Holiday Homework!

HOLIDAY HOMEWORK is coming home today in Friday Folders!  The packet is due on january 10, 2014 (for a grade).

Weekly Update 12/13/13

Good Afternoon,

Well, we've made it through our second to last week in the semester!  We have wrapped up all of our tests in math and science and will spend some time next week reviewing.

Congrats to:  Taylor, Lily, Bryce and Laura for being selected to represent our class in the school Science Fair on Tuesday!!!

Please join us for Family Science Night on Tuesday from 6:00-7:30pm!

**On a not-so-positive note, we have had a massive spike in cheating, dishonesty and general unkindness amongst many, many 5th graders.  Please take a few minutes this weekend to talk to your child about the importance of being honest and kind.  I would hate for anyone in our class to get caught up in this mess.

Don't forget our field trip is on Monday!  Please make sure your child comes to school with a sack lunch.  If you have volunteered to chaperone, please be at school by 9:15am.

Weekly Update 12/6/13

Hello Parents!

We have been busy, busy, busy and the next two weeks are going to be jam packed!

Here's what we have going on…

• SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS ARE DUE WEDNESDAY!  Please be sure to check our class blog for helpful links as you finalize projects!  Each class will have 4 winners that will be expected to attend the school-wide Science Fair judging occurring during Family Science Night on December 17th!
• Chapter 5 Math test is Monday
• Unit 3 Science Test is Tuesday (study guide emailed home and it's on the class blog)
• Please be sure to have your child log on to www.thinkcentral.com for help with their math and science!  Each child should review the digital lessons for science and practice the skills for math!
• Field Trip money and permission slips are due on Wednesday
• Want a free homework pass for your child or to learn more about our curriculum???  Come to Cupcakes, Cookies and Curriculum on Thursday night!!!  Session 1 is from 5:45-6:30 and Session 2 is from 6:45-7:30…you can attend either session!!!
• Our class' day for the Holiday Shoppe is Wednesday, December 11th.

ISLANDS OF ADVENTURE!  

The next pay date for our Islands of Adventure Field Trip is December 18th!  We will accept payments at 7:45am and 12:45pm.  You can pay for some or all of the trip on this date!

Science: Unit 3 Study Guide!

Science:  Unit 3 Study Guide

·      Clouds-types, descriptions, elevation and the type of weather they may bring

·      Weather tools-what they look like and what they measure

·      Aquifers

·      Weather vs. Climate

·      Precipitation

·      Warm Fronts

·      Cold Fronts

·      Air masses

·      Climate Zones

·      Water Cycle-evaporation, condensation, precipitation, runoff, etc.

SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS DUE IN NINE DAYS!

HERE IS A GREAT WEBSITE FOR FOR MAKING GRAPHS!

http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createAgraph/

Weekly Update 11/22/13

Can you believe Thanksgiving is next week?  I am hopeful that during the Thanksgiving break your children will find a few minutes here and there to keep their skills fresh.  Don't forget they can always go online at www.thinkcentral.com!  I assigned some new online skills practice for them yesterday.  They can also visit www.explorelearning.com and www.fcatexplorer.com for extra science and math practice.

Thank you for all the donations for the canned food drive!  Our class was given a special 'shout-out' on the morning announcements for our many contributions of canned food!

Don't forget to check Friday Folders for other important dates and information!

Have a great weekend!!!

BEST class ever!!!

Dress for Success!

Wear your "Sunday Best" to school tomorrow!

Tonight's Math Homework (11/19/13)

Math Homework:

·      -Watch this video & take notes in your journal on how to graph ordered pairs

·     - Can be viewed on a smart phone!

http://youtu.be/4FKd6hcEZ9o

Weekly Update 11/15/13

Here are a few reminders!

• THURSDAY, THURSDAY, THURSDAY!  Come on out to Springwood for Dinner and a Show!  We will be serving a spaghetti dinner (cooked by our very own Mrs. Scarborough) and have performances from our RITMOS Drummers and Springwood Cheerleaders! 
• Science Fair projects are due on December 11th (that's only 23 days away)!
• Please join us on December 12th for Curriculum Night!
• We have a field trip scheduled for December 16th to the Challenger Center!
• December 18th is our next pay date for the Islands of Adventure field trip!  You can make a small payment or pay for the whole trip.
• Please try and donate to our annual Canned Food Drive!  Any and all donations help!

Science Fair

We are less than one month away from Science Fair projects being due!  December 11th will be here before we know it!

Please look at the resources below, especially the log book that you can print!  Log books are the most important part of the project.

