Hello! We've had another great week. Your students received their term 3 social studies and math study guides today. Please help them begin to review this weekend. Also, don't forget that the Six Hats Project is due Wednesday, December 17.
Here is the assessment schedule for next week:
Monday: Begin End of Term Writing Assessment - Research Based Argument (Final Copy Due January 9)
Tuesday: Reading Assessment (Point of View - No Study Guide); Math Assessment (study guide given December 12)
Wednesday: Science Assessment (study guide given on December 16)
Thursday: Social Studies Assessment (study guide given on December 12)
Friday: Celebration of Learning and Birthday Celebration
Friday, December 12, 2014
Sunday, December 7, 2014
Tell Me on a Sunday
Here is another example of an algebra fraction problem from last week. There are two methods shown below. The pictures show the problem that we all made a mistake on while we were working in class. The key is that you have to remember that when you subtract 2 parts from the same whole, you have to add the parts together before subtracting. We will be moving away from this math, but it is going to continue to be part of our centers rotation.
This week in math we will be completing a project about recipes and using math in every day life. These lessons will link our current work with the multiplication and division of fractions that we will work on next term. We will also be taking our MAP tests on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, so there will only be math homework on Monday and Tuesday.
In social studies, we are going to focus our attention on innovators from the Turn of the Century period in US history. Students will be doing several close reading assignments about the different contributions of these individuals. We are going to be answering focus questions to develop our ability to analyze the contributions of these individuals and connect it to our central idea.
During writing, we are continuing to develop the ability to write a researched based argument. We will begin the week working on how to structure an essay about our beliefs on school uniforms. Additionally, we will be working on the use of transitional phrases in our writing. Look for a chart in their notebooks on Thursday.
Finally, in science, we are wrapping up our studies on electricity this week. Students will work to answer the conclusion questions from our lab last week on Monday. We will then begin working on magnetism on Tuesday.
Here are some pictures from our lab last week. Students had to build a series and a parallel circuit. Some students attempted to build a series circuit inside of a parallel circuit.
Here's to another great week on 5th Avenue. I will post an assessment schedule on Friday for next week. Have a great night.
Mrs. Prophet
Thursday, December 4, 2014
Tuesday, December 2, 2014
Groovy Tuesday
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving break. We are back to work this week and enjoying every second. We've already accomplished a lot of stuff in the last 2 days. We will be continuing our work on addition and subtraction of fractions in math for the rest of the term. Additionally, we are also working writing opinion pieces during ELA. Students were also given an at-home project that is due on December 17 called the Six Thinking Hats Project. Please make sure you student received this assignment.
During our Reading block, students are working on a variety of skills including inferencing and point of view. I am also conducting individual reading conferences with each student to evaluate their progress so far. Additionally, I will be speaking with students about establishing MAP goals early next week. We are almost finished presenting our Biography projects. Students have done an amazing job with their presentations. I will send home their graded rubrics with their Monday folders, so their will be no confusion about what day the information is coming home. If you would like to know your child's score before then, please email me and I can send you the rubrics and comments via email.
Here are a few reminders:
1. MAP testing - December 10, December 11, December 12 (Next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday)
2. Tybee Paperwork - Please send this back as soon as you can.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Hey Monday!
Welcome Winter! It was quite a cold day today, but our learning was very electric. Today, we spent some time learning about static electricity. Students conducted a lab to investigate how static electricity can impact our lives.
This week we have a lot of different things going on at F.AVE. We will have our mid-module Math assessment on Wednesday. This assessment will cover adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators.
Here are a few reminders:
1. Georgia Power Visit - Tuesday, 12:30 pm
2. Literary Cafe - Wednesday, 6 pm
3. Thanksgiving Luncheon - Thursday, 1 pm
This week we have a lot of different things going on at F.AVE. We will have our mid-module Math assessment on Wednesday. This assessment will cover adding and subtracting fractions and mixed numbers with unlike denominators.
Here are a few reminders:
1. Georgia Power Visit - Tuesday, 12:30 pm
2. Literary Cafe - Wednesday, 6 pm
3. Thanksgiving Luncheon - Thursday, 1 pm
Monday, November 10, 2014
Suddenly Monday!
Welcome back to another great week! We had the privilege of being coached this morning for Literary Cafe. The students had a great time, and our coach was AMAZING! We learned to turn the butterflies (not cockroaches) in our stomachs into positive energy. It was very exciting to learn about presenting to an audience. We will be using this information to practice for Literary Cafe. Also, Students should all be working on memorizing a piece for Literary Cafe.
Biography Project
We will be presenting these projects to our classmates next week after Literary Cafe. Grades on these projects will be sent home on December 2 in order to ensure that all students have been able to present. The projects all look amazing, and I'm very impressed with all the time that students put into this project.
Information about Graded Work
Students received their graded assessments in their red folders today. Please sign and return those papers so we can create our portfolios next Monday. Many students did not have their binders in class today, so we had to move the portfolio creation to next week. Please remind your student to bring their binder to class.
As you review your student's graded work, I ask you to think about the level of analysis that is being completed for each question. Is your student identifying the answer, but not applying the facts to that answer? Many students are very good at stating the answers to questions. I need to see more answers that show me why the answer is correct. Students will be expected to do higher levels of analysis on their assessments to receive 4s. If you have any questions, please let me know. I can show you exactly what I'm expecting.
New Adventures
S.S. - We are officially driving cattle into the west. We learned today that cows can drive cars (not really) :) Seriously, we worked on developing an understanding of the reasons behind the cattle drives and how the desire for beef and cattle skins led to the creation of towns throughout the western plains states. Tomorrow your student will get the opportunity to "herd" cows.
Math: We are starting to work on adding fractions with unlike denominators. Students will begin with models, and we will slowing move to finding the least common denominator.
ELA/Reading: We are working on making inferences while reading fictional text. Students are using their own fictional books to do the activities that we are working on this week. Students are also working on their Social Studies brochure during reading block. In writing, we are working on research based opinion writing. As always, we are working on grammar and spelling everyday. We do not have any new vocabulary words this week because we are working on practicing for Literary Cafe.
Science: In science, we are working on electricity. Students will be completing a lab on static electricity on Thursday.
Parent Reminders
TYBEE MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT (6 pm - 7 pm)
LITERARY CAFE - NOVEMBER 19 - If you would like to help set up our classroom, please let me know. I will be out of the building during the day of the 19th for a mathematics training, so I really could use a lot of help.
Here's to another great week of learning!
Mrs. Prophet
Biography Project
We will be presenting these projects to our classmates next week after Literary Cafe. Grades on these projects will be sent home on December 2 in order to ensure that all students have been able to present. The projects all look amazing, and I'm very impressed with all the time that students put into this project.
Information about Graded Work
Students received their graded assessments in their red folders today. Please sign and return those papers so we can create our portfolios next Monday. Many students did not have their binders in class today, so we had to move the portfolio creation to next week. Please remind your student to bring their binder to class.
As you review your student's graded work, I ask you to think about the level of analysis that is being completed for each question. Is your student identifying the answer, but not applying the facts to that answer? Many students are very good at stating the answers to questions. I need to see more answers that show me why the answer is correct. Students will be expected to do higher levels of analysis on their assessments to receive 4s. If you have any questions, please let me know. I can show you exactly what I'm expecting.
New Adventures
S.S. - We are officially driving cattle into the west. We learned today that cows can drive cars (not really) :) Seriously, we worked on developing an understanding of the reasons behind the cattle drives and how the desire for beef and cattle skins led to the creation of towns throughout the western plains states. Tomorrow your student will get the opportunity to "herd" cows.
Math: We are starting to work on adding fractions with unlike denominators. Students will begin with models, and we will slowing move to finding the least common denominator.
