April 15, 2013

Happy Tax Day!

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT IS THE "HOPE OF AMERICA" PERFORMANCE.  Students should bring a pair of sunglasses tomorrow for the show.  We do have flashlights for the class.

Our new vocabulary words are:

spurious:  plausible but false OR could be, but not true

submissive:  inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination OR tends to surrender to orders or wishes of others or showing such tendencies

substantiate:  establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts OR to back up something

subtle: difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze OR difficult to see or understand or take apart and put together (as in learning)

superficial:  of, affecting, or being on or near the surface OR fake, not deep feelings

We are not doing grammar or idioms this week.  Instead, we are concentrating on finishing our Meridian newspaper featured articles and working on our invention stories.  NEWSPAPER STORIES OR ARTICLES OR FEATURED WORKS ARE DUE THURSDAY.  INVENTION STORY ROUGH DRAFTS ARE DUE NEXT MONDAY, A WEEK FROM TODAY.

Danny found his dad in a pit in Hazell's Wood today.

MATH HOMEWORK IS 11:4:A.  We began volume today by learning what 3-dimensional really means, how to depict 3-D pictorally, and how to write "cubed" correctly.  We created 3-dimensional objects out of cubes, guessed and checked the volume, and also built cubed objects.  Students learned that a cube 1 foot by 1 foot by 1 foot actually needed 1,748 cubic inches to fill the space!  Groups of students predicted, then built cubes 6 cubes long by 6 cubes wide by 6 cubes high.  They figured out how many cubes were needed to complete the cube.  This is a great brain exercise!

After lunch we had Meridian Math Club, S.I.R., and some students elected to work on their Invention stories.  We then moved to poetry, dong a hands-on rotational pre-write assignment with verbs, nouns, and adjectives having to do with the seasons.  This will expand to a haiku syllabic lesson tomorrow.

4th Graders went to Art and 5th Graders learned more about genetics, specifically dominant and recessive genes and crossovers.  They learned how to chart BB, Bb, and bb off-spring.  We used hair color, size, and earlobes to determine physical traits.  We discussed physical and character (personality) traits that can be passed on to children.

After P.E. students reviewed the "Hope of America" schedule for Wednesday.  We will be leaving the school at 9:15 a.m. to go to the Marriott Center for a rehearsal.  PLEASE BRING A SACK LUNCH ON WEDNESDAY, AS WE WILL RETURN TO SCHOOL JUST AFTER LUNCH.

We also read a few invention books to get more ideas for our stories.  HOMEWORK IS 30-40 MINUTES OF READING AND WORK ON YOUR INVENTION STORY.

April 12, 2013

This morning we got to hold a real crocodile claw and puffer fish from Florida!  Gross!  Cool!

After the Language Arts test we worked on spelling tests, finishing poems, invention stories, and read from Danny.  His father hasn't come back from poaching, and Danny uses a Baby Austin to go find him.  We also evaluated Victor Hazell's description.

MATH HOMEWORK IS PRACTICE 1, PROBLEMS 7-10.  We already did 1-6 in school.  Those who were up-to-date were rewarded with computer time, and those who weren't up-to-date were rewarded with catch-up time!

After lunch and a nice, long recess we learned about Marie Curie and win-win situations.  Students then worked more on the Meridian newspaper.  We completed a service by cleaning the school in ten minutes flat.  Then on to mini-courses.

It was a good day!

READING HOMEWORK FOR 30-40 MINUTES EACH DAY.  BOOK REPORT OF YOUR CHOICE DUE THE LAST WEEK OF THE MONTH.

April 11, 2013

This morning we introduced the Judicial Branch.  The Supreme Court interprets the constitution, decides states' rights, and reviews laws.  Again...fierce debate.

A vocabulary race found the girls' knowledge ahead of the boys' knowledge for tomorrow's test. PLEASE STUDY THE SAT WORDS FOR THE TEST TOMORROW.  THEY ARE ON THE BLOG POST.

The idiom for the day was: "Kill Two Birds with One Stone".

