Field Trip to California Science Center on Thurs. 1/10/13:
Parents Attending:
Robin Moriarty
Parent of Kayla Alexander
Kai-Ti Olsen
Harry Wong
Belinda Babel
David Moguel
* Please be on campus by 8:20. Remember to bring a sack lunch. There will be space for you to ride the bus.
What's Going On In Class:
Math:
Grade 4: Topic 10 Adding and Subtracting Like and Unlike Fractions; Topic 11: Decimals
Grade
5: Topic 10 Fractions continued... and Area of Polygons
Both Grades: Review for Quarter 2 Math Assessment next week; Accelerated Math; Daily Fact Practice
Writing and Writing Homework:
NEW! Starting this week, the students will have a weekly writing assignment for homework in place of the root word work they have been doing.
For the next two weeks, their assignment will be to write a well-structured and clear paragraph. I will be providing detailed feedback on your child's work so s/he will understand how to improve his or her writing quality. The purpose of the first two weeks is to review and bring strong attention to what makes a solid, well-written paragraph before we jump into longer essays.
This week's topic: Write a paragraph about your favorite restaurant. I will be talking with the students on Tuesday about the best ways to approach this task and the criteria they will need to meet. Paragraphs may be typed or handwritten in very neat printing or cursive. Your child's work will be due on Thursday, January 10th.
In approximately two to three weeks, we will build up to a three paragraph and finally, a five paragraph essay. When we begin to write essays, I will post the upcoming week's topic here on Fridays for those students who would like to get a head start over the weekend. In addition, you will be able to find the criteria chart for the writing, as well as some general tips about managing the task. Please make sure to check here for more information in the upcoming weeks.
In class, we will be evaluating each other's work and using sample students' writing to focus on the revision process.
Grade 4: Treasures Selection: "When I Went to the Library"; Making Inferences
Grade 5: Treasures Selection: "Catch of the Day"; Characteristics of Trickster Tales
For the next two weeks, their assignment will be to write a well-structured and clear paragraph. I will be providing detailed feedback on your child's work so s/he will understand how to improve his or her writing quality. The purpose of the first two weeks is to review and bring strong attention to what makes a solid, well-written paragraph before we jump into longer essays.
This week's topic: Write a paragraph about your favorite restaurant. I will be talking with the students on Tuesday about the best ways to approach this task and the criteria they will need to meet. Paragraphs may be typed or handwritten in very neat printing or cursive. Your child's work will be due on Thursday, January 10th.
In approximately two to three weeks, we will build up to a three paragraph and finally, a five paragraph essay. When we begin to write essays, I will post the upcoming week's topic here on Fridays for those students who would like to get a head start over the weekend. In addition, you will be able to find the criteria chart for the writing, as well as some general tips about managing the task. Please make sure to check here for more information in the upcoming weeks.
In class, we will be evaluating each other's work and using sample students' writing to focus on the revision process.
Reading:
Grade 4: Treasures Selection: "When I Went to the Library"; Making Inferences
Grade 5: Treasures Selection: "Catch of the Day"; Characteristics of Trickster Tales
DBL (Design-Based Learning):
Challenge: Design an NBS Avatar to Represent Yourself on our Landform
Social Studies:
Grade 4: Unit 2: Effect of Spanish Colonization and Mexican Independence
Grade 5: Unit 2: European Conflict in the New World.
Grades 4 &5: Personal Health and Physical Activities
Health:
Grades 4 &5: Personal Health and Physical Activities
Vocabulary/ Greek and Latin Roots:
This week the students will be asked to study the meanings of the 15 roots they have learned so far this year. Students will be quizzed on the meaning of each root this Friday 1/11/13. For example, given the root "flect", students should write "bend". Students will be given a study sheet Monday 1/7.
The roots to memorize are:
- ped
- man, manu
- spec
- ject
- sect
- port
- miss, mit
- graph
- scrib, script
- cred
- jur,jus,jud
- ben, bene, bon
- bio
- viv, vit
- flect, flex
Snack Shack
Parents, the following students have volunteered to work at Snack Shack after school:
Week of 1/7 Maddie and Hannah
Week of 1/14 Paulina and Isabella
Week of 1/21 Nicole L. and Alex
Week of 1/28 Sonia and Elijah
Genre Blackout:
Here are the new reading categories for the 2nd trimester. To become well-rounded readers, students should try to read at least one book from each of the following categories:
- Biography or Autobigraphy
- Non-fiction Science
- Non-fiction Social Studies/History ( i.e. a book about the Gold Rush)
- Science Fiction
- Historical Fiction
- Realistic Fiction
- Newbery Award winning book
