Monday, December 22, 2008

December 22nd

Today the class watched some movies this morning for their incentive. Then this afternoon we played Christmas BINGO and then practiced for our concert.

Please have your child come to my classroom at 6:45-no earlier!!! If they are in chorus, they go to Mrs. Kellnhauser's room at 6:45. Wear PJS.

Homework:

Reading: Finish chapter book over break

Other: concert tonight 7pm

Bring food items for party

Bring gift for party if you haven't yet

Half day tomorrow!!!

Friday, December 19, 2008

December 19th

Today our class got a visit from a counselor at Maplewood. He talked with them about how they need to choose what music they will take next year. Students can choose from band, orchestra, and choir. A yellow paper is going home tonight for you to read over and fill out. Please return this slip before Jan. 9th. If you are unsure if your child will be going to Maplewood next year, just fill out the sheet anyway, and write a short note on the paper.

Thank you to Mrs. Siegel who helped make copies for me this morning!

Homework:

Reading: Finish reading your book-if you don't do that this weekend that is ok-just finish it over break.

Other: bring an extra bag Monday to carry art projects home in
Bring gift exchange gift

Thursday, December 18, 2008

December 18th

Today the class had Phy Ed. and Music. They also had a study hall time while I was at a meeting for an hour. I was very pleased to come back and they were all working quietly and I got a great report from the substitute!!!!! I did give out a few initials this morning for talking during work time, but it was much better than before! We had a lot of papers go home today-make sure to check them out!

Homework:

Math: Finish the division packet-the first two pages are done, so just make sure the rest of the packet is finished. If the packet is not finished by tomorrow I will h old onto it and your child will have to finish it on Monday during our holiday movie incentive.

Science: Cube and model animal (extra credit) due tomorrow.

Reading: Read pages on calendar.

Spanish: Finish postcard for Friday. We have had worktime in class for the last two days.

Other: Gifts for gift exchange
Popcorn money
Grades signed (due Monday)

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

December 17th

Today we had a concert given by some Menasha High school orchestra, band, and choir students. I also gave a class initial because a lot of the class didn't stop talking after I told them a few times. I am also going to give initials every time-no warning-when a student talks during work time and I have asked them to work quietly. I am at the end of my rope with the talking, so I am being tough.

Homework:

Reading: Read pages-I didn't get a chance to initial calendars today.

Math: finish reptile division worksheet in the packet if you didn't finish in class. Make corrections on your division work to get points back on your grade.

Spelling: Study-we will finish the cursive sentences we started in class tomorrow.

Science: Finish your animal cube-model is due Friday

Other: gift due Friday. If you are unable to buy a gift, please write me a note!
Band

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

December 16th

Today the class had Phy Ed and Music. They continue to practice for their concert next Monday night at 7pm. I will be in my room at 6:45. You can send your child up to my room then so we can get lined up for the concert.

Remember to send a gift for the gift exchange to school by Friday. If you cannot afford it, please write me a note and let me know.

Homework:

Math: 1st page of Division packet-do first 5 rows if you didn't last night.
2nd page of division packet-do first three rows in your notebook.

Reading: read pages on your calendar. I wrote on each calendar-initials if they are done, and the word "finish" if they need to finish. The books need to be done by the end of winter break. When we get back we will be doing projects on their books.

Spelling: Study. Some kids will not have a list stapled in their agendas. That is because their team won last week's point challenge so they get to take a week off.

Science: Ask your child what animal they are doing their scientific name project on. They can make a small model of their animal out of anything, or find a small toy that will fit in the cube we are making. This model is for extra credit. Many students need this extra credit because a lot of them didn't do well on a quiz this week. This model will not be due for a few more days, but they can bring it in whenever.


If your child brought home a tube of bone shaped candies with a cat or dog toy on the top-please return it. I had this stolen from behind my desk yesterday-it was a gift I was going to give to my secret santa. I do not know if it was someone in my class or in the after school program.

Monday, December 15, 2008

December 15th

Happy Birthday Brittany!

Today we had indoor recess because of the cold. I came back from lunch with some very bad reports of behavior in the room at lunch recess. People running around, touching each other, throwing the remotes and breaking them, etc... We had a little talk about this behavior, and I gave some initials for it all.

Homework:

Math: Do 5 rows on the first division worksheet in your notebooks for tomorrow.

Reading: read pages on calendar and fill out 2 responses on your response journals (most kids finished in class.

Other: Go over Spanish newsletter with your child
Gift due Friday
sign grades-due tomorrow

Thursday, December 11, 2008

December 11th

Today the class had Phy Ed and Music. We worked on reading our chosen book and then responding to it in our reader's response journals.

Homework:

Reading: Finish pages (I wrote on everybody's calendar if they finished or not)
Finish response-use blue tagboard sheet to ehlp make sure if the response is complete.

Science: study mnemonic device-we forgot to write this down in the agenda

Other: Get grades signed-each page. Due Monday
Spanish pen pal slip signed
popcorn $
Chorus tomorrow
Meagavolt slip due Monday

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

December 10th

Well, for the day after a snow day it went pretty well. We decided not to have Spelling this week since I would have passed out the lists yesterday, so we don't really have enough time to study. Today we had our kindergarten pals. We helped them do a few projects.

