Dear Students and Parents,
I wish you all a Merry Christmas and wonderful New Year.
At the moment I am finishing up grading for the various subjects and putting results on the computer. Our report cards will be out soon.
There are several things you should be doing over the vacation:
1. SLEEPING!
2. READING!
3 LEARNING EVERYTHING YOU CAN!
Hope to see you soon!
Mrs. Wahl
Friday, December 21, 2012
Monday, December 17, 2012
December 17th, 2012
This morning we reviewed the lockdown procedures for the school in our class. The tragedy in Connecticut has affected all of us. It is very important for students to be properly supervised and for students to be fully aware of the supervision procedures in the building.
After grammar and a vocabulary quiz, we watched more of Johnny Tremain. The main theme was "principle over principal" relating to money. Some of the Tories in Boston had agreed to pay the Tea Party debt to Parliament. They were angry that the patriots weren't cooperating. James Otis pushed to the main theme of the Revolutionary War: "That a Man May Stand".
MATH HOMEWORK IS REVIEW #4. Tomorrow we will have Test #4. The hardest point on the review was number lines, e.g., 3, 3 1/8, 3 1/4, 3 3/8, 3 1/2, 3 5/8, 3 3/4, 3 7/8, 4 .
Many students visited Meridian Math Club today to work on their homework. Others worked on final draft illustrations, character descriptions, 3-point paragraphs, and writer's workshop stories.
For Science we worked on magnetic force strengths. Two boys were able to attach 219 paper clips onto one paper clip, held up by two magnets. Students concluded that magnetic strength differed from magnet to magnet, that some must be more dense than others, that strength didn't quite double in proportion to the amount of magnet, etc. It was a fun learning experience. You might want to buy your child magnets, paper clips, batteries, coil, iron nails, wire, etc...and compile a magnet kit for him or her to experiment with over the Christmas vacation. It would be cheaper than a normal gift, and would be infinitely more fun! Also, you could download or print out experiments from the computer for them to do.
After grammar and a vocabulary quiz, we watched more of Johnny Tremain. The main theme was "principle over principal" relating to money. Some of the Tories in Boston had agreed to pay the Tea Party debt to Parliament. They were angry that the patriots weren't cooperating. James Otis pushed to the main theme of the Revolutionary War: "That a Man May Stand".
MATH HOMEWORK IS REVIEW #4. Tomorrow we will have Test #4. The hardest point on the review was number lines, e.g., 3, 3 1/8, 3 1/4, 3 3/8, 3 1/2, 3 5/8, 3 3/4, 3 7/8, 4 .
Many students visited Meridian Math Club today to work on their homework. Others worked on final draft illustrations, character descriptions, 3-point paragraphs, and writer's workshop stories.
For Science we worked on magnetic force strengths. Two boys were able to attach 219 paper clips onto one paper clip, held up by two magnets. Students concluded that magnetic strength differed from magnet to magnet, that some must be more dense than others, that strength didn't quite double in proportion to the amount of magnet, etc. It was a fun learning experience. You might want to buy your child magnets, paper clips, batteries, coil, iron nails, wire, etc...and compile a magnet kit for him or her to experiment with over the Christmas vacation. It would be cheaper than a normal gift, and would be infinitely more fun! Also, you could download or print out experiments from the computer for them to do.
Friday, December 14, 2012
December 14th, 2012
This morning students took the 50 State Capitals test...and the Language Arts test. Eeek! They were good sports about it, though. They also received another assignment to write a 3-point paragraph about Christmas, Winter, or a similar topic. THIS 3-POINT PARAGRAPH IS DUE TUESDAY. We are particularly looking for more detail. For example, if one topic is Christmas traditions, please tell us how the tradition started, who started it, what it entails, etc.
We finished reading Johnny Tremain. Hip, hip, hooray! ...and we watched him participate in the Boston Tea Party. NO, THE STUDENTS DON'T HAVE JOHNNY TREMAIN HOMEWORK THIS WEEKEND, BUT TAKE THEM TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR 30 MINUTES TO LOOK AT THE DISPLAYS AND CHECK OUT SOME INTERESTING BOOKS. Also, books would be a great Christmas present for the kids. Look online for book lists for 4th and 5th graders. Ask your child what genre interests him or her.
