Walk-In Registration 2012-2013 School Year

Walk-in registration for the 2012-2013 school year will be held on:

Thursday, May 10

3:00 - 7:30 pm

Monday, May 14

8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

If you have had a change of address during the school year, you will be required to provide proof of residency at the time of registration. This would be a copy of your lease agreement or mortgage paperwork.

All 6, 7, & 8 grade students are required to register. Although the registration process only takes approximately 15 minutes, we thought the following information would be useful to know ahead of time:

-Remember to bring your work phone number & emergency phone numbers to include on the health card/registration form. These are invaluable to us and important to the safety of your children.

-School fees will be determined in the spring. Checks should be made payable to School District 204. Please contact Diane Sabathne (428-6212) regarding financial concerns.

-Yearbook is an optional fee but most parents do place their order at registration. A check should be made payable to Hill Middle School. Yearbook cost will be $20.00.

Other items that will be available but optional to you include PTSA Membership, Hill Apparel, School Supply Kits

We look forward to seeing you on May 10 or 14!!! If you have any questions, please call Mrs. Sabathne at 428-6212.

Are you going to be moving at the end of this school year? Will your child be

attending a school other than Hill Middle School for the

2012-2013 school year?

If so, you need to contact the Guidance Office at 428-6207

Homework for April 18

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

5P Math - Mathboxes page 276 #s 3,4, 5, Study Guide due on Tuesday, April 24, Test Wednesday,   April 25

Social Studies - Test on Friday

Science - Test on Thursday

P.E. - Fitness Card

Homework for April 17

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

Spelling - Contract & Test for tomorrow

5P Math - Study Link 8.8, Study Guide due on Tuesday, April 24, Test Wednesday, April 25

Social Studies - Worksheet, Test on Friday

Science - Worksheet, Test on Thursday

Newsletter for the week of April 16

Reading: This week in reading, we will read the story Seeing Earth from Space.  In this photo essay, Patricia Lauber discusses and illustrates the way land masses are formed and changed, the fragility of Earth, and the need to protect it.  The focus skills will be vocabulary, inferential questions, and open response questions.  We will also focus on understanding the important information.  The following vocabulary words will be focused on: sensors, atoll, reef, lagoon, meander, and barren.

Book Report: Your book report for April must be on a fantasy or science fiction. The presentation will be Monday, April 30. For this book report you can make a travel brochure, or you can come up with your own idea. For the travel brochure you should include the following items:

• An illustrated cover
• What a guest should bring
• Why someone should come and visit this place
• Directions on how to get there
• Any special features that a person may want to see
• Anything else you would like to include

Math: In math we will continue working on unit 8. The first lesson focused on renaming equilvalent fractions and comparing fractions. The second and third lessons focused on adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  Last week we worked on multiplying fractions and multiplying mixed numbers.  This week we will continue to work on multiplying mixed numbers and dividing fractions.  We will also work on percents of discounts and finding the fraction or percent of a whole.

Writing: This week in writing the students will finish their poetry books, and on Wednesday, they will present one of their poems.  This week we will also work on 6 word memoirs.  The first step will be to have the students write six word memoirs for characters from a shared reading experience.  Next they will write 6 word memoirs for the main characters in the book they are currently reading.  Then the kids will write one of their own about their own lives.

Science: We will continue our star unit.  The students will learn about the different parts of the sun, which is a star, and the two gases that make up a star.  They will also learn about the sizes of stars and their distances.  Then we will look at the relationship between star color and temperature.  The students will also learn about the ideas of star formation and star destruction.  Our last lesson will focus on the 4 four types of galaxies that we see in the universe.

Social Studies: This week in social studies we will look at George Washington's presidency, the Lousiana Purchase, and the War of 1812.

Spelling Unit 25:
slogan     radar     minutes     honest     second     virus     shadow     humor     salad     eleven
closet     model     volcano     private     balance     radio     basis     decent     fanatic     novel
diary     textbooks     calculated     superior     centuries     laser     module     miser     lotion
bouquet     resign     scenic     awesome     finance     promise     blockade     impeach
segregation     sharecropping     generalization

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes for this month. The incentive will be tickets to see the Joliet Lackhammers Minor League baseball team.  They will also get a free one-topping personal pan pizza.

Important Dates:
Spelling Test Wednesday, April 18
Science Test Thursday, April 19
Paw Print Redemption Thursday, April 19
Social Studies Quiz Friday, April 20
Book Report due on Monday, April 30

Homework for April 13

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

5B Math - Extra Credit Study Link 8.4

Homework for April 11

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

5P Math - Study Link 8.6

Science - Quiz over the diagram of the sun on Friday

Book Order due on Friday

Homework for April10

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 8.5

Science - Quiz over the diagram of the sun on Friday

Homework for April 9

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

5P Math - Mathboxes page 263 #s 1, 3, 5, 6

5B Math - Study link 8.3

Science - Quiz over the diagram of the sun on Friday, Worksheet

Field Trip Note due

Book Order due on Friday

Newsletter for the week of April 9

Reading: This week in reading, we will continue to work on analyzing songs.  The teams will interpet the deeper meaning of the song.  They are paraphrasing the stanzas and the chorus of their song.  Next they are looking for poetic devices such as metaphors, similes, personification, rhyme, etc.  In the third part, the students have to look at the speaker, setting, and tone and decide if there shifts or changes in each of these.  The last thing they need to do is explain the overall theme of their song.  We will also be reading the story The World of William Joyce Scrapbook.  In this autobiography, William Joyce tells how television, toys, and pictures in books influenced his drawings when he was a kid.  He also talks about how he plans and creates his books, using two of his books as examples.  The focus skills will be vocabulary, inferential questions, and open response questions.  The following vocabulary words will be focused on: encouraged, illustrating, series, charcoal, and pastels.

