Tuesday, February 14, 2012

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

Monday, February 13, 2012

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

Friday, February 10, 2012

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

Thursday, February 9, 2012

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

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

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

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

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

Monday, February 6, 2012

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

Sunday, February 5, 2012

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

Friday, February 3, 2012

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

Thursday, February 2, 2012

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

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

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"

Monday, January 30, 2012

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

Sunday, January 29, 2012

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

Friday, January 27, 2012

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

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Homework for Jan. 25

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

Language Arts - 6 more letters

5P Math - Extended Response

5B Math - SL 6.8

Hill Form Jan. 31

Field Trip due on Friday

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Homework for January 24

Reading - Read 20 minutes, book report due on Jan. 31

Language Arts - 6 more letters

Spelling - Contract & Test due tomorrow

5B Math - Study Link 6.7

5V Math - Math boxes page 207

Hill form due on Jan. 31

Field Trip form due Friday

Monday, January 23, 2012

Homework for January 23

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

Language Arts - 4 more letters

5P Math - Test tomorrow, Practice sheet with fractions

Spelling - Contract & Test for Wednesday

Science - Test tomorrow

Hill form due on Jan. 31

Field Trip form due Jan. 27

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Newsletter for the week of January 23

Reading: This week in reading, we will focus on a nonfiction story about the great forest fires at Yellowstone National Park in the summer of 1988.  We will be working on writing an ISAT style extended response.  The format of these answers will include answering the question with a blanket statement, finding all the evidence in the text to support the answer, interpreting the evidence, and a conclusion sentence that restates the answers using a synonym to avoid repetition.  Along with the extended response we will be working on test taking strategies using the end of the story quiz.

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 6. The first couple of lessons focused on using landmark data, which is minimum, maximum, median, mode, range, and mean and organizing the data. They organized the data by using graphs, line plots, and stem and leaf plots.  The students worked on identifying mystery line plots. They also investigated the relationship between sample size, reliability, and analyzed the data.  Last week the students continued to analyze data and worked on adding and subtracting fractions.

Writing: This week in writing will be spent on the final copy of "All About Me from A to Z" books.  There will be mini lessons on editing and elaboration.

Grammar:  Our focus for grammar will be learning about pronouns and prepositions.

Science: In science we will continue focusing on electricity. Static electricity occurs when extra electrons collect and stay in an object for a period of time. Electrons move from object to object through friction. As the electrons move between two objects, one object gains electrons and becomes negatively charged. The other object loses electrons and becomes positively charged.  The students did two experiments focusing on static electricity. Then they learned that electricity flows and the materials needed to light a light bulb. Last week the students learned about conductors and insulators.  They also learned about parallel and series circuits and made a switch.

Social Studies: We finished our social studies unit and will move on to science for the rest of the quarter.

Spelling Unit 16:
capable     careless     desirable     admirable     restless     available     debatable     tasteless
helpless     senseless     priceless     useless     reliable     undeniable     excitable     believable
bottomless     comfortable     dampness     understandable     decorations     reciting
memorized     tongue     precious     agreeable     hopelessness     changeable     approachable
acceptable     adorable     profitable     valuable     thoughtless     fruitless     territory     veto
secretary     Supreme Court     amendment    

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:
Math Test Tuesday, January 24
Science Test Tuesday, January 24
Spelling test Wednesday, January 25
Watts Whirl Wednesday, January 25
Paw Print Redemption Thursday, January 26
Field Trip Form due on Friday, January 27
Book Report due on Tuesday, January 31
Open House Tuesday, January 31
Hill forms need to be turned in by Tuesday, January 31

Friday, January 20, 2012

Homework for Jan. 20

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

Language Arts - 4 letters for A to Z

Spelling - Contract & Test due Wednesday

5P Math - Study guide due on Monday, Test onTuesday

5V Math - Extended Response, Car Information

Hill Form due Jan. 31

Field Trip form due Friday, Jan. 27