Wednesday

Once again, we had a great day of learning in Room 15.  During readers' workshop, students learned about reading with expression.  Using the book, Goblins in the Castle, we practiced phrasing: grouping words together and pausing to create just the right affect. Below is a passage we used; how would you phrase this sentence?:
Within minutes I was totally lost, not only unable to find Granny Pinchbottom, but also unable to find my way back to the gorge. Clutching Igor's bear, I glanced around nervously, wondering if more goblins lurked in the woods.

In Science, we watched a six minute clip on New Horizon's discoveries on Pluto.  We debated whether scientists were wrong about reclassifying Pluto as a dwarf planet.  Students wrote claims and are VERY ready to write evidence supporting their thinking.  Ask you child, do you think Pluto should be a planet or a dwarf planet? WHY?  Get ready for an earful!

Homework:
-30 min of independent reading
-Home Link 1.8
-Writer's notebook decorated (by Friday)
-5 artifacts in writers' notebook (by Friday)

Reminders:
-Picture day is Friday, Oct 2 at 10 AM

Monday

Today we worked so hard in writers' workshop.  We learned 3 strategies for coming up with ideas.  The first idea was called My Authority List; we wrote down topics that we were experts in. For example, Megan wrote about butterflies and Eduardo wrote about the ocean.  The next strategy was the Heart Map; students wrote ideas down that were important to them such as grandma's house, fishing with dad, etc. The final strategy is called Artifacts. Students learned that authors use different objects to help them come up with ideas. I showed students pictures and magazine clips from my writers' notebook that helped me generate ideas for writing longer pieces.  By the end of the week, the students of room 15 are going to add at least 5 artifacts to their writers' notebook.

Homework:
- Study Link 1.6
- 30 minutes of independent reading
- Gather 5 artifacts for their writers' notebook (due Friday)
- Decorate their writers' notebook (due Friday)

What about Pluto?

For the past few days in science, we've been discussing Pluto's status as a dwarf planet.  After the recent visit from NASA's New Horizons space probe, students have been gathering evidence and debating whether Pluto should be reinstated as a planet.  Ask your child today about why Pluto was labeled a dwarf planet in August of 2006.

Video clip of new discoveries regarding Pluto.
(will be viewed on Monday; we ran out of time)

Today in Writers' Workshop, we read the book, Enemy Pie.  We talked about times we were tricked and students wrote in their writers' notebooks times when they were tricked.  These will become possible ideas when we begin our new unit of study on Memoirs.

Writers' workshop

Today in Writers' Workshop, we learned 2 different strategies for writing ideas.  One way is called 'Museum'; we chose a noun such as solar system and branched ideas about the topic.  A different strategy helped us think of times when we were a certain emotion. For example, a list of times we were scared.  We had fun sharing our lists.

Pictures below of students' writers' notebooks:

In math, we worked on more area problems today. We practiced with fractional lengths.  Overall my mathematicians are become more efficient at solving area problems.

Homework:

• 30 min of independent reading
• Study Link 1.4

Reminders:

• Picture day is October 2 (paperwork coming home tomorrow in their Friday Folder)

Figuring out Unknown Words

Today in school, we learned how to figure out unknown words. By reading a picture book called Baloney; Henry P., we developed strategies for unearthing the meaning of words; many times through context clues.  We talked about not whipping through words like we're reading on autopilot.  We learned that paying attention to our books and making mental movies as we read is one of the most important things.  We finished the DWA writing assessment.  After literacy, room 15 went to the media center to pick out more just right books.

Homework:

• 30 minutes of independent reading
• Math homework: Study Link 1.3 due on Thursday
• Planners will also be checked on Thursday morning for signatures; sign those planners

Reminders: 

• No School tomorrow (Wednesday): Yom Kippur

Orbit Periods of Planets

Today in Science, we learned about orbit periods. Students from each class created a 'living' model of the solar system and modeled how planets revolve and rotate around the sun.  Through using models, students noticed that the outer planets take longer to revolve around the sun since their orbit paths are so long.  Ask your child about the 'living' model.

During literacy, students learned about how readers sometimes read on autopilot. I demonstrated reading first on autopilot, and then catching myself, rereading, and then modeling how to read actively.  Most students agreed that reading on autopilot makes them think their book is boring which almost always is the cause for abandoning their books.

