Doss Fifth Grade

Please note, I’ve rebuilt the fifth grade blog on wordpress. The new site is dossowls.wordpress.com

Hey everyone! Just a reminder that Murchison choice sheets are due this FRIDAY, December 21st! There will be a choice sheet night for current fifth graders and their parents tonight , January 18th, at Murchison.  They will also host a principal’s coffee to answer questions on Friday, Jan. 21 at 9:00 a.m.

Remember, it’s pretty cut-and-dry whether or not your students can qualify for the Accelerated class. They must fit one of the three requirements we mentioned in our last blog post and on the paperwork that went home Friday. We’re always happy to meet with you, but unfortunately our input isn’t really much of a factor in class making this year. (For the record, if they qualify, you probably want to go ahead and enroll them in the higher-level class. We hear it’s easier to move from Accelerated to Pre-AP than from Pre-AP to Accelerated.)

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On another note, I need some technical assistance because I haven’t had time to dig into this on my own. I’m hoping one of you is an expert and will be able to help save me research time! We’ve taken some amazing video of the kids in Social Studies this year and I’d love some input on how to share that with all of you on the blog. The files are too large to share without getting an expensive Edublogs account, so I’d like to link them to another video-sharing site. You Tube? Any reason not to use You Tube? Is there another user-friendly video-sharing site you know about?  Also, know that we’re taking video both in MP4 and .Mov formats, both HD… Would we need a file converter and, if so, do you recommend a good one?   Thanks for whatever expert advice comes in!

This Friday, Murchison counselors will be visiting with us about classes next year and passing out choice sheets for next year. Even if you applied to another school, Murchison is asking you to fill out a choice sheet. Choice sheets are due to Murchison on January 21^st (very early this year!).

 We found out today that there is a BIG CHANGE this year! There will be only 2 levels of classes this year, Pre-Ap and Accelerated. Most students will be in Pre-AP with a handful in Accelerated. To qualify for an Accelerated class, you must:

•  Have a 94 or higher average in that particular class during the 1^st semester or 2^nd semester of 5th grade. (In June, you can call Murchison and change your schedule if you didn’t make it the first semester. For now, sign up for Pre-AP.)
• Commended on the TAKS in Reading, Math, or Science (Writing doesn’t count.)
• GT in the subject area of the class you want to take

 Because there are only two classes now, and the requirements for the Accelerated class is pretty clear, we will not be sending home teacher recommendations this year. Please contact Murchison if you have any questions, because we’re not involved in the decision-making process this year.

Also, Murchison holds a choice sheet night that your family can attend. Due to the revised budget timelines, they are moving their choice sheet night up. Choice sheet night for current fifth graders and their parents will be Tuesday, January 18th. They will also host a principal’s coffee to answer questions on Friday, Jan. 21 at 9:00 a.m.

We’ve had lice reported again in the last week. Please check your kids heads tonight and encourage them to refrain from sharing hats for a while. Thanks!

Hello! We wanted to send a quick note to thank all of the wonderful parents who bought us books from the book fair! Thank you for helping us build our classroom libraries (and giving us something great to read, also!)

We have a couple things on the calendar we want to make sure you know about:

Tomorrow, 12/2 MAGNET VISIT 1-2pm, Library

Ann Richards, Kealing, and Fulmore Magnet Schools will be here to inform the students about their options for middle school. Students will receive a short presentation and information about applying to each school. Interested parents are invited to attend.

FRIDAY, 12/3 PEP TALK    8-9:00 a.m.   Cafeteria

Come to this event and learn all about the safe and necessary ways of getting your children properly “plugged in” to technology.

NEXT FRIDAY, 12/10 PARENT PRINCIPAL COFFEE  8-9:00 a.m. Cafeteria

This PPC, Mrs. Raven will present her Volunteer Training mandated by the district for anyone who plans to volunteer inside a classroom without a teacher present.  If you plan to cover your child’s class for the Staff Appreciation Luncheon, and you did not go through this Volunteer Training last year, (or even if you did!) make plans to come to this PPC and learn everything you ever wanted or needed to know about classroom procedures!

We were all extremely impressed by the fifth grader’s performance in the musical this year. We’ve got some fabulous singers and funny, talented actors. Kudos to them and all of the parents who put in so much time to make the show a success!

In addition to the musical, there’s quite a bit going on in fifth grade. Our student teachers, Ms. Wendt and Ms. Floyd, are at the end of their “total teach” time and will be saying goodbye to all of us on Tuesday. They will be missed!

Students are busy building roller coasters, touring Colonial Williamsburg, and “dressing” turkeys these days! Sound strange? Read on to find out what your students have been learning.

Academic Update:

Math- We are working on greatest common factor, least common multiples, prime factoring and getting ready to start multi-digit multiplication. We are also continuing to work on problem solving involving all of the above concepts as well as critical thinking.

Science- We have been working on our energy unit and will be culminating with our science test on this unit Friday Nov. 12th. The final class activity will be for the children to construct a “roller coaster” with foam tubes that meets certain criteria and that their car does not careen off the track (amusement parks folks frown on that). We will then spend a few days dealing with lenses before moving into earth sciences.

Your child’s hypothesis was due to your student’s science teacher on November 17th. They were given a form in class to complete and get a parent signature on so that we know that you know what their plan is for this years science project. In fifth grade all students must do an experiment; however, they may choose whether or not to enter it into the science fair. The research part of the project is due no later than December 15th and final projects are due Jan 19th. Packets of information and a how-to guide went home with your student on Oct..21st and should be living in their according folder if you have not seen it yet.

