Friday February 28, 2014

Our morning started off with our "scrib/script" prove what you know.  This is by far our best performance on a Latin root vocabulary PWYK.  From there, we continued in My Brother Sam is Dead.  Tim decided to lie to his father so he could deliver Mr. Heron's letter to a Loyalist in an adjacent town.  In his travels, ole' Betsy Read jumped him and stole the letter which turned out to not be not so important after all.

Conversion of customary units wrapped up today by reviewing some word problems and remediating our RSAs.  Some students enriched their knowledge of customary conversions while others worked through their misunderstandings with me at the back table.  Then Mrs. Wilson's class came over and joined us for our 25 minute introduction to the metric measurement system.  Today was meant for building background on how any why the metric system is used.  Monday will begin conversion!

This afternoon concluded our mini reading study on how to read and respond to multiple texts (3 or more texts).  Students analyzed pre-graded responses to see what 2s, 3s and 4s looked like.  Then students graded themselves and two other specific people in the classroom.  This was tough for a lot of students because they had to follow a rubric, be honest with one another, and give feedback.  Reflection.  Evaluation.  Honesty.  Growth.  Overall, I consider this to be a huge success!  These 5th graders were outdoing some of the example 3s and 4s.  LOVE IT!

 (Umi Zumi)

 (Pinky Pigs)

 (Pretty Purple Ponies)

 "Cole"

 (Masters of Sparkle)

"Omie"

Weekend and potentially Monday homework!  
(Snow, snow go away come again next season, OK?!)

Math
-  MPA (IF no school Monday)
Reading
- Read 30 minutes
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due March 4th- (Blue and Purple- 980, Pink-830 , Green-690 )
- Cats and Quakes readings (IF no school Monday); annotate, highlight, and number proof!
Vocabulary and Spelling
­- Lesson 11 spelling due Friday (Spelling bee- pick your own words for each activity)
Other
- Planner signed
- Study Island (optional)
     PACCS Math: divide decimals AND compare decimals
     PACCS Reading: compare/contrast AND context clues

Thursday February 27, 2014

Alex began our morning for us with a lovely little story about a sleepover in which he hid his iPad in his sleeping bag after being told no electronics and lights out by the babysitter.  Mrs. Hallowell, please take note!  (hahaha).

In My Brother Sam is Dead, Tim's father denies him the opportunity to deliver notes to a town down the road because he does not want his son getting involved with the war between Loyalists and Patriots.  Being denied the opportunity to go on an adventure annoys Tim and he challenges his father, yet he is still denied the opportunity.  Tim is infuriated and devises a plan of how he will help Mr. Heron deliver the note behind his father's back.

Math was all about application today.  We answered real life problems involving the converting of US customary units (standard units).  There was some great team work displayed today!  Students were teachers, leaders, and knowledge seekers.  Superb!

Today's RELA lesson was nearly 100% student driven.  After gathering our text evidence as a class, small groups and independently yesterday, today students organized and began writing their informative essay response to the prompt of "how did humans help bald eagle populations increase."  This is a very tough question to answer because students must use evidence from 3 separate readings, but they rose the the challenge!

Tonight’s Homework

Math
-  customary conversion word problems #16 and #17
Reading
- Read 30 minutes
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due March 4th- (Blue and Purple- 980, Pink-830 , Green-690 )
- Complete bald eagle response essays
Vocabulary and Spelling
­- “scrib/script”; PWYK tomorrow; sentences due tomorrow
Other
- Planner signed
- Study Island (optional due Friday Feb. 28th)
     PACCS Math: divide decimals AND compare decimals
     PACCS Reading: compare/contrast AND context clues

Wednesday February 26, 2014

Today started with a Robby morning meeting about his Christmas day.  Social studies started next as we continued in My Brother Sam is Dead.  Leaving off in the first third of chapter 5, we found Tim missing his big brother Sam since he is away at war.  We also learned food is hard to come by, as people's cows are going missing.

Today's math lesson wraps up the major components of converting customary units.  Capacity was the topic of the day- measuring liquids.  Garger's Gallon was introduced to the students (Garger's Gallon is a creation of Mr. Garger senior, who is also a 5th grade teacher) and we applied the conversion properties as seen below in the videos.

(fun and educational!)

(Garger's Gallon man)

We began the afternoon by entering our multiple choice answers for the three bald eagle stories into our clickers for instant feedback.  We discussed each question in detail, and provided text evidence by number proofing.  The data provided will help me to plan lessons coming up in the future!

