Let us know what you are reading

Please keep reading and let us know what you are reading. Comment here for now until I think of a better way for us to communicate.

So far I have read:

The Actual and Truthful Adventures of Becky Thatcher my score is 3 - it's pretty good
Nuts To You 2-3 It's okay, not very deep-- a forest friend story

I am current reading Brown Girl Dreaming - I really like it so far, it's a memoir in poems

PS, I listen to almost all of my books. Check out or download a book and try it. I'm kind of addicted and spend all day walking around town and listening to recorded books. I try to stay out of the way of cars.

Friday 6-19-15

Here we are at 2:30 on Thursday. I'm sure we miss each other already. Remember, you can make comments to this blog, and send me things on email and I will publish here. We want to hear your summer stories and see your photos.

One of my favorite recyle animals!

Here is Ms. Lamb's Awesome Group 10 posing with our Stevasaurus.

Wednesday 6-17-15

Tomorrow is our last day and it's a FIELD DAY - so wear proper footwear for running around.

Have a great summer readers.

I will continue to post here and kids can post comments. If kids send me pictures, I will post them here so we can keep up with each other.

Tuesday 6-16-15

We closing in on summer.

Today we wrapped up our Year End Studies (or Innovation Day Projects) and presented. We have a few left for tomorrow.
We start tomorrow with an awards assembly for 8th grade.

Please bring an empty backpack so you can take home all your stuff.

See you tomorrow.

Monday 6-15-15

The year is quickly coming to a close
This week there will be no assigned homework. Students are welcome to work on the Year End Study.

Today we kicked off the studies with a very successful morning. Kids are learning animation, writing long stories, researching beloved topics, making videos, making clamation videos. It's fun to watch.

We will continue tomorrow and wrap up with some sort of presentation. Presentations may start tomorrow afternoon, but will also run into Wednesday.

We continue to finish up work as well. Today we have science presentations and more read aloud.
Tomorrow we will write goals and clean out cubbies so come with bags to carry home your stuff.

Remember this Thursday is field day. Make sure you wear proper footwear.

Monday 6-8-15

Tonight's homework:
Math 15-16
LA check your schoology grades. Finish or complete any work with 1, 2 or 0.
Christopher Columbus - not graded yet
edutyping - not graded yet
Beethoven
DCF illustration
Reading Record

We are working on our final exam argument. It is important that all writing be done at school. Students that wish to may do some research and note-taking at home.

If you are really dieing to do more homework - start thinking about your End of the Year Study. We watche this video today
Innovation Day to get psyched.

Here are our notes and the schedule for next week.

Year End Study Ideas

Proposed schedule for next week

Thursday Friday 6-4 and 5

Oops - forgot to post yesterday. There was math homework  (9-14) I hope it got done.

We have been working working working on our Christopher Columbus hero or villain argument. Today we posted them on schoology. A few kids want to work more over the weekend, but they have to post on Monday.

Today, Friday, we searched around for a new topic to do completely on our own. This is a final exam for writing. Students will

find a topic you are passionate about on their own
find at least two sources to back up your argument
write an argument essay of 4-5 paragraphs meeting the rubric (see the Assignment Alert on our webpage)
turn it in on schoology by Wednesday afternoon

This must be done completely at school.

Homework for LA next week will be read and edutyping.

Students should be thinking of an end of year study topic they want to investigate on their own next week. More on this Monday.

Wednesday 6-3-15

There are a lot of interruptions these last days of the school year. Today 12 boys left early for a Velocity Field trip. The rest of us listened to another chapter of The One Safe Place which is starting to sound not all that safe to me.

This morning The Night Gardener group moved forward also. We all worked more on our Christopher Columbus argument. They are looking pretty good. We will all post on schoology.com on Friday and I will practice grade them and send the grade. The idea is we will use schoology for a lot of our work next year. I can post all the assignments and rubrics and grades there.

Coming next week, each of us will choose a topic we feel passionately about (one way or the other.) We will do our own research in class and write the entire argument essay in class as a final writing assessment.

This will take most of next week. Homework for next week will include reading and edutyping for LA. I think Mr. Meadows mentioned a math skills sheet for next week. That will definitely be the last week of homework for this year.

We are planning a short year end project for Monday Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Next Thursday will be an all school all day event.

Homework:
Math skill sheet due tomorrow
LA Columbus, edutyping
READ

There is a concert for Move Up Day Friday. 5th grade band and chorus will perform at 2:00.

Monday and Tuesday 6-1/2

Sorry, I really thought I posted this yesterday. The days are blending together.

On Monday in LA we focused on our arguments. We learned to use schoology.com like we used ywp.net. We posted our arguments and got feedback from our group members. Then we continued with revisions.

Speaking of continuing, it makes better sense to focus on this piece and making it great rather then turning our focus to the chocolate milk controversy.....so I'm moving that to September. This year we will finish with Columbus, find a topic of our own to research and write an argument of our own. That will wrap up our writing unit. (You will notice I removed it from the Assignment Alert page.

Some of these Columbus essays are outstanding and some are  really coming along. For whatever you think about Columbus, he makes a great topic for argument.

Today, many many of us went to a concert at JES this morning (band and chorus) so Ms. Lamb had a DC group with six kids. We continued our research, read a little and worked on edutyping.

So, speaking of edutyping, the proficiecy expectation for fifth grade is as follows:

Keyboarding Standards

Grade 5 - Student is able to perform the following tasks while using a typing software:

• use the program without looking at the keyboard (use keyboard skin or cover)
• use proper hand placement: both hands on the keyboard, correct fingers on the home row, thumb(s) resting on space bar.
• assume good posture (sitting up straight, feet flat on the floor if possible)
• compose at least one page (about 500 words) on the computer in a 25 minute sitting
• practice at least two sessions per week for 12 to 18 weeks at 15+ minutes per session
• Standard
• Substantially below proficient: 0 – 14 WPM or less than 80% accuracy
• Partially proficient:  15 – 20 WPM and at least 80% accuracy
• Proficient:  20-30 WPM and at least 85% accuracy
• Proficient with distinction: 31 or more WPM and at least 90% accuracy
• 
  

soooooo

seriously keep practicing!

Monday's homework

Math: Skill sheet due Thursday

LA: edutyping, Columbus essay revisions (will be posted on schoology on Friday or before)

READ no kidding, keep reading

Tuesday's homework

Math: 2-6 pages and skill sheet due Thursday

LA: Continue revising, edutyping.com

READ

Thursday 5-28-15

Today we really progressed with our Christopher Columbus writing essays. We will be done a good draft tomorrow and students are welcome to work on it over the weekend if they feel the need or it's not finished to the minimum requirements.

Tomorrow we have a math test on angles. I hope you are ready.

Homework:
Math - finish angle paper from Wednesday and pages 45, 46, 47 (I think)
LA - CC piece due Friday minimu three great paragraps 3 good reasons well explained - see the guide and my model
Read - no kidding - keep reading daily for at least 30 minutes
Practice edutyping and freerice.com for up to 1,000 hours per week (don't exceed that amount please)

Tuesday and Wednesday 5/26-27

We had a wonderful time yesterday. We saw a lot of fossils and had fun at the Sand Bar State Park.
Thank you to all the parents that could join us.

On Tuesday in LA we prepared to write our argument about Christopher Columbus. Is he a hero or a villain? We gathered some evidence by reading an article from history.com called "Columbus Controversy."

We began our essay in our in class journals. Students will submit a rough draft of this essay, typed or handwritten on Friday at the end of class. Students who need to can continue to work over the weekend. The expectation is at least three paragraphs and three reasons. We will work some more today with the DC's and Thursday and Friday along with reading our read aloud novel.

