Archive for September, 2009

Class activities for Wednesday, September 30

Wednesday, September 30th, 2009

Spelling:  We reviewed the Unit 1 spelling worksheet today.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 32-34 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles. Some groups worked on questioning as a reading strategy.

Writing: We talked about using time to focus a piece of writing. Instead of writing about a large time, students can think of the best part of their topic, and write about just that time. Having the right focus allows students to put their energy into a specific time and topic, rather than having too much to write and explain.

The next piece of writing, a personal narrative, will be due Friday, October 16. Students should have started their draft or be ready to very soon.

Math: We started reviewing three-dimensional figures. Homework is to finish the Space Figures worksheet started in class.

Science: None today due to library.

The Energy Fair is this Friday. See here for more information about the Energy Fair.

Social Studies: We read about how Michigan helped fight slavery and win the Civil War. Homework is to finish worksheet p. 19.

Behavior Update:

  • Yellow magnets: 0
  • Orange magnets: 0
  • Red magnets: 0
  • STAR Awards: 0
  • Magnets moved this week: 6

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Class activities for Tuesday, September 29

Tuesday, September 29th, 2009

Spelling:  Today was a preview of upcoming spelling words. The Unit 1 spelling worksheet is due tomorrow.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 32-34 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Today was a discussion day in Literature Circles. Students also completed a narrative reading test.

Writing: We reviewed how to make a web today for prewriting. The next piece of writing, a personal narrative, will be due Friday, October 16. Students should be done with prewriting and ready to start their draft.

Math: We continued to review polygons today. Homework is to finish the Hidden Polygons (PDF) page.

Science: Students went on a hunt for forms of energy. Homework is to finish the Energy Hunt activity.

The Energy Fair is this Friday. See here for more information about the Energy Fair.

Social Studies: We finished watching a Dear America movie about the underground railroad.

Behavior Update:

  • Yellow magnets: 4
  • Orange magnets: 0
  • Red magnets: 0
  • STAR Awards: 0
  • Magnets moved this week: 6

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

  • Do you happen to have any spare garbage bag twist ties? We would use them in math if happen to have any you could spare! Thanks!
  • Would you like to volunteer for a class event? Download and print a volunteer information form (PDF).
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Class activities for Monday, September 28

Monday, September 28th, 2009

Spelling:  Students completed a spelling and skill test today.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 32-34 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Today was a reading day in Literature Circles; students were placed into book groups based on their reading level. Some students worked on writing good, open-ended questions.

Writing: Today was a prewriting day and students were shown how to complete a prewriting conference. The next piece of writing, a personal narrative, will be due Friday, October 16.

Math: We reviewed polygons today using puzzle pages 32-32. Homework is to finish the puzzle pages if not done in class.

Science: Students were introduced to the Energy Fair, and project about forms of energy. View more information about the Energy Fair. There are three parts to this project:

  1. Bringing in an object that demonstrates a form of energy;
  2. Making a sign or poster; and
  3. Telling the class about the object and the forms of energy.

The Energy Fair will be this Friday. See here for more information about the Energy Fair.

Social Studies: We started watching a Dear America movie about the underground railroad.

Behavior Update:

  • Yellow magnets: 2
  • Orange magnets: 0
  • Red magnets: 0
  • STAR Awards: 0
  • Magnets moved this week: 2

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

  • Do you happen to have any spare garbage bag twist ties? We would use them in math if happen to have any you could spare! Thanks!
  • Would you like to volunteer for a class event? Download and print a volunteer information form (PDF).
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Class activities for Friday, September 25

Friday, September 25th, 2009

Spelling:  A spelling and skill test will be on Monday. Today, we reviewed short and long vowel sounds, which will be the skill tested on Monday’s skill test.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 29-31 were due today.

Reading: We practiced discussing our Literature Circles responses today.

Writing: A personal narrative was due into portfolios today. The next piece of writing, also a personal narrative, will be due Friday, October 16. Any writing pieces or portfolios not turned in today are due Monday.

Math: We learned that polygons have three rules:

  1. No intersections;
  2. No openings or gaps;
  3. No curves.

We sang a couple of songs to review these ideas and to remember the names of common polygons (pentagon, hexagon, octagon).

Science: We finished our Science Court investigation about data.

Social Studies: None on Fridays.

Behavior Update:

  • Yellow magnets: 0
  • Orange magnets: 0
  • Red magnets: 0
  • STAR Awards: 0
  • Magnets moved this week: 11

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

  • Do you happen to have any spare garbage bag twist ties? We would use them in math if happen to have any you could spare! Thanks!
  • Would you like to volunteer for a class event? Download and print a volunteer information form (PDF).
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Class activities for Thursday, September 24

Thursday, September 24th, 2009

Spelling: None today.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 29-31 are available and due Friday.

Reading: We used Esperanza Rising to practice picking passages today.

Writing: None today due to technology.

A personal narrative about one of their own memories is due into portfolios tomorrow, September 25. Students should be ready to publish their writing piece by now.

Math: We reviewed quadrangles and then used geoboards to make other polygons. Homework is to finish Math Boxes 1.5.

Science: We talked about how samples can be used to make a survey when it would be too expensive or too difficult to survey an entire population.

Social Studies: We learned about hidden messages in quilt squares (see the presentation below). Homework is to finish coloring a quilt square.

[HTML1]

Behavior Update:

  • Yellow magnets: 1
  • Orange magnets: 2
  • Red magnets: 0
  • STAR Awards: 0
  • Magnets moved this week: 11

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

  • Do you happen to have any spare garbage bag twist ties? We would use them in math if happen to have any you could spare! Thanks!
  • Would you like to volunteer for a class event? Download and print a volunteer information form (PDF).
  • Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
  • View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.