In math, we worked more on nets of a solid. HOMEWORK WAS EXERCISE 15, AND TESTS 8 & 9. On Monday we will be doing the review and Tuesday we will complete Unit 4. These kids are really sharp. It is also interesting to note that those who struggle with processes and memorization find their strengths in the spatial applications. Please give your child every opportunity to participate in home projects, building, manipulative games, and problem solving activities. Maybe a good old-fashioned Christmas present would be a model kit, wood and saw kit, sewing kit, etc. These are great ways to foster spatial understanding.
During Cultural Roundtable we learned about Peru, Paraguay, Chile, and Argentina. I was very pleased with student behavior during the presentations. Proper audience etiquette is being stressed.
We worked on the Covey Seven Habits and Leader in Me. Please praise your child for being proactive when he or she really is. Tell them the character trait you admire that they have just shown. For example, if Johnny takes out the trash without being asked, say, "Wow! You are so proactive! You took the trash out without being asked. That shows that you are responsible." Be sure to back up the trait with the example of positive behavior you see. And don't hesitate to curb any inappropriate behavior with, "Honey, that simply isn't acceptable behavior. The proper way to ... is ... " Children want to be respected enough to be told how to behave correctly. Positive reinforcement works wonderfully, but don't hesitate to gently correct.
Enough for 'free advice'! (That's what my siblings call it!)
We finished Bill Nye Magnetism and students worked very hard completing character descriptions. THESE CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS ARE DUE TUESDAY. Two students have lost them! I will look extra hard in the classroom tomorrow.
Minicourses were fun. They are the best time of the week! Have a great weekend.
We finished reading Johnny Tremain. Hip, hip, hooray! ...and we watched him participate in the Boston Tea Party. NO, THE STUDENTS DON'T HAVE JOHNNY TREMAIN HOMEWORK THIS WEEKEND, BUT TAKE THEM TO THE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOR 30 MINUTES TO LOOK AT THE DISPLAYS AND CHECK OUT SOME INTERESTING BOOKS. Also, books would be a great Christmas present for the kids. Look online for book lists for 4th and 5th graders. Ask your child what genre interests him or her.
In math, we worked more on nets of a solid. HOMEWORK WAS EXERCISE 15, AND TESTS 8 & 9. On Monday we will be doing the review and Tuesday we will complete Unit 4. These kids are really sharp. It is also interesting to note that those who struggle with processes and memorization find their strengths in the spatial applications. Please give your child every opportunity to participate in home projects, building, manipulative games, and problem solving activities. Maybe a good old-fashioned Christmas present would be a model kit, wood and saw kit, sewing kit, etc. These are great ways to foster spatial understanding.
During Cultural Roundtable we learned about Peru, Paraguay, Chile, and Argentina. I was very pleased with student behavior during the presentations. Proper audience etiquette is being stressed.
We worked on the Covey Seven Habits and Leader in Me. Please praise your child for being proactive when he or she really is. Tell them the character trait you admire that they have just shown. For example, if Johnny takes out the trash without being asked, say, "Wow! You are so proactive! You took the trash out without being asked. That shows that you are responsible." Be sure to back up the trait with the example of positive behavior you see. And don't hesitate to curb any inappropriate behavior with, "Honey, that simply isn't acceptable behavior. The proper way to ... is ... " Children want to be respected enough to be told how to behave correctly. Positive reinforcement works wonderfully, but don't hesitate to gently correct.
Enough for 'free advice'! (That's what my siblings call it!)
We finished Bill Nye Magnetism and students worked very hard completing character descriptions. THESE CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS ARE DUE TUESDAY. Two students have lost them! I will look extra hard in the classroom tomorrow.
Minicourses were fun. They are the best time of the week! Have a great weekend.
