We Wish You a Merry Christmas!

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It's the last day of school for 2011! We thoroughly enjoyed being together, attending an exciting program, sharing gifts, making a special craft that involved sharing a special memory in writing, and visiting with Mrs. Long's son-in-law (a soldier on leave). What a great day! Team 308-310 wishes everyone a happy, safe, and fun-filled break! See you next year!

Excited? That's an Understatement!

Everyone is excited! Our last tests of the year were given today, and tomorrow is the last school day before our winter break. It's hard to believe that almost half of the school year is over! Time flies when you're having fun! Homework: Math - Practice sheet Wellness - Toothpaste design draft due tomorrow. DON'T BE LATE TO SCHOOL! TOMORROW WE HAVE A PROGRAM IN THE MORNING! YOU WON'T WANT TO MISS IT!

A-N-D The #1 Reason Why You Should Read....

We enjoyed everyone's presentation of their Top Ten List assignment today! Everyone came up with ten reasons why someone should read their particular book! We had great fun with the presentations, saying the lists as a countdown with a drum roll for #1. The lists were impressive and can be seen in the hallway under David Letterman's poster. We're hoping to inspire others to read our books. Please check them out!

The slideshow above is the result of a question posed by Mrs. Mac after we were finished presenting our individual lists. She asked us what we felt were the most important reasons it is important to read. She chose the best ten reasons to place on the blog today. Enjoy!

Homework:
Social Studies - Review and study Ch. 1 (Latin America). Test tomorrow.
Math - LCM worksheet. Test tomorrow.
Wellness - Toothpaste activity and design comic strip for Mr. Barzan

A Plan for More Effective Reading

We have been working on game plans for more effective reading. Some of the tips we've been working on and applying to short passages are #1. - Previewing and making predictions. We've found that there is so much we can learn with a quick preview. #2. - Think about what you already know about a topic. We learned about the handy dandy KWL chart and how useful it can be. #3. - Match your plan to the type of passage you're reading. Informational passages often require us to read more carefully. #4. - Keep your mind active and your pencil active. #5. - Continue to ask questions and make predictions. #6. - Pay attention to how the passage is organized. #7. - Scan for important information. #8. - Think about where new information would fit in a passage (particularly non fiction articles). After working through the various tips, we applied them to a short article on the brain. We will continue to use the tips in our reading.

Homework:
Reading - Complete pages 56-58 in your Buckle Down book.
Math - LCM worksheet
Social Studies - Chapter 1 Review. Complete the selected portions for class tomorrow. Study. Test on Wednesday.
Wellness - Ch. 2, Les. 3 outline

End of a Great Week!

We are ending a week that was action packed! It was fun, but we're all ready to enjoy our weekend. It's hard to believe that we're approaching our last week before break!

The slideshow has pictures taken of the students during Science class. They were conducting an experiment involving the topic of pressure and volume of a gas. Enjoy!

We concluded our visit from Fritz Ottenheimer today, and heard from German student Theresa Bachmann. She was filmed with Mr. Ottenheimer. Theresa was 18 years old when filmed and had taken a year off after high school to share with students about the Holocaust. Her story was heartfelt, and we learned from her how it feels to be German after the horrific events that took place during Hitler's reign. One of the most important thoughts that Mr. Ottenheimer and Miss Bachmann left us with was that prejudice is poisonous. He left us with a strong and positive message to look at people individually instead of lumping them together and making one judgement about them. We felt lucky to hear from these kind, positive people. It was a great way to wrap-up our novel.

Homework:
Reading - Our test for 'From a Spark' will be on Monday. Also be ready for your spelling test.
Writing - The draft of your thank you note is due Monday.
Wellness - The decision paragraph for Mr. Barzan is due Monday.

Fritz Ottenheimer

The very best way to learn about history is through a primary source. Today, we heard from author, speaker, and retired mechanical engineer, Fritz Ottenheimer. He wrote the book Escape and Return, an autobiography, in which he details the first 14 years of his life in Constance, Germany during the time of Hitler's reign, as well as the years beyond. Mr. Ottenheimer was twice a guest at McD's Cafe. During his second visit, he was filmed (with his permission) so that his story could be told again and again to students. What he shared helped us to empathize with the Jewish people.

Since some of the injustice began when Fritz was only 8 years old, his first emotional reactions seemed to be shock and confusion. Once, when giving his talk at Seton Hill University, he said, "Our synagogue; our beautiful house of God, had been blown up by the Nazis. I was stunned. Why would they do that? Why?" His parents had said that they felt Hitler would not last long in power, but he did, and his power grew.

