Friday, December 5, 2014

Merry Christmas - Happy Second Quarter End

Dear Parents,

Happy Friday!  Mrs. Crowe and I just wanted to drop a note today about a few upcoming things in 5th grade.  We know this time of the year is very busy, but it is also the end of the second quarter so just a few reminders!

First of all, please take time to check Mykoob in the next few days.  Look for any zero scores on work.  Most likely it is work that has not been turned in.  Make sure your student checks with the teacher about what is missing.  Seminar is a great time to take care of missing work.  Grades will be completed over break!

Book reports are due Tuesday.  We went over examples and directions again today.  Remember they have had the assignment since October!  If you cannot find the directions, they are on the student's Google account, Mykoob and Mrs. Brown's blog.

There will no doubt be numerous tests in many subjects over the next two weeks.  Social studies is Monday, Literature is Thursday etc...  Again, check Mykoob so you can plan ahead!

Our all school Advent Service is Monday, December 15th.  The children will all be singing and participating.  Please plan on attending this special event.

Lastly, once at the end of first semester and again at the end of the year 5th grade has an auction using points earned from our card pull system.  Students will be given the amount of points they have earned based on late work and behavior during this semester in all of Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Crowe's classes.  We will auction off items.  Those with more points can bid more for items or even purchase multiple items.  Each student will be able to purchase something.

Mrs. Crowe and Mrs. Brown will collect and bring items in, but this works even better if we have donations from parents.  We need to have at least one item per student.  Things like candy - the bigger, the better- soda, other food items, fuzzy socks, books, are all great donations.  We would love to have about 4-6 gift cards for itunes or any store in a $5-10 amount.    As you do some grocery or holiday shopping, please consider picking up a little something.  Your child can bring it in anytime.  The auction will take place at school either Wednesday or Thursday December 17-18th.

In all the business of the season, we hope and pray your family stays well and can find the true joy  that comes with celebrating Christ's birth. We are blessed to work with your children and your families every day.


5th grade literature schedule:  Turn in vocabulary words - Monday
                                            Complete reading the book - Tuesday
                                             Final 200 words reaction Journal - Wednesday - Vocabulary words returned
                                             Review for final test - Wednesday
                                             Final Book Test - Thursday
                                             Vocabulary test - Friday

**Don't forget Book Reports are due Tuesday, Dec. 9th

Friday, September 12, 2014

Moving on!


Moving On!!!

It Is Time!!  Time to move on from our first units of study.  Both 5th and 6th grade literature have completed the read aloud literature selection we were doing in class.
Both grades enjoyed the 2 great selections of literature.  We learned about parts of a story especially setting and characters as we read.  We completed reaction journals and comprehension questions.
And we have taken or are in the process of taking the final tests.


6th Grade Literature:  6th grade will move immediately into a Literature set.  I have 4 books chosen and students will read one of the four books.  All four are award winning and keep with the theme of a strong central character that has obstacles to overcome.  The books are listed below:

Stargirl - by Jerry Spinelli
Walk Two Moons - by Sharon Creech
When Zachary Beaver Came to Town - by Kimberly Willis Holt
Wonder - by RJ Palacio

Check out these books on Common Sense Media to read a review.
We will begin the unit in the next class time.  Students will be filling out a calendar of pages due each day.  All students should be reading pages from their book each day, even when we don't have class.
We will read the book, complete journals, quizzes, discussions and vocabulary.  Each book will have a final group project.  Remember, this takes the place of a first quarter book report.


5th Grade Literature: 5th grade will read about 3 stories from the Treasures Reading book.  These stories will extend the theme from Maniac Magee.  We will be working with workbook pages for these stories.  Keep track of your child's progress on these on Mykoob.  The pages usually are not difficult, but students often rush through them.
Beginning the last week of September we will move back into novels.  I will have 4 novels available.  Each student will read one of the four.  We will work through reaction journals, questions, quizzes, discussions and vocabulary.  There will be final group project for the book.  This remember, takes the place of a first quarter book report.

The four choices of books are:
Bridge to Terabithia - by Katherine Patterson
Dear Mr. Henshaw - by Beverly Cleary
Feathers - by Jacqueline Woodson
The Great Gilly Hopkins - by Katherine Patterson

5th Grade Social Studies:  We have completed chapter 2 which is an introduction to Native Americans.  We are using chapter 3 to further investigate tribes from the 7 different cultural regions.
Students have been assigned to a group and a specific tribe to study.  On the blog under social studies are the exact directions for this group assignment.  Each student, while working in a group, has been assigned to one specific part of the project, and their grade will reflect their effort on that part.

There is a calendar included.  The date the presentation is due will be posted next week.  Most of this work should be completed at school, however, groups may have some work that needs to be done at home.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

...After Labor Day

Wow - 2 full weeks of school down!  Things are going well.  5th graders continue to learn where to be and when.  We continue to strive to get a little quicker at our lockers and off to class.  No worries - it will happen.

We have had our first social studies test and are on well on the way to finishing the read aloud novels in literature.

Here are some upcoming events and notes to know.

I have handed back the student's social studies tests.  They should bring them home and go over them with you.  We have talked about my correction policy.  Please look on this blog under social studies for an understanding of this policy.  There is a  great opportunity for students to make corrections on their tests and improve their grade.

We have begun chapter 2 in social studies focusing on Native Americans.  During this chapter we will complete our first group research and presentation.  Check back with the blog in a week for those directions.

5th grade literature:  We will be finished reading Maniac Magee next week.  We are using this novel to learn the elements of literature and practice completing reaction journals, comprehension questions and vocabulary.  Much of this work we are beginning and completing together in class.
There will be a final test for Maniac Magee.  I will notify you when the study guide comes home.