Tonight's homework:
Math: Page 40 and 41 - math unit test on Friday on angles

LA: Essay is due Friday - consider working on it, you should have an introduction with your stance and 3 good reasons why.
Edutyping
freerice.com

Read your novel for 30 minutes

Friday 5-22-15

Weekend homework: If you are not done (you know who you are....)
Bio card and DCF illustration.

For the trip on Tuesday:
Wear shoes for the quarry. Bring a long sleeve shirt or sweatshirt as we start early and it could be quite chilly.

For the beach - you can bring a bathing suit, but we are not allowed in the water as the water temperature is still 51 degrees and we have no lifeguard.

We will however, have hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and drinks. You can bring anything else you want to eat and any safe games that can be played at the park.

We will have frisbees
a few pails and shovels
some bases
a kickball
a volleyball
maybe a whiffle ball and bat if we can find one

We plan to leave at 8:30, arrive at the quarry around 9:15.
Stay at the quarry observing until 11.
Go to the park at the Sandbar from 11 to about 1.
Return to school by 2:00.

Have a great long weekend.

Thursday 5-21-15

We had a lot of work time today.
Tomorrow is due:
Bio Card for your explorer - you have a paper with criteria (linked here)
Illustration for DCF book
Criteria: an original illustration of something that represents the heart of the novel. Include the title and the author. The illustration should be a work of art and should "pop" not just a pencil outline with a lot of white background

Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday Yikes

Sorry, sorry, sorry....SBAC tests have thrown me off my habits.

Here's what we have been doing.

First, last Friday we had a visit from a local artist, Diana Dunn, who shared her DCF illustration for this year's winner Chris Grabenstein who wrote Mr. Lemoncello's Library (this year's winning book.)

We all began our own DCF illustration from our chosen book (past or present or sometimes approved outsider.) The illustration has to be original, not copied from the cover or any where else. It will include the title and author and represent the "essence" of the book in the artist's opinion.

On Monday we continued work on our Bio-cards and illustrations. Ms. Lamb checked in on everyone's choices and the current book they are reading.

Social studies AC listened to some more of The Night Gardener.

On Tuesday we had a gruelling session of math. Some students spent more than 3 hours working on the test. We certainly have "stamina" covered. We are very very pleased with the effort of students on these assessments.

Today, Wednesday, we are in the middle of our last session (math.)  A few kids will need to do some make up of various things, but we plan to be completely finished by Friday.

Please remember we have a field trip on Tuesday, the day after Memorial Day which is a non-school day. Kids will need to come prepared for a hike and time on the beach afterwards. More on this will be posted here tomorrow.

No homework until Thursday.
The work due Friday is
Bio-card final draft
DCF illustration final draft

Thursday

Sorry, late again.

Today's homework

Rough draft bio card 

Read dcf book

Edutyping free rice.com

Skill sheet 

Math worksheet

Wednesday 5-13-15

Man, these tests are hard!!

Today we finished our second ELA test for SBAC. It exhaused us. This afternoon we had PE/Music an COG. In SS we read a chapter of One Safe Place for DC and worked a little on our Explorer Bio Card. AC had science.

We have a field trip planned to Lessor's Quarry and Sand Bar Beach on Tuesday May 26.  Here is the permission slip.

Kids also brought home a hard copy today. Please return signed with $5 to cover lunch and admission to the park.

Homework remains for the week:

Read DCF novel

Skill sheet (due Friday this week only)

do any lessons you can in edutyping and freerice.com

Finish work from pre-progress report if you need to (Classics Book Report, Beethoven piece, Science Fair Report)

Monday and Tuesday 5-11 and 12

Yesterday was crazy and I forgot to post.
I hope no one thought they had to finish the homework yesterday. The homework was for the week and get to it in school when you have time or at home if extremely needing something to do. You should always read though.

Tests start Tuesday. We take one session Tuesday, on Wednesday and the same next Tuesday and Wednesday. If kis need to be out, there are make up sessions when they return.

This week at home, get plenty of sleep, eat well, exercise and bring in water bottle and healthy snacks.

We continue to work on our Explorer Bio Cards and read aloud from The Night Gardener and One Safe Place.

There is a skill sheet for math this week. It will be due on Friday rather than Thursday to allow time to relax on test nights.

Thursday 5-7

We had too many tests today.....so
we had a little extra long recess
then we started our explorer research...each student has their own individual to research and a note taking paper called "Explorer Profile."

We will take notes for two class periods, then start our bio card project.

In the mean time, we have some videos to watch and a decision to make...
were these good guys or not? was more good done than harm? are we better off?
Defend.

We have one more assessment tomorrow - istation - a quick computer test with four parts.

Next week is SBAC sooooo
there will be no other assessments that week and no homework.

For the next two weeks continue to do edutyping as much as possible, freerice.com as much as possible and READ YOUR DCF NOVELS!

Tonight's homework:
LA - read your novel, edutype and freerice
math - none - recover from today's quiz

Coming home tomorrow - mid trimester progress reports.

Tuesday and Wednesday 5-5&6

I forgot to post yesterday. My apologies.

On Tuesday moved forward with our read alound. We finished word study for the next three weeks - hiatus due to testing. Ms. Lamb collected the 8 great vocab sentences. We went to the lab and printed our three pieces of evidence for progress reports and evidence binders: Beethoven piece, classic book report and science fair report.

Homework:
LA: edutyping one lesson, freerice.com ten minutes
Math: page ? I forgot, but there was a page
Read your novel DCF novel no kidding.


So speaking of this homework, after I thought about it a while, these three testing weeks are a good time to catch up on edutyping and reading. Really really really get as far as you can with edutyping and reading novels. I'm trying to work out an incentive or prize for those who reach a certain goal. I'll look in my prize vault.

Wednesday
We started our explorer unit with a look at what drove these guys (white Eurpean males of the 14th, 15th and 16th centuries) to take to the seas?

Also, we started (finishing tomorrow) our VIB assessment - Bridges of New York City.

AND  we were treated to a fantastic concert by the 5/6 band and chorus. It was really great.

Homework:
LA - really -  edutyping and read
Math - skill sheet due tomorrow

Monday 5-4-15 May the 4th be with you

We just finished our Beethoven Music and Writing Unit. As part of the grant, you are all invited to the Burlington Chamber Orchestra concert on May 16th. See the linked letter.

BCO letter

We had a fabulous concert on Friday and finished up with a reflection.

Friday marked the halfway point of the third trimester. We will be sending home progress reports this Friday.

We have a lot of assessments in the spring. We begin today with a reading assessment. This is a standardized reading and answering questions and filling in bubbles on an answer sheet.

Wednesday we will complete a written assessment and possible Friday do our Istation computer assessment.

Next week Tuesday and Wednesday we have computer SBAC tests.

We also begin our study of sixteenth century Eurpean explorers with a vocabulary introduction and 8 great sentences due tomorrow.

Today's homework:

LA: 8 great sentences from the explorere vocabulary

Math: Page 20

Read your novel: 30 minutes

Thursday 4-3-15

Today is music and writing day in LA/SS....what that means is
We have the OWLS for most of the day. We are listening to classical music and writing. First job is to finish our Beethoven writing piece and post on YWP. Then see what happens. Consider poetry. Consider drawing and poetry. Maybe a new letter.......

Tomorrow is our finale with a chamber orchestra concert just for us with Q and A after. At the end of the day we write reflections and maybe hear a few of the writing pieces.

Today's homework:
LA: edutyping - at least on lesson, more if you have time.  Freerice.com for 10 minutes
if no computer, you can do this tomorrow during read alone time.
Beethoven piece finished and posted (you can have the weekend if you need it.)