Printable Log Book (I know it says 2001, but I like the format!)

http://www.astoriapark.leon.k12.fl.us/documents/forms/2-5%20Science%20Fair%20Log%20Book.pdf

Why have a log book?

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/printable_project_logbook.pdf

Display Board

http://www.sciencebuddies.org/blog/2012/03/perfecting-the-project-display-board.php

Chapter 4 Math Test

We are wrapping up Chapter 4 tomorrow and will take our test on Tuesday.  These videos are great, short reminders of the lessons we have been working on all chapter.  I hate to give a test after a long weekend, so I am hoping these videos will provide some additional study materials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?list=UUYyVv6Wd6He5743x48vDSbw&v=u3XgVIuChCI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8V7uXnEW8x0&feature=player_embedded#at=71

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URcoXeieXFI&feature=player_embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp2a-PaYOWo&feature=player_embedded

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHZH9MpGEnQ&feature=player_embedded

Science Quiz/Test

We will have a Science Quiz on Unit 2 Lesson 3 tomorrow and a (BIG) Unit 2 Science Test on Thursday!

Weekly Update 11/1/13

Exciting News!  In today's Friday Folder you will have a letter explaining how you can now check your child's grades online at home!  Our new system is called Pinpoint (the same system that the middle and high schools use).  Your unique sign-on and password are on the letter.  

Please share with your parents or other special friends that Thursday is Grandparents Day!  We'd like to invite all Grandparents to lunch on Thursday!  Our lunch time is at 11:04.  There is a purple flyer in Friday Folders with further details.

If your child earned an 'E' in behavior AND work and study the first nine weeks they can wear pajamas's to school on Wednesday.  There is a special invitation in Friday Folders for the "Double E Celebration!"

The Honor Roll Assembly will be Tuesday at 2:00pm!  Invitations are also in Friday Folders!

Please return signed report card envelopes ASAP.  I am still missing 5 student's envelopes.

Most science fair projects have been approved.  I am giving back a few today that need to be re-thought.  If I gave the proposal back it's usually because I do not think there is anything that can measured and/or tested.  Your child can find a new project or submit a further explanation of the one submitted.  Projects are due on December 11th!!!

I will have a substitute on Monday and Wednesday to attend curriculum meetings.  Please remind your children to be respectful to the substitutes.  

Challenger Learning Center Science Day!!!

Islands of Adventure!

Islands of Adventure

May 1, 2014

The cost of the trip is $115 ($125 for adults) and will cover the cost of the bus, park entrance, and the 5^th Grade T-shirt.  We will first offer seats on the bus to 5^th grade students who are eligible to attend.  We realize parents will want to attend and will allot additional seats to them, in a “lottery-style” drawing if the number of parents requesting to ride the bus exceeds the number of seats available.  Any parent who cannot, or does not wish to, ride the bus is welcome to drive a private vehicle.  Please note that your child CANNOT ride in the car with you.  Parents who do not wish to ride on the bus will pay a reduced rate of $76 (park entrance and t-shirt).

All money must be in the form of a Cash, Cashier’s Check, or Money Orders….

We are unable to accept Personal Checks!

The price of this trip represents expected costs.  In the event of additional funds being raised, the money will be applied to the total cost of the trip.  We cannot, however, guarantee how much that would be.  We would publish the reduction prior to the final installment of the payments and reduce that payment if possible.

The payment schedule will be as follows:  October 28^th (3:30-5:30)

December 18^th (7:45-8:15 and 12:45-1:15) February 10^th (3:30-5:30)

March 12^th (7:45-8:15)

5^th grade teachers will set up a payment station in room 600 (Mrs. Rioux) and accept payments during these times.  You may either choose to pay the entire cost of the trip during one of the scheduled dates or choose to pay portions of the cost during several of the scheduled payment dates.  Please be reminded that you must pay with either cash, a Cashier’s Check, or Money Order, as we will not be accepting Personal Checks.

Details concerning departure times, arrival times, rules, and “what to pack” will come in another letter distributed prior to the trip.  Please be aware that our fees DO NOT include meals.  The bus will NOT make any meal stops.  Children will have the option to bring snacks and/or purchase food in the park…and, again, we will provide more details and suggestions closer to our trip.

Refunds will not be given at any time two-weeks prior to the event unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances.  Not showing up on time to meet the bus is not an extenuating circumstance.

Absolutely NO SIBLINGS under the age of 18 can accompany us on this trip. All adults on this trip must complete a Leon County Volunteer form and have their identification run through our system.

All students are required to ride to and from the park on the bus.

