No Smoking, Please...

The students had an opportunity to touch different types of hearts last month. And this week, they had the chance to touch LUNGS. Miss Molly showed them healthy lungs first, explaining the inner-workings of the organs. Then, she brought out the unhealthy lungs...which brought out quite a reaction from the students!

I doubt we will have to worry about any of the Room 11 students ever touching or inhaling a cigarette. The lungs were completely grey and diseased, and left quite an impression on everyone. YIKES!

HOMEWORK for April 21

HOMEWORK for April 21 – 28

1) Spelling List

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary

4) Daily Paragraph Editing

5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Math Practice

8) Daily Geography

9) Recipe for Multiplication

10) Vocabulary and Social Studies

11) Reading Log

ESSAY: Please write SIX paragraphs on “The Importance of Reading.” Give examples of how reading has helped you. What about reading do you enjoy most? What is your favorite type of book and why?

States and Capitals and All Sorts of Good Things...

The Room 11 vs. Mr. Wong challenge has proven an overwhelming success! Last week, Mr. Wong dared the entire class to beat him in scoring on the states and capitals test, where the kids had to place the states and capitals in their places on a blank map...this included the Great Lakes, oceans, inset maps, etc. Spelling counted!

Today, the kids took the test, sitting alongside Mr. Wong.

Mr. Wong missed a total of 16, which earned him a B-. This is how the kids scored:

13 students received an A
9 students received an A-
2 students received a B+
1 students received a B-
3 students received a C-
2 students scored 50% or better
2 students scored under 50%
1 student was absent, and will need to take the test later in the week.

NOT TO SHABBY, STUDENTS!! Mr. Wong and I are very proud of all of you who studied so dilligently. Congratulations!

HOMEWORK for April 14

HOMEWORK for April 14 – 21

1) Spelling List

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary

4) Daily Paragraph Editing

5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Math Practice

8) Daily Geography

9) Recipe for Multiplication

10) Vocabulary and Social Studies

11) Reading Log

ESSAY: Work on your State Report, which is due on MONDAY. Do NOT forget to make a brochure. The sample is available for you to examine if needed. EVERYBODY MUST TURN IN THEIR REPORTS ON MONDAY. DO NOT FORGET.

Please write SIX paragraphs on “What I will miss most about Sutro School.” Give examples of how Sutro has helped you. What are your favorite memories of Sutro? How did you feel when you first started compared to how you feel leaving? What has Sutro taught you? How has Sutro taught you to be a better student? How will you remember Sutro later on in Middle School? What is the importance of your education at Sutro?

Science with Miss Molly!

Wow!  Science sure has changed since I was in 5th grade.  The kids look forward to Wednesdays, because it means they have an hour with Miss Molly, librarian and ex-6th grade science teacher extraordinaire.  The love learning about science in general, but with Miss Molly, it's truly a treat.

Throughout the year we have been learning about various concepts and subjects, including the Solar System, the weather, the different systems in our body, the vascular system in plants, classifying, and now we are learning about the Periodic Table and formulas.  Yes, you read correctly...the Periodic Table!  

It's a challenging concept for anyone, and for 5th graders it's a giant topic.  They are required to know about how the Periodic Table works, but are not going to need to memorize the table.  Miss Molly has been going through this lesson with them during our Wednesday sessions and the students are doing their best to soak up as much information as possible before testing beings at the end of April.

Yes, TESTING!  It's coming up.  Room 11 will be ready for the challenge!

HOMEWORK for April 7th

HOMEWORK for April 7-14

1) Spelling Words

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary

4) Daily Paragraph Editing
a. News Article, “Waverly Residents Prepare for Tornaadoes”

5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Math Practice

8) Geography
a. A Product Map of Nebraska

9) Fractions Beyond Compare

10) Reading Log

RESEARCH:

You are to have at least 12 drawings for your state report. You should have your state drawn already. You should also have your state flag drawn. You should also draw your state flower, state landmarks, and anything that distinguishes your state from the rest. Remember to DO YOUR BEST WORK and to USE COLOR.

Zooming through Harcourt Math!

The kids are jamming through Harcourt math! We have landed on Chapter 24, and they are doing a fabulous job with all the concepts of ordered pairs and graphing. Last week in Chapter 23, we learned about integers, which included adding and subtracting. which can be a very difficult and confusing concept.

For those of you who need a refresher: Positive integers are all the whole numbers greater than zero: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... . Negative integers are all the opposites of these whole numbers: -1, -2, -3, -4, -5, … . We do not consider zero to be a positive or negative number. For each positive integer, there is a negative integer, and these integers are called opposites. For example, -3 is the opposite of 3, -21 is the opposite of 21, and 8 is the opposite of -8. If an integer is greater than zero, we say that its sign is positive. If an integer is less than zero, we say that its sign is negative. Whew!

However, the kids did well, and their Chapter 23 tests reflected their efforts. Good job, students!

Coat of Arms

Having read The Phantom Tollbooth, the kids learned about something called A Coat of Arms, also known as a family crest. Each Coat of Arms is specific to a unique family, and is carried through generations of that family until present day. The students had a chance to make their own Coat of Arms today, and so far they are lovely.