Math:
pages 15 and 16

Coming next week:
Gates McGinity Reading Assessment Monday during SS/Science time
Vermont Item Bank Bridges of NYS Wednesday during SS/Science time
(if you read this before 1:10, I mistakenly thought SBAC was next week, but it starts on May 12th)

We begin explorers study in social studies LA leading to our Bio Card which we complete maybe by Friday, but more likely the following Friday (I dream big and fast, but usually get real as time goes by)

Coming up mid May - argument writing starting with "Should Schools Serve Chocolate Milk?"

Wednesday 4-29-15

Here is a list of upcoming assignments from now till the end of the year. I will keep adding to this and post it daily unless I forget (which you know how that goes.)

LA Writing
Beethoven writing piece due Friday (can finish over the weekend)
Chocolate milk essay (in class, may need finishing for homework) due around May 30
Novel visual aid due around June 5 (in class, may need to finish at home)

SS
Explorer Bio Card due around May 22

Assessments (must be done at school in class)
SBAC tests May 12, 13 and 19, 20
Writing pre test  May 26 and post test for argument June 15thish
Reading Gates McGinity standardized assessment (in class before May 29)
Final spelling assessment June something
Reading Assessment (called item bank - Bridging the Gaps in New York City) probably in June - I'm running out of May
I'll add science and math when I find out

Homework may become a little slimmer - I already dropped current events so we can finish spelling, vocab and do edutyping.

More updates later.

Tonight's homework:
ISILT - fill in answers for all vocabulary for SCIENCE (faults, geology, plates, etc.) This will be collected tomorrow for a grade. Also, there is a quiz tomorrow on this.

Skill sheet is due tomorrow

Read for 30 minutes DCF book

Extra: Beethoven writing piece is due Friday (you can finish over the weekend if need be) Post on YWP site when complete.

Tuesday 4-28-15

Today in LA
we started new word study (contractions, syllables and stresses, tion, cian words and latin roots - gress, tract, rupt and mot.

We all progressed (Latin root to move forward) in our read aloud books. We also discussed "exposition" and "character."

DC moved to the computers to finish our vocabulary and 8 great sentences. AC got a RAFT to prompt us with ideas for our Beethoven writing piece and worked in writing workshop.

Homework today:
LA: Finish vocab and 8 sentences. Also finish second sort for word study with explanations
Math: Page 13 and 14 and skill sheet (due Th.)
Science: vocab for quiz tomorrow

Monday 4-27-15

Welcome back from vacation.

Over vacation I decided to change up our homework plan a little, and on the first day it immediately didn't work out. Well here's the plan for when it does work....
on Mondays we will introduce vocabulary and write definitions. Monday night will be 8 great sentences.
Tuesdays will be finish word study and do edutyping
Wednesdays still ISILT science journal
Thursdays free choice writing or ywp prompt. (I'm moving current events to classtime.)
So on the first day the bus evacuation drill and computers not working put a snag in the plan....so we are swapping Thursday's homework for tonight and finishing vocab in class tomorrow.

Upcoming this week: finish our Beethoven writing piece (report, story, poem (of length), newspaper article, letter or some other great idea). Post on YWP to share with class.

Poetry with music. We continue listening to Beethoven and learning about and writing poetry.

Friday we have a chamber concert.

In math menu we learned a new dice game for practicing multiplication.

Homework:
Math: Skill sheet (due Thursday)
LA: Free choice or YWP - you see a stranger and follow him or her undercover
Read for 30 minutes (DCF book)

optional - you may choose to work on your Beethoven piece or finish vocab definitions or do your edutyping tonight.

Friday 4-17-15

We had our first experiment in "Quiet Time" learning. It was a bit of a "quiet party" but I based it on an idea from Daniel Pink called Fed Ex Day, when you absolutely need to get it there overnight. The idea is you do a project that you want to do, you have the time and you tell what you did.  For our first time kids could choose anything quiet and alone (we are also working on our mindfulness and our self-control around not talking - very hard for some, easy for others.) Kids did origami, clay design, reading, puzzles, rubber band bracelet making and design creating with shapes. Next time we will focus on language arts only or social studies only. It was interesting to observe. We had Beethoven playing in one room and low lights in the other room so we played with our ambiance.

After the silent party we totally rearranged the cubbies (no cleaning like a rearraging in my opinion.) So now, we are clean, organized and the Ms. Lamb's CPR is all in her room, and Mr. Meadow's CPR is all around the corner where kids chose one or two cubbies for themselves depending on their storage needs. All the cubbies got new labels.

I am so looking forward to no boot season which I expect right after vacation.

After our afternoon specials (Iblock, PE/World Language, COG) we enjoyed a faculty 8th grade basketball game. It was a hoot.

Have a lovely and restful break everyone.

Thursday 4-16-15

Today in LA both groups did buddy sort to finish word study for this week. AC had another chapter of The Night Gardener and DC finished the Biography video of Beethoven. Both groups heard about Fed Ex day tomorrow (more to follow) and the new DCF books we have for reading. Then we went to the OWLS to finish our Beethoven Webquest and begin our final draft of our chosen writing piece on Beethoven (possibly started on Tuesday???)

In math menu we corrected our skill sheets.

Over in math, they were doing something interesting on the computer and watching a video in science.

Homework today:
LA: finish webquest and work on final draft of Beethoven writing piece (at least 10 minutes.)
do edutyping lesson if you didn't do it last night
Read for 30 minutes
No math tonight

FEDEX day tomorrow. Bring anything you might need. (Fedex because it absolutely has to get done today,)

Here's what it is. This is an idea borrowed and modified from Daniel Pink.
We will work for 75 minutes in silence on something we want to do that is not connected to technology. The only technology involved is the playing of Beethoven music in Ms. Lamb's room on the CD player.

We are working silently as we are working on this ability (ha ha) and to be mindful (another thing we are working on) Ms. Lamb has several books and activities. Kids are allowed to bring in their own silent independent activities (like that birthday present craft I never got to) and possible a pillow if they want to work on the floor in comfort (please don't go overboard with several pillows, a comforter and twenty stuffed animals.)

I'll let you know how it goes. After 75 minutes we will write in our journals to "report out" on our work.

Tuesday (I forgot) and Wednesday

Somehow I completely forgot about yesterday and now it's all a blur.
I also may have updated on my ipad and not published. Oh well, herer's the blurry memory.

In LA we progressed in our two class novels, The Secret Gardener and The One Safe Place.
We also started a new word study (the new version of fast sorting as  we did vocabulary for our sentences this week.)

AC started a Beethoven scavenger hunt (part of our team project with Ms. Frank and a grant she recieved.)
Homework:
LA: Write about Beethoven
READ for 30 minutes
Math: Skill sheet and one class had some pages to finish  - AC I think

Now for today - Wednesday
In LA - second sort and explain check. Then we chose to watch more of the Beethoven biography video. What an interesting guy. Look him up. Tomorrow and Friady we start listening. We will be creating a chosen piece of writing and some poetry.
Math Menu had us working on a cool coding program to reinforce angles.
Band Chorus and study hall happened (I had a meeting)
Ms. Lamb had to leave early for a meeting at Central Office. DC worked on the Beethoven scavenger hunt with Mr. Mindell.

Homework for Wednesday
LA (There may have been an ISILT - I'm not sure)
Read for 30 minutes
Math - Skill sheet is due tomorrow - there may be somthing else - check your assignment books.

Monday 4-13-15

Ms. Fisher was in for Mr. Meadows today.

We started our first vocabulary today on LA.

We read a chapter and watched some more of Beethoven's biography.

Homework

Math skill sheet

La Free choice or write about a scar

Read 30

8 great sentences using vocabulary 

Friday 4-12-15

I'm home sick today, but I hear from Mr. Warren that the Science Fest was fabulous (although he things most things are fabulous....) and he was thrilled and excited with our participation.

