Tuesday, December 15th

During social studies we reviewed the states.  I could tell some students have been studying!

William McKinley & Theodore Roosevelt notes

(Students should use their notes to help complete their study guides.)

Here are the videos we watched in class.  Students can watch them again, or extend their learning and find new sources if they're interested in Turn of the Century presidential actions.

William McKinley Presidency

Theodore Roosevelt - Foreign Policy

Genius Hour -- Students put finishing touches on their projects and practiced their delivery.  Remember, our learning celebration is tomorrow (12/16/15) at 11:30am in the Falcon's Nest!

Monday, December 14th

As stated in Friday's blog post, students set a goal for what they wanted to accomplish this weekend with their projects.  Additionally, they were supposed to share their progress with parents and get a signature.  If you were not able to check your child's work this weekend, please do so and sign their agenda or project form.  

As I stated to students during class and to parents in the blog last week, 5th graders are working on the IB Transdisciplinary skill of self-management.  This skill is essential in all areas of life and I will be encouraging students to improve over the course of this year.  

During ELA we continued working on fluency by reading Gathering Blue.  During social studies we looked at several sources to find facts about how William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt's actions increased America's influence at the turn of the last century.  Students will be able to use those notes to complete the study guide.  

Homework & Deadlines

Science Study Guide -- Tuesday, 12/15 

Science Assessment -- Tuesday, 12/15

Turn of the Century & 50 States Assessments -- Thursday, 12/17

Geography Project -- Friday, 12/18

Optional Geography Project Extension -- Tuesday, 1/5

Remember, our Turn of the Century Celebration of Learning is on Wednesday, December 16th at 11:30am in the Falcon's Nest.

Weekend Update

Today we worked on answering one of the upcoming assessment questions.  Students finished watching the informational videos and collaborated on how they should answer the question.  The various possibilities are included below.

Students also wrote in their planners, notebooks, or on their Geography Project papers what they're going to get accomplished this weekend.  The intention of this to help students with the IB Transdisciplinary skill of self-managment and to keep parents informed about what their child needs to accomplish this weekend.  I encouraged students to set realistic and specific goals and reminded them of the project deadline.  Please read what they wrote, and sign it.  I'll be checking for signatures on Monday.  

Some students will be bringing home their Genius Hour projects to work on over the weekend.

The following answers were synthesized in class.  

Use these answers as a starting point and add facts from your notes.

Thomas Edison and the innovation of electricity changed life at the turn of the last century.  Thomas Edison also invented a light bulb that could last 1,000 hours.  It saved money and it decreased the number of house fires.

George Washington Carver’s scientific and agricultural contributions changed life at the turn of the last century.  He invented over 300 products made from peanuts and he encouraged farmers to use the farming method of crop rotation.  Crop rotation helped farmers to put nutrients back into the soil so they could continue to grow healthy plants.

The Wright Brother’s invention, the airplane, changed life at the turn of the last century.  They worked on their airplane to make it safer and they are credited with making the first successful flight.  They used their engineering knowledge to continue improving the structure of planes.  Planes were eventually used to make travel quicker and easier.

Alexander Graham Bell was the innovator who created the telephone and he helped to change people’s lives at the turn of the last century.  People were given the ability to communicate with their voices over long distances.

Monday, December 7th

Students took the Math MAP test today and tomorrow they will conclude the Winter MAP by taking the Language Arts portion of the test.  

During ELA, we read some of Gathering Blue and students worked on their fluency.  Then I gave them their homework and the instructions for the geography project.

The homework is a study guide for the December 17th Turn of the Century assessment.  It's due on the same day of the assessment and I encouraged students to make sure they work on it a bit each day so they can write thoughtful answers and use it to study.  We are still going over some content, so students will be able to use their class notes to help them complete the study guide.

assessment schedule & due dates

Turn of the Century assessment - Thursday, December 17th

50 states test - Thursday, December 17th

Geography Project - Friday, December 18th

**Students who will not be in school on the Friday before the December break will be expected to turn in their project before the due date.**

study resources

Turn of the Century Quizlet

Turn of the Century study guide

Geography Project

50 States Study Site

Shepphard Software - Learn the 50 states 

(there are leveled games on this website)


Transcontinental Railroad - basic information
source: Comprehension Homework Packets (Scholastic)

Tuesday, December 1st

ELA
We are continuing our work with literary and informational readings.  As we read Gathering Blue, students are analyzing character, setting, and theme.  For informational reading, students are examining various social studies documents and working on finding evidence, taking accurate notes, summarizing information.

