page 66 (just 1 problem)




Trivia

What were the names of the king and queen who funded Columbus' expedition?

11/13/15

On this Friday the 13th, I wanted to compliment my class on completing their character trait posters. I thought they turned out very well. Students were at their best presenting their characters to the rest of their classmates. This was a worthwhile activity and the fifth graders rose to the occasion.

Room 312 once again worked with their peers in the other fifth grade to complete some mixed up math problems. Students worked in stations to solve division problems. These Friday sessions continue to be a benefit to the class.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will see students back in school on Monday.

11/12/15

As we returned to the classroom today after celebrating Veterans Day, students began to compose their Christopher Columbus essay in social studies. Over the course of this week, the fifth graders have been presented with different perspectives of the Columbus discovery. The students have been tasked with using this evidence to give their own point of view of whether or not Columbus Day should be celebrated. I look forward to hearing students share their opinions with the class.

We are rapidly approaching the end of unit 1 in math class. Students continued their work with some division cluster problems today. Room 312 also retouched upon some challenging order of operation problems. I am confident that as we approach the unit 1 assessment, the fifth grade is well prepared.

Finally, we ended the day by continuing to make nice progress in the writing department. I once again enjoyed getting to conference with my writers and work with them as they strengthen their clean water opinion papers.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Character Trait project - today students were given directions for a character trait project that is due on November 13th. The directions are fairly straightforward, but if there is any confusion or questions that I can help to answer, please don't hesitate to contact me.



Trivia

Where did Christopher Columbus believe that he was when he made land on his famous voyage?

Note about parent teacher conferences

I wanted to let everyone know that the conference schedule for this year is going to be a 15 minutes chunk of time for everyone. Although the sign-up genius site penciled everyone in for 20 minutes of time. The conferences will be 15 minutes, with 5 minutes of transition time in between.

11/10/15

During math today, students looked at divisibility rules for certain numbers. The fifth graders took the lead during this portion of the lesson and worked well together to come up with conditions and examples that worked for each number. Later in our math block, we continued our work with division cluster problems.

Christopher Columbus continued to be the topic of the day in social studies. After being exposed to the native perspective of events yesterday, room 312 was given a more traditional account of Columbus' exploration today. Students were then tasked with weighing the two different perspectives and writing a reflection, in which they gave their own perspective of the events.


Homework

Math - workbook page 62

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Character Trait project - today students were given directions for a character trait project that is due on November 13th. The directions are fairly straightforward, but if there is any confusion or questions that I can help to answer, please don't hesitate to contact me.


Trivia

Can you name three Civil Way generals?

11/9/15

During social studies, students began to turn their attention to Christopher Columbus. The fifth grade was presented with two different perspectives of the same event and asked to determine which they believed to be accurate. We began today's lesson by reading the book Encounter by Jane Yolen. This story presented an uncommon view point of events to the students. Later we followed that up by looking at a more traditional view of the Columbus expedition.

Later in the day, students once again put on their writer's hats and kept up the good work on their opinion writing pieces. We are getting closer to publishing these papers. Students looked to included transition words into their early drafts today.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Character Trait project - today students were given directions for a character trait project that is due on November 13th. The directions are fairly straightforward, but if there is any confusion or questions that I can help to answer, please don't hesitate to contact me.


Trivia

How long, in feet, is the Mississippi River?

11/6/15

Students wrapped up the week by continuing their hard work during our ELA block. My writers are making significant progress in their opinion writing pieces. Today, students looked at supplementing their writing with quotations. We talked about both the proper formatting and just what makes a good quote. Next week, we will continue our work as we make our way to publishing.

Earlier in the day, students were able to hear the original War of the Worlds radio broadcast. Students have recently begun their European explorer unit. To launch this unit we have been talking about the idea of perspectives and what tends to happen when two foreign cultures come into contact with one another.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend.


Homework

Character Trait project - today students were given directions for a character trait project that is due on November 13th. The directions are fairly straightforward, but if there is any confusion or questions that I can help to answer, please don't hesitate to contact me.

