Friday, October 26, 2012

Weekly News for the Week of October 29, 2012

Special Notes:

Save the Date:

November 15th at 9am is the culminating performance for the Voices Within program. The 9am performance has been reserved for parents. The 10:30 performance is geared to the student body and is slightly different. There is also very limited seating at the 10:30. Please try to come at 9am.

Accelerated Reader:

The students are making good progress towards the goal of 100 points achieved through 90% or greater accuracy on comprehension quizzes. Many of the students have completed or are nearly finished with their "Genre Blackout" squares! Please ask your child about his or her progress so far. 

Halloween:

The Halloween parade will be held at 1:30 on Wednesday, October 31 in the morning line-up area. Students wishing to participate in the parade should bring their costumes in a labeled bag. They will have time to change into their costumes after lunch. All are welcome to come watch and enjoy the parade, however please do not send treats /goodie bags/ candy for the class on this day. Thank you in advance for your understanding! 

What's Going on in the Class:

Math:

Grade 4: Topic 7 Estimating and long division continued...
Grade 5: Topic 7 Division with decimals continued...

Reading: 

Both grades will be taking the Quarter 1 Literacy Assessment this week.
Grade 4- "Wild Horses"- reading non-fiction narrative; Identifying cause and effect.

Grade 5- "Life of a Cowboy" - reading a  biography of Afirican-American cowboy Bob Lemmons; Making inferences.

Writing:  

Literacy Assessment:Writing a fictional narrative; Using showing instead of telling; Using the writing process.

Arts: 

Voices Within- Students should be practicing the songs daily with their CDs. Students should have all 6 songs memorized by Thursday.

Visual Arts: Positive and negative space

Social Studies: 


Grade 4: Unit 2: Early People of California
  
Grade 5: Unit 2: European Settlers in the New World.

Vocabulary/ Greek and Latin roots:



This week's roots are jur, jus, jud =  law or justice.

The words are:
abjure
judge
jurisdiction
jurist
jury
just
justice
justification
justify
perjury

Additional: Building portfolios and Goal-Setting.


Upcoming: On November 6, grades 4-6 will be having a special election day learning rotation. Your child can visit http://pbskids.org/democracy to learn more about the election, participate in a mock vote, design an election poster, play games, and more.


Book Orders:

You may now order Scholastic books online using the link below. Our class activation code is LN6CP. You may order books each month. Orders will be submitted by me on the 16th of each month, so please order prior to the 16th if you are interested. Your online orders generate points for our class which can be redeemed to add books to our classroom library. Thank you!

Scholastic Book Orders


And, Finally...

We are well-stocked on paper towels, tape, and copy paper. Thank you! 

We are in need of the following items for our class:

glue sticks

pencils

tissue


Thank you in advance for your donations!




Friday, October 19, 2012

Weekly News for the Week of October 22nd


Book Orders:

You may now order Scholastic books online using the link below. Our class activation code is LN6CP. You may order books each month. Orders will be submitted by me on the 16th of each month, so please order prior to the 16th if you are interested. Your online orders generate points for our class which can be redeemed to add books to our classroom library. Thank you!

Scholastic Book Orders


October Field Trips:

The following parents will be attending October's field trips.  We are fortunate that the class has had many parents able and willing to volunteer. Chaperones were selected on first-come/first-serve basis. Unfortunately, we are limited in the number of people we may bring. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Griffith Park Observatory 10/24 (Grade 5 only):

  • Lisa McGuinness

In The Classroom:


Math:
Topic 7 Grade 4: Estimating and long division
Topic 7: Grade 5: Division with decimals

Reading: 
Grade 4- Reading non-fiction articles in Time for Kids. We will be reading about the paralympics. Check out this great website to learn more Time for Kids; Summarizing as a comprehension strategy.

Grade 5- Reading non-fiction articles in Time for Kids. We will be reading about Lewis and Clark's 1803 Expedition. Go to this great website to learn more Lewis and Clark; Identifying cause and effect in writing. 

Writing:  
Mini-lessons on writer's craft - showing not telling; Writing to a prompt

Arts: 
Voices Within- Our first rehearsal is this week. Students should be practicing the songs daily with their CDs. Students will need to memorize all six songs.

Visual Arts: Positive and negative space; Sketching in our new sketchbooks :)

Social Studies: 
Grade 4: We will begin Unit 2: Early People of California
  
Grade 5: On Tuesday, October 23, the students will be presenting their state research projects in the MPR from 8:30 - 10:00.  Parents are encouraged to come enjoy the presentations.  Special thanks to Frank Kelly for working with the students on the research! We will begin Unit 2: European Settlers in the New World.

Science: 
Grade 4: Rocks and Minerals. Students will have a test on Friday, October 26. They have received study notes from Mrs. Barnes. Please review a little each night.

Grade 5 Science: Weather

Greek and Latin roots:

This week's root is cred which means believe.

The vocabulary words are:
accreditation
credential
credible
credit
creditor
credulous
creed
discredit
incredible
incredulous

Upcoming: On November 6, grades 4-6 will be having a special election day learning rotation. Have your child watch some or all of Monday's presidential debate. Also, your child can visit http://pbskids.org/democracy to learn more about the election, participate in a mock vote, design an election poster, play games, and more.

