Friday, January 31st

Writing - Today began publishing our fiction stories, we will continue this next week.

Reading - Homework:  Finish your Small Group Reading assignment and Free Reading (25 Minutes).

Math - Today we began learning about subtracting mixed numbers and how to regroup a mixed number if needed.  Homework: StudyLink 8.3 and HomeLink #23

Science - Today we continued investigating our weather project topic, we will continue this through next week.

Thursday, January 30th

Writing - Today we continued revising our fiction drafts by adding details about the setting.  We will begin publishing tomorrow.

Reading - Homework:  Free Reading (25 Minutes).

Math - Today we completed a Power Standard check, even though we didn't make our goal for simplifying fractions we showed growth as a class.  NO Homework.

Science - Today we welcomed KCCI Meteorologist Metinka Slater into our classroom and we got a chance to ask questions and discuss weather.  Homework: Discuss our guest speaker with your parents then watch a weather forecast tonight.

Wednesday, January 29th

Writing - Late-Start Schedule: No Writing.

Reading - Homework:  Free Reading (25 Minutes).

Math - Today we continued practicing adding mixed numbers, tomorrow we we begin learning how to subtract mixed numbers.  Homework: StudyLink 8.2 and HomeLink #22

Science - Today we took a break from our weather project and watched a video about the water cycle in preparation for a guest speaker that will be visiting our classroom on Monday.  We are also looking forward to visiting with Metinka Slater tomorrow about meteorology and weather.

Friday, January 24th

Writing - Iowa Assessments: No Writing.

Reading - Homework:  Free Reading (25 Minutes).

Math - Iowa Assessments: No Homework.

Science - Today we finished combining our weather knowledge into a class web tomorrow and we chose a focus for each student to investigate.  Homework:  Think about questions related to weather.

Thursday, January 23rd

Writing - Late Start Schedule: No Writing.

Reading - Homework:  Free Reading (25 Minutes).

Math - Iowa Assessments: No Homework.

Science - Our guest speaker, Metinka Slater, was not able to come today, but hopefully will be able to next week; we will save our questions until then.  Today we finished combining our weather knowledge with other small groups, we will continue extending it into a class web tomorrow and choose a focus for each student to investigate.  Homework:  Think about questions related to weather.

Wednesday, January 22nd

Writing - Late Start Schedule: No Writing.

Reading - Homework:  Free Reading (25 Minutes).

Math - Today we continued reviewing fractions by adding & subtracting fractions without common denominators as well as multiplying and dividing fractions.

Science - Today we generated questions for KCCI Meteorologist Metinka Slater to answer when she comes in to visit with our class tomorrow.   Then we began combining our weather knowledge with other small groups, we will continue this and extend it into a class web tomorrow.  Homework:  Think about questions related to weather.

Tuesday, January 21st

Writing - Today we identified parts of our fiction draft where we could add actions and thoughts/speech by the characters, we will continue working on our drafts on Thursday.

Reading - Today we started learning about events that shaped America, specifically Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery.  Homework:  Practice Companion pages 2 & 4 and Free Reading (25 Minutes).

Math - Today we split up the 5th grade classes into differentiated groups and focused on reviewing or extending our division skills.  We will continue reviewing fractions tomorrow using the Fraction Review Packet.

Science - Today we shared some of the representations of our weather memories and we began sorting this knowledge into groups & categories.  Homework:  Think about questions related to weather.

Friday, January 17th

Writing - Today we used some used some Writing time to continue sharing our Inquiry Presentations, we will continue working with our fiction drafts next week.

Reading - Today we finished presenting our Inquiry Presentations and we completed the Quarterly Benchmark Assessment for LEAD21.  Homework:  Free Reading (25 Minutes)

Math - Today took some time to review fractions before we spiral back to it in our next Math chapter.  Homework:  Complete Comparing Fractions, Reducing Fractions, and Adding Fractions (Page 1) in the Fraction Packet.

Science - Today we shared some of the representations of our weather memories and we began exploring what we know about weather, we will sort this knowledge into groups & categories next week.  Homework:  Thinking about questions related to weather.

Thursday, January 16th

Writing - Today we continued reading The Watsons Go To Birmingham--1963 and wrote a diary entry as a character in the book, focusing on detailing events and their thoughts & feelings.

Reading - Today we finished creating our inquiry presentations and began sharing them with the class, we will finish presenting tomorrow.  Homework:  Finish the Watsons Diary Entry and Free Reading (25 Minutes)

Math - Today we continued learning about adding and subtracting integers but we used a calculator to find the answer.  Homework:  Complete page 9 in the "green" Problem Solving Homework.

Science - To find some common ground for our project we created representations of our weather memory, we will continue working with and sharing these tomorrow.  Homework:  Start thinking about questions and information related to weather.

Wednesday, January 15th

Writing - Late-Start Schedule: NO WRITING

Reading - Free Reading (25 Minutes)

Math - Today we continued learning about adding and subtracting integers by using a slide ruler to visualize the movement along the number line.  Homework:  Complete page 8 in the "green" Problem Solving Homework.

Science - Today we complete the Rocks & Minerals Assessment.  Then we discussed our new Science project.  Homework:  Come to class tomorrow with a personal memory of something related to weather; you can bring a photo, drawing, a written note, or just a memory in your head.

Tuesday, January 14th

Writing - Today before helping our 2nd Grade Buddies revise their latest writing, we chose a fiction draft to publish over the next few weeks. 

Reading - Finish your Watsons Character Diary Entry and Free Reading (25 Minutes)

Math - Today we continued learning about adding and subtracting integers, we will continue our lesson and agenda tomorrow: NO HOMEWORK.

Science - Today we played Rocks & Minerals Jeopardy! to help us review for our test tomorrow.  Students should complete and study the Study Guide (Thanks to Jalissa!).

Monday, January 13th

Writing - Today we mapped out the character, plot, and setting for our fiction stories. 

Reading - P.C. pages 355, and Free Reading (25 Minutes)

Math - HomeLink #21

Science - Today we talked about the Rock Cycle and that rocks are continually changing from one type to another through different process.  We also started reviewing for the test on Wednesday.  Homework:  Complete THREE Big Idea Review problems from textbook page 119.

Friday, January 10th

Writing - Finish Letter #2 for Watsons (things that interested you and connections). 

Reading - P.C. pages 345 & 348-349, and Free Reading (25 Minutes)

Math - HomeLink #20 (Prime & Composite Numbers)

Science - Today we finished learning about the types of rock (Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic) and how they were formed, which took longer that I planned.  We will talk about the Rock Cycle on Monday.  Homework:  Complete the Six-Box Review over Rocks and Minerals

Thursday, January 9th

Writing - Finish your "Character" Letter for Watsons (Choose two characters from the story and write about them). 

Reading - P.C. pages 342 & 344, and Free Reading (25 Minutes)

Math - Power Standard Check: NO HOMEWORK

Science - Today we continued learning about the types of rock (Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic) and how they were formed, we will talk about the Rock Cycle tomorrow.