After we finish this novel, we will be doing a literature set.  There will be 4 available books in 5th grade for students to read.  They will choose 1 book.  I will post the books under Language Arts and a great website if you would like to look at a review of the books.  I also have copies available if you want to check out a book before your student makes the choice.
We will read these novels and incorporate all the elements we used while reading Maniac Magee.

6th grade literature:  We continue to read The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by AVI.  The students are so engaged in this awesome novel.  We are using it to explore the literary elements of setting, characters and plot.  We will investigate theme and symbolism as well.
We have completed reaction journals, comprehension questions and vocabulary.

This novel will springboard us into a class literature set.  There will be 4 books to choose from.  I read several of these books this summer and am excited about their content.  I will post the books on this blog under 6 lit and a website that allows you to look at a review.  Or you may borrow a copy of a book from me to look at.

I hope to see everyone Tuesday, September 2nd at Taste of Middle School.  I will have a syllabus for the year for each class I teach available and will go over some basic information.

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

A New Beginning

Well - here we are at a new beginning to the school year.  For some of you it is also a new beginning to our school, to the middle school, maybe even a new house and a new city.

Blessings to all of you on all of those new beginnings.

For me, the new school year brings fresh starts, lots of new goals, along with new students, and many new possibilities.

In these first few weeks, if you are feeling that you do not know what is going on, you feel a little lost, please email me and let me know, so we can fix that.
We will work very hard to make sure your children do not feel that way.

My Blog throughout the year will contain updates from time to time on what is happening.  I will not do a weekly newsletter due to the variety of classes and grades I teach.

However you can always check the tabs and look for special directions for projects we may be working on.
The 5th grade spelling, grammar and reading workbooks are on line.  The memory book is on line as well.

So while you may not check the blog weekly, please check it anytime you have a question about directions for a project or timeline of events for a certain class.  I encourage you to sign up for email which provides an email notice when I make a change or update to the blog.
And as always, let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

I hope to see everyone at Taste of Middle School on September 2nd.  I will hand out and go over the syllabus for the year for each class.

Thanks for entrusting your child to me for this new beginning.

Monday, July 21, 2014

Coming Soon...

Coming soon... 

Information for the start of school.

Schedule of home visits

Don't forget to check out on the website the 5th grade supply list - we will go over it at home visit.

Important Dates!!
Home Visits - August 5-8th
5th grade Orientation Night at CCLS - Thursday August 7th
Charger Night - Monday, August 11th
First day of School - Wednesday August 13th

This is where I will be until August 1st.  See if you can find where I am.
See you soon!

Monday, May 5, 2014

Final calendars

I can hardly believe it!  Here we are at the end of the year.
It was an awesome year and I really enjoyed my time with both 5th and 6th grade, studying history and most of all reading great literature.
It is my hope each student has a better understanding of stories, and why authors write them.  And that they have stretched their minds a little bit from what they normally read.

Here is what we have left!

Fifth grade final calendar for literature
Final Calendar for Literature books:

Monday 5/5:  turn in 500 word journal.  Read them in the group
Take the quiz written by the other class.
**Work on Author information page

Tuesday  5/6: Grade the quiz taken by the other class
Discuss and begin the final project
Begin final discussions

Wednesday 5/7:  Hand back character books.  Give extra credit assignment and final directions for book.
Due Friday!

Thursday and Friday 5/8-5/9 - Work on final projects

Monday-Wednesday - 5/12-5/14  no class time

Thursday - Last day to complete final project. 5/15

Friday - presentations 5/16



6th Grade
Final Calendar:

Monday 5/5  Take the quiz.  Share with me your final journal (500).
Work on author page.  Meet with group to read journals.

Wednesday 5/7  Grade quizzes.  Begin the final project.
Final assignments for character book. - due on Friday.

Friday 5/9 Discussions.  Final project
Character books due.

Mon - Wednesday May 12-14 - No class

Thursday - Final projects completed

Final week - Present projects.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

A New Year, A new quarter

Welcome Back!

I pray each of you had a restful, and joyous Christmas and New Years.  I loved the time I had to spend with my family and friends.  With 3 teenage children our house was always full and loud!  A little bit like 5th grade!

I am excited and ready to begin the second half of our year.  I feel we had a very good beginning.  Most students seem to have adjusted to 5th grade and middle school well. 
This quarter we will continue that transition as we look to 6th grade and make sure the students are prepared for the responsibilities and work that will come next year.

I will have my homeroom class set at least one very specific goal to work on this quarter.  We will put that on a card and keep in our class box.  Each student has a card in that box where they record late work, tardies to class, disruptions etc...  Hopefully with their goal card in the box as well they will be reminded of what they need to work on.

I also will set some goals for myself and for the class.  My class goals are:

1.  To minimize the amount of late work.  This is ultimately the student's responsibility, but I will be working to make sure I have clearly stated the directions and due dates.  I will be talking specifically to students who have a pattern of late work on a weekly basis and expect them to stay and complete the work that is due.
Although I will continue to accept late work, I will take a grade deduction for each day it is late.

2.  To continue to expand the students' critical thinking, evaluation and decision making skills.  Through the reading and writing process these skills will continue to grow. We will continue to use technology for research, writing , organizing and presentation of ideas.

3.  To develop a love of literature - to whatever degree possible.  I hope that the stories and novels we read this second semester will touch your student in some way. Even if they do not enjoy each thing we read, I hope they will learn to appreciate literature and enjoy reading many different types.

I look forward to what lies ahead.  I will continue to expect the best from each student, and will work with them to reach their goals.
Please look on my blog for detailed information under each class heading.
I have posted updated spelling words and literature information.  Book report directions will follow next week.

Thabnks for sharing your child with me!