Finally, we began organizing a 5 paragraph essay based on the three readings about bald eagles.  Together we dug out text evidence and then popped our evidence into our organizer.  Tomorrow we will begin writing the five paragraph essay to a specific prompt.

Tonight’s Homework

Math
- capacity conversion word problems (use notes and calculators!)

Reading
- Read 30 minutes
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due March 4th- (Blue and Purple- 980, Pink-830 , Green-690 )
- Wild Weather reading (annotate, number proof, slash the trash, provide text evidence!)
Vocabulary and Spelling
­- “scrib/script”; PWYK on Friday; sentences due Friday

Other
- Planner signed
- Study Island (optional due Friday Feb. 28th)
     PACCS Math: divide decimals AND compare decimals
     PACCS Reading: compare/contrast AND context clues

Tuesday February 25, 2014

Nick started off our day on the right foot with a nice little story about strawberry cake with grandma and snowball fights with his mother.  He made some great connections to the character counts wall and students asked great vocabulary questions to him.

My Brother Sam is Dead continued into chapter 4 where we found Tim in an interesting predicament as his parents (Loyalists) were taken captive by the Patriots.  Tim made a rash decision to steal the Brown Bess from his sleeping brother's arms... What will happen next?  How will Sam react to the Bess missing?  Will Tim save his parents?

In math we continued to talk about customary units of measure and how to convert between them.  REMEMBER:

Basic Conversion Rule:
To convert from a LARGER unit to a SMALLER unit...MULTIPLY

To convert from a SMALLER unit to a LARGER unit...DIVIDE
 

Reading the question carefully, knowing what it is asking, and using all conversion charts available.  Slowing one's self down is vital to success!  Take your time, show your work.

In reading we continued to read 5th grade texts and answer multiple choice questions about them.  Today's focus was on 3 separate texts about eagles.  Questions were answered using text evidence and number proofing.  Also, we answered questions based on what we learned about all three texts and even answered some two choice questions and two part questions.  The rigor has been increased!  Tomorrow we will write a response to all 3 texts on the similar topic of eagles.

Tonight’s Homework

Math
- length and weight conversion word problems

Reading
- Read 30 minutes
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due March 4th- (Blue and Purple- 980, Pink-830 , Green-690 )
- Wild Weather reading (annotate, number proof, slash the trash, provide text evidence!)
Vocabulary and Spelling
­- “scrib/script”; PWYK on Friday

Other
- Planner signed
- Study Island (optional due Friday Feb. 28th)
     PACCS Math: divide decimals AND compare decimals
     PACCS Reading: compare/contrast AND context clues

Monday February 24th, 2014

Monday!  Feels good to be back and hopefully continuing to build momentum.  This morning started off nice and calm with a morning meeting introducing our new Latin root- "scrib/script" which means "write."
Click here for online flash cards!  Click here for interactive "scrib/script" tree

After, we continued in My Brother Sam is Dead.  We completed chapter 3 and learned that Sam was coming back home after a summer spent with the Patriot army.  Click here for a quick chapter 3 summary

Math was definitely quick today because we had an assembly at 10:20.  We reviewed our Prove What You Know from last Friday.  These will be coming home TOMORROW after I finish imputing grades.  Overall, the class knows what strategies to use to solve addition/subtraction mixed number problems, but many SILLY mistakes were made in minor aspects of the problems.  Always check, double check and triple check your work!

The assembly today was about magic, but more importantly it stressed the character traits we talk about every morning.  Sam did a great job of infusing magic and life lessons into his presentation.  Since Sam is a deaf magician, he spoke a lot about the difficulties he had to overcome in his career.  Great guy, great show, great lessons!  Hard work pays off! Never give up!

This afternoon we spent most of our time finishing revising and explaining our math PWYKs, and then jumped right into our math lesson for the day.  Converting between customary units is our new topic and will definitely be a tricky one!  Applying our notes and strategies will be key to success in this unit.  Please remember:

Basic Conversion Rule:
To convert from a LARGER unit to a SMALLER unit...MULTIPLY

To convert from a SMALLER unit to a LARGER unit...DIVIDE

Here are some great youtube videos to help explain converting between units.  Again, remember to use your conversion chart at all times!  You can use it on PSSA!  Today we only focused on length, but tomorrow we will begin to incorporate capacity.

(she is not the most exciting but she does a great job of explaining)

(all around solid lesson)

Tonight’s Homework

Math
- Finish 9.1 (use your notes and conversion chart!)

