Math - DMR Thursday and page 152 Set A - Today we looked at using doubles to multiply and discussed how this is one more tool to add to their toolbox to help them become stronger math students.  I emphasized today how our focus for chapter three will be on understanding the relationship between multiplication and division, how they are inverse operations, and how knowing their basic facts will make the world of difference.  If your child has not memorized his/her basic facts through the 12s, please work with him/her to do so this year.  Flashcards wipe off mats, and other resources are widely available at just about any store.  Going through the facts in the car or on a walk, wherever and whenever you can fit them in will be of great benefit.

Science - No HW - students are beginning their Too Good For Drugs unit as they transition from one science unit to the next.  Kits are set to arrive within the next few weeks.

Social Studies - No HW - Both classes have now taken their tests.  We will begin our Native American's and Early People of California unit this month.

Writing - DLR Thursday - All final copies were collected today.  I will score these papers based on the main skills focused on for this paper.  We will begin our next genre next week and will also begin looking at the 6 traits found in good writing.

Reading - NLL Thursday; TFK worksheet due tomorrow.  Today we discussed author's viewpoint and looked at more Allen Say picture books.  To get to know the author better and to understand his viewpoint in more detail, I read aloud two Allen Say stories to the students.  Once book was very serious and had very detailed, realistic painting as illustrations and the other was more light-hearted and had very fun and relaxed pictures to illustrate it.  We will go into more detail about Allen Says work tomorrow as students continue focusing on author's viewpoint and as they work to respond to the literature by answering the following question:  Does the author feel at home in both worlds or at home in neither?  Use information from the story to support your answer.

Other - Tomorrow is Crazy Shoe Day and Yellow Pages due tomorrow.

Dear Parents,

Please let me know if you have any difficulty opening the Quicktime file that I have attached.  I would like to experiment this year with the types of newsletters that I send home.  In order to conserve paper and ink, I would also like to send all newsletters and progress reports to you via email, the Internet, or another form of electronic transfer.  I hope you are enjoying your Monday and look forward to hearing your  feedback.

 

Thank you,

Mrs. Bell

 PS - I am currently working on making the newsletter into a PDF file, but for some reason the file will not export properly.  If I can work out the bugs, I will send it in another website update.  I also want to apologize for last minute typos that were found in the newsletters.

September October.mov (3.94 mb)

SeptOctNewsletter.pdf (1.22 mb)

Math - Last part of Chp.2 Test tomorrow (emphasis on algebra and vocabulary); Contracts due tomorrow (Secret Sequences is Extra Credit).  Today we worked on using function tables to interpret two-variable equations.  Some students are still a bit confused about how an equation can be used to complete a function table.  We will continue to work on this throughout the year and not just in chapter 2.  I have asked a few students to practice these problems tonight for extra practice.

Science - Today the student took their tests today!

Social Studies - Today was the last day in class for the students to label their maps.  They were given directions on how to complete their map keys and will be given some time after their test next Wednesday to finish it.  Whew!  We are almost done.

Writing - The students are to read their peer response sheets and write two things on back of the sheet: 1 - write a question for your peer about his/her comments or about something else you are concerned about in your paper and 2 - write one thing they are going to work on improving in their own paper; Students will begin their "final draft" (not final copy) tomorrow and will use proofreader's marks on the draft.  They were given directions today about how to complete this draft and about their final copies.  Their final copies will be collected next Thursday.  We will continue to work on this in class tomorrow as well.

Reading - NLL Thursday

Other - Field trip forms and checks due as soon as possible.

 

 

Math - Page 83 All; Algebra test on Friday.  Be sure that students are reviewing over the vocabulary.  Today we focused on writing algebraic expressions to help solve problems.  This is difficult for several of the students.  Please review over writing algebraic expressions and using variables with your child at home - especially if you see them struggling on HW.

Science - Test tomorrow.  Students can use their notebooks on the test and have been asked to review over the notebooks and to study from the textbook.  Ms. Broeker will collect their science folders from them tomorrow to score as well.

Social Studies - Unit 1 test will be next Wednesday.  The students will finish up their salt maps by the end of the day tomorrow.  We will begin our Native American project next week.

Writing - Peer Response Sheet. Students were assigned their peer reviser and editor today.  For HW, they are to fill out their peer response sheet.  They may not correct anything or write on their peer's paper.  I have also talked to them about making their comments critical and positive.  For example, instead of saying that their ideas were "bad" they can say that their ideas could be improved by . . . Students will be given their peer responses tomorrow (after I review them for appropriatenes and they students will begin writing their final copies.  I will collect their final copies next week.