Book Report: Your book report for April must be on a fantasy or science fiction. The presentation will be Monday, April 30. For this book report you can make a travel brochure, or you can come up with your own idea. For the travel brochure you should include the following items:

• An illustrated cover
• What a guest should bring
• Why someone should come and visit this place
• Directions on how to get there
• Any special features that a person may want to see
• Anything else you would like to include

Math: In math we have started unit 8. The first lesson focused on renaming equilvalent fractions and comparing fractions. The second and third lessons focused on adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  This week we will be working on multiplying fractions and multiplying mixed numbers. 

Writing: This week in writing the students will continue working on poetry. They will write free verse poetry.  On Friday, they will present one of their poems.

Science: We will be starting our star unit.  The students will learn about the different parts of the sun, which is a star, and the two gases that make up a star.  They will also learn about the sizes of stars and their distances.  Then we will look at the relationship between star color and temperature.  The students will also learn about the ideas of star formation and star destruction.  Our last lesson will focus on the 4 four types of galaxies that we see in the universe.

Social Studies: We finished the Constitution so this week we will not do social studies.

Spelling Unit 24:
subtract     distract     contract     complex     distrust     extra     improve     instead     Congress
English     conflict     exchange     pumpkin     sandwich     Christmas     construction
luncheon     complaint     transform     although     cassette     devised     persuaded     deceive
dictionary     punctuation     unstressed     abbreviation     approve     substance     parsley    
puncture     hatchet     laughter     purchase     nutrients     proteins     vitamins     calorie
carbohydrates

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes for this month. The incentive will be tickets to see the Joliet Lackhammers Minor League baseball team.  They will also get a free one-topping personal pan pizza.

Important Dates:
No School Friday, April 6
Field Trip Form due Monday, April 9
Spelling Test Wednesday, April 11
4th & 5th Grade Special Chorus Concert Thursday, April 12 9:30 a.m. & 7:00 p.m.
Book Report due on Monday, April 30

Homework for Aoril 5

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

5B Math - Study for quiz over 8.1-8.3 for Tuesday

Field Trip Note due on Monday, April 9

Homework for April 4

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

5P Math - Question on Blades of Grass Sheet, Mathboxes page 258 1, 3, 5, & 6

Field Trip Note due on Monday, April 9

Hill Parent Orientation Night at 7:00

Homework for April 3

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

5V Math - Test tomorrow

Social Studies - Worksheet, Test tomorrow

Field Trip Note due on Monday, April 9

Homework for April 2

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on April 30

5P Math - Study Link 8.3

Social Studies - Test on Wednesday

Field Trip Note due on Monday, April 9

Newsletter for the week of April 2

Reading: This week in reading, we will finish our poetry packet. In groups, the students will be given a packet of poems to select from. The poems are: The Tyger by William Blake, Alone by Edgar Allen Poe, I Knew A Man By Sight by Henry David Thoreau, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, I Carry Your Heart With Me by E.E. Cummings, Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, A Father To His Son by Carl Sandburg, Hope Is The Thing With Feathers by Emily Dickinson, If by Rudyard Kipling, O Captain! My Captain! The students will analyze these poems and look for the deeper meaning. The following are questions we will focus on: What does the title mean? What was the purpose of the poem? What is the target audience for the poem? Is there a lesson in the poem? What is the implied meaning in the poem? How does this poem evoke feelings? The students will also take text that they think are poems(silly kid ones) and connect it to the deeper texts that I will give them.  On Tuesday or Wednesday, we will begin analyzing lyrics of songs that kids will bring in.  They need to bring in their lyrics of a song on Monday.  Teams will interpet the deeper meaning of the song.  We will also complete the analysis based on the questions we did before break. 

Book Report: Your book report for April must be on a fantasy or science fiction. The presentation will be Monday, April 30. For this book report you can make a travel brochure, or you can come up with your own idea.  For the travel brochure you should include the following items:

•  An illustrated cover
• What a guest should bring
• Why someone should come and visit this place
• Directions on how to get there
• Any special features that a person may want to see
• Anything else you would like to include

Math: In math we have started unit 8. The first lesson focused on renaming equilvalent fractions and comparing fractions. The second and third lessons will focus on adding and subtracting mixed numbers. On Monday after break, we will review what they learned before break and finish with subtracting fractions.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will be doing a grass problem which is an open response.  The kids will make a one square inch template with a hole.  Then we will take it outside and do a random sample of how many blades of grass are in a hole.  Next the kids will calculate the area of the field, and then the kids will calculate the total number of blades of grass in the whole field.  The kids will need to come up with a way to figure out the total area of the field.  On Thursday, we will work on adding and subtracting fractions.

Writing: This week in writing the students will continue working on poetry. They will write free verse poetry.

Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars. This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.

Social Studies: The students will learn about America becoming a country. They will learn about the first government The Articles of Conferation which was a weak government. The students will also learn about the delegates at the Constitutional Convention debating about representatives and the formation of the Constitution.  The week after break the students will learn about the delegates ratifying the Constitution and the test will be on Wednesday.  On Thursday, the students will analyze the Constitution and create their own Constitution for a colony.

Spelling:
There were no spelling words this week.

Missing Books From The LMC:

The following is a note that Mrs. May sent to the staff.

We’ve got a problem of epic proportions in the LMC, and I need your help. In the last 3 years, we have lost 271 books just from the Chapter Book and Graphic Novel sections. In that same time period, we have lost 63 picture books. That is over $5,000 worth of books from just 3 sections! A small portion of the books were lost while they were checked out, but most just disappear off the shelves.

