Monday, February 24, 2014

This week in ELA we are diving deeper into parts of language such as: synonyms, antonyms, Greek and Latin roots, and verbs.  They are also identifying parts of informational texts and reviewing note taking skills in our NYS Test Prep time.  They have a weekly reading response journal due every week on Friday. This is to check that they are indeed reading at home and to check their comprehension.

In Social Studies we are in the finishing Chapter 3: “The Age of Exploration”. They have worked on plays, mini-biographies and answering fact based questions thus far. They will have a quiz on Thursday on all they have learned. They can take their textbooks home to study daily.

In math are starting Chapter 6: “Add and Subtract Fractions with Unlike Denominators”.  On the back of this paper you will find a detailed explanation of the chapter and a few reteach sheets for you to practice at home with your child.

We are working their third list of Words Their Way spelling list for the third quarter.  Monday through Wednesday they are to work on their three choices of spelling homework.  SPELLING PACKETS ARE DUE THURSDAY!!!!  On Thursday, they are to study their words for the spelling test on Friday. Please remember to sign your child’s spelling homework and check the option they chose as their third type spelling homework.

 

IMPORTANT DATE:

 

            OUR VALENTINES DAY PARTY IS RESCHEDULED FOR THIS FRIDAY 1-2:10 PM

 

 

newsletter 2-3-14

This week in ELA we are working on character analysis with the group fiction texts and identifying parts of informational texts in our NYS Test Prep time.  There is going to be a fun and exciting independent Character Analysis project they will all be completing in class on Wednesday and Thursday. 

In Social Studies we are starting Chapter 3: “The Age of Exploration”. We have been introduced to Christopher Columbus and we are going to dive deeper into lessons one and two “Exploration and Technology” and “A Changing World”. There will be fun projects mixed in with comprehension questions about informational texts.

In math are finishing Unit 5: “Dividing Decimals”.  Chapter 5 is very short and we are already half way through it. This week they are working on division of decimals by whole numbers, investigating decimal division, dividing decimals, writing zeroes in the dividend and problem solving with decimal operations.  There are worksheets for review called reteach for the entire chapter and the answers attached to this paper.  Their Unit 5 Test will be on Tuesday 2/11/14 next week and they will get a review day with me before the test. They should bring home their textbook this week and practice using the odd numbered questions (we do evens in class).

We are working their first list of Words Their Way spelling list for the third quarter.  Monday through Wednesday they are to work on their three choices of spelling homework.  Thursday, they are to study their words for the spelling test on Friday. Please remember to sign your child’s spelling homework and check the option they chose as their third type spelling homework.

I would like to take a moment to commend all “my” parents and students. Your children worked so hard this quarter and it really shows with their jump in grades. As the students may tell you I don’t give grades they earn their grades. Boy did they earn them this quarter! The curriculum is intense and they are working tirelessly for me. I receive compliments regarding the students’ work ethic and behavior DAILY.  You have raised very wonderful children, parents; and to my students you rock! Thank you!

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

                                                -Report Cards go home- Feb. 7^th

                                                -February Break- Feb. 17^th-21^st

PBIS

Here are some pictures from the PBIS assembly today. We had a great time watching the teachers model the wrong things to do on the bus and in the cafeteria. They got a lot of laughs and cheers. Then the student council students modeled the proper behavior in the cafeteria and on the bus. They did a great job! They also awarded different prizes for positive behaviors. Mr. Lane's class won the golden dustpan and Mrs. Walsh & Mrs. Durant's classes had the most school spirit. There were also four golden tickets pulled and they awarded cool prizes.

Newsletter: December 9, 2013

This week in ELA we are working on non-fiction exploration.  Today they met up with their PB&J partner, chose a text, and began taking notes on the topic.  They will take this information and explain the cause and effect relationship between the events in history discovered in the text. By the end of the week they will begin the writing process of an informative piece about their topic and cite their information.  This will be carried over into the next week when they complete the rough draft, conference with me and a peer, complete the final draft, and type the paper. They have all blossomed into stellar writers in the past month!

In social studies we finished Chapter 2: "Native Americans".  We are moving on to Science Unit 3: “Cells to Body Systems”.

In math we are completing Chapter 2: Divide whole numbers.  This week the students are working on “Interpret the Remainder”, “Adjust Quotients”, and “Problem Solving: Division”. They will have in class worksheet quizzes for these lessons on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday in the morning. They will have a Test on Chapter Two FRIDAY. This was announced last week to the students and has been on the calendar and agenda for a week.  There are worksheets for review called reteach and the answers attached to this paper. Also, they can and should bring their math “big books” home to study. They can even look at their quizzes to help them to see where they need to focus on studying.

Finally, we are working their third list of Words Their Way spelling list for the quarter.  Monday through Wednesday they are to work on their three choices of spelling homework.  Thursday, they are to study their words for the spelling test on Friday. Please remember to sign your child’s spelling homework and check the option they chose as their third type spelling homework.

 

IMPORTANT DATES: 

                                  -Math Test Friday Dec. 13^th

                                  -ES Concert Tuesday, Dec. 17^th
                                  -Holiday Party Dec. 20 @ 1:15-2:00
                                  -Interim Reports Distributed Dec. 20^th
                                  -NO SCHOOL December 23^rd -January 3^rd

5T Cartoonists

Since the newest fad of cartoon chapter books (i.e. Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Nate the Great) my students have been fascinated with the idea of making cartoons. Instead of discouraging this wonderful outlet of literacy I have embraced it! Now in social studies students demonstrate their comprehension by answering the essential question by drawing a cartoon. The students really seem to enjoy this so I think this will be my new go to assessment tool! Here are just a few of the students' cartoons from chapter 2 lesson 4 and 5. Enjoy!

Homework? Yes or No? WHY?!