Mr. Ottenheimer's talk also helped us to grow in our understanding of our most recent novel Number the Stars. He shared the term propaganda with us; explaining how it was used by the Nazi government to convince people in Germany to believe certain things about the Jewish people.

Even though Fritz Ottenheimer did not visit us in person this time, we enjoyed his story. He's a wonderful teacher.

Today's class meeting topic was anger. We discussed whether it is viewed as a positive or negative emotion and whether there are ever situations where it is appropriate. Eventually, we discussed things that cause us mild anger and things that cause us to be furious. Ways we control anger or calm down were beginning to be shared when we closed our meeting. Next week, we'll continue our discussion of anger.

Books were exchanged in Library today!

Homework:
Reading - Number the Stars final will be tomorrow.
Math - First page of packet due tomorrow.
Spelling - Study words and review story. Test on Monday
Paragraphs due for Mr. Barzan on Monday.

Singing Loud for All to Hear!

"The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!" Today, we were treated to a beautiful concert by the students in our band and chorus groups. It was fabulous! If you missed it during the morning, please come this evening! Guaranteed, you will leave with a smile on your face!

Homework:
Reading - Top Ten List is due for Reading tomorrow. Final exam for Number the Stars will be on Friday.
Math - Quiz this Friday.
Spelling - Continue to study your words.
Class Mtg. - Shoe is due tomorrow.

Elves, Elves, Everywhere!

"I passed through the seven levels of the Candy Cane Forest, through the sea of swirly, twirly gum drops, and then I walked through the Lincoln Tunnel. Finally, I saw the beautiful school of C.I.S.! Cheerful, festive music could be heard, as Mr. Gasper's and Mrs. McIlvaine's groups of talented elves took part in their final practice for tomorrow's concert! I can't wait to hear this concert! It'll be more entertaining than eating syrup on spaghetti!" - Buddy the Elf

In addition to rehearsals for the concert, our Language Arts classes sharpened skills to improve our comprehension. We read a story called 'Through Maggie's Eyes' and applied the skill of making predictions. At the spelling station, we solved puzzles and games using our assigned words on computer. We also spent time writing to complete our Top Ten List assignment and an open-ended prompt for Mr. Barzan about a decision that we made (relating to his recent visits).

The afternoon classes were shorter due to rehearsals, but we were able to fit in all but the final preliminary round of the National Geographic Geography Bee. It was a productive day!

Homework:
Reading - Top Ten List is due this Thursday. Final test on 'Number the Stars' on Friday.
Math - Prime factorization packet and quiz tomorrow.
Class Meeting - Shoe due Thursday.
Mr. Barzan letter due Monday.

TOMORROW IS THE CONCERT! CHORUS AND BAND...BE READY!

Is it Proper to Capitalize a Proper Noun?

The answer is YES! It IS PROPER to capitalize a PROPER NOUN! Today, as a group, we brainstormed lists of common and proper nouns. Common nouns refer to any person, place, thing, or idea, but proper nouns are special names of people, places, things, or ideas. For instance, the word principal doesn't need to be capitalized within a sentence, but Mr. Chambers does. Together, we corrected a paragraph with eleven capitalization mistakes, and our group did well. Many of us needed to review, as we do not take the time to capitalize when sending text messages on our phones. This has led to a few bad habits that have transferred to our daily writing.

Are you aware of the many important natural resources found in Latin America? Our team is! The people of Latin America have riches on land, in the sea, and under the sea! In addition, they have rich soil and a climate perfect for growing many important crops. Mrs. Mac's favorite is coffee, but a close second is cacao (used in making chocolate). Tomorrow, we'll continue to learn about the many minerals, precious metals, and fuels that are important to Latin America's economy. We will also continue the preliminary rounds of the National Geographic Geography Bee.

Mr. Barzan visited to present his third lesson! Today's lesson focused on decision making. He talked about what goes into decision making and how peers influence our decisions. Yes, for better or worse....our friends do influence our decisions. Mr. Barzan shared a video of students who were presented with situations that caused them to make decisions. The most important points that came from today's discussion and examples were: 1. A good decision hurts no one. (So, ask yourself...if I do this, and the worst happens, can I live with the choice?) 2. A good decision always lets you be who you are. (Ask yourself...is this decision consistent with my values?) Many decisions are not easy, especially when friends are trying to get you to go along with them. Today's lesson gave us some things to think about.