Reading
- Read 30 minutes
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due Feb. 25th- (Blue and Purple- 930, Pink- 730, Green- 490)
- Human body reading (annotate, number proof, slash the trash, provide text evidence!)
Vocabulary and Spelling
­- “scrib/script” matching; PWYK on Friday

Other

- Planner signed
- Study Island (optional due Friday Feb. 28th)
     PACCS Math: divide decimals AND compare decimals
     PACCS Reading: compare/contrast AND context clues

Friday Feb. 21, 2014

Today was a day of assessments.  All the snow days backed us up, so we double dipped today.  Not the most "fun" day, but we have to do what we have to do!  Data is integral for how and what will be taught in upcoming lessons.

In math we reviewed our homework and cleared up any last minute misconceptions involving adding/subtracting fractions and mixed numbers.  Students then took their Prove What You Know for the hybrid Unit 6/Unit 8 lessons.

After lunch and recess today, we had a nice little treat!  First grade was celebrating their 100th day of school so we had the opportunity to go down and help them out.  Here are some pictures from the event!  I am very proud of how our fifth graders took a leadership role.  Each and every student was a great role model and excellent helper.

After we finished, we came back and completed our Study Island Reading benchmark.  Students also had the opportunity to take a Spelling Bee entry form.  Our 8 students going to the Spelling Bee will be announced soon.

Finally, it was "Blast from the Past" day here at T'ville.  Rock on!!!

Reading

- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due Feb. 25th- (Blue and Purple- 930, Pink- 730, Green- 490)

Other

- Planner signed
- Study Island (optional due Friday Feb. 28th)
     PACCS Math:
     PACCS Reading:

Thursday Feb. 20, 2014

Upon students arriving to school this morning I posted the following message on my morning meeting board:

"Silliness is no longer an option.  We need to revive our motivation, hard work, and dedication to learning as a whole class. 

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE- bring the community back"

Everyone responded.  As a whole, we really got back on track today.  This morning began with Kyle telling us about his character building adventure to Great Wolf Lodge.  From there we jumped back into My Brother Sam is Dead and discovered that Tim's brother Sam had run away and had also stolen the Brown Bess.  Will Tim spy on his own family for his brother and the Patriot army or will his devotion to his father and family make him into a Loyalist?

Our goal in math today was to revise our RSAs from yesterday and begin working on adding/subtracting fraction/mixed number Common Core word problems.  Some students also re-mediated adding and subtracting fraction/mixed number skills with me at the back table.  In all, today was a review of all the skills we have learned so far in this unit.  Tomorrow will be a shorter PWYK (Prove What You Know- my version of "test").  Please complete tonight's homework with tons of focus and application of our notes.  Refer to any video posted below to assist you!  Also, feel free to use this website to check your work: Check Your Work Here!

WE FINALLY HAD AN OUTSIDE RECESS!!!!!!

This afternoon we completed a Study Island benchmark for math.  This data will help me to plan more effective lessons as we head into PSSA.  It is imperative we spend some quality time on the most confusing aspects of 5th grade math!

We wrapped up the day by "clickering" in our answers from the poem we began reading yesterday.  Great discussion and great close reading!

Math
- add/subt. fractions/mixed numbers review; apply your notes!; row 5 is advanced oportunities
Reading
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due Feb. 25th- (Blue and Purple- 930, Pink- 730, Green- 490)
- Caverns reading annotated, highlighted, number proofed and all questions answered
Other
- Planner signed
- Tomorrow is 60s, 70s, and 80s spirit day (please donate a canned good or coins of compassion)
- Study Island (optional due Friday Feb. 21)
     PACCS Math: adding/subtracting decimals; adding and subtracting fractions
     PACCS Reading: Author Point of View; Information from Sources

Wednesday Feb. 19, 2014

Recess tutoring in action!  LOVE IT!  Being teachers, being leaders, taking responsibility for their own learning.

Today we began with an RSA on adding/subtracting fractions and mixed numbers.  We coasted into a mini-presentation from our student council representatives (Natalie and Nick) about upcoming events and showing compassion in our school.  Excellent work student council peeps.

Today's Targets

From there we read our target for Social Studies and continued on to Chapter 2 of My Brother Sam is Dead.  A big life lesson has popped up as Sam and his father Life are getting into arguments.  We have discussed that sometimes you will not always agree with your parents opinions and points of views, so it can take a toll on the way a family unit works together.  Ask your child- whose side would they be on, the Loyalists or the Patriots?

In math we continued to subtract mixed numbers and introduced borrowing today.  Check the video below for further examples and explanations.

Subtracting and borrowing (1:00 and 7:23 for best examples)

After lunch and recess, we returned to a special presentation by some of our girls (Kaitlyn, Cassidy, Elena, and Natalie) who went above and beyond to create a PowerPoint about Tilikum and if he should be free or kept in captivity.  Way to push yourselves girls!

