5/29/15

I wanted to congratulate my class for putting the finishing touches on their literary essays today. Students worked on these over the course of the last three weeks and I have enjoyed getting to conference with my writers and see them peer edit each other's papers. I am looking forward to reading these over the weekend.

I hope everyone has a great weekend. And I will see everyone back in school on Monday as we begin our final month together.

5/28/15

Room 312 took their assessment on the concept of volume during math class. Over the last two weeks, the class has been hard at work on various word problems and activities in preparation for this exam. I am eager to see how the class performed on this piece of work.

During social studies, students were able to share tweets that they came up with about the Battle of Bunker Hill. Fifth graders were tasked with imagining that they were present the day of the battle and then needed to tweet out important details about the day. These were very creative and the class enjoyed sharing them with one another.


Homework

Math - worksheet, front and back. Also complete workbook page 45 if not finished in class.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Social Studies - complete Bunker Hill Tweet


Trivia

What musical instrument did Thomas Jefferson have a talent for playing?

5/27/15

Special thanks today to Jim Parks from Wingmasters who visited with the fifth graders to talk about North American birds of prey. The students were able to see various birds of prey in the flesh and also learned a lot of interesting facts. The kids had a great time at this special event.

Work continued in math class today with volume. Tomorrow, room 312 will take an assessment to see where they stand concerning this material.


Homework

Math - workbook pages 25 and 26

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Writing - some students need to continue their work with their literary essays in preparation for publication by Friday


Trivia

What was the name of Thomas Jefferson's homestead?

5/26/15

Today, grade 5 was able to travel to the Ottoson Middle School. This visit allowed students the chance to familiarize themselves with the building in preparation for next year. It was great for members of my class to meet some of their future teachers and to see where they will be traveling on a daily basis.

When fifth grade returned to the Thompson, the class resumed their work with some challenging volume problems. Later this week, there will be an assessment concerning the volume work from the last two weeks.

The writers in room 312 are also in the publishing phase of their literary essays. I had a few more writer's conferences today and continue to be impressed with the insight students are putting into their work. The goal is to have all students publish their work by the end of this week.


Homework

Math - Engage New York worksheet




Trivia

What day did the Revolutionary War end?

5/22/15

I wanted to congratulate all of the fifth grade here at the Thompson for completing their MCAS testing today. Students have worked hard all year long and put their best foot forward the last two weeks during their testing window. I firmly believe that the results of the tests will indicate the level of hard work that members of 312 put into their studies this year.

I hope everyone has an enjoyable long weekend and has a happy Memorial Day.

5/21/15

Thank you to all parents and guardians for having students in school on time and ready to work. Room 312 came to school prepared for their MCAS session and I firmly believe the results of the testing will reflect that. Tomorrow is grade five's final MCAS session. I would ask students and their families to ensure once again that they are in the proper frame of mind when they come to school tomorrow.

5/20/15

Fifth graders continue to make progress in their literary writing unit. Today, students were encouraged to share their thesis statements with their fellow classmates and to provide feedback to one another. Many students are moving closer to publishing their pieces.

Tomorrow and Friday, the fifth grade will be taking their math MCAS test. I once again ask all parents and guardians to help ensure that all students are getting a good night's sleep, eating a nice breakfast and are arriving in school on time. I have been so impressed with the effort and care that students have given to their ELA and science portions of the test. I believe that the same level of diligence will be shown over the course of the next two days.

There will be no homework over the next two days due to the MCAS testing.

Trivia

How long did the Revolutionary War last?

5/19/15

Students further investigated volume today. Using grid paper, students began creating three dimensional figures that they were then tasked with solving for volume. This work will continue tomorrow.

Fifth graders are also drawing closer to their next publishable writing piece. Literary essays are progressing nicely and I have enjoyed getting to conference with my writers this week.

Homework

Math - engage New York worksheet (front and back)

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading


Trivia

Where is the Declaration of Independence kept?

5/18/15

During math class, students worked with volume problems. Fifth graders were tasked with using cubes to determine the volume of three dimensional figures. I thought our math class today was very productive.

Students looked closely at the Declaration of Independence during social studies. A class discussion was held over what makes this document so important. Room 312 then started a writing assignment that focused on some smaller details of the declaration.

The fifth graders continue to make progress in their literary writing papers. This will be an ongoing component over the next few days.


Homework

Math - workbook page 4

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading



Trivia

How many words are in the Declaration of Independence?

5/15/15

I was very proud of the performance of my class the last two days while taking their MCAS test. Students came to school in the proper mindset, prepared to work. I also wanted to thank all parents and guardians for having students in school on time and prepared to go. I am sure that all of those positive aspects will carry over into next week's math portion of the test.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

5/14/15

Room 312 came to school prepared to test today. It looked like everyone was ready to go and I am confident that the results will reflect that. Tomorrow is the final day of testing for the science portion of the MCAS.

