ANNOUNCEMENTS:


Thank you to those who volunteered supplies or services for our Holiday Breakfast. We’re looking forward to it being a great time!

Students are allowed to wear PJs on that Friday. Also, as a class, we decided that students may not be hungry for lunch at 11:45 after eating such a large breakfast, so they were told they could bring a sack lunch to eat lunch in the class at a later time.

IMPORTANT DATES:

12/16 Tentative Quiz I for Unit 5 Math
12/18 Holiday Party
12/26-1/3 Winter Break
1/18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School for Students)
1/27 Vocal Music Concert at Groves
1/29 End of 2nd Marking Period (Students attend AM only)

MATH

• Concepts next week will include:
o Fractions on a Ruler
o Ordering Fractions
o Equivalent Fractions
o Fractions & Decimals

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING

Next week, we will continue to learn skills for engaging in a meaningful book discussion with our peers.

Concepts that will be covered during the mini lessons:
Purposeful discussion
Parallel vs Cross Talk
Body signals during book discussions

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING

We will continue to work on fiction stories in Writers’ Workshop. The following topic will be focused on during mini lessons:

Word Choice

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible fiction story ideas. While/after they’ve completed their spelling homework, help them edit for punctuation and capitalization.

SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES

Students did a tremendous job on their diorama projects this week. Next week, they will present these to the class and video tape them to add to the Wiki. You should be able to view these at home through the Wiki. (It might take all of next week before everyone’s is on there.)

Students will continue to learn how to label all of our United States. They will be given ample time in class to accomplish this task over the next couple of months once they have completed each lesson from our Social Studies Alive text. Please check in periodically with your child to see how they are progressing.

Holiday Breakfast

Mrs. Hart’s 5th Grade Holiday Breakfast


Friday, December 18, 2009 9:15 – 11:30 am

As a class, we have decided to follow Mrs. Davis’ class’s lead and have an in-class breakfast the day before our winter break. We are asking for parent volunteers to prepare a holiday breakfast for our class. We are looking forward to a great time with the children enjoying their breakfast together. Below is a list of items needed. Please look at the list and email me by Tuesday, December 8 if you are able to provide any of the items listed. I will add names to the list as I receive them. All parents are welcome to join us. Please indicate in your email whether you will attend the breakfast, so I can have an accurate count of attendees.


Breakfast Stations

Please bring in the item and cook it in our classroom. You should arrive at 9:15 am to set up and bring all necessary food and cooking utensils (griddles, waffle maker, ladles, etc.) with you. From what we’ve heard from Mrs. Davis, students love to watch you cook and the aroma is always wonderful! Please bring enough for about 15-20 people.



Pancake Station ___________________ _________________________



Waffle Station ____________________ _________________________



Bacon Station ___________________ _________________________



Sausage Station ___________________ _________________________


Other Items



2 Bottles of Syrup ________________

Powdered Sugar ________________

1 large tub of butter _____________

1 bag mini chocolate chips ______________

2 cans whip cream ________________

2 gallons of Orange Juice _______________

1 gallon of milk _______________

25 mini-bottles of water _________

Fresh Fruit Platter _______________

Food item of your choice ______________

Food item of your choice _____________

Food item of your choice ______________

paper plates (50) _______________

napkins (50) ___________

cups (50) ______________

forks/spoons/knives (50) ______________

Thanks for helping make this day special!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:


IMPORTANT DATES:

12/15 Tentative Quiz I for Unit 5 Math
12/18 Holiday Party
12/26-1/3 Winter Break
1/18 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (No School for Students)
1/27 Vocal Music Concert at Groves
1/29 End of 2nd Marking Period (Students attend AM only)

MATH
• Students will begin learning about fractions in Unit 5 next week.
• Concepts will include:
       Parts & Wholes
       Fractions of Wholes
      Mixed Numbers
      Fractions on a Ruler
      Ordering Fractions
Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.
READING
Students did a great job on their Electronic Book talks. We had a chance to post these to our class Wiki this week. Your child will learn how to access this and will be able to show you their work at home.

