8.21.14 - Day SIX

It's THURSDAY, party people!  Whew, it has been a crazy, busy, hectic, and chaotic week on my end - hopefully, yours has NOT been much of the same!  It's just tough getting back into the swing of things and getting acclimated to a new schedule.  It feels as if we are constantly going, going, going with no breaks in sight!  We're exhausted, the kids are exhausted, and I'm certain you're exhausted too!  But don't worry, we'll get there and soon enough, we'll be into the rhythm of our very, VERY action packed 5th grade schedule!

On that note, Thursdays are our most rushed schedules, but for a very excellent reason (the best in the world, in fact)...MASS.

MASS:
This morning in Mass, Father Chandler discussed the importance of inclusion to all.  I feel this is an all too important topic and concept for our students to understand and put into play in their own lives in and outside of school.  Having good character and being accepting of all is such a worldly, faith-centered expression of Christianity.

READING:
With our shortened schedule, we again practiced the procedures of Literature Circles and learned about the roles of Word Wizard as well as Illustrator and Summarizer.  By Thursday of next week, students should be ready to roll with their roles in these awesome reading groups.
HOMEWORK: none - come to "Back-to-School" night tonight!

MATH:
Learning Target: I can identify place-value up to billions.  Have you seen this place-value song?  Super cheesy, but super catchy :)
We practiced with place-value riddles and following rules assigned to place-value digits (Ex: write the largest 6 digit even number you can create with the numbers given and a 3 in the ten-thousands place and a 6 in the hundreds place).  We then went over number patterns in multiplying with tens as we worked up to billions. Students are expected to know place-values up to billions (10-digit numbers).  They are also expected to come to 5th grade understanding that each place-value has a ones, tens, and hundreds value.
HOMEWORK: complete PAGE 1 of WORKBOOKS.  Also, IF you have time, please play a few of these place-value games online for some skills practice (see links below...)

Place-value football, game index

Gamequarium Place-Value index

Place-Value Hockey

Sheppard Software Place-Value Games index (TONS and mixed skills!)

IXL 5th grade place-value practice

LANGUAGE ARTS:
Students completed their daily grammar lesson and then we finished a RAFT Activity assignment from Monday (Schleg's kids) as well as worked again on the components of a friendly letter.
HOMEWORK: none - come to "Back-to-School" night tonight!

Grammar Gorillas

Fun English Grammar Games

Sheppard Software Grammar games/ practice

JC Schools Basic Grammar links and practice index

SCIENCE:
Students went out to the garden with Mrs. Schleg and discussed the importance of nurturing and sustaining life.
HOMEWORK: none - come to "Back-to-School" night at 6:30PM

SOCIAL STUDIES:
HOMEWORK: finish definitions from Chapter 1, if not completed

RELIGION
HOMEWORK: none

We ended our day with a class meeting.  This is a weekly event where students submit praises and concerns (no names are allowed on concerns) and we problem solve (or praise) topics together.  It is a community-building activity that enables us to work through situations that affect us all, together.

I hope to see everyone tonight at "Back-to-School" night!
xoxo,
Mrs. Thomas