Dear Room 20 & 21 parents and students,
Here we are, now just one week away from vacation. As our break nears, you will notice that we are wrapping up some areas of instruction. Please be sure to ask your child about upcoming tests and quizzes they may have this week. With that said, we hope you have a good two weeks, and if you're traveling, enjoy yourselves and come back safely! We'll see all students back on Monday, October 19th.
.
Just a quick reminder that our blogsite addresses are:
Room 20 (Scourkes) http://rockhopperroom20.blogspot.com
Room 21 (Roels) http://gtfroom22.blogspot.com
Students should be checking these sites weekly to keep THEMSELVES informed of all the latest village news.
Volunteers Needed!
In Social Studies, our final craft will be to make "wampum" belts, an important system used for both money and record keeping by the Woodland Native American Tribes. We need volunteers to dye macaroni pasta at home (full directions will be given), donations of materials, AND we need parents to help out in the classroom during the actual making of the belts. See our forthcoming email for more details!
In Language Arts, we will need volunteers to help with literature circles. We are be contacting parents who've signed up to help in this area, but if you'd like to spend 45 minutes to 1 hour two times a week for two weeks helping out in the class, we would love to have your help. The dates will be Tues. Oct 27, Thursday, Oct. 29, Tuesday, Nov. 3, and Thursday, November 5 from 8:15 - 9:00.
Please us know if you're interested!
Curriculum:
Language Arts
We will finish our novel, Stone Fox on Tuesday of this week. The students will be tested on their understanding of this story with a short test on Thursday. Students will be asked basic comprehension questions and to identify vocabulary. Students will also be assessed on their understanding based on their Stone Fox journal that they have been keeping throughout this literature study.
After the break we will be introducing our first literature circles. Students will have the opportunity to choose a book that interests them, and then participate in group discussions regarding the book they have chosen. We will be contacting parents who have said they would like to volunteer for this fun activity, but if you haven't signed up to volunteer and would like to, please let us know!
When students are not busy discussing their literature choices, our classroom focus will be on the writing genres of summary and "accordian" paragraphs. Rich content and sound structure in our writing is emphasized.
Math
In 4th grade math, we are continuing the study of factors, multiples, prime numbers, arrays, fact families, and other terminology and elements of multiplication. The Rectangle Factory, which is a great interactive method of seeing and experiencing the relationships between sets of numbers, is nearly complete! We can now see prime numbers and multiples forming patterns and relationships in the "factory." As a complement to this activity, we also are using factors and the associative property of multiplication to make "factor wheels"- art that represents math expressions in a VERY colorful way!
In 5th grade math, we have gone over the expectations and rubric for the POWs (Problem of the Week). Students have a copy of the grading rubric in their binders. Last week, they had the opportunity to solve one problem together in class, and were give a second problem to do more independently. This current POW is due on Wednesday of this week. Feel free to ask your child for a peek at what they've done and let them have the opportunity to explain to you how they solved the problem.
Social Studies
In social studies, we are finishing our study of Native Americans early this week. The students have read and are taking notes on the Eastern Woodland cultural group, including the Algonquin and Iroquois Nations. We will have our unit test after the break. Students will be given a study guide this week, and it is important that they begin studying for the test now, since there is a substantial amount of material. Please feel free to help you child with their study techniques. They've been given ideas in class of how to study, but may need additional assistance at home. The test will include paragraph, short answer, fill in the blank, multiple choice, and map work. On Wednesday or Thursday of this week, I will be going over my expectations in more detail with the students.
Science
Our evaporation investigation (concerning the effects of location and temperature on evaporation) is now being produced in the exact format that the scientific method requires. We'll end up with an experimental write up worthy of our anthology collection! Condensation is the next investigation topic we'll pursue this week.
Calendar of Events:
Monday, September 28: Wildlife Assembly
Tuesday, September 29: Lunch on the Lawn
Wednesday, September 30: PSCO Meeting. 6:30
Thursday, October 1: Stone Fox Test
Monday, October 5 - Friday, October 16 : October Break - NO SCHOOL
Monday, October 5 - Friday, October 16: PEP for those enrolled students
Monday, October 19 - Friday, October 23: Red Ribbon Week
Friday, October 23: Spirit Day - Wear Red!
Monday, October 26: Learning Day. No school for students.
MYSTERY STATE CLUES:
The flag of this state was designed by a 13-year-old boy.
This state has 6,640 miles of coastline, more than all other states combined.
William A. Egan was this state's first governor.
The United States purchased this state from Russia.