Next week, we will focus on writing a good summary for each book they read which will also be posted on the Wiki reading log. We will also learn skills for engaging in a meaningful book discussion with our peers.

Concepts that will be covered during the mini lessons:

Writing a summary
Purposeful discussion
Parallel vs. Cross-Talk
As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.
WRITING
We are now working on fiction stories in Writers’ Workshop. The following topics will be focused on during mini lessons:
Endings
Word Choice
How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible fiction story ideas. While/after they’ve completed their spelling homework, help them edit for punctuation and capitalization.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
Next week, students will be asked to complete a diorama demonstrating their knowledge of their assigned Early American Indian Region. I have been asking students to bring in materials they can use to create miniature scenes of their region in a shoe box. Please send your child to school on Monday with the following:

• Shoe box: (Shoe boxes work the best, but if you don’t happen to have one of these at home, any small box will do.)
• Any “crafty” materials you have around the house. Students will already have their assigned region, so they should have some idea of the types of things they are looking for. The possibilities are endless: cotton balls, toothpicks, bark or grass from outside, scraps of cloth, miniatures, pipe cleaners. Please do not feel like you have to purchase anything from the store. I have told the students that the most creative dioramas I have seen in the past have been those where they used materials they had readily available. Please label anything you would like returned.

Students will continue to learn how to label all of our United States. They will be given ample time in class to accomplish this task over the next couple of months once they have completed each lesson from our Social Studies Alive text. Please check in periodically with your child to see how they are progressing.
Below is a special announcement about our Cluster Program:

Dear Parents,
Birmingham has a valued Elementary Enrichment Program. This year our enrichment program (targeted towards 4th and 5th grade students) is on a review cycle. As we look at how to best deliver these services to our students, we want to invite you (our parents) to an open discussion about the program. You have two opportunities to participate, both on December 9th. The first session will be held at BCS, in the Staff Development Rooms at 9:00 a.m. The evening session will be held at Pierce Elementary School in their Media Center at 7:00. Please consider coming and let your voice be heard. We need to show a strong and unified support for programs of this caliber!

Spelling

Spelling Packet 10 will come home today.  There is no Spelling Test next week.  Spelling Packet 10 will be due the Wednesday when we return from Thanksgiving.  The test will be that Thursday.

Friday, November 20, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS:


I apologize that there have not been any new posts in the last two weeks. They changed some of the settings on the website and I was unable copy and paste my draft as I usually do. I’ve since figured out a way to work around this. As you can see, there are still a few kinks I must work out.  Last week, the blog draft went home with your child as a hard copy.



IMPORTANT DATES:



11/25-27 Thanksgiving Recess

11/24 Unit 4 Math Quiz

12/3 Tentative Unit 4 Math Test

12/18 Holiday Party

12/26-1/3 Winter Break

MATH

The Unit 4 quiz & test will strictly test on division using the traditional method.
Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.
READING

Next week: We will finish up our Electronic Book talks.

The week after break: Students will be required to take an accelerated reader test with each book they finish in Readers’ Workshop as well as complete a simple entry including summary of the book in an electronic reading log. This will be completed here at school.
Concepts that will be covered during the mini lessons:

Decoding Unfamiliar or Difficult Text

Retaining what is read
Engaging in purposeful discussions about the books they are reading
As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.
WRITING

We are now working on fiction stories in Writers’ Workshop. The following topics will be focused on during mini lessons:

Organization (including paragraphing, leads, & endings)

Word Choice

Conventions (including punctuation, capitalization)

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible fiction story ideas. While/after they’ve completed their spelling homework, help them edit for punctuation and capitalization.
SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES

Unit 2: American Indians and Their Land. Concepts include:

Migration routes of the first Americans

Adapting to different environments

Natural resources

History of the Sioux
With our new social studies program, the units are incredibly short and simple. We will usually finish one a week, at which time the students will be assessed on what they’ve learned. The assessments are meant to be a picture of what the students have learned during the lesson. There is really no need for them to prepare at home-unless I notify you otherwise.
The first assessment was given on Thursday as an open book assessment. I hope to have these scored and returned to students next week.
Students will continue to learn how to label all of our United States. They will be given ample time in class to accomplish this task over the next couple of months once they have completed each lesson from our Social Studies Alive text. Please check in periodically with your child to see how they are progressing.