Reading - NLL Wednesday

Other - Return Hidden Villa field trip forms and checks as soon as possible.

Math - Algebra Test on Friday; Page 94 Set G - Students should continue to work on contracts and studying their algebra vocabulary - Today we worked on evaluating expressions.  I have asked students to try to use inverse operations when solving expressions.  I want them to get into the habit of keeping track of their steps by rewriting the problem after they simplify.  In doing this, they build good habits of keeping track of their work and being to see mistakes they may make along the way.  Mental math is a great skill, but students also need to know that as their teacher, I need to see their work and not just the right answer.  We will focus on problem solving tomorrow and being able to write an algebraic expression to help them solve problems.

Science - Test on Thursday

Social Studies - Test on Wednesday, November 12.

Writing - Noticing activity due tomorrow and spelling word search due Thursday.  Today I asked the students to underline three specifics words in sentence #2.  They should be using their Writer's Express books to help them "notice" and write about specific things they see in each sentence (do they notice adjectives, conjunctions, words in a series, etc.)

Reading - NLL Tuesday

Other - Today we spent time creating 7 different "political" parties in the classroom.  The students made a "party" hat and worked with their party to come up with a name, symbol, and slogan.  They will also generate three issues that their party stands for.  Throughout the week, the different parties will meet to discuss their issues, to present them to the class, and we will hold our own election.  The students visited the PBS kids website and took cast their own vote and got a taste of what it is like to be President for a Day.

Math - Algebra test on Friday, Complete page 94 Set F (must show your work), Study your vocabulary words and work on your math contracts (these are due on Friday).  Today we discussed the last two vocabulary words and focused on order of operations and simplifying.  It is very important that as we begin completing more and more algebra, that the students carefully read directions, know the vocabulary, and are willing to rewrite problems/equations every time they are simplified.

Science - Environments test on Thursday

Social Studies - Unit 1 test on Wednesday, Nov. 12 - I apologize for the mistakes about the date of this test.  I keep forgetting about our Veteran's Day holiday.  We will finish up our salt maps this week and begin our study on Native Americans of California next week.

Writing - Noticing activity - We discussed how in order to know the "real" thing better (in this case, good grammar and sentence structure) we need to study the "real" thing.  Students have been asked to write 5-6 things (or more) that they notice about the two sentences they wrote down in class today.  I have asked them to use their Writer's Express books to help with spelling and vocabulary.  

Reading - NLL Monday and A Moving View

Other - You have one last chance to order books.  I have extended the date to accept online order until tomorrow - Thank you!

Math - DMR Thursday and textbook page 96 #5-19 - Tomorrow the students will take the addition/subtraction/estimation portion of their Chp 2 test.  After we complete the algebra portion next week, the students will complete a test just on algebra.  Contracts are now due at the end of next week.

Science - No HW

Social Studies - The Unit 1 test will be given on Monday, November 10.  The students will receive a study guide today to help guide them while they study.  The students have already been instructed to know vocabulary and to review over the papers included in their folders.

Writing - DLR Thursday and Spelling page 62.

Reading - NLL Thursday

(During our language arts time today, we discussed "The Road to Wellness".  Students shared a lot of interesting ideas about being healthy - from staying drug free to eating healthy foods.  They took notes while we discussed this topic and used their notes to help them begin working on a poster or presentation using KidPix, Word, PowerPoint, or Comic Life.  We will continue working on the poster/presentation next week.

Other - Book Orders are due tomorrow; Crazy Creatures are due tomorrow; Our Halloween Parade will begin shortly after the end of lunch tomorrow.  If it rains, we may possibly hold the costume parade in the GLC.  Students will rotate by grade level into the GLC.  Not all students will be in the GLC the entire time, so if you will be attending the costume parade tomorrow, you may have to stay during the entire parade in order to see your child or children in their costumes.  For now, please plan on things going along the usual schedule with the parade lasting from 1-1:45.  If it rains, the parade will take place between 1-2, with classroom rotating.  If you would like a tentative rain schedule, please email me personally.

Math - DMR Wednesday and textbook page 73; Contract due date will be extended to next Friday, November 7.  We will still be taking our chapter 2 test this Friday, but it will only focus on addition rules, estimation, subtraction and addition, and solving problems with patterns.  Today the students worked to define all the algebra related vocabulary words from chapter two.  We will discuss the words in more detail tomorrow and the students will work to better understand how these words relate to them fully understanding algebra.

