Feb. 20-24

Monday -
Tuesday - Reading Log, Science Weather Instruments Quiz (Mrs. Askew's HR)
Wednesday - Science Weather Instruments Quiz (Mrs. Ellison's HR)
Thursday - Spelling Definition Quiz, Early Release at 1:30 pm
Friday - Precept Paragraph, Adjective Quiz, Woods Runner ch 7-12 due, Math Test
     I'm attaching the Woods Runner questions for ch. 7-9 and ch 9-12 in case your child is absent.  If they do not have a copy of the book, they can listen to me reading the chapters in their Google Classroom accounts.  Students seem to really be enjoying this book and making lots of connections to what we are learning about in Social Studies.

We have had LOTS of students out sick this week.  As much as we want your child here at school, if they are not feeling well and/or running a fever then please keep them home.  Hopefully we will all be feeling better and be back to school next week!



I'm linking the SS ch 13 - American Revolution study guide.  I will be providing all of my students with a copy of this on Monday so that they have the battles and dates that they need to know.  We will be going through the TCI ch 13 (notes) and then doing a fun simulation activity where they "become" participants in the American Revolution.  Once we complete both of these activities, we will have a test (sometime around March 8). Additional Study/Resource Materials



We have started the Weather Unit in Science.  This is a long unit so I have broken it into smaller sections to be quizzed on before the Unit Test at the end.  There are usually quite a few questions on the Science EOG about this unit so it is important that students really understand these concepts.  I'm linking the Weather Study Guide here but have also provided my homeroom with copies of this already.  The Study Guide is not complete yet (I'm still working on the last part of the unit) but the first 4 pages are done.  This part does include ALL of the vocabulary and big ideas & essential questions for the whole unit but not the little concepts I like to add to it.

Notes and How to Study - One of the things I've started doing with my students to help them focus on specific concepts (essential questions) is to fold a page in their journal (not quite in half).  On the small section showing they write their essential question.  Then they need to answer the question inside the folded area as we learn the material.  When they study, they should fold the page, ask themselves the question and try to answer it, and then open it up to check the answer to see if they are right or not.

Feb. 13-17

Monday - bring in your decorated Valentine's Can
Tuesday - Reading Log; bring in Valentines to exchange
Wednesday - Woods Runner ch 1-6 worksheet due (they will have some time in class to finish up the last couple of questions for this section)
Thursday - Spelling Sort and Definition Quiz
Friday - SS ch 11 & 12 Test - study guide - ch 11 notes - ch 12 notes

February 6-10

Monday - report cards go home
Tuesday - reading logs
Wednesday - RCD unit 3 Reading assessment (Reading Literature) - nothing to study, it's more about applying the skills we've practiced in class to a reading passage
Thursday - Spelling Sort and Definition Quiz; McDonald's Spirit Night
Friday - Science Test on Genetics Unit (this is a short unit) - study guide and notes

Be sure to print the SS ch 11 & 12 study guide (required) and  ch 11 notes & ch 12 notes (optional) - this test is currently scheduled for Friday February 17.

Students may begin bringing in their Jump Rope for Heart money starting Monday, Feb. 6.  All money should be turned in by Friday, Feb. 24.

We will be having a small Valentine celebration.  I am sending home buckets with students for them to decorate at home.  These buckets need to be returned to school by Monday, Feb. 13.  They may bring them in earlier if they want.  We will exchange Valentines and have a small snack at the end of the day on Feb. 14 (3:15-3:40).  A list of names is going home with the students in their bucket/can. **Mrs. Ellison does not eat a lot of chocolate or drink coffee!  She does like Twizzlers & Reese's Pieces.

January 23-25

Monday:
Tuesday: Reading Logs
Wednesday: Math Quiz (adding and subtracting fractions)
Thursday: No School - Teacher Workday
Friday: No School - Teacher Workday

Be sure your child is studying for the SS ch. 9 & 10 test on January 31 and the Science Mid Year test on February 1.  The Science test will be a review of ALL material covered this year.  This will help them prepare and review for the EOG in Science that they'll take in June.  They have a Badgequest activity in Google Classroom with review activities and a quiz for each of the 4 Units we have covered.  We will be spending the next few days in Science working on these activities and going over the Quiz questions.  I STRONGLY recommend that they take these quizzes ahead of time so they know which questions they don't understand and can ask questions in class.

