Homework over your winter break...

The only that you have to do over break is catch up with any late work, including RC quizzes.  AND...enjoy your family and time off!  Be ready to come back January 4th, rested, relaxed, and ready to work!

Polar Express reward day

Mariah keeps cool spelling and vocabulary

If you get bored...here are your new spelling and vocabulary words for the week of January 4th. The test will be on January 8th/.

Mariah Keeps Cool Spelling Words
district   address   complain   explain
improve   farther   simply   hundred
although   laughter   mischief   complex
partner   orphan   constant   dolphin
employ   sandwich   monster   orchard

Click here to play some games with your words


Mariah Keeps Cool Vocabulary Definitions
Test will be the second week of January!

1. amazingly - in a way that causes surprise or wonder.
2. celebration - a special activity that honors a person, event, or idea.
3. decorate - to make festive or beautiful.
4. detain - to delay or hold back.
5. festive - joyful or merry.
6. honor - to show respect for.
7. reluctant - unwilling to take action.
8. spectators - persons who watch an event or performance.
9. suspects - believes without being sure.
10. volunteered - to offer to do something of one’s own free will, usually without being paid.
11. staples - basic foods or other commodities always produced and sold in large amounts because of steady demand.
12. stifle - to hold back or suppress.

Click here to practice your vocabulary words

12-17-15

Homework: Read 20 minutes

Tomorrow is our PJ and Polar Express movie in the afternoon.

Remember to send in your box tops!  The contest runs until January 22!

Tomorrow is our last day before Winter Break. We'll resume classes January 4th.

12-16-15

Homework tonight:
Kids who have to retake the spelling test, study for tomorrow.

Read 20 minutes

RC #7 was due yesterday, but the next one is not due until January 15th.  This is a perfect time, for kids who are behind to catch up! Read over break!!

12-15-15

Homework tonight:

NOT A PARTY, PARTY NOTICE  

Please allow your 5^th grader to bring a drink & snack to enjoy tomorrow, Wed., Dec. 16^th.  Students will be celebrating the Holidays during Study Hall. With your permission, they may bring one board game.

Thank you,

                                        Your 5^th grade teachers 

------------------------------------------------

BOX tops

Winter box tops contest: Now through January 22

Collect box tops over the holidays and return them after break! The winning class gets a surprise!

12-14-15

Homework:

RC #7 due tomorrow

Spelling rewrites: If you didn't pass last week's spelling test, rewrite the words you missed 5 times each. We'll have a retest on Thursday

Vocabulary worksheet: Use your James Forten vocabulary words (in your folder) 

This should help to study for tomorrow's vocabulary test. Study for your vocabulary test!

Wednesday: At study hall time the kids are allowed to bring their favorite board game and a snack.

Friday: Wear your pjs.  We are going to watch the Polar Express at the high school in the afternoon!  

12-10-15

We had a very busy day today! We took the Reading Counts quiz over Katie's trunk. We studied for our vocabulary test on a game called kahoot. The kids did some word processing around the topic of people who were trailblazers in their field. We also worked on our summarizing skills using some Revolutionary War videos. They worked hard! I am very proud of them today.

Homework:
Read 20 minutes
 Study for tomorrow's spelling test
 Make sure your late work is caught up!

12-9-15

Homework for tonight:
Integrity paragraph: 5 or more sentences about a time when you did the right thing, even when it was hard.
Rewrites for spelling: if you didn't pass the pretest
Spelling test Friday over James Forten words
Vocabulary test next week: Use this link to practice https://quizlet.com/19041045/james-forten-reading-vocabulary-words-and-definitions-flash-cards/

Grade reports and other important things....

My grade reports are coming home today and tomorrow!  Mine do not have to be signed and returned, but please be on the lookout for them.  If you have any questions, please contact me!

Remember to sign and return the technology note!

RC#7 is due next Tuesday, quiz #8 will be due on January 15th!  That'll give some kids time to catch up!

Homework for tonight:
Read 20 minutes
Any late work???
Spelling test on Friday

Behavior Reward PBIS party (2nd quarter)

2^nd Quarter PBIS Reward Party for students who have earned it, will be held on December 18^th.  Students will have a pajama day and go to the HS Auditorium to watch “Polar Express”. 

K-4 students will attend in the morning from 8:30 until approximately 10:30.  5-6 students will attend in the afternoon from 1:00 to approximately 3:00.