Congratulations to Avery for his second place score with his water turbine AND
to Abigail and Jayme for their third place score with Do dogs understand English?

Everyone did a great job and I expect to see three more years of great projects.

I'm not sure how the rest of the day went, but I'm getting better....so tell you more on Monday.
Have a great weekend.

Thursday 4-9-15

I hope you can all get to the science fair tonight. We have lots of kids showing from Team Energy.

Today we started the new and improved word study groups. After an assessment on Monday, Ms. Lamb rearranged the groups. We now have four groups.

We have shortened word study by reducing the sentences. The hope is we get through more lessons and apply our sentence writing to vocabulary, which we will start on Monday.

We listened to chapter two of One Safe Place (it's pretty ominous so far) and The Secret Gardener chapter three (just curious so far and maybe a little fairy tale like).

In social studies we began our short (two week) study of Beethoven and music related to a grant Ms. Frank received. I'm meeting with Ms. Frank tomorrow to get the details. We watched the beginning of a biography. He was an interesting and complex man. Next week we will do some listening and writing. We will write a composed response and POETRY! YAY!

Tonight's  homework:
If you are presenting (yourself, not just your partner) at the science fair, you have the night off from journal writing and reading. If you are not presenting
Current events
Read

Everyone complete second sort for word study and explain categories. Tomorrow we will complete blind sort with a partner in class before library time.

Remember we are trying to read as many DCF books, past present and next year, as we possibly can before May 30th. This is a challenge folks.

Wednesday 4-8-15

Today we started our read aloud for DCF 2015.
AC read/listened to  Chapter one of The Night Gardener
DC to Chapter one of One Safe Place

AC had a edutyping login check. We practice once more at school, then edutyping becomes part of homework. I will find a time for the one or two students without compters.

DC had worktime for classic book report which is now homework. I will grade these on Sunday and hopefully get all the schoology grades in for this trimester.

We begin a mini classical music unit connected to a grant that Ms. Frank got. More on this tomorrow.
We will begin with a mini study of Beethoven.

Homework:
Finishing touches for science fair
Classic Book Report

Read of course

Math skill sheet and pages 3 and 4

Tuesday 4-7-15

We had a marvelous time bowling. I'll post some pictures tomorrow (ran out of battery.)

This afternoon we set up and shared our science fair projects. Kids got some feedback and can be even more ready for Thursday night. 22 project signed up from our class. We got this thing covered.

Tonight's homework:
Any final touches to science fair project
READ
math skill sheet due Thursday

Monday 4-6-15

Good morning.
Today we took a spelling assessment to make sure we are in the right spelling development groups. Ms. Lamb is moving the sentence part of work study into vocabulary. We continue sorting words, but now we will have 8 great new vocabulary words each week to make sentences out of.

Also, next week edutyping will move to homework. The few kids without computers at home will have accommodations here.

Tomorrow is our second trimester bowling day celebration. We leave school at 8:30 and return around noon. I still need a few more permissio slips and $9.

Please remember, if paying for field trips (or supplies) is a hardship, we have scholarship funds. All you have to do is ask.

Tonight's homework:
LA - get and be ready for science fair tomorrow. Our team energy science fair will be at 1:50 tomorrow.

Math: skill sheet (not sure if there is anything else)

Read for 30 minutes.

Friday 4-3-15

We have a very impressive 20 projects signed up for Thursdsay night's science fair. I hope everyone can make it. It's quite a site to see and experience. I hear there are lots of prizes too.

We had a science fair extravaganza of work time this morning. After lunch we got some valued feedback from peers and worked some more.

This weekend might be a good time to put on finishing touches (or do the whole thing if you need to.)

Remember, triflolds need to be here on Tuesday for our Energy science fair.
That's bowling and science fair on the same day.

A few people still need to bring in permssion slips and $9 to go bowling on Tuesday. Remember to bring a lunch or order a bag lunch from the cafeteria on Monday.

Thursday 4-2-15

Today we heard all about the new DCF books and decided on our class read aloud.
AC chose
DC chose

okay, I totally forgot, I'll tell you tomorrow.
Here is the DCF list.
http://libraries.vermont.gov/sites/libraries/files/CBEC/BookAwards/DCF/DCFMasterlist15-16.pdf

In the afternoon, we looked at our classic book reports printed out with a pen in hand and did some editing, fixes and adding our conclusions which give an evaluation of the book.

Tomorrow we will do a fake science fair - where you bring in your trifold and meet with two other groups to present and get feedback. We also have a bit of work time for science fair project perfections.

Homework:
Current Events - here is the recommended article
http://magazines.scholastic.com/news/2015/03/Shanice-is-a-Native-American
Math: Page 98-99
Read for 30
Bring science fair trifold to school tomorrow
Bring your permission for bowling on Tuesday and your $9
(here is the permission slip - https://docs.google.com/a/cesuvt.org/document/d/103wim3ivw_rOg2fVD3kkxPudG5Ym6B_uuFGX9dsSpb4/edit

Wednesday April Fool's Day 4-1-15

Not too many pranks yet, but it's not even noon.
This morning we all started our new word study (sort one) and went to computers to continue working on our Classic Book Reports. We are almost done. Tomorrow we have conferences and decide how to do conlusions. Friday we finish and submit (or work over the weekend if we need to.)

Homework today:

LA: finish second sort for word study and explain
ISILT: Write about plate tectonics
Read for 30 minutes
Math: Page 96-97 and Skill sheet is due tomorrow
Permission Slip and $9 for bowling next Tuesday 4-7-15

Tuesday 3-31-15

We are going bowling next Tuesday. Everyone brought home a permission slip today. Here it is if somehow it got lost.

Permission slip for bowling.

We are working very hard on our book reports for our classic novels. We worked a double period today, so no word study. We will have word study tomorrow. It will be a Thursday night homework assignment.

Tonight's homework.

Journal:  Try to get as far as you can on your book report. The last two sections are theme and mood.

Everyone has the criteria sheet shared with them. Here it is again.
Book Report Guide

Math: Page 95 (remember skill sheet is due Thursday)

Read for 30 minutes

Monday 3-30-15

Happy Monday,
So, sorry I alarmed everyone about the science fair being due tomorrow when it's really due next Tuesday, BUT, congratulations because you are done.

Speaking of congrats, Jayme WON $200 at the Vermont History Day Expo in Montpelier on Saturday. Way to go. Her excellent leadership and legacy project on Jim Henson was amazing.

Tonight's homework.
Math: Page 90 and skill sheet
Read 30 minutes - you should be onto your DCF book now
Journal: Free choice or write about an injustice.

Remember,  some folks have not handed in their homework journal from last week or the word study from last week.

Friday ALERT*Special Weekend Homework***

If you have not completed your science fair experiement YOU MUST complete it over the weeend. The science fair project is due Tuesday. We are not planning classtime on Monday to work on this.

Thank you for your attention to this.

OK GUESS WHAT!!!

We have a whole other week. I was thinking the science fair was this coming week and it's next week. These projects are going to be AWESOME.

Sorry for the rushing...I'm a week ahead of myself.

SO, you have all week to finish your experiement. It's due here on APRIL 7th.

I better go home and get some sleep.

Thursday late post

The homework for yesterday was.....

Current evetnts
Read

Sorry for the late post

Wednesday 3-25-15

We organized in LA class today. All word study was checked and all work from second trimester put into big evidence binders.

In math menu we worked hard to finish our detailed reports for exemplars. This is homework. The spectacular finale is due Friday.

Homework:
LA/Math: Finish exemplars and check with rubric.
Read for 30 minutes - novel. Your classic should be getting finished. Next chooose a DCF book past or present.

