A Kid for President!

In the spirit of the upcoming U.S. Presidential Election, the students have been listening to Dan Gutman's The Kid Who Ran for President and The Kid Who Became President.  I've been sharing the stories orally for the ten minutes between transition and going to the cafeteria.  We finished book one, and the students could not wait to begin hearing book two today.  The books are very humorous, but they include information about our U.S. Constitution and the voting process.  If you have a child in my homeroom, ask them to tell you about these books!

 Opera is the new topic in Music!  Today the students learned about an aria, which is a solo in opera where the singer shows off his/her ability.  We are anxious to view the riddle scene from Turandot by the famous composer Puccini.  Mrs. (Music) McIlvaine teased us with a few details, but wouldn't give anything away.  We have to wait until next week!

In Language Arts, we practiced this week's skills at various stations set up within our room.  We reviewed the skill of determining cause and effect, as it applied to our story, forming complex and compound sentences using independent and dependent clauses, and spelling patterns in this week's words.  Everyone worked well! 

SHARE YOUR FRIDAY FOLDER AND TEST PACKET, ALONG WITH THE NEW STUDENT DIRECTORY!  HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!

Homework:
Reading - Read chapters 7&8 in From the Mixed-up Files... and complete role for Thursday.
Spelling - Continue to study words.
Social Studies - Tests are coming on Tuesday and Thursday.  Study your guides!
Science - Research needs to be done.
Wellness - Read pages 92-95 and complete questions. 

Cafe - Museum Walls

Slideshow personalized with Smilebox

We enjoyed participating in McD's Cafe today!  In addition to our normal literature group discussions, we studied museum walls, containing pictures of items involved in the story's plot.  Groups studied their walls, and they discussed how each item pertained to the story.  Individuals shared explanations.  The plot is thickening, and we're wondering how it will all work out for Claudia and Jamie.  Enjoy the slides of today's class.

Homework:

Math - worksheet
Reading - Read chapters 7 & 8 and complete your role for the 11th.
Writing - Make sure you've completed Grammar page 15.  It will be collected tomorrow.
Social Studies - Study your guides!  Climate and Vegetation Quiz for 308 on Tues., 310 on Thurs. and West African countries for all on Friday.
Wellness - Lesson #2 vocabulary and summary questions are due tomorrow.

What's Normal?

April's Mud

What is normal?  What's not?  Do you care about being normal?  April, one of the main characters in today's story, felt that her family was not normal.  They lived differently than others in her class, and this bothered her a bit.  Her family lived in a bus which was designed to be rather unique!  When her dad and mom had saved enough to build a home, they chose to build an authentic adobe home, making everything (including the bricks) by hand.  If you have a child in this class, ask she/he to tell you about this exciting family and what April learns in the process of this great project.  If you click on the words, April's Mud (underlined) above, you will be able to practice your key vocabulary words.

The grass dried in time for Phys. Ed. to take place outside!  Everyone was excited to play soccer!  I'm told that Tyler scored a goal today, and Logan seemed particularly proud of his collisions.  The kids returned to the room with sweaty faces, which is always a good sign!

They were certainly able to cool down by team Chorus with the original Mrs. McIlvaine. They proudly told me that they learned a few Christmas songs!  Wow!

The Africa chapter was concluded today.  Students have completed their study guides and will play a review game on Monday.

Homework:
Math - Math worksheet
Reading - Tomorrow is Cafe Day!  Be prepared!
Science - Finish notes for science research
Writing - Pg. 15  Grammar practice book
Wellness - Lesson 2, vocabulary and summary questions are due Friday

Learning About Clauses!

In an effort to write more fluent and information packed sentences, our class worked on using independent and dependent clauses today.  I presented the information in the form of a Powerpoint to help the students see the difference between the two types of clauses and how they are used to build compound and complex sentences.  Sentences were compared to houses.  Independent clauses (those that are sentences and can stand alone) were compared to adults, while dependent clauses (those that can't stand alone) were children.  Adults, one or more than one, can live in the house.  Children can live in the house with an adult, but not alone or only with other children.   The students were asked to think of the comma as where the dependent clause "holds hands" with the independent clause.  Compound sentences (the type made of two independent clauses) are held together by conjunctions (glue).  The comma is placed where the first independent clause ends; before the conjunction.  The class did very well building these sentences, identifying the clauses, and supplying the best conjunctions.