Homework:
Reading - Your Top Ten list is due Thursday. Also, be prepared for your final on Friday (Number the Stars)
Math - Divisibility sheet
Writing - Grammar p. 31

Wonderful Concert!

Sixth graders enjoyed a special treat today! We were all invited to listen to the Middle School Winter Band Concert! The music was so beautiful and well played! Mr. Rush, the director, shared information about the instruments and what it's like to be a part of the band. He also invited students of his band to share their thoughts about being band members. We enjoyed this experience!

OUR BAND AND CHORUS WILL PERFORM ON WEDNESDAY! IT'S ALSO DRESS UP DAY!

Homework:
Reading - Top Ten List is due Thursday!
Spelling - Test next Friday.
Bullying Mtg. - Shoe due next Thursday.

Cafe Day!

Today was a great day in cafe! We finished our discussion about Number the Stars. We began with a short discussion about predictions we had made that were realized, as well as some that did not happen. Exciting moments in the story were discussed, and we shared our sadness about Peter's death. As we grow, we're finding that not all stories have happy endings, like the books we read when we were younger. During next week's cafe, we will hear from Fritz Ottenheimer, a Jewish author, who will share his experience of living during Hitler's reign.

A new project is in the works to inspire our classmates and others to read! We are creating Top Ten lists! We are sharing our favorite books with ten reasons why others should read them (#1 will be the MOST IMPORTANT reason). Later, our lists will be shared as a top ten countdown! This project was started in class today and is due next Thursday. Hopefully, our reasons will be convincing.

Empathy continued to be our topic in our class meeting for the Olweus Bullying Program. We reviewed a bit and then created "Someone Else's Shoes!" On each shoe is an example of a time when we showed empathy or empathy was shown to us. Many great examples were shared. Being able to show empathy deepens our friendships and relationships with others.

Tomorrow, all sixth grade students will be traveling to the Canonsburg Middle School for a Winter Concert! Please be on time, as buses will be leaving shortly after attendance is taken.

PLEASE SHARE YOUR PROGRESS REPORT WITH YOUR PARENTS/GUARDIANS! THE BOTTOM PORTION MUST BE SIGNED AND RETURNED.

Special thanks to Brianna and Becca, as well as their parents, for the delicious drinks in cafe today.

Homework:
Reading - Top Ten List due next Thursday
Math - Finish study guide. Chapter Test tomorrow.
Spelling - Study your list
Social Studies - Quiz tomorrow.
Science - Hot Air Balloon sheet due Friday
Wellness - Mr. Barzan's sheet is due on Monday

Over the Hump Day!

Many students are busily preparing for the upcoming C.I.S. concert! Mrs. McIlvaine and Mr. Gasper have been taking their groups for large group practices, and we are sure that the concert will be entertaining for all. Some students felt that the music practices were the reason that it snowed today! They feel that the songs and music are magical!

In addition to the music rehearsals, we have started the preliminary rounds of the Geography Bee sponsored by National Geographic. Today, we worked through the first three rounds. Next week, we'll finish the last four. Before the holiday break, we'll have a winner who will represent our classroom in the next round. Exciting!

We read our story about survival, From a Spark, in Language Arts. Brian did survive, and we pulled for him as he used the one tool he had, a hatchet. We discovered, after all our predictions, that he did start and use a fire! Many of us thought that a fire was necessary for the same reasons as Brian.

Homework:
Reading - Be ready for our cafe tomorrow! Your role should be complete.
Math - 5 problems! Chapter test on Friday.
Science - Hot Air Balloon due Friday.
Social Studies - Quiz on Climate and Vegetation of L. America Friday.
Wellness - Tobacco worksheet due Monday. Open book exercise is due Friday.

Survival

After skill practice, building background knowledge, and practicing new vocabulary, we are ready to read about Brian and his exciting adventure in the wilderness of northern Canada. His story is one of survival, and today, we tried to put ourselves in his shoes. We talked about what it would be like to be stranded alone in the wilderness. What would we do first? How would we meet our most basic needs? We're anxious to see how Brian survives being in this scary situation.

In Social Studies, we reviewed the two main ideas from yesterday's lesson about the climate and vegetation of Latin America. The first big idea was that the climate varies greatly in Latin America, even within the same country. The second big idea was that elevation, nearness to the Equator, and winds from the water affect climate in Latin America. Together, we supported those two big ideas with examples we learned in class yesterday.