Please look around all the hiding places in your house for books from the LMC while you are doing your spring cleaning.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:

To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 325 minutes for this month. The incentive will be sponsored by the Chicago Slaughter Professional Indoor Football Team along with Buffalo Wild Wings and GameWorks. Students who meet their goal will receive 2 ticket vouchers to a 2012 Chicago Slaughter game, a free kid's meal courtesy of Buffalo's Wild Wings, a free game card from Game Works, and other prizes. Since all reading must be done before Spring Break, and the month is shortened, the reading goals have been reduced.

Important Dates:
Spring Break the week of March 25
Classes Resume Monday, April 2
Market Day Tuesday, April 3
Hill Middle School Parent Night Wednesday, April 4
Social Studies Test Wednesday, April 4
Paw Print Redemption Thursday, April 5
Report Cards go home Thursday, April 5
No School Friday, April 6

Homework for March 23

Reading - Read 20 minutes

Language Arts - Bring in a copy of a song that shows poetry

Have a great spring break

Homework for March 22

Reading - Read 20 minutes

Make sure your reading minutes are logged in.

Homework for March 21

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

5B Math - Study Link 8.2 Optional

5V Math - Mathboxes 8.1 & 8.2

Homework for March 19

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

5P Math - Mathboxes page 253 1, 2, 5, & 6

5B Math - Study Guide due on Wednesday, Test on Wednesday

Newsletter for the week of March 19

Reading: This week in reading, we be reading poetry.  In groups, the students will be given a packet of poems to select from.  The poems are: The Tyger by William Blake, Alone by Edgar Allen Poe, I Knew A Man By Sight by Henry David Thoreau, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, I Carry Your Heart With Me by E.E. Cummings, Paul Revere's Ride by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, A Father To His Son by Carl Sandburg, Hope Is The Thing With Feathers by Emily Dickinson, If by Rudyard Kipling, O Captain! My Captain!  The students will analyze these poems and look for the deeper meaning.  The following are questions we will focus on: What does the title mean?  What was the purpose of the poem?  What is the target audience for the poem?  Is there a lesson in the poem?  What is the implied meaning in the poem?  How does this poem evoke feelings?  The students will also take text that they think are poems(silly kid ones) and connect it to the deeper texts that I will give them. 

Book Report: Your book report for March must be a fairy tale. The presentation will be Thursday, March 22. For this book report you have three options to select from.

• After reading your fairy tale, you can create your own fairy tale.
• For the second option you can create a twist to the fairy tale you just read. This means that you can change a character, change the setting, change the character traits, etc. You do have to keep the message the same. You will rewrite your fairy tale with this twist.
• The third option is to create your own parody. An example of a parody would be Cinderella's Rat. Cinderella's rat tells the story instead of Cinderella. Another parody is the Wolf telling the story of the three little pigs.

Math: In math we have started unit 8. The first lesson focused on renaming equilvalent fractions and comparing fractions.  The second and third lessons will focus on adding and subtracting mixed numbers.  On Thursday, the students will learn how to multiply fractions.  For this unit, the students will be required to reduce the fractions.

Writing: This week in writing the students will be working on poetry.  They will write free verse poetry.

Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars. This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.

Social Studies: The students will learn about America becoming a country.  They will learn about the first government The Articles of Conferation which was a weak government.  The students will also learn about the delegates at the Constitutional Convention debating about representatives and the formation of the Constitution.

Spelling Unit 23:
wondering    fastened     permitting     controlled     listening     regretted     suffered     admitted
referred     bothered     submitted     whispered     transferred     occurring     canceled     developing
scrubbing     upsetting     wondered     quarreled     triggered     pretended     commenting    
delaying     squatted     complained     permitting     remained     profiting     selling     supplying
obtaining     omitted     preferred     profited     abolitionist     headline     editorial     dateline     secede

BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 325 minutes for this month. The incentive will be sponsored by the Chicago Slaughter Professional Indoor Football Team along with Buffalo Wild Wings and GameWorks. Students who meet their goal will receive 2 ticket vouchers to a 2012 Chicago Slaughter game, a free kid's meal courtesy of Buffalo's Wild Wings, a free game card from Game Works, and other prizes. Since all reading must be done before Spring Break, and the month is shortened, the reading goals have been reduced.

Important Dates:
Doodle 4 Google due on Monday, March 19
No School Tuesday, March 20
Spelling Test Wednesday, March 21
Book Report due on Thursday, March 22
Special Chorus Concert Thursday, March 22 7:00 p.m. at Hill
Friday, March 23 early dismissal
Baby Photo for 5th Grade Farewell due on Friday, March 23
Photo Permission Slip due on Friday, March 23
Spring Break the week of March 25
Classes Resume Monday, April 2

Homework for March 16

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

5B Math - Study Guide due on Wednesday, Test on Wednesday

5V Math - Test on Monday

Doodle 4 Google due Monday

Fun Fair on Saturday

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

5P Math - Journal page 250, 252

5B Math - Study Link 8.1, Study Guide due on Wednesday, Test on Wednesday

Social Studies - Test on Thursday

Square Art due Friday

Doodle 4 Google due on Monday

Homework for March 14

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

5B Math - Test on Wednesday

5V Math - Test

Social Studies - Test on Thursday

Square Art due Friday

Doodle 4 Google due on Monday

Homework for March 13

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5B Math - Study Link 7.8 due on Wednesday

5V Math - Mathboxes 7.9

Social Studies - Test on Thursday

Square Art due next Friday

Homework for March 12

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

Langugae Arts - Timelines due tomorrow

5P Math - Test tomorrow

5B Math - Study Link 7.8 due on Wednesday, Quiz on Tuesday

5V Math - Math boxes 7.6

Social Studies - Test on Thursday

Square Art due next Friday

Newsletter for the week of March 12

Reading: This week in reading, we be reading the story William Shakespeare & the Globe.  This story explores the world of Elizabethan England, focusing on the life and times of William Shakespeare and on the building of the Globe theater.  The skills we will be focusing on are determining the importance of information, word analysis and contextual clues, determine the meaning of words in context using denotation and connotation.  On Friday we will have an assessment on the story, and we will read a Time for Kids magazine.  The magazine we will be reading focuses on women pioneers.  After reading the magazine, the students will have to decide how they would celebrate Women's History Month in the magazine, and come up with new and different ways to explore the topic.