Jan. 16-20

Monday - No School for MLK Jr. Day
Tuesday - Reading Logs, Venero's Spirit Night (4-close)
Wednesday - Math Quiz
Thursday -
Friday - Precept Paragraph, Ecosystems Unit Test (study guide)

Jan 31 - SS ch 9 & 10 Test
Feb 1 - Science Midyear Test - work on Badgequest in Google Classroom to study - ask questions NOW instead of right before the test!

We are planning to have all of our 5th graders take the Mid Year iReady Diagnostic for Reading and Math the week of Jan 30-Feb 3.  We are allowing 2 days for Reading (Tuesday and Wednesday) and 2 days for Math (Thursday and Friday).  PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR CHILD HAS WORKING HEADPHONES.  I've had quite a few students without headphones lately and it's important that they can hear the information without disturbing others.

update for Jan. 9-13

I hope everyone survived the snow and ice.  Obviously the upcoming assignments and test dates will need to be modified some.  As soon as we hear about school for the remainder of the week and how/when we will make up the missed days I'll revise the schedule.

A few things to make note of:

Students who have ELA with Mrs. Ellison: 

*Spelling for this week is posted (sort is in Google Classroom and Definition Quiz will be there Thursday morning.)  There will not be a sort for next week so students will actually have some time in school this week and next week to complete this.  They may complete it at home if they choose.

*Be sure to ask your students about the Precepts (posted in the classroom and in Google Classroom).  These tie in with the book, Wonder, that I am reading in my ELA classes.  Each week I'll post 3 precepts and we'll take about them in class.  Then on Friday, students will choose one of them and write a paragraph explaining it or telling why it's important or what it means to them. In their paragraph, I'm looking for some basic writing skills (capital letters, punctuation, most words spelled correctly) but also some thought and support for their ideas.  There's not a right or wrong answer for these but they do need to provide multiple sentences that clearly tell about the precept (not just restate it multiple times).

Homeroom Students: (Mrs. Ellison and Mrs. Askew are on the same schedule so this should apply to all of our students)

*Students will be given some time in class to complete their Science Biome stories that were originally due today.  If possible we will share a few of these on Friday and the rest of them on Monday.  Students should focus more on the story and facts than cute backgrounds.  Some pictures do need to be included though.

*Our Science Ecosystems Unit test will likely be pushed back to either next Thursday or Friday (Jan. 19 or 20).

*Our MidYear Science Test will also be pushed back a little (not sure exactly when yet but probably around Jan. 31).  Students should be working on the Badgequest activities in Google Classroom to help them review for this.  They may take the Quiz at the end of each section multiple times.  They shouldn't just memorize the questions but should make sure they understand why certain questions have the answer that they do.  If they don't understand a concept, they should ask NOW instead of waiting until they are taking the actual test.

*The SS test for chapters 9 & 10 will also be pushed back.  This will probably be around Jan. 31 or Feb. 1.

Study Guides for Science:

Living Organisms and Human Body

Matter

Heat Energy

Ecosystems

Study Guide and Notes for SS:

Study Guide

Notes for ch 9

Notes for ch 10

January 9 - 13

Happy New Year! *Watch the weather carefully this weekend and be on the look out for changes the school schedule for next week.  Hopefully we'll be able to continue as normal!

Monday -
Tuesday - Reading Log, Venero's Spirit Night
Wednesday - Science Story due (in Google Classroom) - these will be presented in class on Thursday and Friday
Thursday - Spelling Sort due and  Definition Quiz
Friday - Precept Paragraph
 *There may be a Math quiz at some point this week but we're not sure exactly when yet.

Upcoming Items to Make a Note of and be preparing for NOW:
Jan. 16 - No School - MLK Jr Day
Jan. 18 - Ecosystems Unit Test (see the link below for Ecosystems Study Guide)
Jan. 19 - AIG autobiography assignment due (only certain students)
Jan. 24 - SS ch 9 & 10 test (these chapters are combined for one test)
                     study guide    ch 9 notes     ch 10 notes
Jan. 25 Midyear Science Test (review of all Science Units covered this year) - work on the Badgequest activity in Google Classroom to help review these concepts
       Human Body/Living Organisms Study Guide
       Matter and Changes Study Guide
       Heat Transfer Study Guide
       Ecosystems Study Guide
Jan. 26 & 27 - No School - Teacher Workdays
Jan. 31 & Feb. 1 - Reading iReady midyear diagnostic
Feb. 2 & 3 - Math iReady midyear diagnostic
Feb. 6 - Report Cards go home