Hey everyone!  Thanks so much for taking a moment or two to check out what we will be doing in the next week!  Please let me know if you have questions about anything!!! 🙂

Smile!  Monday, February 25th is Spring Picture Day!  Order forms with money for class pictures need to be turned in Monday.

*IMPORTANT NOTE

In lieu of all of the illness going on around the school, we need Clorox or Lysol wipes for our classroom!  We are using them to clean off the students’ desks, the back table, and the counters.  Thanks so much for helping us with this!  🙂

Tuesday marks the mid-point of the nine weeks.  This is the perfect time to go on PowerSchool and check out your student’s grades.  I have been encouraging the students to reflect on their grades and make a plan to use the remainder of the nine weeks to reach their desired goals.  I think it is important that they are starting to take responsibility for their grades and learning so that they can control their successes in the future.  🙂  Please let me know if you have concerns or questions.

In celebration of the conclusion of World According to Humphrey,  Read Across America and Dr. Suess’ birthday in March we will be showcasing our Cubs love for reading with some spirit days and activities.

March 1^st –  Dress like a Seuss or Humphrey character (must follow HCPS dress Code)

March 4^th – Green Eggs and Ham day so Wear the color GREEN.

March 5^th –  The Cat in the Hat day so wear your favorite hat.

March 6^th –  Wacky Wednesday day so let’s get silly and wear your clothes backwards, inside out or mismatched

March 7^th –  Fox in Socks day so wear silly or mismatched socks

March 8^th –  Sleep Book, so wear appropriate pajamas or comfy clothes.

 

MATH  

The test for variables, expressions, and equations is Tuesday, February 26th.  Your student has notes in their notebook to help prepare for this test and complete homework.  We will also start exploring triangles and measuring angles this week.  Weekly Math (bright green logic puzzle) is due on Thursday, February 28th.

LANGUAGE ARTS

This week we will continue to learn about quotation marks.  The students will do several activities that will help them practice the different ways to use them.  They will also continue to practice revising their writing. Using previously written essays, they will revise their writing for better flow and interest.  In reading, we will continue reading and learning about poetry.  The students will be writing many different types of poetry.  We will also work with author’s purpose, context clues, and multiple meaning words.

SCIENCE

We will continue learning about matter this week with molecules, elements, and compounds.  There will be a quiz on how to use the periodic table, molecules, elements, and compounds on Thursday, February 28th.  Your student has lots of notes in their notebooks and a study guide in their purple folder to help prepare for this quiz.

SOCIAL STUDIES

There is a Midwest quick check quiz on Monday, February 25th.  We will continue traveling through the Midwest Region’s states this week.  The students will begin researching a particular state for a postcard project.

IMPORTANT DATES

2/25 – States and Capitals Quick Check Quiz

2/25 – Spring Pictures

2/26 – Variables Test

2/26 – Jump Rope for Heart

3/19 – Fifth Grade Performance

 

Thanks to Mr. Ujaria for coming in and teaching us about stocks and the Stock Market!  We will begin learning about ticker symbols, public and private companies, and parent companies this week.  We hope to start trading this week as well!  Such an exciting activity!

Tdap shot information went home on Friday,  Please contact Mrs. Calhoun with questions you may have.

MATH

We will continue working with variables, expressions, and equations this week.  The students will be evaluating expressions and solving one-step linear equations.  They will also be matching expressions and equations with word problems.  The test for this unit is scheduled for Tuesday, February 26th.  Your student has notes and examples in his or her math notebook to help with homework.  Weekly Math (pink Sunshine Math) is due on Thursday, February 21st.

LANGUAGE ARTS

We will begin reading and interpreting poetry this week.  The students will have definitions of key terms in their notebooks.  In reading we will continue working with drawing conclusions, recognizing literary devices, and using comprehension skills.  Our writing focus skills are quotation marks, parts of speech, revising, and using homophones correctly.    Book reports are due on Tuesday, February 19th.

SCIENCE

Lessons in science this week will focus on molecules and using the periodic table.  The students will do several activities with these concepts in small groups.  The quiz on matter and atoms has been scheduled for Wednesday, February 20th.  This quiz will cover states of matter, traits of each state, and parts of an atom.  Your student has lots of notes, a study guide, and study cards to help them prepare for this quiz.

SOCIAL STUDIES

We are exploring the Midwest Region.  We will discover the climate, natural resources, and significant landmarks of this region.  There will be a States and Capitals Quick Check quiz on Monday, February 25th.  There will also be a quiz on Chapter 10 vocabulary on Thursday, February 21st.  Your student has states and capitals study cards along with definitions in his or her notebook for the vocabulary quiz.

IMPORTANT DATES

2/19 – Fantasy Book Report due

2/20 – Matter and Atoms Quiz

2/21 – Chapter 10 Vocabulary Quiz

2/25 – States and Capitals Quick Check Quiz

2/25 – Spring Pictures

2/26 – Variables Test

2/26 – Jump Rope for Heart

3/19 – Fifth Grade Performance

Valentine’s Day is coming!  If your student brings cards please be sure to send in one for everyone in our class.  A class list was emailed to you and the students.  The students will be distributing them Thursday afternoon.  Each student will be given a bag for them to put their cards in that will be stapled with a note telling them not to open until they get home.

The PTA has created a new event this year for our community – A Cub Valentine Breakfast.

From February 11-14, Cub families can join us in the cafe for donuts and photos from 7:20-7:40 am. For just $3 per person, you’ll get a glazed Krispy Kreme donut and a drink. We will also have a photo booth set up, so you can take a fun valentine themed photo with your family.