Book Report: Your book report for March must be a fairy tale. The presentation will be Thursday, March 22. For this book report you have three options to select from.

• After reading your fairy tale, you can create your own fairy tale.
• For the second option you can create a twist to the fairy tale you just read. This means that you can change a character, change the setting, change the character traits, etc. You do have to keep the message the same. You will rewrite your fairy tale with this twist.
• The third option is to create your own parody. An example of a parody would be Cinderella's Rat. Cinderella's rat tells the story instead of Cinderella. Another parody is the Wolf telling the story of the three little pigs.

Math: In math we are finishing unit 9. The first two lessons focused on reading and plotting coordinate pairs. The next lesson focused on the area of rectangles. Last week we worked on the area of triangles and parallelograms. This week we will work on the volume of prisms and conversions of liters, milliliters, cubic centimeters.  On Monday of this week, we will go over the study guide, and on Tuesday there will be a test.  We will start unit 8 on Wednesday.  The first lesson of unit 8 will be focusing on renaming equilvalent fractions and comparing fractions.  The second and third lessons will focus on adding and subtracting mixed numbers.

Writing: This week in writing the students will finish their parallel timelines and present them. Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be. The class will make two timelines. The first showing how history really evolved with all the major events before and after the event. They will also make a parallel timeline showing how the world might have been different if they could go back in time to change the event. Imagine if JFK would have lived because you stopped Oswald... what would the next few decades been like? Would the U.S. have gone to war in Vietnam? Would RFK have run for president and been killed like his brother? The final project will include these two timelines showing what the world was like and how it would be different and a written plan explaining how they would actually succeed in stopping the event. We will also work on using the BIG6 steps for research. These steps are task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation. 
Two other writing assignments this week will be on social studies topics.  The first prompt: Do you think it was a good idea for the colonists to start the American Revolution?  Explain your answer using evidence.  The second prompt: If you lived during the time of the Revolution which side would you have taken and why?  Explain your answer using evidence.

Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars. This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.

Social Studies: The students  have learned about the French and Indian War which led to the taxes that were placed on the colonists. The students also learned about taxes, and the taxes that the colonists were required to pay.  Last week they will learn how the colonists protested these taxes and the start of the American Revolution.  This week the students will learn about the American Revolution.

Spelling Unit 22:
pretty     service     thunder     blanket     effort     fellow     subject     perhaps     attack     entire
chimney     tunnel     effect     suspended     challenge     pretzel     survive     pillow     hunger
college     determined     autobiography     disease     eternal     composition     percussion
malignant     elastic     silkworm     signal     suburban     warranty     yielding     perfection  
language     undeniable     despair     concocted     homestead     brooded

BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 325 minutes for this month. The incentive will be sponsored by the Chicago Slaughter Professional Indoor Football Team along with Buffalo Wild Wings and GameWorks. Students who meet their goal will receive 2 ticket vouchers to a 2012 Chicago Slaughter game, a free kid's meal courtesy of Buffalo's Wild Wings, a free game card from Game Works, and other prizes. Since all reading must be done before Spring Break, and the month is shortened, the reading goals have been reduced.

LMC NEWS:
The Book Fair is coming! Preview was March 7-9, and sales are March 12-17. We will be open during the Fun Fair!  Our online homepage can be accessed directly by going to http://goo.gl/7jFU4 or go to www.scholastic.com/schoolbookfairs and follow the path to May Watts.

Important Dates:
Math test Tuesday, March 13
Spelling Test Wednesday, March 14
Social Studies Test Thursday, March 15
Paw Print Redemption Thursday, March 15
Band Concert at Hill on Thursday, March 15 @ 6:15
Orchestra Concert at Hill on Thursday, March 15 @ 7:45
Fun Fair Saturday, March 17 11:00-3:00
Book Report due Thursday, March 22

Homework for March 9

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Guide due on Monday, Test on Tuesday

Square Art due next Friday

Homework for March 8

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Journal page 330, Mathboxes page 331, Study Guide due on Monday, Test on Tuesday

5V Math - Venn Diagram Questions 1-4

5B Math - Study Link 7.6 & 7.7

Square Art due Friday, March 16

Homework for March 7

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

5P Math - Study Link 9.9, Study Guide due on Monday, Test on Tuesday

5V Math - Study Link 7.5

Homework for March 6

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

5P Math - Extended Response, Study Guide due on Monday, Test on Tuesday

5B Math - Study Link 7.5

Homework for March 5

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due March 22

5P - Study Link 9.8, Study Guide due on Monday, Test on Tuesday

5B Math - Study Link 7.4

5V Math - Extended Response

Newsletter for the week of March 5

Reading: This week in reading, we will work on nonfiction reading using a variety of stories and writing another extended response.  We will be doing ISATs during reading on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Book Report: Your book report for March must be a fairy tale. The presentation will be Thursday, March 22. For this book report you have three options to select from.