Which state is it?
Sincerely,
Mr. Roels and Miss Scourkes
Rooms 20 & 21
Rockhopper Village
Portal School
Monday, September 28, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
Fall Reminders!
Dear Room 20 & 21 parents and students,
This week we are back to a normal, full-day schedule at Portal. As teachers, we want to thank our students and parents for taking the time to meet with us and participate in setting realistic, achievable goals for the year. It is a great example of how we all work together to make learning possible! As we resume our regular activities this week, let's all work hard at making the changes we need to excel in our various targeted areas for improvement- we can DO it!!!
.
Just a quick reminder that our blogsite addresses are:
Room 20 (Scourkes) http://rockhopperroom20.blogspot.com
Room 21 (Roels) http://gtfroom22.blogspot.com
Students should be checking these sites weekly to keep THEMSELVES informed of all the latest village news.
Curriculum:
Language Arts
We continue to read the novel, Stone Fox in class. Students are getting further into the story, and we are getting introduced to new characters of interest, like the massive Stone Fox himself. Journal entries recounting the main character's experiences, descriptions of new characters with illustrations, vocabulary from the context of the story, and organized Step Up to Writing paragraphs of our Samoyed research and summaries of the book loom on the horizon.
In the near future, our rooms will also begin to implement a supplemental reading program called Accelerated Reader. The first step is a computerized assessment of reading levels, then students can independently make book choices at their reading levels and take on-line evaluations of their comprehension abilities for the book chosen. The goal is to provide students with appropriate guides to books at their independent reading level, and to give each person a chance to see if the basic language and elements of the story make sense to them.
Math
In 4th grade math, we are moving into the study of factors, multiples, prime numbers, arrays, fact families, and other terminology and elements of multiplication and division. We be starting out by participating in the Rectangle Factory, which is a great interactive method of seeing and experiencing the relationships between sets of numbers. Multiples really come to life for our classes in this activity; students also see prime numbers emerge from the great mass of numbers in the "factory." I'm sure you'll hear more from your student soon about this BIG project!
In 5th grade math, we will begin solving our Problem of the Week this Wednesday. Students will be required to solve and explain their thinking on a variety of problems using different methods such as working backwards, making a table or list, drawing a picture or diagram, or other appropriate strategies. Most problems have multiple ways to be solved, and students will clearly need to explain their thinking and the steps they used to solve the problem. We will continue with our study of fractions, decimals and percents in class.
Social Studies
In social studies, we have now learned about the Plains culture of the Native Americans and are working on a "Winter Count" as our craft for this region. Have your child tell you what a Winter Count is and let them tell you about the winter count they created.
Science
Our investigations related to "The Water Planet" resume in earnest now that our afternoons are available to us. The effects of location and temperature on evaporation, and understanding condensation, will be investigation topics this week. The higher temperatures we expect this week could make our results very interesting!
Calendar of Events:
Mon., Sept. 21 - School Site Council Meeting 3:00
Tues., Sept. 22 - Parent Principal Exchange 8:15
Wed., Sept. 23 - Destination Imagination meeting 6:00
Fri., Sept. 25 - Spirit Day : HAT DAY!
Fri., Sept. 25 - Learning Plans go home with students
MYSTERY STATE CLUES:
This state was named after a queen of England.
The first umbrella factory in the United States opened in this state in 1928.
Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" in this state while watching an attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.
The United States Naval Academy is located in this state.
Which state is it?
Sincerely,
Mr. Roels and Miss Scourkes
Rooms 20 & 21
Rockhopper Village
Portal School
This week we are back to a normal, full-day schedule at Portal. As teachers, we want to thank our students and parents for taking the time to meet with us and participate in setting realistic, achievable goals for the year. It is a great example of how we all work together to make learning possible! As we resume our regular activities this week, let's all work hard at making the changes we need to excel in our various targeted areas for improvement- we can DO it!!!
.
Just a quick reminder that our blogsite addresses are:
Room 20 (Scourkes) http://rockhopperroom20.blogspot.com
Room 21 (Roels) http://gtfroom22.blogspot.com
Students should be checking these sites weekly to keep THEMSELVES informed of all the latest village news.
Curriculum:
Language Arts
We continue to read the novel, Stone Fox in class. Students are getting further into the story, and we are getting introduced to new characters of interest, like the massive Stone Fox himself. Journal entries recounting the main character's experiences, descriptions of new characters with illustrations, vocabulary from the context of the story, and organized Step Up to Writing paragraphs of our Samoyed research and summaries of the book loom on the horizon.