Homework:

Science: Students need to fill out a mnemonice device-it is in their backpacks with an example. Then they need to choose either the example one, or their own to study.

Reading: I will have a calendar go home each day with the book your child chose. If they finished their reading for the day in class, I will initial the date. If they didn't finish, I will write what they need to do with my initials. Please make sure they don't go too far from their daily page quota, or they will be too far ahead. I will give them the choice to read this during silent reading time, or to do it at home.

Other: Band-The concert is probably going to be rescheduled in Jan. I will let you know the date when they set it.
Gift exchange

Monday, December 8, 2008

December 8th

Today we did a lot! We sorted and classified toys and shoes. We learned that it is easier to find things if they are sorted. Most of the class chose a book out of three that is the best book for them to read. We will be starting to read those books tomorrow! We also had a fire drill at the end of the day.

I will be entering grades tomorrow on the computer. I am running a little behind on that-I apologize.

Homework:

Lang. Arts: Finish "choose your own book" packet for tomorrow. Some kids finished this in class.

Math: Study your study guide for the test tomorrow.

Other: Band students please bring instruments to school tomorrow!
gift for gift exchange due Dec. 19th

If there is a snow day tomorrow, please remember to study Math on Tuesday night so we can be ready for the test.

Friday, December 5, 2008

December 5th

Today the class got free re-usable shopping bags and a pencil from Mr. Dillon from the SCA paper company. Mr. Dillon is working with Mr. Gillespie and myself on recycling projects at BDM this year. Unfortunately, our class was in art when he came to speak with the mayor-but we still got the items. He gave these things to all of the 5th grade students.

Thank you Mr. Mitchell for coming in to help me make time test copies! I really appreciate it!!!!

Homework:

Science: Bring in one toy on Monday. We will be using it for a classification exercise. Finish taking notes on the 4 terms on pg 26 in your Science book. Most students finished this in Science class.

Other: Holiday Book Order due Monday
Start looking for a gift exchange gift between $3 and $5. Boys buy a boy gift, girls buy a girl gift. Wrap the present, put a tag on it that says "to: boy" or "to: girl" and send it to school by Dec. 22nd. If you can't afford a gift, please write me a note.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

December 4th

Today the class worked much better. I did have to keep in about ten kids however who didn't have their map packets, spelling packets, or Math corrections done. We handed out a lot of papers at the end of the day including information about our holiday party.

Homework:

Math: SL 3.8 is for extra credit-it is not required

Other: Deck the Halls is tonight from 6-7:30 at BDM! Some people bought tickets for pizza-I think you might still be able to buy them at the door. I have all of the stuff set out in the hallway. If anybody wants to bring a holiday CD, I left my boom box out there too.

book order due Monday
Gift for gift exchange
Popcorn $

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

December 3rd

Today wasn't the best day in 5th grade history. First of all, gum made a comeback. We had a problem with this at the start of the year. Then I made it clear that they couldn't have it in class. Now I caught two people today, and a few others got tattled on. Please make sure that your child knows not to bring gum to school. It is almost like the class is on "vacation mode" three weeks before our actual vacation.

Anyway, we had an assembly talking about responsibility, computers with Mr. Staehler, and we had hot cocoa with our pals.

Homework:

Math: correct errors on multiplication problems from yesterday. (I had them copy the multilpcation problems from pg 83 in their journals) If I told your child to re-do their work because it was too messy, they need to do that as well. I was surprised to see how many students didn't number their problems clearly.

Social Studies: Finish the last three pages of the map packet

Spelling: study for test tomorrow. Finish Spelling packet if you didn't finish in classtime.

Other : Band lessons tomorrow

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

December 2nd

Today we finished our non-fiction books and wrote a response in our reader's notebooks. Our next Reading unit will be on choosing a "just right" book. We will also be finishing our Map Unit tomorrow. The 5th grade did get into trouble at lunch for being too loud in the lunchroom-so just remember to not lose control of yourself!

Homework:

Lang. Arts: Finish your 15 questions and your response to the non-fiction book if you didn't finish it in class.

Spelling: Study words-remember to get out those cards and sort them a few times!!!

Spanish: memorize at least one of the Spanish rhymes that you copied in your Spanish notebook during class!

Other: Full Band tomorrow!
Book orders due Monday, Dec. 8th

Monday, December 1, 2008

December 1st

Today was fun for the students because of the fresh snow! Today we had guidance and library. The students chose three books to check out under my name to leave at school. We will be using some tools to find out which of the three books is the best fit for them.

Homework:

Reading: Read chapter 3 in your group's non-fiction book and write 5 questions that come to mind when reading chapter three. We have done chapter 1 and 2 in class. This means after tonight each student should have 15 questions written (5 for each chapter). If the answer is not found in the book, they can always look it up or make an educated guess at an answer.

Writing: write a letter to a soldier for our pen pal project if you didn't do so last week. Finish writing your final "I wonder" paper. I kept in four students at lunch recess today that didn't finish this over the holiday.

Other: Holiday Book Order due Monday, Dec. 8th