Science - No HW

Social Studies - No HW; The students worked with their groups to complete their planning sheets.  I will giving them a study guide for their unit 1 test.  The test will be given on Monday, November 10.  

Writing - DLR Wednesday, Spelling page 61 - I collected the students' first/second drafts.  I will use these drafts to place students into peer groups.  They will work with a partner to revise and edit their third and final copy.

Reading - NLL Wednesday; Today we completed our author's viewpoint worksheet.  The students will share their inferences about the author's feelings tomorrow.

Other - There is a lot going on this week!  Tomorrow is Picture Day. Because students will be using paint in class tomorrow, please do not send them in their best clothes.  If they are going to be wearing nice outfits for their pictures, please send a change of clothes for them.  Book orders are due on Friday.  The weather forecast is saying that we will have a rainy Friday.  If this happens, information will be sent to you on Thursday concerning any change made to the costume parade.  Crazy Creatures are due on Friday.

Math - DMR Tuesday; Math Contract Due Friday and our Chp 2 test will be given on Friday; Students were given the option to bring home their math contracts today.  Our main focus in class today was on determining when a solution requires an estimate or an exact amount.

Science - No HW.  The students will be observing brine shrimp this week as one of the final activities for their environments unit.

Social Studies - Big Pictures due tomorrow.  The students worked in their groups to determine the different symbols that they will use on their maps, to complete some basic map work today, and we spent time reviewing over information that may appear on their test.  My goal is to provide students with a study guide on Thursday and to give the test for unit one on either Thursday of next week or the Monday following.  I will make my final decision after I see where students are this Thursday.

Writing - DLR Tuesday; No Spelling HW; First and/or second draft due tomorrow.  If you are working on your final draft, be sure to skip lines.

Reading - NLL Tuesday; Today we began reading Grandfather's Journey.  Although the strategy focus in making predictions, we will focus more on understanding author's viewpoint and how that helps improve our overall comprehension.

Other - Please remember to drop off supplies for our Halloween party by tomorrow - if you cannot send it to school until Thursday, please let me know.  Our costume parade will take place this Friday at 1:00.  Please be sure to not leave valuables in your car and to lock your doors.  I have reminded students that they should not wear their costumes to school on Friday.  All costumes should be placed in a paper or plastic bag, with your child's name on it, and I will store them in the classroom until the parade.  Book orders are due this Friday; Crazy Creature pictures are due this Friday.  

This week is Red Ribbon Week.  Students have been asked to wear red to school tomorrow in honor of the Red Ribbon Week pledge to stay drug free.

Thursday is Picture Day!

Math - DMR Thursday; POW due tomorrow; Page 93 Set D (odds) - Today we reviewed over finding more exact estimates.  Students were given back their class work from yesterday to correct mistakes - some are still rounding to the wrong place named or not reading directions.  Next week our focus will be on the algebra that is covered in Chp. 2.  Parents, I am sorry that I did not clarify math contracts and the due date mentioned on the HW review.  Math contract are not assigned as daily HW unless I see that students need a little extra time to complete it by the due date.  I will post the due date on this site for your information in order to keep you aware of what is being done in the classroom and to keep the students on top of their work.

Science - No HW

Social Studies - Big Picture due next Wednesday - We reviewed over the work in student folders and began to summarize Unit 1.  The students have chosen one lesson from unit one to illustrate in a picture.  I will take these pictures and use them for review throughout the year.  I will hold the picture up for the class to see and the class will have to decide what lesson the picture represents.  They have to also write a short response explaining how the picture represents the chosen lesson.  In this way, the students can review over past lessons throughout the year in a more interesting way.

Writing - DLR Thursday and Spelling Practice; Today we looked at writing a topic sentence using a strong verb.  The students now have three types of topic sentences that they can choose from for their essay on "If I Had A Million Dollars".  The students will take this piece throughout the entire writing process.  We will spend about a week working on them before they are scored and placed in their binders.

Reading - NLL Thursday

Other - Tomorrow is Twin Day; Book Orders due Friday, October 31; Remember to drop off Halloween party supplies by next Wednesday.  Thank you to everyone who has already delivered their supplies.  I appreciate your help!!!  Don't forget that Monday is a teacher inservice day.  There will be no school for students.