End of First Quarter

Yes this week is the end of first quarter already.  A lot of growth and learning has taken place this quarter.
Thank you to those of you that have encouraged your student to keep up on Educate and check on assignments they have questions about.
This will be the last week this quarter to make corrections or adjust any possible assignments.

A great time to talk about this is at recess.  I am inside this week as well, and have time to work with students that want help.  Some students ask during class, while we are working on other things and that doesn't work out.

Not all assignments can be corrected, but have your student ask if they are unsure.  All corrected or missing work must be in by Friday - no exceptions!
Late and corrected work doesn't get graded immediately.  I usually grade the current class assignments first, before returning to other work.  If they turn something in this week it will be adjusted on the final quarter grade.

5th Grade Language Arts:  Literature:  We are on the last section of our class read aloud Wonder.
We will finish it this week.  There will be a final test over the book on Thursday. We completed the vocabulary words together in class.  Each student should have a folder with all 14 words, definitions and examples.  This folder should have come home on Friday.  They will have all week to look over the words.  I suggest they make or use some study aids to remember them.  The final test on the words is Thursday.  They will also turn their folder of words in on Thursday for points. These should be easy points if they kept up with the words and completed their examples.  Students that were absent or missed words, were to ask me for a copy of them.
Many of the students have asked about going to see the movie when it is released in November.  That is something we are working on and we will let you know as it develops.

We will move into Book clubs after Wonder.  Listed below are the 5 book choices for this read.  I will be going over each of them this week with the students before making choices.  Groups are based on interest and ability.
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Patterson
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
Dear Mr. Henshaw by Beverly Cleary
Feathers by Jacqueline Woodson

Common sense media is a great website to use to check out books your child wants to read.  It gives a good summary and rating of the book.

English:  Spelling - we will be choosing new spelling words on Tuesday. Your child's complete list will be on Google classroom on Thursday.  We will use spelling city on Thursday as well. The test will be the following week Thursday, October 19.
Grammar - since we are approaching the editing part of Writers workshop, we will be doing some grammar skills the next several weeks.  We will start Monday in class, and there will be an assignment on Google classroom due Tuesday.
Writing - Our new writing curriculum is awesome but intense.  We work everyday on some aspect of our story.  This week we will be working on the endings and then begin the editing process.  I am proud of the way the students keep absorbing the new skills and incorporating them into their story.
I will be printing all the drafts this week to help with editing.
I will post the date for the final writing to be completed when we get a little closer.

Social Studies:  What an awesome week in social studies!! Thank you to those of you that could stop by the dig on Tuesday or come along with us on Thursday.  If you were unable, look for some great pictures on Twitter.  We are in the final steps of this unit.
1.  First groups were assigned and each student completed research on their tribe.
2.  Then the artifacts were created representing the tribe.
3. On dig day groups buried their tribes artifacts, but then dug up artifacts from another group.
4. Wed and Friday we spent time sketching and identifying the artifacts recovered.  Groups made an educated guess which tribe they thought they had recovered.
5.  Groups are now creating a presentation to show the class about their tribe.  They will reveal to us the tribe they researched and the artifacts they created.  Reveal days will be Thursday and Friday.

The test for this unit both chapters 2 and 3 will be on Wednesday.  Students will receive a study guide Monday for homework.  It must be done and at school on Tuesday to receive points.
We will go over all the information in class on Tuesday so they can study some more.

The field trip was great.  The weather held for us.  It was interesting to see and learn about the Native Americans that lived so close to us.  The students did a great job listening, following directions and climbing to the top of Monk's Mound.

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6th Grade LIterature:  This is the final week for Charlotte Doyle.  Groups have either finished their vocab or will finish on Monday.  The folders should come home for the students to study the words.  They will need to know all 14 words, the definitions and be able to use them in a sentence. The vocabulary test will be Thursday for A day, and Friday for B day classes.  Students should use some study guide aids to go over the words.  They will also turn in their vocabulary folders on test day.  The folders themselves will be graded.  We completed the words together in class, and students added an example sentence for each word.  This should be easy points if they worked in class.  If they were absent or missed words, students will need to ask for a copy of the words.

There will also be a final test over the book on Thursday.  Since the book was a read aloud, there will not be much prep for the test, however we will look back over quizzes before hand

Ms. Stearns and I are so excited to begin book clubs.  We have the books ready and will be introducing them to the students beginning of the following week.  More about that on next week's blog.

Any missing or corrected work for 6th grade must be in this week.  Have your student check Educate!

Looking forward to a great end to the first quarter.
Have a blessed week,
Mrs. Brown