Thursday, December 13, 2012
December 13th, 2012
TOMORROW IS WOW DAY! WEAR YOUR FAVORITE APPROPRIATE CLOTHES.
This morning we finished studying for the state capitals test. THE TEST IS TOMORROW MORNING.
We reviewed our five words, made spelling ornaments or snowflakes, and worked on capitalizing and punctuating friendly letters, particularly addresses. THE LANGUAGE ARTS TEST IS TOMORROW MORNING.
Johnny Tremain reading is to page 249, just to the end of Section Three. We will (hopefully!) finish the book tomorrow. There will be great cheering! We watched ten more minutes of the movie. The students are following the movie well, in part because we have discussed the book and time period in depth.
MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 14. This is a difficult concept. We cut solids on edges today and made nets out of them. Students learned that adjacent edges must match in length. We cut out many nets and folded and shaped them to make 3-dimensional objects: rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, cubes, square pyramids, triangular pyramids, cylinders, etc.
4th Graders enjoyed estimating and measuring magnetic force. We attached a bent paper clip to a magnet and hung paper clips to the magnet until it could no longer bear the weight. Then we recorded the data and tried the experiment with two attached magnets, then three. The results were interesting.
After recess we participated in a Storm Water presentation. Students learned about the water cycle and water villains. We learned that only 1/2 of a percent of the earth's water is truly drinkable. We learned how to keep the gutters free of toxic waste products.
At the end of the day we treated ourselves to Bill Nye the Science Guy - Magnetism.
This morning we finished studying for the state capitals test. THE TEST IS TOMORROW MORNING.
We reviewed our five words, made spelling ornaments or snowflakes, and worked on capitalizing and punctuating friendly letters, particularly addresses. THE LANGUAGE ARTS TEST IS TOMORROW MORNING.
Johnny Tremain reading is to page 249, just to the end of Section Three. We will (hopefully!) finish the book tomorrow. There will be great cheering! We watched ten more minutes of the movie. The students are following the movie well, in part because we have discussed the book and time period in depth.
MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 14. This is a difficult concept. We cut solids on edges today and made nets out of them. Students learned that adjacent edges must match in length. We cut out many nets and folded and shaped them to make 3-dimensional objects: rectangular prisms, triangular prisms, cubes, square pyramids, triangular pyramids, cylinders, etc.
4th Graders enjoyed estimating and measuring magnetic force. We attached a bent paper clip to a magnet and hung paper clips to the magnet until it could no longer bear the weight. Then we recorded the data and tried the experiment with two attached magnets, then three. The results were interesting.
After recess we participated in a Storm Water presentation. Students learned about the water cycle and water villains. We learned that only 1/2 of a percent of the earth's water is truly drinkable. We learned how to keep the gutters free of toxic waste products.
At the end of the day we treated ourselves to Bill Nye the Science Guy - Magnetism.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
December 12th, 2012
This morning we reviewed the 50 state capitals. About half of the class knows them very well. PLEASE PUT YOUR CHILD ONLINE TO "YOUTUBE 50 STATES SONGS" OR 50 STATE CAPITALS ONLINE GAMES. These interactive games are great to get the kids to learn them. The test will be two columns of states, with a line next to each state for the students to write the capitals on. The state capitals will be at the bottom of the page, for students to refer to.
Students tested each other in spelling. In grammar we searched out capitalization and punctuation rules. We also reviewed the five SAT words. I find that students aren't having as much difficulty learning the definitions as they were a few months ago. I try to smatter the words into our daily conversations. OUR LANGUAGE ARTS TEST IS ON FRIDAY!
We continued with Johnny Tremain, which is now nearing the end. We have just one chapter left. Then we watched 15 minutes of Johnny Tremain. HOMEWORK TONIGHT IS FINISHING THE "YANKEE DOODLE" CHAPTER. It is only about 5 book pages. If your child reads it aloud to or with you, comprehension will skyrocket. Be sure your child is enunciating correctly and slowing down. Don't hesitate to tell your child to speak up, sit up, or be clear.
