It is interim time but Power Schools is not up and running yet to put in grades.  So....I will work on a "grade list" this weekend, so you can see all the grades I've collected.  I will try to send it home on Monday.
We started decimal place value up to thousandths today in math.  Just being able to recognize it, and draw it.  (You can ask your child how much Mrs. Perrott spit today trying to say "ths".)
 In reading we took the grizzly bear quiz and worked on science research reading.  We also spent some time peer reviewing narratives using the rubric.  Drafts are due tomorrow.
In science we went over the 3 aquatic biomes.  We should start the flip book project tomorrow.  We will also start Book Buddies with 1st grade.     Homework is due tomorrow.

Wednesday:
The math test took FOREVER!!!! But they did awesome.  Everyone passed the multiplication section!
We did not get to the Grizzly Bear quiz today.  We will do that tomorrow.
WORDS: abundant, aggressive, carcass, dominance, subservience, territory, tundra, wariness, caribou, wilderness.
Several lessons in time management happened today.  Ask if your child had to finish his/her menu during lunch or recess.....
Science we took a brain break and watched Jeff Corwin and the Amazon river.  He is funny and does a great job of bringing ecosystems to "life" for the kids.

Tuesday for real...

Today we took a practice test for the UNIT test tomorrow in Math.  Your child has brought the practice test home to study.  They can cross out one night of the Daily math homework so they can study tonight.
Menu's will be due tomorrow!  This will be a great shock to those who have chosen to read to self every day, for multiple rotations - A little lesson in time management.   We will take our inferencing assessment based on the Grizzly bear story. In Science we researched Deciduous Forests (Temperate) and Deserts.
I would like a nice rough draft of the narrative by Friday.

Tuesday rewind

So, It looks like I've neglected my posts...
On Monday we continued to practice with division in math, and threw in a few multiplication problems too.We will have our first big math UNIT  TEST on Wednesday (tomorrow).  We have been working hard on our menu's for our daily 5.  I hope to collect these on Wednesday as well.  We will have our Grizzly Bear Family quiz on Wednesday which consists of vocabulary and inference questions.  In science we have started our Biome Flip book research.  We have researched Rain Forest, Tiaga, and Tundra.

Happy Thursday.  In Math we continued to practice division.
We talked about remainders....

• when you would round up (how many buses do you need? Can't leave a kid behind), 
• when you would round down (ribbon for wrapping a present -leftovers can't be used), 
• when you would use a decimal (money and measurement), 
• when you would make the remainder a fraction (pizza), 
• and when the answer is just the remainder (how much is left over?)

We will spend an extra day on division tomorrow.  The math test will be pushed back to Wednesday.
In ELA I meet with half of the class in small groups and we started working in the guided reading books.  I will meet with the other half of the class tomorrow. Kids continued working on their Bears Menu.
In science we took notes on convection, conduction and radiation.  We also started our Biomes research project by watching some videos about the rain forest.

Today we took a math "quick" check on division.  This was done for my benefit, so I can see what I need to re-teach, or modify.  In reading we used the first rotation to finish the quick check in math, but got two rotations in.  Everyone should have read the Grizzly Bear Family story by now.  We worked on inferring/generalizing again.  Infer = background knowledge + text.   In science we took a vocabulary (fill in the blank) quiz.
Wednesday folders did go home -amazingly on a Wednesday :)  Homework grades could be a plus, check-plus or a check.

Today in Math we continued working on two digit divisor division..  In reading we got one more internet presentation finished (one more to go), and really got to work on those reading menus.  Ask your student if they have read the Grizzly Bear Family Book yet.  If not, I will have a read aloud group tomorrow.
In science we reviewed vocabulary for a Science QUIZ tomorrow!

Happy Monday!
New homework is posted under the homework tab.
In math we modeled two digit division using base ten blocks (whew!).  We also showed the rectangle sections method of division.  We will continue our work with division all week.
In Reading we did two more of our internet presentations, and then accomplished our first two rotations using our "Bears" menu.  It will take us about two weeks to finish everything on the menu.
We continued to read Wonder, and August has agreed to go to public school.
In science we talked in detail about our animals in the eco-column. (Mosquito fish, snails, crickets and isopods).  We also watched two video's about symbiosis.

Friday :)
Today in math we introduced two digit divisors.  We only estimated the answers.  Monday we will do that for real!  1234/23!  In reading I let the kids have circulation time in the library and we presented two of our internet projects. In science we worked on observing our eco-column and drawing food webs and food chains.

Thursday's Wednesday folders.

I forgot to send home Wednesday Folders yesterday, so they are coming home today.  There are two math assessments and MClass testing results in the folder.  If you child made a 1 or 2, please review the information and correct the test.  Sign it, and return it tomorrow.  If they made a 3 or 4, keep it at home.
On the MClass results, the top number is the number your student scored, the bottom number is where they should be at the beginning of 5th grade.
Please return the blue folder, emptied, tomorrow.
DON'T FORGET TO TURN IN HOMEWORK FRIDAY!!!!!!!! Both the math page and the article (what in the world).

