Social Studies Notes: Immigration

How did life change at the turn of the century (1800s to 1900s)? Why did immigrants move to America? Where did they come from and where did they settle? What problems did they face?

(Click on the photos to make them larger.)

Reading Goal Progress: 2 Books

Quiz on your second book tomorrow!

1/31

AMP

Finish science p. 264.

Finish WOW.

Have you read at least two books?

*Orange folders

1/30

Study for tomorrow's Ch. 7 math test!

Ch. 5 science test will be Thursday. Finish p. 264 (1-20) to turn in Wednesday.

Finish vocabulary definitions.
FINISH BIOGRAPHY GENRE PROJECT!!!!!!

Sp. in ABC order in agenda. Sp./vocab. worksheet due Thurs. Spelling Sort due Fri.

*Students also received a magazine fundraiser pack. They will win a prize if the booklet is filled out and returned tomorrow. You will NOT be bothered by this company. They will contact you once. Thanks for your help!

Social Studies Notes: Turn of the Century

How did life change at the turn of the century (late 1800s to 1900s)?

We created an outline to help us organize our information/learning. For I E & F, students were asked to list the two inventions from the time period that they thought were the most beneficial.

This Week's Spelling & Vocabulary

Spelling & Vocabulary: Unit 4, Week 5 “Catch of the Day”

Spelling:

1. ambulance

2. brilliance

3. balance

4. performance

5. attendance

6. residence

7. dependence

8. hesitance

9. substance

10. absence

11. assistance

12. persistence

13. ignorance

14. radiance

15. appearance

16. reluctance

17. disturbance

18. importance

19. resistance

20. distance

review words: creature, pressure, measure

challenge words: vigilance, inference

SPELLING SORT DUE FRIDAY:

Two syllable words –ance (4)

Two syllable words –ence (1)

Three syllable words –ance (12)

Three syllable words –ence (3)

Vocabulary:

1. appreciation

2. riverbank

3. burdens

4. treasurer

5. educate

6. unfortunate

7. merchandise

8. wares

TESTED SKILLS: analogies & synonyms, author's purpose

Happy Birthday, Nate!

Have a very happy day today!

Happy Birthday, Savannah Karisny!

We hope you have a fabulously special day!

1/26

Finish math Ch. 7 review (see Tues. for complete instructions).

Science WB L. 2 due Fri.- Test next Thurs.

SS Inventor reading comprehension sheet

Finish DITB 18.

Study for spelling & vocabulary tests!

CHAMPS Graduation

Congratulations to all of our CHAMPS graduates!

Know Your States Game

How well do you know the United States? Try this interactive game to find out! Click HERE. (This game is also linked in the Social Studies tab at the top.)

Math Notes: Order of Operations (a.k.a. PEMDAS)

When you have a math problem with multiple operations (+,-,x,/) in the same problem, you MUST follow the order of operations. There is a well-known mnemonic device that parents and grandparents might even remember from their school days: Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. Some people remember this as "PEMDAS." It stands for the order you should do your math operations:
Please = parentheses
Excuse = exponents
My = multiply*
Dear = divide*
Aunt = add*
Sally = subtract*

*What most students forget is that when you get to the multiply/divide operations, you must work from LEFT to RIGHT (so you could divide before you multiply). This also applies to the addition/subtraction operations. When you've done everything else, then you add and subtract from LEFT to RIGHT.

For example: Solve (7 x 9) - 5 x 4 + 7.
A. Start with the parentheses: (7 x 9) = 54
The problem is now 54 - 5 x 4 + 7.
B. Check for exponents. There are none so move on.
C. Multiply or divide from left to right. Since 5 x 4 is 20, the problem is now 54 - 20 + 7.
D. Add or subtract from left to right. 54 - 20 = 34. Add 7. The final answer is 41.

1/25

Continue to work on math HW.

CPA outline due tomorrow

Finish Sp WS

1/24

Math p. 446-447 (1-13; 15-27 ODD) DUE FRI.

Finish WOW.

*Orange folders

1/23

Most students have AM corrections and/or practices to complete for homework! (They also had about 45 minutes in class to do most of this work!)

Math p. (2-22, EVEN)

Finish SS notes. (The students who took notes w/o being told do not have this assignment to do.)

