Christmas Party is planned for Thursday at 2:40 p.m.  Our committee has planned our food and activities.  Please see list below:

Food:


Brownie Bites – Cole


30 Christmas Cookies – Bailey (plain, to be decorated at school)


Chips and Cheese – Logan


Green Grapes and another fruit choice – Jason


2 large vanilla frostings (pre-made stuff) – Carissa


2 large vanilla frostings (pre-made stuff) – Alex


2 large vanilla frostings (pre-made stuff) - Grace


Drinks and cups – Noah Brackenbury (three 2-liters of pop)


Plates and napkins for 30 – Travis






Mrs. Miller – decorations for Christmas cookies, food coloring, plastic silverware, veggie/dip tray

Here We Go . . . Friday the 13th

Camp on Monday and Tuesday!  Looks like the weather is going to be great considering it is November.  Please remember to have kids pack their sleeping bags and pillows in a garbage bag.    Bus leaves by 9:15 a.m., so don't be late.  Pick up is Tuesday between 5:15 and 5:30 p.m.  See you then.

We played a great game today from the National Geographic website.  Check out Expedition 2!

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/expedition-week-game

Wednesday, October 28th

Yikes!  Kids are dropping like flies around here.  Fifth grade has been hit pretty hard with illness this past week.   We will all work together to get caught up over the next few days.

Picture Retakes:  December 2nd

Conferences next week, you should have received your blue notes with time/date.  Please call if you need to make a change.

Assignments for the week:
Math:  pages 47 - 54 (Homework and remembering)
Science:  Interview Questions on Moon
Social Studies:  Notes on 7 Native American Regions and Comparison chart (I have copies of both)
Reading:  All reading tests for October goals should be finished by November 5th, except your book club book which should be finished by November 6th.
Writing:  All drafts should be finished by November 5th.  Published pieces are due November 7th.

*Halloween Party is scheduled for Friday at 2:40 p.m.  Mrs. Cole will be our guest host.  Our Halloween Party Planners are all ready to go!

Wednesday, October 21st

Counting down the days until Halloween, or at least the weekend we get an extra hour of sleep!  (fall back)  Here are some events/news for the next week:

• $70.00 camp fee is due by 11/11.  Feel free to send in 1/2 now and 1/2 in a couple of weeks.  Scholarships and extensions are available.  Please let me know.  (millera@ghaps.org)
• Last day of MEAP testing Thursday (tomorrow)
• Conference note comes home Thursday.  Please call or email if you need to make changes.
• Halloween Party is scheduled for Friday, October 30th at 2:40 p.m.  I have a conference in Grand Rapids that day (International Reading Association), so Dawn Cole will be our guest teacher.  Costumes are encouraged.  Please continue to follow our guidelines for appropriate costumes.  If you child has questions, they can ask me or Mrs. Drake.

Friday, October 16th

Happy Birthday Luke!

Reading:
We started book clubs today.  Kids made up their own reading schedules and meeting days.  Looking forward to hearing about our adventure/survival books.

Craft:
We create fabric ghosts today.  We got the idea from the following website:

http://crafts.kaboose.com/

We shall bring them home Monday or Tuesday after they have dried.

Have a wonderful weekend

Tuesday, October 13th

We started our MEAP tests today.  Kids finished a part of their Grade 5 reading.  We continue to test on Thursday starting at 9:00 a.m.

Due to MEAP testing, we do not have science, social studies, or math on Tuesdays or Thursday this week and next week.  The kids were very sad they will not have math homework on those nights.

No homework tonight! (Unless you count reading, which should not feel like homework!) 

We have a craft planned for Friday. We are asking that kids bring in an old t-shirt or pillow case.  We are creating ghosts with liquid starch so we need thin material.  I have extras in case you already cleaned out your old t-shirt collection.  My husband still won't let me touch his Michigan Rose Bowl t-shirt from the last century.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Happy Birthday Amaya and Skylar!!!!!!

To Do List for the Weekend:

• look over social studies - try the test again

      http://www.tutorial.teachtci.com/

• Read 25 minutes (remember reading goals for October)
• Visualizing sketch of a scene from your book

*Meaps begin Tuesday.  Please remember to arrive to school on time.  Also, eat some breakfast!

This week's healthy tidbit from Mr. Przstas:



ALWAYS EAT A HEALTHY BREAKFAST!


It is very important to start each day with a healthy breakfast.




Research shows that kids who eat breakfast do better in school, are more likely to participate in physical activities, and tend to eat healthier overall.


Eating a healthy breakfast might just improve your concentration, problem-solving skills and eye-hand coordination.

Wednesday, October 7th

Math:  pages 35-36   *Mr. Klanderman sent home a packet with all the homework from this unit with the answers.  This is meant for you (parents) to use as a resources when kids need help and when you would like to check their work.  Students should not use the answer keys.  I overheard plans to stash this packet on the bus for future use.  Smart kids!

Social Studies:  Test Monday.  We take the practice test tomorrow and a study guide comes home.

Reading:  25 minutes
Need book suggestions?  Try this website:  http://www.kidsread.com/

Monday, October 5th

Upcoming Events:

Friday 10/9/09
*This is our first Fun Friday! If you would like to wear a hat for HAT DAY, bring a dollar to donate to Make-a-wish. We will serve popcorn at lunch and get geared up for our Fall Festival and Auction in the evening (6:30 - 8:30 pm)

Auction Item:
Movies with Miller will be auction off Friday night. This includes two tickets and snacks to a PG or G movie of choice. Transportation included. I will have two sets of two tickets available. All four kids can go together, or two separate nights. The coupon is good for the 2009-2010 school year.