Homework:
Reading - Practice vocabulary with p. 62 in practice book. Finish Number the Stars and complete your final role for the story.
Math - Keep on Climbing division worksheet. Chapter test Friday.
Science - Hot Air Balloon worksheet
Wellness - sheet for Mr. Barzan
Social Studies - Quiz Friday

Studying Latin America and Other Interesting Topics

The climate regions of Latin America were discussed in Social Studies today. We reviewed the factors that influence climate; elevation, distance from an ocean, and distance from the equator. We studied Latin America's land regions, and looked at climate and vegetation maps. Since South America is so huge, there are a variety of climate regions. The one that fascinates us the most is the tropical wet area of the Amazon river basin, probably because it is so different from where we live, and of such great importance to the world. Please check out the new link to your right to learn more about the rainforest areas.

Mr. Barzan stopped in for a second visit to share more about tobacco. Today, he zeroed in on the dangerous chemicals that are in cigarettes. He itemized the ingredients hiding inside cigarettes, as well as what they can do to your body. Diseases that can result from cigarette smoking were discussed, and to illustrate what the diseases may feel like, Mr. Barzan conducted a demonstration. Each student was given a very thin straw. They were asked to stand and jog for awhile in place. Afterwards, the students were asked to breathe only through the straw. Many felt that it was difficult to do, and they felt pressure in their chest that they normally didn't. Most agreed that it didn't feel good. The students and I always appreciate Mr. Barzan's visits. His lessons are so important to our health and well being.

In Language Arts, we're moving onto a new story! It's a survival story titled 'From a Spark' that is an excerpt from the award winning 'Hatchet' by Gary Paulsen. To prepare for the story, we reviewed the skill of making predictions. New spelling words that are a bit tricky were assigned for the coming two weeks. They're tricky because they have some silent consonants and vowels. Spelling City will be an excellent tool for practice.

Homework:
Reading - Share your new 'Family Times' paper. Also, read the remaining chapters of Number the Stars. Complete your role for Thursday's cafe.
Math - Finish decimal worksheet for tomorrow.
Spelling - Trace +2 due tomorrow.
Science - Worksheet (use passage from the other paper).
Wellness - Finish Tobacco paper for Mr. Barzan for next week.

A Song in Our Hearts

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Students in Mrs. Mac's class have been taking part in Music this first semester with Mrs. C. McIlvaine. We've enjoyed learning so much about opera and various composers of opera. Other things we've enjoyed include playing Boomwhackers and drums. Most recently, we have been learning how to play the piano. We've been taught to play an excerpt from an opera, Turandot, which is one of the operas we studied. The slideshow above shows our class practicing Spring in China. Enjoy!

Homework:
Reading - Please read the rest of Number the Stars and complete your final role for next Thursday.

HAVE FUN AT ACTIVITY NIGHT! DON'T FORGET YOUR TICKET!!!

Walking in Someone Else's Shoes

Today's class meeting topic was empathy. We want to learn to show empathy so that we may develop closer and more true relationships with other people. In class, we talked about the meaning of empathy, ways to show it, and how it plays a role in bullying situations. Our group freely shared times when they showed empathy, as well as times they missed the opportunity. We also shared instances when it seems easier to show empathy as opposed to caring less. Empathy often results in compassion and a desire to help others. From now on, we're trying to think about what it would be like to walk in someone else's shoes.

During our time in McD's Reading Cafe, we shared our roles for chapters 6-10 in Number the Stars. We're very involved in the story of Annemarie and her family and friends. Parts of the story are making us feel tense and uncertain. Many of us identify with the main character Annemarie, as she tries to be brave during these difficult circumstances. Our palms were sweating as we read about the soldier who wanted to open the casket of Annemarie's Great-aunt Birte, who we know does not exist. Annemarie's mother was really thinking quickly when she told the soldier that her aunt died of typhus to prevent him from opening the casket. This particular portion of the story was really frightening for most of us. We're looking forward to the final chapters. We enjoyed great discussions during cafe today, and we thank Emily and Ben, as well as their parents, for the delicious drinks.

Homework:
Reading - Our quizzes for 'A Trouble-Making Crow' are tomorrow (including assigned spelling list). Please be ready. Also, finish Number the Stars, along with your final role, for next Thursday.
Math - Stained glass worksheet and quiz tomorrow.
Social Studies - Review study guide and pages of Ch.1, Les. 1 (Geography of Latin America) for tomorrow's quiz.
DON'T FORGET THAT YOUR GIVING TREE GIFTS ARE DUE TOMORROW!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!

Crows That Spell T-R-O-U-B-L-E!