Tomorrow students will work in groups based on how they performed on their opinion writing formative paragraph.  Students who need extra help with crafting arguments will have more practice and students who are ready to extend their learning will focus on creating, and refuting, counterarguments.

Social Studies
This week we are focusing on American imperialism, the Spanish-American War and the Panama canal.  Next week we will begin our focus on innovations.  The summative assessment will be on Thursday, December 17th. 

Homework
Students have vocabulary words and a reading about Asian American immigrants.

Upcoming Events
Celebration of Learning - Wednesday, December 16th (time TBD)
Literary Cafe - Thursday, February 11th - 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Tybee Field Trip - March 16th-18th

Thursday, November 19th

During ELA we have been working on analyzing the literary structure of setting.  Students compared and contrasted the settings of The Giver and Gathering Blue using text evidence.  

Today students began working on their opinion writing formative.  First they looked at three different opinion pieces and graded them with either a 2, 3, or a 4.  Then students had to identify why each piece earned the grade it did.  They selected their topics from one of their pre-writing documents and began writing their paragraphs.  Those who didn't finish today will have the opportunity to submit their writing tomorrow. 

In social studies, we discussed some basic economic terms and possible supply/demand relationships.  Students then used that information to reflect on cattle trail economics. Tomorrow, students are going to complete an independent inquiry to close out our migration inquiry.  After the Thanksgiving break we are going to inquire into American imperialism and innovations.  The migration assessment will be on Thursday, December 3rd.

Monday, November 16th

As a reminder, the Thanksgiving luncheon is this week on Thursday.  Ms. McFaddin's homeroom is scheduled for 12:35pm and my homeroom is scheduled for 12:40pm.  If you arrive earlier, you will be directed to wait in room 135 until the lunch room is ready. 

Report cards come home today and I do not need them back signed.  If you have any questions, please refer to my blog posting on that topic first.  

During ELA we continued reading Gathering Blue.  Students set up T-charts to compare/contrast the setting differences between The Giver and what we have read so far in Gathering Blue.  I've attached the notes from both classes.

 During social studies students began reading two documents; one was about the Battle of Little Bighorn, and the other was about the Wounded Knee Massacre.  Students first identified text features in both documents and then they used the IB concept lens of causation to determine the causes and effects of both events.  Tomorrow we will complete the activity and then move on to learning about the economic aspects of the cattle trails.

Midweek Update

Today we had our visit with Georgia Power and it was a blast!  During ELA we continued reading Gathering Blue and students worked on fluency and identifying nouns within the text.  During social studies, students continued inquiring into the causes and effects of the Trail of Tears.

Lastly, students completed their surveys today.  Some parents have yet to complete their survey and the deadline is coming up.  Students, within BOTH homerooms, who get their parents to complete the survey AND get a parent note and signature in their agendas confirming the survey completion, will get a treat.  Students who have parents who have already taken the survey are also eligible to bring in a signed parent confirmation.  This must be completed by Friday morning.

A note about report cards

Report cards will be coming home on Monday, November 16th and some students have earned 1s and 2s.  Many students are working towards meeting the standards; however, some students are not yet showing their best effort to complete the grade level work.

That being said, for most students the 1s and 2s simply show that they haven't quite mastered the 5th grade skills.  All they need is some additional time, instruction, and initiative to get there.  Below are some suggestions for students and parents:

How students can improve their performance:

don't rush through the work

use study guides to prepare for assessments 

(studying should take place each night, not just on the day before the test)

come to class prepared to learn

be responsible for your personal materials

stay focused during class

follow directions

check the blogs to make sure you didn't miss anything in class

How parents can help their child:

check the blogs to stay updated about upcoming assignments and tests

hold students accountable for their own work

limit video games and tv until after homework and reading is done

The bottom line is that it is up to each student to invest what's necessary in his or her own academic performance... they are the ones who are trying to complete fifth grade!  

Lastly, if you have tried the suggestions above, and your child is still struggling after a few weeks, please contact Ms. McFaddin or me to schedule a conference.