5^th/6^th will have regular specials schedule in the a.m. They will receive hot cocoa/cookies in the lunchroom during the last 10 mintutes of their specials time.

K-4 will have an alternate specials schedule this day. They will start in the music room and end with hot cocoa/cookies in the art room.

K-4 Specials schedule is as follows:

3rd         10:30-11:00

4^th           11:00-11:30

Kdg        11:30-12:00

2^nd          12:30-1:00

1^st           1:00-1:30

Have a Great Holiday Season!

PBIS Rewards Committe

12-7-15

Homework:
Parent signatures on Technology note
Read 20 minutes
page 304 (questions after the Katie's trunk story)
Conjunction quiz corrections (if you got a D or an F on the quiz)
Pretest tomorrow over James Forten words

James Forten Spelling and vocabulary words

James Forten Vocabulary Definitions (Test 12-15)
1. abolitionists - persons who felt that slavery should be against the law.
2. apprentice - someone who works for another person in order to learn a trade.
3. assisted - helped, aided.
4. captives - prisoners.
5. conflict - a struggle or war.
6. dread - great fear.
7. encouraged - gave support to and inspired.
8. enslavement - the process by which one person becomes the property of another.
9. influential - the power to affect events or sway opinions.
10. privateers - privately owned ships that are ordered by the government to attack enemy ships during a war.
11. tacking - changing the course of a boat.
12. hold - the lower inside of a ship or airplane, where cargo is stored.



James Forten Spelling Words (Test Friday)
jewel sparkle angle shovel mineral
single normal angel legal influential
whistle fossil puzzle bushel vital
mortal gentle level label neutral
pedal ankle needle devil kernel

Food drive

The students brought a note home on Friday regarding the FFA food drive.  Each class has been challenged to bring non-perishable food items.  The winning class will be given a pizza party, put on by the FFA. Please check your cupboards and send in what you can!

List of items the food bank is a in a large need of....
Fruit (canned)
Hot cereals
Tang/ fruit juices
Dry beans
Rice
Jello
Pudding
Tuna
Canned vegetables
Soup
Peanut butter
Macaroni
Spaghetti
Flour
Sugar
Vegetable oil
Soap

Some links that might help....Katie's Trunk quizzes on Monday

Listen to the story Katie's Trunk before our RC quiz on Monday!

Study for Monday's vocabulary test

Bowling for PE

I'm not sure what color days Bram and Valley have PE, ask the kids, they know!  Haugen's group goes on Blue days.

Friday, December 4  Blue (Haugen)

6^th grade 8:15-9:00

5^th grade 9:00-9:50

Next week   

December 8  White

6^th grade 8:15-9:00

5^th grade 9:00-9:50

December 9  Blue (Haugen)

6^th grade 8:15-9:00

5^th grade 9:00-9:50

4^th grade 9:50-11:15

December 10  Green

6^th grade 8:15-9:00

5^th grade 9:00-9:50

December 11 White

6^th grade 8:15-9:00

5^th grade 9:00-9:50

4^th grade 9:50-11:15

12-3-15

Study for tomorrow's spelling test.
Read!

12-2-15

I will be away at a meeting for the next two days.  I can check my email periodically, but may not be able to respond immediately.  Questions, or need to get a message to your kiddos the next two days, call the office.

Homework:
Read 20 minutes
Haugen's and Bram's class: conjunction worksheet

Spelling test Friday: Katie's trunk words
Vocabulary test Monday

Katie’s trunk vocabulary words
1. arming	equip or supply with weapons
2. skittish	nervous and jumpy
3. just	honorable and fair
4. fierce	intense; ferocious
5. skirmish	small, short fight; a minor battle
6. peered	looked at with concentration
7. rebels	person who opposes the government in power
8. kin	relatives; family
9. drilling	performing training exercises
10. seams	lines formed by sewing two pieces of material together

Spelling Words

1.  equal               11.  shoulder

2.  parlor              12.  novel

3.  collect             13.  tulip

4.  closet              14.  sorrow

5.  perhaps          15.  vanish

6.  wedding         16.  essay

7.  rapid                17.  publish

8.  value               18.  aware

9.  arrive               19.  subject

10.  behave         20.  prefer

12-1-15

Read 20 minutes
Tomorrow is an early out!

Work on your stamina.  Stay focused when you read!!

