Parents:
Just a reminder that we will be having our Citizenship Celebration on Wednesday of this week. The students' voted for the following movies: Elf, The Lion King, Alvin and the Chipmunks, and A Christmas Story. There will be one movie playing in each classroom and the students may choose which room they want to go to. Hot chocolate will be served (if they returned their permission slip). Also, they may bring a small stuffed animal and wear their PJ's if they'd like.
Picture
Asheville, North Carolina
Saturday, December 17, 2011
5B News for the Week of 12/19
Hello Parents:
It's the countdown to Winter Break! I can't believe how the time has passed so quickly. I hope that you all have time to relax and enjoy time with your families.
***Spelling tests will be given on Thursday this week, due to the shortened week.
Here's a snapshot of what to expect this week in 5B...
Reading- Alliteration will be introduced on Monday this week. We will be using the book, Anamalia for this project. The students will be creating an alliteration project that they will continue to work on throughout the week.
Flex- Due to the shortened week, we will only be flexing on Tuesday. We will finish up a reading activity that was started this past week and then participate in a fun activity that correlates to the reading.
Writing- Marketing projects will be presented on Monday. They look great! The students have been working diligently to find the best way to promote their products. I've seen some very creative ideas! After that, the students will be starting their A-Z books. This activity will be ongoing for a few weeks.
Math Accel.- There will be a short quiz on Tuesday that will cover lessons 5.1-5.4. We are currently working on lesson 5.6, and will come close to finishing Unit 5 by week's end. The Unit 5 test will be the week we return from Winter Break, most likely on Thursday of that week. The Unit 5 study guide will go home later this week, so that the students can work on it over break.
Science- Our study of magnetism will soon be coming to an end. The magnetism test will be on Tuesday of this week. We will review for the test on Monday. The students will be allowed to use their notes for the test. We will then begin electricity.
Have a wonderful week!
~Mrs. Bennick
It's the countdown to Winter Break! I can't believe how the time has passed so quickly. I hope that you all have time to relax and enjoy time with your families.
***Spelling tests will be given on Thursday this week, due to the shortened week.
Here's a snapshot of what to expect this week in 5B...
Reading- Alliteration will be introduced on Monday this week. We will be using the book, Anamalia for this project. The students will be creating an alliteration project that they will continue to work on throughout the week.
Flex- Due to the shortened week, we will only be flexing on Tuesday. We will finish up a reading activity that was started this past week and then participate in a fun activity that correlates to the reading.
Writing- Marketing projects will be presented on Monday. They look great! The students have been working diligently to find the best way to promote their products. I've seen some very creative ideas! After that, the students will be starting their A-Z books. This activity will be ongoing for a few weeks.
Math Accel.- There will be a short quiz on Tuesday that will cover lessons 5.1-5.4. We are currently working on lesson 5.6, and will come close to finishing Unit 5 by week's end. The Unit 5 test will be the week we return from Winter Break, most likely on Thursday of that week. The Unit 5 study guide will go home later this week, so that the students can work on it over break.
Science- Our study of magnetism will soon be coming to an end. The magnetism test will be on Tuesday of this week. We will review for the test on Monday. The students will be allowed to use their notes for the test. We will then begin electricity.
Have a wonderful week!
~Mrs. Bennick
Saturday, December 10, 2011
5B News for the Week of 12/12
Hello Parents,
Here is what we'll be doing in 5B the week of 12/12.
Reading- In reading this week, our focus skills will be the author's purpose for writing, the author's controlling idea, and discussing what the author wants his audience to learn. We will be utilizing a variety of books to answer these questions.
Flex.- There will be some movement with students in flex. groups starting Monday this week. Those students who will be moved to a new flex. group have been notified. There were a total of six students moved. During flex. this week we will discuss and examine illustrations in picture books and how they add to the story. Various multicultural books will be used.
Writing- All groups have presented their picture book mix-ups. They were incredibly creative and enjoyable to listen to! Great job by all! Our new creative writing activity will involve marketing a specific product to sell. We viewed some pretty funny old commercials and discussed the many ways to market a product and how to sell an item. We also discussed needs and wants and whether our products are a need or want. This upcoming week, the students will continue to develop these projects. They will be due at the end of the week.
Math Accel.- The students completed the Unit 4 test on Friday. It was a lengthy test and it took many of the students one and a half class periods to finish. They will be graded and returned on Monday. We have started Unit 5 already which will focus on geometry.
Science- We finished our research on atoms and the periodic table. This next week we will be discussing magnetism and will be completing some experiments with magnets. After magnetism, we will move into electricity.
I hope that you enjoy the rest of your weekend. Have a wonderful week. Please email me with any questions.
~Mrs. Bennick
Here is what we'll be doing in 5B the week of 12/12.
Reading- In reading this week, our focus skills will be the author's purpose for writing, the author's controlling idea, and discussing what the author wants his audience to learn. We will be utilizing a variety of books to answer these questions.