5/13/15

Students have been working with area and perimeter problems the last two days in math class. The fifth graders have been using manipulatives to help them solve word problems. It has also been a positive the last two days to get to hear my students justifying their answers aloud in small groups.

During social studies, we have been taking a close look at the Battle of Bunker Hill. Students have once again brought a considerable amount of background knowledge to class discussions. Today, students looked closely at statistics from the actual battle.

Once again, tomorrow and Friday the fifth grade will be taking their science MCAS. I ask all parents and guardians to help ensure that all students get a good night's sleep, eat a nice breakfast tomorrow morning and arrive at school ON TIME. I am confident that the results will be very strong.

Homework

No homework tonight or tomorrow

Trivia

Who lead the colonists during the Bunker Hill battle?

5/12/15

Quick post today, students worked are throughout the day and I have been so impressed the last two days with the effort my class is bringing to all of their subjects. Keep it up.


Homework

Math - workbook page 28

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Trivia

How many colonial soldiers lost their lives at Bunker Hill?

5/11/15

Students in room 312 continued their working with geometry today. Students were tasked with classifying triangles and other polygons by their shared characteristics. Just within the last two weeks, students have been making steady progress with this material.

During social studies, fifth graders put the finishing touches on their letters to George Washington. Writing from the perspective of John Adams, students needed to write a persuasive business letter trying to convince the general to take charge of the Continental Army. I very much enjoyed getting to read these. Later this week, we will turn our attention to the Battle of Bunker Hill.

Room 312 also began work on their own literary essay. Students have the option of writing about one of two short stories that were read in class last week. I thought that members of my class did a nice job with their first attempt at this type of writing last week and I am hoping that carries over into this new piece of writing.

Just as a reminder, the fifth grade class will be taking their science MCAS tests on Thursday and Friday of this week. I ask all parents and guardians to help ensure that all students are coming to school on those days in a timely manner, prepared to work. This week and the following week are important ones and I am very confident that all students are capable of doing very well if they are coming to school in the proper mindset. Students should get a good night's sleep and eat a nice breakfast on testing day.

Homework

Math - classify triangles worksheet

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Social Studies - students who have not completed their letter to George Washington should work on this tonight at home. There will be an additional 25 minute block tomorrow for students to complete this, but all letters must be finished by tomorrow.


Trivia

Name three things that Ben Franklin invented.

5/8/15

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Homework

Anyone who has not completed the tenmarks assignment, needs to do so.

5/7/15

During math class, students looked closely at triangles and quadrilaterals. Small groups were given a number of shapes and tasked with working together to come up with common characteristics that would allow them to group these shapes. Tomorrow, fifth grade will look to classify polygons.

Room 312 began to publish their official letters to George Washington during social studies today. The level of interest and engagement during our Revolutionary War unit has been a positive. I can't wait to have students share their letters with their classmates.

Homework

Math: workbook page 7

Tenmarks - assingment due Friday May 8th

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


Trivia

Where did the British surrender to end the Revolutionary War?

5/6/15

Students completed the decimal unit today when they took their unit assessment. I thought the work that room 312 undertook over the course of the last few weeks was challenging and I also think that the students rose to the occasion. The fifth graders will officially turn their attention to geometry tomorrow as we grow closer to the start of the math MCAS.


Homework

Math: Converting measurement worksheet #3

Tenmarks - assingment due Friday May 8th

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


Trivia

Where did the British surrender to end the Revolutionary War?

5/5/15

Grade five completed their work with the decimal unit during math today with some more work on converting units of measurement. Students worked independently and in small groups to complete their work and I am confident that students are prepared for their unit assessment tomorrow.

During social studies, students imagined themselves in the role of John Adams. They were then tasked with crafting a letter to George Washington, in which they are requesting that he take charge of the newly formed Continental Army. This work will continue into tomorrow and I am eager to see the finished products.

Homework

Math: worksheet, front and back

Students will also have their decimal unit assessment tomorrow

Tenmarks - assingment due Friday May 8th

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

Trivia

During which war did George Washington see his first action?

5/4/15

Grade five is approaching the end of the decimal unit. Students continued their work with conversions of units of measurement today. Their lesson involved converting from larger units to smaller and smaller units to larger. Room 312 will have their unit test on Wednesday.

During social studies, grade 5 began to look at the Second Continental Congress. Members of the class were tasked with putting themselves in the shoes of John Adams as the Congress was attempting to persuade George Washington with taking charge of the Continental Army. This work will continue into tomorrow's lesson.

Students are also putting the finishing touches on their biography poems which I look forward to displaying around the classroom. Later this week, the fifth graders will look to create concrete poems.


Homework

Math: Engage NY sheet, front and back

Tenmarks - assingment due Friday May 8th

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

Trivia

Who were the three men who rode through the night to warn the colonists that the British were coming?

5/1/15

I hope everyone has a great weekend and is able to get outside.