Friday, November 6, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

IMPORTANT DATES:

11/8 Community Open House
11/10 Dad’s Eat and Run Lunch
11/11 Parent/Teacher Conferences 5-8pm
11/12 Unit 3 Math Test Tentative
11/12 Parent/Teacher Conferences 1-4 & 5-8pm (Students ½ Day)
11/16 Fire Safety Presentation during school
11/25-27 Thanksgiving Recess

MATH

Please make sure to send the Unit 2 math test back to school with your child to be filed in their portfolio. The Unit 3 quiz will be sent home at the beginning of next week.

Next week, we will cover the following concepts in Unit 3:
Tessellations
Angles of Polygons

. The test for Unit 3 is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, November 12 of next week.

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING

Next week, in Reading, students will take a step back from Readers’ Workshop to get a little creative…and technical. Each student will be assigned to create an electronic book talk to entice their classmates to read a book that they are reading or have read so far this year in Readers’ Workshop. Your child will create their book talk using one of the following three tools on the computer:

1. Audacity
2. Photo Story
3. Movie Maker

Student will present their book talk to the class once complete. As the year progresses, students will have the opportunity to use each of the three tools to create a book talk.

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING
As we did not quite finish our first personal narratives this week, students will begin showing their talent as we work next week on our first fiction stories during our Writing Workshop. They will begin by creating “seed” stories/ideas in their writing notebooks which will eventually be used to create a final piece.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
Science tests will be scored and sent home at the beginning of next week.

We will complete our first social studies unit of geography. Concepts include:

Labeling a map
Absolute location
Physical features

With our new social studies program, the units are incredibly short and simple. We will usually finish one a week, at which time the students will be assessed on what they’ve learned. The assessments are meant to be a picture of what the students have learned during the lesson. There is really no need for them to prepare at home-unless I notify you otherwise.

IMPORTANT DATES:

11/3 Picture Retake Day
11/4 Tentative Unit 3 Math Quiz
Family Wellness Night
11/5 End of 1st Marking Period
11/6 No School: Records Day
11/16 Fire Safety Presentation during school
11/25-27 Thanksgiving Recess

MATH

Students were given the opportunity to fix incorrect answers on the Unit 2 Math Tests on Thursday. I hope to have these rescored and sent home Friday. If not, they will go home Monday of next week. Please return the test to school with your child once you’ve reviewed it.

I am changing the way we handle study links in order to conserve time that is taken from the daily lessons and management of papers. Students have been asked to check over their own study links at home once they’ve completed them. Answer keys for all of the study links for the entire year were given out at Curriculum Night or sent home with your child if you did not attend. Study links are merely meant to be a reinforcement of the lesson that was learned that day, but we seem to be taking away too much time away from the next day’s lesson to check them. Students will still be held accountable each day by showing me that it is completed. They will then keep the study link in their binders until the end of the unit when they will turn in the completed packet. I am confident that this will reduce the amount of zeros that show up in the Snap Grade due to no names on papers as well.

Next week, we will cover the following concepts in Unit 3:
Using a Compass
Congruent Triangles
Unit 3 is a short unit. A short quiz on concepts learned is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday of next week.

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING

Next week, in our Reading Workshop, students will continue to focus on strategies used to make meaning of what they are reading. Strategies include:
Noticing the kind of thinking we do as we read
Merging active reading strategies
Recognizing when reading doesn’t make sense and doing something about it

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING
Students will begin showing their talent as we work on our first fiction stories during our Writing Workshop. They will begin by creating “seed” stories/ideas in their writing notebooks which will eventually be used to create a final piece.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE/SOCIAL STUDIES
Science tests will be scored and sent home at the beginning of next week.

We have started our first social studies unit of geography. Concepts will include:

Labeling a map
Absolute location
Physical features

With our new social studies program, the units are incredibly short and simple. We will usually finish one a week, at which time the students will be assessed on what they’ve learned. The assessments are meant to be a picture of what the students have learned during the lesson. There is really no need for them to prepare at home-unless I notify you otherwise.