ELA/Reading: We are working on making inferences while reading fictional text. Students are using their own fictional books to do the activities that we are working on this week. Students are also working on their Social Studies brochure during reading block. In writing, we are working on research based opinion writing. As always, we are working on grammar and spelling everyday. We do not have any new vocabulary words this week because we are working on practicing for Literary Cafe.
Science: In science, we are working on electricity. Students will be completing a lab on static electricity on Thursday.
Parent Reminders
TYBEE MEETING TOMORROW NIGHT (6 pm - 7 pm)
LITERARY CAFE - NOVEMBER 19 - If you would like to help set up our classroom, please let me know. I will be out of the building during the day of the 19th for a mathematics training, so I really could use a lot of help.
Here's to another great week of learning!
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, November 7, 2014
Help Wanted!
We are in need of creative people to help decorate our classroom for Literary Cafe on November 11.
The theme of Literary Cafe this year is a French Cafe. I would love to have some help brainstorming ideas for classroom set up.
Also, I will need help setting up the classroom that day because I will be at a workshop. Let me know if you have any creative ideas.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Prophet
The theme of Literary Cafe this year is a French Cafe. I would love to have some help brainstorming ideas for classroom set up.
Also, I will need help setting up the classroom that day because I will be at a workshop. Let me know if you have any creative ideas.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, November 3, 2014
Blue Monday!
Hello Everyone!
We had a great day kicking off our new UOI - "Where We Are in Place and Time". I will miss everyone tomorrow, and I can't wait to continue our hard work on Wednesday. Tomorrow is a great day to have a discussion with your student about the rights and responsibilities of US citizens. We began to discuss voting rights last term, and many students are very interested in the history of the right to vote. This fits in with the work that we did during the 1st and 2nd terms, and it would be a great review for all of our students.
Some students need new notebooks to begin this term. Please check with your child about their UOI notebook.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BRYNN, BROOKLYN, MARY, AND TORI!
These four students entered an original piece of writing into the Adam Gidwitz fairy tale contest. The Snow White and Fuzzy story was selected as a winner last week as part of the Little Shop of Stories contest.
New Adventures This Week
Math: We began our study of fractions today. Students were given a preassessment, and we introduced the connection between fractions and division. We will be working on equivalent fractions this week, and introducing the addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators. We will continue our work on computation during our workshop time because many students still need more practice with long division.
Science: We will begin our inquiry into electricity and magnetism this week. Students will work on a preassessment on Wednesday, and we will introduce some basic vocabulary the rest of the week.
S.S: We began our new S.S. unit today. We spent time investigating primary source pictures of migration and innovation. Students were asked to make observations about the scenes in each picture. Our students will begin analyzing the Homestead Act, and migration along the cattle trails during the 19th Century. We will be specifically focusing on the Black Cowboys of Texas, the Great Western Cattle Trail, and the Chisholm Trail.
ELA: Students were given a homework assignment today to prepare a short written piece that can be shared during Literary Cafe. This should be a poem or a short story. Additionally, we will begin working on writing persuasive opinion pieces this week. We will start with the structure of an opinion essay, and move into supporting an opinion with research based evidence. Also, we will continue to work on spelling, punctuation, and grammar on a daily basis.
Reading: We are shifting our focus this term to literature. We will be using Wonder to discuss the impact point of view has on storytelling. We will also begin working on inferencing this week. Students will also continue to work on all previously developed skills during Reading Workshop.
Dates to Remember
Have a great night!
Mrs. Prophet
We had a great day kicking off our new UOI - "Where We Are in Place and Time". I will miss everyone tomorrow, and I can't wait to continue our hard work on Wednesday. Tomorrow is a great day to have a discussion with your student about the rights and responsibilities of US citizens. We began to discuss voting rights last term, and many students are very interested in the history of the right to vote. This fits in with the work that we did during the 1st and 2nd terms, and it would be a great review for all of our students.
Some students need new notebooks to begin this term. Please check with your child about their UOI notebook.
CONGRATULATIONS TO BRYNN, BROOKLYN, MARY, AND TORI!
These four students entered an original piece of writing into the Adam Gidwitz fairy tale contest. The Snow White and Fuzzy story was selected as a winner last week as part of the Little Shop of Stories contest.
New Adventures This Week
Math: We began our study of fractions today. Students were given a preassessment, and we introduced the connection between fractions and division. We will be working on equivalent fractions this week, and introducing the addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators. We will continue our work on computation during our workshop time because many students still need more practice with long division.
Science: We will begin our inquiry into electricity and magnetism this week. Students will work on a preassessment on Wednesday, and we will introduce some basic vocabulary the rest of the week.
S.S: We began our new S.S. unit today. We spent time investigating primary source pictures of migration and innovation. Students were asked to make observations about the scenes in each picture. Our students will begin analyzing the Homestead Act, and migration along the cattle trails during the 19th Century. We will be specifically focusing on the Black Cowboys of Texas, the Great Western Cattle Trail, and the Chisholm Trail.
ELA: Students were given a homework assignment today to prepare a short written piece that can be shared during Literary Cafe. This should be a poem or a short story. Additionally, we will begin working on writing persuasive opinion pieces this week. We will start with the structure of an opinion essay, and move into supporting an opinion with research based evidence. Also, we will continue to work on spelling, punctuation, and grammar on a daily basis.
Reading: We are shifting our focus this term to literature. We will be using Wonder to discuss the impact point of view has on storytelling. We will also begin working on inferencing this week. Students will also continue to work on all previously developed skills during Reading Workshop.
Dates to Remember
- Village Gathering - Nov. 6 from 8:45 - 9:15
- Literary Cafe - Nov. 19 from 5:30 - 8:30
- Tybee Parent Meeting - Nov. 11 from 6 - 7 pm.
Classroom Needs
- Pink Gummy Erasers
- Glue Sticks
Have a great night!
Mrs. Prophet
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Graded Work Information
Parents - ALL graded assessments will be sent home next Monday as part of your child's portfolio for Term 2. I hope everyone had a great weekend!
Have a great night.
Mrs. Prophet
Have a great night.
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, October 31, 2014
Trick or treat!
Congratulations on finishing term 2. I am excited to announce that 4 of our students won a writing contest. These students entered a fairy tale mash-up contest at Little Shop of Stories, and they were selected as winners last night. I will have a picture of the winners on Monday! Congratulations to this fabulous team of students who demonstrated commitment, creativity, and enthusiasm!
End of Term Info
I'm so excited to see all the amazing presentations the students created! They all look amazing. We will be using these projects to practice our presentation skills for Literary Cafe. We wrapped up our assessments today. I will do a full term wrap up later this weekend.
Be safe tonight! I look forward to seeing pictures and hearing about the amazing adventures students have this weekend.
Mrs. Prophet
End of Term Info
I'm so excited to see all the amazing presentations the students created! They all look amazing. We will be using these projects to practice our presentation skills for Literary Cafe. We wrapped up our assessments today. I will do a full term wrap up later this weekend.
Be safe tonight! I look forward to seeing pictures and hearing about the amazing adventures students have this weekend.
Mrs. Prophet
Tuesday, October 28, 2014
Slow Motion!
Hello Everyone!
I wish this week could move in slow motion, but we can't stop time. Monday was gone in the blink of an eye. We are having another great week in Room 262! The students are working to complete our Civil War Scrapbooks. Also, don't forget that our Biography Project is due on Friday (if you have turned in a flash-drive, I will be sending those home with you by the end of the week).
New Adventures This Week
Math - We are working on long division. So far, students have worked on problems with single digit quotients, double digit quotients, and triple digit quotients. We will be developing our understanding of remainders and decimal division tomorrow. We will also review their study guide tomorrow in small groups during math time. The end of term assessment is on Thursday.
