yesterday’s news - s+news...we began our fun-wait for it-draiser for ... origins and meaning!...
TRANSCRIPT
YESTERDAY’s NEWS
A daily reader for Mr. Cunningham’s 5th-grade Homeroom Class
First Week of School
• Students read and reviewed classroom procedures and expectations for the year.
• Please see Classroom Filing Cabinet for “First Day Agendas” to see what we talked about during the first week.
8/31/09 - Monday
• SAT-10 testing: Reading portions
• Began reading the story Rope Burn, and reviewed vocabulary for the week.
• Studied our first weekly poem, A Summer Morning, by Rachel Field.
• Took a walk with Ms. Sparrow around the classroom and outside around the ISTC building.
• Completed a place value game with dice!
• Because of SAT-10, we had PE instead of recess.
9/01/09 – Tuesday
• SAT-10 testing; Math Procedures and Math Problem Solving. Last standardized test until FCAT, in MARCH!
• Played Yahtzee during Math!• Read the rest of the story, Rope Burn, and read a
magazine article called Treehouses for Everyone, about treehouses built for handicapped children.
• Wrote our 3rd practice Reading Response Journal entry after reading Rope Burn.
• We reviewed vocabulary words and practiced our spelling words at the end of the day.
9/02/09 – Wednesday
In Ms. Sparrow’s Science class, we read about safety during science experimentation.
In Math, we practiced writing numbers in word form and expanded form.
We learned “WHERE ARE WE?” in Social Studies; finding out all of the ways to describe our location in Palm Coast, Flagler County, northeast Florida, southeast United States of America, North America, northern or western hemispheres, Earth, Solar system, Milky Way galaxy, in some crazy universe.
In Reading, we took a reading test as a whole class in order to help us know what is expected of us on a test so we can all achieve together!
9/03/09 - THURSDAY
Learned about cells in Science class with Ms. Sparrow. We learned that our first project will be to create an animal or plant cell out of edible materials!
Worked on a math practice workbook page, and completed a paper from our math texts.
Completed our spelling pre-test, and learned 7 new Robust Vocabulary words; Maven, Reigned, Exhilarated, Smirk, Conceited, Mortified, and Designated.
Read Fever 1793, chapter 4, and learned about Reciprocal Teaching roles: Clarifier, Questioner, Summarizer, and Predictor.
We also finished working on our whole-class selection test!
9/04/09 - Friday We completed an estimation worksheet.
In Science class, we read more about cells (animal and plant.)
The class held its first Poetry Recital, reciting Summer Morning, by Rachel Field.
Took our weekly Spelling Test!
We read chapters 5 and 6 in Fever 1793, stopping every ~4 pages to complete Reciprocal Teaching jobs.
9/08/09 - Tuesday
Continued learning about CELLS in Science class!
Learned our Poem number TWO!
Reviewed Robust vocabulary for week 2.
Read the story Line Drive, and a poem about baseball, called Ninth Inning.
In Science, we studied cell vocabulary.
Read out of our math textbook to learn about comparing numbers and completed questions and math problems!
We played a vocabulary review game with index cards and saw who could identify the word’s definition first!
Took reading selection test for Line Drive, excluding the History Test section and the essay question.
Read Chapter Six in Fever 1793, in which Matilda’s mother and she received an invitation to afternoon tea at the hoity-toity house of the Ogilvie family.
Worked on Reciprocal Teaching jobs after our reading.
In Math class, we used the math book to put numbers in order, and to read graphs accurately.
For Science, we drew pictures of single-celled organisms, and we constructed graphs of their shapes and their mobility.
Completed our Spelling Pre-Test!
We learned Robust Vocabulary for week 3, and played the I HAVE/WHO HAS game!
We read a VERY EXCITING chapter from Fever 1793, chapter 7.
We filmed Newsletter THREE.
9/11/09 - Friday
In Math class, we reviewed for a test on number sense. In Science, we read about body systems, and went to 6th
grade to talk loudly and show them how their behavior is perceived by others.
For Reading, we read chapter 8 from Fever 1793, where Matilda and her grandfather find her mother sick or dead, dropped on their front stoop.
We had our second poetry recital of the school year, for Homework! Oh Homework!
For Language Arts, we took our weekly spelling test! We also finished our selection tests for Line Drive. We practiced Word Sorts using Compound and Non-
Compound words.
In Science, we completed a science test on cells and parts of the body.