• After reading your fairy tale, you can create your own fairy tale.
• For the second option you can create a twist to the fairy tale you just read.  This means that you can change a character, change the setting, change the character traits, etc.  You do have to keep the message the same.  You will rewrite your fairy tale with this twist.
• The third option is to create your own parody.  An example of a parody would be Cinderella's Rat.  Cinderella's rat tells the story instead of Cinderella.  Another parody is the Wolf telling the story of the three little pigs.

Math: In math we are working on unit 9.  The first two lessons focused on reading and plotting coordinate pairs.  The next lesson focused on the area of rectangles.  Last week we worked on the area of triangles and parallelograms.  This week we will work on the volume of prisms and conversions of liters, milliliters, cubic centimeters.  We will also continue to work on the extended response.

Writing: This week in writing the students will continue to work on researching an event in history.  Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be.  The class will make two timelines.  The first showing how history really evolved with all the major events before and after the event.  They will also make a parallel timeline showing how the world might have been different if they could go back in time to change the event.  Imagine if JFK would have lived because you stopped Oswald... what would the next few decades been like?  Would the U.S. have gone to war in Vietnam?  Would RFK have run for president and been killed like his brother?  The final project will include these two timelines showing what the world was like and how it would be different and a written plan explaining how they would actually succeed in stopping the event.  We will also work on using the BIG6 steps for research.  These steps are task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation.

Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars.  This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.

Social Studies: Last week, the students learned about the French and Indian War which led to the taxes that were placed on the colonists.  The students learned about taxes, and the taxes that the colonists were required to pay.  This week they will learn how the colonists protested these taxes and the start of the American Revolution.

Spelling:
There is no spelling this week.

ISAT SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, March 6:  Session 1 for both reading and math
Wednesday, March 7: Session 2 for both reading and math
Thursday, March 8: Session 3 for both reading and math
  
BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 325 minutes for this month. The incentive will be sponsored by the Chicago Slaughter Professional Indoor Football Team along with Buffalo Wild Wings and GameWorks.  Students who meet their goal will receive 2 ticket vouchers to a 2012 Chicago Slaughter game, a free kid's meal courtesy of Buffalo's Wild Wings, a free game card from Game Works, and other prizes.  Since all reading must be done before Spring Break, and the month is shortened, the reading goals have been reduced.

LMC NEWS:
Young Authors entries are due on Thursday - late admissions will not be accepted, so bring them in on time.
We are looking for parent scorers for the Young Authors entries.  Reading will be done during the school day on Monday - Wednesday, March 5-7.  Parents can sign up to read at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4A4AB2EA13-readers
The Book Fair is coming!  Preview will be on March 7-9, with sales March 12-17.  We will be open during the Fun Fair!  Flyers will go home next week.  Our online homepage can be accessed directly by going to http://goo.gl/7jFU4 or go to www.scholastic.com/schoolbookfairs and follow the path to May Watts.

Important Dates:
ISATs Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday
Math test Tuesday, March 13

Homework for March 1

Reading - Book Report due on March 22, Read 20 minutes

5P Math - Study Link 9.5, Study Link 9.6 for extra credit

5B Math - Study Link 7.3

5V Math - Study Link 7.2

Homework for Feb. 28

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due tomorrow, Alliteration book due tomorrow

Spelling - Contract & Test due tomorrow

5P Math - Study Link 9.4, Journal page 307 #s 2, 3, 4(select one), 6

5V Math - Study Link 7.1

Homework for Feb. 27

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29, Alliteration book due on Feb. 29

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

Newsletter for the week of February 27

Reading: This week in reading, we will work on nonfiction reading using a variety of stories.  Our skills will focus on: open ended questions, making connections, and working on inferences.  We will continue to work on test taking skills and go over the questions from the story Animals in Disguise.  The students will also be writing another extended response.

Book Report: Your book report for February must be a historical fiction. The presentation will be Wednesday, February 29. For this book report the you will create a book quilt, which should be a 3x3 quilt block with each of the squares being about 8x8. You should share something from the book in each of the 9 squares.  Some examples would be: character traits, setting, summary, illustration, conflict, solution, your favorite part, etc.  Make sure all 9 squares are filled in, and you will share your quilt with the class.

Math: In math we are working on unit 9.  The first two lessons focused on reading and plotting coordinate pairs.  The next lesson focused on the area of rectangles.  This week we will work on the area of triangles and parallelograms and the volume of prisms.  We will also continue to work on the extended response.

Writing: This week in writing the students will continue to work on researching an event in history.  Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be.  The class will make two timelines.  The first showing how history really evolved with all the major events before and after the event.  They will also make a parallel timeline showing how the world might have been different if they could go back in time to change the event.  Imagine if JFK would have lived because you stopped Oswald... what would the next few decades been like?  Would the U.S. have gone to war in Vietnam?  Would RFK have run for president and been killed like his brother?  The final project will include these two timelines showing what the world was like and how it would be different and a written plan explaining how they would actually succeed in stopping the event.  We will also work on using the BIG6 steps for research.  These steps are task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation.

Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars.  This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.

Social Studies: On Monday, we have our Harriet Tubman field trip.  On Tuesday, the students will learn about the French and Indian War which leads to the taxes that are placed on the colonists.  The students will learn about taxes, and the taxes that the colonists are required to pay.  They will also learn how the colonists protested these taxes.