Social Studies - We finished fighting the Civil War. It is now time to begin discussing Reconstruction. Students will be working on a Sharecropping activity tomorrow. I also have a surprise in order for them to experience what life might have been like during this period of time. We will have our Reconstruction assessment on Friday mcorning.
Science - We have wrapped up our studies of cells, genetics, and microorganisms. We will play a review game of jeopardy tomorrow, as well as review the study guide information. Our end of term assessment will be on Thursday.
ELA - Students completed the end of term writing assessment today. Students also began work on the end of term UOI assessment. I am impressed with the progress the students are making in their writing. Many students still need to complete a battle essay by the end of this week. Next term, we will have an intensive focus on spelling and grammar skills during workshop.
Reading - We will have our Reading assessment tomorrow. Students need to make sure they know the different types of text structure used in informational text. Some students were confused about the differences between sequence and chronological.
Text Structures to Know
-Sequence: Steps in order (does not show time - think step by step, directions)
-Chronological: In order of time (dates, timeline, ages)
-Problem/Solution: Basically cause & effect with an opinion, and an answer.
Parents - Students received information in their red folders from the office about ordering pictures.
Important Dates
October 31 - Author Visit
November 6th - Village Gathering (I will send out more information in our weekly email)
November 11th - Tybee Parent Meeting (6-7)
November 19th - Literary Cafe
Have a great night!
Mrs. Prophet
I wish this week could move in slow motion, but we can't stop time. Monday was gone in the blink of an eye. We are having another great week in Room 262! The students are working to complete our Civil War Scrapbooks. Also, don't forget that our Biography Project is due on Friday (if you have turned in a flash-drive, I will be sending those home with you by the end of the week).
New Adventures This Week
Math - We are working on long division. So far, students have worked on problems with single digit quotients, double digit quotients, and triple digit quotients. We will be developing our understanding of remainders and decimal division tomorrow. We will also review their study guide tomorrow in small groups during math time. The end of term assessment is on Thursday.
Social Studies - We finished fighting the Civil War. It is now time to begin discussing Reconstruction. Students will be working on a Sharecropping activity tomorrow. I also have a surprise in order for them to experience what life might have been like during this period of time. We will have our Reconstruction assessment on Friday mcorning.
Science - We have wrapped up our studies of cells, genetics, and microorganisms. We will play a review game of jeopardy tomorrow, as well as review the study guide information. Our end of term assessment will be on Thursday.
ELA - Students completed the end of term writing assessment today. Students also began work on the end of term UOI assessment. I am impressed with the progress the students are making in their writing. Many students still need to complete a battle essay by the end of this week. Next term, we will have an intensive focus on spelling and grammar skills during workshop.
Reading - We will have our Reading assessment tomorrow. Students need to make sure they know the different types of text structure used in informational text. Some students were confused about the differences between sequence and chronological.
Text Structures to Know
-Sequence: Steps in order (does not show time - think step by step, directions)
-Chronological: In order of time (dates, timeline, ages)
-Problem/Solution: Basically cause & effect with an opinion, and an answer.
-Cause/Effect: Explains reasons why
something happened, or explains the effects of something
-Compare/Contrast: Shows what’s in common and
what’s different
Parents - Students received information in their red folders from the office about ordering pictures.
Important Dates
October 31 - Author Visit
November 6th - Village Gathering (I will send out more information in our weekly email)
November 11th - Tybee Parent Meeting (6-7)
November 19th - Literary Cafe
Have a great night!
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, October 20, 2014
Monday Monday
Hello!
And we're off!......another great week has begun in Room 262.
New Adventures of the Week
Reading: We are working on identifying and analyzing the text structures of informational text (problem/solution; cause/effect; chronological order; sequential order, main idea/supporting details; compare/contrast). Students were introduced to new graphic organizers that can be used to analyze text. We will continue working with these structures for the next two weeks. We are also continuing our work with vocabulary and spelling skills. Students will have a reading assessment next Wednesday.
ELA: We will continue to work on grammar skills this week. We also will be utilizing a daily journal to help with the process of developing ideas. Additionally, students are working on developing their research and writing skills this term. They just finished working on an essay about a Civil War battle. They will also apply this knowledge next week during our end of term on demand writing assignment. Students are also using their research and writing skills to complete an in-class social studies project about the Civil War.
Math: We will be jumping into division this week. We started working with division last week and we will continue our work for the next two weeks on this skill. Students will have their end of term math assessment next Thursday. Please look for the math study guide on Thursday afternoon.
Science: We are continuing our work on genetics. We will be focusing on inherited traits vs learned behaviors. Students created a dog from a fake DNA panel today. We had very interesting discussions related to this activity. Students will have a Science assessment next Thursday.
Social Studies: We are finishing up the Civil War on Wednesday with our end of unit assessment. Students should have received a study guide last Friday. We will begin working on Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, and sharecropping after our assessment on Wednesday. Students will be tested on the new material next Friday.
Graded work will be sent home next week with the red folders. I apologize for not getting that information out today.
Assessment Schedule (study guide schedule)
Wednesday (10/22): Social Studies Civil War Assessment (study guide sent home - Friday 10/17)
Wednesday (10/29): Reading Assessment - text structures (study guide sent home - Wednesday 10/22)
Thursday (10/30): Science - cells and genetics (study guide sent home - Wednesday 10/22); Math (student guides sent home - Thursday 10/23)
Friday (10/31): Social Studies - Reconstruction (study guide sent home - Friday 10/24)
Also, don't forget that we have our field trip to the Atlanta History Center tomorrow. The buses will be leaving at 9 am.
Have a great night.
Mrs. Prophet
And we're off!......another great week has begun in Room 262.
New Adventures of the Week
Reading: We are working on identifying and analyzing the text structures of informational text (problem/solution; cause/effect; chronological order; sequential order, main idea/supporting details; compare/contrast). Students were introduced to new graphic organizers that can be used to analyze text. We will continue working with these structures for the next two weeks. We are also continuing our work with vocabulary and spelling skills. Students will have a reading assessment next Wednesday.
ELA: We will continue to work on grammar skills this week. We also will be utilizing a daily journal to help with the process of developing ideas. Additionally, students are working on developing their research and writing skills this term. They just finished working on an essay about a Civil War battle. They will also apply this knowledge next week during our end of term on demand writing assignment. Students are also using their research and writing skills to complete an in-class social studies project about the Civil War.
Math: We will be jumping into division this week. We started working with division last week and we will continue our work for the next two weeks on this skill. Students will have their end of term math assessment next Thursday. Please look for the math study guide on Thursday afternoon.
Science: We are continuing our work on genetics. We will be focusing on inherited traits vs learned behaviors. Students created a dog from a fake DNA panel today. We had very interesting discussions related to this activity. Students will have a Science assessment next Thursday.
Social Studies: We are finishing up the Civil War on Wednesday with our end of unit assessment. Students should have received a study guide last Friday. We will begin working on Reconstruction, Jim Crow laws, and sharecropping after our assessment on Wednesday. Students will be tested on the new material next Friday.
Graded work will be sent home next week with the red folders. I apologize for not getting that information out today.
Assessment Schedule (study guide schedule)
Wednesday (10/22): Social Studies Civil War Assessment (study guide sent home - Friday 10/17)
Wednesday (10/29): Reading Assessment - text structures (study guide sent home - Wednesday 10/22)
Thursday (10/30): Science - cells and genetics (study guide sent home - Wednesday 10/22); Math (student guides sent home - Thursday 10/23)
Friday (10/31): Social Studies - Reconstruction (study guide sent home - Friday 10/24)
Also, don't forget that we have our field trip to the Atlanta History Center tomorrow. The buses will be leaving at 9 am.
Have a great night.
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, October 13, 2014
Thank Goodness It's Monday!