Finish vocab definitions.
Write spelling words in ABC order in agenda.

This Week's Spelling & Vocabulary: 1/23

Spelling & Vocabulary Unit 4 Week 4: “Hurricanes”

Spelling:

1. rancher

2. searcher

3. pressure

4. future

5. butcher

6. measure

7. pleasure

8. mixture

9. treasure

10. feature

11. pasture

12. creature

13. lecture

14. gesture

15. nature

16. fracture

17. moisture

18. stretcher

19. legislature

20. azure

challenge: miniature, disclosure

Vocabulary:

1. damages

2. property

3. available

4. contact

5. atmosphere

6. destruction

7. hurricanes

8. surge

Tested strategy/skill: analyze text structure/descriptions

Happy Birthday, Leilani!

We hope you enjoy your special day!

1/19

AMC or AMP

Finish 5 paragraph essay if not finished in class.
Finish DITB 17.
Finish homophone WS.

Math Notes: Mr. DL

Some students struggle with moving the decimal when multiplying or dividing. Mr. DL can help! Simply multiply right and divide left.

In class, we also practice the "Cupid Shuffle":
To the right, to the right, to the right...
To the left, to the left, to the left...

BUT they sometimes forget which one is multiplication and which one is division. Mr. DL to the rescue!

Math Notes: Mixed Numbers Converted to Improper Fractions

To rewrite a mixed number (a whole number with a fraction) into an improper fraction, begin by multiplying the denominator times the whole number and then adding the numerator. The number you get is the equivalent improper fraction's numerator. You keep the same denominator. (I call this "swooshing" for lack of a better term.)

1/18

Science definitions (Ch. 5, L. 1 & 2) due tomorrow

Finish sp/voc WS.

*Many students have AM corrections and/or practices for HW. Please be sure to get them done! Thanks!

Have you quizzed on at least one book already? You need to by Friday to be on track for this quarter.

Scroll down to check out our cool new math notes feature!

Math Notes: Simplifying Improper Fractions (AKA Improper Fractions Converted to Mixed Numbers)

Remember that the fraction bar means "divide."

Rewrite the improper fraction as a division problem. (It is "top heavy" so it falls over. Timber!) The numerator goes "in the house," and the denominator is the divisor.

Divide.

The remainder is the new numerator over the same divisor. Simply that fraction if possible.

Math Notes: Reciprocals

To get a reciprocal of a fraction, turn it upside down!

A fraction times its reciprocal equals one.

3/4 x 4/3 = 1

Math Notes: Proper and Improper Fractions

A proper fraction has a numerator that is LESS THAN its denominator.

An improper fraction has a numerator that is EQUAL TO or GREAT THAN its denominator.

NEW FEATURE: Math Notes

Ever get stuck on your 5th grade math homework? If you take your math notes home, that should really help! I am going to start a new feature of posting photos of some of our math notes here on the blog. You will be able to find them easily by finding the label list on the sidebar and clicking on "math notes." Please let me know what you think of them! It would be really nice to get some feedback from time to time. I know you're lurking! Thanks!

1/17

Math WS p. 101

Work on sci. definitions (due Th.).

Finish WOW (except for the "Wonderful WOW" students who made a 100 last week- they know who they are!)

*Orange folders & report cards

1/16

Math WS p. 121

Remember that sci. Ch. 5, L. 1 & 2 vocab. are due Thurs.

*Study for SS Ch. 7 test TOMORROW!

Finish reading vocab. definitions.
Work on DITB 17- due Fri.

Sp. in ABC order in agenda

*CPA Timelines were handed out today to guide student progress. Topics should be picked out no later than Wed. Begin researching topic. Outline of 3 main points and 3 details due Thurs. 1/26.

This Week's Spelling & Vocabulary

Spelling & Vocabulary Unit 4, Week 3: “Getting Out the Vote”

Spelling:

1. refuse

2. insert

3. desert

4. subject

5. combat

6. contest

7. permits

8. rebel

9. conduct

10. excuse

11. entrance

12. minute

13. contract

14. research

15. protest

16. present

17. extract

18. compact

19. conflict

20. content

challenge: affect, effect

Vocabulary:

1. compelled

2. presidential

3. disrespectful

4. unenthusiastically

5. succeed

6. preoccupied

Happy Birthday, Gracie!

