Monday, February 8, 2009

Today's Homework:
Reading ~ Take Home Reader 20 minutes
Language Arts ~

• ER (Esperanza Rising) group complete Passage Master
• RF (Riding Freedom) group complete chp. 3 and questions

Math ~ text page 397 (#3-10)

SS ~ Define vocabulary from "Problems of Colonists" notes

I am going to make a point to update you, the parents, with the topics we have covered in class. I have gotten requests from many of you that you would like to help your child, but you don't know what we talked about in class. Or, more commonly, that your child "didn't learn anything", or "didn't do anything", or "doesn't know what we did" today. So, hopefully this will help you. Like I stated, I am working really hard to update you as often as I can. Please keep in mind that our days need to be flexible and can change at any moment, so please bare with me. Send me an email if you have specific questions.

Today's Objectives:

Math ~ talked about the types of triangles and classified them based on sides and angles; talked about the number of degrees in a triangle and how we came to this conclusion

Reading ~ completed our Word Study book (totally completed in class through class discussion) page 18 using the prefix "out"; worked on our next Writing Menu (again, a classroom assignment); gave time to complete their Literature assignment (see HW for Lang. Arts)

SS ~ talked about and took notes on the problems of the colonists; text pg. 82-83

Science ~ talked about and took notes on the types of clouds; classified clouds

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Today's Homework:
Reading ~ THR 20 minutes
Spelling ~ Choices due on Friday
Math ~ Mrs. Gumbs' group text pg. 279 set E
Science ~ Vocabulary Quiz tomorrow

SMART BOARD

We have a Smart Board in our room! A smart board is like a big computer on a big screen. It allows the students to be more interactive in the lessons during class. We have already completed a graphic organizer on the smart board using our novel The Landry News. We have also used a virtual fractions on a math website. The Smart Board is very cool and so much fun!!

SCIENCE FAIR

Thank you to all who completed a Science Fair project! They are currently on display in our hallways and they look great! Job well done!!

UPDATES

Whew! It has been a crazy month!!! Here are the latest happenings:

• December 4th - 5th grade sleepover with Ms. Ayers (music teacher)
• PTA holiday program is Thursday, December 10
• Our holiday celebration will be held the week of December 14th. More details to follow.
• Mid term reports go home December 9
• December 15th - eye screening for 5th grade
• December 17th - PTA Father/Daughter -- Mother/Son dance 6:00 - 8:30pm
• No school for students December 21-January 1

Monday, November 16, 2009

Today's Homework:

Reading ~ Take Home Reader 20 minutes
Spelling ~ Spelling Activities due on Friday (2 activities need to be complete)
Math ~ Mrs. Gumbs' group WS 9.8 (#10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
Science ~ Science Project due December 1st.

Newspapers

For our next Writing Menu, the students are searching newspapers for their activities. If you have extra used newspapers lying around, please send them in, as we will be using them for the next month. Thanks!

Canned Food

The Student Council is collecting Canned Food until November 20th. Please be considerate and donate a can or two. Thanks!!

Spelling

Your child has 5 words for the week. The 5 words vary from student to student. The words are in your child's binder. They are highlighted. Our focus this week is "r" sounds with a vowel. Here is the entire list for this week:

snore

spare

appear

prepare

pioneer

smear

ignore

engineer

volunteer

declare

Enrichment words: impair, directory, hardware, clearance, porpoise

Tuesday, November 3, 2009

Today's Homework:

Reading ~ Take Home Reader 20 minutes
Vocabulary ~ 4 Box WS for the word "weathering"
Math ~ Mrs. Gumbs' math group WS 9.8 circled problems only

Spelling

I have revised Spelling. Each child was given a Spelling pretest on Monday on 10 words. The first 5 words that are incorrect are your child's spelling words for the week. If they got all 10 words correct then their spelling words are the enrichment words. They will be tested on only these 5 words. My purpose in doing this is to create mastery. I felt that by having 20 words, many students were not mastering the phonics that the words had (example: short "a" sounds) and they were not mastering the SPELLING of the words. There will be a test each Friday, which I feel that is a good goal for all students since they are working on knowing their 5 words.

This weeks words focuses on Consonant Blends (sh, ch, ph, etc):

shovel

chapter

hyphen

establish

although

approach

astonish

shatter

charity

pharmacy

Enrichment words: emphasis, sophomore, athlete, phenomenal, chimpanzee

Vocabulary

I have also revised the vocabulary. Your child will need to know 5 words. These words are taken from our content areas: Reading, Math, Social Studies, Science, with a heavy emphasis on S.S. and Science words. I felt the students needed to focus on content vocabulary as I have seen a weakness with these words. I also cut the list down to 5 for each week. They will be tested every Friday on these 5 vocabulary words.

The vocabulary for this week is: weathering, abrasion, erosion, meander, tributary.

Wednesday Folders

PLEASE send back all work for your child's portfolio on Thursday. Be sure to sign the portfolio page, or the progress report that is attached to your child's work. Please go through your child's Wednesday folder. I do not need anything from the "Take Home and Keep" section. Going through your child's folder keeps you informed about the happenings at Gibson.

Cookie Dough

Cookie dough pick up is Friday, November 6 at Gibson from 2-7pm. All cookie dough must be picked up by 7pm on Friday.

UPDATES

Lastly, November is a crazy month with the days off from school. Your child should be reading EVERY night....including weekends. Also, your child should be working on their Science Fair Project. This is due in December, and December will be here before you know it, so don't let time slip away. Remember -- the project MUST be an experiment....NOT a model. Your child will need to TEST something. If your child is having difficulty, ASK. A GOOD science fair project does not have to be difficult. Judges (including myself) are looking for a well thought out plan on something the student has tested and recorded data (pictures, graphs, conclusion, future thoughts as to why or why not the experiment went as planned).

THANK YOU for all that you do for your children.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

FALL BREAK

We have no school on Thursday and Friday, October 29th and 30th. Please enjoy your days off and READ!! Be safe!! See you on Monday.

FALL CELEBRATION

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU to ALL who helped to make our celebration a success!! The kids had a great time and enjoyed all the treats!!!

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Today's Homework:
Reading ~ Take Home Reader 20 minutes

Lang. Arts ~ The Sign of the Beaver read chapter 16 and complete comprehension worksheet (in the student's reading section of their binders -- on notebook paper)

Science ~ Science Fair Hypothesis due tomorrow

SCIENCE FAIR PACKET

By now your child has received their Science Fair packet. In this packet is tips and ideas. You may use one of these ideas or one of your own. All packets should be signed by a parent -- their was a place to sign on the front page of the packet. All 5th graders must complete a Science Fair project. It will be a grade for 2nd quarter. Projects are due December 1st. I will be periodically checking for completeness. Any questions should be asked early. Don't wait until the last minute to complete this project.

ICE CREAM SUNDAE

Please send in $1.00 for the 5th grade Ice Cream Sundae by Monday, October 26th. Thanks!

QUARTER TESTING

Last day of quarter testing is tomorrow! Great job getting to school and arriving on time!!

Monday, October 19, 2009

Today's Homework:

Reading ~ Take Home Reader 20 minutes

Math ~ Mrs. Gumbs' group -- complete Decimals notebook page

Science ~ Get Science Fair packet signed by parent

Quarter Testing

Quarter Testing begins tomorrow. Please make sure your child is in school and is arriving on time.

Fall Celebration

Thank you to those who offered and volunteered to help with our Fall Celebration. I will be in contact with you over the next couple of days to finalize plans. I appreciate all your help!