Extemporaneous Speaking and Fondant Sculpting Enrichments

"Winter" The Leopard Gecko

Kenzie talking about the care of her pet

Kaitlyn and her horse

Kaitlyn talking about how to show your horse for 4-H

Starting the sculpting process

Working on making the "Emoji" Faces

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For the week of September 26th - 30th

This is the last week in September . . .how time flies!   Here is what to expect this week.

Reading Calendars
Keep in mind that September reading calendars are coming due.  If you lost yours, please use the link on the side of my blog to reprint one.  If you have no printer, please make your own calendar and don't forget that a parent signature is required.

Grades and Parent/Teacher Conferences
If you haven't logged into your Parent Portal to view grades, please do so.  The end of quarter one is only a week and a half away.  Keep looking at your student's agenda and asking about assignments that are due.  If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call, email or drop by after school.  I will be scheduling Parent/Teacher conferences in a few weeks so we can chat face to face.  I look forward to seeing you all again soon.


Tuesday, Sept 27th
Pizza money is due.  $1.00 a slice

Friday, Sept 30th
Spelling Test #6, Snack Shack, Jeans Day $1.00 and last day of our first enrichment club.


Spelling Test 6

1. idea
2. silent
3. lying
4. apply
5. knight
6. quite
7. I'm
8. license
9. buy
10. inquire
11. higher
12. python
13. variety
14. widest
15. smiling
16. diagram
17. rhyme
18. myself
19. malinger
20. mysterious

Goop Experiment

We started learning all about matter and how molecules in each state behave.  For the last couple of lessons, we studied solids, liquids, gases, plasmas and condensates.  Today, we did our first hands-on investigation with an unknown substance we dubbed "Goop".  Students practiced the scientific method by coming up with a hypothesis on what state of matter Goop was, designed their own experiments to tests to back up their hypothesis, took observations on how Goop behaved and then defended their findings in a conclusion.

I was very impressed with all the scientific discussions that took place today!  The class figured out that Goop had both solid and liquid qualities.  We learned that when a substance like "Goop" has both solid and liquid properties it is call an amorphous solids  or a non-Newtonian fluid.  Check out the investigations going on!

Does it pour like a liquid?

Does it drip off your fingers?

Can you stir it?

Can you roll it in a ball?

Will other objects sink into the Goop?

Will it hold its shape?

What happens when you apply pressure fast, then slow

Can you pick it up with a spoon?

Recording our findings

Determining if using our sense of hearing is a way to take observations on this experiment

For the week of September 19th - 22nd

It is hard to believe we are nearing the end of September!  The first month and a half of school has literally blown by.  Here are some up-dates for this next week.

Tuesday, Sept. 20th
Pizza $ is due.  Just a dollar a slice.

Thursday, Sept. 22nd
Spelling Test 5.  Remember it is a short week so studying has to take place earlier.  :)

Friday, Sept. 23rd
No School - Teacher inservice/grading day.  Make sure to login to Parent Portal to see updated grades. The first quarter ends October 5th.  If you have questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to call or email me.  Even though Parent-Teacher conferences are in October, don't wait to address your concerns until then.


Spelling List #5 (all about contractions) The spelling test will be given a bit differently.  I realize these words are simple in nature, but remembering which word to use, like your and you're or whose and who's needs extra teaching.

1. I'll
2. won't
3. they've
4. don't
5. we're
6. didn't
7. isn't
8. couldn't
9. haven't
10. o'clock
11. you're
12. who's
13. whose
14. aren't
15. it's
16. doesn't
17. there's
18. I've
19. Mrs. Evans  (I have numerous students still spelling my name as Mrs. Evens lol)
20. quintessential 

For the week of September 12th - 16th

Here is what is happening in 5th grade this week:

Tuesday, Sept. 13th
Pizza $ is due.  $1.00 per slice

Thursday, Sept. 15th
Picture day.  Students may dress up as long as it meets school modesty codes.  Order forms were sent home last week.

Friday, Sept. 16th
Spelling Test #4.  Words are posted below.  Enrichment class #2 will take place from 1:30 - 3:00pm

Homework
I know a lot of you have been asking if I give homework.  The answer is yes.  In some cases, papers have already been coming home.  Please make sure to check your student's home folder for unfinished school papers.  Official homework will start coming home in the next few weeks.  In the meantime, remember there is 25 minutes a night of reading required and practice the spelling words several nights, even if it is just for 5 minutes.


Agendas
Remember to be asking to see agendas every night.  Our agendas are an organizational tool, as well as a tool to teach responsibility.  Every day, at the end of the school day, we fill out what we accomplished.  If you see a star next to the assignment, it means there is paperwork associated with assignment, that needed to be turned in.  In 6th - 10th grade, agendas are required and used as part of a grade.  In 5th grade, we are just practicing.  Students earn class cash for having their agenda signed by a parent.

Grades
I was a little late this last week getting grades into the grade book.  I spent the weekend grading and have some grades posted.  If you are interested in seeing how your student is doing, please login to your Parent Portal account.  If you don't know how or forgot your previous password, please contact Amy Bowers at amybowers@visioncsd.org for your information.

Deeds to the Desk Awards
Part of my Classroom Economy is based off of real life.  Just like working to earn a living, renting or owning a home, 5th grade has jobs that pay, as well as bills.  Pictured below are the students that managed to save enough money to purchase their desks, so they don't have to pay rent the rest of the year.

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Spelling List 4

1. obey
2. ocean
3. poem
4. awoke
5. hello
6. wrote
7. goal
8. approach
9. owner
10. tomorrow
11. program
12. broken
13. potato
14. throat
15. echo
16. oldest
17. followed
18. spoken
19. insidious
20. malaise