We also displayed our edible cell projects, judging them on the following criteria: Most Disgusting, Most Accurate, and Most Attractive.
For Math class, we completed a 15-question review test.
In Social Studies, we talked about history and where it comes from, how it moves, and how to make history.
We learned our 3rd poem, A Theory, by Charles Simic.
We delivered the first round of this week’s Book Talks!
Last, we read our selection story of the week, Chang’s Magic Flute, while doing Reciprocal Teaching.
In Science, we reviewed our Science TESTS.
For Math, we aced a Math TEST.
In Reading, more classmates delivered their delicious book talks!
We also finished reviewing the selection story of the week.
We began our Fun-wait for it-draiser for cookie dough, and learned how to be OBNOXIOUS SALESPEOPLE!!
9/16/09 - Wednesday
• Worked on “What we Know” from our math textbook.
• We also played a decimal game in math class.
• For Science, we read from the textbook a reader’s theater about plants.
• In Reading, to review for our Robust Vocabulary test, we played the I HAVE/WHO HAS game!
• Completed the selection test for Chang and the Bamboo Flute.
• Our class delivered more delightful book talks!
In the morning, we attended a Strength Team assembly, where two of our students were lifted up in the air by one huge man!
In Math, we learned about decimals. Students delivered beautiful Book Talks! Students read Chapter 9 from Fever 1793! We came 7 sales closer to achieving our
OBNOXIOUS SALESPEOPLE goal of 90 sales!
9/18/09 - Friday
In Math, we completed a page about
decimals.
We also read about plants from the
science textbook.
Held our 3rd poetry recital, for A Theory,
by Charles Simic.
We took our weekly spelling test!
The last members of our class delivered
their book talks! Yay book talks!
9/21/09 - Monday
In Math, we learned more about decimals.
For Science, we began to understand the anatomy of a plant!
We read our poem of the week, and learned about its origins and meaning!
We learned more about events, and identified three different tiers of event history; primary sources, secondary sources, tertiary sources.
We read our next selection story, about a crazy woman who travels around the world and is so brave!
With Ms. Sparrow, we discussed grades and grading policy.
For Science class, we reviewed and completed study guide pages for our test.
For Social Studies, we learned about Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary sources of history.
We played the I HAVE/WHO HAS game for Robust Vocabulary, we also used partner talks to discuss our words and tell stories about them.
We reviewed our story about Nellie Bly, and discussed why she was an important person, and why someone wrote a biography about her.
Read Chapters 9 and 10 in Fever 1793, and things really got stirred-up!
9/24/09 - Wednesday
• We completed a science test on plants!
• For math, we practiced word form, expanded form, and decimals!
• For Social Studies, we began writing about historical sources.
• We watched a BrainPOP video about plants! (Actually, it was about autumn leaves, but it was about plants also.)
• For Reading class, we took our 4th selection test about the daring Nellie Bly!
9/25/09 – Thursday
• For Science, we studied traits of inheritance.
• In Math class, we studied the ordering and
comparison of decimals.
• We completed our spelling pre-test
• Ms. Tate read us two folktales from the Far
North cultures of the Inuit and Aleuts.
• We learned and studied our new Robust
Vocabulary words in Reading!
9/26/09 - Friday• For Math class, we completed a page of work about
decimals. FUN DECIMALS!
• In Science class, we read about DNA!
• Held our poetry recital for the Lake Isle of Innisfree, by W.B. Yeats.
• We read Chapter 11 from Fever 1793, wherein Mattie and her grandfather get kicked off their ride to the countryside because grandfather is ill.
• After reading, we wrote PROGNOSTICATIONS about what might happen next in the story!
• Took our weekly spelling test!
• We wrote about DISCOVERING THE AMERICAS on a boat with our families in RAFTS format.
9/28/09 - Monday
• We played with DNA molecules in Science class, learning how DNA is made.
• For Math class, we completed a review test on decimals.
• In Social Studies, we read three folktales from ancient American societies, specifically the Mound-Builders.
• We read the play It Takes Talent, and completed comprehension test questions.
• We learned our weekly poem, A Sphinx, by Carl Sandburg.
9/29/09 - Tuesday
• We took a math test on comparing and ordering decimals – fun!
• We also studied our science vocabulary on genetics.
• In Social Studies, we learned about the Mayan and Aztec civilizations located in Mesoamerica by watching BrainPOP!