In Social Studies, Miss Albitz moved onto the second section of the chapter having to do with Africa's climate.  She discussed the various factors that affect climate, and the students found that if Africa would be folded in half on the Equator, its northern climate regions would mirror its southern climate regions.  The students are enjoying learning about Africa.

Homework:
Reading - Share your Family Times paper.  Also, read chapters 5 & 6 in our novel and complete your assigned role.
Spelling - Trace +2 for new word list will be due on Wednesday.
Writing - Grammar practice p. 14 is due tomorrow.
Social Studies - Test tomorrow.  Study!
Wellness - Lesson #2 vocabulary and summary questions are due Friday.

Cafe With a View!

Would you like to join us for McD's Cafe?  The video above gives you a view into this week's class!  This was only our second round of literature circles, but the students are doing so well with the preparation of their roles and conducting polite, interesting discussions.  I haven't had to say a word about voice level or off-task behavior!  They are focused and interested in what others think and have to say.  Enjoy!

Homework:
Math - Study! Test on Monday.  
Reading - Read chapters 5-6 and prepare your role for Thursday
Social Studies - Study all guides and map for Tuesday's test

SHARE YOUR FRIDAY FOLDERS AND TEST PACKETS!  BRING BOTH ITEMS BACK SIGNED ON MONDAY.

Wow, that's RADical!

 We have been thoroughly enjoying our novel, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.  The two main characters have run away from home to The Metropolitan Museum in New York City.  A museum of this size would make a wonderful place to hide, and Claudia insists that she and Jamie learn something every day of their stay.

Some students in the class have expressed that they do not remember ever visiting a museum.  This weekend may be the perfect opportunity if you have the time!  RADical Days are happening in Pittsburgh!  R.A.D. stands for The Allegheny Regional Asset District.  Our local sales tax dollars help support regional libraries, parks and trails, sports facilities, and arts and culture.  RADical Days offer citizens the opportunity to visit some of these places, on certain days, for free!  Some of the events happen this weekend!  I'm including a link, so that you may check out the great opportunities available.  Click on RADical Days below!

RADical Days

Homework:
Math - Practice sheet.  Test on Monday on Order of Operations
Reading - Quizzes tomorrow on Teammates. Study words and review the story.  Also, read chapters 5-6 of our novel and prepare your role for next Thursday.
Writing - If you haven't yet submitted your paper about Jackie Robinson, it is due tomorrow.
Spelling - Test tomorrow.  Study your words.
Social Studies - Study your study guides.  E.African countries test next Tuesday for both groups.  Land and Water test next  Tuesday for group 310.

Learning More Through Research

As a final activity relating to our biographical piece about Jackie Robinson, Teammates, we did a bit of research.  Each student focused on one aspect of Jackie Robinson's life that they wanted to learn more about.  Some wondered what he did after baseball.  Some wanted to learn more about his family.  Others wondered about his childhood.  The story gave us some information, but we had many questions!  The new things we've learned will be shared and hung in our classroom.  I will share pictures, so you'll learn too!

In Social Studies, we put our knowledge to the test!  Students took their African Land and Water test.  Miss Albitz shared that the results were great!

The students had Chorus today, and tomorrow in Music, they'll have their History of the Star-Spangled Banner test.  Tonight, review would be advised.

Homework:
Math - First Things First practice
Reading - Tomorrow is Cafe!  Be ready with your role for chapters 3-4.  Also, your story quiz will be on Friday.
Spelling - Quiz this Friday
Social Studies - 308 has a quiz on countries of E. Africa on Tuesday.  310 has the Land and Water test, as well as the quiz on E. Africa's countries on Tuesday.
TOMORROW IS PROGRESS REPORT DAY.