Tuesday 3-24-15

Math Homework:  Student pages 90-91

Students have a quiz for multiplication of fractions on Wednesday.  The need to complete pages 90-91 in their student pages.  These pages will be very helpful in preparing for this short quiz.

Monday and Tuesday 3-23 and 24, 2015

I forgot to post amist the factory of parent conferences. Thank to the 22 parents we fit in. You were on time and efficient. Well done.

Monday's homework was
Journal: Write about Vermont (YWP ) or free choice
READ you classics novel should be finishing up or done
Math: Page (81 I think??)
Remember: Exemplars is due Friday - complete write up (no skill sheet this week)

Tuesday homework:
LA: Finish word study sheet except for blind sort
READ - no kidding, really read
Math:

Friday 3-20-15

Report cards were mailed today. Please let us know if there is any question or problem - like it's not yours or the comments and grades don't match. Thanks.

Science fair is well underway. Each group needs their own trifold. I have some for sale for $4. The old History Day projects can be papered over. Those are still here as well.

If you signed up for a conference on Monday, please understand that you must be on time and you have 10 minutes per teacher. If you are late we can't accommodate you as our schedule is packed. Thank you for understanding. Check http://extremeconferences.bringit.bz/public/2225b8 to find your exact time.

Students are welcome and encouraged to come, but not required.

Thursday 3-19-15

This is report card week and parent conferences. This means Ms. Lamb and Mr. Meadows are a litte stressed. We are grading assessments, putting in grades, writing comments and meeting with parents.
So, as a prize for students, there is no Current Events homework tonight. Go see the play instead.

Thursday homework:
LA - relax
Read your novel, especially since the classics novel needs to be done by next week.
Think about doing something for science fair
Exemplars write up is due next Friday

Science Fair is now underway.
Check out this document for complete directions Science Fair Directions

Science Fair Report

Here is a message from Mr. Warren if you need dry ice:

Green Mountain Messenger (in Williston) sells dry ice to the public.

You need a cooler and need to leave outside.  DO NOT put in fridge or freezer.

Tuesday and Wednesday 3/17 and 3/18

Tuesday's homework:
Finish reports: Native American an 5th grade handbook
Read for 30 minutes
Math - skill sheet due Thursday

Wednesday
Team Magnificent started their social studies Venn Diagram Assessment. Incredible will start tomorrow.

Incredible had their last few minutes to work on reports. Many people are looking towards science fair and classics novel project. Check out the When I'm Done shared doc.

Wednesday homework:
ISILT: What do you know about geology? What do you wonder about?
Read especially classics novel
Math skill sheet due tomorrow
Exemplars problem write up due next Friday 3-27

Monday March 16, 2015

Today in LA we got our Native American reports back with interim grades on them. Students are allowed to revise tonight and tomorrow night for  homework. I will regrade on Wednesday. Remember, these are report card grades.

We also started our in class report assessment. We havea three class periods to complete this at school.

Codex should be done. If not, you may finish for homework, but grades are going on report cards Wednesday.

We have to have no spelling again this week - so we shall rededicate our lives to being better spellers starting next week (after report cards.)

The play is this week, so rest up. Use your time well at school. You can put of reading until next week if you are in the play. You may ask to stay in for recess if you need more time for report finishing.

That's all for today.
Homework:
finish report and or codex
read
math: Skill sheet (Make sure 78-79 done)

Friday 3-13 A word on Writing Assessments

The ELA 5/6 teachers have decided we are doing our writing and reading report card grades according to our next year's dictate from CESU. This means we are a truly performance based/standards based report card. What this means for students and their report cards is:

Reading will be based on 2 in class item bank (NECAP type) assessments (A Park in Danger and No Skateboarding), Istation (the computer reading test), a read aloud fluency test (Oranges) and reading record of books read (expectation 7 novels or 1400 pages.)

Writing will be based on an in class report that students will write on site Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. I will also take into consideration their Native American Reports which can be worked on for homework next week. I will not give journal homework Monday, Tuesday or Thursday.

I hope this helps to clarify reading and writing expectations.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

I have been a very very bad blogger this week and a very good forgetter. Here is a summary of homework for the past three days.
Tuesday:
Write about your native American novel. What did you learn about this group of people from this novel?
Read for 20-30 min.
Math
2 pages from book (I can't remember which)

Wednesday
ISILT - explain how gravity, inertia and friction are involved with sledding down a hill.
Read for 30
Math - 2 more pages (something like 78 and 79????)
finish skill sheet due tomorrow

Thursday TODAY
LA: Current events OR type and submit your YWP prompt for Vermont Writes Day.
Read for 30
Science test tomorrow - study your study guide

We are finishing our native American reports tomorrow in whatever state they make it too. We have to end due to report cards, but this will be taken into considertation. The real assessment is to write a short focused report in class next week on a topic of your own choosing. We will brainstorm Monday and complete Monday through Wednesday. If students wish to continue to work on reports at home. To help out, I will not assign journal homework next week.

Monday March 9

Today we finished our codex in Team Magnificent - Incredible will finish tomorrow.
Our next venture is to write our reports. Tomorrow we will do more research in class.

Today's homework
LA: Write about a bad idea that turned out great or free choice.
Read for 30 minutes. Native American book if it's not done - we are moving to kid's classics next.
Math: Skill sheet - don't wait - there will be other homework this week

ALSO consider
Codex if not done Magnficent
science fair - your experiement needs to get done at home
PARTY PERMISSION SLIP - there is a BRAG 5/6 party this Friday the 13th. Get your permission and $5 in asap.

Parent conference schedule is out. Go to

http://extremeconferences.bringit.bz/public/2225b8

and sign up for one 20 minutes slot per family. Kids are welcome, but not required. You will have 10 minutes with each teacher

Friday 3-6-15

We had library today and read from our Scholastic News together. Ms. Lamb collected journals and will post grades for the last two journal assignments.

We worked on our codices. Students are allowed to take them home. Monday will be the last in school work time. Remember, this is a big social studies grades.

On Monday I will be sending the link for conference signups on March 23rd from noon to 4 pm.

Have a great weekeind.

Wednesday and Thursdsay 3-4&5-15

Well I'm off to a bad start, forgetting to post yesterday, first day back.
Here's the news of yesterday.
In LA we reviewed our first reading test "A Park in Danger" and took our second one "No Skating." Not too exciting.
Homework:
LA: Science vocabulary sheet - this can be found on google classroom and eventually will be typed and posted there. This is due next Wednesday.
Read for 30 minutes
No math today

Thursday
Since some of us were not here yesterday, there was a smattering of test finishers. Mr. Meadow's math class went to the lab to do a Star Math Assessment.
In LA and SS we began note-takin on our assigned tribes (Pueblo, Aztec, Algonquin or Iroquois) and got the low down on what our codex would be like. The notes and codex are a big social studies assessment. This will be due next Tuesday. Students are allowed to take it home to work over the weekend if they choose to.

Next week we begin and finish our reports on this tribe.

Homework:
LA: Current Events - everyone has a magazine to use as a source. Please return tomorrow.
Math: In lieu of math homework, please continue to work on science vocabulary
Read novel for 30 minutes

Finn's mom, Becky, alerted me to this great play at the Flynn. If you read Peter and the Starcatchers or just like a good story, maybe consider going this play at the Flynn. I'm going to try to go and drag my son.

http://www.flynntix.org/mainstage/peter-and-the-starcatcher/Details?perfNo=11074&perfCodePrefix=FLM15P

Thursday 2-19-15

This is a day when students will say "I have no homework" but don't be fooled.

Ms. Lamb expects a high quality edit of the YWP post where students explained what letter of CARES their novel showed. This should be an ORGANIZED paragraphy with evidence and analysis.
brownsriver.ywpschools.net
login firstnamelastinitial
same password as gmail

Students also mush finish science fair worksheet #2 with sources.