Flex.- There will be some movement with students in flex. groups starting Monday this week. Those students who will be moved to a new flex. group have been notified. There were a total of six students moved. During flex. this week we will discuss and examine illustrations in picture books and how they add to the story. Various multicultural books will be used.
Writing- All groups have presented their picture book mix-ups. They were incredibly creative and enjoyable to listen to! Great job by all! Our new creative writing activity will involve marketing a specific product to sell. We viewed some pretty funny old commercials and discussed the many ways to market a product and how to sell an item. We also discussed needs and wants and whether our products are a need or want. This upcoming week, the students will continue to develop these projects. They will be due at the end of the week.
Math Accel.- The students completed the Unit 4 test on Friday. It was a lengthy test and it took many of the students one and a half class periods to finish. They will be graded and returned on Monday. We have started Unit 5 already which will focus on geometry.
Science- We finished our research on atoms and the periodic table. This next week we will be discussing magnetism and will be completing some experiments with magnets. After magnetism, we will move into electricity.
I hope that you enjoy the rest of your weekend. Have a wonderful week. Please email me with any questions.
~Mrs. Bennick
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Non-fiction Book Reports Due after Winter Break
Parents:
On Monday, the students will be assigned their second book report for this quarter. The genre will be non-fiction. The due date for this book report will be Tuesday, January 10th. The students will present these reports to the class on January 10th and 11th.
On Monday, the students will be assigned their second book report for this quarter. The genre will be non-fiction. The due date for this book report will be Tuesday, January 10th. The students will present these reports to the class on January 10th and 11th.
5B News for the week of 12/05
Here we are in December already! We have a lot of activities to complete in these next few weeks. Time is going to fly by!
Here's what's happening in 5B this week:
Reading-We will be starting the week with an extended response writing activity about the main character in the story, Iditarod Dream. The students will answer the question, What does the author want you to learn from Dusty's success? The students will utilize the extended response graphic organizer to guide them through this assignment. Midweek, we will be reading some TFK issues and working on our reading skills for the week which will include connecting and clarifying main ideas and relating those main ideas to other sources and topics.
Flex-During flex., the students will be introduced to a book entitled, Enigma. This is an interesting book which will have the students searching for clues! We will continue to work on vocabulary development and word analysis skills.
Writing-The first couple of days this week, we will be finishing up our picture book mix-ups. Following this, the students will begin a collaborative writing activity discussing needs and wants. They will be using a variety of resources and will present a marketing campaign to an audience about a specific need or want.
Math Accel.-The students in my math accel. class will be finishing up Unit 4 early this week. Unit 4 study guides went home on Friday. The Unit 4 test will be this Thursday.
Science-The students have been studying atoms, protons, neutrons & electrons in science. We visited a great website, http://www.chemicool.com/, to study the periodic table. On Monday, the students will finish their atom diagrams and on Tuesday we will begin studying magnets.
Wishing you a wonderful week! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
~Mrs. Bennick
Here's what's happening in 5B this week:
Reading-We will be starting the week with an extended response writing activity about the main character in the story, Iditarod Dream. The students will answer the question, What does the author want you to learn from Dusty's success? The students will utilize the extended response graphic organizer to guide them through this assignment. Midweek, we will be reading some TFK issues and working on our reading skills for the week which will include connecting and clarifying main ideas and relating those main ideas to other sources and topics.
Flex-During flex., the students will be introduced to a book entitled, Enigma. This is an interesting book which will have the students searching for clues! We will continue to work on vocabulary development and word analysis skills.
Writing-The first couple of days this week, we will be finishing up our picture book mix-ups. Following this, the students will begin a collaborative writing activity discussing needs and wants. They will be using a variety of resources and will present a marketing campaign to an audience about a specific need or want.
Math Accel.-The students in my math accel. class will be finishing up Unit 4 early this week. Unit 4 study guides went home on Friday. The Unit 4 test will be this Thursday.
Science-The students have been studying atoms, protons, neutrons & electrons in science. We visited a great website, http://www.chemicool.com/, to study the periodic table. On Monday, the students will finish their atom diagrams and on Tuesday we will begin studying magnets.
Wishing you a wonderful week! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
~Mrs. Bennick
Saturday, November 19, 2011
5B News for the Week of 11/28
Hello Parents:
I hope that you all had the opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends this Thanksgiving break. Looks like there's a chance of snow this week. With the temps dropping, please make sure that your child wears a warm jacket, hat & gloves to school.
I have highlighted what we will be doing in 5B this week:
Reading-We will be reading a Time For Kids magazine issue this week in reading. Our focus will be on reading for understanding and vocabulary development. We will be using a couple of graphic organizers with this lesson. After Thanksgiving break, we will be reading the story, Iditarod Dream, from our anthology. We will focus on character analysis, sequencing events and drawing conclusions.
Flex.- There will be no flex. this week, due to the short week. However, during flex. next week, our focus will be on the same skills that we are working on during reading. However, a different book/character will be discussed. We will also focus on some vocabulary activites that will help us to better understand the story.
