Cat-tail Investigations and Wolf Presentations!

We had another week of good times learning about Life Science!  That pretty much wraps up our unit, and we’ll start learning about Explorers next week.  We will also be doing a little moving around.  Our class will be headed to Mrs. Greshaw’s room to learn more about our solar system in the afternoon.   

The cat-tail investigation was interesting and yes we did try and eat some of this amazing edible plant. The shoots are quite tasty, don’t worry we washed them before we sampled.  Have the kids tell you where to find them on the plant, in case your ever in need of survival you can find some cat-tails! 

Our wolf presenters did an amazing job helping us learn more about this beautiful animal, it’s structural, and behavioral characteristics that help it to survive in the wild. 

I can…    Use sensory details, internal stories, flashbacks, strong leads, and effective conclusions in my personal narratives.

Describe Non Fiction and Fiction Retelling Strategies.

Interpret a fraction as division of the numerator by the denominator.

Identify the causes and consequences of European exploration and colonization.

Invertebrates and Gold Fish Lab!

This past week took a specific look at what type of invertebrates are in our wetland here at school.  We began brainstorming some driving questions for our school wetland.  For example, “Is our wetland healthy, and what biological indicators should we see in our wetland to determine it’s health?  We are planning to collect many different sets of data throughout the year that we can present to the fourth graders at the end of the school year to prep them for continuing what we did this year.  We also had a big dream to present to the Macatawa Watershed Council about what we are doing learning in our little part of the greater watershed.  If you know anyone that I could get in touch with please email or call me when you get a chance.

Gold Fish Lab:  We will observe the breathing gill rates of goldfish in different water temperatures! I will be looking for a few good homes for about 6-10 gold fish.  Let me know if your interested!

I can…    Use strong leads and effective conclusions in my personal narratives.

Describe Non Fiction and Fiction Retelling Strategies.

Compare, add, and subtract decimal numbers into the thousandths place.

Describe animal and plant adaptation of characteristics. 

Life Science in the Pond and our Lake Sturgeon+ Halloween

Friends Goodwill Sailing Trip last week!  What an amazing day!

It’s been another busy week here in 5th grade!  Our lake sturgeon arrived last Friday and is doing great!  We have been testing the water for Ammonia, Nitrate, and PH.  All levels are stabilizing and our fish is eating nicely.  We also have some aquatic friends that we caught in the wetland this week.  We continue to learn about life processes, physical and behavioral characteristics of the organisms we catch. 

Please look for the Halloween pumpkin carving note that will be coming home.   Please read the note carefully.  I will be looking for some supplies to donate for the Halloween party. 

DNR Living Resource Patch Competition.  Michigan celebrates its 40th year of the endangered species act.  They are looking 4, 5 , and 6th graders to design a patch to commemorate.  We of course would love to have a Lake Sturgeon Patch in our honor!  Go Artists Go!  Look for the info sheet to come home.

I can…    Use an flashback and flash forwards in my personal narratives.

Describe Non Fiction and Fiction Retelling Strategies.

Compare, add and subtract decimal numbers to the thousandths.

Describe animal physical and behavioral characteristics and their life processes.

Bike Trip, Native American Museum, and Friends Goodwill

What a great past couple of days!  The kids did a fantastic job presenting their Native American projects to the fourth graders.  It was the first time to showcase our projects out in the wetland area and the afternoon was beautiful.

We also had a gorgeous day for our bike trip and all went well.  Thanks again for all the parent helpers, we couldn’t have done it without you!

Next week Wednesday will be our Tall Ship Cruise on the Friends Goodwill out of South Haven.  Please stay tuned, if the weather looks bad we will postpone the trip.  I will make the call about 24 hours prior so be looking for the we go, or don’t go email to come through. 

I can…

Use an internal story  and flashback beginnings in my personal narratives.

Describe Non Fiction and Fiction Retelling Strategies.

Add and Subtract Fractions with like and unlike least common denominators and ungroup when necessary.

Describe animal physical and behavioral characteristics

Native American Profiler Projects, Bike Trip & Systems and Survival

Coke and Pepsi Challenge was a fun way to introduce Scientific Method for next week!