11/4/15

Students dedicated much of their ELA time to their opinion writing piece. The fifth graders are putting the finishing touches on their first drafts and today, we looked at the proper way to insert quotes into ones writing. Students talked about the reasons why inserting an appropriate quote would be a positive and then worked with a few examples.

Earlier in the day, the fifth grade began their next social studies unit on European exploration of the North American continent. Students kicked off the lesson by talking about what their reaction would be if they were to encounter an alien. This lead into an informative talk about what tends to happen when two different cultures come into contact with one another.

Tomorrow, I will be out of the building for meetings. I look forward to seeing everyone on Friday as we wrap up the first week of November together.


Homework

Math - workbook page 57 and 58

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading, fill out reader's log on a nightly basis

Character Trait project - today students were given directions for a character trait project that is due on November 13th. The directions are fairly straightforward, but if there is any confusion or questions that I can help to answer, please don't hesitate to contact me.


Trivia

What was the name of a Civil War battle that took place in Pennsylvania?

11/3/15

It was nice to see everyone back in school as we started the month of November together. During math, we continued our work with division. Students were working on division cluster problems, which were very similar to the work that they did with multiplication a few weeks ago. Students are getting quite comfortable with using stories and cluster problems to better solve division problems.

Later in the day, the students continued their work on their opinion writing assignments. Students continue to collect data and quotes from reliable sources to back up their opinions. I have enjoyed getting to sit with my writers and listen in to them create compelling arguments. Later this week, we will look to inject more transition words into our writing.

Homework

Math - workbook page 54

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading, fill out reader's log on a nightly basis

Character Trait project - today students were given directions for a character trait project that is due on November 13th. The directions are fairly straightforward, but if there is any confusion or questions that I can help to answer, please don't hesitate to contact me.


Trivia

What was the largest species of dinosaur?

10/30/15

Room 312 wrapped up the month of October by continuing our character based discussion work in ELA. We recently read the book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. Students were tasked with identifying certain characteristics that the main character displayed. And more importantly, backing up their contentions with evidence from the text. I enjoyed hearing students express their opinions and back them up convincingly.

We also were lucky to once again meet with our book buddies in Ms. Dichter's class. Students have been having a great time working with their younger counterparts.

Finally, I wanted to thank all of the parent volunteers who donated their time to make our fall science activity a success today. The kids had a great time and were highly entertained and engaged.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend and enjoys the holiday.

10/29/15

Students continued to work on their opinion writing assignment. Today, we looked at examples of essays that met and exceeded expectations. Students were tasked with identifying what made those essays work so well. They were then asked to start to connect the information that they have been compiling the last few days to personal experiences or texts that we have read together in class.

Room 312 has also officially completed their unit on Native Americans. Next week we will turn our focus to early European exploration.

Students also received back their mid-unit math assessment. The results were extremely positive. Please ask your students how they did on their assessment.


Homework

Math - workbook page 49 and 50 (pages 51 and 52 are an extra challenge

Tenmarks.com - assignment is due Friday, October 30th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Writing - explore Google classroom site

https://classroom.google.com/c/MTUwNTczMDEw



Trivia

What is the largest body of water in the continental United States?

10/28/15

I wanted to begin todays post by paying a compliment to my class. The mid-unit assessments went very well. I was so pleased to see the results the students produced. I am not surprised to see these good scores, it is a compliment to the hard work the students have put into their studies to this point.

We ended yesterdays class by discussing a working definition and some vocabulary terms pertaining to division. Today we officially kicked off our work with division. Students were tasked with solving a problem with pictures and a story context. Tonights homework will be a continuation of the work began in class.

Later during our reading block, the fifth grade started to read The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind. This final anchor text in our clean water unit will serve to better inform students in their opinion writing work that will be ongoing throughout the next few weeks.

Finally students are wrapping up their work with native american regions during social studies. Students have been creating some visually impressive slide presentations on their iPads. I would ask families at home to engage their children and ask them what they have learned while researching their tribes.


Homework

Math - workbook page 48

Tenmarks.com - assignment is due Friday, October 30th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Writing - explore Google classroom site

https://classroom.google.com/c/MTUwNTczMDEw



Trivia

How many people survived the sinking of the Titanic?