Thursday, November 5th

If you have not reviewed your child's writing and signed the reflection form, 

please do so tonight.

This term we are focusing on opinion writing and students reviewed its essential components.  Moving forward, students will practice writing evidence-based arguments.

Yesterday, we continued reading Gathering Blue and students discussed similarities and differences between the main characters, Jonas and Kira.

During social studies we continued learning about Reconstruction and the reintroduction of discriminatory laws in the South after the Civil War.  We read a passage about Jim Crow and began taking Cornell notes.  Some students will be bringing the organizer home so they can finish their notes and organizer.  The text is attached on Edmodo and students should have their login information.

Reconstruction Notes

(the texts we used to take these notes are attached in Edmodo)

African Americans and Education after the Civil War

 Jim Crow

Parent Survey!

Please participate in F.AVE's survey by using the following link:

  http://apps.gadoe.org/schoolclimate/parents.nsf/Survey.xsp 

The Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0 is an anonymous, statewide survey instrument developed by many divisions within the GaDOE including the Assessment and Accountability Division and in collaboration with the Georgia Department of Public Health and Georgia State University.  GSHS 2.0 data results are used to develop a School Climate Star Rating which is used as a diagnostic tool within the College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI) to determine if a school is on the right path to school improvement.  

Based upon student, parent and staff responses, along with other data,  we will be assigned a star rating from 1-5.  The School Climate Star Rating is calculated using data from the Georgia Student Health Survey 2.0, Georgia School Personnel Survey, Georgia Parent Survey, student discipline data and attendance records for students, teachers, staff and administrators.  The School Climate Star Rating provides school-level data on the following components: 

1) School Climate – a measure of student, teacher, and parent perceptions of a school’s climate and the congruency between the three; 

2) Student Discipline – a look into disciplinary practices and utilization of the research-based practices promoting positive interventions; 

3) Safe and Substance-Free Learning Environment – student responses on use of illegal substances and the prevalence of violence, bullying, and unsafe incidents within a school; and 

4) Attendance – the average daily attendance of students, teachers, administrators, and staff members.  

Each of the components will be given equal value.

Your students will participate in a similar survey at school. The GSHS 2.0 for elementary students includes school safety and school climate questions only. Please notify your homeroom teacher if you do not want your child to participate in the survey. 

Monday, November 2nd

Today students completed a writing reflection.  They looked at several exit tickets and their Sojourner Truth short response.  They will be bringing their reflections home for you to review and sign.  They are due on Thursday.

During social studies students completed a sharecropping simulation.  After the activity, we discussed  the sharecropping cycle of poverty and students began working on answering the question, "What are the similarities and differences between slavery and sharecropping."

Homework/Papers to Sign - all due on Thursday
1.  Math
2.  Reconstruction Review
3.  Signed Writing Reflection
4.  Signed Conference Form (select students only)
5.  Read for 20-30 minutes daily
6.  Study for the Reconstruction Test

Friday, October 30th

Students had class time to complete and submit their Civil War essays.  Some didn't finish; however, I will accept late papers.  I will need them by the end of the day on Wednesday so I can grade them for the upcoming report cards.  

We read a few more pages in Gathering Blue and students worked on comparing and contrasting character text details.  Yesterday we reviewed literature elements and worked on a Venn diagram that identified the immediate differences and similarities of the Gathering Blue and The Giver.

I passed out next week's homework and went over the directions with the students.  The reading provides the basic information about Reconstruction and next week we will complete some related readings and activities.  The Reconstruction test will be next Thursday and students can begin studying with quizlet.  Lastly, I've attached some supplemental resources below for students who are interested in learning more about this time in history.

Reconstruction Resources

America's Library:  Reconstruction (Library of Congress)

Rise and Fall of Jim Crow

Library of Congress:  Reconstruction and its Aftermath

America's Reconstruction (University of Houston Digital Library)

Tuesday, October 27th

Students continued working on their Civil War informational papers, and many of them are ready to start drafting tomorrow.  I didn't give separate ELA or social studies homework this week, because I expect for students to work on their papers at home, as necessary.  The final draft is due on Friday.

We also finished reading and analyzing the Gettysburg Address.  Students worked in groups to discuss what they thought President Lincoln's main idea and supporting details were.  Thankfully, students are moving past simply sharing assumptions and getting better at having text-based conversations.  The notes from both flex group are below.