Google accounts

Yesterday our students were given BK Google Apps accounts. We will use these accounts, for the writing process. Students learned yesterday how to open a new document, and share with each other and me. Assignments will be given using Google Docs. All students will have access to their accounts at school, so don't worry if you do not have the internet at home. Although the account names are email addresses, students do not use an actual email account. If you have any questions about how we will be using these accounts, please give me a call anytime!

11-23-15

Homework:
Read 20 minutes: Your next quiz is due on Monday
Tomorrow is the lip sync contest!

11-20-15

Well, here's our first snowstorm of the year, and it's a big one!  Things to do over the weekend....
*Study your vocabulary words for Monday's test
*Bram's homeroom didn't get their spelling test done due to the dismissal, so study
*All three classes can restudy for their History test. Ms. Bram is planning on letting them look the tests over on Monday, since our focus was on SNOW today more than anything else.
*Work on late work.  There were a lot of kids with late work today.  Check for spelling rewrites, spelling word sort, and vocabulary sentences.  They were due over the last three days, and several students are missing one of them.
*Read: nothing better than curling up on a snow day and reading a good book

11-19-15

Study your spelling for tomorrow's test: Paul Revere words

And Then What Happened, Paul Revere? Spelling Words
theater actor mirror powder
humor anger banner pillar
major thunder flavor finger
mayor polar clover burglar
tractor matter lunar quarter

Students who have a spelling test tomorrow, also have their word sorting worksheet to complete.

Challenge words: oyster, clamor, tremor, scholar, chamber

Start studying for Monday's vocabulary test
1. cargo - the freight carried by a ship or other vehicle.
2. colonies - territories ruled by or belonging to another country.
3. express - fast, direct, and often nonstop.
4. liberty - freedom from the control of others.
5. oppose - to be against something or someone.
6. Patriot - a colonist who was against British rule in the time of the Revolutionary War.
7. revolutionary - connected with complete change.
8. sentries - guards who are posted at a spot to keep watch.
9. taxes - monies that people must pay in order to support a government.
10. ewers - large, wide-mouthed pitchers or jugs.
11. volley - many shots fired at the same time.
12. foundry - a place in which metals are cast and molded.

READ

Thursday computer lab

https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/use-dictionary-definitions

https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-5/use-thesaurus-entries

https://www.ixl.com/ela/grade-7/determine-the-meaning-of-words-using-synonyms-in-context

http://www.tv411.org/reading/understanding-what-you-read/strategies-better-reading/activity/1/1

http://www.professorgarfield.org/ReadingRing/Strips/strips.html

http://www.tv411.org/reading/understanding-what-you-read/truth-advertising/activity/2/1

http://www.quia.com/ba/41785.html

http://www.philtulga.com/Riddles.html

http://mrnussbaum.com/deluxe-paralaughs/

http://mrnussbaum.com/teacher-play/

http://mrnussbaum.com/xsurgeons-play

11-18-15

Homework:
Spelling rewrites
Vocabulary sentences
Read!!!

11-17

Tomorrow is an early out. Watch the weather, it is supposed to start getting cold this week. Remember to send appropriate outdoor clothing for recess.

Homework tonight:
Read 20 minutes
Begin studying your spelling and vocabulary for the Paul Revere story.
Spelling test on Friday, vocabulary test next Monday.

11-16-15

Homework:
Read 20 minutes
Make sure your late work is caught up!

Main idea games

http://www.roomrecess.com/pages/MainIdea.html

http://www.pspb.org/blueribbon/games/burger/burger.html

http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela4/h/mainideap2.cfm

https://www.superteachertools.us/jeopardyx/jeopardy-review-game-from-com.php?gamefile=#.VkokynarTow

11-15-15

We are now beginning our third theme.  We are going to be using our reading skills to learn about the revolutionary war.  We will be reading fiction and nonfiction stories during this theme.

In spelling this week:
Monday: New words (Paul Revere)
Tuesday: Pretest (Pass the pretest, you only have challenge words for Friday)
Wednesday: Rewrites and spelling analogies
Thursday: Word sort
Friday: Test

In vocabulary this week:
Monday: Complete the vocab part of the BIG end of theme 2 test
Tuesday: New words
Wednesday: Using your words in a sentence
Thursday: Synonyms
Friday: Spelling and vocabulary baseball

In reading this week:
We'll be reading And Then What Paul Revere?  We'll be continuing with our main idea unit. Author's viewpoint, Fact and Opinion, and timelines will also be practiced. Our quiz over this story will be on Friday.