Spelling Unit 21:
precede     predict     prefer     pretend     pretest     prevent     preview     previous     proceed
process     proclaim     professional     program     progress     project     promise     property
pronunciation     propose     protect     ceramic     opponent     aquarium     resources     prefix
acquaintance     prearrange     preparation     preserve     presume     process     profound
productive     prohibitive     proportional     hyperbole     personification     alliteration     simile
onomatopoeia     metaphor

ISAT SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, March 6:  Session 1 for both reading and math
Wednesday, March 7: Session 2 for both reading and math
Thursday, March 8: Session 3 for both reading and math
  
BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes for this month. The prizes this month will be a ticket to the Kane County Cougars May Watts Night on May 24 & a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut.  The Kane County Cougars ticket includes a free hot dog and drink voucher, tshirt, and an opportunity to run around the bases.

LMC NEWS:
Young Authors entries are due on Thursday - late admissions will not be accepted, so bring them in on time.
We are looking for parent scorers for the Young Authors entries.  Reading will be done during the school day on Monday - Wednesday, March 5-7.  Parents can sign up to read at http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0D4A4AB2EA13-readers
The Book Fair is coming!  Preview will be on March 7-9, with sales March 12-17.  We will be open during the Fun Fair!  Flyers will go home next week.  Our online homepage can be accessed directly by going to http://goo.gl/7jFU4 or go to www.scholastic.com/schoolbookfairs and follow the path to May Watts.

Important Dates:
Harriet Tubman field trip Monday, February 27
Spelling Test Wednesday, February 29
Book Report due Wednesday, February 29
Final manuscripts for young authors due on Thursday, March 1
Paw print redemption Thursday, March 1
No School Friday, March 2 Teacher Institute

Homework for Feb. 24

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29, Alliteration Book due on  Feb.29

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

Homework for Feb. 23

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29, Alliteration Book due Feb. 29

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Extended Response

Science Fair is tonight.

Homework for Feb. 22

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29, Alliteration Book due on Feb. 29

5P Math - Stduy Link 9.3

5V Math - Extended Response

P.E. Homework due tomorrow

Newsletter for the week of Feb. 20

Reading: This week in reading, we will work on nonfiction reading using the Time for Kids magazines.  Our skills will focus on: open ended questions, making connections, and working on inferences.  We will work ontest taking skills and go the questions from the story Ready, Set, Flop.  The students will also be writing another extended response.

Book Report: Your book report for February must be a historical fiction. The presentation will be Wednesday, February 29. For this book report the you will create a book quilt, which should be a 3x3 quilt block with each of the squares being about 8x8. You should share something from the book in each of the 9 squares.  Some examples would be: character traits, setting, summary, illustration, conflict, solution, your favorite part, etc.  Make sure all 9 squares are filled in, and you will share your quilt with the class.

Math: In math we started unit 9.  The first two lessons focus on reading and plotting coordinate pairs.  The next lesson will focus on the area of rectangles.  We will also continue to work on the extended response.

Writing: This week in writing the students will continue to work on researching an event in history.  Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be.  The class will make two timelines.  The first showing how history really evolved with all the major events before and after the event.  They will also make a parallel timeline showing how the world might have been different if they could go back in time to change the event.  Imagine if JFK would have lived because you stopped Oswald... what would the next few decades been like?  Would the U.S. have gone to war in Vietnam?  Would RFK have run for president and been killed like his brother?  The final project will include these two timelines showing what the world was like and how it would be different and a written plan explaining how they would actually succeed in stopping the event.  We will also work on using the BIG6 steps for research.  These steps are task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation.

Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars.  This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.

Social Studies: Last week in social studies we focused on the colonial trade routes and cities, towns and farms.  We also learned about slavery in the colonies.  This week we will learn about Frederick Douglass, the North and South growing apart, and Harriet Tubman.

Spelling Unit 20:
discuss     deduct     dismissed     develop     disease     discount    disturb     details    demand
determined    depressed     defense     disappointing     discouraged     disadvantage    
demonstrated     defeat     descent     disappear     disconnect     distract     decision     deliver
distressed     distribute     disable     describe     destroyed     disobey     disassemble     disagreed
discipline     discredit     delete     define     encyclopdeia     investor     interchangeable     reaper
stagecoach

ISAT SCHEDULE:
Tuesday, March 6:  Session 1 for both reading and math
Wednesday, March 7: Session 2 for both reading and math
Thursday, March 8: Session 3 for both reading and math
  
BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes for this month. The prizes this month will be a ticket to the Kane County Cougars May Watts Night on May 24 & a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut.  The Kane County Cougars ticket includes a free hot dog and drink voucher, tshirt, and an opportunity to run around the bases.

Important Dates:
President's Day - No School Monday, February 20
Parent Teacher Conferences - No School Tuesday, February 21
Spelling Test Wednesday, February 22
Paw Print Redemption Thursday, February 23
Book Report due Wednesday, February 29
Final manuscripts for young authors due on Thursday, March 1

Homework for Feb. 16

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

P.E. homework due next week

Field Trip form due on Friday

Homework for Feb. 15

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

5B Math - Study Link 7.2

5V Math - Mathboxes

P.E. homework due next week

Field Trip form due on Friday

Book Order due on Friday

Homework for Feb. 14

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Spelling - Test & Contract due on Wednesday

5P Math - Test Wednesday

5B Math - 2 Sheets

Field Trip form due on Friday

Book Order due on Friday

Homework for Feb. 13

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Spelling - Test & Contract due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 7.11, Study Guide due on Tuesday, Test Wednesday

5B Math - Study Link 7.1

5V Math - Mathboxes 6.10

Field trip note due on Feb. 17

Newsletter for the week of February 13

Reading: This week in reading, we will work on nonfiction reading using the Time for Kids magazines.  Our skills will focus on: using skimming to preview reading materials and scanning to detect major visual patterns and identifying  text structure before reading, making connections to real world situations or related topics before and during reading, and working on inferences.  We will also review the use of figurative language in writing.  The students will also be writing another extended response.