Our Language Arts story, A Trouble-Making Crow by Jean Craighead George, was a very interesting story. We learned more than we ever knew about crows, and most of the information was so surprising! Actually, many of us will never look at crows quite the same way. Ms. George has a vast knowledge of nature, and she shares this knowledge in the many stories she has written for children. Students who enjoyed this story may also enjoy her first novel, My Side of the Mountain. Check it out!

Our Social Studies review today challenged all "HOOPERS!" When a team answered their review question about the geography of Latin America correctly, they were allowed to shoot to double their points. Some had just the right touch! Others....well, as long as they can apply the information, that's the most important thing (wink, wink).

Homework:
Reading - Study. Quizzes on A Trouble-Making Crow this Friday. Be prepared for Cafe tomorrow.
Math - Multiplying decimal sheet
Spelling - Quiz Friday
Social Studies - Geography quiz on Friday
PSSA Practice - Page 37 PSSA Language Arts for Monday

We're Thankful!

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Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving! Have fun, and we'll see you next week!

Learning More About Sentences

I thought you might enjoy this cute video about Mr. Morton after our lesson today on complete, simple, and compound subjects. It is my hope that you'll be humming it all night long, and it will help you to remember what every sentence needs to be complete. You may notice some pretty choppy sentences in the song, but we will continue our fight against choppy sentences in class tomorrow. Enjoy!

Homework:
Reading - Read chapters 6-10 in Number the Stars and complete your assigned role for next Thursday's cafe!
Math - worksheets and quiz tomorrow - also shopping spree assignment is due
Spelling - Trace + 2! Don't forget to visit Spelling City in links!
Writing - Grammar p. 26


DON'T FORGET TO RETURN YOUR ACTIVITY NIGHT FORM!

Mr. Barzan Visits Our Classroom

Recently, Mr. Barzan has been seen toting a rather large cigarette around! OH NO! Actually, it is a blow up cigarette with many facts about cigarette use written all over it. He visited today to share information about tobacco use and the consequences of using. Today, he began by asking us what we know about tobacco. We shared and compiled a list of what we felt we knew in groups. After we shared, Mr. Barzan shared some facts too! This is his first visit on this topic. He will be presenting other short lessons in the coming weeks. Thanks, Mr. Barzan!

Today in Social Studies we learned about the main physical features of Latin America. We talked about the rainforests, Amazon River and the Andes Mountains. We also talked about some new vocabulary words, such as isthmus, coral, pampas, tributary, and plateau. Latin America covers a huge area! We are looking forward to learning more.

Our topic in Language Arts today was making judgements! We often make judgements, or form opinions about people, things, and ideas. Today's lesson taught us to look for supporting evidence when authors make judgements. It also taught us that WE should have supporting evidence for OUR judgements.

Homework:
Reading - Share new 'Family Times' sheet. Read chapter 6-10 in Number the Stars and complete your role.
Spelling - Trace +2 due on Wednesday.
Math - Finish puzzle worksheet
Social Studies - Study. Brief quiz on Wednesday.
Science - page 2 of packet
PSSA p. 37 due for next PSSA class (Lang. Arts)

Busy Friday!

It was a busy week and a busy Friday! Today, we tied up some loose ends; completing writings and working on reading/roles for our next cafe, since we have a shortened week with the coming of Thanksgiving. We also brushed up on our fluency in writing by revising a story about Thanksgiving, with short choppy sentences, into something more enjoyable to read. All in all, we accomplished so much!

The pictures above are from Wednesday's Science class with Miss Fitch, Ms. Scheidler's field student from CAL. Her lesson, Physical and Chemical Changes, was presented to group 308. One of the activities for her lesson involved the students observing a lit candle for physical and chemical changes. The students noted changes in the wick, the wax, etc. These physical and chemical changes were discussed following the experiment.

Homework:
Reading - Please read chapters 6-10 in Number the Stars and complete your role. Our next cafe will take place the Thursday after Thanksgiving
Social Studies - Study. We will have a short quiz on Wednesday.
Science - Finish crossword and read "What is Matter?" and answer questions on back.

Readers that Rock!

Newly formed groups were working together in McD's Cafe today! Our historical fiction story, Number the Stars, is one that is keeping us on edge. With every turn, we are worrying about our main characters, who are compassionate, courageous people in a very difficult situation.

We seem to improve our discussions with each cafe. We share our thoughts and listen when others share. The voices are quiet, as if we are really in a public cafe. Special thanks to Devin and Kylah, as well as their parents, for the delicious drinks.