Google Classroom

I wanted to call parents' attention to the fact that we will start using Google classroom. Here is a link for students and parents to access articles and assignments that are periodically posted on this site. Currently, there are some links to sites that students will use as they write their clean water opinion paper.

https://classroom.google.com

10/27/15

Today, students took their mid-unit assessment during math class. The work that the students have done throughout the course of the first two months has been top notch. I am eager to sit with these assessments because I am confident that the results will be top notch.

We continued our work with opinion writing today. Students used graphic organizers to help them identify strong supporting reasons to back up their these statements. The opinion piece focused in on identifying causes of the clean water problem that exists on planet Earth. This work will be ongoing over the next few weeks.


Homework

Tenmarks.com - assignment is due Friday, October 30th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Writing - explore Google classroom site

https://classroom.google.com/c/MTUwNTczMDEw


Science - practice MCAS question is due Wednesday


Trivia

What actor provided the voice for Buzz Lightyear in the Toy Story movies?

10/26/15

It was a busy Monday back at school for room 312. Students are approaching the finish line in our Native American unit. They continue to be hard at work on their tribal informational report. I have noticed the enthusiasm with which students are approaching their work and I can not wait to see the finished products.

During math today, we spent some time reviewing order of operation problems and multiplication problems. Tomorrow, the fifth graders will take their mid-unit assessment. I am quite confident that students will rise to the occasion.

Finally, during our ELA time, we spent time discussion main ideas. This lesson was centered around our latest read aloud book: One Well. Students worked together to generate some of the important themes of this interesting story.

Homework

Math - mid unit assessment tomorrow

Tenmarks.com - assignment is due Friday, October 30th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Writing - read national geographic article and highlight important details

Science - practice MCAS question is due Wednesday


Trivia

Which actor provides the voice of Woody in the Toy Story movies?

10/23/15

Students in room 312 completed anther productive week today. The first week back from science camp can sometimes be a challenge for students, as everyone settles back into a routine. I give my students credit for getting right back up to speed.

This was a busy week for us and the children rose to the occasion. The fifth graders continue to publish their editorial letters and we continued to dig deeper into our next clean water picture book. Students are getting a deeper understanding of the importance of water conservation.

We also continue to make nice strides during our math blocks. Next week, students will be given their mid unit assessment and I am quite confident that the results will be reflective of the strong work done to this point in the school year.

Next week, the students will have their first assignment on tenmarks.com. Students were given their log-in information today and should try accessing the site this weekend. The assignment is due next Friday, October 30th.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend with their families and I will see everyone back at school on Monday.


Homework

Kidblog prompt - In a two paragraph essay, students should summarize recent events in Wonder then write about a connection that they have made with the text. The first paragraph should be a summary and the second you center around making a connection with the text. The four connections that we have been discussing in class are: text to text, text to media, text to world and text to self.

Both paragraphs should be 6 to 8 sentences. This is due on the site by Friday the 23rd

10/22/15

Members of room 312 continue to be hard at work in the publishing stage of their opinion letters. Students have worked nicely to craft convincing, meaningful arguments to bolster their point of view. I have enjoyed getting to conference with my writers and see them continue to make positive strides.

During our social studies lesson today, the fifth graders are working on their Native American project. Using multiple sources and their iPads, students are compiling research about a particular tribe and the cultural region that the tribe existed in. I expect great things from the finished products.

Homework

Math - workbook page 41

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Kidblog prompt - In a two paragraph essay, students should summarize recent events in Wonder then write about a connection that they have made with the text. The first paragraph should be a summary and the second you center around making a connection with the text. The four connections that we have been discussing in class are: text to text, text to media, text to world and text to self.

Both paragraphs should be 6 to 8 sentences. This is due on the site by Friday the 23rd

Trivia

Which NBA team has won the most championships?

10/21/15

Students began their mock letter today to try to convince their classmates that cleaning polluted rivers is a worthwhile endeavor. I have enjoyed getting to hear my students debate this issue and come up with some pretty compelling arguments to bolster this point of view. The goal is to complete this writing assignment by the end of the week.

In math class, we continued our work with multiplication cluster problems. Students have been hard at work devising different strategies to solve multiplication problems.