Book Report: Your book report for February must be a historical fiction. The presentation will be Wednesday, February 29. For this book report the you will create a book quilt, which should be a 3x3 quilt block with each of the squares being about 8x8. You should share something from the book in each of the 9 squares.  Some examples would be: character traits, setting, summary, illustration, conflict, solution, your favorite part, etc.  Make sure all 9 squares are filled in, and you will share your quilt with the class.

Math: In math we have been working on unit 7.  The first two lessons focused on standard notation, exponential notation, and number word notation.  Last week the students learned about scientific notation and using parentheses.  They also learned about the order of operations.  The order is parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction.  The students made line graphs and worked on short answer responses.  Last week the students continued to work on order of operations, and adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers.  On Monday & Tuesday we will review the concepts that were taught during this unit, and on Wednesday they will take a test.

Writing: This week in writing the students will continue to work on researching an event in history.  Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be.  The class will make two timelines.  The first showing how history really evolved with all the major events before and after the event.  They will also make a parallel timeline showing how the world might have been different if they could go back in time to change the event.  Imagine if JFK would have lived because you stopped Oswald... what would the next few decades been like?  Would the U.S. have gone to war in Vietnam?  Would RFK have run for president and been killed like his brother?  The final project will include these two timelines showing what the world was like and how it would be different and a written plan explaining how they would actually succeed in stopping the event.  We will also work on using the BIG6 steps for research.  These steps are task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation.

Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars.  This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.

Social Studies: This week in social studies we will be focusing on the colonial trade routes and cities, towns and farms.  We will also be learning about slavery in the colonies, Frederick Douglass, and the North and South growing apart. 

Spelling Unit 19:
remove     interview     repeat     interrupt     respect     interfere     represent     relocate     international
review     interpret     interstate     remarkable     intermediate     intersection     recommend     interject
intervene     resource     remained     interdependent     interconnect     recognize     reassure     recede
interact     reactivate     reinvestigation     recaptured     interdepartmental     interplanetary     intercostals
recuperate     recurrent     intergenerational     planetarium     neutral     telescope     photosphere
chromosphere
  
BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes for this month. The prizes this month will be a ticket to the Kane County Cougars May Watts Night on May 24 & a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut.  The Kane County Cougars ticket includes a free hot dog and drink voucher, tshirt, and an opportunity to run around the bases.

Important Dates:
Valentine's Day Parties Tuesday, February 14
Spelling test Wednesday, February 15
Math test Wednesday, February 15
Robert Crown Followup Thursday, February 16
President's Day - No School Monday, February 20
Parent Teacher Conferences - No School Tuesday, February 21
Book Report due Wednesday, February 29
Final manuscripts for young authors due on Thursday, March 1

Homework for Feb. 10

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Spelling - Test & Contract due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Guide due on Tuesday of next week, Test Wednesday

Field trip note due on Feb. 17

Homework for Feb. 9

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Spelling - Test & Contract due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 7.9, 7.10, Study Guide due on Tuesday of next week, Test Wednesday

5V Math -

Field trip note due on Feb. 17

Homework for Feb. 8

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

5P Math - Study Guide due on Tuesday of next week, Test Wednesday

5B Math - Study Link 7.1, Study guide, Test Thursday

5V Math - Study Link 6.9

Science - Test tomorrow

Field trip note due on Feb. 17

Homework for Feb. 7

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 7.8, Study Guide due on Tuesday of next week, Test Wednesday

5B Math -  Study Link 6.12, Study guide, Test Thursday

5V Math - Study Link 6.8

Science - Worksheet, Test Thursday

Field Trip form due on Feb. 17

Homework for Feb.

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 7.7, Study Guide due on Tuesday of next week

5B Math - Study guide, Test Thursday

Field Trip form due on Feb. 17

Newsletter for the week of February 6

Reading: This week in reading, we will work on nonfiction reading using the Time for Kids magazines.  Our skills will focus on: using skimming to preview reading materials and scanning to detect major visual patterns and identifying  text structure before reading, making connections to real world situations or related topics before and during reading, and working on inferences.  The students will also be writing another extended response.

Book Report: Your book report for February must be a historical fiction. The presentation will be Wednesday, February 29. For this book report the you will create a book quilt, which should be a 3x3 quilt block with each of the squares being about 8x8. You should share something from the book in each of the 9 squares.  Some examples would be: character traits, setting, summary, illustration, conflict, solution, your favorite part, etc.  Make sure all 9 squares are filled in, and you will share your quilt with the class.

Math: In math we have been working on unit 7.  The first two lessons focused on standard notation, exponential notation, and number word notation.  Last week the students learned about scientific notation and using parentheses.  They also learned about the order of operations.  The order is parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction.  The students made line graphs and worked on short answer responses.  This week the students will continue to work on order of operations, and adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers.  On Friday, we will work on another extended response. 

Writing: This week in writing the students will be working on researching an event in history.  Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be.  The class will make two timelines.  The first showing how history really evolved with all the major events before and after the event.  They will also make a parallel timeline showing how the world might have been different if they could go back in time to change the event.  Imagine if JFK would have lived because you stopped Oswald... what would the next few decades been like?  Would the U.S. have gone to war in Vietnam?  Would RFK have run for president and been killed like his brother?  The final project will include these two timelines showing what the world was like and how it would be different and a written plan explaining how they would actually succeed in stopping the event.  We will also work on using the BIG6 steps for research.  These steps are task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation.

Grammar:  Our focus for grammar will be identifying root words, prefixes, and suffixes.

Science: In science we have started our digestion unit.  Last week the students learned about their teeth and oral health.  Last week they learned about their stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.  This week we will learn about the accessory organs.  These organs are the liver, gall bladder, and the pancreas.