October 23, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Thank you to Renee Cortright for volunteering to be our class photographer! J

2. MEAP testing is finally complete, and our class schedule can get back to normal.

3. Next week is our Harvest Hike, Party, and Parade. Our parties in fifth grade are planned and organized by the students. Students began planning for the harvest party this week. Many volunteered to bring in supplies or treats for the party. That information was to be taken home on Friday. If there is something you are unable to send in, please do not hesitate to send me an email. Parents are always welcome to attend and enjoy the parties with us.

IMPORTANT DATES:

10/26 Unit 2 Math Test
10/27 Tentative Science Test “Mixtures & Solutions” (or 10/28)
10/30 10:15 Harvest Hike
12:25 Class Party
1:45 Parade
11/3 Picture Retake Day
11/4 Family Wellness Night
11/5 End of 1st Marking Period
11/6 No School: Records Day

MATH

After the Unit 2 test next week, we will start Unit 3. Students can expect to have one study link a night once again, since MEAP testing has concluded. Concepts we will cover in math next week include:
Exploring Angle Measures
Using a Protractor
Using a Compass

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING

Next week, in our Reading Workshop, students will continue to focus on strategies used to make meaning of what they are reading. Strategies include:
Noticing the kind of thinking we do as we read
Merging active reading strategies
Recognizing when reading doesn’t make sense and doing something about it

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING
Next week, in writing, students will complete their first published piece: a personal narrative. They’ve been working so hard on these. We will celebrate all of their hard work by giving everyone a chance to share their personal narrative with the class.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE
Students will be assessed on their knowledge of mixtures and solutions, chemical reactions and solubility. The test is scheduled tentatively for Oct. 27. If I feel students need more time, I will postpone it until the 28th.

Once we have completed the assessment, we will switch from science to social studies during the same time slot. In social studies we will begin our Geography Unit.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

VOLUNTEERS

We are still in need of a parent photographer.

IMPORTANT DATES:

10/23 Tentative Unit 2 Math Test
MEAP Testing Dates
10/20 Math
9:00-10:20 Part One
1:00-2:20 Part Two
10/22 Science
9:50-11:10 Part One
12:30-1:50 Part Two

MATH

Students received their math quiz from Unit 2 on Friday. It took a while for us to finish reviewing the quiz due to our MEAP testing schedule. The test is now scheduled for next Friday, October 23.

Next week, we will finish Unit 2. The concepts we will cover are as follows:
Estimating Products
Multiplication of Whole Numbers & Decimals
Comparing Millions, Billions, & Trillions

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING

Next week, in our Reading Workshop, students will focus on strategies used to make meaning of what they are reading. Strategies include:
Noticing the kind of thinking we do as we read
Merging active reading strategies
Recognizing when reading doesn’t make sense and doing something about it

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING
Next week, in writing, students will continue working on a personal narrative story to publish. The focus for next week: writing a quick draft and a satisfying ending.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE
Next week’s investigations include:
· Chemical Reactions
· Reaction Products
· Reaction in a Zip Bag
The first science test has been scheduled tentatively for October 27. We will start our review on October 23.

October 9, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

In an effort to promote Michigan grown products, nutrition education and encouraging fruit as part of a balanced lunch, Sodexo School Services are featuring Michigan Apples as part of the school lunch program, during the week of October 19-23. A different variety of a Michigan-grown apple will be featured each day of that week, in addition to interesting and educational information specific to that variety.

VOLUNTEERS

We are still in need of a parent photographer.

IMPORTANT DATES:
10/12 Tentative Unit 2 Math Quiz
10/21 Tentative Unit 2 Math Test
MEAP Testing Dates
10/13 Reading Session I
9:00-10:30 Part One
1:20-2:30 Part Two
10/15 Reading Session 2
9:00-10:40 Part Three
10/20 Math
9:00-10:20 Part One
1:00-2:20 Part Two
10/22 Science
9:50-11:10 Part One
12:30-1:50 Part Two

MATH

Math tests were sent home on Wednesday. Please review the math test with your child, and send back to school so that it can be placed in your child’s file.