Yesterday's field-trip to the Atlanta History Center was fun AND educational!

Friday, October 23rd

We had our library time today and students continued working on their informational papers.  Also, I let students know what the short answer question would be on the Civil War assessment.  Students looked over their notes and brainstormed facts that could be included within their answers.

Atlanta History Field Trip
We are going to the Atlanta History Center on Monday.  Before the end of school, students received a reminder if they need to bring a lunch on Monday.

OPTIONAL Weekend Homework
Some students chose work on their research, notes, and outlines for their Civil War papers over the weekend.  Also, many students will use their study guides and the quizlet to prepare for the upcoming Civil War assessment.  

Wednesday, October 21st

We had a wonderful opportunity today to listen to Mr. Pomfret about his exciting job as an archaeologist for the Georgia Department of Transportation.  He and Mr. Carlson, a historian, discussed their work to uncover historical artifacts and they were able to share about their role in the search for the U.S.S. Water Witch.

During ELA I taught the students how to outline texts and how to use it when organizing notes for writing assignments.  We spent the remainder of our day working on the Civil War information paper.

Upcoming Assessments/Due Dates
Civil War  - Tues., October 27th
Civil War Informational Paper - Thurs., October 29th (I'm giving students a few more days to finish)
Reconstruction - Wed., November 4th

Monday, October 19th

We had a busy day today. After completing daily grammar we continued our Cornell notes on the text, "Emancipation Means Freedom."  

We then began to read and discuss the language used in The Gettysburg Address.  I read it aloud and students identified unknown words/phrases.  Students then worked with their table groups to find the meaning of those words and phrases.  During our next reading, we will begin to analyze the whole document to  understand President Lincoln's main idea and supporting details.

We concluded our day with watching the Civil War BrainPop video and using the information to complete the study guide. 

Homework:  read for 30 minutes daily, Civil War on the Sea reading/questions, Math worksheet

Friday, October 16th

This weekend, please review your child's informational paper rubric.  At this point, all students have chosen a topic and everyone is either writing research questions, finding sources, or taking notes.  Some students will want to share their Google Docs notes and here's how to login:
1.  Go to Google and click on "sign in"
2.  username:  23firstname lastname@csdecatur.net
     password:  student+lunch number
example:  23cassandrablack@csdecatur.net, student12345

The original deadline was Tuesday, October 27th; however, I may extend it by a day or two depending on how we utilize our class time next week.  

After you review the document, please sign the front page at the bottom and have your child return it on Monday.  Please make sure you do this because students will need it for our writing time on Monday.

Have a great weekend!

Thursday, October 15th

We had our orchestra field trip today and it was a great experience.  The majority of students were on-task and showed how F.AVE students can enjoy cultural experiences and behave in public.  Some friends, unfortunately, needed multiple reminders to stay in their seats, to not talk during the performance, and to keep their feet off of the plush seats.  So, moving forward, I will make sure students have extra time before the field trip to review how we behave in public. 

The upcoming Civil War assessment will be on Tuesday, October 27th.  Students can begin studying on the quizlet and we are going to spend next week learning the rest of the content and completing the study guide.

Tuesday, October 13th

Students began their informational summative papers today.  We began with brainstorming Civil War topics and then we moved onto topic selection and question generation.  Tomorrow students will begin revising their questions and moving forward with research.

During Social Studies we worked on analyzing the ideas presented in "The Soldiers" from A History of US: War, Terrible War.  Students worked with their table groups to understand how the author developed and presented ideas.

As a reminder, our Orchestra field trip is on Thursday so please send in the field trip form if you have not done so.  Homework is also still due on Thursday, so students need to make sure they complete and turn it in on the due date.

Friday, October 9th

We had a productive week and students are getting a lot done.  Next week students will complete some activities associated with The Giver before we move onto the next book, Gathering Blue. We will also dig into the Civil War content over the next two weeks now that students have learned about, and been assessed, on the Civil War causes.  The next social studies assessment will be on Thursday, October 22nd.  Next week students will also begin working on their summative informational papers.  

Lastly, we are going on our field trip to the orchestra next Thursday, so if you haven't sent in your field trip form, please send it in as soon as you can.

This week's collaborative work