We had another great Monday in Room 262! Here are our areas of focus for the week.
Reading: We are working on connecting people to important events. This will be done in a variety of ways, but our main focus will be connecting the leaders (President, Generals, etc) to the events of the American Civil War. Students will be required to provide textual evidence to support the connections that they are making. We will continue to build our fluency skills, and some students will be taking another fluency assessment.
ELA: We are continuing to develop our researching skills. Students have spent the last 3 days researching different battles of the American Civil War. They have been asked to write an essay from their research with little guidance. I am assessing their abilities to write informational text in order to ensure that we address the needs of each individual student. Students will begin an in class research assignment on Wednesday (Civil War Student Textbook). We are still building our grammar and spelling mechanics.
Science: We had a quiz today on cells and microorganisms. We will begin working on genetics tomorrow. We are focusing on inherited vs learned characteristics.
Social Studies: Our studies of the American Civil War will continue this week. Our focus this week involves important people and events.
Math: We will have our mid-term assessment in math on Wednesday. Students received a study guide today. The information on this assessment will be algebraic expressions, multiplying multi digit whole numbers, multiplying multi digit decimals, and estimating products. This is not an assessment that should create stress for your student because this assessment will be used to determine progress to this point. We will begin working on multi digit division after the assessment on Wednesday.
Parents - All graded assessments (with comments) will be sent home next week in the red folders. Also, remember to return permission slips and money for our field trip to the Atlanta History Center on October 21.
Have a great week.
Mrs. Prophet
Reading: We are working on connecting people to important events. This will be done in a variety of ways, but our main focus will be connecting the leaders (President, Generals, etc) to the events of the American Civil War. Students will be required to provide textual evidence to support the connections that they are making. We will continue to build our fluency skills, and some students will be taking another fluency assessment.
ELA: We are continuing to develop our researching skills. Students have spent the last 3 days researching different battles of the American Civil War. They have been asked to write an essay from their research with little guidance. I am assessing their abilities to write informational text in order to ensure that we address the needs of each individual student. Students will begin an in class research assignment on Wednesday (Civil War Student Textbook). We are still building our grammar and spelling mechanics.
Science: We had a quiz today on cells and microorganisms. We will begin working on genetics tomorrow. We are focusing on inherited vs learned characteristics.
Social Studies: Our studies of the American Civil War will continue this week. Our focus this week involves important people and events.
Math: We will have our mid-term assessment in math on Wednesday. Students received a study guide today. The information on this assessment will be algebraic expressions, multiplying multi digit whole numbers, multiplying multi digit decimals, and estimating products. This is not an assessment that should create stress for your student because this assessment will be used to determine progress to this point. We will begin working on multi digit division after the assessment on Wednesday.
Parents - All graded assessments (with comments) will be sent home next week in the red folders. Also, remember to return permission slips and money for our field trip to the Atlanta History Center on October 21.
Have a great week.
Mrs. Prophet
Saturday, October 11, 2014
Candy Cells
Thanks to everyone who donated candy for our cell creations. It was a great learning experience. We will be using the left over candy in the next few weeks as part of an inquiry lesson in sharecropping. Here are some pictures from our candy cell creations.
Monday, October 6, 2014
Fall is Awesome!
Hello All! I hope everyone had a fabulous weekend. I was traveling this weekend so I was unable to update on Friday.
Blog Update Info
I am making a change to the days that I will update the blog. My updates will continue on Mondays to ensure you know what we will be working on for the week, but I will only do a very short update later in the week to share important and exciting information. I will also continue to send out the weekly emails on Thursday.
Past Adventures
Last week, we had a lot of fun learning about microorganisms in Science. Students were able to select areas throughout the school and swab for microorganisms. We are currently waiting to see what will grow in our petri dishes. We checked our dishes today and we definitely had some interesting things growing inside. Students also got to look at a slide of frog blood under the microscope today.
In Social Studies, we finished working on the causes of the American Civil War, and began discussing the war timeline. Students began to work on researching famous abolitionists. By the end of the week, we were ready to begin discussing the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of South Carolina.
We focused our math studies on multiplying multi digit numbers. Students were taught several different methods to effectively solve multiplication problems with larger numbers. All students will eventually have to solve the problems using the standard algorithm (the method that most people learned when they were in elementary school).
During ELA, we began to work on the research process. Students are learning to develop effective research questions. This information is going to be used to create a booklet about the American Civil War. The students have also been learning a new method of note-taking called power outlining.
In Reading, we continued working on expository text. We have focused our studies on determining 2 or more main ideas and figuring out the information that authors use to support those ideas. We are continuing to build our vocabulary and spelling knowledge.
New Adventures
Science - We are going to observe our petri dish growth this week. We are also going to begin discussing the differences between animal cells and plant cells. On Friday, we will be building candy cells. We will also have a quiz on microorganisms on Friday.
Social Studies/ELA - This week we are focusing on the American Civil War. Students will complete the war timeline on Tuesday and begin creating a map of the battles. On Wednesday, students will begin to study the important people. We will begin working on an in class project on Thursday that will be used develop our research and writing skills.
Math - During our math lessons this week, we will be working on multiplying multi digit multiplication problems with decimals. Students will need to continue working on the different models during math instruction. We will have multiplication quiz on Friday.
Reading - Our reading focus will shift to discovering how the perspective of an author can change or impact the account of an event. This will be done through non-fiction texts about the Battle of Bull Run. Some students will be working on the elements of fictional text.
Parents - I will be sending out an email on Wednesday with a list of candy/food materials that we will need to create our candy cells. Also, many students still need to return their field trip forms and payments. Please do so as soon as possible.
Don't forget that it is Spirit Week at F.AVE! Check out the weekly school newsletter for the specifics.
Have a great week! Let me know if you have any questions.
Mrs. Prophet
Blog Update Info
I am making a change to the days that I will update the blog. My updates will continue on Mondays to ensure you know what we will be working on for the week, but I will only do a very short update later in the week to share important and exciting information. I will also continue to send out the weekly emails on Thursday.
Past Adventures
Last week, we had a lot of fun learning about microorganisms in Science. Students were able to select areas throughout the school and swab for microorganisms. We are currently waiting to see what will grow in our petri dishes. We checked our dishes today and we definitely had some interesting things growing inside. Students also got to look at a slide of frog blood under the microscope today.
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| Some students swabbing the dumpster for microorganisms |
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| Setting up the experiment. |
In Social Studies, we finished working on the causes of the American Civil War, and began discussing the war timeline. Students began to work on researching famous abolitionists. By the end of the week, we were ready to begin discussing the election of Abraham Lincoln and the secession of South Carolina.
We focused our math studies on multiplying multi digit numbers. Students were taught several different methods to effectively solve multiplication problems with larger numbers. All students will eventually have to solve the problems using the standard algorithm (the method that most people learned when they were in elementary school).
During ELA, we began to work on the research process. Students are learning to develop effective research questions. This information is going to be used to create a booklet about the American Civil War. The students have also been learning a new method of note-taking called power outlining.
In Reading, we continued working on expository text. We have focused our studies on determining 2 or more main ideas and figuring out the information that authors use to support those ideas. We are continuing to build our vocabulary and spelling knowledge.
New Adventures
Science - We are going to observe our petri dish growth this week. We are also going to begin discussing the differences between animal cells and plant cells. On Friday, we will be building candy cells. We will also have a quiz on microorganisms on Friday.
Social Studies/ELA - This week we are focusing on the American Civil War. Students will complete the war timeline on Tuesday and begin creating a map of the battles. On Wednesday, students will begin to study the important people. We will begin working on an in class project on Thursday that will be used develop our research and writing skills.
Math - During our math lessons this week, we will be working on multiplying multi digit multiplication problems with decimals. Students will need to continue working on the different models during math instruction. We will have multiplication quiz on Friday.