To create a Coat of Arms, you must choose symbols and colors, all of which have specific meanings. The color red, for example, means "warrior or martyr; Military strength and magnanimity."

Each person chose three things to add to their coat, which identified their family and themselves in some way. I believe they truly enjoy the art projects, because they are always so beautifully colored and drawn. I think we have a slew of budding artists in the classroom!

HOMEWORK for April 1st

HOMEWORK for April 1-April 7

1) Spelling Words

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary

4) Daily Paragraph Editing
a. Book Review, “Dinotopia” 1
5) Daily Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Math Practice

8) Geography
a. A Cultural Map

9) The Factor Factory

10) Reading Log

RESEARCH:

DRAW YOUR STATE for your research report. Do your BEST WORK.
DRAW YOUR STATE FLAG for your research report.

Research your STATE for your report, which is due on April 21st
Find: Famous people from your state, anything particularly interesting about your state, Continue working on your list of things to find, from A to Z.

Enjoying Your Spring Break?

I hope you're all having a great time on your break! Remember to work on your MATH PACKETS and your STATE REPORT in your spare time!

Chapter 21 Math Test on FRIDAY

A reminder: There is a chapter 21 math test on multiplying fractions on FRIDAY, students! STUDY your math packets!

Hey! Guess what? I just met Willie Wonka!

The Castro Theatre is showing their annual Sketchfest movies and providing some time with special guests. Tonight's guest was none other than the infamous Gene Wilder, of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory fame.

He spoke fondly of the movie, and even told us that he didn't see the new version, which stars the far less Wonka-ish Johnny Depp. He chose not to see it when he saw a preview in the

movie theater and examined how Mr. Depp chose to play the character of larger-than-life Willie Wonka.

Seeing Mr. Wilder tonight reminded me of a few weeks ago when I had three of my after-school helpers in the classroom. After an hour of cleaning and sorting papers for me, the kids sat for a treat. I showed the original Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. As soon as I popped the VHS (yes, a TAPE) of the movie into the player, the kids sat mesmerized by the technicolor show.

Occasionally, other students would filter through the classroom to pick up forgotten jackets and books and see Willie dancing and singing on the television. They, too, would plop down in a seat, never taking their eyes off the screen.

It just goes to show that cautionary tales by Roald Dahl, that mastermind of children's plight and tales of survival and, ultimately, triumph, survive the test of time. Gene Wilder paired with the mastermind storytelling of Dahl makes for a fabulous children's movie that easily passes the ten-year-old short attention span test.

The movie translates perfectly into this day and age of Internet and the word "Google" listed in the newest version of the dictionary. Netflix or rent it, if you don't already own a copy!

Spring Slump

This is the time of year I like to call The Spring Slump. It's when kids start getting burned out and tired of school, just before Spring Break hits and gives them a week off!

It's typical of every year, and every class I've had has gone through this phase. It lasts for a couple of weeks, and sometimes nearly a month.

The good news is, it goes away! After Spring Break, the kids return, refreshed and renewed!

So this post is for all the students out there experiencing this slump. HANG IN THERE! You will be enjoying Spring Break soon enough.

And come back to school ready to work...because we will be jamming through the rest of our curriculum and you will be off to Middle School before you know it!

HOMEWORK for March 17

Homework for March 17 – March 21

1) Spelling List
a. Do NOT do spelling dictation

2) Daily Language Review

3) Daily Academic Vocabulary
a. Review of words

4) Daily Paragraph Editing
a. Fantasy: Seashore Mystery

5) Handwriting Practice

6) Daily Word Problems

7) Daily Math Practice

8) Daily Geography
a. Twenty Largest Cities in the United States

9) Fraction Leftovers

10) Reading Log
a. Choose a book and read every day. Log your ideas. You MUST READ EVERY DAY. Please read for at least ten minutes a day.

NO INTERNET HUNT THIS WEEK. ENJOY YOUR SPRING BREAK! SEE YOU IN APRIL!

State Reports are Underway!

The kids have started their state reports as of last week, and it's looking good! Everyone should have their maps and at least two drawings complete by now. The maps I have seen so far look terrific. Good job, students!

Speaking of the United States, the students have been working hard on their states and capitals quizes (one every week or two) and most have passed with flying colors. At least half of the 33 kids in class scored 100% on their last quiz, which included states and matching their capitals, AND spelling.

They are working towards the big geography test in April that will require them to not only name and label every state and capital in the U.S., but also spell them correctly and place the cities in the correct place. I have no doubt they will do a fabulous job! I am VERY impressed with all of the kids in class!

Please use your Spring Break wisely and work on your reports. They are due on April 21st, without fail!

Also, you should be working on your math packets, Chapters 8-21 this vacation, too. If you have not been keeping up with your weekly packets, you may have a lot of work ahead of you. Please complete the packets and turn them in on the Tuesday we are back in session! Trust me, they will help you ACE YOUR MATH TESTS!

P.S. You have a Chapter 21 math test on Friday. Please study and use your math packets! Chapter 21 is on multiplying fractions. If you have problems with the concepts in this chapter, COME SEE ME AT LUNCH and I will help you.