I wanted to share two of the students' opinion pieces.  They were asked to choose whether they thought they should have homework or not.  Then, they had to answer the most famous question heard in our room "WHY?"  To answer why they had to turn to college level journal articles published by experts in the field of education.  Students were asked to read over two to three articles and highlight three quotes they felt supported their reasoning.  As a class we completed a thesis statement to use as our introduction paragraph and the start of our concluding paragraph.  In the three body paragraphs they were required to have:
1. an introduction sentence stating a reason why
2. a quote from the article of their choice supporting that reason
3. the citation of the quote
4. a sentence stating a personal experience with this or how it could happen to a student

Surprisingly, I had 4 students that supported having homework and 15 believing they should not be given homework.  I will provide a piece from each side and you can create your own opinion just as my students have.

I am very proud of ALL the students! They even read their pieces aloud in front of Principal Conover, Reading Specialist Mrs. Benjamin, and a very supportive group of parents.  KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK 5T!!!!!! I am SO proud of you!
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Against Homework:

              Homework is defined as tasks “assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-school hours.” (Cooper, 1989a, p. 7). A number of studies have been conducted disproving the implementation of homework.

            One reason that supports my opinion is that it is bad for student’s mental health. “By 1980k, the trend had reversed again with some learning theorists claiming that homework could be detrimental to students’ mental health” (Marzano and Pickering, 2007, p. 2). This would happen by students who are being overwhelmed with too much homework.

            Studies show that teachers who give little homework have students with great grades and test scores. “Many countries with the highest scoring test grades and achievement tests have teachers who give little homework” (Bennet and Kalish, 2006, p. 2). This could happen when a teacher gives little homework such as reading.

            Homework can cause students to have stress. “If teachers give too much homework, students may be over whelmed, not complete the assignments, and ultimately achieve nothing as a result” (Costley, 2013, p. 5). I’ve had a personal experience of this when I have gotten four assignments in one night, I got so stressed out, and over whelmed.

            Homework is defined as tasks “assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-school hours” (Cooper, 1989a, p. 7). A number of studies have been conducted disproving the implementation of homework. I believe no homework, or even less homework is better for students because it causes stress, mental health issues, and bad grades for some or most students.
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For Homework:

            Homework is defined as tasks “assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-school hours” (Cooper,1989a, p.7). A number of studies have been conducted supporting the implementation of homework.

I believe we should have homework because if kids did not get homework their grades may drop. “Across five studies, the average homework doer had a higher unit test score than 73 percent of students not doing homework” (Copper, 2008, p.1). If we do homework we will get good grades, and good grades results in going to a good college, if we go to a good college we will have good knowledge.

 Doing homework helps students develop time management skills. “Homework assignments can enhance the development of self- regulation processes and self-efficacy beliefs, as well as goal setting, time management, managing the environment and maintaining attention” (Benbenutty, 2011c, p.449). Even though I have homework I still have time to go outside.

Another reason we should have homework is that if we do an appropriate amount of homework we would be less stressed. “It was found that the average student in a class assigned appropriate homework scored 26 percentile points higher on tests than the average student in a class not assigned homework.” Once I was only assigned a little homework and I was less stressed than usual.
Homework is defined as tasks “assigned to students by school teachers that are meant to be carried out during non-school hours (Cooper, 1989a, p.7). A number of studies have been conducted supporting the implementation of homework. I believe that we should have homework because if no kids get homework than grades might drop and students might become below average. Another reason we should have homework is if we do an appropriate amount of homework we would be less stressed.

Newsletter- 12/2

Happy December!

I would like to start off by saying a HUGE THANK YOU to all who contributed to the Tuesday celebration before Thanksgiving. Also, thank you to those who were able to attend the class readings of their opinion pieces.  I know that the students greatly appreciated you attending and I was most appreciative of you coming to support and celebrate all their hard work. **I will post some of the students' work on the blog soon**

This week in ELA we are starting on poetry in the new guided reading groups.  Today they heard some wonderful poetry from Charles R. Smith.  I was fortunate enough to meet him and sit in on his lecture on poetry.  The class really seemed to enjoy the cool readings from his CD.  Attached is a poem they heard today twice called “I Am a Poet”.  His creative writings show the students that poetry can come in many forms. As a group they found two poems they liked from other poets, presented them and explained why.  This week they will experiment with poetry and find their personal style of poetry writing.

In social studies we are in the finishing Chapter 2: "Native Americans".  We are focusing on Lesson 4 today and tomorrow about “The Southwest and the West” tribes.  As groups, students are making a documentary presentation where they interview a tribe member from a southwest or western tribe.  By Wednesday we will by finishing the chapter with Lesson 5 “The Northwest and the Arctic”.  Thursday and Friday will be chapter review days.  I am trying to teach the students how to study and techniques they can use.  As you may know I had them create study guides in their notebooks over vacation identifying the lesson vocabulary and summarizing the information from the lesson headings.  I am going to send home more study guide sheets to help prepare the students for the Chapter Test on Monday, 12/9.  That gives them a full week to study for the test.  I will also be providing a Jeopardy Review Day for them Thursday and Friday.  They should bring home the text on Thursday to study and they can keep it home until Monday.

In math we are in the middle of Chapter 2: Divide whole numbers.  This week the students are working on “Estimate with 2 Digit Divisors” and “Divide by 2-Digit Divisors”. They will have in class worksheet quizzes for these lessons on Wednesday and Friday.  There are worksheets for review called reteach and the answers attached to this paper.

Finally, we are working their second list of Words Their Way spelling list for the quarter.  Monday through Wednesday they are to work on their three choices of spelling homework.  Thursday, they are to study their words for the spelling test on Friday.

REMINDER: THIS Friday 12/6 is a half day