In the near future, our rooms will also begin to implement a supplemental reading program called Accelerated Reader. The first step is a computerized assessment of reading levels, then students can independently make book choices at their reading levels and take on-line evaluations of their comprehension abilities for the book chosen. The goal is to provide students with appropriate guides to books at their independent reading level, and to give each person a chance to see if the basic language and elements of the story make sense to them.
Math
In 4th grade math, we are moving into the study of factors, multiples, prime numbers, arrays, fact families, and other terminology and elements of multiplication and division. We be starting out by participating in the Rectangle Factory, which is a great interactive method of seeing and experiencing the relationships between sets of numbers. Multiples really come to life for our classes in this activity; students also see prime numbers emerge from the great mass of numbers in the "factory." I'm sure you'll hear more from your student soon about this BIG project!
In 5th grade math, we will begin solving our Problem of the Week this Wednesday. Students will be required to solve and explain their thinking on a variety of problems using different methods such as working backwards, making a table or list, drawing a picture or diagram, or other appropriate strategies. Most problems have multiple ways to be solved, and students will clearly need to explain their thinking and the steps they used to solve the problem. We will continue with our study of fractions, decimals and percents in class.
Social Studies
In social studies, we have now learned about the Plains culture of the Native Americans and are working on a "Winter Count" as our craft for this region. Have your child tell you what a Winter Count is and let them tell you about the winter count they created.
Science
Our investigations related to "The Water Planet" resume in earnest now that our afternoons are available to us. The effects of location and temperature on evaporation, and understanding condensation, will be investigation topics this week. The higher temperatures we expect this week could make our results very interesting!
Calendar of Events:
Mon., Sept. 21 - School Site Council Meeting 3:00
Tues., Sept. 22 - Parent Principal Exchange 8:15
Wed., Sept. 23 - Destination Imagination meeting 6:00
Fri., Sept. 25 - Spirit Day : HAT DAY!
Fri., Sept. 25 - Learning Plans go home with students
MYSTERY STATE CLUES:
This state was named after a queen of England.
The first umbrella factory in the United States opened in this state in 1928.
Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" in this state while watching an attack on Fort McHenry during the War of 1812.
The United States Naval Academy is located in this state.
Which state is it?
Sincerely,
Mr. Roels and Miss Scourkes
Rooms 20 & 21
Rockhopper Village
Portal School
Monday, September 14, 2009
September 14 Reminders
Dear Room 20 & 21 parents and students,
Here it is, already Monday again! We hope you had the opportunity to come to Family Fun Night this weekend! There was a large turnout of people, great food, and lots of fun games and prizes. Many of our students also donated canned goods to help out needy families as part of our Project Cornerstone community outreach program - well done! This week,our parent/student teacher conferences continue! Thank you to all of the parents who have shown up so promptly and taken time out of their busy days to meet and discuss your child's upcoming goals for the trimester. We're looking forward to meeting with the rest of our students and parents this week.
Just a quick reminder that our blogsite addresses are:
Room 20 (Scourkes) http://rockhopperroom20.blogspot.com
Room 21 (Roels) http://gtfroom22.blogspot.com
Students should be checking these sites weekly to keep THEMSELVES informed of all the latest village news.
Curriculum:
Language Arts
We continue to read the novel, Stone Fox in class. Students are developing their vocabulary through context and dictionary work. Students are currently working on a poster for a race that will occur in the story and have done background research on the Samoyed dog breed. They will soon be writing a paragraph that incorporates this information.
Math
In 4th grade math, our daily Problems of the Day allow us to practice the components of thorough problem-solving: restating the problem, noting key words that indicate problem-solving methods, solving the problem by outlining the steps taken, and explaining how you know that a problem-solving method is appropriate (or makes sense.) We choose one or more of these to focus on for each problem. We have been spending our time studying expressions and equations this past week. This will lead us in the coming weeks to our first work a grade level algebraic concepts- a very exciting development! We'll have a short (5 problem) quiz on Chapter 5 this Wednesday, so reread those lesson materials to be super comfortable with the material!
In 5th grade math we have finished our first unit, which covered prime factorization and fractions. We're now moving on to study place value, decimals, and relative magnitude. We'll study very large numbers and very small numbers, and learn to round and order these types of numbers.
Social Studies
In social studies, we continue our Native American studies. The newest cultural region we're learning about are the Plains Indians, which have a unique history due to the introduction of western culture by explorers from Europe. Ask your child about this interesting cultural group!