The quiz is scheduled for Monday of next week.

The concepts we will cover are as follows:
Chance Events
Estimating Products
Multiplication of Whole Numbers & Decimals
Comparing Millions, Billions, & Trillions

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING
Next week, in our Reading Workshop, students will focus on strategies used to understand what they are reading. Strategies include:
Noticing the kind of thinking we do as we read
Recognizing when reading doesn’t make sense and doing something about it
Decoding unfamiliar or difficult text

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING
Next week, in writing, students will continue to work on revising leads and endings for their chosen story.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE
Next week’s investigations include:
· Soft Drink Recipes
· Salt Concentration
· Mystery Solutions
· Chemical Reactions

SPELLING
Starting this week, students will take their spelling tests at school on Spelling City. This will allow them to print their test and receive immediate feedback on their score. Students will be asked to print two copies. One to be sent home, and the other to keep in their file at school.

Friday, October 2, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

SNAPGRADE

On Friday, letters were sent home in your child’s homework binder notifying you of our Snapgrade program. This is a web-based grading program that parents (and students) can access from home to check in on their child’s progress. The letter includes directions on how to login to Snapgrade as well as your individual password. Please sign this letter and return it to school, so that I know it made it home to you.

Please note: While I will try to keep up with grading in as timely a matter as possible, it sometimes will take a few days for grades to be updated. For instance, if a student turns in an assignment late, it may not show up on their report for a few days after it has been turned in. Also, many times students do the work and turn it in, but forget to put their name on it. If an assignment turns up missing on their report, remind your child to first check the “no name” folder in the classroom, put their name on it, and turn it back in. Again, this might take a few days for this to be recorded in the system.

I will no longer ask for tests or quizzes to be signed by parents, since I know you will have access to, and see the grades on Snapgrade. However, I will still send the tests and quizzes home for review and would like them returned to school within a few days after you’ve seen them to be placed in your child’s file. These will all be given back to your child at the end of the year.

DONATIONS

If anyone has any arts and craft materials you do not use and are taking up space in your house, please send them in. I will take ANYTHING from yarn, to cotton balls, to old wrapping paper, to Popsicle sticks, to whatever! These make great materials for projects in social studies or publishing writing pieces in creative ways.
Thank you to whoever brought in the foam shapes and put them on my desk!

We could also use any used books to add to our growing classroom library!

BOOK ORDERS

Any Scholastic book order that is made on line gets us a free book for our classroom library. Instructions for how to do this were included on the last page of the Curriculum Night packet. You can still send in a check to me and the order will be sent in if you do not wish to use a credit card online. I just wanted to make sure everyone was aware of the other option! J

VOLUNTEERS

We are still in need of a parent photographer.

Thank you, Robin Dewitt for volunteering to keep Spelling City updated. What a help!

IMPORTANT DATES:
10/12 Tentative Unit 2 Math Quiz

MATH

Math tests will be assessed over the weekend and come home with students at the beginning of next week. Please review the math test with your child, and send back to school so that it can be placed in your child’s file.

Next week, we will start Unit 2. The concepts we will cover are as follows:
Addition of whole numbers & decimals
Subtraction of whole numbers & decimals
Number stories
Estimation
Please look for a study guide for Unit 2 in your child’s homework binder next week. The quiz will tentatively be Monday of the following week.

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING
This week, during our Reading Workshop, students were assigned a reading discussion partner. With this partner, they will be asked to discuss what they are reading as it relates to the strategies we are learning in class. Students also began reflecting their thoughts about their reading in their reader’s notebook.

Next week, in our Reading Workshop, students will focus on strategies used to absorb themselves in the book that they are reading. Strategies include:
Creating a “movie” in your mind while you read
Using background knowledge to create sensory images so they feel as if they can actually see, feel, smell, hear, and even taste what is happening in the story.

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING
Next week, in writing, students will be asked to choose one of their “seed” stories to revise and bring to a published piece. Our main focus for revising next week will be coming up with a good lead for their story.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE
Next week’s investigations include:
· Salt Saturation
· Citric-Acid Saturation
· The Saturation Puzzle
· Comparing the Crystals

SPELLING
The 2nd spelling test will be assessed over the weekend and be sent home at the beginning of next week. You do not need to sign and return this test.