Homework

Math -workbook page 39

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Kidblog prompt - In a two paragraph essay, students should summarize recent events in Wonder then write about a connection that they have made with the text. The first paragraph should be a summary and the second you center around making a connection with the text. The four connections that we have been discussing in class are: text to text, text to media, text to world and text to self.

Both paragraphs should be 6 to 8 sentences. This is due on the site by Friday the 23rd

Trivia

Which college have the most presidents of the United States attended?

10/20/15

On this early release today, we continued to come up with some more tape diagrams in math class. This continuation of yesterday's work lead into some challenging multiplication cluster problems.

During our ELA time, we continued to construct an opinion letter which speaks to the importance of ending river pollution. Over the course of the last two days, I have been so impressed with the level of discourse and effort put forth by my class. This work will continue the rest of this upcoming week. I would encourage all parents and guardians to ask their students what they have been writing about this week.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 37. 38 is extra practice that is optional.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Kidblog prompt - In a two paragraph essay, students should summarize recent events in Wonder then write about a connection that they have made with the text. The first paragraph should be a summary and the second you center around making a connection with the text. The four connections that we have been discussing in class are: text to text, text to media, text to world and text to self.

Both paragraphs should be 6 to 8 sentences. This is due on the site by Friday the 23rd

Trivia

What state had the most United States presidents born in it?

10/19/15

It was great to finally have everyone back at school today. The fifth grade had an incredible time at science camp and I have enjoyed getting to talk with my students about their experiences. Room 312 returned to the classroom today ready to work.

In math class, the fifth graders began using tape diagrams to help them better understand numerical expressions. Students represented problems in word form, numerically and using these diagrams. I love to hear my students expanding their math vocabulary and being willing to ask questions when something isn't quite clear to them yet. We are fast approaching our mid-unit assessment and I am confident that the strong work will continue throughout this week.

Later, during our ELA block, the fifth graders began to craft an opinion letter that had to do with the serious issue of clean water. Students are writing about whether or not they believe this is a pressing issue facing the world today, and if so, what can be done about addressing this problem. I look forward to working with my students over the next few days on this assignment.

Homework

Math - Engage New York worksheet

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Kidblog prompt - In a two paragraph essay, students should summarize recent events in Wonder then write about a connection that they have made with the text. The first paragraph should be a summary and the second you center around making a connection with the text. The four connections that we have been discussing in class are: text to text, text to media, text to world and text to self.

Both paragraphs should be 6 to 8 sentences. This is due on the site by Friday the 23rd

Trivia

Which presidents were born in Massachusetts?

10/9/15

Throughout this week you could feel the anticipation building for the upcoming trip to science camp. I give my students credit for remaining focused on their lessons during this exciting week.

The fifth grade once again had the opportunity to work with their counterparts in the fourth grade. Students worked across grade levels to solve word problems that tied in to the trip to science camp. This lesson ended with an exit ticket which allowed teachers an opportunity to ensure that students were accessing the material.

Finally, during our ELA block, room 312 put the finishing touches on their River Ran Wild timeline of events. This event brings us closer to the end of our time with this interesting book. When we return from camp, the students will put on their writer's hats and create an opinion letter concerning this important current event issue.

I hope everyone enjoys the long weekend and I would ask everyone to keep the Dallas Cowboys in their thoughts as they prepare to get demolished by the New England Patriots this weekend.

10/8/15

Work continued on order of operation problems. Students continue to rise to the occasion when presented with increasingly challenging equations. This material will lead into a final activity when we return from science camp.

The fifth grade watched an informative video concerning the scarcity of clean drinking water in Indonesia. This lead to some worthwhile discussion and then segued into our timeline work.


Homework

Math - students will select 4 problems from the order of operation worksheet done in class, and complete them step by step on the blank piece of paper given to them

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Complete reader's log on nightly basis. (Due tomorrow)


Trivia

What is the highest elevation in the continental United States?

Science Camp Reminders

A few last minute reminders for families:

Few Camp Reminders for 5th Graders

1.    You may bring a snack to eat on the bus ride down.

2.    Any unfinished snack from the bus will be thrown away before leaving the bus because there is NO FOOD ALLOWED IN CABINS!