Science Fair Worksheet #2

Students should have their Native American novel with them for vacation. This needs to be finished by March 6, Friday after vacation.

BRING WARM CLOTHES FOR TOMORROW.

Wednesday 2-18-15

In LA we returned to Edutyping only to discover that many of us don't know our home keys and can't type without looking. Soon edutyping will be part of homework.

Social studies finished note taking for Inuit and we start our own group note taking for our codex making tomorrow.

We had a giant cubby clean out today. They look marvelous. Ms. Lamb talked about our next science fair worksheet. We may not get to it until after vacation. We are quickly running out of week.

On Friday we will be outside for several hours for the BRMS Ididarun.  Dress for the weather.

Homework:
ISILT - focus on rockets
Math Page 62 - carefully explain and be ready for a quiz on fractions to percents (like 1/4 = 25%)
Read for 30 minutes

Tuesday 2-17-14

Today we visited the marketplace called Modavi Ville.  We have never been before, so didn't know what to expect. Modavi Ville is a market economy designed by the seventh grade. We each got $1000 to spend any way we wanted.

What I did not know is that kids would be purchasing a lot of sugar, or believe me, I would have warned parents and set limits for kids. Live and learn. Ms. Lamb's iblock went as a iblock experiement. We could only purchase wrapped items (no eating) and see who could get the most in 15 minutes. Then we discussed the economy marketplace.

In LA we took a test about the Everglades and started our new word study. In SS, we continued, or started note taking on our Native American tribes preparing for our codex making and report writing.

Homework tonight:
Math: Page 60 (I think)
Read for 30 minutes (everyone has a Native American novel now)
LA: Finish sort 1, 2 with explanation and 8 great sentences

FIND YOUR WARM GEAR FOR FRIDAY!!!!!

Monday 2-16-15

Today we settled in with our Native American novels. We spent the remainder of LA reviewing the November reading test in preparation for our reading assessment tomorrow. I explained how we have a standards based assessment system at BRMS. This means students must "prove" their proficiency and I must give them opportunity with summative assessments. Long story short, this is one of them (informational). There will be another (literary) one right after vacation. Also, we shall finish our paragraphs from our first in class novel. These and our reading records will be our main summative assessments for reading.

In social studies, the Magficent group finished note-taking for the Inuit and moved into groups for our tribe research (Iroquois, Pueblo, Algonquin or Aztec) which will begin tomorrow. Hopefully the Inredible group will be all caught up by Thursday.

Homework today:
Math: Page 60 or something like that - check your assignment book
Read for 30 minutes
LA: YWP prompt - you have a hilarious and seemingly unuseful superpower. Explain how you can use it to combat a villain. (Or choose your own idea.)

Remember lessons tomorrow.
Also, permission is needed for our visit the the 7th grade economy of Modaviville if, and only if, you want a henna tatoo.

NOTE: Friday we are spending much of the day outside for a field day school wide activity. Dress for it - snowpants, books, warm coat, hat, mittens, scarf. It's called The I-Did-A-Run.

Friday 2-13-15

We survived Friday the 13th and Valentine's Day!

The Science Fest will be April 9th.

We have started note taking for the Inuit. Next week we start our Native American Codex projects.

Have a great weekend.

Thursday 2-12-15 (and Wednesday 2-11 which I forgot)

Oh my, I didn't even realize that I forgot to post yesterday. It's been a busy week.
Here's yesterday's news
Homework was....
ISILT specifically about the lab in science and please print out if you do digitally
Math: Page 44? or something like that and skill sheet was due Thursday (today)
Read of course - 30 minutes

TODAY
Thursday
homework
LA Current events AND make sure you have comments to three people on YWP who read the same book. You will soon revise your post to be a cohesive paragraph.
ALSO, make sure your first science fair worksheet is complete and shared with Ms. Lamb
READ 30 minutes
NO MATH TODAY

Today Mr. Warren, the king and master of the science fair, came to CPR to promote the SCIENCE FESTIVAL which will take place on April (okay I forgot the date, I'll find it and post tomorrow, something like the 10th.)

He did a cool little experiment and answered our questions.

For Ms. Lamb, all Team Energy kids will do a science fair project. Whether they take it to the festival is up to them, but there is a $100 first prize and $50 second prize and everyone gets a pint of Ben and Jerry's just for entering.

Here's the lowdown:
You must have a testable question
see some here Testable Questions
or check out science buddies

We also worked on our novel posts on YWP which will eventually become a strong paragraph about which element of CARES is best exemplified in our novel (cooperation, assertion, responsibility, empathy, or self-control)

Tuesday February 10

Ms. Lamb was away for a Teachers meeting today but the students did great for our guest teacher.  The homework for tonight is listed below...

LA - Students started working on a writing project assignment in the Lab today which they need to finish.

They also need to read for 30 minutes.

Social Studies - Students started writing up the Science Fair Project they have chosen.  The opened a document today in class from Ms. Lamb which they need to continue working on for tomorrow.

Math - page 53 in their student pages.  Also, skill sheet is due on Thursday.

Tuesday 2-10-15

Hi everyone,
This is Ms. Lamb reporting from afar. It is my best guess about math homework. I hope you have it written in your assignment book.

Homework:
LA - finish postings from LA and SS - your novel and scienc fair document plans
Read for 30
Math - skill sheet due Thursday
perhaps some other page?

Monday 2-9-15

Homework today:
Math page 44? (I'm upstairs and can't remember)
also, skill sheet due Thursday

LA journal: YWP prompt. You find a tunnel. Where does it go? Tell the story. Or your choice.

Read for 30 minutes

In LA we finished our jigsaw chapter reading from The First Americans and presented. Afternoon was rocket math and Magnificent finishing (almost) the American Before Columbus National Geographic video. We learned about the Columbian exchange.

NOTE:
Have you parents been wondering about another time you could come to school to help out?

Well, on February 20th we are having an all day outdoor event called The I Did A Run. We could use some parent helpers. Please contact
willie.lee@cesuvt.org or tamara.pless@cesuvt.org if you can help out.
Thanks.

Thursday 2-5-15

Happy Thursday.
We finished up word study and Chapter 8 with notes from The First Americans.
We watched another section of America Before Columbus a National Geogrphic film also with notetaking.

In math menu we self corrected our skill sheets.

I hear a lot of marble rolling going on in science and see some great graphs for those labs.

Tonight's homework:
Journal: current events - article of the week "Seeing Spots"
Read your in class novel. It should be finished by tomorrow
Math: Page 44
Science: Finish lab on marble rolling

Wednesday 2-4-15

Today in LA we focused on note taking. We used more of our The First Americans book and practiced note taking. The different kinds of notes we found were:
important vocabulary like tribes
things people did like built igloos in one hour
descriptions of things like 40 foot boats with 14 rowers on each side
important sketches like the Rocky Mountains

At the beginning of math menu, Bailey Gordan, our district Ocupational Thearapist came and taught us some movement breaks. Some we can do right in our seats without anyone noticing!

In math menu some kids were finishing their science labs which include graphs of marbles rolling. Some also worked to finish skill sheet or math homework.

Tonight's homework:

Math: Skill sheet due Thursday and page 38
Read your in class novel - finish by Friday or over the weekend if you must
we choose new novels next week
Journal: ISILT
Science lab is due Friday

Tuesday - ooops, late again 2-4-15

I didn't remember the blog until this morning (Wednesday).
Please email me if you are looking for the blog and I forgot to post it. I check my email all the time, but I have to go to a special spot for the blog. Anyway, here's yesterday's news.

