Oct. 3-7

Monday -
Tuesday - Reading Log, Math Quiz (Order of Operations)
Wednesday - Walk to School
Thursday - Spelling Definition Quiz
Friday - Spirit Day (wear school colors or PRIDE wear)

Please print a copy of the SS ch 3 Study Guide and the Science Matter Unit Study Guide for your child to add to his/her journals.  If I already know you have printing issues, I have given your child copies for their journals.  If you can't print, please let me know so I can make sure your child has a copy.  These are helpful to refer to as we go through the material - not just to use for studying before the test.

Thank You to all of the parents who joined the PTA!

Boosterthon is Coming!  This year's theme is Backyard Box Office.  Be on the lookout for more information about this FUNdraiser.

Send in your BOX TOPS!  The Top collecting class for October will receive a Popcorn Party and I pay 5 coupons per Box Top they bring in so get collecting and send them in during the month of October.

Progress Reports and Open House

Progress Reports went home today.  Please be sure to sign and return the slip of paper attached to them so that your child can earn some bonus coupons!

Remember that Open House is Thursday night.  PTA will have a brief general membership mtg in the cafeteria at 5:45 pm and then you can have your child show you around their classrooms between 6-7 pm.  This is a great opportunity to clarify any questions you have about Google Classroom or other procedures.  We have several fun activities planned for your child to share with you.  We hope to see you then.

If you haven't joined the PTA yet, please do so this week.  Classes that reach 90% participation by Friday Sept 30 will receive a $50 gift card from our PTA for us to purchase supplies for the class.  Your $6 really helps! PTA membership forms can be printed from the PTA website.

Permission slips and the first payment of $20 is due this Friday.  We need to have a final headcount and make our payment to the Old Salem Museum next week.

Grants

TWO grants for Powhatan's 5th grade Team!  Be on the lookout to learn more about our Re-Markable Reading and Mystery of the Month activities.  Thank you to the Johnston County Ed Foundation for supporting our efforts to make learning FUN and ENGAGING for our students!

Sept. 26-30

Monday - Picture Day ;)
Tuesday - Reading Logs, Science (Human Body) Test study guide & notes can be found in Google Classroom (study guide is also on my website)
Wednesday - SS ch 2 Test study guide & notes can be found in Google Classroom and on my website, Progress Reports go home (please sign and return)
Thursday - Spelling Sort and Definition Quiz, Open House from 6-7 pm (PTA mtg at 5:45 pm)
Friday - Field Trip permission slip and first payment of $20 is due

Please make sure you are signing your child's agenda in TWO spots each week (by the coupon sticker AND by the Reading Log in the front calendar section).

If you haven't joined the PTA yet, there is still time for our class to get credit for your membership!  Click here to get a membership form to fill out.

Sept. 19-23

Monday -
Tuesday - Reading Log signed
Wednesday -
Thursday - Spelling Sort and Definitions Quiz due (quiz will be done in class, sort may be done in class and/or at home)
Friday - Nouns choiceboard due (they will be given this on Monday) - Early Release at 1:30 pm

Upcoming for week of Sept. 26-30:
Monday Sept 26 - Picture day - order forms coming home in Tuesday folders - must purchase in advance if you want Fall pictures
Tuesday Sept. 27 - Science Test (Mrs. Ellison's homeroom) study guide - they can also see in Google Classroom powerpoints for each Body System with notes and video links
Wednesday Sept 28 - SS ch 2 Test (Mrs. Ellison's homeroom) study guide - notes and screencasts of lessons are already in Google Classroom for them to preview/review as needed
Thursday Sept. 29 - PTA mtg at 5:45 in cafeteria - Open House from 6-7 pm (parents of AIG students will be receiving a letter in the Tuesday folders letting them know about a meeting at 5:15 - please mark whether you will be able to attend or not)

Remember that we need the permission slip and first payment of $20 for the field trip by October 1 so we can pay the Old Salem Museum.  The remaining payment will go toward the bus payment and needs to be paid by Nov.1.

A few more items

Spelling - I have posted a sample spelling sort and quiz in Google Classroom.  Students may access this at home to practice with this format to see what the sort process and quiz format is like.  I encourage parents to have their child show you this at home.  I will generally post the sort on Mondays and have it due on Wednesdays.  Students may work on this in class and at home.  The quiz will generally be posted on Thursdays and needs to be completed IN CLASS.  Since we do not have a chromebook cart to stay in our classroom yet (some other grades are still using the carts to complete iReady testing) I will postpone starting Spelling one more week.  Please have your child use this week to explore the Sample Sort! The sorts will count for 20 points and the definition quiz will be 10 points for a total of 30 possible points to go in the grade book.