3.    Do not pack food. You will eat plenty at camp.

4.    No electronics are needed at camp. This includes the bus ride down!

5.    The exception to this is that there (hopefully) is a working DVD player on the bus. If you have a school appropriate movie (not Blu-ray) to bring on the bus, talk to your teacher about it.

6.    If you tend to get carsick, think about choosing a smart seat on the bus near the adult (who will have bags at the ready!)

7.    Once we are on the bus, and have crossed into Rhode Island you will find out who is in your cabin.

8.    When packing, refer to the packing list and the weather for the week.

9.    Remember that you should only pack as much as you can carry.

10. Don’t forget to pack your common sense, a good attitude, your curiosity about the natural world, and many pairs of warm, dry socks.

A Few Camp Reminders for Parents

1.   Students should arrive to school with all of their belongings on Tuesday at 8:10.

2.   All medications and/or Epi-pens should be handed to Ms. Armstrong on Tuesday morning. Please label everything!

3.  I will check in with the office each day and have Vicki or Karen update the parents.

4.  There is one main address for the camp any letters will be given out to the students via field group teachers/ director. Feel free to send a letter. Address: 9 Wheatley Road, West Greenwich, RI 02817.

5.  Students should be back to school on Friday at 2:00- 2:15. Please note-This arrival time depends on traffic. We all have to be a bit flexible that day.

6.  At pick up on Friday all students need to check out with their homeroom teacher before they leave. 

10/7/15

The large part of math today was spent working with orders operation problems. Throughout the lesson, students were presented with increasingly difficult problems and I felt that they rose to the challenge. I enjoyed getting to hear students verbalize their thought processes. This will lead into another small group activity later this week.

During our ELA block, the fifth grade continued to investigate the first story in our clean water unit. Students continued to respond to "close reading" questions and began to put together a timeline of events from the story. On Friday, we will begin out first significant writing assignment of this unit.

Finally, room 312 continued to explore the various geographic regions of early Native American society. Students have been tasked with discovering the names of specific tribes as well as tools and artifacts that each region was known for.


Homework

Math - workbook page 35C (1-8) numbers 9 and 10 are challenges

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Complete reader's log on nightly basis


Trivia

What is the largest lake in America?

10/6/15

Fifth graders turned a critical eye towards A River Ran Wild. We have been discussing questions that readers ask themselves as they are reading a book. Using these questions as a guide, room 312 began to dig into this story. I look forward to continuing this work throughout the course of this week.

Earlier in the day, students worked in small groups to play a challenging factor game. The level of engagement and enthusiasm during math continues to be one of the high points of the school day.


Homework

Math - workbook page 33

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Complete reader's log on nightly basis


Trivia

Can you name two tribes of Native Americans that called Massachusetts home?

10/5/15

The fifth grade began to narrow their focus on specific Native American cultural regions. Students are going to start learning about the day-to-day life of indians in different parts of the continental United States. This will lead into a final project that will allow me to ascertain what students have learned over the course of the first few weeks of school in social studies.

Students continued their work representing multiplication problems using pictures, words and different methods. I am proud of my students for stepping out of their comfort zones and making attempts to solve these problems using methods that they may be initially uncertain of. We continue to make great progress during our math lessons.

Finally, room 312 began to discuss the book A River Ran Wild by Lynne Cherry. This book looks at the changing conditions of the Nashua River and ties in nicely with our overall theme of clean water. This week will be spend discussing and writing about the book, leading to a writing component on Friday.

Homework

Math - workbook page 28 and finish page 27 if not done in class

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Complete reader's log on nightly basis


Trivia

What is the largest river in New England?

10/2/15

Students continued their work with using various multiplication strategies to help them solve some problems. The fifth graders have also been using stories and visual models to help them better understand the work that they are undertaking.

During our ELA block, students attempted to make a connection between the class read-aloud book "Wonder" and their own backgrounds. Fifth graders looked to connect the book with others they have read, their own personal life or various forms of media. This was a very productive exercise.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will see everyone back at school on Monday.

I have a few students who did not complete their kidblog assignment. Students should complete that his weekend and turn in on Monday. If unable to type online, please write on a piece of paper.