Science
We will continue with our unit, "The Water Planet", throughout the short conference day schedule. We do this by taking morning class periods two time a week to perform our investigations of the water cycle components. The concepts of condensation and evaporation will be our primary focus over the next week or so. As always, the reading we do in our science text will make these ideas more clear after each investigation.
Calendar of Events:
Wed., Sept. 9 -Thur., Sept. 17 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Student Dismissal at 12:30 every day
Sept., 9 - Sept. 17 - Book Faire in the Multi-use room
Wed., Sept. 16 - Mandatory Washington, DC meeting for those considering the trip 6:30 pm
Fri., Sept. 18 - Learning Day for Teachers - No school for students!
Mon., Sept. 21 - School Site Council Meeting 3:00
Tues., Sept. 22 - Parent Principal Exchange 8:15
Wed., Sept. 23 - Destination Imagination meeting 6:00
Fri., Sept. 25 - Spirit Day : HAT DAY!
Fri., Sept. 25 - Learning Plans go home with students
MYSTERY STATE CLUES:
The term dude originated in this state.
This state was the first state to grant women the right to vote.
The JC Penney stores were founded in this state.
This state has the smallest population of all the 50 states.
Which state is it?
Sincerely,
Mr. Roels and Miss Scourkes
Rooms 20 & 21
Rockhopper Village
Portal School
Here it is, already Monday again! We hope you had the opportunity to come to Family Fun Night this weekend! There was a large turnout of people, great food, and lots of fun games and prizes. Many of our students also donated canned goods to help out needy families as part of our Project Cornerstone community outreach program - well done! This week,our parent/student teacher conferences continue! Thank you to all of the parents who have shown up so promptly and taken time out of their busy days to meet and discuss your child's upcoming goals for the trimester. We're looking forward to meeting with the rest of our students and parents this week.
Just a quick reminder that our blogsite addresses are:
Room 20 (Scourkes) http://rockhopperroom20.blogspot.com
Room 21 (Roels) http://gtfroom22.blogspot.com
Students should be checking these sites weekly to keep THEMSELVES informed of all the latest village news.
Curriculum:
Language Arts
We continue to read the novel, Stone Fox in class. Students are developing their vocabulary through context and dictionary work. Students are currently working on a poster for a race that will occur in the story and have done background research on the Samoyed dog breed. They will soon be writing a paragraph that incorporates this information.
Math
In 4th grade math, our daily Problems of the Day allow us to practice the components of thorough problem-solving: restating the problem, noting key words that indicate problem-solving methods, solving the problem by outlining the steps taken, and explaining how you know that a problem-solving method is appropriate (or makes sense.) We choose one or more of these to focus on for each problem. We have been spending our time studying expressions and equations this past week. This will lead us in the coming weeks to our first work a grade level algebraic concepts- a very exciting development! We'll have a short (5 problem) quiz on Chapter 5 this Wednesday, so reread those lesson materials to be super comfortable with the material!
In 5th grade math we have finished our first unit, which covered prime factorization and fractions. We're now moving on to study place value, decimals, and relative magnitude. We'll study very large numbers and very small numbers, and learn to round and order these types of numbers.
Social Studies
In social studies, we continue our Native American studies. The newest cultural region we're learning about are the Plains Indians, which have a unique history due to the introduction of western culture by explorers from Europe. Ask your child about this interesting cultural group!
Science
We will continue with our unit, "The Water Planet", throughout the short conference day schedule. We do this by taking morning class periods two time a week to perform our investigations of the water cycle components. The concepts of condensation and evaporation will be our primary focus over the next week or so. As always, the reading we do in our science text will make these ideas more clear after each investigation.
Calendar of Events:
Wed., Sept. 9 -Thur., Sept. 17 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Student Dismissal at 12:30 every day
Sept., 9 - Sept. 17 - Book Faire in the Multi-use room
Wed., Sept. 16 - Mandatory Washington, DC meeting for those considering the trip 6:30 pm
Fri., Sept. 18 - Learning Day for Teachers - No school for students!
Mon., Sept. 21 - School Site Council Meeting 3:00
Tues., Sept. 22 - Parent Principal Exchange 8:15
Wed., Sept. 23 - Destination Imagination meeting 6:00
Fri., Sept. 25 - Spirit Day : HAT DAY!
Fri., Sept. 25 - Learning Plans go home with students
MYSTERY STATE CLUES:
The term dude originated in this state.
This state was the first state to grant women the right to vote.
The JC Penney stores were founded in this state.