Any financial questions/concerns you have should be fielded through your child’s homeroom teacher.

**Attendance, academic performance, and conduct will be critical in order to participate.  Students may not have any referrals for major offenses.  The principal will review these criteria for each child to determine eligibility prior to departure.

Weekly Update 10/25/13

Hello!

Science Fair is officially here!  Today, I am sending home an information packet and a project proposal form.  The informational packet is yours to keep at home and the proposal is due on Tuesday!  Projects will be due on December 11th and Family Science Night and project judging is December 17th!  All 5th graders are required to complete a project.

I have assigned an online math assignment (due Monday) from each child's Think Central account.  I know that everyone does not have internet access, so I will accept a parent note in place of the assignment if it can't be completed this weekend.  :-)

Monday (3:30-5:30pm) is our first pay date for the 5th Grade Islands of Adventure field trip!  

AR Celebration will be on Wednesday…congrats to those students that met their goal!

Twin Day is on Thursday!  We are celebrating friendship by dressing like a friend.

We will have a small Fall Celebration for all the kid's handwork the first nine weeks on Thursday.  I am sending home a request for a small donation for the party.  We will be making a "Scarecrow Crunch Snack Mix" a playing a game or two on Thursday afternoon.  Please let me know if you can't make the donation this time around!  

Please note:  The Florida Department of Education has opted to adjust the FCAT testing dates for this school year. The new testing dates are April 21st - May 2nd.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Gizmos!

PLEASE visit www.explorelearning.com for a new math and science resource!  Check it out with your child and let me know what you think!

Weekly Update 10/18/13

Good Morning!

I hope you are all enjoying your Friday!  It sure is quiet in my classroom today!  :-)

Just a few reminders this week…

The amount of planning involved in getting over 100 children to Islands of Adventure is monumental.  We really, really need the form that was sent home last Friday returned as soon as possible.  This form does NOT obligate you to anything, it merely helps us plan the number of seats needed for buses, etc.  I received forms from half the class, but I need the rest this coming week.  Thank you!

You child should be talking to you about and working on their Tropicana Speech!

Science Fair is coming soon!  Please start thinking of project ideas with your child!!!  Details will be coming home soon.

Next week is Red Ribbon Week!  Please see the flyer in Friday Folders with the theme for each day.

Picture Day is THURSDAY!

Please consider joining us on Thursday night at 6:00pm for our annual Spaghetti Dinner to raise money for technology!  A ticket order form can be found in Friday Folders! 

Have a great weekend!

Weekly Update 10/4/13

Good Afternoon!

Coming Soon…our annual Technology Spaghetti Dinner!  Order forms are coming home in today's Friday Folder.  The dinner will be on Thursday, October 24 from 6:00-8:00!!!  Please help us raise funds for technology by purchasing tickets to this fabulous dinner.  The class with the most ticket sales will win a party from Dr. Small!

We are nearing the end of Unit 4 in science which means a BIG unit test is just around the corner!  Quiz grades have been steadily increasing so I am confident grades will keep coming up!  Please encourage your student to read Unit 4 again, go over the digital lessons on Think Central, and ask them application-type questions about matter.  

We are starting chapter 3 in math on Monday.  We are still working on division, our numbers are just going to be getting bigger and bigger.  Any practice of long division that you can provide at home will really pay off. 

SuccessMaker can now be accessed from home.  This program provides additional, individual math and reading practice.  Click this link for more information!  

http://www2.leon.k12.fl.us/sites/pearson/default.aspx

Thanks again for returning your conferences forms!  I have scheduled or met with most families.  If you have not returned your form and would like to schedule a conference, just send me an email!

Have a great weekend and stay dry!

Unit 4 Science Study Topics

Unit 4:  Matter

Study Tips!

• ·      Characteristics of solids, liquids and gases and what their particles look like
• ·      Physical properties of matter (color, shape, temperature, density, etc.)

• ·      Physical Change and know examples (tearing, cutting, etc).
• ·      Chemical Change and know examples (burning, rusting, etc.)
• ·      Matter changing states (solid to liquid, etc) is a PHYSICAL change
• ·      Why do we refrigerate things?
• ·      IMPORTANT...temperature has a BIG effect on matter!  It causes chemical changes to occur faster
• ·      Temperature, Temperature, Temperature!!!

• ·      What is a solution and know some examples
• ·      What is a mixture and know some examples
• ·      Don't forget a solution IS a mixture
• ·      Stirring faster, smaller particles and increased temperature all make substances dissolve faster
• ·      Ways to separate mixtures

• ·      Atomic Theory