Reading - Our reading focus will shift to discovering how the perspective of an author can change or impact the account of an event. This will be done through non-fiction texts about the Battle of Bull Run. Some students will be working on the elements of fictional text.
Parents - I will be sending out an email on Wednesday with a list of candy/food materials that we will need to create our candy cells. Also, many students still need to return their field trip forms and payments. Please do so as soon as possible.
Don't forget that it is Spirit Week at F.AVE! Check out the weekly school newsletter for the specifics.
Have a great week! Let me know if you have any questions.
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, September 29, 2014
Oops!
Hello Everyone! I had a very challenging weekend without access to the internet, so I missed a post on Friday. I'm back online, and I'm very happy about it.
We officially closed out first term by placing all of our assignments and work into our binder portfolio. Your student should have brought home their binder today to show you the graded assignments from last term. The only subject not in the binder is ELA. I have individual assessments for each student in a writing folder in the classroom. I also have additional reading assessment information available in the classroom. Please remind your student to bring home their binder tomorrow if they forgot it today.
Many students forgot to get their math homework today because we were handing out report cards and other information. They should be completing the multiplication problem set from math class today.
This week in class we will be working on a lot of things. Here are the highlights!
Science - We will continue to work on microorganisms and cell structure. Our bread was not quite moldy enough yet, so we are going to wait a few more days to see what kind of growth we can get! We will also be collecting a variety of samples from around the school to test for bacteria. Our animal cell studies will begin tomorrow. Students were thoroughly grossed out today when we learned that yogurt and cheese are made with bacteria. We also spent time discussing the harmful impact of microorganisms. Next week, we will be building candy cells. Check out my email for a list of materials we will need to complete this activity.
Social Studies - We are continuing our study of the causes of the American Civil War. We are finishing up this part tomorrow, and we will begin to discuss the timeline of events leading up to and through the war. It is a very intense period in history, and we will be having some discussions about how people were treated during that time period. Students need to be reminded to remain serious about these topics.
Math - In Math, we are working on multi-digit multiplication. Students have also been working on order of operations. These Math lessons will quickly build to multiplying multi-digit decimals within the next week.
ELA - We will begin working on research projects in class based upon the American Civil War. Our grammar studies will be focused upon comma usage, appositive phrases, conjunctions, and compound sentences. Students will be taking a grammar pre-assessment tomorrow in class.
Reading - We are working on recognizing the main idea in expository text. We are focusing on implied main idea during our studies this week. Students are also still working to develop vocabulary and fluency.
Important Dates
September 29 - Report Card Day
October 2 - Individual Picture Day
October 21 - Students received a permission slip for our field trip today to the Atlanta History Center on October 21.
October 31 - Biography Project Due
November 11 - Parent Meeting Tybee 6 pm - 7 pm
Important Info
Math Practice - All students received their math login information for www.scootpad.com. This is a math practice site to help students fill in skills that may be missing. If your student does not know their username and password - please send me an email.
Let me know if you have any questions. Have a great night.
Mrs. Prophet
We officially closed out first term by placing all of our assignments and work into our binder portfolio. Your student should have brought home their binder today to show you the graded assignments from last term. The only subject not in the binder is ELA. I have individual assessments for each student in a writing folder in the classroom. I also have additional reading assessment information available in the classroom. Please remind your student to bring home their binder tomorrow if they forgot it today.
Many students forgot to get their math homework today because we were handing out report cards and other information. They should be completing the multiplication problem set from math class today.
This week in class we will be working on a lot of things. Here are the highlights!
Science - We will continue to work on microorganisms and cell structure. Our bread was not quite moldy enough yet, so we are going to wait a few more days to see what kind of growth we can get! We will also be collecting a variety of samples from around the school to test for bacteria. Our animal cell studies will begin tomorrow. Students were thoroughly grossed out today when we learned that yogurt and cheese are made with bacteria. We also spent time discussing the harmful impact of microorganisms. Next week, we will be building candy cells. Check out my email for a list of materials we will need to complete this activity.
Social Studies - We are continuing our study of the causes of the American Civil War. We are finishing up this part tomorrow, and we will begin to discuss the timeline of events leading up to and through the war. It is a very intense period in history, and we will be having some discussions about how people were treated during that time period. Students need to be reminded to remain serious about these topics.
Math - In Math, we are working on multi-digit multiplication. Students have also been working on order of operations. These Math lessons will quickly build to multiplying multi-digit decimals within the next week.
ELA - We will begin working on research projects in class based upon the American Civil War. Our grammar studies will be focused upon comma usage, appositive phrases, conjunctions, and compound sentences. Students will be taking a grammar pre-assessment tomorrow in class.
Reading - We are working on recognizing the main idea in expository text. We are focusing on implied main idea during our studies this week. Students are also still working to develop vocabulary and fluency.
Important Dates
September 29 - Report Card Day
October 2 - Individual Picture Day
October 21 - Students received a permission slip for our field trip today to the Atlanta History Center on October 21.
October 31 - Biography Project Due
November 11 - Parent Meeting Tybee 6 pm - 7 pm
Important Info
Math Practice - All students received their math login information for www.scootpad.com. This is a math practice site to help students fill in skills that may be missing. If your student does not know their username and password - please send me an email.
Let me know if you have any questions. Have a great night.
Mrs. Prophet
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Recap Term 1/Term 2 Introduction
Hello Everyone! I've been very busy preparing for the second term, so I'm running late with my Term 1 recap. Here is a short recap of Tern 1!
Term 1 Recap
Reading: In Reading, we spent a lot of time discussing the different types of reading, and specific elements of non-fiction text. We also started working on vocabulary development, and built reading stamina.
Science: In Science, we spent the entire term working on classification of plants and animals. Students will finish and submit their presentations from our field trip tomorrow!
S.S.: In Social Studies, we had a great term learning about the process of laws and the procedures our government has in place to protect citizen rights. Students need to review the AMENDMENT process. We struggled on the assessment because many students have a misconception that the President can veto an amendment. The amendment process does not include vetoes (that is the process of creating a law). We will have some more time to develop this knowledge later in this term as we discuss the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments.
Math: Math was an investigation of our number system. We studied rounding, comparing, ordering, powers of ten, and operations with decimals.
Writing: We worked on personal narratives, and developing compound sentences. Students also learned the writing process, and are showing great improvement in the editing and revising of their work.
Term 2 Introduction
Welcome to Term 2! This week we will be launching our new Unit of Inquiry - Who We Are with a series of different activities. I will also begin our new class read aloud - Wonder by P.J. Palacio. Our Reading unit will begin by focusing on implied and explicit main ideas, vocabulary development, and research. Students will receive a copy of the weekly kids publication - Time for Kids to use during reading workshop. We will also begin evaluating the causes of the American Civil War. In Science, we will begin an inquiry into microorganisms (students LOVE this unit because we will be creating bacteria cultures this week). Our writing focus this term will be the research process. As promised, word studies will begin this week. Students will be working on prefixes, suffixes, Greek and Latin roots. This should help with both vocabulary development and spelling! In Mathematics, students will begin this term by working on the vocabulary terms for the operations. Many students do not know the mathematical definitions for product, quotient, difference, and sum. Please review these words with your student this week (they will have notes!). We will also be working on developing our mental math skills this week.
Parents - I also did not get the login information completed for the math practice website (www.scootpad.com). I will have that information for you in the Thursday email.
We also need to ensure that ALL students have their binders at school on Wednesday (9/24). We will be creating our portfolios for first term on that day. All students will bring home their binders next Monday (9/29) with their red folders. This will include all their graded assignments from the first term. We will store these binders at school once they are returned.
Rubrics for biography projects will be posted in the handouts section of this blog Monday afternoon (9/22).