Homework:

• No math homework
• Read 30 minutes

Reminders: 

• No School on Wednesday: Yom Kippur

Week 2 - Finishing Strong

Today for Readers' Workshop, we learned about inferencing.  We read a book call The Stranger and gathered evidence and created inferences.  We shared our inferences at the end of Readers' Workshop.  During Writers' Workshop, we started the DWA and made our writing plan.  Some of us started writing our first draft. 

Over the weekend, we have to read 30 minutes a day and we have math homework for the very first time.  It is due on Monday.

Curriculum Night tonight

The students of room 15 are finally listening.  They have finally straightened up. Just Kidding!

Today we did the first Reedbuck raffle. We turned in our Reedbucks and most of us got a Golden Reedbuck. Three kids won a prize.  One prize was a comfy chair for the entire week, another prize was the student teacher desk and comfy chair for the week, and the last prize was for a student and a friend to stay inside for recess.  It took a very long time to finish the autobiographies (seen above). The students loved when I connected their heads to their bodies.   

We read Goblins in the Castle and made predictions about what William is going to do and if he will up the door to the North Tower. Ask your child about this awesome book. 

We hope to see you at Curriculum night tonight at 7 PM. :) 

Another Awesome Day in Room 15

Tomorrow is our field trip to Cranbrook.  All students need to bring a lunch from home.  We will be back from our trip by 1:30 and work the rest of the day.

Students see the word workshop written on the schedule for many parts of the day; readers' workshop, writers' workshop and math workshop, but do they know what it really means and why teachers use a workshop format. Today, we learned a lot about what workshop means and the format to expect when they see the word workshop.  We created expectations for the independent practice portion of the workshop and we practiced it with great success.  If you'd like to know more about our math and literacy workshops, click on the links above to read more.

During math, students went through their new Everyday Math journal and used the Student Reference Book for a scavenger hunt. Ask your child more about the new journal.

We also read an awesome picture book called The Girl Who Never Makes Mistakes and discussed how important trying and getting started is...even if it's hard.  We agreed that mistakes makes a stronger learners.  Ask your child about Beatrice's giant mistake.

Room 15

Today, we finished our math pretest that we started yesterday.  This morning, we set up our literacy binders. We made a readers' and a writers' notebook and practiced independently reading for an extended period of time.  We listened to Mr. Reed read Goblins in the Castle; the class really loves the book so far.  Igor singing made everything better today.

We had block time in the afternoon, but it was raining and we had to stay inside the whole time.  The Back to School Picnic is tonight starting at 5 PM.  All permission slips for the field trip are due on Tuesday.

Have a great weekend.

Just right books - day 3

We had a great 3rd day.  In the morning, we learned about picking Just Rights and practiced getting new books in our classroom library.  We practiced independent reading.  Together we created a mission statement by answering questions such as Who are we? What do we want to accomplish? How are we going to make this happen? Why do we want to accomplish this?

Then we worked on our autobiographies...they are secret.  In the afternoon, we switched again and it was much easier to switch. We are getting used to all of our new responsibilities in 5th grade.

Just a reminder the Back to School Picnic is tomorrow from 5 - 7 PM. Please turn in all permission slips for Cranbrook; our trip is on September 16th.


By the way, Chris and Anush won ga-ga ball.

Day 2 - We Survived

Today in school, we finally switched classes for the first time.  We learned primary and secondary sources in Social Studies with Mrs. Athan and Mrs. Faley.  In Math, Mrs. Rohde joked with us, told us stories, talked about our attitudes, and we made our math notebook.  During literacy, we read a book called The Dot and talked about setting goals.  We made a poster with lots of dots and in each dot we wrote a goal. Overall, we had a great 2nd day!  

Welcome to a new School Year!!!!

The purpose of this blog/website is to create a strong school/home connection. It is my primary communication system to keep you in the loop in what is happening in room 15.  Another goal of this blog is to help you support your child's learning outside of school.  You will find curriculum information, helpful resources, classroom news, school events, and pictures of your children working throughout the day.  Please visit the blog frequently as I'll post frequently throughout the week.

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Mr. Reed

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