MATH HOMEWORK IS THE CIRCLES TEST. ALSO, STUDENTS SHOULD BRING IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
RECTANGULAR PRISM
TRIANGULAR PRISM
SQUARE PYRAMID
TRIANGULAR PYRAMID
CYLINDER
We are learning about solids and solid nets. We will be "dissecting" the solids on their edges and visualizing what solids look like flat. This is pretty advanced stuff. It helps students grasp 3-D imagery. This will lead into volume.
Lots of interest in Meridian Math Club today. We reviewed rounding and estimating products.
In Writer's Workshop, several students completed their character descriptions. They are being hung under the coat racks downstairs in the common room. Yes, some are a little gory, as we brainstormed them the week of Halloween. I am impressed with the quality of illustrations that the students have worked on. They must match the details of their written work with the accuracy of the illustration. It is not easy.
History was brainstorming puppet play scenes and preferences. The students swapped phone numbers so they can collaborate about their scripts. These will not be due till after the holidays.
Students tested each other in spelling. In grammar we searched out capitalization and punctuation rules. We also reviewed the five SAT words. I find that students aren't having as much difficulty learning the definitions as they were a few months ago. I try to smatter the words into our daily conversations. OUR LANGUAGE ARTS TEST IS ON FRIDAY!
We continued with Johnny Tremain, which is now nearing the end. We have just one chapter left. Then we watched 15 minutes of Johnny Tremain. HOMEWORK TONIGHT IS FINISHING THE "YANKEE DOODLE" CHAPTER. It is only about 5 book pages. If your child reads it aloud to or with you, comprehension will skyrocket. Be sure your child is enunciating correctly and slowing down. Don't hesitate to tell your child to speak up, sit up, or be clear.
MATH HOMEWORK IS THE CIRCLES TEST. ALSO, STUDENTS SHOULD BRING IN ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:
RECTANGULAR PRISM
TRIANGULAR PRISM
SQUARE PYRAMID
TRIANGULAR PYRAMID
CYLINDER
We are learning about solids and solid nets. We will be "dissecting" the solids on their edges and visualizing what solids look like flat. This is pretty advanced stuff. It helps students grasp 3-D imagery. This will lead into volume.
Lots of interest in Meridian Math Club today. We reviewed rounding and estimating products.
In Writer's Workshop, several students completed their character descriptions. They are being hung under the coat racks downstairs in the common room. Yes, some are a little gory, as we brainstormed them the week of Halloween. I am impressed with the quality of illustrations that the students have worked on. They must match the details of their written work with the accuracy of the illustration. It is not easy.
History was brainstorming puppet play scenes and preferences. The students swapped phone numbers so they can collaborate about their scripts. These will not be due till after the holidays.
Monday, December 10, 2012
December 10th, 2012
This morning we completed the fifty state capitals. FOR HOMEWORK THIS WEEK STUDENTS SHOULD BE PRACTICING MEMORIZING THEIR STATE CAPITALS. There will be a test on Friday.
New SAT words for 5th graders are:
MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 10. Today we learned about equilateral, isosceles, and scalene triangles. Students made their own triangles out of straws and paper clips. We had a lot of fun. Also, Meridian Math Club was full today at noon. ANY STUDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO REDO A MATH TEST NEED TO HAVE IT FINISHED BY NEXT TUESDAY. Next Wednesday the term ends.
For Writer's Workshop students are completing their final illustrations for their character descriptions. They are also typing stories and continue to brainstorm, edit, etc.
In history today we started the scripts for our puppet play. We used the talking stick to generated ideas from everyone. IF YOU HAVE ANY CLOTHES TO SEND TO D.I. OR EXTRA MATERIAL LYING AROUND, WE'D LOVE TO USE IT ON OUR PUPPETS.