• To learn vocabulary words, we played a new vocabulary game called SLAP IT, and we also played I HAVE/WHO HAS.
• From Fever 1793, we read chapter 12!
9/30/09 - Wednesday
• For Math, we did Check What You Know for rounding decimals.
• For Social Studies class, we read out of our textbook about Mound-builders, Aztecs, Mayan, and Pueblo Native Americans.
• In Reading, we completed our Robust Vocabulary test.
• Learned a new CAFÉ strategy while learning about OBSERVATIONS AND INFERENCES; infer and support using evidence!
• Our cookie dough fundraiser orders were turned in and we won FIRST PLACE in the WHOLE SCHOOL and Kayla Jones took individual first place and Francesca Butler-Lynch took home second place! YAY!
10/01/09 – Thursday
FIRST DAY OF OCTOBER! WOO!
• For Science class, we read a new chapter about genetic
traits.
• We took our spelling pre-test and learned our new
Robust Vocabulary terms.
• From Fever 1793, we read chapters 13 and most of 14!
The book “changed” when Mattie found herself first
stranded in the wild, then in a hospital with yellow fever!
• We also filmed our SIXTH Video Newsletter!
10/02/09 - Friday• For Math class, we worked on a page that
helped us remember rounding numbers.
• In Science, we studied a study guide to help us on Monday‟s test on Genetics.
• We held our latest poetry recital, for A Sphinx, by Carl Sandburg.
• We scored very well on our weekly spelling tests!
• From Fever 1793, we read chapters 14 and 15, which found Mattie down in the dumps with yellow fever at Bush Hill, a temporary hospital site.
10/5/09 - Monday
•For Math class, we learned about rounding decimals!
•We completed a science test on traits and how they are passed on!
•We learned our next poem for Friday‟s recital; The Sloth, by Theodore Roethke. We also watched videos with sloths in them, and looked at pictures of them.
•We played SLAP IT, the vocabulary game!
•On our CAFÉ board, we added our FOURTH Comprehension strategy; ASK QUESTIONS!
•For Hispanic Heritage Month, we read ELEVEN, by Sandra Cisneros!
•We read this week‟s story, the Night of San Juan, about three sisters who help a little lonely boy whose grandmother won‟t let him come out to play.
•Next, we completed our selection comprehension test!
•In Reading, we also reviewed Reciprocal Teaching Strategies!
10/06/09 - Tuesday
In Math, we worked from our books to understand estimating and rounding decimals.
To study our vocabulary words, we wrote them all in a story, and we created something called DEPICTIONARY.
In Fever 1793, we read chapters 14; during which we learned that cities in the 1700s were unsanitary, and that Matilda was sick with yellow fever at Bush Hill, and her mother is or was nowhere to be found!
10/07/09 - Wednesday• For Math class, we continued estimating whole numbers.
Woohoo!• In Science class, we prepared for science FCAT! Woot!• To further study making observation-based inferences, we
came up with observations and inferences when looking at different photographs!
• We read a tidbit from chapter 15 in Fever 1793!• For Social Studies, we attempted to complete our review
packets for Unit 1 on Native Americans.• We played the WHO HAS I HAVE game!• After studying our vocabulary words for Lesson 6 harder than
we’ve ever studied them before, we took our RV test! • We attended an afternoon assembly whereupon the 3rd
graders entertained us with a highly amusing ditty about RESPECT, our character trait du mois. And we didn’t clap all that hard nor get too involved, but we are WORKING ON IT!
We had an awesome day. That’s all you need to know about it. Oh wait, you want to hear more? Okay. Fine. We’ll tell you. But we won’t enjoy it.
In Math class, we added and subtracted decimals!
For Science, we worked on FCAT Prep, chapter one.
We completed our spelling pre-test, on words from Week SEVEN.
After taking our pre-test we learned our six Robust Vocabulary words for next week’s story.
Out of Fever 1793, we read chapter fifteen, where grandfather became infuriated at a man who wanted to put Mattie into an orphanage.
We filmed out SEVENTH video NEWSLETTER. Woot.
10/09/09 - Friday• In Math class, we continued to work on rounding decimals.
Yummy!
• For Science, we previewed our next unit! Unit B will be all about THE ENVIRONMENT!
• Also in Science, we read short non-fiction books and answered comprehension questions afterward.
• We were visited by firefighters for our special area time!
• Continuing to work on observation-based inferences, we looked at more photos and came up with inferences!