Homework

 Kidsblog - (6-8 sentences, due 10/2) Make a prediction about Wonder. What do you think will happen to Auggie at his new school? Do you think that he will have a positive experience or a negative experience? Why do you believe this? Make sure to back up your point of view with evidence from the book

10/1/15

As we began the month of October, I unfortunately will be out of the classroom today attending meetings at the Dallin and the Pierce Schools. I am confident that students will continue their strong start to the school year in my absence and I look forward to seeing everyone back at school tomorrow.

As a reminder, tomorrow is picture day.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 25 and 26 (due Friday)

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. There will be no written reader's log this week

 Kidsblog - (6-8 sentences, due 10/2) Make a prediction about Wonder. What do you think will happen to Auggie at his new school? Do you think that he will have a positive experience or a negative experience? Why do you believe this? Make sure to back up your point of view with evidence from the book

Trivia

What other countries border the United States?

9/30/15

Students ended the month of September on a strong note. We moved into our second chapter in math today. We began to discuss different multiplication strategies during our lesson. Students are engaging one another and there was a fast moving dialogue today, which was nice to see.

I wanted to pay a special compliment to my class. I was thrilled to go through the math assessment that the students took the other day. The members of 312 showed their understanding with logical and well explained responses. An encouraging start to the 2015-2016 school year.

We also continued our look at current events, particularly the scarcity of clean water in parts of the world. Students have been focusing their energies into engaging with an informational article pertaining to the theme of the unit. This will be ongoing throughout the next few weeks.

I enjoyed getting to meet so many parents and guardians at curriculum night. Thank you all for coming.

I had some parents mention that they would like to see the specialist schedule for room 312. Here it is:

Monday - Libraray
Tuesday - Art
Wednesday - Music
Thursday - Gym
Friday - Gym

Homework

Math - workbook pages 25 and 26

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. There will be no written reader's log this week

 Kidsblog - (6-8 sentences, due 10/2) Make a prediction about Wonder. What do you think will happen to Auggie at his new school? Do you think that he will have a positive experience or a negative experience? Why do you believe this? Make sure to back up your point of view with evidence from the book



Trivia

Can you name at least three different North American tribes?

9/29/15

During this early release day, room 312 put the finishing touches on their "Important Me" poems. These pieces of work have turned out very well. I give my students credit for dedicating themselves to the task and putting a personal touch on their writing.

In math class, student took an assessment concerning some important terms and concepts that we have been investigating throughout the first few weeks of the year. After, the fifth graders were able to go head to head in an activity that concerned place value and expanded notation.

As a reminder, picture day is this upcoming Friday, October 2nd.

I look forward to meeting parents and guardians tonight during curriculum night.


Homework

Math - double sided worksheet due tomorrow 9/30

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. There will be no written reader's log this week

 Kidsblog - (6-8 sentences, due 10/2) Make a prediction about Wonder. What do you think will happen to Auggie at his new school? Do you think that he will have a positive experience or a negative experience? Why do you believe this? Make sure to back up your point of view with evidence from the book



Trivia

What is the most prevalent mammal in the United States?

9/28/15

The fifth grade spent one more day looking at number puzzles during math class. Students have really risen to the occasion to this point in the year during our work in math. Tomorrow, room 312 will take a brief assessment concerning some of the important terms and concepts that we have investigated during the first three weeks of the school year.

During social studies, the majority of students completed their Kennewick Man report. Students have been very creative throughout our work on this momentous scientific discovery. The fifth graders also completed an exit ticket which allowed me to see the knowledge gained during this unit.

Finally, we officially began our clean water reading unit. Students were presented with an article concerning this very important current events issue. I enjoyed getting a chance to discuss this with my students and look forward to continuing this work over the course of the next few weeks.

Homework

Math -workbook page 17

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. There will be no written reader's log this week

 Kidsblog - (6-8 sentences, due 10/2) Make a prediction about Wonder. What do you think will happen to Auggie at his new school? Do you think that he will have a positive experience or a negative experience? Why do you believe this? Make sure to back up your point of view with evidence from the book



Trivia

What was the first states admitted to the Union after the original 13 colonies?

