Thursday, August 30th

ELA / Science -- Students made their lab observations, finished their classification notes, and started working on their summative projects.  We had our weekly library visit and students searched for books on their chosen topic.  

Math -- We reviewed division.

During the remaining days of the term students will spend the majority of their class time working on their summative projects and I'll be covering the last math standard (division).  Next week students will have their final math, social studies, science, and ELA assessments.  If your child will be missing any part of next week because of a vacation please let me know and I will try to give them their assessments earlier.  

There is a mandatory 5 pushup penalty for an over the fence ball

Wednesday, August 29th

ELA -- We finished up the clauses & prepositional phrases lesson and students finished writing down their vocabulary words.   We concluded the day by going over the directions for their summative ELA/Science projects.  <--- click on the link to download a pdf version of the project guidelines.

Science -- We set up our vascular plant lab using celery, water, and vinegar.  We will be making observations over the next several days.

Math -- We reviewed the standards for this term (order of operations, powers of 10, and multi-digit multiplication).  

Tuesday, August 28th

ELA -- Today students took notes on clauses (independent and dependent) and learned about prepositional phrases.  Students also started writing down the definitions of this week's vocabulary words.

Science -- Students took notes on fungi, protists, and the six kingdom classification system.

Math -- Students practiced solving multi-digit multiplication problems using the distributive property and the traditional method.  We then worked on interpreting word problems and figuring out how to write mathematical explanations.

Monday, August 27th

ELA / Science -- Students practiced extracting information from the science textbook.  They took notes on the classification system and they will finish their notes tomorrow.  Students also made their final lab observation and wrote their lab reflection.

Social Studies -- We finished reading about the amendment change process and we discussed how changes to the constitution affects us as Americans.  We concluded Social Studies by watching the Citizenship BrainPop video and completing the short answer questions.

Math -- Students took an assessment on scientific notation, estimating products, and writing equations.  We corrected it together and used the assessment to review the content.

Homework:  Students who did not finish their lab reflection need to complete it at home.  Communication folders went home today; please review the documents and sign/send back any applicable forms.

August 23-24

ELA / Social Studies -- Students read about the various methods of making an amendment to the constitution and practiced extracting key details from an informational text.  We finished our notes about the basic facts of the U.S. Constitution and Ms. Karably taught a lesson on research skills.

Math -- Students learned how to make front-end and rounding estimates.  Additionally, they practiced converting large, and really small, numbers into scientific notation.

Science -- Students continued to make lab observations of their bread mold; they will make their final observation and write their reflection on Monday.

Please contact me via email or text if you did not sign up for a conference time.  I'm currently meeting with parents to discuss MAP test results, current academic progress, and behavior (if applicable).

Wednesday, August 22nd

ELA -- Today we reviewed subjects and predicates and their collective importance in sentences.  

Science -- We had a special lesson from the mother of one of Mr. Zimbardo's students.  Mrs. K is a marine biologist and she taught a lesson about classifying various sea organisms.  

Math -- We reviewed single and multiple digit multiplication.   I'm going to incorporate fact practice and quick assessments into our weekly math lessons.  To help your child, please purchase multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction flashcards for them.  They are expected to know their facts already; however, if they don't I want to make sure they have them down before the 6th grade.

Students who don't have a recorder need to pay their $5 to get one by this Friday

The final MAP test is on Friday, please send a sweatshirt or jacket with your child.

Tuesday, August 21st

Math -- We reviewed writing equations and prime factorization.  Students have a homework sheet tonight and an extra sheet of paper for showing their work.  One of the math standards this year is to factor any number between 1-100 and tonight's homework covers that.

ELA / Social Studies -- Students performed their Bill of Rights skits; they were quite entertaining.

Our last MAP test is this Friday.  Please remember to send a sweatshirt or jacket with your child.  

Monday, August 20th

ELA/Science -- Students participated in a rotating fact finding activity and they gathered information on plant and animal classification.

Math -- We worked on writing equations and students watched an introductory video on Scientific Notation.  Some students had some focus issues during Math and we were unable to finish all of our classwork; therefore, students have homework tonight.  There are two worksheets and they are due tomorrow.

MAP testing is tomorrow -- please bring a jacket or sweater.

Friday is the last day to order recorders.  If your child needs to purchase a recorder please send in $5 by this Friday.  

Wednesday & Thursday

MAP Testing -- Today we took the map test and it was FREEZING!  Please send an extra jacket on MAP testing days.  We test again next Tuesday and Friday.

ELA -- Students continued working on writing paragraphs and today we focused on identifying the main idea of a text and pulling out key pieces of evidence from an informational text.  During the last week of the term students will be required to write a longer informational essay so we will be covering the various elements of good writing.

