6/25/15

It has been an honor to have had the students of room 312 this year. I hope everyone has a great summer with friends and family. I also wish everyone nothing but success next year at the middle school.

6/24/15

Students received a copy of their yearbook today and were able to get together with Mrs. Armstrong's class to sign each other's books. As an additional treat, an ice cream truck also arrived later in the day. These last few days have been a real enjoyable time for fifth grade. I wanted to take the time to thank all the parent volunteers who have donated their time and effort to the fifth grade over the course of the last few days. It has been noticed and greatly appreciated.

I will see everyone tomorrow for the last day of school.

6/23/15

After taking a field trip to George's Island yesterday, the fifth grade had their field day today. Students were able to participate in a number of different activities and had a lot of fun.

I also want to compliment the fifth grade on their throwing arms, as I ended up in the water of the dunk tank a number of times.

I will see everyone tomorrow for our last full day together.

6/19/15

Today, students participated in a mystery bag activity. The fifth grade class each brought in a bag that contained some items of personal significance for each student. After the items were taking out of the bag, the other classmates had to attempt to guess which bag belonged to which student. After the correct answer was determined, the student who brought in the bag would explain why each item was important to them. I thought this went very well and I hope that the members of 312 enjoyed this.

Once again, I want to congratulate the fifth grade class for their flexibility and hard work during this hectic week. I was very happy for them on their big day yesterday.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend and I look forward to the field trip on Monday.

6/18/15

Congratulations to the graduating fifth grade class.

6/17/15

Students used their math time today to take part in two different math activities. First, fifth graders played a version of Battleship. This time, they had to place British Redcoats onto a map of Massachusetts and attempt to discover their hiding spots. Later, the class used Geo Boards and created some polygons.

Today was also board game day in room 312. I hope the students enjoyed this on their final day before the graduation ceremony.

Homework

Friday is the mystery bag day. I hope all students will be able to bring in 3-5 items in a bag for this activity.

Trivia

What is the largest species of bear?

6/16/15

Today, the fifth grade began work on letters that will be left for next year's fifth grade class. Students were asked to think back to September when they first walked through the doors of room 312. In their letters, students will let next year's fifth graders know some of the things that they will be learning about and gave them advice on what they can expect to see.

Students also continued to practice the finer points of the graduation ceremony on Thursday.

Homework

Tomorrow, the 17th, room 312 will be having board game day. I ask that students bring in their favorite board games. 

This Friday, the 19th, students in room 312 are going to take part in a "mystery bag" activity. A notice was sent home with students today. I am hoping that many students will participate in this activity and I ask for help from home.

Trivia

Which American presidents were born in Massachusetts?

6/15/15

Although field day was postponed due to the weather, students in grade 312 were still able to have a worthwhile day. As we began our last full week together, room 312 worked on some challenging group problems during math class. Fifth graders were tasked with solving some numerical expressions and word problems concerning the upcoming summer break.

Students also received their informational writing grades back. I enjoyed getting to read these pieces and was happy that students chose a number of different topics to take an in depth look at. These research papers were a nice preparation for middle school.

The fifth grade also began to practice for the graduation ceremony which will take place this Thursday. The level of excitement continues to build and I look forward to celebrating this big day with the students.


Homework

This Friday, the 19th, students in room 312 are going to take part in a "mystery bag" activity. A notice was sent home with students today. I am hoping that many students will participate in this activity and I ask for help from home.


Trivia

Which five emotions are characters in the new movie Inside Out?

6/12/15

I hope everyone has a great weekend. Good luck to all my students who have games or events this weekend. I will see everyone back in school on Monday, as we begin our last full week of school together.

Homework

Some students need to finish their K-W-L biography graphic organizer

6/11/15

Students in 312, began to fill out a comprehensive questionnaire concerning the historical figure that they have been reading about over the last few weeks. In the upcoming days, fifth graders will be presenting their findings to the class. From talking with students, it seems that many have truly enjoyed getting to know figures from history that they did not have a lot of prior background knowledge about.

Work continues on our informational writing unit. Students continue to inch closer to the finish line and I continue to be impressed by the level of interest students have taken in the subject matter. I have been fortunate to have a talented collection of writers in my classroom this year and I look forward to wrapping up this last writing unit on a positive note.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Social Studies - continue to work on informational writing paper

Permission Slips - Students who have not already done so, should bring back their field trip permission slips as soon as possible.


Trivia

What is the name of the actor who has provided a voice in each of the pixar movies?

6/10/15

Students continue their work on their Revolutionary War writing assignments. I continue to applaud those students who have been taking it upon themselves to compile additional research and to write outside of the classroom. The goal is for all students to complete this final writing task by early next week.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Social Studies - continue to work on informational writing paper


Permission Slips - Students who have not already done so, should bring back their field trip permission slips as soon as possible.


