12/8/14

This week, students will complete reading Bud Not Buddy. The class has thoroughly enjoyed this book and I have enjoyed reading it with such an invested group of students. We are going to start our final writing assignment this week which will be an important grade. I am sure students will give this work their due diligence.

Students worked with number lines in math class. The class were tasked with placing fractions onto blank number lines. This activity helps students continue to look for equivalencies among fractions with different denominators.

I look forward to meeting with parents and guardians over the course of the next two weeks during parent teacher conferences. 

Homework

Math - first page in math packet

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

- Blog post due Friday (8-10 sentences a paragraph, 2 paragraphs) Were you pleased with how Bud Not Buddy ended? Why or why not? Use examples and quotes from the text to back up your point of view.

Spelling - test on Friday, study

Trivia

What is the largest species of bird?

12/5/14

As room 312 completed this first week in December, students received their report cards today. I have  said repeatedly throughout this first term, that I am impressed with the work that my class has been able to accomplish. Students who have done well on their report cards should feel proud of their accomplishments. Those that may not be as happy should know that their is a lot of time left in the school year. Plenty of time to bring up any grades that may not be where you want them to be. I would just advise all of my students not to become complacent. Continue the strong work that you have begun in the first three months of the school year.

I look forward to getting to meet parents over the course of the next two weeks.

Grade 5 met up with out buddies in second grade today. The second grade students have been impressing me with their reading levels. And my class continues to make admirable book buddies.

Students also compiled a list of reasons that European explorers ventured out into the wide world in the 1400s. Next week we will begin to focus in on specific explorers.

I also wanted to mention, that room 312 won the prestigious Golden Sneaker award for the amount of students who walk to school. This award is akin to winning the Stanley Cup, so my students should feel proud. We hope to repeat as champs next week.

Unlike the Stanley Cup, I encouraged my students not to drink out of this trophy.


I hope everyone has a great weekend.

War of the World recording

http://sounds.mercurytheatre.info/mercury/381030.mp3

12/3/14

We are quickly approaching the end of Bud Not Buddy. As we near the finish, students are preparing for their final written assignment. Students will be tasked with selecting a scene that could be described as a turning point. We have been focusing in on these important events throughout the course of our reading periods. Students have enjoyed this book and I would expect that enthusiasm to shine through in their writing.

In social studies, room 312 began to focus in on the first interactions between European explorers and native Americans. We spent time today reading the picture book, Encounters. Students were tasked with attempting to use prior knowledge to help them determine what the natives were describing as Christopher Columbus arrived in America.


Homework

Math - third page in math packet

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Complete reading chapter 18 in Bud Not Buddy if not done in class. Must make at least 2 entries in 3-step journal.

- blog for week: What is a lesson that the author wishes to impart to the reader? Use specific examples from the text to back up your point of view. (2 paragraphs in length)

Science - start filling out moon chart on daily basis


Trivia

What is the largest fish in the world?

12/2/14

In social studies, students focused in on the reaction of the people at large to Orson Welles's War of the Worlds. Students started to make connections to people's reactions to a possible alien invasion to the Native American's reaction to European explorers setting foot inside North America.

Room 312 continued our work with fractions during math class. This week will be spent adding and subtracting fractions. Students continued to use clock faces to help them in this process. I have been impressed watching my class discover equivalent fractions.

We are also approaching the end of Bud Not Buddy. Students continue to gather important information in their three step journals. I continue to enjoy the discussions I have had with my class about this great novel.




Homework

Math - second page in math packet

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Complete reading chapter 16 in Bud Not Buddy if not done in class. Must make at least 2 entries in 3-step journal.

- blog for week: What is a lesson that the author wishes to impart to the reader? Use specific examples from the text to back up your point of view. (2 paragraphs in length)ut

Science - start filling out moon chart on daily basis


Trivia

What is the largest amount of snow ever recorded in the city of Boston? (in inches)

Two important parent teacher conference notes

A reminder that conference registration period ends this Wednesday December 3rd at 5 p.m. If you have not already signed up and plan to do so make sure it is before that end time.

The second note concerns the actual conference appointments. There are some parents and guardians that have signed up for multiple time slots for the same student. Ideally we would have time to fulfill these, but Arlington has stressed to teachers that it must be twenty minutes per student. We are aware that this may prove challenging, but we must ask all parents and guardians to just sign up for 1 twenty minute block per student.

12/1/14

It was great to see everyone back at school this morning. From talking with students, it sounds like many people had an enjoyable Thanksgiving break. I was also happy to hear that my students continued to read over the four day weekend.

Students used clock faces to help their work with fractions today in math class.

In social studies, we began work on our European explorers unit. Students listened to a radio recording of the original War of the Worlds. The class then had a discussion comparing the reaction of native people to the reaction of those people who thought aliens had truly landed on planet Earth.


Homework

Math - first page in math packet

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Complete reading chapter 15 in Bud Not Buddy if not done in class. Must make at least 2 entries in 3-step journal.

- blog for week: What is a lesson that the author wishes to impart to the reader? Use specific examples from the text to back up your point of view. (2 paragraphs in length)ut

Science - start filling out moon chart on daily basis


Trivia

Who was the only person to be elected president four times?