Come to the Black History Assembly!

Our class will be performing in the Black History Assembly this Thursday at 1:00 pm.  We hope you can make it.  In addition to this exciting event, we will be going to see the movie Red Tails on Wednesday.  Don't forget that Friday is a professional development day for teachers, thus there is no school for students.  Here's what else we will be doing, the week of 1-30-12:  In Word Work, students will continue Unit 3, moving on to part 3. Their words this week will still be focused around the same theme: thinking.


In literature study, students will read a couple of informational pieces in class. We will learn about rap and poetry, while studying rhyme and other poetic devices. In addition, students will write their own rap or poem about the Tuskegee Airmen. Finally, we will be practicing our presentation for the Black History Assembly on Thursday afternoon.

In writing workshop, we will spend some time reviewing how to “show not tell” so students’ writing is more interesting and alive. In addition, students will get the rubric for their fiction stories.

This week, students will continue to work with fractions as we move on to Topic 10. Students will add and subtract fractions with like denominators, determine common multiples and least common multiples of numbers, and add and subtract fractions with unlike denominators. We will review a power point presentation on least common multiples and we will play “Fraction Jeopardy” to practice the concepts learned this week.

End of Second Quarter

Second quarter officially ends this week and report card grades will be finalized.  Please remember to turn in any missing work (for reduced credit) or corrections near the beginning of the week.  Don't forget that you can always see your child's current grades on Parent Portal (see link below.)  Our class will be doing Scantron testing this week:  Reading on Wednesday and Math on Thursday.  Please remind your child of the importance of these tests and make sure they have a calculator on Thursday (as they should everyday.)

Here's what we will be learning this week, the week of 1-23-12:  In Word Work, we will be working in our Word Wisdom book on Unit 3, “Thinking,” Part 2. Our words for the week are still scientific, concept, perception, suppose, conscience, positive, probable, purpose, probe, and preconceive. We will begin the week by classifying the groups into different categories. Students will take the test on Tuesday. On Wednesday and Thursday, students will do some activities to help the understand the difference between mindful and unmindful behavior.

In literature study, we will continue reading Why They Marched: The Struggle for the Right to Vote. Students will review the importance of identifying headings and subheadings as a means of helping comprehend the text. They will continue to write in their reflection journals. In addition, we will review how to write an extended response. We will read a passage together and students will see some sample responses that other students have written. We will grade them and see what grade they earned from the state. Students will practice writing their own extended response related to Why They Marched. On Thursday, we will watch the movie Selma, Lord, Selma: “Disney presents a truly inspiring motion picture that accurately captures one of the most historically significant events in the struggle for civil rights.” This, of course, is the march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama.

In writing workshop, students will learn how to take an event from their plot diagram and turn it into a scene in their realistic fiction story. We will also spend some time reviewing how to “show not tell” so students’ writing is more interesting and alive. In addition, students will get the rubric for their fiction stories.

This week in math, students will locate fractions and decimals on a number line. Students will also explain and record mathematical observations using words, pictures, and symbols. Finally, students will end the week taking the Topic 9 Test: Fractions and Decimals.

This week in science, we will continue working with class-one levers. Our investigation should reinforce the idea that a load is easier to lift when the effort is applied further from the fulcrum in a class-one lever. In the investigation, students will practice collecting data, recording it in a data table, and plotting that data on a line graph.  Don't forget to check out the Levers and Pulleys link below!

Remember Dr. King

Standing Tall

In honor of Martin Luther King


Some kings rule their kingdoms sitting down
Surrounded by luxury, soft cushions and fans
But this King stood strong
stood proud
stood tall

When the driver told Rosa

"Move to the back of the bus!"

When the waiter told students

"We don't serve your kind!"

When the Mayor told voters
"Your vote don't count!"
And when the sheriff told marchers
"Get off our streets!"
using fire hoses, police dogs and cattle prods
to move them along


This King stood strong
stood proud
stood tall
Speaking of peace
of love
and children
hand in hand
free at last
free at last


When some yelled for violence
For angry revenge
An eye for an eye

And a tooth for a tooth

He stood his ground
Preaching peace
And when some spit out hate
He stood there smiling
Spreading love
Until it rolled like the sea across the land
Sweeping away Jim Crow
Breaking down the walls
Ringing the bell
Joyfully
For Freedom


Until
Standing on the mountain top
They shot him
Coldly
Hoping to see him fall

Hoping to put him away

To bring him low

But this King

even in death

even today

stands strong

stands proud

stands tall

And we remember

by Jamie McKenzie

© 1982, Jamie McKenzie, all rights reserved.

This poem may be printed and shared by schools

without special permission and may be sent electronically

from individuals to other individuals. All other forms of

duplication, publishing and distribution require explicit

permission from the author.

What we are learning this week, the week of 1-17-12:

In Word Work, we will be working in our Word Wisdom book on Unit 3, “Thinking,” Part 2. Our words for the week are scientific, concept, perception, suppose, conscience, positive, probable, purpose, probe, and preconceive.

In literature study, we will begin reading Why They Marched: The Struggle for the Right to Vote. This book recounts the events that took place in Selma, Alabama that led up to Voting Rights Act of 1965. We will discuss how to read non-fiction by applying survey strategies such as acknowledging the use of bold print, key words, and graphics. In addition, we will critically evaluate the information in the book by asking questions and discussing the events that took place during this time.

In writing workshop, students will be creating a plot diagram for their fiction stories and continue to write and share what they’ve written aloud.

This week in math, students will identify fractions that are in simplest form and find the simplest form of a fraction. Students will model fractions on tenths strips and use the models to write decimals. They will also use a model to help them express fractions as decimals.

This week in science, we will be working with class-1 levers. Students should understand that class-1 levers have the fulcrum located somewhere between the load and the effort.

Happy New Year!

I always look at a new year as a way to start fresh and move forward in a positive manner.  Whatever your goals are for the new year, I wish you much success in fulfilling them!

As we return to school in 2012, we will be learning about how to identify the theme of a story, using Ninth Ward as our backdrop.  You can see what else we will be learning this week as you read below.  Don't forget that there will be no school next Monday to celebrate the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  Please feel free to join us this Friday at 1:00 pm for the Dr. King assembly.

For the week of 1-9-12:  In Word Work, we will be working in our Word Wisdom book on Unit 3, “Thinking,” Part 1. Our words for the week are infer, principle, methodical, conscious, instinct, investigate, ingenious, outcome, insight, and propose.
In literature study, we will discuss Ninth Ward and learn how to find the theme of a selection. Theme is the perception about life or human nature that the writer shares with the reader. Try reading one of your child’s favorite picture books at home and ask them if they can determine the theme or lesson of the story.

In writing workshop, students will be starting a unit in fiction writing. This week we will develop our seed ideas for our stories. In addition, students will begin developing their main character by identifying his or her internal and external features as well as other habits and characteristics.

This week in math, students will use patterns to find a rule for creating equivalent fractions. They will also use fraction strips to compare fractions with different denominators. In addition, students will use factor trees to find common factors and the greatest common factors.

In science this week, we will be starting a unit called “Levers and Pulleys.” This unit will be accompanied by our study of parts of Chapter 13 in the textbook called “Forces in Motion.” Students will do two experiments with levers. They will understand the terms lever, load, effort, and fulcrum.