As usual, let me know if you have any concerns, comments, or questions.
See you soon!
Mrs. Prophet
Term 1 Recap
Reading: In Reading, we spent a lot of time discussing the different types of reading, and specific elements of non-fiction text. We also started working on vocabulary development, and built reading stamina.
Science: In Science, we spent the entire term working on classification of plants and animals. Students will finish and submit their presentations from our field trip tomorrow!
S.S.: In Social Studies, we had a great term learning about the process of laws and the procedures our government has in place to protect citizen rights. Students need to review the AMENDMENT process. We struggled on the assessment because many students have a misconception that the President can veto an amendment. The amendment process does not include vetoes (that is the process of creating a law). We will have some more time to develop this knowledge later in this term as we discuss the 13th, 14th, and 15th amendments.
Math: Math was an investigation of our number system. We studied rounding, comparing, ordering, powers of ten, and operations with decimals.
Writing: We worked on personal narratives, and developing compound sentences. Students also learned the writing process, and are showing great improvement in the editing and revising of their work.
Term 2 Introduction
Welcome to Term 2! This week we will be launching our new Unit of Inquiry - Who We Are with a series of different activities. I will also begin our new class read aloud - Wonder by P.J. Palacio. Our Reading unit will begin by focusing on implied and explicit main ideas, vocabulary development, and research. Students will receive a copy of the weekly kids publication - Time for Kids to use during reading workshop. We will also begin evaluating the causes of the American Civil War. In Science, we will begin an inquiry into microorganisms (students LOVE this unit because we will be creating bacteria cultures this week). Our writing focus this term will be the research process. As promised, word studies will begin this week. Students will be working on prefixes, suffixes, Greek and Latin roots. This should help with both vocabulary development and spelling! In Mathematics, students will begin this term by working on the vocabulary terms for the operations. Many students do not know the mathematical definitions for product, quotient, difference, and sum. Please review these words with your student this week (they will have notes!). We will also be working on developing our mental math skills this week.
Parents - I also did not get the login information completed for the math practice website (www.scootpad.com). I will have that information for you in the Thursday email.
We also need to ensure that ALL students have their binders at school on Wednesday (9/24). We will be creating our portfolios for first term on that day. All students will bring home their binders next Monday (9/29) with their red folders. This will include all their graded assignments from the first term. We will store these binders at school once they are returned.
Rubrics for biography projects will be posted in the handouts section of this blog Monday afternoon (9/22).
As usual, let me know if you have any concerns, comments, or questions.
See you soon!
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, September 12, 2014
End of the First Term!
We made it to the end of the first term! This morning was our first Village Gathering. We celebrated our learning, and students were recognized for action in the community.
As part of the IB action cycle, students are to reflect on the local and global consequences of their learning, to make choices based on these reflections, and act in responsible and meaningful ways. If your student chooses to perform meaningful and responsible actions, please let me know. As teachers, we often know what students do during the school day, but they often do things at home that are not shared. I would love to hear about what your students are doing!
It's been a great start to the school year, and I hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable break. Students received a rubric for their project today. I've had some questions about turning in electronic assignments. Students will be able to turn their projects in using Edmodo, but I will share more information about this in mid-October. Please let me know if there are other questions about this project.
Parents - Be on the lookout for an email from me this week about online Math practice.
Be sure to check out the blog on Monday to see a recap of our first term!
Thanks for everything.
See you soon.
Mrs. Prophet
As part of the IB action cycle, students are to reflect on the local and global consequences of their learning, to make choices based on these reflections, and act in responsible and meaningful ways. If your student chooses to perform meaningful and responsible actions, please let me know. As teachers, we often know what students do during the school day, but they often do things at home that are not shared. I would love to hear about what your students are doing!
It's been a great start to the school year, and I hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable break. Students received a rubric for their project today. I've had some questions about turning in electronic assignments. Students will be able to turn their projects in using Edmodo, but I will share more information about this in mid-October. Please let me know if there are other questions about this project.
Parents - Be on the lookout for an email from me this week about online Math practice.
Be sure to check out the blog on Monday to see a recap of our first term!
Thanks for everything.
See you soon.
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, September 8, 2014
Assessment Week
We made it to the last week of the term. We have a lot of assessments this week.
The assessment schedule is as follows:
Tuesday: Science Assessment; UOI Summative Assessment
Wednesday: UOI Summative Assessment
Thursday: Social Studies Assessment; Personal Narrative Final Copy Completed
Friday: Math Assessment
Parents - I am moving the Social Studies assessment to Thursday due to our walking field trip on Wednesday.
We also set up our first Science experiment today. We are investigating how vascular plants use xylem tubes to transport water throughout the organism.
The assessment schedule is as follows:
Tuesday: Science Assessment; UOI Summative Assessment
Wednesday: UOI Summative Assessment
Thursday: Social Studies Assessment; Personal Narrative Final Copy Completed
Friday: Math Assessment
Parents - I am moving the Social Studies assessment to Thursday due to our walking field trip on Wednesday.
We also set up our first Science experiment today. We are investigating how vascular plants use xylem tubes to transport water throughout the organism.
Students please remember that xylem tubes transport water from the roots of the plant to the leaves, and phloem tubes transport food throughout the plant. Also, make sure that you understand the difference between vascular and non-vascular plants. If you are confused, be sure to make sure you remember that vascular plants can grow very tall (trees, flowers) and non-vascular plants grow in moist areas close to the ground (moss).
Parents - I forgot to send home the red folders for students who are car riders, walkers, and bike riders. Please look for those folders tomorrow.
Have a great night! See you in the morning.
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, September 5, 2014
Fascinating Friday
Hello Everyone! We had another great week on 5th Avenue. This week was jammed with lots of activities and learning.
In Science this week, we were introduced to the system used to classify plants. We also discussed the different kingdoms of classification in our world (which is a preview to next term). The students are very excited to be taking their first field trip on Wednesday to the community garden.
During our Social Studies investigations this week, students were given a fictitious amendment proposal. They had to create videos to propose their amendments to our classroom congress. Next week, we will vote to see if any of the proposals will be ratified. The students seemed to enjoy this activity, and it really helped us to practice our compromise and negotiation skills.
During Reading Workshop this week, students continued working on non-fiction text features. We practiced identifying these features in textbooks. We will continue looking at non-fiction texts next week. Students will be required to use non-fiction texts to support their statements. Also, we started our first project. Students should have received a copy of the biography project (due October 31).
We continued working with decimals this week in Math. Students learned how to round, compare, order, and add decimal fractions. Next week, we will have Operation Decimal Computation. During this time, students will learn how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals and whole numbers. I also implemented several math games and centers this week.
Thanks again for all the support. We will be doing a lot of assessments next week. Finally, I know the students are excited to finish reading The Giver. Many of them are asking to read the other books in the series, so this might be a great item to donate to our classroom. Please make sure to complete the study guides for Social Studies and Science this weekend.
In Science this week, we were introduced to the system used to classify plants. We also discussed the different kingdoms of classification in our world (which is a preview to next term). The students are very excited to be taking their first field trip on Wednesday to the community garden.
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| Creating our vascular plant diagrams. |
During our Social Studies investigations this week, students were given a fictitious amendment proposal. They had to create videos to propose their amendments to our classroom congress. Next week, we will vote to see if any of the proposals will be ratified. The students seemed to enjoy this activity, and it really helped us to practice our compromise and negotiation skills.
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| Amendment proposal charts |
We continued working with decimals this week in Math. Students learned how to round, compare, order, and add decimal fractions. Next week, we will have Operation Decimal Computation. During this time, students will learn how to add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals and whole numbers. I also implemented several math games and centers this week.
 |
Thanks again for all the support. We will be doing a lot of assessments next week. Finally, I know the students are excited to finish reading The Giver. Many of them are asking to read the other books in the series, so this might be a great item to donate to our classroom. Please make sure to complete the study guides for Social Studies and Science this weekend.