Google Classroom - I have set up my classrooms in Google Classroom and am helping Mrs. Askew set her's up.  I have invited parents to use the Guardian Feature which is new to Google Classroom this year.  This should allow you to see daily or weekly reports about what has been posted in your child's "classroom" accounts.  I don't think you can actually access the assignment but you will know what's there and if it's late or not.  I showed my homeroom students where I've put resources and lessons for them to access for SS and Science in case they are absent or need to review any materials.  Mrs. Askew will be adding this soon too for her homeroom!  This way your child isn't falling behind (too much) if they are home sick for a day or two.

PTA - If you haven't joined the PTA yet, please do so.  You can find a membership form in the Back To School Items tab on my website or on the PTA Membership page.  Classes with at least 90% of our parents to join the PTA will receive a $50 gift card for classroom supplies.  That's $50 we won't have to ask for you to send in supplies for!  Your $6 can really help us out.  Thanks for your support.

Sept. 12-16

Coming up next week:
Monday: practice multiplication facts every night
Tuesday: Reading Logs
Wednesday:
Thursday: Mrs. Ellison's homeroom will have a SS ch 1 test (study guide)
Friday: Mrs. Askew's homeroom will have a SS ch 1 test

Aquarium Projects

Check out Mrs. Ellison's homeroom's  Beginning of the Year Aquarium Projects! (2 are missing because they are still a work in progress)  Students worked in groups to come up with which fish they would choose based on certain guidelines (length and cost).  They then had to actually "create" what the aquarium would look like, provide a chart to show that they were within their allotted length and cost, and write a letter to me explaining why they chose the fish that they chose.  Some fish had to be in schools of 4 or more, others didn't get along with certain other fish.  All of these factors had to be considered when making their decisions.  

*Fun was had by all students during this learning activity.  No actual fish were harmed in the process of making these aquariums.*

The "Best Overall" award was voted on by the class.  It was a tough decision to make!

The "Trashy"  award went to the project with the best use of recycled items.

The "Sparkles" award went to the project with the best use of glitter and the most effective method of making the fish move (they were also the first group to come up with that idea).

The "Hooked" award goes to the project with the most fish hooks in it (they're hard to see on the background but they're drawn in there).

The "Adventurous" award went to the project with the most effective adventure scenery.

Tuesday Folders

Tuesday folders went home today!  Please look over any student work your child has in the front pocket and make sure it is returned in the folder on Wednesday.  You may keep the papers in the back of the folder (some may need to be filled out and returned IF your choose to participate).  ALL STUDENT WORK SHOULD BE RETURNED EACH WEEK and a parent/guardian should sign the sheet in the folder next to that week's date.  If you did not sign your child's agenda (next to the behavior coupon sticker) over the weekend please do so and remind your child to show it to their teacher.  Thanks!

Sept. 5-9

Items to make note of for next week (Sept. 5-9):
Monday: No School (Labor Day holiday)
Tuesday: Reading Logs and agendas need to be signed
Wednesday: 5th grade will be taking the Reading iReady diagnostic test
Thursday: 5th grade will be taking the Math iReady diagnostic test
Friday: PRIDE Friday (wear school colors or spirit wear to show your school pride)

I have sent out and posted the September flag patrol schedule.  Students only need to sign up once for the year.  If students would still like to sign up they may continue to do so.  I will check the sign up list before making the October schedule.  If you signed your child up, thank you for allowing your child to participate in this patriotic activity.

Reading Log expectations: Students should be reading at home for at least 80 minutes each week.  I have shown them where I want this recorded in their agendas (the monthly calendar section at the front).  They should be writing down the title of what they are reading and how long they read.  A parent/guardian needs to sign it once for the week (you may sign it nightly if you want).  Students will get a ticket for recording their 80 minutes by the time I check it on Tuesday and a bonus ticket if it is signed by a parent/guardian.

Please make sure your child is bringing a book to school each day (preferably a novel that they are working on reading both at home and at school).  We are working on improving our reading stamina and will spend some class time each week with just quiet focused reading.  For this reason, it is important that they already have a book they are interested in so they are not wasting time searching the book shelves for one to read.

We have had a GREAT first week of school.  I'll be posting some pictures of my homeroom's Aquarium Projects soon.  Students seem to have settled in well.  Next week, I will be a little stricter with taking coupons when students are talking in line or being disruptive in class. I will always give a verbal/visual warning but after that coupons will be taken for repeated infractions.  It hasn't been too much of a problem this week but I can tell that some students are "very comfortable" with their classmates and tend to be a little too social in class.