Test possibly postponed...

I may not be here tomorrow, Friday, November 30. I've told the kids today, that if I am not here tomorrow, that their science test will be postponed until Monday, December 3. I told them there's a 50% chance they'll have their test tomorrow (if I'm here) and 50% chance they will have their test Monday (if I'm NOT here). I do not want to leave a unit test for a sub to give to the kids. The kids always have questions to ask me throughout a test and I do not want to absent for that and not get their questions answered. I told the kids to study and be prepared for tomorrow in case they have their test. It is also their responsibility to study over the weekend if it is moved to Monday. 

Science TEST and homework

Test
We will be having a Life Science Unit test this Friday, November 28. I gave your children a study guide and we went over it one piece at a time the day before Thanksgiving break, November 20. I told them I was giving their study guide to them ahead of time in case they wanted to get a head start on their studies.
Homework
Today in class we are reading lesson 10 in our blue science book on pgs. 103-115. We are completing the "Applying What You Have Learned" boxes along the way. At the end, we are completing the two "Check Your Understanding" quizzes using the answers in lesson 10 as our "cheat sheet!" Can you believe it, the answers to the quizzes are actually in the lesson! These quizzes are on pgs. 116-118 and pgs. 120-122. All of lesson 10 that wasn't finished in class turns into homework tonight and is due tomorrow. This is a review for our test on Friday and covers material that we've already learned. We will be checking our answers tomorrow to add another tool to our study materials for Friday's test. 

***Each class had 45 minutes of class time to work on and complete lesson 10 in class today. 

November 19-20, 2012

It sure is nice to be back to a normal schedule this week after last week's Stanford testing. Here's to a short two day week!
In Science we will be wrapping up our Life Science unit. I will be giving the students their Life Science unit test after Thanksgiving break, at the earliest November 28. I'm making my decision based on the pace of the classes. Be on the look out for a study guide to come home Tuesday before Thanksgiving break (Nov. 20). This will give the kids a head start of what to begin studying over break.
Your children will also be receiving a food diary to keep for science over break, it will be due November 26 when we return from break. They will be writing down what they eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner over a four day period.
In Social Studies we are starting our studies of the three branches of government and will be learning them in chunks, one branch at a time.
Our Halloween rotting apples are rotting nicely as we speak. See the updated photos below. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break. Here's to coming back full from all of the delicious food, relaxed and ready to get back to learning.

Progress Book ...False alerts today, 11/8

I just wanted to let you all know to ignore any alerts that you may have received today from Progress Book about your child's progress or lack there of. We were told by Matt Prichard, our district's technology leader, to safely ignore any alerts that parents may have received today, Thursday, 11/8. Alerts will begin correctly tomorrow, Friday, 11/9 according to Matt Prichard. Sorry for any confusion that this may have caused. 

A Few Reminders....

Don't forget to wear red, white and blue tomorrow to show support for our veterans. We are holding our Veteran's Breakfast tomorrow morning before school. 

Social Studies - your presidential election map is due Friday, don't forget to color democratic states blue and  republican states red.

COSI - next Tuesday, COSI on Wheels is coming to Monroe!!! 

Next Thursday - the fifth graders will be taking a trip to New Richmond High School to see the high school students perform their musical for us! We will be at the high school from 9:30-11:30! Can't wait!!!

Day 6 Rotting Apples - yuck!

Election Day!

Today was a big day in 5th grade Social Studies...your children cast their ballots for the Presidential Election! We had early voters in Room B170! We learned about popular votes, electoral college votes and background information about each candidate so that we could be informed voters. Below are pictures of our ballots being turned into the voting box. We will be color coding our maps of the U.S. this week while we keep up with the election to see which states end up being Republican  (red) and which states end up being Democrat (blue). Fifth grade voting results to come... I told the kids to check out the website: 270towin.com for map updates. 

Rotting apples - day 1

 

Here are our Rotting Apples Day 1! My apologies if they're a bit dark!