Have a great weekend.
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, August 29, 2014
Fabulous Friday!
We had an awesome day today! The author visit was fantastic, and students had a great time celebrating the August birthdays! We missed our snack because we were playing musical chairs to celebrate. I hope you have an amazing Labor Day weekend. For those of you heading to Dragon Con, I want to see pictures of you dressed up for the parade. Remember that we have a math quiz next Wednesday.
I will update on Monday with some pictures of our amendment projects, math games, and author visit!
Parents - Graded work will be sent home with students on Tuesday in their red folders. Please sign and return the papers. We will be keeping all work in a portfolio in the classroom.
Have a great weekend! I cant wait to hear about all of your fun times (especially if you are only doing yard work).
Mrs. Prophet
I will update on Monday with some pictures of our amendment projects, math games, and author visit!
Parents - Graded work will be sent home with students on Tuesday in their red folders. Please sign and return the papers. We will be keeping all work in a portfolio in the classroom.
Have a great weekend! I cant wait to hear about all of your fun times (especially if you are only doing yard work).
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, August 25, 2014
Mellow Monday!
We had another great day in room 262. We are officially finished with our Fall MAP testing.
This week we have a lot going on.
Math - We are starting to work with the different forms of a number. We will also begin comparing. Students have a pre-assessment tonight for homework. Please have them circle any questions that are confusing.
Science - We have a quiz tomorrow on animal classification. Be sure to study the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates as well as all the different categories of animals. Students can also use the Quizlet to study.
S.S. - We are studying about amending the Constitution and the differences between an amendment and a law.
ELA - We started working on our grammar skills today. Students will be focusing on different conventions of English each morning. We will also continue to work on the pre-writing stage of the writing process.
Reading - We are working on informational text. Students will be asked to work in small groups during reading workshop to investigate the different tools used to demonstrate information in expository text.
I'm looking forward to a great week!
All students received their graded S.S. quizzes. Please sign and return. If you have any questions please let me know.
Remember - To kick off the college football season, Friday is college colors day. I will be proudly sporting my Hoosier gear!
Mrs. Prophet
This week we have a lot going on.
Math - We are starting to work with the different forms of a number. We will also begin comparing. Students have a pre-assessment tonight for homework. Please have them circle any questions that are confusing.
Science - We have a quiz tomorrow on animal classification. Be sure to study the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates as well as all the different categories of animals. Students can also use the Quizlet to study.
S.S. - We are studying about amending the Constitution and the differences between an amendment and a law.
ELA - We started working on our grammar skills today. Students will be focusing on different conventions of English each morning. We will also continue to work on the pre-writing stage of the writing process.
Reading - We are working on informational text. Students will be asked to work in small groups during reading workshop to investigate the different tools used to demonstrate information in expository text.
I'm looking forward to a great week!
All students received their graded S.S. quizzes. Please sign and return. If you have any questions please let me know.
Remember - To kick off the college football season, Friday is college colors day. I will be proudly sporting my Hoosier gear!
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, August 22, 2014
Freaky Friday!
We've had a very productive week. We have one more day of MAP testing, and then we should be back on our normal schedule.
ELA - This week we continued to develop strategies for generating personal narrative ideas. We also worked on organization. Many students shared their small moment stories, and everyone was very excited to be writing. Next week, we will continue to work on developing ideas. We will also begin working on language conventions. I have noticed that students need a lot of work on creating complex sentences and punctuation. This will be a point of focus next week.
Reading - We continued working on developing our workshop format. Students were introduced to 5 days of vocabulary activities that they will complete each week during our workshop. Students were also given a STAR reading assessment which will help them determine books that are on their reading level.
S.S. - We had our quiz on the Bill of Rights today. We will begin discussing the process of creating laws and amending the Constitution. This is an introductory video to check out this weekend. http://bit.ly/r9hN8y
Science - We will be reviewing animal classification on Monday, and students will have their first science quiz on Tuesday. We will be taking a walking field trip to the community garden on September 10. In order for the students to be ready for the field trip, it is essential that they learn the different classifications of plants this week.
Math - We continued working on powers of ten and the metric system this week. We will begin place value next week.
FYI:
Students are not required to keep a reading log in my class because it does not demonstrate to me that they comprehend what they are reading. I discussed this with the class today, and they all agreed. Several students also suggested that reading logs can cause them to lose focus on what they are reading. I totally agree! For this reason, I use the Accelerated Reader (AR) program to assess their comprehension. Students are expected to earn at least 36 points per term with an average of at least 90%. This proves to me that they are truly reading and comprehending the books.
Have an amazing weekend! I hope to see some of you tonight at the party!
Stay cool.
Mrs. Prophet
ELA - This week we continued to develop strategies for generating personal narrative ideas. We also worked on organization. Many students shared their small moment stories, and everyone was very excited to be writing. Next week, we will continue to work on developing ideas. We will also begin working on language conventions. I have noticed that students need a lot of work on creating complex sentences and punctuation. This will be a point of focus next week.
Reading - We continued working on developing our workshop format. Students were introduced to 5 days of vocabulary activities that they will complete each week during our workshop. Students were also given a STAR reading assessment which will help them determine books that are on their reading level.
S.S. - We had our quiz on the Bill of Rights today. We will begin discussing the process of creating laws and amending the Constitution. This is an introductory video to check out this weekend. http://bit.ly/r9hN8y
Science - We will be reviewing animal classification on Monday, and students will have their first science quiz on Tuesday. We will be taking a walking field trip to the community garden on September 10. In order for the students to be ready for the field trip, it is essential that they learn the different classifications of plants this week.
Math - We continued working on powers of ten and the metric system this week. We will begin place value next week.
FYI:
Students are not required to keep a reading log in my class because it does not demonstrate to me that they comprehend what they are reading. I discussed this with the class today, and they all agreed. Several students also suggested that reading logs can cause them to lose focus on what they are reading. I totally agree! For this reason, I use the Accelerated Reader (AR) program to assess their comprehension. Students are expected to earn at least 36 points per term with an average of at least 90%. This proves to me that they are truly reading and comprehending the books.
Have an amazing weekend! I hope to see some of you tonight at the party!
Stay cool.
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, August 18, 2014
Happy Monday!
We continued reading The Giver today. I'm excited for students to find out what happens tomorrow in the book. This is my favorite part of the morning! This book also has great connections to our Unit of Inquiry. We are currently studying about how we organize ourselves. The Giver represents what happens when people attempt to control all aspects of life.
Students were introduced to the first element of vocabulary instruction. We will continue to add an element of vocabulary investigation each day this week. Students will have 5 strategies to use when working with words during reading workshop.
We all struggled through conversion of units in the metric system. We will continue working on this skill in our small groups this week. Our focus will be shifting to our understanding of decimal place value which should help our understanding of the powers of ten.
In social studies, students will spend a few more days working on the Bill of Rights before we have an assessment on Friday. Please help them study the first 10 Amendments to the Constitution. We are frequently making mistakes on the 5th, 6th, and 7th Amendments. I have also loaded a quizlet on Edmodo to help them study.
MAP testing begins this week. We will be testing in the afternoon on Thursday and Friday this week. We will also have MAP testing next Monday. Our testing is occurring in the late afternoon.
Here's to another great week!
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, August 15, 2014
10 Days!
We have officially completed our first 10 days of school! The students have seen my craziness, and are learning to pay really close attention to me when I'm teaching because I might just decide to stand on a chair (or a table). We also used our iPads for the first time this year. Students learned about Edmodo. We will learn how to turn in assignments electronically next week.