Social Studies: We will start social studies after our digestion unit.

Spelling Unit 18:
nontoxic     income     unknown     unusual     involved     unlike     inspector     unless     indeed
nonprofit     invisible     nonsense     incredible     uncomfortable     inconsistent     unfortunately
nonfiction     nonviolent     uncover     informal     inexperienced     unproductive     unsightly
inspiration     nonrefundable     indescribable     inevitable     nonresident     invalid     involuntary
insurance     unhurried     unending     nebula     supernova     galaxy     Betelgeuse    
astronomical unit
  
BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
There is a new reading incentive program that Mrs. May is doing. To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes for this month. The prizes this month will be a ticket to the Kane County Cougars May Watts Night on May 24 & a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut.  The Kane County Cougars ticket includes a free hot dog and drink voucher, tshirt, and an opportunity to run around the bases.

NAPERVILLE READS 2012 - ANTONIO SACRE:
Free tickets are available for a presentation at Wentz Hall, North Central College, on Thursday, Feb. 9th at 7:00 p.m.  Tickets are available at any Naperville Public Library or Anderson's Bookshop.  If you would like an autographed book, order forms are available on the May Watts Website.

MAY WATTS BOOK EXCHANGE:
Bring in gently used books, and receive tickets for "shopping" on Thursday and Friday.

Important Dates:
Spelling test Wednesday, February 8
Hill Super Bowl Math Night Wednesday, February 8
Science test Thursday, February 9
Paw print redemption Thursday, February 9
Robert Crown field trip Friday, February 10
Math test Wednesday, February 15
Book Report due Wednesday, February 29
Final manuscripts for young authors due on Thursday, March 1

Homework for Feb. 3

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Language Arts - A to Z due on Monday

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5B Math - Study guide

P.E. - Study your routine

Homework for Feb. 2

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Language Arts - A to Z Book due on Monday

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5B Math - Study Link 6.10

5V Math - Extended Response, Comparison Sheet

Homework for Feb. 1

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Feb. 29

Language Arts - A to Z

5P Math - Study Link 7.5

5V Math - Study Link 6.6

Science - Quiz over digestive diagram

Talk about events in history for the "worm hole"

Homework for January 30

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due tomorrow

Spelling - Contract & Test due Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 7.3 & Mathboxes 7.3

Science - Quiz on Thursday, Stomach Worksheet

HILL FORM DUE TOMORROW

Newsletter for the week of January 31

Reading: This week in reading, we will finish the story Summer of Fire.  The students will learn how to make a timeline using the story and take a test over the story.  The rest of the week will focus on nonfiction reading using the Time for Kids magazines.  Our skills will focus on: using skimming to preview reading materials and scanning to detect major visual patterns and identifying  text structure before reading, making connections to real world situations or related topics before and during reading, and working on inferences.  The students will also be writing another extended response.

Book Report: Your book report for January must be a mystery. The presentation will be Tuesday, January 31. For this book report you will create a detective's report and treasure map. This should be done as you read. Don't wait until after you are finished with the book. You will be identifying clues to solve the mystery that is unfolding in your story. Keep notes. You will use your detective's report to create a treasure map. You will later turn in notes (detective's report) and the map. The notes do not have to be in final draft form.

You need the following information in your notes: the place where the main character starts (beginning setting), a list of where he or she goes, what clues are found there, where he or she ends up with the climax and solution of the story.

You will use your dectective's report to make your map. Draw out your character's path. As the path on your map continues, your readers will be unraveling the main events and the mystery!
Places and clues are marked with something to open. It could be a door, tree, book, or something that represents a clue.
On the door: the setting where the clue was discovered (ex. bookcase, a tree, a desk, an underground city)
Behind the door: phrase, picture, or word that represents the clue (ex. candlestick, "ran away")
Under the door: why it is important to the story (ex. "finds a note" or "locates a sound")

Math: In math we started unit 7.  The first two lessons focused on standard notation, exponential notation, and number word notation.  This week the students will learn about scientific notation and using parentheses.  They will also learn about the order of operations.  The order is parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction.  On Thursday, we will make line graphs and work on short answer responses.  On Friday, we will work on another extended response. 

Writing: This week in writing the students will finish "All About Me from A to Z" books.  This week in writing the students will also be working on researching an event in history.  Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be.  They will have to research the event and create a parallel timeline showing how the "worm hole" can change the path of history. 

Grammar:  Our focus for grammar will be identifying root words, prefixes, and suffixes.

Science: In science we have started our digestion unit.  Last week the students learned about their teeth and oral health.  This week they will learn about their stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and the accessory organs.  These organs are the liver, gall bladder, and the pancreas.

Social Studies: We will start social studies after our digestion unit.

Spelling Unit 17:
engineer     dentist     librarian     director     customer     pioneer     counselor     tourist     scientist
visitor     investigator     senator     astronomer     character     refrigerator     guardian     commander
physician     leader     historian     performer     volunteer     disaster     spectator     electrician
custodian     aviator     chemist     philosopher     pharmacist     comedian     orator     veneer
genealogist     executive     legislative     judicial     statehood     Bill of Rights
  
BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.

READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
There is a new reading incentive program that Mrs. May is doing. To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 360 minutes for this month. The prizes this month will be a ticket to Great America & a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut.

Important Dates:
Book Report due on Tuesday, January 31
Open House Tuesday, January 31
Hill forms need to be turned in by Tuesday, January 31
Spelling Test February 1
Digestive system diagram quiz Thursday, February 2

Homework for Jan. 27

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Jan. 31

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

Science - Quiz on Thursday

Hill form due Jan. 31

Report Card Envelope if you have not turned it in