Homework for Today:
Reading: 25 minutes
Writing: Final draft finished and turned in along with the list of improvements you have made as a writer since the beginning of 5th grade.
Math: Page 33

Anyone interested in chaperoning our Camp trip, please email me and let me know. (millera@ghaps.org) Our dates are Monday, November 16 to Tuesday, November 17th. If you will like to join us for part of the day, that is fine too. If you plan on join us for a meal, please rsvp and send in $5.00 for each meal. Those chaperones who are staying overnight, your cost is $35.00 total.

See you all at the Fall Festival!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

What a rainy, cold day. At least our classroom was a cheerful place to be today. An important note regarding a fundraising opportunity is in your child's homework folder. We are offering the Younkers Coupons to be used shopping on November 14th. They are $5.00 a piece for a $10.00 coupon. Great Deal! Kids get to keep the $5.00 per coupon to use towards camp costs. This is not required, but a choice you and your child can make together. Please return the permission slip so we can hand out coupons tomorrow! Fourteen Coupons are the magic number!

Reading: 25 minutes tonight

Writing: Be ready to begin editing on Thursday, publishing on Friday

Science: Finish today's assignment

Math: pages 31-32

Social Stuides: No assignment

Monday, September 28, 2009

What a blustery day! Makes me glad we were inside. Here are the assignments from today, check your child's planner to see what homework they may have tonight.

Reading: Please read for 25 minutes tonight. Last day for AR tests for September is October 1st.

Math: Pages 29 and 30 Mr. Klanderman helped our class with #3. As always, if your child struggles with tonight's homework, please indicate so in his/her planner. We will work with your child at morning recess.

Writing: Finish timelines for new story or current draft

Science: Finish explanation in science journal

A note is coming home tomorrow regarding a fundraising opportunity to earn money toward Camp. We are offering Community Rewards Coupons for Younkers. They are $5.00 a piece and your child keeps all proceeds as profit. If you sell 14 coupons, your camp is paid for in full. More details tomorrow!

Have a great night.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

I will be out of the classroom both Wednesday and Thursday of this week. Robin Myers is our substitute for both days. If you have any notes, please have your child bring them to Mrs. Myers. I will be coming back to Peach after school both days to check in and prepare for the next day.

Today's Assignments:

Math: Homework and remembering page

Reading: 25 minutes tonight

Writing: A draft needs to be ready to go for tomorrow. I encourage kids with more than 10 minutes of work, should take it home.

Social Studies: Kids took their tests today. We can't give them back until Friday since here are 4 kids who need to still take the test.

Have a great night!

Monday, September 21, 2009

Hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. They weather sure cooperated. Here are today's heads up:



Math: Each student is taking home some story problems written by another student in the class. These need to be completed and returned tomorrow.


Reading: Continue to support your child's reading by reminding them to read his/her 25 minutes.


Writing: We started our drafts of our stories today. They need to be finished by Wednesday.



Social Studies: Test tomorrow! We reviewed together today and took the online test. The web address for the practice test is: www.tutorial.teachtci.com

Volunteering: If you are interested in volunteering weekly or bi-weekly, please email me and let me know your preference for days and times.

September 18

A great finish to another fun week with your kids. I enjoyed meeting many of you last night as well. Here are a couple of things kids can do over the weekend.

Reading: Kids should read 25 minutes over the weekend. We are working so hard to help kids find books they are motivated to read. If you have any suggestions for me to help your child, let me know

Social Studies: To practice for the test at home…

Use the link: http://tutorial.teachtci.com

Students can use their first name only and click on submit.

Select the first chapter: Geography of the United States

Go through the test, we will look at it on Monday as well

Don't forget the Math homework from yesterday is due Monday. (pgs. 21 - 22)

Have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy our beautiful fall weather.

Thursday, September 17

We had a very busy day today. Other than reading for 25 minutes tonight, our homework load is pretty light since many of us will be at the open house. The math pages (p. 21-22) isn't due until Monday. There will be a social studies test on Tuesday with a study guide coming home today or tomorrow. (depending on your homeroom teacher)

Hope to see all of you tonight. If you can't make it, I will send home the information sheet with your child tomorrow.

September 16th Homework

Reading: Kids should be reading a novel they brought home with them today for at least 25 minutes. Our goal is to finish 2 novels this month. Kids have 20 - 30 minutes each day at school to read their books as well as the time at home. It should take the average reader of an average 5th size book about a week to read and finish.

Writer's Workshop: We have spend 6 days generating ideas and writing our stories as they happened. We are working on personal narratives, so these are the stories of our lives. By tomorrow, kids should have 9-10 stories in their notebooks. These stories DO NOT have to be finished, but enough of the story to practice our writing skills and strategies. We are working on stamina and writing fluency.

Math: Kids have a math sheet they may be a little challenging. It is multiplication facts organized similar to a Sudoko puzzle. Mr. K encouraged kids to put time in, but don't let your kids struggle. Just jot a note in the planner that your child worked on it. Mr. K will be available during morning recess to help anyone who needs it.

See you tomorrow night for Open House!