Academically, we have been continuing to work on building reading stamina during reading workshop. Your students have also been taking reading assessments during this time. Students will begin vocabulary work next week, so be on the look out for that. In math, we finally have a good grasp of the powers of ten. We will be applying that knowledge to the metric system next week. We have also enjoyed reading the first 5 chapters of The Giver. We compared our system of government with the book. It lead to some very interesting discussions. In science, we are still working on classification. The students will continue to work on classification next week as we move into the the different groups of classification. Finally, in social studies. we have been applying our knowledge of the Bill of Rights to different creative scenarios.
We desperately need glue sticks for our UOI notebooks! Please help! We would also like a volleyball. Some of the students have been practicing their volleyball skills during recess, but the soccer ball is not working very well.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Prophet
Academically, we have been continuing to work on building reading stamina during reading workshop. Your students have also been taking reading assessments during this time. Students will begin vocabulary work next week, so be on the look out for that. In math, we finally have a good grasp of the powers of ten. We will be applying that knowledge to the metric system next week. We have also enjoyed reading the first 5 chapters of The Giver. We compared our system of government with the book. It lead to some very interesting discussions. In science, we are still working on classification. The students will continue to work on classification next week as we move into the the different groups of classification. Finally, in social studies. we have been applying our knowledge of the Bill of Rights to different creative scenarios.
We desperately need glue sticks for our UOI notebooks! Please help! We would also like a volleyball. Some of the students have been practicing their volleyball skills during recess, but the soccer ball is not working very well.
Have a great weekend!
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, August 11, 2014
Week 2!
We are off to another great week! We began reading The Giver. Our discussion focused on the connection between this story and our unit of inquiry. We also had our first fire drill today. Please remind your student about the importance of following directions during emergency drills!
We will be busy this week learning about our classmates as readers. Don't forget your collection of reading artifacts is due tomorrow! I can't wait to hear about all the great things you have been reading.
Students were introduced to math workshop today. We did a great job working on math the whole time. However, we are having some struggles with applying powers of ten to decimals. We will spend the next few days focusing on place value with decimals, and operations with powers of ten.
For some extra practice, try these problems:
1.4 x 100 =
0.013 x 1,000 =
34 x 100 =
4.5 x 10 =
There are also more practice problems under extra math practice.
There are also more practice problems under extra math practice.
If you have not turned in your iPad agreements, please do so ASAP! We can't open the cart until I have an agreement from EVERYONE!
See you tomorrow!
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, August 8, 2014
Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
Thank you so much for a great first week of school! It was awesome getting to know everyone. It has also been great to see you master the procedures of our classroom. Most of the week was consumed with practicing procedures and developing rules. However, we definitely got started with some important information in all subject areas. In Reading, we focused on selecting "good fit" books and building stamina. I am very impressed with this group of amazing readers. During Writing Workshop, we spent time developing concept maps for our hopes and dreams. We know that during workshop it is essential for us to read/write the entire time. Next week, we will also begin discovering our individual preferences as readers. Don't forget your collection of materials. Also, I'm excited to begin reading The Giver on Monday!
We spent some time talking about problem solving in math, and we started learning about the powers of ten. Some students also learned the game of poison, as well as the mathematical trick to win every time. In science, we discussed how the dichotomous key can be used to classify organisms. Students were very inquisitive during these lessons. In social studies, we began our discussion of rights and responsibilities. Students learned that rights are not absolute. In other words, I have the right to free speech, but that doesn't mean it is responsible to yell fire in a crowded theater.
Finally, we celebrated our IB kickoff on Friday morning. Students had a great time dancing and learning about the IB attitudes. We also spent some time creating posters of the IB learner profile.
Announcements:
Mr. Brooks is asking all students to get a folder for music.
The deadline for job applications has been extended to Monday, August 11.
Remember to bring in your reader collection on Tuesday!
Our Classroom Agreement: We will be safe, participate, and try our best. We will be responsible and think before we act. We will strive to be open-minded and consider how our words and actions will impact others. Most of all we will have fun in all that we do!
I can't wait to see what we can accomplish next week. Rest and prepare for the next challenge!
See you soon,
Mrs. Prophet
We spent some time talking about problem solving in math, and we started learning about the powers of ten. Some students also learned the game of poison, as well as the mathematical trick to win every time. In science, we discussed how the dichotomous key can be used to classify organisms. Students were very inquisitive during these lessons. In social studies, we began our discussion of rights and responsibilities. Students learned that rights are not absolute. In other words, I have the right to free speech, but that doesn't mean it is responsible to yell fire in a crowded theater.
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| Student representation of the IB learner profile trait reflective. |
Finally, we celebrated our IB kickoff on Friday morning. Students had a great time dancing and learning about the IB attitudes. We also spent some time creating posters of the IB learner profile.
Announcements:
Mr. Brooks is asking all students to get a folder for music.
The deadline for job applications has been extended to Monday, August 11.
Remember to bring in your reader collection on Tuesday!
Our Classroom Agreement: We will be safe, participate, and try our best. We will be responsible and think before we act. We will strive to be open-minded and consider how our words and actions will impact others. Most of all we will have fun in all that we do!
I can't wait to see what we can accomplish next week. Rest and prepare for the next challenge!
See you soon,
Mrs. Prophet
Monday, August 4, 2014
First Day of School!
We had a great first day! Our learning targets today focused on procedures for our classroom. We spent much of the day working to build a classroom community. We began developing our essential agreements. We started with Morning Meeting. We decided (after a trial meeting) which items are most important for productivity.
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| Classroom set up and ready to go for the first day. |
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| Ideas we used to develop essential agreements for our Morning Meeting. |
I also realized that I made a mistake in our posted schedule. We have PE on Fridays from 12:30 - 1:00. Please make sure you make that change.
Thanks for the great start!
Mrs. Prophet
Friday, August 1, 2014
Meet and Greet!
It was great seeing so many students today during our Meet and Greet. I'm very eager for this year to begin! I hope to see some of you on Sunday at the pool party! If you missed the sign on our door, I will be posting the job descriptions and applications tomorrow evening. I have a reading challenge for all of you this weekend.
During the first two weeks of school, we will be discovering who we are as readers. Please begin collecting images, books, or other items that can be used to describe the types of things you like to read. These items should also encompass how (when/where) you like to read.
I will see you soon!
During the first two weeks of school, we will be discovering who we are as readers. Please begin collecting images, books, or other items that can be used to describe the types of things you like to read. These items should also encompass how (when/where) you like to read.
I will see you soon!
Thursday, July 24, 2014
Everything is ______!
Welcome back! I'm Mrs. Prophet and I will be teaching 5th grade at F.Ave this year! I hope you have had a great summer and are truly excited for an abundance of awesome, new adventures in Mrs. Prophet's 5th grade class.
Our classroom is in the new wing. We are directly above the Falcon's Nest.
I have been working for a few weeks to unpack the classroom and prepare for all of the new awesome adventures we will take together this year. (Only a few more boxes to go!)
I can't wait to start out adventure on Monday, August 4. Parents, please make sure that you follow my blog to get all of our class updates. I will be updating the blog with lots of useful information frequently. Look for updates on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays! I can't wait to meet everyone.
Students - Every year I pick one song as a theme for our class - any guesses about what it will be this year?
Mrs. Prophet
Our classroom is in the new wing. We are directly above the Falcon's Nest.
I have been working for a few weeks to unpack the classroom and prepare for all of the new awesome adventures we will take together this year. (Only a few more boxes to go!)
I can't wait to start out adventure on Monday, August 4. Parents, please make sure that you follow my blog to get all of our class updates. I will be updating the blog with lots of useful information frequently. Look for updates on Monday, Wednesdays, and Fridays! I can't wait to meet everyone.
Students - Every year I pick one song as a theme for our class - any guesses about what it will be this year?
Mrs. Prophet
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