Here you can keep up with the latest news happening in our classroom and find out when new projects are due.
State Testing for Fifth Grade is 5/10-5/18
All Subjects
The next two weeks are focused on California State Tests. All of the state standards for Language Arts and Math have been taught and reviewed. The fifth grade Science standards will be completed and reviewed by May 16th. There will be reading homework only during this time.
The TESTING schedule is:
Language Arts May 10-11
Math May 12-13
Science May 17-18
Best Testing Tips:
To assure the best possible testing situation, please make sure your children get at least ten hours of sleep and eat breakfast either at home or school. Some students prefer to wait until recess to eat something but this means that the brain has not had any nutrition for twelve hours. A body and brain needs nutrition in order to work at its best. Although the tests do not affect grades or whether the student passes to the next level, the scores are important as they inform parents and teachers about the standards learned by the student. Test scores are also used to determine class placement, enrollment in Intervention programs, and identification for the Gifted Program.
Please remind your children to do their best to focus on the work, underline important information, read all answer choices before deciding on the one they feel is the right answer, and to check all work as they go.
(posted on 05/05/11, modified on 05/01/11)
State Reports
All Subjects
The required Fifth grade State Report is due May 27th. Anyone that doesn't get the report in on time will get a 1 as I will be grading the reports that weekend. Each student was given a criteria list and a rubric. There must be two or more references used for the information and those references must be listed in the bibliography. Please assist your children with finding information but they must write the report themselves. Thank you.
(posted on 05/02/11, modified on 05/01/11)
May Class Activities
All Subjects
It is time to start preparing for the state tests in May so there will be more review homework coming home.
Students are learning about: algebra, positive and negative numbers, and linear equations this month in math.Revolutionary War is the focus in reading and history. State reports are the focus of our writing unit this month. We are learning about atoms, chemistry, and the periodic table in science.
There are several major activities coming up in the next few weeks. Watch for messages coming home.
Mid-Term Progress Reports are going home May 2nd, so that your child can have time to raise their grades before the final grade cut-off of June 10th.
The State Report is a fifth grade required writing and is due May 27th. This will be 60% of the Social Studies grade.
The Science Fair is open to parents on Tuesday, May 3, which is also Open House. Science fair projects are a required fifth grade activity and count for 60% of the students' grades.
Testing begins May 10th and goes through to May 18th.
May 13th is a minimum day, although testing will take place in the morning.
May 20th is the Fifth Grade Special Field Trip to the Science Museum.
May 30th is Memorial Day and school will be closed.
(posted on 05/01/11, modified on 05/01/11)
AR Points -AR SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY DOWN SCHOOL-WIDE
All Subjects
AR points will be counted only up to March 1st. Students should have at least 85 points by this time for the year. You can go to engrade.com to see how many points your child earned as March 1st.
We do not know when the AR program will be running again this year. I will be creating an alternative way for students to earn points for reading.
We are all disappointed in the loss of the school's server and are trying hard to find alternate ways to access the AR program. As soon as we have an answer, we will let you know.
Thank you for your patience.
(posted on 03/22/11, modified on 03/22/11)
Whooping Cough Vaccinations
All Subjects
This message is sent on behalf Dr. Mark Horton, state health officer and Director of the California Department of Public Health, and contains important information about pertussis, also known as whooping cough. We are currently experiencing an epidemic of pertussis here in California.
The symptoms of pertussis start out similar to the common cold but then develop into coughing fits that can last for months. Pertussis is highly contagious and can be deadly, especially for infants. Don’t let this preventable disease strike you or your family. Make sure children are caught up on their pertussis immunizations. Children seven to nine years of age who did not complete their childhood vaccination series need to get a pertussis booster now, and everyone age ten or older should get a booster vaccine to protect against pertussis.
Call your doctor today to setup an appointment, or visit our website cdph.ca.gov to find free or low cost vaccination clinics near you. That’s cdph.ca.gov.
Thank you.
(posted on 11/26/10, modified on 11/26/10)
Coughing and Sneezing
All Subjects
Parents, when your child is coughing and sneezing that means they are at the contagious part of the cold. Please stop sending them to school during those few days. I know you don't want them to miss school but most of the time they feel too awful to pay attention and all that results in their attendance in class is that they cough and sneeze spreading their germs until the rest of us are sick. I have been having several people getting sick because someone else in the class has come to school and infected them. There are many things you can do to help minimize colds.
1. Change toothbrushes at the start of the cold and at the end of the cold. Nothing good come of putting cold germs back into the mouth. Boiling the brushes in hot water will help kill the germs but be careful not to melt the brush.
2. Change pillowcases, sheets and blankets, washcloths and towels frequently in hot water. Every time a sick person touches these materials they are spreading the germs to the next person. Children wipe their noses or cough and sneeze on their sleeves of coats, sweaters, and jackets. So they need to be washed more frequently.
3. Have the person wash their hands and faces frequently with warm water and soap. Children tend to wipe their noses on their hands and clothing. Teach your children how to BLOW. Many of the children wipe their noses but they don't blow. Blowing helps get the germ filled mucus out of the head and chest. Many children sniff the mucus back into their bodies, keeping the germs around longer than they should be.
3. Vitamin C is known to help with colds. Children should be taking a multi-vitamin that contains vitamin C. So should you. :)
4. I know that you need to go to work , but so do I. I can't teach your child if you send your sick child to school and I get their cold. Please think about the other people in the crowded room before you send your sick child to school.
(posted on 10/19/10, modified on 10/19/10)
Spelling and Vocabulary Words
All Subjects
Thanks to the suggestion from Albert's mother, you can now access the spelling and vocabulary words online. Go to Online Activities and Class Projects and click on the link for the information. Spelling lists change weekly depending on how many words the students learned the week before. Vocabulary Lists are for three weeks at a time.