Math -- We worked on identifying factors and multiples.  Additionally, students reviewed writing algebraic expressions.  I noticed that many students still struggled with basic multiplication facts.  I will start incorporating speed tests and multiplication practice in our weekly math schedule; however, it would be tremendously beneficial for students to practice with multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction flashcards at home.

Science -- Students wrote down their daily lab observations.  We will continue to make observations over the next several days and students will assess their results and write their lab reflections next week.

Tuesday, August 14th

ELA -- We read a section of the Social Studies text about the United States right before the Civil War.  Students found the main idea and supporting details within the text and practiced taking "T-Chart" style notes.

Math -- Students learned how to use mental math to solve multiplication problems using the power of 10.  Based on student responses to the lesson I will be starting fact practice and multiplication speed tests soon.  Students are expected to know their multiplication facts (1-12) upon entering middle school so I will do my best to make sure my students are not counting on their fingers to calculate basic multiplication problems.

Science -- We finished setting up our bread mold lab.  Students chose from a variety of variable materials and we will be observing our science experiments over the next week.

I sent home the MAP schedule today; fortunately, ours is at the end of the day.  I will be contacting parents this week via email to confirm a preset or set up a parent/teacher/student conference.  Please let me know if you have any questions.  

Monday, August 13th

ELA -- Based on last week's classroom writing I decided to review some basic grammatical procedures.  Today we reviewed capitalization and students completed a practice worksheet.  

Math -- We reviewed how to use the Order of Operations when solving problems with brackets and braces.  

Science -- We discussed my expectations for labs and students brainstormed their own classroom lab procedures.  Students also selected their lab partners and wrote down their predictions for what would happen to the control sample in our bread mold lab.

Thursday & Friday

Occasionally I'll get behind on my blog; however, when that happens, I'll do my best to catch up.  Here's a short picture-summary of last Thursday and Friday.

Bill of Rights Reader's Theatre Showdown w/ Mr. Stewart's class

Wednesday, August 8th

Math -- Students reviewed the Order of Operations and practiced solving multi-step problems.

ELA -- We finished reading John Brown, discussed important details in the book, and wrote down their reflections/observations about the book.

Social Studies -- Students re-watched the Bill of Rights BrainPop video and wrote down short summaries of each.

Brainiacs are reflective...

The pencil sharpener taught an excellent lesson on the Order of Operations today

Tuesday, August 7th

Very busy day today...

ELA - We continued to read John Brown and students discussed details and made inferences based on the text.

Social Studies - We watched the Bill of Rights BrainPop video and too notes on some basic constitutional concepts.

Math - Students reviewed PEMDAS and made up their own sentences for the acronym (mine was Perhaps Everyone Made Dreadful Artichoke Sandwiches).  After that they wrote their own math problems that had at least 3 operations in them (all of them for level 4 students), and they shared a problem with another student to solve.  They concluded math by working on this week's class work.

Silent Reading Time... A great way to conclude the day...

Monday, August 6th

ELA -- Students received their vocabulary words and we started reading John Brown, by John Hendrix.  I will read this short story aloud and students will analyze the informational elements of the text.

Science -- This unit we'll be going over classification and today students created their own categories for classifying everyday objects.

Math -- We reviewed order of operations and completed the BrainPop quiz.  Students began a series of textbook problems to practice what they've learned.

Friday, August 3rd

Math - Students took a pre-test on Unit 1 and they took notes on Order of Operations.


Social Studies - We started our Unit of Inquiry, Who We Are, by looking at the Bill of Rights (since part of "Who We Are" as Americans involves the first ten amendments of the U.S. Constitution).  Students analyzed individual amendments in groups and tried to put each amendment into "plain" English.


Spanish - Students has Spanish today with Senora Pina.  


ELA - Students took a spelling inventory test and next week they will receive their vocabulary words.

Thursday, August 2nd

After a slight schedule snafu students had Art and set up their subject notebooks for Language Arts and Math.  We discussed classroom discipline, class/individual rewards, leaner profiles and did an outdoor team building activity (until the sun and bugs drove us back inside).  We finished the day with silent reading.  


Note about school supplies:  If you have not purchased school supplies the only thing we really NEED at this point is composition books.  Since each student needs 5 (one for each subject AND Spanish) we need quite a few of them.  Thanks!


Homework:  Send in school paperwork, complete the job application & send in snacks.

Brunch : )

First Day of School!

We had a wonderful first day of school! Upon arriving students had to fill our a survey/questionnaire and we learned some interesting things about each other.  Students went through the "Brainiac Orientation" and we had our first class meeting to establish our communication agreements.  Students had P.E. and Music and after lunch they wrote about their hopes and dreams for this school year.


We had our first library visit and we concluded the day by talking about the classroom jobs and how students apply for the job they want.  


Homework: Job application (students), Parent/Guardian Questionnaire (parents/guardians)

August School Menu

The school will not be sending out paper copies of the August School Menu.