Common Core Testing This Week

Hello, everyone!  This week our class will be busy with Common Core testing.  Common Core Standards are the new standards being adopted in Illinois to guide our learning. This testing will happen three times this year.  If you'd like more information about these standards please go here:  http://www.corestandards.org/the-standards

Please see below for what we will be working on during this Halloween week of 10-31-11:

In Word Work, we will begin Word Wisdom Unit 2: Movement. We will focus on using context clues to determine the meanings of words this week. In literature study, we will still be discussing story structure (problem, rising action, climax, and resolution.) We will finish reading The Day the Fifth Grade Disappeared by Terri Fields and students will finish their plot diagrams of the story. Students will also be taking the Common Core multiple choice reading comprehension test and the constructed response reading test this week. Last week in writing workshop, we worked a lot on how to craft a good topic sentence for an expository paragraph. Students will be writing and revising these paragraphs this week.


This week we will finish working on Topic 8 which deals with basic geometric ideas such as measuring and classifying angles, polygons, triangles and quadrilaterals. We will also be doing Common Core testing for math during two of our math periods this week. Our Topic 8 math review and test will not be until next week.

In science this week, students will create their edible animal cells. Their cells must have something to represent the cell membrane, cytoplasm, nucleus, vacuoles, and mitochondria. Students must label the pieces using toothpicks and stickers. They must also draw a labeled picture of their edible cell, telling what the function of each organelle is.

Happy Halloween!

Love, Mrs. Vera

No School Friday

Thank you to Mrs. Dancy for this picture from our outing to the Museum of Science and Industry a couple of weeks ago.  If anyone else has pictures from school events (or if you would like to volunteer to take pictures of our daily activities), please feel free to help out.

Please remember that there is no school for students this Friday.  Here's what we are up to this week of 10-24-11:

In Word Work, we will finish GUM Book Unit 1 and take a test to see what students learned.

In literature study, we will be discussing story structure (problem, rising action, climax, and resolution.) We will start reading The Day the Fifth Grade Disappeared by Terri Fields.

In writing workshop, we will work on writing expository paragraphs in order to prepare for writing expository essays. For now, we will concentrate on developing one paragraph using linking phrases and precise language related to the topic.

This week in math, students will identify, compare, and analyze attributes of two- and three-dimensional shapes and develop vocabulary to describe attributes. They will classify two- and three-dimensional shapes according to their properties. Finally, they will predict the results of composing or decomposing shapes or figures.

In science this week, students will think about how a city and its parts can be an analogy for a cell and its organelles. Then they will continue this kind of thinking for their homework assignment. Later in the week, students will meet in groups and plan their materials needed in order to make an edible cell next week.

Have a great week!

Fall is Here

Well, the cooler fall weather is moving in, and we're really moving in the classroom.  Read below to see everything we are up to this week, the week of 10-17-11:

In Word Work, we will continue working in the GUM Book.


In literature study, we will be working on our Bud, Not Buddy / Great Depression Inquiry projects. Students will learn how to write an editorial. They will also see examples of the different kinds of paragraphs they need to prepare for the project. In addition, they will learn how to write a bibliography and they will learn how to paraphrase material instead of copying directly from a book or website.

In writing workshop, we will finish our personal narratives. We will discuss how to make sure the stories tell more than just a recounting of events by talking about what students are really trying to say about the people and situation in their story. What’s really at the heart of the tale? Students will also have a chance to peer edit and work on their final drafts.

This week in math, students will use exponential notation. They will use diagrams and write equations to solve problems. There will be a Topic 3 Math Test on Wednesday. Later in the week, we will do two lessons in Topic 4 that deal with factors, prime numbers, and composite numbers. In those lessons, students will use divisibility rules to determine if a number is divisible by another and to find factor pairs of a given number. They will also identify numbers as prime or composite and find the prime factorization of a number.

Have a terrific week!
Mrs. Vera

Four Day Week

We had a great time on our field trip on Friday.  Thanks to all of the parents who lent a helping hand that day!  Here's what we're up to for the week of 10-11-11:

In word work this week, we will begin GUM Book Unit 1 (GUMGrammar, Usage, and Mechanics.)
In literature study, we will be focusing on the skill of determining FACTS and OPINIONS while finishing Bud, Not Buddy. We will also read more about the Great Depression and discuss the rubric for our inquiry project.

In writing workshop, we will continue working on our personal narratives. We will work on showing, not telling; using small actions and inner thoughts; and writing strong leads.
This week in math, students will use rounding and compatible numbers to estimate products. Then, we will multiply one digit numbers, then 2-digit by 2-digit numbers, and finally 2-digits by more than 2-digit numbers.

Students will continue to practice using a microscope and making careful, detailed observations. They will look at different forms of printed materials and observe how the pictures are created by a series of small dots. Students will continue to develop their ability to focus the microscope, change the light, and find the correct field of view. Students will also learn about pointillism, also created by using small dots. They will create their own painting in this style.

MSI Field Trip Friday

We are looking forward to our field trip to the Museum of Science and Industry on Friday.  We will be leaving school at 9:00 am and returning around 2:00 pm.  Students should wear their PE Uniforms and pack a bag lunch.  We won't be buying food for lunch, but students may bring money for the gift shop, if they desire.  Students are responsible for their own money and belongings.  We know this will be a fun and educational trip!  Students will have a post-trip assignment to help process what they learned.  Here's what we'll be working on the rest of the week of 10-3-11:

In Word Wisdom, we will work on Unit 1: Part 4this week. Students will have their cumulative Unit 1 Test on Friday.


In literature study, we will be focusing on the skill of questioning while reading Bud, Not Buddy. We will discuss how to read with a question in mind; stop, think, and record your questions as you read; make notes when you find information; and check your understanding and ask questions to clarify. We will also start crafting focus questions for our Great Depression Inquiry Project.

In writing workshop, we will continue working on our personal narratives. Students will learn how to incorporate details into their writing. They will also review the skill of “showing, not telling.”

This week in math, we will review all lessons in Topic 2 and take a Topic 2 test. Then, we will begin Topic 3: Multiplication with Whole Numbers. Students will review different properties of multiplication such as the commutative and associative property. Then, we will go over some mental math strategies that will help them with multiplication by 10s, 100s, and 1000s.

In Science, students will take a quiz on the parts of a microscope and on the concepts of magnification that we have covered, thus far. For our first lesson, students will place a piece of microfiche between two slides, examine it under the microscope, and describe what they see. Check out the two new Virtual Microscope links below!  Then, we will create an ethogram to observe our fish and try to answer some questions we have about what is happening in the tank.