• We held our poetry recital for the poem The Sloth, by Theodore Roethke!
• We watched some rockin‟ Schoolhouse Rocks videos when our classroom got all wet!
10/12/09 - Monday• In Math class, we copied questions out of the textbook
working on front-end estimation and adding and subtracting with rounding!
• For Science, we read about ecosystems!
• We took our spelling test a day late because of THE GREAT FLOOD OF „09!
• Before reading the selection story, we read some pretty awful poetry out of the reading textbook.
• We read WHEN THE CIRCUS CAME TO TOWN, and completed our selection test plus essay! It was a story about a girl named Ursula, who stays inside because of embarrassing smallpox scars until her friends put on a circus and she is needed to play harmonica!
• We had students deliver FANCYPANTS book talks! Woo woo!
10/13/09 - Tuesday
• Students worked on completing all portions of the FAIR test (round 1!)
• In Science, we created booklets. Each page represented a different tier of an ecosystem (population, community, ecosystem!)
• We watched three movies; about biomes, Madagascar, Komodo dragons, and coral reefs! We took notes on each movie, too.
• We also delivered more FANCYPANTS book talks!
• To recall our Robust Vocabulary for week 7, we began to write our 6 words in a class story!
10/14/09 - Wednesday
• We took a math test for Math class – it was a
breeze!
• In Science, we continued to read about
ecosystems and biomes.
• For Reading, we completed our weekly skills test
on Theme and Robust Vocabulary!
• We learned more about THEME, our focus skill of
the last two weeks.
• We conducted more FANCYPANTS book talks and
they were AWESOME!
10/15/09 - Thursday
• For Math, we did a lesson on Check What You Know.
• In Science class, we completed a note-taking activity on biomes.
• For the month of October, we continued to deliver our book talks!
• In Reading class, we read a smidge of Fever 1793; chapter 16.
• We took our spelling pre-test and learned our new Robust Vocabulary!
• We filmed our EIGHTH video newsletter. Woot!
10/16/09 – Friday In Math, we practiced variables and expressions! For Science, we finished making pictures of our favorite
biomes! Prior to doing that, we completed an activity where we answered questions after reading something about biomes!
We completed our second-to-last spelling test for the Quarter!
Book Talks concluded Friday, with rousing fancypantsdiscussions of some great book titles!
During Reading class, we broke into groups to read and comprehend picture books; upon conclusion, we created 5-sentence summaries and retold our stories to the rest of the class!
10/19/09 - MONDAY
In our math textbooks, we worked on learning
how to write expressions and equations.
In Science class, we read about food chains and
food webs!
We learned our last poem of the Quarter, an
anagrammatic poem called Washington Crossing
the Delaware!
We read a story called When Washington
Crossed the Delaware, and completed our guided
comprehension test.
10/20/09 - TUESDAY
For Science, we continued reading about
ecosystems!
In Math, we worked on expressions and
equations, both solving and creating them.
We created Depictionaries or Word Work stories
from our Robust Vocabulary.
Some of us completed our Unit Packet for Social
Studies!
We read Fever 1793, about Mattie and
Grandfather returning from their odyssey in the
countryside! Lucille and Eliza remain nowhere
to be found, and the city is falling apart!
10/21/09 - WEDNESDAY
In Science, we worked on Study Guide A and B to
prepare for our test.
In Math, we worked on inequalities and practiced
them with a worksheet!
We finished our Reading tests, completing the
independent comprehension and vocabulary
portions.
We continued to finish our Social Studies Unit
Packets!
We learned about the Advanced Reading
Challenge!
We received our Cookie Dough WOOOOT!
10/22/09 - THURSDAY
In Science, we drew 3-D objects to fill our biome
projects! Before we did that fun stuff, we
completed our Science Test!
For Writing, we reviewed the five types of writing
that we will do during 5th grade; Narrative,
Expository, Persuasive, Freestyle, and Poetry!
We celebrated Q1 ending with a poem about
anything we learned or did or saw during Q1!
10/23/09 – Friday – Last Day of Q1
In Math, we continued working with inequalities!
For Science class, we finished our biome projects!
We held our last poetry recital of the Quarter, Washington Crossing the Delaware, by David Schulman.
Our class has excellent spellers, and we completed our last spelling test of Q1!
To reward the class for their superior fundraising efforts, we watched Spirited Away and ate pizza!