Dates are assigned by last name:

2/11: A-E
2/12: F-K
2/13: L-R
2/14: S-Z

NOTE: Gold and Platinum Cub Fund Donors – Four donuts and drinks were included with your donation. No need to register UNLESS you need more donuts and drinks. Just come on your assigned date.

Report cards come home on Monday, February 11th.

MATH
The Probability and Statistics Test will be given on Monday, February 11th.  This test will cover mean, median, mode, and range, tree diagrams and probability, stem and leaf plot, line plots, and reading graphs of all kinds.  We will get in to variables (5.18 & 6.18) this week.   The students will work with vocabulary as well as evaluate equations and expressions.  Weekly Math (white logic puzzle) is due on Thursday, February 14th.  This week we will also start playing the Stock Market Game.  The students will work in teams of three.  They will learn about ticker tapes, how to look up companies on Yahoo! finance, and how to use and navigate their stock market page.  We are hoping to be buying stocks by the beginning of next week.

LANGUAGE ARTS

We finished reading Esperanza last week so the students will take an open book quiz this week.  Focus skills this week include making inferences and providing evidence to support them.  The students will choose a magazine picture and then work with a partner to write about it from each point of view.  In Language, we will begin learning how to use quotation marks correctly as well as identifying interjections.  We will also work on using a color coding method to revise our writing.  Book reports are due on February 19th.

SCIENCE

We will begin our Matter Unit this week.  The unit starts with phases and properties of matter.  Then we will look at how temperature changes matter.  We will also begin to discover the characteristics of atoms and elements.  Your student will have a study guide in their purple folder for this unit.  There will be a quiz on matter, atoms, and elements on Wednesday, February 20th.  There will lots of notes in the science notebook for your student to use in preparation for this quiz.

SOCIAL STUDIES

The students are working on a Northeast Region digital project that covers all things Northeast.  The Northeast Region test will be given on Thursday, February 14th.  Your student has lots of notes in their notebook and state and capital study cards.  Next week we will start exploring the Midwest Region.

IMPORTANT DATES

2/11 – Probability and Statistics Test

2/11 – Report Cards go home

2/14 – Northeast Region Test

2/11-2/14 – Cub Valentine Breakfast

2/19 – Fantasy Book Report due

2/25 – Spring Pictures

2/26 – Jump Rope for Heart

3/19 – Fifth Grade Performance

 

 

Our YMCA field trip was awesome!  Thanks to Mrs. Lucas for planning and to Mr. Smith for chaperoning!  🙂

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Tuesday, February 5th.  If I have not contacted you, then all is well!  Of course, I’d be happy to meet if you would like to discuss concerns or have questions.  Please go to the SignUp Genius page to sign up for a time.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f094ea8ac2ca20-february2

We are in need of some Alka Seltzer tablets for an experiment this week.  Please let me know if you are able to donate some and then send them in when you can.  Thanks so much!

We will start playing The Stock Market Game in the next week.  If you are interested in teaching the students about the Stock Market please let me know.  We need a “professional” to give us the inside information.  🙂

MATH

The Math Benchmark will given on Monday, February 4th and Tuesday, February 5th.   This test will cover all  5th grade material taught this year and for the 5/6 students all of the 6th grade material taught.

The Benchmark will include:

5.4whole number practical problems – addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division – single step and multi-step,

5.3 – prime and composite numbers and even and odd numbers,

6.3 – integers,

6.4 – exponents and perfect squares,

5.7 – order of operations, 6.6 – with exponents,

5.1 – rounding decimals,

5.5 – decimal computation, 6.5 – decimals in the divisor,

5.2 – converting and ordering decimals and fractions, 6.2 – with percents,

6.1 – ratios,  5.15 – probability and tree diagrams,

5.16 – data, graphing, stem and leaf plots,

5.17 – mean, median, mode, and range, and 6.11 – mean as a balance point.

Please encourage your student to review previously taught material on the math page of this blog.  We will continue working with data using stem and leaf graphs (5.16) this week.  The students will also incorporate probability with tree diagrams (5.15).   There will be a test on graphing and mean, median, mode, (measures of center) and range (measure of variation) on Monday, February 11th. Your student has lots of notes and examples in their notebook.  Next, we will begin exploring variables and one-step linear equations (5.19 & 6.13).  Weekly Math (pink logic puzzle) is due on Thursday, February 7th.

LANGUAGE ARTS

We will continue working with point of view, text structure, and character traits.  Our Book Buddies are also working on character traits so it is perfect timing.  The fifth graders are doing an amazing job being “teachers” to their buddies.  I love to watch them interact with their buddy.  It is awesome!  The open book test for Esperanza Rising will be given this week.  In Language, the students will start their third nine weeks county writing.  For this nine weeks we will be focusing on revising and editing and the difference between the two.  We will use prior written pieces to practice revising and then write a new piece.  The students will use this new piece to show their skills of revision.  The fantasy book report is due February 19th.

SCIENCE

The Science Benchmark will be given on Thursday, February 7th.  We will be reviewing in class and with homework this week.  There will be an animal quiz on Wednesday, February 6th.  Next week we will begin our Matter Unit.

SOCIAL STUDIES

The students will complete their Northeast state license plate this week and start their Northeast Region digital project.  This project will cover all aspects of life and land found in the Northeast.  The test on this region is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, February 14th.

IMPORTANT DATES

2/4  – Math Benchmark Test Part 1

2/5 – Math Benchmark Test Part 2

2/5 – Parent/Teacher Conferences

2/6 – Animal Quiz

2/7 – Science Benchmark Test

2/11 – Statistics Test

2/11 – Report Cards go home

2/14 – Northeast Region Test

2/11-2/14 – Cub Valentine Breakfast

2/19 – Fantasy Book Report due