Monday, January 28, 2013
January 28-February 1
I hope to see you all this Wednesday at Open House: 6:30-8:30!
Please send in the Robert Crown field trip permission form, if you have not yet done so. This Friday, the day of the trip, students will need to bring a cold lunch to school; hot lunch will not be served.
Spelling: Unit 17 test will be this Friday. The spelling list will be uploaded Monday after school.
Science: We continue our electricity unit this week. We will experiment with static electricity and learn what a circuit is, identifying the two types of electricity: current and static.
Please send in the Robert Crown field trip permission form, if you have not yet done so. This Friday, the day of the trip, students will need to bring a cold lunch to school; hot lunch will not be served.
Spelling: Unit 17 test will be this Friday. The spelling list will be uploaded Monday after school.
5H Math: On Monday, students will get back their unit 5 test as well as their decimal quiz from last week. We will review these in class; please help your child review these at home as well. We'll continue working on math extended response problems this week (students explain what they did to solve a problem and explain why using mathematical knowledge). We are reviewing making line plots this week as well as converting measurements.
Reading/Writing: We did not get much time last week to work on our reading extended responses. This involves students reading and then answering a question about what they've read. Students have to find evidence from the text to support their answer as well as explain how their evidence supports their answer.
Grammar: We continue our focus on adjectives this week. Students should be able to identify adjectives in sentences as well as the noun that the adjective modifies. We will also learn what comparative and superlative adjectives are and how to correctly use them in sentences.
Reading/Writing: We did not get much time last week to work on our reading extended responses. This involves students reading and then answering a question about what they've read. Students have to find evidence from the text to support their answer as well as explain how their evidence supports their answer.
Grammar: We continue our focus on adjectives this week. Students should be able to identify adjectives in sentences as well as the noun that the adjective modifies. We will also learn what comparative and superlative adjectives are and how to correctly use them in sentences.
Science: We continue our electricity unit this week. We will experiment with static electricity and learn what a circuit is, identifying the two types of electricity: current and static.
On Monday, students will present their inventions! On Tuesday, we will travel to all of the 5th grade classrooms to view and score each others' inventions. Students have worked hard and have come up with some very creative inventions!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
January 22-25
I hope everyone had a great weekend!
Representatives from Hill Middle School will be visiting May Watts this Thursday, January 24th. The students will receive a packet at the presentation. The parent/students should take this packet with them that same evening to Hill Middle School for their registration presentation at 7:00 PM.
Spelling: Unit 16 test will be this Friday. The words were uploaded last week, and students already have their list.
5H Math: Last week we spent some time reviewing computation with decimals: adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. We also reviewed rounding, comparing, ordering, writing and reading decimals. We will have a quiz on these skills related to decimals on Wednesday. We are now working on unit 6; which is a review of several standards. We will work on going in greater depth with these standards and try more challenging problems. This week students will also be spending time explaining what they did to solve a problem as well as explain why they took each step. Last week we talked about how it is so important to be able to explain why you took the steps you did, because then it shows that you really understand!
Reading/Writing: In writing this week, we will finish the expository piece we started last week in which students are telling the 3 people they would like to meet and why. After the students looked at their previous writing pieces, I asked them to determine areas of improvement they can focus on while completing this writing piece. We will also be incorporating reading and writing by answering questions about what we've read that require students to find evidence that supports their answer. They will also need to explain how their evidence supports their answer.
Grammar: This week students will learn what adjectives and articles are. We will start by identifying adjectives in sentences as well as the noun that the adjective modifies.
Science: Students will learn what an electromagnet is and what effects its strength. We will also learn what a circuit is, and identify the two types of electricity: current and static.
Representatives from Hill Middle School will be visiting May Watts this Thursday, January 24th. The students will receive a packet at the presentation. The parent/students should take this packet with them that same evening to Hill Middle School for their registration presentation at 7:00 PM.
Spelling: Unit 16 test will be this Friday. The words were uploaded last week, and students already have their list.
5H Math: Last week we spent some time reviewing computation with decimals: adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing. We also reviewed rounding, comparing, ordering, writing and reading decimals. We will have a quiz on these skills related to decimals on Wednesday. We are now working on unit 6; which is a review of several standards. We will work on going in greater depth with these standards and try more challenging problems. This week students will also be spending time explaining what they did to solve a problem as well as explain why they took each step. Last week we talked about how it is so important to be able to explain why you took the steps you did, because then it shows that you really understand!
Reading/Writing: In writing this week, we will finish the expository piece we started last week in which students are telling the 3 people they would like to meet and why. After the students looked at their previous writing pieces, I asked them to determine areas of improvement they can focus on while completing this writing piece. We will also be incorporating reading and writing by answering questions about what we've read that require students to find evidence that supports their answer. They will also need to explain how their evidence supports their answer.
Grammar: This week students will learn what adjectives and articles are. We will start by identifying adjectives in sentences as well as the noun that the adjective modifies.
Science: Students will learn what an electromagnet is and what effects its strength. We will also learn what a circuit is, and identify the two types of electricity: current and static.
Students are working on an invention project, in which they are working individually or in a small group to create an invention. We began this project last week by discussing the possible purposes of inventions and students have begun to brainstorm. This week, students will have time to make final decisions about what their invention will be, how it will work, who would want it, why it is useful, etc. Students will create a visual and complete a written portion to explain their creation. They will present their inventions next week.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Fifth Grade Program
It is time for the fifth grade
program. Students have been working very
hard in class to prepare for this special performance. The
program is on Tuesday, February 5th with a school assembly at 2:30
PM and an evening performance at 7 PM.