We hope you have a fabulous day!

SNOW MAKE UP

Monday, 1/16, will be a SNOW MAKE UP DAY! See you then!

1/12

*CHAMPS essay & poster due TOMORROW!

Math WS p. 91

Sci. Ch. 5 Lesson 1 & 2 vocabulary due next Thursday
SS Ch. 7 text next week (probably Tuesday)

Study for sp/voc tests!

Happy Birthday, Claire!

We hope that you have a wonderful day!

1/10

*Several important letters went home today in signed papers about SuccessMaker. If you have any questions about your child's progress, feel free to contact me. They are really doing well! I explained to the students that in a "perfect" world, they would all start at 5.0 and would now, midway through the year, be at about a 5.5, ending the year at a 6.0. Of course we do not live in a perfect world, but that may help you interpret your child's levels. Also, when setting goals, we talked about the end of the year, not April 1st. There is no punishment for not meeting the goals that they set; this goal is to challenge each student to stretch to a higher level.

*Today is the end of the 2nd nine weeks. Congrats to all the students who met their reading and math goals!

Those who met their reading goals may wear their pajamas tomorrow and bring a blanket or pillow for a special library read-in.

Finish WOW!
Study sp/voc.

Books to Read

Click HERE to find a list of book suggestions for 4th/5th graders! Check them out!

Monday WILL Be a School Day!

Monday, 1/16, will be a SNOW MAKE UP DAY! See you then!

Reading Progress: 6 Books

The end of the nine weeks is quickly approaching! Be sure to have read your 6 books and/or 250,000 words by tomorrow!

This Week's Spelling & Vocabulary

Spelling & Vocabulary: Unit 4 Week 2, “Carlos and the Skunk”

Spelling Accented Syllables:

1. grownup

2. power

3. shower

4. bestow

5. August

6. allow

7. encounter

8. grouchy

9. rowdy

10. laundry

11. flawless

12. coward

13. lawyer

14. applause

15. arousing

16. faucet

17. trousers

18. caution

19. boundary

20. doubting

Challenge: southern, roughness

Vocabulary:

1. glimpse

2. secluded

3. behavior

4. arroyo

5. arousing

6. stunned

7. nestled

8. unpleasant

Blog Posts

Sorry that I have been "neglecting" the blog! It has been a crazy week with snow days, delays, etc. Students have had plenty of time in class, however, to write down their assignments from the agenda board. Unfortunately, some of them were not being responsible and were not doing what they were told, so they got their names on the board.

I will try to get back in the habit of posting HW, etc., to the blog. Thanks for your understanding and patience!

The Myth of Multitasking

Here's a LINK to an article you might find interesting about students and multitasking. It may not be as efficient for them as they might think!

This Week's Spelling & Vocabulary

Unit 4, Week 1 “Goin’ Someplace Special”

Please see the daily agenda for assignments.

Spelling

1. slogan

2. woolen

3. listen

4. heron

5. frighten

6. lengthen

7. captain

8. mountain

9. sandal

10. signal

11. global

12. bushel

13. marvel

14. barrel

15. practical

16. pretzel

17. fable

18. chuckle

19. angle

20. nozzle

Challenge words: dungeon, salmon

Vocabulary:

1. autograph
2. fare
3. blurted
4. permission
5. chiseled
6. scald
7. clenched
8. spectacular

This Month's Genre: Biography

Students received their info sheet, complete with rubric, about this month's genre and project. Everyone needs to read a biography (or autobiography) and create either a poster or a dress-up presentation. See the handout using THIS LINK. Projects are due 1/31.

With 4-H CPA projects starting soon, I would encourage everyone to work on their biography early this month. Thanks for your help!

1/2

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Tonight's homework:
Math WS p. 117 (front only)

Finish reading vocabulary definitions.
Write spelling words in ABC order in agenda.

FYI:
Sp/vocab. WS due Thurs.
Science test next Tues. 1/10
Begin working on CHAMPS essay & poster (both are due by 1/13 and are requirements for CHAMPS graduation).