9/25/15

During math today, the fifth grade once again was able to work with their fourth grade counterparts. Students worked in pairs on an activity that dealt with place value. This was a nice learning experience for both grades and I was happy to see animated and engaging discussions taking place.

Room 312 also continued to work with our 9 core reading competencies. Students were responsible for crafting a summary for a short story read in class. They were also prompted to attempt to make connections with the book and others that they might have read in the past.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend and I look forward to seeing everyone back at school on Monday.

9/24/15

It was nice to see everyone back after the day off. We continued to use the 9 core reading competencies to help direct our look at literary texts. Today, the fifth grade read Salt In His Shoes, and had a nice discussion concerning the change undergone by the main character and the deeper meaning of the story. This work will continue into tomorrow.

During our ELA block of time, members of 312 also continued to be hard at work on their "Important Me" poems. Students are using this to give others a snapshot into their likes and interests. The finished products will be displayed in the fifth grade hallway.

Homework

Math - factor worksheet, one sided

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading nightly. Fill out reader's logs on a nightly basis


Trivia

Tough one today: What four state capitols are named after presidents?

9/22/15

On this early release day, the members of room 312 continued their Kennewick Man "C.S.I." project, Fifth graders are attempting to recreate what this ancient man might have looked like. Students have also been discussing possible artifacts that this man might have had with him when he made his momentous journey to the North American continent.

During our ELA block, students once again looked at the 9 core reading competencies. These guiding questions/principles, will be referenced often throughout the year and i've felt like the class has done a very nice job the last two days when working with them. Students have been tasked with responding to some of these questions concerning a literary text.

I hope everyone enjoys their day off tomorrow and I will see everyone back at school on Wednesday. As a reminder, students should continue to fill put their reader's log throughout this week


Homework

Math - worksheet, both sides

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading nightly. Fill out reader's logs on a nightly basis


Trivia

In which state was Abraham Lincoln born?

9/21/15

The fifth grade continued their work with their "I Am Me" poems. These pieces of writing are a great way for the students to show their individuality and to learn more about one another. Students are going to have the opportunity to type up their finished products using their iPads. I look forward to seeing the finished products.

During social studies, we looked closely a an important scientific discovery concerning the method of arrival of the first people on the North American continent. Students were then presented with an article that they had to closely read with a partner. This was great practice at looking at an informational piece of writing to pick out important details. This work will lead into our first mini social studies project which will be ongoing this week.

Homework

Math - worksheet, both sides due tomorrow

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading nightly. Fill out reader's logs on a nightly basis


Trivia

What NFL team is the only one to have their logo on only one side of their helmets?

9/18/15

As we wrapped up our second week together, students continued their strong start to the school year. The fifth grade took the lead today during math class. Members of rooms 312 and 310 helped to teach  their counterparts in fourth grade the rules of a math activity that concerned factors. The fifth graders set a good example and the activity proved quite the success.

Fifth graders also put on their detective hats in social studies. We spent time today looking at the historic discovery of the Kennewick Man. This skeleton has changed the way scientists have come to view the earliest inhabitants of the North American continent. I look forward to continuing this lesson next week.

I have also enjoyed getting to read my students work on the class blog. There is serious writing talent on display. I would like to remind students that if they did not complete their post, there is still time to get credit. If the post has been made by tonight, students will receive credit for completing the assignment.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and I will see students back in school on Monday

Homework

Kidblog - Tell me about a book you read over the summer. Mention the title and give a brief summary. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

 - post must be at least 6-8 sentences and is due by Friday September 18th

Trivia

What is the largest land mammal on planet earth?

9/17/15

Today in math class, students continued to work in groups to solve increasingly challenging math puzzles. Students have been presented with clues, that when taken together allow them to find certain numbers. I must admit, that some of the clues today were quite challenging. It is to the credit of my class that they worked well together and did very good work today. I enjoyed getting to converse with my students about their thought processes.

During social studies, students began to look at the first migration of people into the North American continent during the last Ice Age. The members of 312 were engaged participants and I look forward to continuing this unit with my students.