Homework:
Reading - Read chapters 6-10 in Number the Stars for our next cafe after Thanksgiving break. Complete your assigned role.
Writing - Finish your narrative for tomorrow.
Math - Swimmers' Snack Bar sheet and study for quiz tomorrow.
Wellness - Skin, Hair, Nails sheet due tomorrow.

Writers at Work!

Could you smell the wood burning today? Our class was hard at work on our personal narratives. We wrote about a new or different event that resulted in a change in our lives. The events that evoke the strongest emotions within us make the best personal narratives. Today's drafts were colorful and varied. There were stories about moving to a new town, saying goodbye to a father, welcoming a new baby into the family, embarrassing moments, and others. Some were so funny, while others brought tears to our eyes. Many of us shared our stories with Mrs. Mac and began typing after editing. Look for them on display! They're great stories!

One sure sign of the holiday season is extra chorus rehearsals! Today was the first large group practice. We will be doubling up each week until the concert.

Homework:
Reading - The first 5 chapters of Number the Stars will be discussed in cafe tomorrow. Make sure you're prepared with your role!
Math - Practice page (Dollar Day at the Flea Market)
Writing - Personal narrative is due by Friday
Wellness - Personal health plan is due Friday

Things We May Never Understand

Now that we have finished reading The Telephone Call, we began to think more about the way the story ended, with the words "there were things we would never understand." We were asked to think about what things the characters in the story felt they would never understand. Many of us expressed that we've heard those words before, usually when life changing or tramatic events occur, like those our characters experienced. Today in Language Arts, we searched for those things in the story. We will use a portion of the text to support our answer.

After we began organizing the information from the story that pertained to the prompt, Mrs. Mac took us aside in small groups to hear our chosen journal entries. Many of us are going to town on our journals, but some had some unfinished work. Work that was complete and showed evidence of our effort received a high score.

In Social Studies, we began exploring Latin America using various maps in a group atlas activity. Tomorrow, we will continue the activity and share what we've found.

Our Health class was devoted to the study of hair, skin, and nails. We learned what we must do to keep them healthy.

Homework:
Reading - Finish your final copy of your prompt. Also, read chapters 2-5 in Number the Stars and complete your role.
Math - Homerun balls worksheet
Social Studies - Finish page one of atlas activity
Science - In the Lab Rules
Wellness - Personal Health Plan due Friday

11/11/11 Veterans Day!

Thank you to our veterans on this special day. We know that freedom is not free, and we appreciate your sacrifices.

Homework:
Reading - Please read chapters 3-5 in Number the Stars, and complete your role for Thursday.
Writing - Make sure your journal is complete and ready to share on Monday.
SHARE YOUR TEST PACKET AND HAVE IT SIGNED, ALONG WITH YOUR FRIDAY FOLDER.

New Novel!

This sand artist is amazing! Watch the video, and see if you can follow her story. Tomorrow, we'll discuss what you were able to understand from her art.

During our Readers' Cafe today, we were introduced to our new novel, Number the Stars, by Lois Lowry. The novel is a Newbery Medal winner that tells the story of Annemarie Johansen and her best friend, Ellen Rosen. It takes place in Denmark during 1943, a time when Jewish people are being persecuted. During our cafe, Mrs. Rader and Mrs. McIlvaine shared some historical information as well as the first two chapters of the story. We are in new discussion groups and are looking forward to reading this book.

This afternoon, we gathered for our class meeting. It was time to think about all the rules we've learned in regards to anti-bullying. To review, we worked in our groups with Bullying Rules Roundup Cards. Each card gave a scenario, and we were to apply a specific rule. We had great sharing in our groups, and we brought our ideas to a close with the whole class at the end.

Homework:
Reading - Review vocabulary and story. Quiz tomorrow on story and assigned spelling list.
Math - Do one practice page. Study - quiz tomorrow.
Science - Quiz tomorrow.
Readers' Cafe - Read chapters 2-5 in Number the Stars. Prepare your assigned role based on the first 5 chapters.

Report Card Day

Students received their report cards today. An overall great effort is being rewarded! In addition to the report card, look for a fluency letter, parent/teacher conference information, classroom newsletter, and other important documents. The report card can be kept, but the envelope needs to be signed and returned.

In Language Arts, we thought more deeply about the characters and events in The Telephone Call. The main characters were all dealing with grief in different ways. John, for instance was objective and knew all the right things to say and do, while Vicky was empathetic and felt helpless to act or speak. Each character was hurting, and their actions and conversations they had with each other in the story helped us to know them better. On Friday, we will conclude our review of the story.