New SAT words for 5th graders are:
-
conformist
someone who conforms to established standards of conduct (especially in religious matters) -
the act of converging (coming closer)
-
harmful to living things
-
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular passions and prejudices
-
a turning aside (of your course or attention or concern)I was very impressed with the classifying of sentences in our grammar today. Also, STUDENTS SHOULD TYPE OUT THEIR PURPLE 3-POINT PARAGRAPHS AT HOME. THESE ARE DUE THURSDAY.
MATH HOMEWORK IS EXERCISE 10. Today we learned about equilateral, isosceles, and scalene triangles. Students made their own triangles out of straws and paper clips. We had a lot of fun. Also, Meridian Math Club was full today at noon. ANY STUDENTS WHO WOULD LIKE TO REDO A MATH TEST NEED TO HAVE IT FINISHED BY NEXT TUESDAY. Next Wednesday the term ends.
For Writer's Workshop students are completing their final illustrations for their character descriptions. They are also typing stories and continue to brainstorm, edit, etc.
In history today we started the scripts for our puppet play. We used the talking stick to generated ideas from everyone. IF YOU HAVE ANY CLOTHES TO SEND TO D.I. OR EXTRA MATERIAL LYING AROUND, WE'D LOVE TO USE IT ON OUR PUPPETS.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
December 7th, 2012
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PLAY "A CHRISTMAS CAROL" WAS EXCELLENT FRIDAY. IF YOU WOULD LIKE SOME WHOLESOME ENTERTAINMENT, COME TO SCHOOL ON SATURDAY AT 7 P.M. AND WATCH IT. BRING FRIENDS. IT IS WELL WORTH IT, AND LASTS JUST 50 MINUTES.
This morning we started with a discussion of a country capital (Washington, D.C.) and learned four new state capitals:
Charleston, West Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Annapolis, Maryland
Trenton, New Jersey
Students completed Language Arts tests and we all congregated for a Spirit Day assembly.
In Johnny Tremain we read to the end of the section. It was very humbling to learn what happened to British deserters. We are noticing that Johnny is not so proud anymore. HOMEWORK IS TO READ A BOOK OF THEIR CHOICE FOR 30 MINUTES A DAY. Next week we will resume Johnny Tremain.
In math we made posters showing right triangles, acute triangles, and obtuse triangles. On Monday we will learn three other kinds of triangles. It is difficult for the students to draw acute and obtuse triangles. Any help you can give them (pointing out various shapes in the community, giving them scissors, rulers and pencils and having them make an art form out of triangles, etc.) will help. HOMEWORK IS A SEPERATE TEST THAT WAS SENT HOME: UNIT 4; CHAPTER 5A. THERE IS NO HOMEWORK FROM THE WORKBOOK.
We were most fortunate to attend the 12 o'clock showing of "A Christmas Carol". Thank you to the parents who made that possible.
After a lesson about our Circle of Control, from the Covey 7 Habits, we attended mini-courses.
This morning we started with a discussion of a country capital (Washington, D.C.) and learned four new state capitals:
Charleston, West Virginia
Richmond, Virginia
Annapolis, Maryland
Trenton, New Jersey
Students completed Language Arts tests and we all congregated for a Spirit Day assembly.
In Johnny Tremain we read to the end of the section. It was very humbling to learn what happened to British deserters. We are noticing that Johnny is not so proud anymore. HOMEWORK IS TO READ A BOOK OF THEIR CHOICE FOR 30 MINUTES A DAY. Next week we will resume Johnny Tremain.
In math we made posters showing right triangles, acute triangles, and obtuse triangles. On Monday we will learn three other kinds of triangles. It is difficult for the students to draw acute and obtuse triangles. Any help you can give them (pointing out various shapes in the community, giving them scissors, rulers and pencils and having them make an art form out of triangles, etc.) will help. HOMEWORK IS A SEPERATE TEST THAT WAS SENT HOME: UNIT 4; CHAPTER 5A. THERE IS NO HOMEWORK FROM THE WORKBOOK.
We were most fortunate to attend the 12 o'clock showing of "A Christmas Carol". Thank you to the parents who made that possible.
After a lesson about our Circle of Control, from the Covey 7 Habits, we attended mini-courses.
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