Most students completed their spelling activities today.  Any unfinished tests will be completed tomorrow.

Danny found out his father is a pheasant poacher, descended from the best!

MATH HOMEWORK IS 11:3:A.  Many problems will have to be converted to smaller measures before the operation can be performed.

Foreign Language and 5th Grade Art.  4th Graders completed their "Color Poems".  They have done an awesome job, with lots of attention to detail.

Recess and Invention Story brainstorming, along with poetry completion, and then music.

PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD REVIEW THE "HOPE OF AMERICA" SONGS.

READING HOMEWORK IS 30-40 MINUTES EACH NIGHT.  BOOK REPORT DUE AT THE MONTH'S END.

April 10, 2013

LANGUAGE ARTS TEST ON FRIDAY.

We learned about the Legislative Branch of government today.  The House of Representatives and Senate make and pass laws, create spending bills, make treaties, and impeaching officials.  We had quite the debate about whether the president should have "friends" in the Legislative Branch, to whom he offers favors.  Quite a few points about corruption and standards.

After playing our SAT vocabulary game and finishing editing our grammar sheet, students discussed and wrote responses to the idiom: "Time heals all wounds".  Several students voluntarily stayed in during recess to add more to their entries. Most students have completed their newspaper spelling activity.  They have begun testing.  We read to the problem in Danny, the Champion of the World.  Danny's father has left, and someone is coming.  It is the middle of the night.

MATH HOMEWORK IS WORKSHEET 11: 2:A.  We worked away on more compound measurements. Several students had "aha" moments today.

After SIR/Meridian Math Club, we had a lesson on color poems.  Next, we began creating our own poems. ROUGH DRAFTS ARE DUE TOMORROW.

Color Poem Instructions

Choose a Color                                                   Green
Choose a Sense                                                   Feels like butterflies fluttering in my nervous stomach.
Choose a Sense                                                   Tastes like freshly picked kiwifruit sliced in my salad.
Choose a Sense
etc.
Senses are feelings, taste, smell, sound, touch, movement, sight, etc.

We also worked heavily on our 4/5 Meridian Newspaper articles.  These kids have very creative, interactive ideas.  ARTICLES WILL BE DUE BY THURSDAY NEXT WEEK.

PE and then Performance Series Testing finished up the day.

HOMEWORK FOR READING IS 30-40 MINUTES IN A BOOK OF YOUR CHOICE.  A BOOK REPORT IS DUE THE END OF APRIL.

April 9th, 2013

This morning we learned the duties of the Executive Branch.  STUDENTS SHOULD LOOK ONLINE OR IN THE NEWSPAPER FOR ANY ARTICLES DEPICTING THE PRESIDENT AND HIS DUTIES.

We reviewed our SAT words with a coin flipping game.  REVIEW THE WORDS ON THE TERM THREE SAT VOCABULARY POST, MADE YESTERDAY.

Grammar was more editing practice.

Students worked on spelling words.  A test is due by Friday (they are done at school).  The activity is a mixed paragraph using spelling words and newspaper words.  Can you tell we are trying to get a lot of exposure to newspapers?  IF YOU HAVE AN ALREADY READ NEWSPAPER THAT IS A DAY OR TWO OLD, WE'D LOVE TO HAVE IT!

We read more of Danny, the Champion of the World.

Math today was lonnnnnnnggggg!  We learned more compound measurements and worked hard on story problems.  I will tone it down a bit over the next few days, but we will continue to multiply, divide, add and subtract compound measurements.  HOMEWORK IS COMPLETING THE MEASUREMENT PACKET WORD PROBLEMS (6-9) AND THE TAKE-HOME TEST 11-1-A.

After a lot of specialists, we acted out life in a city during the Middle Ages and learned about guilds.  Of particular interest was that around 1000 A.D. men started to eat less meat and women ate more healthily.  A direct result of women living longer was that they bore more children, causing a population "boom" in Europe.  Interesting.

HOMEWORK IS READING FOR 30-40 MINUTES, A BOOK OF YOUR CHOICE.  THERE WILL BE A BOOK REPORT DUE AT THE END OF APRIL!