This state has the smallest population of all the 50 states.
Which state is it?
Sincerely,
Mr. Roels and Miss Scourkes
Rooms 20 & 21
Rockhopper Village
Portal School
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
The latest (9/8/09) weekly reminders!
Dear Room 20 & 21 parents and students,
We hope you had a relaxing Labor Day weekend. It is hard to believe that the fall season is just around the corner! Since we have a short week, and we are preparing for your students' conferences, we'll keep our "happy patter" to a minimum! Just a quick reminder that our blogsite addresses are:
Room 20 (Scourkes) http://rockhopperroom20.blogspot.com
Room 21 (Roels) http://gtfroom22.blogspot.com
Students should be checking these sites weekly to keep THEMSELVES informed of all the latest village news.
Goal Setting Conferences Start Wednesday!
Our Goal Setting conferences begin this Wednesday, September 9th, and continue through Thursday, September 17th. If you haven't returned your confirmation, please do so as soon as possible! The purpose of these conferences is for the student, parent, and teacher to work in a partnership to establish realistic goals for the student to focus on in the upcoming months. Because these goals are for the student, it is important that they participate in their conference. Therefore, all students in the Rockhopper Village are REQUIRED to attend the conference. Also, please remember that there is early dismissal of students at 12:30 during the entire conference period. Thank you!
Washington, DC Trip!
As you know we are currently beginning with the planning of our optional trip to Washington, DC during the April break. You received a bright orange flyer in the Thursday folder last week informing you of the mandatory informational meeting that will be held on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 1. If you're not sure if you're interested, you should plan on coming to the meeting, so that you can get answers to questions you may have and hear all about the trip. This opportunity is a fantastic chance for students to see the history we are studying come alive! Please remember to return the bright orange interest slip, by this Friday, September 11!
Curriculum:
Language Arts
We continue with grammar lessons on verbs of all kinds, including the misunderstood "helping verbs." Handwriting practice (in cursive) is also continuing for those that need review or consistent form. Please check with your child to see if they have practice sheets to be completed at home. We are now immersed in reading our novel, Stone Fox. We are using our special Stone Fox journals for activities that incorporate inference, use of personification in writing, vocabulary development, and responding to literature in written and other creative ways for each chapter. Stone Fox is a family story, so its especially appropriate to ask your student how Little Willy's family situation compares to their own- the answers will tell you a lot about their understanding of the story so far!
Math
In 4th grade math, our daily Problems of the Day allow us to practice the components of thorough problem-solving: restating the problem, noting key words that indicate problem-solving methods, solving the problem by outlining the steps taken, and explaining how you know that a problem-solving method is appropriate (or makes sense.) We choose one or more of these to focus on for each problem. Dynamath Magazine will be corrected as a group on Tuesday- Mr. Roels acts as "referee" for any disputed answers! We'll review addition and subtraction concepts (including proper estimation techniques) in preparation for our Chapter 3 & 4 test on Wednesday. I'm confident our in-class lessons will give all students a good chance of success this week! As the week winds down, we'll begin our study of expressions and equations. This will lead us in the coming weeks to our first work a grade level algebraic concepts- a very exciting development! Of course, much "unknown" at this point, if you get our little algebraic joke :)
In 5th grade math we have finished our first unit, which covered prime factorization and fractions. We're now moving on to study place value, decimals, and relative magnitude. We'll study very large numbers and very small numbers, and learn to round and order these types of numbers.
Social Studies
In social studies, we continue our Native American studies. We've learned about cultures of both the Southwestern and Northwest United States. Students have made Kachina Dolls to represent a craft of the Southwest and are working on totem animals to represent the Northwest.
Science
We will continue with our unit, "The Water Planet", throughout the short conference day schedule. We do this by taking morning class periods two time a week to perform our investigations of the water cycle components. The concepts of condensation and evaporation will be our primary focus over the next week or so. As always, the reading we do in our science text will make these ideas more clear after each investigation.
Calendar of Events:
Wed., Sept 9 -Thur., Sept. 17 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Student Dismissal at 12:30 every day
September 9 - Sept. 17 - Book Faire in the Multi-use room
Friday, Sept. 18 , Learning Day for Teachers - No school for students!
Monday, Sept. 21 School Site Council Meeting 3:00
MYSTERY STATE CLUES:
The first-ever revolving restaurant opened in this state in 1961.
This state has the world's longest floating bridge.
This state is the top producer of apples in the United States.
This state is the only state named after a U.S. president.
Which state is it?
