September 17-21, 2012

Grandparents' Day
A great time was had by all in Social Studies class on Grandparents' Day! We got down right messy making our salt dough with our grandparents and boy was it fun! A huge thanks to all of the grandparents who helped out with their dough making expertise, it turned out great!

Pro Ohio
We will be taking the rest of our Pro Ohio tests this week, please make sure your child comes prepared with at least two number 2 pencils and good erasers that don't streak! Streaking erasers are a nightmare on scan tron answer sheets! The tests are as follows: Monday - Math, Wednesday - Science, Friday - Social Studies

Volunteers 
We will start having our parent volunteers come in starting next week, September 24-28. With our wacky schedule this week due to Pro Ohio, we didn't see the need to even attempt our new volunteer schedule this week. Be on the look out for your volunteer schedule to come home sometime this week. Thank you again for all of the parents who are volunteering their time to help out the fifth grade.

Science and journals
This week we will be discussing the basics of Life Science: what are producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, decomposers, and scavengers? We'll be taking notes in our science journal on these basics and taking notes on how to correctly make food chains. Be on the lookout for some of your child's grades to come from things that are in their science journals. I will be collecting their journals every now and then to see if they've kept up with them correctly. Feel free to take a look at them as well to see any grades that are in them. I will be writing "Journal" at the end of any assignment that you see on Progress Book. This will be your cue that the assignment is in their journal and has been graded in the journal. 

Social Studies and journals
This week our goal is to finish our salt dough maps, painted and all. This is a great way to learn about some basic geographic points on the North America map. Be on the lookout for some of your child's grades to come from things that are in their social studies journals, such as their North America map and Focus Chapter 2 foldables that were both on their interim reports. I will be collecting their journals every now and then to see if they've kept up with them correctly. Feel free to take a look at them as well to see any grades that are in them. I will be writing "Journal" at the end of any assignment that you see on Progress Book. This will be your cue that the assignment is in their journal and has been graded in the journal.  

Interims
I'd like to make sure that you've seen your child's interim report. I've asked the kids to have them return their interim reports signed by this Friday, September 21. I've also told them that their parents can write a note to me letting me know that their interim was seen if you'd prefer not to sign the actual interim report.  I'll be sending these interims back home to you this Friday, September 21 in your child's Friday Folders. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding with this matter.