Homework:
Math page 23 and Skill sheet due Thursday
LA finish word study packet through sentences..NEW PRACTICE

Tuesdays will be word study day. I will introduce in class for 20 minutes. Students must finish first sort or finish at recess. Wednesday, show finished work or finish at silent reading or recess if not done.

We finished presenting our book chapters in social studies.

Frida 1-30-15

Progress Reports are coming home today. Please keep this in mind...

This is a progress report or snapshot in time of what's going on and how your student is progressing toward meeting the standard. If there is a 1 or 2 now, there could be a 3 or even 4 on report cards and of course if there is a 3 now, there could still be a 2 or 1 on report cards as we will have assessments to match toward the standard at that time.

Please use these as conversation starters and pay attention to the comments.

Thursday 1-29-15

Quick blog
SS - started to read The First Americans by Joy Hakim
LA - Ms. Lamb did blind sort for all

Homework:
LA current events , MS Lamb handed out The Hottest Year
Read for 30 minutes - should be finishing in class book
Math Page 27 abd 28 and Exemplars is due tomorrow all written up

Wednesday 1-28-15

Late again, oh well.

Here's the homework
Math: exemplars due Friday, skill sheet due tomorrow
LA: Take the night off - go band!
finish 8 sentences if not done
Read for 30 minutes (the rest of you should do double homework since you're not in the band - read some extra for the team)

In LA we worked on word study today.
Only Incredible had Social Studies. Ms. Lamb had to go to a meeting at Central Office. Thank you Ms. Poley for covering. Kids went to the lab to finish postin on YWP, do one lesson of edutyping and start looking around for a science project idea.

Tuesday 1-27-15

Here we are in rapt attention at All Tem Meeting.

Sorry I'm late. Kayley had to remind me from her sick bed.

Today in LA we revisted YWP and posted an entry:
What do you know about Native Americans? and What do you wonder about Native Americans?

Ms. Lamb wants homework posted on YWP now. She will review that practice this week.

Speaking of homework, all students received a printout of schoology. Schoology is just for did you hand it in or not. Don't pay attention to the percentages and the assignments are not weighted.

A lot of students are not handing in homework from journals. This is collected on Friday and/or must be shared with Ms. Lamb on line (thus the new policy of posting on YWP to get the place all in one and prevent forgeting to share with me.)

We finished with All Team Meeting this afternoon.
We discussed:
Penguin Plunge
New writing Take a Break practice/policy (it's old, but we revisted it)
transitions
no physical contact policy

We tabled till next meeting
CARES shoutouts
writing weird things on the computer like I'm watching you and freaking out the next person
field trips

Homework:
Math: Exemplars (work on it tonight) due Friday
Skill sheet due Thursday
Reading journal: What is the heart of your novel? (In class novel)
Read for 30 minutes

Monday 1-26-15

We made new groups today. We now have Magnificent and Incredible for LA/math and SS/Science groups. This way we experience new people and feel fresh.

It is the start of 2nd trimester. We switch from world language to music or vice versa.

We cleaned our cubbies and binders!

Homework:

LA Tell the story of a penny or free choice
Finish sort one for word study

Read 30 minutes - you should be past the halfway point in your in class novel

Math Skill sheet due Thursday
Finish page 20 and do 21 and 22 for homework
No Khan this week BUT
Exemplars due Friday

Friday (really Saturday) 1-23/24-15

We had a great exhibition on Friday. Thanks to the parents that could stop in. I like to provide us with a production to help us have an authentic audience. You helped provide that (as did we and Mr. Cole's class that stopped by.)  I can confidently say, everyone learned a lot about researching and presenting. I will let you know of future visiting opportunities.

Our next research writing will start Monday with us all reading Joy Hakim's The History of Us The First Americans. This book will give us a good mentor text for narrative non-fiction writing.  We will each create a codex about a a tribe and write a report on one tribe after reading this text together. This will apply all of our note taking and research skills that we practiced with our Vermont History Day Leadership and Legacy project.

At the same time, students are deciding a science fair project to complete alone or with a partner.
Here is a link to the requirements

Science Fair Isearch Requirements

If you are wondering what an Isearch is, check out this article:
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/mary.warner/Book-Teaching%20Writing%20Chapters/Chap%206%20final.pdf

(Now I'm starting to give you homework.)

Don't feel overwhelmed. The majority of the Native Americans report will be done in social studies class. The science fair will also be done at school and as an anchor activity when student have spare moments in the day. You should not that the actual tests and experiments will be done at home, but I will warn you in advance.

Students are encouraged to go to the school science fair in March (around the 10th-15th, date tbd), but not required.  (There's nothing like a performance deadline.)

Next week we return to regular journal homework, focusing on finishing our novels, and word study.  Progress reports will come home on Friday.

Good work everyone.

Thursday 1-22-15

Today's the last day to work on your project. Tomorrow is due day, no matter what.

Bring your presentation in whatever shape it is in. All work will be in the library from 8:30 to 9:30. Parents are welcome to come witness the event.

Students have been researching for almost 4 months. They should be ready to prove their person is a leader and defend their legacy.

Also due tomorrow is Khan Academy.

Wednesday 1-21-15

We have a lot of specials on Wednesdays so we only had about 40 minutes to work on our presentations (due Friday).

On Friday, bring what you have, done or not. We will all present what we have in the library at 8:30. Most students are making trifold presentation exhibits. Some are writing reports, making documentaries or performing live.  All students will assess themselves with the rubric tomorrow and assess five classmates on Friday.

The requirements so far are:
Read a book
find an internet source
20 note cards
a worksheet organizer
10 vocabulary words defined and connected
a flash draft in your in class journal
an outline in your journal
A final presentation
Bibliography using easybib.com

Click here to see rubrics for presenations

Tonight's homework:
Specific task for project completion
Read (you can put this off until the weekend if you need more time for your project)
Math:
Skill sheet due tomorrow
Page 15 and 16 due tomorrow
Khan Academy due Friday.

In social studies science we combined to watch a short video about Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Tuesday 1-21-15

Welcome back from the long weekend.

This is finish your Leadership and Legacy project week. We will work daily in class and for homework. Work will be presented on Friday morning in the library. The entire class will meet together. Parents are welcome to attend if they desire.

Tonight's homework:
LA - what specific task will you complete for your project? i.e. Write more of report, find pictures and write captions for trifold, write more of script for documentary or performance.

Be able  to answer these categories:

1) What did this person do to become a leader?

2) What is their background - time period, family, circumstance?

3) How did they affect the world at the time?

4) How did they change things for others?

This is major work for this entire week.

Math:
Page 17 if not required to do skill sheet, if you are required to do skill sheet you don't have to do page 17, but do the skill sheet. It's due Thursday.

Khan Academy due Friday.

All Team Meeting Summary:

We had a big talk about responsibilty and computers. We need to trust that kids are doing their work on Khan or for research when they are on the comptuer, not fiddling around streming music, watching videos or playing games. This is a big conversation going on all over the school, but we are taking this very seriously. Misuse may result in losing computer privileges for a time.  It's hard, but math and research can be done without a computer.

Valentines are allowed, but we ask that you bring one for everyone. We ask that you not bring candy. We have had some big problems with candy in the past.

The "R" word. BRMS is a place where we don't insult an entire group of people by teasing our friends for doing something silly. This means we don't call people retards or retarded or gay or a girl if they are a boy. I'm sure there are other examples, but you get the picure. We take this seriously and ask that kids do also.

MLK Day - community building. We took a minute to intoduce what Martin Luther King day is. Tomorrow we will spend a class period investigating the topic of community service.

Shout outs this week go to Maggie and Emma R. Way to go girls.

Friday 1-16-15

Remember there is no school on Monday. That gives you lots of time to read and work on your project which is due on Friday the 23rd.