Sincerely,
Mr. Roels and Miss Scourkes
Rooms 20 & 21
Rockhopper Village
Portal School
We hope you had a relaxing Labor Day weekend. It is hard to believe that the fall season is just around the corner! Since we have a short week, and we are preparing for your students' conferences, we'll keep our "happy patter" to a minimum! Just a quick reminder that our blogsite addresses are:
Room 20 (Scourkes) http://rockhopperroom20.blogspot.com
Room 21 (Roels) http://gtfroom22.blogspot.com
Students should be checking these sites weekly to keep THEMSELVES informed of all the latest village news.
Goal Setting Conferences Start Wednesday!
Our Goal Setting conferences begin this Wednesday, September 9th, and continue through Thursday, September 17th. If you haven't returned your confirmation, please do so as soon as possible! The purpose of these conferences is for the student, parent, and teacher to work in a partnership to establish realistic goals for the student to focus on in the upcoming months. Because these goals are for the student, it is important that they participate in their conference. Therefore, all students in the Rockhopper Village are REQUIRED to attend the conference. Also, please remember that there is early dismissal of students at 12:30 during the entire conference period. Thank you!
Washington, DC Trip!
As you know we are currently beginning with the planning of our optional trip to Washington, DC during the April break. You received a bright orange flyer in the Thursday folder last week informing you of the mandatory informational meeting that will be held on Wednesday, September 16 at 6:30 p.m. in Room 1. If you're not sure if you're interested, you should plan on coming to the meeting, so that you can get answers to questions you may have and hear all about the trip. This opportunity is a fantastic chance for students to see the history we are studying come alive! Please remember to return the bright orange interest slip, by this Friday, September 11!
Curriculum:
Language Arts
We continue with grammar lessons on verbs of all kinds, including the misunderstood "helping verbs." Handwriting practice (in cursive) is also continuing for those that need review or consistent form. Please check with your child to see if they have practice sheets to be completed at home. We are now immersed in reading our novel, Stone Fox. We are using our special Stone Fox journals for activities that incorporate inference, use of personification in writing, vocabulary development, and responding to literature in written and other creative ways for each chapter. Stone Fox is a family story, so its especially appropriate to ask your student how Little Willy's family situation compares to their own- the answers will tell you a lot about their understanding of the story so far!
Math
In 4th grade math, our daily Problems of the Day allow us to practice the components of thorough problem-solving: restating the problem, noting key words that indicate problem-solving methods, solving the problem by outlining the steps taken, and explaining how you know that a problem-solving method is appropriate (or makes sense.) We choose one or more of these to focus on for each problem. Dynamath Magazine will be corrected as a group on Tuesday- Mr. Roels acts as "referee" for any disputed answers! We'll review addition and subtraction concepts (including proper estimation techniques) in preparation for our Chapter 3 & 4 test on Wednesday. I'm confident our in-class lessons will give all students a good chance of success this week! As the week winds down, we'll begin our study of expressions and equations. This will lead us in the coming weeks to our first work a grade level algebraic concepts- a very exciting development! Of course, much "unknown" at this point, if you get our little algebraic joke :)
In 5th grade math we have finished our first unit, which covered prime factorization and fractions. We're now moving on to study place value, decimals, and relative magnitude. We'll study very large numbers and very small numbers, and learn to round and order these types of numbers.
Social Studies
In social studies, we continue our Native American studies. We've learned about cultures of both the Southwestern and Northwest United States. Students have made Kachina Dolls to represent a craft of the Southwest and are working on totem animals to represent the Northwest.
Science
We will continue with our unit, "The Water Planet", throughout the short conference day schedule. We do this by taking morning class periods two time a week to perform our investigations of the water cycle components. The concepts of condensation and evaporation will be our primary focus over the next week or so. As always, the reading we do in our science text will make these ideas more clear after each investigation.
Calendar of Events:
Wed., Sept 9 -Thur., Sept. 17 - Parent Teacher Conferences - Student Dismissal at 12:30 every day
September 9 - Sept. 17 - Book Faire in the Multi-use room
Friday, Sept. 18 , Learning Day for Teachers - No school for students!
Monday, Sept. 21 School Site Council Meeting 3:00
MYSTERY STATE CLUES:
The first-ever revolving restaurant opened in this state in 1961.
This state has the world's longest floating bridge.
This state is the top producer of apples in the United States.
This state is the only state named after a U.S. president.
Which state is it?
Sincerely,
Mr. Roels and Miss Scourkes
Rooms 20 & 21
Rockhopper Village
Portal School
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