Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Highlights of November/December


Language Arts
We finished the novel Holes by Louis Sachar. An ending assignment was to write to Mr. Sachar and tell him what they loved about the novel and any questions they were left wondering. We are waiting to see if he responds - fingers crossed!

We began our new novel, The City of Ember, a science fiction novel that might or might not take place on a future Earth. We are focusing on the main characters, Lina and Doon, making inferences about them and thinking about the sci-fi genre and comparing their world to modern day Kensington.

After lunch we enjoyed hearing 100 Cupboards by NH Wilson. Thank you for making this year's Book Fair and success and for adding to Room 22's library!

Room 22 finished a memoir writing unit. Mentor texts were read (this one being the start of the unit). Students were encouraged to write about such things as: a favorite room, a special object, a turning point moment, a time they learned a lesson, etc. After choosing one to publish, students began the typing and editing process in Google docs.

Math
Room 22 has been busy with adding/subtracting and multiplying/dividing decimals. We have been using our knowledge of multiplying/dividing whole numbers and applying that process to decimals.

Science
We began a unit on Earth's Systems. We have discussed the four spheres of Earth: geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. We will dive deeper into each sphere.

Social Studies
Room 22 learned about different different theories on how people came to the Americas, we learned about the first civilizations in the Americas, and focused on the Native People by region who lived in the United States. Students have been working on a specific tribe from a region by creating a group poster detailing the tribe.

The postcard race is going well! Keep those cards coming! To date we need the following: North Dakota, South Dakota, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Missouri, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.


Wednesday, October 24, 2018

Highlights from the Month of October 2018

Language Arts
We are continuing the novel Holes by Louis Sachar focusing on theme (good can come out of bad if you let it! and the past has a way of influencing the future!), making character inferences, analyzing a two-plot story, reading outside the text about a real Wild West outlaw, Belle Starr, and discussing the turning point/climax of a novel. 



Room 22 concluded their fiction narrative unit and shared their stories with their Room 8 buddies and the entire fifth grade. Next up is PERSONAL narratives. 




Math
Room 22 has been busy with multiplication. Focus has been on halving/doubling method, partial product method and the traditional method of 3 digit by 3 digit numbers.  We have also been working with prime factorization, and exponents. 
Visual representation of SQUARE NUMBERS.
Social Studies
Room 22 is learning about the different regions of the United States. We are focusing on the geography, natural resources/industry, and climate of each region and creating a map of each region. Our next unit will be learning about the different Native American tribes that were/are found in each region. 

The postcard race is going well! Keep those cards coming!

Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Solar System and Constellations

When you are finished with your planet booklet - go on an solar system internet scavenger hunt. Answer the questions on the paper given and keep it in your science section of your binder.



Exploring Our Solar System
Interplanet Janet School House Rocks
Planets for Kids
Solar System Facts 
NASA Space Place
Memory Planets Game


Constellations
1.  Read What is a Constellation?” After you have read that section, define constellation. 
2. Read "Uses for Constellations". After you have read that section, explain why ancient people "created" the constellations.
3. Sketch the following winter Northern Hemisphere constellations: Ursa Major, Draco, and Orion.  
4. In your own words, tell the story of Draco and here
5. Using the “AlphabeticalListing of Constellations,” complete the following table.  
6 - 9. If you go outside different times of the year, you will see different constellations. Why? Because the Earth revolves (goes around) the Sun.   Winter Constellations  Spring Constellations  Summer Constellations  Autumn Constellations

50 States and Capitals - USA Regions


Click here and practice your state locations and capitals and here for region information.

Here is a cute game to practice the capitals and another here!


 A couple of fun links to explore the USA: National Geographic , Wilson and Ditch , and Tour the States song. 

Thursday, August 30, 2018

First Two Weeks of Fifth Grade August 20 to August 31, 2018

Language Arts
We have begun reading Holes by Louis Sachar. Students have been discussing what makes a story part of the "realistic fiction" genre, the importance of reading a book's blurb to figure out key story elements, and using inference skills to talk about the personalities of the characters. Room 22  also enjoys listening to Space Case by Stuart Gibbs for a few minutes after lunch. 