Saturday, September 26, 2009

Attention: I have just linked some great websites on the blog. See the links to the left. Spelling City has this week's spelling words entered where students can play fun games, do a crossword puzzle, and even test themselves on their words! Just click on the appropriate list, and off they go! Please note...at times Spelling City does not recognize certain words, because they are not in their data base. This was the case with 3 of the B list words. This is why they do not appear in the games. Have fun!

Volunteer help needed! I could really use some volunteer help for the following:

1. Class Photographer: A parent who can take pictures (or arrange for pictures to be taken) at all major school events, parties, etc... for use in Pembroke Picture and the Yearbook.

2. Spelling City Manager: A parent who will enter both spelling lists A & B each week into the Spelling City website. (It's really easy!)

Friday, September 25, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Mrs. Ivey has asked me to forward the following information:

Dear Parents,

If you have not turned in your PTA Membership and Directory form yet, you have until Monday, September 28, 2009 to do so. Please return them into the office with your designated level of support as soon as you can. Even if you choose NOT to be a member of the PTA, we still need the forms turned in to complete the Directory.

ABOUT THE PTA: Your membership in the PTA is voluntary and you can choose to participate in whatever capacity fits your life and schedule. Being a member of the PTA does NOT require you to attend the monthly meetings or volunteer your time at school or PTA sponsored events. By becoming a member, your membership dollars are going towards supporting all of the wonderful programs and events that the PTA sponsors for your child. Pembroke PTA appreciates everyone’s membership, whether or not the member volunteers, because each member increases the PTA’s ability to advocate for children.

If you have any questions regarding the directory or you did not receive your form, please contact Dawn Vitale at 248-643-6528 or ynotcontactme@hotmail.com. Thank you in advance for your participation and your cooperation.


IMPORTANT DATES:
9/29 Guest Teacher (Mrs. Hart will be out for Writers’ Workshop Training)
9/30 1st Scholastic Book Orders are due (if you choose to purchase).
10/2 Tentative date for Unit 1 Math Test


MATH
**Student Reference Books went home this week!! Please keep them at home in an easily accessible spot to be used for help on Study Links or when studying for quizzes and tests.

Math quizzes will be assessed over the weekend and come home with students at the beginning of next week. Please review the math quiz with your child, sign it, and send back to school so that it can be placed in your child’s file.

Next week, we will complete Unit 2. Lessons will include the following:

· Prime & Composite Numbers
· Square Numbers
· Unsquaring Numbers
· Factor Strings & Prime Factorizations
· A Review On Place Value

The Unit 1 Test is still scheduled tentatively for October 2. Please refer to the same study guide that was used to study the quiz. All of the information on the study guide will be included on the unit test.

Please continue to ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

READING
This week, students were all given a book bag to be kept at school. This book bag will hold a collection of books for your child to read during Readers’ Workshop. Students are allowed to check out 3 books from the Media Center. (We visit the Media Center every Tuesday. Please make sure your child brings back to school any books that are due on that day, so that he/she will be allowed to check out more books.) They can also choose up to 3 books from our classroom library and/or bring books from home to keep in their book bag. Students are required to keep at least 3 books in their book bag so that they are always prepared for Readers’ Workshop time. Books from either the Media Center or the classroom library are allowed to come home with the students for home reading-as long as they always have a minimum of 3 books in their book bag at school.

Next week, we will really start getting into the “meat” of our Readers’ Workshop. The focus will be on the following:
· Meeting with a discussion partner to talk about their reading
· Analyzing the meaning of the text
· Creating Images to get inside the text

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading especially ones that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

WRITING
We already have an incredible group of writers in this class! I am very excited to see where this year will take them as writers! This week, students have been busy writing “seed” stories in their writing notebooks. Soon, students will have a good collection of these “seed” stories that they can pull from when it’s time to revise and publish a final piece.