Term 4 SAT Words

April 29, 2013

superfluous: more than is needed, desired, or required

surreptitious: marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed

tactful: having or showing a sense of what is fitting and considerate in dealing with others

tenacious: stubbornly unyielding

transient: lasting a very short time

NO WORDS FOR TWO WEEKS BECAUSE OF PUBLISHING DEADLINES

April 15, 2013

The new SAT words are:

spurious:  plausible but false OR could be, but not true

submissive:  inclined or willing to submit to orders or wishes of others or showing such inclination OR tends to surrender to orders or wishes of others or showing such tendencies

substantiate:  establish or strengthen as with new evidence or facts OR to back up something

subtle: difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze OR difficult to see or understand or take apart and put together (as in learning)

superficial:  of, affecting, or being on or near the surface OR fake, not deep feelings






April 8, 2013

The new SAT words are:

1. restrain:to hold back, control, limit,  repress, check, slow down
2. reverence: deep, profound, respect for someone or something
3. sagacity: ability to make good judgments, foresight, discernment, keen perception
4. scrutinize: investigate, searching, watching, guarding, examine, close look
5. spontaneous: unplanned in advance, spur of the moment

April 8, 2013

A big "Hello" to you!  Hope you enjoyed your Spring Break!

This morning we began learning about the U.S. government system.  We learned the three branches of government: judicial, executive, and legislative.  Every morning for a few minutes we will learn new facets of our legal system.

The new SAT words are:

1. restrain:to hold back, control, limit,  repress, check, slow down
2. reverence: deep, profound, respect for someone or something
3. sagacity: ability to make good judgments, foresight, discernment, keen perception
4. scrutinize: investigate, searching, watching, guarding, examine, close look
5. spontaneous: unplanned in advance, spur of the moment

The grammar sheet for this week is an editing sheet.  We are learning the ten items to checklist when correcting our work. 

The idiom today was: "It's Never Too Late to Mend".

We are reading Danny, the Champion of the World as a read aloud.  The kids really enjoy listening to the voice of the author.  This will lead to debating hot topics, like poaching, gun control, etc.  We are also critically evaluating Crispin a little bit, every day.

MATH HOMEWORK OVER SPRING BREAK WAS EXERCISES 2 &3.  MANY STUDENTS STILL NEED TO COMPLETE THIS.  HOMEWORK TODAY IS WORD PROBLEMS 1-5.  When your child is working on 3 lb. 4 oz. x 7, have him or her do it in their heads.  The process is so much harder at the beginning, but so liberating when it doesn't have to be written later.  For example: 3 lb. x 7 = 21 lb.  Also, 4 oz. x 7 = 28 oz.  We know 28 oz = 1 lb. 12 oz., so we add the extra lb. to 21.  The total is 22 lb. and 12 oz.  Remind students to practice multiplying two digit numbers by one digit numbers in their heads.  Example: 44 x 3 = (40 x 3) + (4 x 3) = 120 + 12 = 132.

After lunch we had SIR and Meridian Math Club.  We then started our poetry unit, creating I-poems. IF IT WASN'T COMPLETED IN SCHOOL, IT BECAME HOMEWORK.  The finished poems are hanging on the loft railing.  The form for it is:

First line:   First Name
Second line: 2 adjectives describing the person's personality
Third line:   4 words describing physical characteristics
Fourth line: 5 nouns of things the person enjoys
Fifth line: A descriptive word or short phrase summing up that person

4th Graders went to Art.  5th Graders had an introductory lesson on Heredity.  HOMEWORK IS TO CHECK PINKY FINGERS, DOUBLE-JOINTEDNESS, AND TONGUE ROLLING.

After P.E. students partnered up and presented the differences between knights and serfs in a creative visual presentation, a large puzzle of sorts.  I was impressed that the students worked so well with assigned partners.  This class has amazing social dynamics.

HOMEWORK IS TO READ FOR 30-40 MINUTES - A BOOK OF YOUR CHOICE.