Today in math we took a day to review division and the Area model.  Regular long division is NOT a part of 5th grade, but I am encouraging those who know it, to use it.  The Area model is long division but it does it via place value.
In reading we are almost done with our internet projects.  I hope to start presenting Friday.  We did a mini lesson for writing, and character development.  We started drafting memoirs!  So exciting!
In science we focused on Food Web's and Food chains - the decomposers, producers and consumers in both, and what happens if the chain is disrupted.   We had a great discussion on renewable energies and saving the ozone layer (it was a complete tangent, but it was great!)

If you are interested in being our class parent, please let me know.  cperrott@wcpss.net

Well, I forgot to update yesterday.
So...Tuesday in Math we practiced the Standard way to Multiply multi-digit numbers.  Today we introduced dividing large numbers using the Array model.
Yesterday and today, during reading block, we focused on completing our internet research and creating our posters.  We had mini-lessons on pre-writing for our narratives and having creative "hooks" to capture our readers attention.  We had mini lessons on inferring yesterday and today.
In science we are still working on our eco-columns.  I hope to add the "critters" today.

test email

I have sent out a test email.  If you got it, please respond so I know I typed everything right.  If not, please email me at cperrott@wcpss.net
Thanks!

Fast day

This day just flies by....it seems we get going, then it is time to go.  In math we practiced using the standard algorithm for multiplication.  In writing we continued to talk about writing about a moment in our lives, and how to add sensory details to our writing.  We started our internet research web quest, which will teach about online etiquette and safety.  In science we continued our study of ecosystems.  Vocabulary we covered: producer, consumer, food web, biome, biotic, abiotic.
In specials we got another 9, and we got two compliments in the hallway!
 

No Fuss fundraising

Bring in those Box Tops!
First Spirit day/night is July 24th...Wacky Tacky!  Then eat at the WF PDQ or the Falls of Neuse PDQ.

Sign up for the PTA newsletter: brassfieldptanews@gmail.com

I'm finally getting to Friday's post....Today we watched a video of the book Enemy Pie.  Again we are focusing on how word choices increases our "visualization" of the book.  We had a Rotation of Read to Self, and a rotation of choice - word work or work on writing.  All the while, I worked on Mclass testing.
In Math we started connecting how the standard algorithm and the rectangle sections methods are alike.
In science we watched a video the worlds Biomes (rain forest, desert, taiga, tundra, temperate forest, grasslands, ocean, fresh water).  We got into a "tangent" discussion on how our earth gets seasons?  And How the poles can have 24 hours of light or darkness?  It was a great discussion with many ideas and questions.  I need to remember to reinforce hand-raising for speaking aloud in class, because 24 questions at the same time was a bit much.
We got a 9 in specials again.  Let's shoot for strait 10's this week.

Can this week be almost over???? I am having too much for for it to end.
In math we worked with rectangle sections for multiplying and briefly talked about expanded notation for multiplying.  Don't worry parents...standard algorithm is coming next week (that is multiplying like you and I learned so long ago.....)   We also took a quick "check" on the math lessons from day 2 and 3.  That will come home in next week's Wednesday folder.
I started the MClass testing for fluency today.  I thought  I was going to get to 8 students, but only had time for 4.  So it will be 2 weeks before I can send home those results.  Today the kids watched another Patricia Polacco book called My Rotten Red Headed older Brother focusing on the word choices in the book.
We also had a writing mini lesson.  We filled out a chart for our narrative essay.  And we also added to our genre chart with Scientific Fiction and Realistic Fiction.
In science we build the terrarium for our eco-column.  Whew...too much fun for one day.

I can't believe that I get to teach such an awesome class. Wednesday, we earned a 9 in PE and everyone earned a "clip up" for great behavior in lunch.   We started learning about different types of literature genres.   We discussed Traditional Literature (folk tales), Fantasy, and Poetry.  We talked about interesting words and phrases and how they enhance our "vision" when we read.  We read Thank you, Mr. Falker; you can see that video on Youtube if you like.  In math we talked about the power of a 10, and how that makes 600x50 easier (just do 5x6 =60 then add the 3 zeros for 60,000).  In science we started our investigation of ecosystems.
Don't forget Thursday night is open house!  See you at 5:30.

We had a great first day!  We earned a 10 in specials :)!  We got a great compliment at lunch and almost everyone got to "clip up".
We learned about the CAFE board reading strategies.  We learned about the 8 standards of learning in Mathematics.  We also learned a lot of Ecosystem Vocabulary!
I am so impressed by these young minds.  I can't wait to see what the year has in store for us!

Parents, two forms came home today to sign.  More about those under the Homework tab.  Also parents, make sure to look under the Homework tab, because YOU have a homework assignment.

Open House

I look forward to seeing everyone on 
July 9th:  5:30-6:00 in the multi-purpose room
6:00-7:00 - Floating to meet all the teachers