Tomorrow is the kick-off to our new novel, Number the Stars. Our group will join with Mrs. Rader's group to build some background knowledge, hear Mrs. Rader and Mrs. Mac read the first two chapters, and receive our reading and roles in our new groups.

On Friday, Social Studies books will be exchanged. We are moving on to Latin America.

Homework:
Reading - Quizzes on Friday. Review your vocabulary and story.
Math - A Weighty Decision
Science - Quiz on Friday.
Spelling - Quiz on Friday. Study your words.
SHARE YOUR REPORT CARD WITH YOUR PARENTS/GUARDIANS. RETURN THE SIGNED ENVELOPE AND CONFERENCE FORM.

One Day Here, One Day Off!

The extra hour helped us to see a brighter morning! It was nice seeing the sun come up earlier, but it will be hard seeing it set so early. We'll all have to make the most of these seemingly shorter days.

To help you ease into this change, you will have tomorrow off! The teachers have an in-service day, so you can enjoy the sunshine all day long. Please remember to return on Wednesday!

Our shorter Language Arts period did allow us to review and put finishing touches on our Reading benchmark tests. Some had needed a little more time, so we all checked our work. The teachers will be reviewing benchmark results tomorrow. These results will tell us what skills need more attention.

In Social Studies, we concluded our presentations. The final projects will be on display in our hallway. They're very interesting journals!

Homework:
Reading - Please reread The Telephone Call in your reading book. Read it to your cat, dog, goldfish, brother, sister, mom, or dad. OR...quietly to yourself.
Math - finish workbook p. 18 (front and back)
Spelling - Study your list! You may use Spelling City on our links! Test Friday.
Social Studies - Study. Quiz on Wednesday.
Science - Study. Test Friday.

Just a Reminder

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Homework:
Language Arts - Share 'Family Times' and complete spelling practice, Trace +2 for your new list
Social Studies - Your presentations will conclude on Monday
HAVE A RESTFUL AND FUN WEEKEND!

African Travels

Today, we began to present our Travel Journal assignments in class. The work was impressive, and each of us learned more about the various countries chosen. There were colorful flags, delicious recipe ideas, and fictional, but interesting tales of what we saw and did in the country. In the slideshow above, we are sharing our favorite pages from our project. Enjoy!

Our Olweus bullying discussion centered on rule #4 today. Rule 4 is- If we know that somebody is being bullied, we will tell an adult at school and an adult at home. Many students participated in the discussion with their great ideas about why students are reluctant to report, and what we could do at school to make it more likely that students will report. Telling an adult is not "tattling," but keeping someone safe. We all want our school to be bully-free.

Homework:
Reading - Tomorrow we will be reading our new story. Review your vocabulary tonight.
Math - finish packet pages and study for benchmark
Social Studies - presentations will continue

There's a Whole Lotta Testing Goin' On

On the heels of the Terra Nova Tests have come the Benchmark Tests. Our classes began with the Language Arts Benchmarks today. It made everyone feel good to see that all the skills tested were familiar from the first nine weeks. Hopefully, we applied everything we've learned to the passages in the test. If not, we'll know what we need to work on.

Today marks the end of the nine week period. Report cards are just around the corner. Our slates have been wiped clean, as far as gold notes and detentions. It's time to start anew.

Once more, Canonsburg General Hospital and Project Healthy Children are sponsoring an essay contest to honor the Thanksgiving season. Students are challenged to write a 300 word essay telling about something they are thankful for and why. The essay is due back to Mrs. Mac on November 8th. There are great prizes, and some of the winning entries may be published in the Observer Reporter. We all should be very thankful for what we have. Let's give this writing a shot!

Homework:
Language Arts - Rewrite given paragraph more fluently by using compound and complex sentences.
Math - Practice sheets (2)
Social Studies - Travel Journal assignment is due tomorrow.
PLEASE LOOK AT THE FORM FOR THE "GIVING THANKS" ESSAY!

Happy Halloween!

Wishing all students a fun and safe time as they dress up and go trick-or-treating tonight. Make sure others can see you, and take your candy home to inspect before gobbling!

We had a productive day and are quite amazed that tomorrow is the beginning of November! It is also the end of our first nine weeks! Report cards are right around the corner. Today, we participated in a couple of graded activities, including a quiz in Social Studies about the cultures of North Africa and a quiz on our solar system in Science. We were able to visit the computer lab for work on our Travel Journal assignment. In addition, we learned tips for building our word power in PSSA prep. The day flew by because we were so busy.

