Week of April 27 - May 1

Thursday

We are DONE with NYS testing for the year!!!!!!!!!

As a celebration, and in appreciation for everyone's hard work in preparing, I am making today a NO HOMEWORK DAY!



Wednesday

Tomorrow is Day 2 of the NYS Science Test - the Performance part in the lab. Please get a good night's sleep, eat a good breakfast and remember to bring several sharpened # 2 pencils.

Science - Review class notes on measurement. As a review for anyone who left your notebook in school -

If you're measuring mass, the tool you use is a balance and the unit of measure is grams.

If you're measuring volume, the tool you use is a beaker or graduated cylinder and the unit of measure is milliliters (mL).

If you're measuring length or width or height, the tool you use is a ruler and the unit of measure is meters and centimeters (metric) or inches and feet (standard).


Writing - Tomorrow is Poem in Your Pocket Day! Write your favorite poem or one of your own in your writer's notebook. We'll copy them onto "pockets" tomorrow. Practice reading it in case someone asks you to read.


Tuesday

Tomorrow is Part 1 of the NYS Science Test. Please get a good night's sleep, eat a good breakfast and remember to bring several sharpened # 2 pencils.

Science - Do the three pages from the 2006 test. Go over all the practice tests and see if there is anything else you need to ask about before the test tomorrow.

Writing - Using your list of favorite things about NY, write a poem about NY in your Writer's Notebook.


Monday

Reading - read for 20 minutes

Science - workbook pages

ELA - in your Writer's Notebook make a list of your favorite things about NY.

Week of April 20 - 24

Homework:
Thursday

Reading - read for 20 minutes.

Science - 2004 Practice test

Writing - Science connection - Today we talked about personification. Personification is giving human traits (qualities, feelings, action, or characteristics) to non-living objects (things, colors, qualities, or ideas). I want you to pretend that you are a drop of water and write your adventure as you travel through the water cycle.Write a draft of your story in your Writer's Notebook. Be creative! It doesn't matter where in the water cycle you start, but make sure your drop travels all the way through to complete the cycle at least once. Of course you can keep the adventure going if you'd like.

Wednesday

Reading - read for 20 minutes. In RRJ write your response to The Lorax. Choose 2 of the questions from the sheet I gave you. Click The Lorax link if you'd like to explore some of the games and activities on the site.

Science - read pages A 81 - A 89. Read carefull so you are prepared to do the activity on page A 81.

To all the students who are going to work with a parent tomorrow - have a great day and be ready to tell us about your experiences!


Tuesday

Reading - read for 20 minutes

Science - Make Earth Day poster. Bonus points for anyone who finds a way to make their "poster" by recycling something. Be creative - use a milk carton, an old t-shirt, newspaper, a used bag, old homework paper or something unique that you think of!

Writing - We read Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney. Miss Rumphius had three things she wanted to do in her life - travel to faraway places, come home and live by the sea, and find a way to make the world a more beautiful place. Miss Rumphius planted lupines as her way of making the world more beautiful. Think of something you can do and write a paragraph telling how you will make the world a more beautiful place.

Card for Miss Marissa's last day with us.


Monday

Reading - read for 20 minutes

Science - packet

Math - sheet on multiplication. This is new material so try your best. Look at the sample problems on the top of the page if you're confused. If it's still a problem, let me know. We'll work on it more in the days to come.

Religion - Read and complete pages 312 - 313.


Welcome Back!

I hope everyone had a nice break. We're got a very busy week ahead so get ready!

Hope you're enjoying Easter Break!

The only homework over break is to complete the Science Test Prep packet.


I picked up a new book for Read Aloud at Barnes and Noble this week. It's written by Sharon Creech (who wrote Granny Torrelli) but it reminded me of The Tale of Despereaux. If anyone wants to take a sneak peek, the book is called The Castle Corona.

See you on Monday!

Week of April 6 - April 10

REMINDER - Wednesday Dismissal is at 11:30

Tuesday -

Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in RRJ.

Science - 2nd packet. Please read carefully as this is an important review for the state test.

Math - Division review sheet (another one).

Writing - Write or type the final draft of your "peeps" story. Make a cover. Practice reading it so you can present it during our writing celebration on Wednesday.

Monday -

Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in RRJ.

Science - Packet. Please read carefully as this is an important review for the state test.

Math - Division review sheet

Writing - Write a revised draft of your "peeps" story on looseleaf. Remember to skip lines.