Next week, while continuing to add to our “seed” story collection, students will learn about procedures and expectations during my conferencing with individual students about their writing. We will also start practicing writing good leads.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, continue to brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE
This week, students were placed into their science groups. We focused on how to work well in a group and discussed the materials they will be using in the following investigation. We also completed one investigation: Making & Separating Mixtures.

Next week, we will continue with the following investigations:
· Separating a Salt Solution
· Observing Crystals
· Separating a Dry Mixture
· Salt Saturation

SPELLING
The first spelling test will be assessed over the weekend and be sent home at the beginning of next week. Please sign the spelling test and return it to school with your child to be placed in your child’s file.

September 18, 2009

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
It was great to have the opportunity to meet many of you at Curriculum Night this week. We now have our first full week of school under our belts, and things are starting to move smoothly. Exciting things are going to happen in our class next week. Please read on...

IMPORTANT DATES:
9/22 School Picture Day (Please remember to send in order forms with children.)
9/23 Sensitivity Training (Students will participate in a workshop to be made aware/sensitive
to students with disabilities.)
9/24 First Spelling Test
9/30 1st Scholastic Book Orders are due (if you choose to purchase).
10/2 Tentative date for Unit 1 Math Test

MATH
This week, students began the first unit of 5th grade math. They learned about rectangular arrays, what a factor and a product are, and how to write a number model. A study guide was sent home with them today for Unit One.

Next week, students will learn how to find the factors of a number, what a prime number is, and what it means to be a square number. The tentative date for the Unit 1 test is Friday, October 2.

Please ensure that students are reviewing all of their math facts for at least 15 minutes a night. They can use any method they choose including flash cards or computer programs. Mathfactscafe.com is a great resource for this. I will be giving you more great websites for practicing math facts as we move through the school year.

WRITING
This week, students have embarked on an incredible writing journey during our Writing Workshop! I have heard some great stories about their lives. Strategies they learned are: how to generate a topic to write about and how to narrow the focus of your topic. Be sure to ask your child what the difference is between a Watermelon Topic and a Seed Topic.

How can you help your child be a successful writer next week? At home, brainstorm with your child possible “seed topics” they could write about during writing workshop. Topics to consider are small but special stories that have really happened to them.

SCIENCE
Next week, students will become young chemists as we begin our mixtures and solutions unit. To start, we will especially focus on how to work well in a group during our experiments.

READING
Next week, we will officially kick off our Reading Workshop. The focus will be on the procedures and expectations of the workshop (so that it can run smoothly) and strategies for choosing a book that is “just-right” for them. Ask your child to tell you about the “5-finger rule”.

As you monitor your child’s home reading, continue to ask them questions about what they are reading, especially questions that practice the strategies they are learning in class that particular week. The more children read, and the more they practice these strategies, the better readers they will become.

SPELLING
Our first spelling list and packet was handed out today. Students should do a little work on the packet everyday between now and next Wednesday. The first test will be next Thursday.

Thursday's Homework

Please follow the homework assignments for tonight as stated in the assignment book.

Some students were confused about an example that I used during writing...There is NO writing assignment for homework tonight:)

Reading/Writing Notebook 9/15/09

Students were given time in school today to find and print pictures of their favorite books and other things they were interested in/passionate about. These pictures are to be used to personalize the cover of their 2-subject Reading/Writing Notebook. Students have been asked to take these pictures and a piece of laminating paper (which I have provided) home with them today. The idea is for students to cut the pictures out with scissors and paste them as a collage on the front cover of the notebook. Some students brought (2) 1-subject notebooks. This is fine. They will just need to decorate 2 covers; one for reading (with favorite book covers) and one for writing (with things they are interested in/passionate about). Feel free to add photographs or pictures from magazines that you find at home. Please help your child with the laminating as it can be tricky to apply smoothly. The notebooks should be complete by Friday of this week. We will be using the notebooks in school this week before Friday, so please make sure students bring these back and forth to school with them until they have been decorated.
Thank you,
Mrs. Hart

Introduction

Hello!

Welcome to Mrs. Hart's 5th Grade Blog! I am looking forward to an exciting year with your child. Please make sure to check for updates on the blog every Friday to keep up-to-date on what's happening in your child's classroom and at school.

Sincerely,
Mrs. Hart