Homework:
Math - Finish polygon packet and complete worksheet given in class.
Social Studies - Travel Journal is due 11/2 (this Wednesday).

Trick or Treat!

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Today, everyone seemed to enjoy dressing up in costumes for the day! Some of us wore them all day long! We hope you enjoy our slideshow!

Throughout the day, we visited learning stations for various skill activities. For Reading, Mrs. Mac read The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, and we identified simple, compound, and complex sentences found in the story. We visited our blog for practice with idioms and drew the literal meaning while writing the true meaning. As a Social Studies activity, we read more about the cultures of Africa and answered some questions about what we learned. For Science, we created a chart of the Phases of the Moon. At the Math station, we created a monster of geometric shapes. Our natural high was the topic of our Health station, to wrap up our Red Ribbon Week.

Homework:
SHARE CONTENTS OF FRIDAY FOLDER, GET TEST PACKET AND ENVELOPE SIGNED.

T-E-A-M!

Today we showed our team spirit for Red Ribbon Week by wearing our favorite team jerseys. Win or lose, we're choosing to live without drugs. The team spirit was also evident during our Language Arts classes. We worked together to peer edit our four paragraph comparison essays, as we looked for fluent sentences, correct punctuation and capitalization, correct spelling, and structured paragraphs. We hope you enjoy the slideshow of our team work.

This afternoon, we had our Olweus meeting for the week. We discussed trying to include students who are left out. Many of us see it and recognize that something should be done. So, many shared their good ideas with others during the discussion.

Some of us also visited our library today. We are exploring Culture Grams, a program we are presently using in Social Studies for our Travel Journal assignment.

Homework:
Language Arts - Finish your good copy of your comparison essay for tomorrow.
Math - 3 polygon pages
Social Studies - Open book quiz tomorrow
Science - Study! Test on Monday.
WEAR YOUR COSTUME TO SCHOOL TOMORROW! REMEMBER: DON'T BE TRICKED - DRUGS ARE NO TREAT!

Get a Clue!

We have a clue! Today, we saw the exciting ending to Get a Clue; a film based on the Newbery Medal winning book The Westing Game. It was fun seeing spunky 12-year-old "Turtle" Wexler in the film trying to win the game set up by the mysterious Mr. Westing. Although the movie was very different from the book, we enjoyed watching and taking notes on differences and similarities. Many had their papers filled and needed a second sheet! We began our four paragraph comparison essay and will work on editing and typing tomorrow.

Today's message for Red Ribbon Week involved us bringing in canned goods for our local food bank. What an outpouring of generosity! So many students and teachers contributed! It was so nice to see! Tomorrow, we are to wear our favorite team jerseys! We are teaming up against drugs! Once again....LET'S WORK TOGETHER!

We concluded work today on our Terra Nova tests. It appeared that everyone was working hard and doing their best. Great job!

Homework:
ATTENTION! I AM TYPING THIS FROM HOME BECAUSE THE INTERNET WAS DOWN AT THE END OF THE DAY. THEREFORE, I MAY BE LEAVING THINGS OUT! HOPEFULLY, EVERYONE COPIED THE ASSIGNMENTS FROM THE BOARD INTO AGENDAS.

Writing - Finish your 4 paragraph draft of your comparison essay tonight.
Social Studies - Quiz this Friday. Also, your Travel Journal is due 11/2.

You Won't See Me Doing Drugs!

Again, we all worked together to show our support for Red Ribbon Week! Everywhere we looked today, students were wearing their camo and black to send the message that we won't be seen doing drugs. It was a lot of fun! Tomorrow's theme is "I CAN say no to drugs!" We are bringing in canned food items for our local food bank. Let's work together again!

Two days down with Terra Nova Testing! One more to go! Today we took parts one and two of Math. Tomorrow, we'll take part two of Reading, and we're done! Yay!

After singing our hearts out in chorus, we all watched Get A Clue, the movie based on The Westing Game. As we watched, we took notes on similarities and differences between the movie and book. Tomorrow, we'll begin to draft our comparison essay. Most students agreed that the book is our favorite, even though we enjoyed the movie.

Homework:
GET A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP AND EAT A GOOD BREAKFAST!
Math - Study for tomorrow's quiz
Social Studies - Travel Journal due 11/2
Science - Study --test on Monday
BRING IN A CANNED FOOD ITEM FOR OUR LOCAL FOOD BANK! THANKS!