This coming week our Native American Profiler projects are due on Wednesday.  We are hoping to have our museum day on Thursday afternoon.  Again, we hope to set up in on the wetland trail and have our fourth grade friends come through to view our projects and artifacts from home.  Please remember if the students bring anything from home they are responsible for it, and bringing certain items (i.e. weapon like objects) are prohibited.  A photo of the artifact attached the project would be the best option to ensure the student can still highlight that artifact. 

We will be starting our Life Science (Systems and Survival) unit here shortly and the students will be in the wetland on a daily basis.  I have boots and nets, students are welcome to bring boots of their own, but again they are responsible for them.

BIKE TRIP THIS WEEK FRIDAY!  REMINDER TO MEET AND PICK UP AT HELDER PARK.

I can…

Add and Subtract Fractions with like and unlike least common denominators and ungroup when necessary.

Use an internal story in my personal narratives.

Describe animal systems (circulatory, digestive, skeletal, muscular, nervous)

Upcoming Important Events:

Remember to sign up as a volunteer if you want to attend any of the trips below!

Bike Trip

Sept. 26th

Friends Goodwill Tall Ship Cruise and Museum

Oct. 1st ( DATE CHANGE )  LATE PICKUP 5:15ish

Outdoor Discovery Center

Nov.  13th

                

Welcome Back to School & Native Americans

Welcome back to school everyone!  It has been a great first week.  I am really enjoying getting to know all of my new friends and spending time with my friends from last year.

We are right back in action with our curriculum, working on personal narrative writing, fractions, and reading a story from our reading series about Native Americans.  The kids have been working on their “Me Movie” projects on the iPads.  They were asked to write a short script, act out the scenes, and edit them.  We hope to finish them up and the kids will load them into their google drive accounts so you can see them at home.  Fun stuff!

We will begin next week learning about Native Americans.  The students will be working on an at home Native American Profiler Project.  We will also be planning a field trip to the Outdoor Discovery Center in November where they do a great job bringing native cultures back to life for the kids in their mock village and Native American activities.  Thanks for making sure all the kids are coming to school ready to learn and with such great positive attitudes! 

I can…

Explain Equivalent Fractions.

Describe Narrative Elements

Use sensory details in my personal narratives.

Describe life of Native Americans living in the Americas before European exploration.

Units of Study

Language Arts:

We will be focusing on personal narrative writing for the next few weeks.  We will also be reading  the first few chapters from our History Alive and Build Our Nation texts on Native Americans. 

Math:

Unit 1 Equivalent Fractions

Science:

Life Science—Coming Soon

Social Studies:

Era 1 American Indian Life

Government Studies, Camp Geneva, and Field Day!

Wow, we are getting close to the end here folks.  This week and next we will be finishing up and assessing a quite a bit. I will need to students to do a great job with our substitute while I am at 5th grade camp.  The will be covering important information with the sub!

Our Lighthouse Profiler Projects will be due May 23rd.  Which is Field Day.  We spend the entire day at Camp Geneva next week Thursday, and then enjoy a full Field Day here at Quincy. 

Here are a couple of quick reminders.  Look over the Camp Geneva packet.

Lighthouse Café will be June 5th.  That half day parents are encouraged to come and see all our lighthouses, enjoy some cake and take the projects home.

I can….

4 – C3.0.4 Describe how the powers of the federal government are separated among the branches.

4 – C3.0.5 Give examples of how the system of checks and balances limits the power of the federal government (e.g., presidential veto of legislation, courts declaring a law unconstitutional, congressional approval of judicial appointments).

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.4.G.A.1
Draw points, lines, line segments, rays, angles (right, acute, obtuse), and perpendicular and parallel lines. Identify these in two-dimensional figures.

CSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.7
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic. 

Upcoming Important Events:

May 22nd All Day at Camp Geneva

(5:00-5:30pm pickup from school)

May 27-29 Mr. Braymer at Fifth Grade Camp

June 5th Lighthouse Café 

(12:00-12:45pm pickup from school)

June 6 Last Day of School