Finally, I will be out of class on Friday morning until approximately 11 a.m. Mr. Narciso Rodriguez will be the students' substitute teacher. Mr. Rodriguez has taught frequently aat our school for the past five years. He is very familiar with the routines and procedures of the school.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Weekly News for October 15th

Book Orders:

You may now order Scholastic books online using the link below. Our class activation code is LN6CP. You may order books each month. Orders will be submitted by me on the 16th of each month, so please order prior to the 16th if you are interested. Your online orders generate points for our class which can be redeemed to add books to our classroom library. Thank you!

Scholastic Book Orders


October Field Trips:

The following parents will be attending October's field trips.  We are fortunate that the class has had many parents able and willing to volunteer. Chaperones were selected on first-come/first-serve basis. Unfortunately, we are limited in the number of people we may bring. Thank you in advance for your understanding.

Rhapsody in Taps 10/19 (Grades 4 and 5): Please be on campus by 8:45. Don't forget your sack lunch.

  • Pamila Lew
  • Sarah Arias-Guevara

Griffith Park Observatory 10/24 (Grade 5 only):

  • Lisa McGuinness

In The Classroom:


Math:
Both grades will be reviewing for this week's Quarter 1 Math Assessment. This assessment covers all we have been doing in math since the beginning of the year. Your child's nightly HW will cover many of the tested skills. Please review the homework nightly with your child.

Reading: 
Grade 4- Similes in poetry.
Grade 5- Finishing Sign of the Beaver.

Writing:  
Expository Writing; Identifying and Writing compound sentences continued.

Arts: 
No Master Chorale this week. 
DBL Challenge: Design an NBS Way to Communicate with the Students of Room 10 continued.

Social Studies: 
Grade 4: The students' posters are wonderful!!! Great job, everyone! Grades will be sent home Friday.
There will be a brief quiz on the CA. regions on Friday. Students will receive study notes on Monday.
  
Grade 5: Students will finish posters and begin practicing their one-minute oral reports. On Tuesday, October 23, the students will be presenting their state research projects in the MPR from 8:30 - 10:00.  Parents are encouraged to come enjoy the presentations.  Special thanks to Frank Kelly for working with the students on the research!

Science: 
Grade 4: Rocks and Minerals continued...
Grade 5 Science: The Water Cycle continued...

Greek and Latin roots:
This week's root is scrib, script which means write.

The vocabulary words are:
describe
inscription
manuscript
postscript
prescription
scribble
scribe
script
subscription
transcribe

Upcoming: On November 6, grades 4-6 will be having a special election day learning rotation. Have your child watch some or all of Thursday's Tuesday's presidential debate. Also, your child can visit http://pbskids.org/democracy to learn more about the election, participate in a mock vote, design an election poster, play games, and more.

Finally, I will be out of class on Thursday morning until approximately 11 a.m. Mr. Javier Salcedo will be the students' substitute teacher. Mr. Salcedo was a long term sub at our school for most of last year. He is very familiar with the routines and procedures of the school.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Weekly News for October 8th


Great News:

Our class project, Artful Artists At Work, posted on the Donor's Choose website, has been fully funded. Thank you to the Navidad Family, KIA Motors, and the anonymous donor who completely funded the remaining amount of the project. We should be receiving the requested art supplies within the next three weeks!

October Field Trips:

The following parents will be attending October's field trips.  We are fortunate that the class has had many parents able and willing to volunteer. Chaperones were selected on first-come/first-serve basis. Unfortunately, we are limited in the number of people we may bring. Thank you in advance for your understanding.



JPL 10/9 (Grade 4 only): Please be at school at 8:15 ready to leave. Make sure to have a valid CA ID and/or Passport with you. You will not be admitted without the proper ID. Also, please plan on riding the bus with the students. 

  • David Moguel
  • Harry Wong
  • Jennifer Cathey Roberts
  • Farood Ameen


Rhapsody in Taps 10/19 (Grades 4 and 5):

  • Pamila Lew
  • Sarah Arias-Guevara


Griffith Park Observatory 10/24 (Grade 5 only):

  • Lisa McGuinness

In The Classroom:


Math:
Both grades will be working on Topic 6- Multiplication. Grade 4: Multiplying 2 digit by 2 digit numbers and 3 digit by 2 digit numbers. Grade 5: Multiplying Decimals. Also, prime numbers and factoring, Accelerated Math.

Reading: 
Grade 4 will be reading The Astronaut and the Onion; drawing conclusions about character. Grade 5 will be reading Sign of the Beaver;  literary response and analysis. 
Review of similes and metaphors.

Writing:  
Expository Writing; Identifying and Writing compound sentences continued.

Arts: 
Master Chorale this week (Thursday). 
DBL Challenge: Design an NBS Way to Communicate with the Students of Room 10

Social Studies: 
Grade 4: The California Regions Poster Project is due 10/12. Please continue to work on it.
Grade 5: Students will begin poster-making for the state project.  Tuesday, October 23, the students will be presenting their state research projects in the MPR from 8:30 - 9:30.  Parents are encouraged to come enjoy the presentations.  Special thanks to Frank Kelly for working with the students on the research!


Science: 
Grade 4: Rocks and Minerals continued...
Grade 5 Science: The Water Cycle continued...

Weekly Root: graph=writing


autobiography
autograph
bibliography
biography
cartography
homograph
paragraph
phonograph
photography
seismograph

Points due Friday 10/12. Quiz on 10/12.

Homework Club

Homework Club begins this Monday, 10/8, after school in the library. Look for a flyer coming home on Monday.


Book Orders due Monday October 8th. 


Picture Day is Friday, October 12th.