Kids can bring trifolds home (even if they haven't paid yet.) You can even have your parents drive you in on Monday and get your trifold.

Have a great long weekend.
Try to remember Dr. King and do something helpful for the community.

Wednesday and Thursday 1-14&15

I'm so sorry I fogot to blog yesterday.
I hope the concert went well for everyone.
Mr. Meadows had ISILT as an extra credit so as to give some time off to the choral participants.

Homework yesterday
ISILT optional and extra credit
Read for 30 (can catch up tomorrow)
Math: Skill sheet and Khan Academy due tomorrow (sorry no respite as this was given on Monday - plan ahead kids.)

Thursday
We are really forging ahead with our Vermont History Day Leadership and Legacy projects. Today we wrote a flash draft in our new In Class Journals that stay in our slots and are used during class (thus the name.)

This afternoon we will work to fill in any blanks. I'm moving the buddy sort for word study to tomorrow to give us more time to focus on our projects today.

Done so far on our projects:
Read book
20 or more notes
10 vocabulary words defined and connected to person
worksheet - Leader-action-legacy
flash draft

Still to come:
conferences
putting presentation together
mock presentation
final fixes
present
assess 5 others with rubric (click here to see rubric)

Remember, the presentation exhibit will be Friday January 23rd in the library at 9:30. Parents are welcome.

Tonight's homework:
Current Events - here's a new site to try http://www.cnn.com/studentnews

Read for 30 minutes

Math: page 13
(Is your Khan Academy done?)

Tuesday 1-13-15

Sorry for the late post....forgot what I was doing.

Today we started our book group books. Our choices were:
Savvy, The Indian in the Cupboard, My Side of the Mountain, Peter and the Star Catchers, Frindle and I may have forgotten one, but I think that's all of them.

The idea was, choose a book you hadn't read before from these really great award winning books.

We also worked to come up with 10 great vocabulary terms associated with our leader. Later we completed a content driven organizer for our project on leadership and legacy.

Speaking of that project, the exhibit will be on Friday January 23rd from 8:30 to 9:30 in the library. Parents are welcome. It will be informal, but a lot of great projects to see.

Homework today:
LA: Write about your new book. Why did you choose it? What are you looking forward to?
Read for 30 minutes
Math: shoot, I forgot the pages...there was something about 1/10 and 1/5 maybe -check your assignment book.
Remember, Khan and skill sheet due Thursday

Monday 1-12-15

We resstarted word study. Most of us finished sort one - if not please do for homework.
We start a small group reading book tomorrow. Ms. Lamb did a book talk on the choices and we filled out a rank order ballot.

In social studies, only Fantastic met today. We are very focused on our final projects this week. Tri folds are here. Kids can have them. I request $4 donation to cover cost.

Homework:
LA journal: YWP Love. Write a mushy love story. Exaggerate. Go over the top or
your choice

Read for 30 minutes

Math: Skill sheet due Thursday, Khan Academy also due Thursday

Thursday and Friday 1-8&9-15

I'm sorry to say, I was away from the classroom yesterday and didn't check to see if the blog got blogged and it didn't.

Hopefully you all remembered the homework which was:
LA current event

Read for 30

Math back sheet page 6 and Khan Academy

Today the trifolds finally came! They cost Ms. Lamb $4 each. I have run out of budget money so am asking folks that want one to chip in $4 if they can.

We will use trifolds for the science fair (which I require also.) You can use the same trifold or purchase another one.

Remember, for your Leadership and Legacy project, you do not have to choose trifold. You can do a report, live performance or documentary (movie).

We will have one full week to finish our projects.  I'm tentatively thinking the presentation expo will be on Friday January 23rd in the library from 8:25 to 9:40.

Wednesday 1-7-15

Ms. Lamb was at a professional meeting all day but students still managed to have a good day.

Homework for tonight:

LA - ISILT - Students are to utilize the words, inertia, force and mass to try to explain why the marbles behaved the way they did during our experiment.

Math - Skill sheets were assigned on Monday and will be graded by the students this Thursday.  These needed to be finished before school.

Finally, students have been asked to do 20 -30 minutes of work on the Khan Academy website.  The Khan Academy (try the hyperlink and see for yourself) is a website created to help students learn almost anything they could ever imagine.  You can go onto Khan Academy, search for a topic of interest and you can find videos, links and quizzes on any subject you can imagine.  Students have signed up for accounts in school and will now be asked to complete 1 homework assignment a week on the Khan Academy.

What's great for me as their teacher, is I can see exactly how much they have been working, what they have been working on, and how well they are doing (or not doing).  It is my first year utilizing the Khan Academy but it has terrific potential.  Many teachers at BRMS rave about it.  So we will be trying it this year to see it if truly can be helpful to the students learning outcomes.  If you have thoughts or questions, let me know.

Stay warm!

Tuesday 1-6-15

Homework today:
LA Reading - Describe the novel you are reading. Would you recommend it? Why or why not?
Read for 30 minutes
Math: Skill sheet due Thursday
Order of Operations worksheet due tomorrow

Trifolds company was called today. They shipped today. Fingers crossed, they will be here by Friday so kids can start putting them together.

Ms. Lamb decided to put off spelling for one more week. We did our pre-assessment for informational writing today. Ms. Lamb will be out for Wednesday and Thursday (two different professional development days) so kids will work on their projects. This should mean they are mostly finished except for the polish.

Monday January 5, 2015

Welcome back.
ACCORDING TO THE NURSE, KIDS MUST WEAR COATS WHEN IT IS THIS COLD.

Kids are coming without coats saying it is okay with parents. We have to have a sanity rule that says when it's below 20 degrees with a windchill, you must have a coat, hat and mittens or sit in nurse or office for recess. Please come prepared.

In LA today we all tried to log in to schoology. Three of us had spelling discrpencies in our names, but Mr. Wallis has fixed this.

Schoology is for checking that all work is turned in. If you disagree with Ms. Lamb, send her an email or talk to her face to face.

Mr. Meadows' grades are not on schoology.

We got back into our groove a little. We all have novels we are reading to meet our reading goal. We checked in on journals and grades and finishing our cursive packets in LA.

This afternoon, just Fantastic will have social studies to get back into our project groove. Awesome will tomorrow.

A note about project trifolds: I have ordered 50 trifolds (we need them for science fair also.) I'm asking for a $4 donation and you can keep the trifold. They have been ordered, but not shipped yet. Hopefully they will be here this week.

Tonight's homework:
LA: free choice or YWP - you are walking through a park and a statue strikes up a conversation with you....

Math: Skill sheet (due Thursday)

Read for 30 minutes

Sunday 1-4-15

Special Sunday Blog.

Tomorrow we return to school to start the 2015 part of the school year. In the third week of January we will be halfway through second trimester and teachers will be completing progress reports.

Ms. Lamb has just finished posting before vacation grades. Note that I am grading each journal entry individually so students and parents can see exactly what is missing (although I don't post until the weekend.) I will have all students log into their schoology accounts tomorrow so I know everyone knows their status and how to access it. (Please remember that I make mistakes sometimes, so let me know if I forgot to update something or when haywire on my number inputting.)

Most weeks (but not all) we have a word study packet due that we complete mostly in class. This will become a homework assignment eventually, although we continue to do the first sort in class on Monday or Tuesday (this week we will start on Tuesday.)

In social studies, we have been devoting ourselves to our Vermont History Day projects which will be due on or about January 15th (more exact date coming soon.)  So far students have turned in notes (last trimester) and completed an organizer called Mad Lib. This is posted in the social studies grades.

This trimester's LA writing focus is informational (or report) writing. Very soon, we will start reading together The History of Us The First Americans. This will culminate in an individual study of one group of Native Americans and the completion of a codex and report.

See you kids tomorrow. Sleep well.