In writing, we reviewed parts of speech in partners by various websites online.
http://www.englishclub.com/grammar/parts-of-speech_1.htm

We finished reading by reviewing homework and proving our answers with text evidence.  We began to pick through a PSSA passage about the Moon.  As a class, we broke the poem into stanzas, analyzed the figurative language, and gave deeper meaning to each line.  In addition, we discovered that the Latin root "luna" means Moon.  Finally, we learned how to use Smart clickers to report our understanding so we can receive instant feedback connected to a specific standard.

Tonight's Homework

Math
- subtracting mixed numbers (Some with borrowing!  Use your blue notes!)
Reading
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due Feb. 25th- (Blue and Purple- 930, Pink- 730, Green- 490)
- Niagra Falls reading annotated, highlighted, number proofed and all questions answered
Other
- LDC and spelling signed
- Planner signed
- Friday is 60s, 70s, and 80s spirit day (please donate a canned good or coins of compassion)
- Study Island (optional due Friday Feb. 21)
     PACCS Math: adding/subtracting decimals; adding and subtracting fractions
     PACCS Reading: Author Point of View; Information from Sources

Tuesday February 18, 2014

Two hour delay... REALLY!?  REALLY!!??  I am a winter weather lover, but enough is enough this year!

Well, it is what it is and we have to make the most of it.  Today we started with a trip to the art room.  After, we reviewed adding mixed number homework and took off to lunch.  Coming back from lunch, we started right into math since we missed this morning due to the delay.  In math today we learned how to subtract mixed numbers with same denominators, subtract mixed numbers (without borrowing), and subtracting a mixed number from a whole number.  Subtracting strategy gauntlet today!  Videos to assist with homework:

Subtracting mixed numbers (with borrowing)

(Only borrow when your top fraction's numerator is smaller than the bottom fraction's numerator)

Subtracting a mixed number from a whole

We wrapped up the day with a brief reading period.  Our main focus was to review annotating, number proofing, and answering multiple choice questions.  Also, we began to look at different types of reading (poems, informational pieces, narratives, letters, websites) and answer specific questions using text evidence and elaboration.  Our focus tomorrow will be on a poem about landing on the moon.  Clickers here we come!

Tonight's Homework

Math
- subtracting mixed numbers (no borrowing except one hidden in there!)
Reading
- NewsELA on Fence Music in Mexico is due Feb. 25th- (Blue and Purple- 930, Pink- 730, Green- 490)
- Environment reading annotated, highlighted, number proofed and all questions answered
Other

- LDC and spelling signed

- Planner signed

- Friday is 60s, 70s, and 80s spirit day (please donate a canned good or coins of compassion)

- Study Island (optional)
     PACCS Math: adding/subtracting decimals; adding and subtracting fractions
     PACCS Reading: Author Point of View; Information from Sources

Monday February 17, 2014

Ah, it felt good to get back into the swing of things today!  This morning we started off with by catching up on everything we missed over the past four days.  After preparing for our 2nd marking period reading meeting, we finished the first chapter of My Brother Sam is Dead.  Sam and his father got into a huge heated argument about Sam's choice to be a Patriot over a Loyalist.  Sometimes choices are difficult to make when your family has a strong opinion about one side!

In math, we learned how to add mixed numbers.  Start off by adding the whole numbers, then add the fractional part (if denominators are different, find the common denominator then add!), and simplify into its smallest terms.  Check out this video for extra support:

We began the afternoon by exchanging Valentines since we were out of school on Friday, and then watched our marble jar achievement- Free Willy.  Free Willy was a perfect movie selection since we just completed our letters to SeaWorld encouraging the park to keep or free Tilikum, their most famous whale.

Tonight's Homework
Math
- addition side (Lesson 5.6) of the math worksheet- SIMPLIFY and follow our notes.
Reading
- NewsELA on Shaun White is due tomorrow (Blue- 950, Purple and Pink- 780, Green- 670)
- Ancient China reading annotated, highlighted, number proofed and all questions answered
Other
- Planner signed
- Study Island (optional)
     PACCS Math: adding/subtracting decimals; adding and subtracting fractions
     PACCS Reading: Author Point of View; Information from Sources

Back to the grind tomorrow!  Back on track and momentum building.

Feb. 14, 2014- Snow Days

I am sure the view from your house is similar to mine!  Lots of snow and lots of shoveling!

Since we had off today, please remember to complete your Snowmework packet!