May 17, 2010

The class will stay busy this week. The field trip to Eastlake is rescheduled for Wednesday, May 19, 2010. If any parents can volunteer, please let me know by Tuesday afternoon.

 

The class will continue to practice their play and work on their Time Magazine group projects. The students need to complete the projects by Friday. Here are a few more links that will help them with their research:

 

The students will work on their menu items Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The students asked to change the due date for the menu items, so all items are due Friday, May 21, 2010. They all have been working very hard and using their class time wisely. Projects always help strengthen time management skills.

 

The students have been working so hard to understand positive and negative numbers. The concepts have been a little confusing at times, but I am proud of how quickly they have learned the concepts. We will continue our study of algebra this week. Please note that Friday is the last day of math for the school year. Also, the students Problem of the Week # 20 is due on Friday, May 21, 2010.

This will be a busy and eventful week. The students will continue to work on their Nature Journals. As the entries are assigned, I am adding additional information and due dates on my calendar. The students also have their scheduled walking field trip to Eastlake this Wednesday and they are expected to add a minimum of two new entries in their Nature Journals.

 

The class is also working on a team project that directly relates to Westward Expansion. Each student was placed on a team of five and they selected which job they wanted to complete for the group assignment. Please visit the following web site for additional information:

 

The students were assigned their roles for the play and will be studying their lines throughout the week.

 

It is crunch time! For the last two weeks, the students will be working on their menu projects. All of the projects are due May 20^th and the class will have a party on May 21^st. The party will be a celebration of the students’ projects. We will do a gallery walk and then enjoy some food. All parents are welcome to join the festivities.

 

The last few weeks will be spent on pre-algebra skills. Expect to see more worksheets this week that are not related to the Everyday Math Program. The students seemed excited about this challenge! The students have a Problem of the Week due this Friday. 

 

The students will continue to work on their Nature Journals. They will work on them both at school and at home. Please ask to see what your child has completed; there are some fabulous observations. Please check my calendar for due dates.

 

The class is currently learning about the Louisiana Purchase. The students will be able to try out for the play, Pardon Me, Mr. Talleyrand, But Did You Say the Whole of Louisiana? this Wednesday.

 

The students will continue to work on their menu projects this week. The class will also explore poems for the next few weeks. Each student is required to have a favorite poem in class this Thursday.

The focus this week is on Compass and Straightedge Constructions and parallel lines and angle relationships. There is no Problem of the Week due this week, but the students will be given a new POW this Thursday.

 

 

 

April 26, 2010

 

This week will be quite eventful. This Monday we have a guest speaker, Susie Mottashed, who is the author of Who Lives In Your Backyard, and she will talk about nature journals. This ties in nicely with the 3^rd Trimester Project. The students will be able to improve their observation skills, learn how to complete quick and easy sketches, and tap into their creativity. The week will also be spent on reading a play from The Louisiana Purchase and Westward Expansion.

 

The class will continue to work on their Menu Projects. The students need to complete their 1^st drafts by this Friday. The students will continue to work on thesis statements and organizing their writing.

 

Math class will meet only a few days this week. We have a guest speaker coming on Monday and Tuesday so there will be no math on either of those days. We will continue to work on geometric shapes and prepare for our field trip this Friday. Math in the Mall should be a fun experience! The Problem of the Week is due this Thursday.

 

The students will spend a great deal of time working in their Nature Journals this week. Last week the students attempted to plant some seeds, however the potting soil was not cooperating. Water was repelling off of the soil. Weird, yes! So they will try again on Monday with a different soil. The class will also have a mock Supreme Court case we will try in the classroom.

 

This week the students will continue to work on their outlines and the 1^st draft of their reports. I have been impressed with how hard they have been working on their two-column notes. The class will also work on organizing information and thesis statements.

 

Much of this week will be spent on ERB testing for placements next year. There should be minimal homework this week. Please remember that the Problem of the Week is due this Friday.