Language Arts- Students finished publishing their personal narrative memoirs and we  moved onto a new writing assignment next week- Turkey Stories! Students “dressed” a turkey and placed him or her in a setting of their choice. They’re writing creative stories about these fashionable turkeys. We’re finished with The Sign of the Beaver and students are relived that Matt’s family did come back to find him. As we read the last half of the book, students explored characterization, worked on supporting their thoughts with text examples, and practiced determining point of view. We’ll be working on specific reading objectives with short stories until the winter break. We’ve loved reading and responding to their book letters this semester. Their last letter of 2010 is due Friday, December 10.

Social Studies- Fifth graders learned learned about the original colonies and what life was like inside one in particular, colonial Williamsburg. Our classroom was transformed into the historic colony and students took a  “walking tour” to learn about the daily life of colonists. Next, we learn about the growing tensions between the colonists and Britain prior to the Revolutionary War, such as the Stamp Act, the Boston Tea Party, and the Intolerable Acts.  In an experiential exercise, the students became colonists themselves, being “taxed” for certain goods they need.  Some lucky student got to be King George, the British Parliament, or a tax collector; the rest probably came home angry. They then will learn about important Loyalists and Patriots by preparing for a panel debate.

As tensions between these groups  increase, students will examine artifacts on Thomas Jefferson’s “desk” to learn about the Declaration of Independence and the events that led up to it.  They will then paraphrase key excerpts from the document in their own words.  For each excerpt, the students will create short skits that capture the important idea of that concept.

Next: The Revolution is upon us! Students will learn how the American colonies defeated Britain in the Revolutionary War and will compare the events to a game of tug-of-war that they’ll play outside. (Some of them will come home really frustrated after this one!) Students will read to complete notes on the subject.

Thanks for taking the time to read these and for creating opportunities for your students to make connections to what they’ve learned at school.

We hope you have a wonderful, relaxing holiday!   ~The Fifth Grade Team

Important Information/ Dates:

The Parent Principal Coffee tomorrow will be with Mrs. Cartright, the principal from Murchison. Fifth grade parents are highly encouraged to attend. The meeting will be from 8-9 in the cafeteria.

Next Thursday is the book fair, but we really encourage you to go on Monday evening (5-7) if you can. This way, you’ll have first dibs at all of the great books before they’re gone.

The choir musical is next Tuesday! Woohoo!

We’ll be visiting Murchison (students only) on Mon., Nov. 22 during school.

The Magnet (Kealing, Ann Richards, Fulmore) schools will visit (for parents and kids) on Dec. 2nd from 1 -2.

Topher, the Children’s Outreach Coordinator from Book People, stopped by today and got us excited about our book fair next week. Below is a list of books he read today.

Next Monday, the library is hosting a book fair pajama party from 5-7pm. Come be the first to browse books in the comfort of your PJ’s! The book fair will continue Tuesdsay-Friday. (Fifth graders are scheduled for Thursday afternoon!)

Topher’s Book Suggestions:

The Strange Case of the Origami Yoda by Tour Angleberger
Vordak the Incomprehensible, by Vordak
Scumble, by Ingrid Law
Nerds 2, by Michael Buckley
The Candymakers, by Wendy Mass
The Lost Hero, by Rick Riordan
The Search for Wondla, by Tony Di Terlizzi
The Witches’ Kitchen, by Allen Williams
The Secrets of the Cheese Syndicate, by Donna St. Cyr
Nathaniel Fludd Beastologist Series 1-3, by R.L. LaFevers

2010-11-10

At the 2010 Texas Book Fesival, the 2011-2012 Texas Bluebonnet Award Nominees were announced! There are some great books on this year’s list. At the request of some voracious readers in my Block A class, here it is:

• Hopkins, L. B. Amazing Faces. 6-10

• Angleberger, T. Strange Case Of Origami Yoda. 8-12

• Barnett, M. Case Of The Case Of Mistaken Identity. 8-12

• Bildner, P. Hallelujah Flight. 5-8

• Butler, D. Buddy Files: The Case Of The Lost Boy. 6-8

• Carris, J. Wild Times At The Bed & Biscuit. 6-10

• Catanese, P. Happenstance Found. 8-12

• De Seve, R. Duchess Of Whimsy. 3-5

• Draper, S. Out Of My Mind. 10-14

• Fleming, C. Imogene’s Last Stand. 4-8

• Holm, J. Turtle In Paradise. 8-12

• Javaherbin, M. Goal! 6-8

• Kerley, B. Extraordinary Mark Twain (According To Susy). 7-11

• Lewin, T. Balarama. 6-11

• McDonough, Y. Louisa. 6-10

• McGowan, K. Witch’s Guide To Cooking With Children. 9-12

• Nelson, S. Black Elk’s Vision. 8-12

• Phelan, M. Storm In The Barn. 10-14

• Singer, M. Mirror Mirror. 7-12

• West, J. Shadows. 9-11

Maybe some of these will be at the Doss Book Fair in a little over a week! We’re so excited to see our library transform into an Enchanted Forest next week! Thanks to Mrs. Willis, Mrs. Lang, and all of the parents working on this- we know it’s a huge job!

FYI: A few cases of head lice have been reported in fifth grade. Just be aware and check your child tonight, please. Thanks!

(Is your head a little itchy now? Mine is!)