Trivia

In a baseball game, how many different ways can a batter reach first base?

6/9/15

During math class today, fifth graders took their end of the year math assessment. This math assessment, which encompassed material that students have been working with throughout the course of the school year, will give me an accurate glimpse into where students stand. I am eager to go through the results of these assessments. Students have given their all during our math lessons this year and I believe that will be reflected in these results.

Fifth graders also continue to read biographies of their choosing. Students have been doing a nice job of sharing information gleaned from these books with their classmates. Students have also been filling out K-W-L charts to better guide their reading.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Social Studies - continue to work on Informational Writing paper


Trivia

Who was the first vice president of the United States?

6/8/15

Students continue to be hard at work on their informational writing pieces. Today, I was able to meet with the final few students during writer's conference. Many other students are close to completing their first draft of their pieces. This work will continue throughout the week.

Fifth grade also took some time during math class to review for their end of the year math assessment. I am confident that students will do well with this.

Here is the link for a powerful video room 312 watched during social studies today:

https://vimeo.com/128373915

Homework

Math - solve for area of rectangle and than graph worksheet.

- end of year math assessment tomorrow

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Social Studies - continue to work on Informational Writing paper


Trivia

How many casualties were there during the Revolutionary War?

6/5/15

I hope everyone has a great weekend.


Homework

Social Studies - continue to compile research about informational writing topic

Blog - If you had been alive during the Revolutionary War time period, would you have sided with the patriots or the loyalists? Explain in a one paragraph essay why you would have chosen one side over the other and give evidence and examples to back up your point of view. (8-10 sentences)

6/4/15

Students took their spring DDM during math class today. This assessment, which focused on fractions, will allow me to get a nice glimpse into the progress that the students have made over the course of the last few months of school. After that was completed, the fifth graders resumed their work with coordinate grids by focusing on the growth rates of some unusual animals.

Room 312 continued their work on their informational writing topic. Students were fortunate to be able to use their library time today to compile source material to help supplement their writing. I continue to encourage my class to work on this outside of school and to be on the look-out for additional sources.


Homework

Math - workbook page 15 and 16

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Spelling - test tomorrow

Social Studies - continue to compile research about informational writing topic

Blog - If you had been alive during the Revolutionary War time period, would you have sided with the patriots or the loyalists? Explain in a one paragraph essay why you would have chosen one side over the other and give evidence and examples to back up your point of view. (8-10 sentences)

Trivia

Which set of brothers were important military leaders for the British during the Revolutionary War?

6/3/15

Fifth grade students began to look at the growth rates of some unusual animals during math class. Students have been assembling data into tables and then taking that data and using it to create graphs.

Room 312 continues to be hard at work on their informational writing component. Today, students were tasked with organizing their information chronologically. This was a worthwhile task, as it allowed students to dig deeper into the topics at hand.


Homework

Math - workbook page 13, come up with a growth story to match the graph

Spelling - test on Friday. Finish second 10 sentence if not done in class

Blog - If you had been alive during the Revolutionary War time period, would you have sided with the patriots or the loyalists? Explain in a one paragraph essay why you would have chosen one side over the other and give evidence and examples to back up your point of view. (8-10 sentences)

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Social Studies - continue to work on chronological order graphic organizer

Trivia

What was the name of the battle that ended the Revolutionary War?

6/2/15

Students continued their work with the informational writing unit today. Each member of the class has selected one topic from the Revolutionary War unit that they will be focusing in on in greater detail over the next few weeks. Students will use their library time this week to help to gather sources for this work. I encourage all students to attempt to gather as many resources outside of school as possible to better supplement their writing.

Fifth grade also spent time today reading further into their biographies. Students continue to write summaries explaining what they have learned about their historical figure.


Homework

Math - workbook page 8

Spelling - test on Friday

Blog - If you had been alive during the Revolutionary War time period, would you have sided with the patriots or the loyalists? Explain in a one paragraph essay why you would have chosen one side over the other and give evidence and examples to back up your point of view. (8-10 sentences)

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading


Trivia

What five members made up the Committee of Five that was responsible for the Declaration of Independence?

6/1/15

Room 312 began discussing the military campaigns waged by the Continental Army and the British Army during the Revolutionary War. Students focused in on advantages and disadvantages that both sides had to contend with. This final lesson in the unit will segue into our final writing assignment, informational, of fifth grade. This work will be ongoing over the next few weeks.

During math class, the fifth graders continued their work with coordinate grids. Students are coming into these lessons with nice prior knowledge. Today, tables were used to represent the relationships between quantities.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 3 and 4

Spelling - test on Friday

Blog - If you had been alive during the Revolutionary War time period, would you have sided with the patriots or the loyalists? Explain in a one paragraph essay why you would have chosen one side over the other and give evidence and examples to back up your point of view. (8-10 sentences)

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading


Trivia

In order, who are the first five presidents of the United States?