We have begun the writing unit: Narrative Fiction. Students listened to stories by author Jon Scieszka which are fairy tales told from a different character's perspective and/or re imagined. Also we listened to stories involving "messy situations" and looking at pictures to inspire us with ideas for our own fiction stories.

Math 
We have been brushing up on our place value skills from the millions to the thousandths place. Practicing numbers in word form, standard form, expanded form, and expanded notation. We also have been multiplying and dividing by the Powers of Ten. Practice of this skill can be found here: Multiply/Divide by Powers of Ten


Social Studies
We began our geography unit of the United States by focusing on learning about maps and landforms and created landform posters. 

Art


Students made half face self-portraits and created hand art using warm and cool colors.

Monday, May 21, 2018

Revolutionary War Online Games

Choose Your Own Adventure Game: Pick a scenario, listen to instructions, choose people to advise you on your decisions to BE GEORGE WASHINGTON!

Road to Revolution

The American Revolution

Treasure Trek (finding places/items in a colonial town)

Tuesday, March 6, 2018

Food Chains


Image result for food chain for lion

Read about Parts of the Food Chain here Food Chains here and  As you read fill out the worksheet.
Play the food chain game here . Put headphones on and watch the video by my favorite gal, Crash Course Gal .  Listen to a few Food Chain songs here  and here .

Keep the worksheet in your science section of your binder.

Saturday, March 3, 2018

Highlights of January and February


Language Arts
We finished our 2nd novel The City of Ember and the kids loved it. The book ended leaving us wondering: What happened to the Earth that required a city to be built underground? The two main characters found the way out of the city, but will anyone else be able to figure out the clues? And now that Lina and Doon are out, what will happen to them in the “real” world?

We began our new historical fiction novel, Chains by Laurie Anderson, which tells the story of Isabel a slave in New York City during the days before the Revolutionary War. We discussed the traits of historical fiction and dissected the book’s blurb looking for story elements.

After lunch we enjoy listening to The Secret Keepers by Trenton Stewart, a story about a boy who finds a magical pocket watch.

Room 22 finished researching, taking notes, drafting, and editing their State Reports. You can see the final product Thursday March 15 at the Writing Festival which will be in the MPR from 6:00 to 7:30 or at Open House. Our next writing unit will be Opinion Writing.

Proof reading and Editing State Reports


Mathematics
Room 22 started 2018 with an Algebra unit: focusing on variables and plotting points/lines on the first quadrant of a coordinate grid. We have been busy with adding/subtracting and multiplying fractions.
Starting the Fractions Unit with Froot Loops


Science
We have continued our unit of Earth’s Place in the Universe by discussing the life of a star and doing mini-research on a constellation. We also learned about the Earth’s Systems: hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. We focused on the hydrosphere discussing the water on the Earth and the little amount of fresh water that exists.







Social Studies
Room 22 learned about various European Explorers that had an impact on the New World. Students discussed the benefits and the disadvantages of the Colombian Exchange. We have recently begun a unit on the 13 Colonies, first learning about The Lost Colony of Roanoke and Jamestown.








Valentine's Day Art

Jamestown Colony Online Adventure and Fractions Games

The Jamestown Online Adventure 

After clicking the above link, read the page and then click on Start the Adventure. If the popup window occurs, click on it to enable Adobe Flash Player and "allow".


Fractions Games:  here and here and here

Thursday, February 15, 2018

City of Ember - About the Author and Cave Visit

Read about Jeanne DuPrau, the author of The City of Ember and then answer the questions on the worksheet.

Check out the world's largest cave in Vietnam.


Monday, January 1, 2018

Constellations

1.  Read What is a Constellation?” After you have read that section, define constellation. 
2. Read "Uses for Constellations". After you have read that section, explain why ancient people "created" the constellations.
3. Sketch the following winter Northern Hemisphere constellations: Ursa Major, Draco, and Orion.  
4. In your own words, tell the story of Draco
5. Using the “AlphabeticalListing of Constellations,” complete the following table.  
6 - 9. If you go outside different times of the year, you will see different constellations. Why? Because the Earth revolves (goes around) the Sun.   Winter Constellations  Spring Constellations  Summer Constellations  Autumn Constellations