In language this week: Conjunctions, diagramming sentences, and using commas to connect sentences.

RC quiz #5 due Monday
There was no homework this weekend.

11-12-15

What a great day...we accomplished so much today. The kids worked hard today reviewing and practicing several skills during our time together.  I separated the kids into groups of 4, and had the room set up in learning centers.  The students spent 15 minutes on each center.  See the pictures below for an explanation of each center.

In this center, students used our new Power Pens to work on their comprehension skills. They read a story on the card, and then flipped the cards over. Using the power pens, they answered questions.  If they answered correctly, the pen light becomes green.

 In this center, the students practiced their weekly vocabulary cards.  One student read the definition, while the rest of the group wrote their answer on their individual whiteboards.

 In this center, students used an IPAD, Surface, and laptop to play homophone games in preparation for tomorrow's quiz.

 This is a fluency center.  The students read a passage and used a timer to read for one minute.  They then reread to see if they could increase their words per minute.  This center is leveled, so all students can practice at their level.

Our final center was to practice main ideas.  It is called Main Idea Shopping.  The kids loved practicing in this fun filled way.

Homework tonight:
read 20 minutes
study for homophone quiz and vocabulary review quiz (TOMORROW)
any late work

11-11-15

Proud, proud, proud...that is the only word I can use to describe my students today.  We had the Veteran's Day assembly today, and our kids showed so much Bronco Pride, I'm glowing.  They were quiet and respectful and sang amazingly!

Homework:
Read 20 minutes
Vocab review test Friday
Homophone spelling test Friday

Homework:
Read 20 minutes
Homophone word puzzle
Bram and Haugen's group: illustrations

Ask your child to do a retelling of the Edmund Fitzgerald.  Today is the 40th anniversary of the sinking of this ship.


Study for your homophones test on Friday.
http://www.spellingcity.com/WordORama-spelling-game.html?listId=7294806
http://www.lauriekane.com/games/homophones.html 

Words for the review vocabulary test on Friday

dismayed
excitement
immobile
terrified
futile
engulfed
debut
rehearsal
launches

specialist
cinders
crust
lava
artistic
audience
judges
required
elite
professional
cautious

discomfort
debris
fault
impact
jolt
isolated
ominous
collide
jagged
rotate
severe
sizzling

occupation

11-9-15

Homework:
Read 20 minutes
Story chart over all of the last theme
Study all of your vocabulary words up to this point.  There will be a review quiz on Friday over all of them!

Verb test results: Our verb tests will be coming home tomorrow.  I was very impressed with our overall scores.  Keep up the good work.

Spelling: This week will be a continuation of last week's homophones, homographs, and homonyms.  Our test will be on Friday...keep working on the two, too, to and the there's...etc...

This week will be the end of the 2nd theme.  Our end of the theme test is nothing the kids can study for, it's just a check to see if they maintained the knowledge we've gained during the latest theme.

11-5-15

Homework:
to, too, two worksheet
verb worksheet
Verb test tomorrow!
Read 20 minutes


I will be gone tomorrow, so all assignments need to be ready to be turned in on Monday, not tomorrow!

Thursday's lab work

Homograph game

Homonym game

Homophone games

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary-games/homophones-games/homophones.html

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary-games/homophones-games/pick-the-homophones.html

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary-games/homophones-games/homophones-word-o-rama.html

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary-games/homophones-games/homophone-definitions.html

http://www.learninggamesforkids.com/vocabulary-games/homophones-games/homophones-game.html

http://www.lauriekane.com/games/homophones.html

Verb games:
http://www.abcya.com/nouns_and_verbs.htm
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/grammar/verbs.htm
http://www.softschools.com/language_arts/grammar/verb/balloon_game/

11-4-15

Only homework for today...
Study for tomorrow's vocabulary and RC test (Mae Jemison story)
Read 20 minutes

11-3-15

Homework:
Read 20 minutes
3 little pigs: there, they're, their worksheet
     Use this video if you need a reminder about them

Upcoming quizzes:
Verb test Friday
Mae Jemison RC test Thursday
Vocabulary test Thursday

Weight on other planets

http://www.exploratorium.edu/ronh/weight/