Just as a reminder, students should be returning science camp forms as soon as possible. Also, reader's logs, which should be signed by guardians on a nightly basis, are due tomorrow. The Kidblog post is also due tomorrow.


Homework

Math - whats the number worksheet, both sides

Just a note about math homework. The homework for math is nightly. You an assignment given on Monday is due on Tuesday 

Kidblog - Tell me about a book you read over the summer. Mention the title and give a brief summary. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

 - post must be at least 6-8 sentences and is due by Friday September 18th

Reading - 30 minutes of personal reading. Fill out reading log on a nightly basis


Trivia

How tall is the Green Monster (in feet) at Fenway Park?

9/16/15

Today was a busy day for room 312. Fifth graders had the opportunity to take part in an information session for the upcoming science camp. Students are very excited for this week in October and they were attentive listeners during this presentation.

During social studies, the class began looking at the earliest people to arrive in North America. Students watched a short documentary about the subject and then compiled important facts from an article while working in small groups. This lesson will continue into tomorrow.

Finally, we continued to read Wonder during read aloud time. Periodically, we have been having some real nice discussions about key characters, traits and scenes. I have also been impressed by the students who are making connections between this book and others that they have read in the past.


Homework

Math - worksheet pg 9 and 10

Just a note about math homework. The homework for math is nightly. You an assignment given on Monday is due on Tuesday 

Kidblog - Tell me about a book you read over the summer. Mention the title and give a brief summary. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

 - post must be at least 6-8 sentences and is due by Friday September 18th

Reading - 30 minutes of personal reading. Fill out reading log on a nightly basis


Trivia

Which states border Massachusetts?

9/15/15

Today in math, the fifth grade continued working with arrays. The discussion was expanded to include prime and composite numbers. Students had time to talk about the differences between those two classifications and to build examples using manipulatives.

During our ELA learning block, the students talked about the different genres of books found in the classroom. This led into independent reading time. Students used post-it notes to focus in on important scenes and characters that caught their attention while reading.


Homework

Math - 2 sided workbook page, complete both sides

Kidblog - Tell me about a book you read over the summer. Mention the title and give a brief summary. Would you recommend this book to a friend? Why or why not?

 - post must be at least 6-8 sentences and is due by Friday September 18th

Reading - 30 minutes of personal reading. Fill out reading log on a nightly basis


Trivia

What is the state bird of Massachusetts?

9/11/15

During math class today, students used tiles to build arrays. These arrays had to correspond with clues that the fifth graders were presented with. These clues pertained to multiplication factors. I loved to see the cooperation from my class during this partner activity.

I wanted to compliment my students on completing their first week of fifth grade. I was impressed with both the enthusiasm and the diligence shown by my new group of students. I am confident that these positive qualities will carry over into the rest of the school year.

I hope everyone has a great long weekend and I will see everyone back in school on Tuesday.


Homework

Writer's notebook - by Tuesday of next week, I would like all of the students in room 312 to personalize their writer's notebooks. I really want students to take pride in their pieces of writing and make it their own. This arts and crafts component will help in that regard. As an example, here is my writer's notebook.

I would also like all students to make an attempt to log into their kidblog site while at home. This important site will be home to the students writing during the year. If there is any trouble, please let me know.

9/10/15

During math today, the fifth grade began our first lesson of our first unit. This lesson focused in on arrays. Students were tasked with creating arrays that fit certain clues. This lead into a closer look at multiples and factors. Students did a nice job participating in this lesson and I welcomed the class discussion that was an ongoing part of the period.

In social studies, the students finished their work with the directions of the compass and moved onto to looking at the hemispheres of the earth. This lesson allowed time for students to move around the room and to work together in small groups. I compliment my students on their ability to stay on task during this time block.


Homework

Math - workbook page 3

Introducing You worksheet, please fill out and pass in by Friday

Writer's notebook - by Tuesday of next week, I would like all of the students in room 312 to personalize their writer's notebooks. I really want students to take pride in their pieces of writing and make it their own. This arts and crafts component will help in that regard. As an example, here is my writer's notebook.

I would also like all students to make an attempt to log into their kidblog site while at home. This important site will be home to the students writing during the year. If there is any trouble, please let me know.