Week of March 30 - April 3

Friday -

No homework - have a great weekend

Thursday -

Reading – 20 minutes and record in RRJ. Think about the book you are reading. In your RRJ, write whether you think you would like other books by this same author. Explain why or why not. Would you recommend this book to a friend?

Math – study for test

Equivalent fractions, simplifying fractions, adding and subtracting fractions.

The test will be after lunch so if you have any last minute questions, check with me in the morning.

ELA - Have someone read your essay with you. Ask them if your arguments would persuade them to agree with you. Ask for help revising to make it stronger. Revise your essay and write in on looseleaf

Science – Workbook page 339

On looseleaf write an answer to this question based on what you have seen in NIA and what you know about energy.

Sarah has a flashlight that won’t work. She’s trying to find all the different reasons why it won’t work. List some of the things she should check for and explain why each would keep the flashlight from working.

Wednesday -

SPECIAL REQUEST - We are completely out of tissues, wipes and hand sanitizer. If you can send in any of the above, it would be greatly appreciated.

Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in Log. Find at least two sentences in your reading and decide if each is a fact or opinion. Explain how you decided which it is.

Language Arts - Write a draft of your persuasive essay in your notebook. (Remember to skip lines!) Be sure to follow the graphic organizer you worked on in class.


Math - Daily Homework Practice Book - page 118. Reminder - test Friday. Be sure to let me know if there is anything about fractions you don't understand!

Social Studies - Textbook page 110-111. Do questions in notebook.


Tuesday -

Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in Log. Write several sentences in your RRJ about what you are reading.

Reading Practice Book - page 77.

Math - Daily Homework Practice Book - page 117. Reminder - test Friday. Be sure to let me know if there is anything about fractions you don't understand!

Social Studies - Worksheet. Do all questions, including the poster, in your notebook.






Monday -
Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in Log. Write several sentences in your RRJ about what you are reading.

Reading Practice Book - pages 72 and 73.

Science - Read Pages F88 - F99. Do workbook pages.

Math - Daily Homework Practice Book - page 116.

Social Studies - Begin to research your explorer.

Homework for the week of March 23 - 27, 2009

Upcoming tests for the week of March 30 - April 3.


Math: (Friday) fractions - simple fractions, finding equivalent fractions, adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators.

If you're still unsure of any of these, don't worry. We'll be working on them a lot in the coming week.





Friday!
No written homework but be sure to make some time over the weekend to do some reading. If you'd like to earn some extra credit, make some predictions about what will happen next in the book you are reading. Write them in your RRJ (or on looseleaf if you didn't bring your RRJ home). As you read, check your predictions to see if they were accurate or not.

Have a HAPPY WEEKEND!!!!!

Thursday:
Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in RRJ. Write 2 questions you would like to ask the author.

Science: Choose 5 words you don't know (or are unsure of) from the list I gave you and look up the meaning. Write the meanings in your notebook.

Social Studies: Read pages 104 - 108. Do workbook page 23.


Wednesday:
Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in RRJ.
LA - Poll your family members and friends on the two questions we discussed:
Should authors write children's books the way children really speak and behave?
Do authors have a responsibility to set a good example in their books?

Math - Write what you learned from the lesson Miss Marisa taught you today (in your Math notebook).

Social Studies - Pretend that you are an explorer about to set out for an unknown place. Write about how you are feeling. What do you expect to find? What are your hopes, fears? (Do in your SS notebook).


Tuesday:
Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in RRJ.
Reading response - In RRJ Write what you think should be the beginning of the next chapter in Granny Torrelli. Remember the last chapter ended with Rosie and Granny bringing zuppa, bread and oranges to Bailey. What will happen when Rosie knocks on Bailey's door?

Science - Read pages F6 - F 16. Do workbook pages

Math - practice multiplication tables on one of the multiplication websites:

Multiplication.com (click on games)

Multiplication Madness!



Monday:

Math - sheet on factoring
Religion - complete heart based on 1Corinthians 13. Choose a phrase that you like from 1Corinthians 13, write it on the heart and write why you chose that phrase.
Reading - Read for 20 minutes. Record in RRJ rather than on a reading log.
We are studying author's craft so look for something in your reading that you thought the author did especially well. Write about it in your RRJ and give examples that demonstrate what the author did.

Parent teacher conferences

Parent teacher conferences are scheduled for

Monday March 24, 2009 from 5:30 - 8:00 and

Tuesday March 25, 2009 from 12 - 3:00.

I sent home a schedule based on the times you requested.