Students need to arrive at May Watts and be in their classrooms no
later, yet no earlier, than 6:45 PM.
The program will last approximately 30 minutes. Following the program students will report
back to their classrooms to be picked up.
Students may wear clothing that makes them feel
comfortable and special for both performances.
Thank you,
Danielle Donaldson
Music Teacher
Monday, January 14, 2013
Wonder field trip
All fifth grade students are going on a field trip to meet the author of a new novel for young people entitled Wonder. It has been accepted by the city of Naperville as this year's "Naperville Reads" book. The field trip will be to Metea on Wednesday, Feb. 6th at 10:00.
Wonder Resources
Naperville Reads http://www.napervillereads.com/index.html
Author's website http://rjpalacio.com/index.html
Students interested in getting their photos on TV: The mayoral proclamation will be at the Naperville City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 15th at 7:00pm.
Science Fair
Follow this simple formula for a successful Science Fair project:
1. Think of something you are curious about.
2. Do some research and learn about your topic.
3. Come up with a testable question about your topic.
4. Come up with a way to test the question.
5. Run your test, and see if the results make sense to you.
6. Improve your test by being more careful, precise or specific.
7. Make a display to tell us about what happened.
8. Bring your display to the Science Fair.
Information Session: January 15th at 7 PM in the LMC
Science Fair: Thursday, February 7th, 6:30-8:00 PM
1. Think of something you are curious about.
2. Do some research and learn about your topic.
3. Come up with a testable question about your topic.
4. Come up with a way to test the question.
5. Run your test, and see if the results make sense to you.
6. Improve your test by being more careful, precise or specific.
7. Make a display to tell us about what happened.
8. Bring your display to the Science Fair.
Information Session: January 15th at 7 PM in the LMC
Science Fair: Thursday, February 7th, 6:30-8:00 PM
January 15-18
I hope everyone had a nice long weekend. Remember, no school next Monday 1/21 to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Report cards come home in back pack mail this Friday.
Spelling: Unit 15 test will be this Friday. Words will be uploaded after school tomorrow.
5H Math: Well, we are still working on finishing up our unit 5 test. I hope everyone will finish on Tuesday or be very close to finishing. Once we are finished with our test, we will try some more challenging fraction addition and subtraction problems that include borrowing in order to subtract. We will also review some skills from previous units including reading and writing decimals, and adding, subtracting, and dividing decimals.
Reading/Writing: Last week kids wrote a prediction about their independent reading books. This week they will tell whether their prediction was correct or not and explain what did happen if they were incorrect. We will talk about why constantly making and confirming or rejecting predictions helps us as readers. Students will also have their daily independent reading time and I will be conferencing with students.
This week students will get back several writing pieces. They will read any feedback I had for them, and I will ask them to determine what they most need to work on and what they are doing well. Students will bring these pieces and their thoughts home to share with you!
Students will complete another expository writing piece this week, practicing organizing our thoughts in the 4-square. Students have started another writer's workshop writing piece of their choice...ask them what they chose to write about!
Grammar: This week we will learn about personal pronouns and why pronouns are useful in our writing.
Science: This week our exploration of magnets will help us to determine what magnets attract, if magnetism can pass through objects, and we will have fun with magnetic "tug of war".
Sunday, January 6, 2013
January 7-11
Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I'm looking forward to seeing all the kids tomorrow.
This Tuesday students will take the winter CBMs. This Thursday students will take the individual reading CBM that tests students reading fluency.
Spelling: Unit 14 test will be this Friday. Words will be uploaded after school on Monday.
5H Math: Before winter break, students were working on doubling cookie recipes to practice adding fractions in a real life problem. On Monday, students will take a look at their work and revise as necessary. On Tuesday and Wednesday we will practice comparing and ordering fractions as well as continuing to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers. Students will begin the unit 5 test on Thursday.
This Tuesday students will take the winter CBMs. This Thursday students will take the individual reading CBM that tests students reading fluency.
Spelling: Unit 14 test will be this Friday. Words will be uploaded after school on Monday.
5H Math: Before winter break, students were working on doubling cookie recipes to practice adding fractions in a real life problem. On Monday, students will take a look at their work and revise as necessary. On Tuesday and Wednesday we will practice comparing and ordering fractions as well as continuing to add and subtract fractions and mixed numbers. Students will begin the unit 5 test on Thursday.
There is an optional study session after school Wednesday until 4:10 as well as during lunch and/or recess on Wednesday. As always, I encourage kids to come to one or both for as long as needed. They should have in mind what they would like to work on.
Reading/Writing: In reading we will be thinking about making predictions and confirming or rejecting their validity. We will also be differentiating between major and minor details in reading texts. We will be reading from our science texts, and this strategy will help students determine what to focus on from the reading.
Students will also read a story from their Harcourt books this week and take the comprehension test on Thursday.
In writing, we have been focusing on using the 4-square to organize our writing. I will model writing a conclusion and students will finish a prompt from before break.
Grammar: Nouns will start out our week again. We need to think about the rules of plural and possessive nouns and how to correctly show plural and possessive words in our writing. Then we will move on to pronouns.
Science: In the beginning of the week we will practice making different atoms with clay. Then we will begin learning about magnets by studying the properties of magnets: what makes a magnet, what is attracted to magnets, and more.
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