Writing-Guess Who's Coming to Dinner essays will be read on Tuesday this week during our writing time. The students have worked diligently on these essays and visuals. They should be excellent. Following Thanksgiving break, the students will be creating picture book mix-ups. The students will take two different picture books and mix them up to make a new story. We will work in partners. Creative writing at its best!
Math Accel.-We are moving along in Unit 4. Presently, we are on lesson 4.4. The students will have a short quiz during the week following Thanksgiving break.
Social Studies-We have discussed the Puritans, Pilgrims, the Thirteen Colonies, and their economies. We will have an open book test on Tuesday this week which will cover these topics. The students will finish the open book test on Monday this week as we ran out of time last week.
Science-Following Thanksgiving break, we will be switching back over to science. Our next topic in science will be atoms. This will lead into magnetism and electricity.
As always, if you have any questions, please contact me.
~Mrs. Bennick
I hope that you all had the opportunity to enjoy time with family and friends this Thanksgiving break. Looks like there's a chance of snow this week. With the temps dropping, please make sure that your child wears a warm jacket, hat & gloves to school.
I have highlighted what we will be doing in 5B this week:
Reading-We will be reading a Time For Kids magazine issue this week in reading. Our focus will be on reading for understanding and vocabulary development. We will be using a couple of graphic organizers with this lesson. After Thanksgiving break, we will be reading the story, Iditarod Dream, from our anthology. We will focus on character analysis, sequencing events and drawing conclusions.
Flex.- There will be no flex. this week, due to the short week. However, during flex. next week, our focus will be on the same skills that we are working on during reading. However, a different book/character will be discussed. We will also focus on some vocabulary activites that will help us to better understand the story.
Writing-Guess Who's Coming to Dinner essays will be read on Tuesday this week during our writing time. The students have worked diligently on these essays and visuals. They should be excellent. Following Thanksgiving break, the students will be creating picture book mix-ups. The students will take two different picture books and mix them up to make a new story. We will work in partners. Creative writing at its best!
Math Accel.-We are moving along in Unit 4. Presently, we are on lesson 4.4. The students will have a short quiz during the week following Thanksgiving break.
Social Studies-We have discussed the Puritans, Pilgrims, the Thirteen Colonies, and their economies. We will have an open book test on Tuesday this week which will cover these topics. The students will finish the open book test on Monday this week as we ran out of time last week.
Science-Following Thanksgiving break, we will be switching back over to science. Our next topic in science will be atoms. This will lead into magnetism and electricity.
As always, if you have any questions, please contact me.
~Mrs. Bennick
Book Buddies
We will be visiting our Kindergarten Book Buddies on Tuesday! Mrs. Peterson has some books put aside for the 5th graders to read aloud to their little friends in K-P. These visits are always enjoyable.
Read-in on Tuesday
Parents:
We will be having a read-in this Tuesday, November 22nd. Students may bring in a beach towel or small blanket, a small stuffed animal, and wear their pajamas. We will be reading our Guess Who's Coming to Dinner essays to the class. It's going to be a fun day!
We will be having a read-in this Tuesday, November 22nd. Students may bring in a beach towel or small blanket, a small stuffed animal, and wear their pajamas. We will be reading our Guess Who's Coming to Dinner essays to the class. It's going to be a fun day!
Saturday, November 12, 2011
5B News for the week of 11/14
Hello Parents:
Here's what's going on in 5B this week!
Reading-During reading, the students will be focusing on non-fiction books. I have checked out a couple of interesting picture books from the library about the thirteen colonies. This will also be our topic in social studies, along with the Pilgrims and Puritans. Looking forward to some interesting discussions. We will also be utilizing various graphic organizers to use with these books as assessments.
Flex-Our focus in flex. this week will be fiction. The students will be reading short fictional books and will discuss the main plot elements, compare themes and text structures.
Writing-Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? This will be our topic of discussion in writing. The students will be choosing to write about any person, dead or alive, real or fictional, that they would like to invite to Thanksgiving dinner. We will be completing a 4-square graphic organizer and completing an essay on this topic. Our creativity will be soaring!
Math Accel.-The students will be taking the Unit 3 test on Monday. We will then begin Unit 4 on Tuesday which will focus on fractions.
Social Studies-The students presented their Colony Projects last week. They were beautifully done! I am amazed at how much creativity this group has! Moving forward, the students will be introduced to Puritan and Pilgrim life, the thirteen colonies, and colonial economy.
Looking forward to a wonderful week ahead! Have a fantastic week.
~Mrs. Bennick
Here's what's going on in 5B this week!
Reading-During reading, the students will be focusing on non-fiction books. I have checked out a couple of interesting picture books from the library about the thirteen colonies. This will also be our topic in social studies, along with the Pilgrims and Puritans. Looking forward to some interesting discussions. We will also be utilizing various graphic organizers to use with these books as assessments.
Flex-Our focus in flex. this week will be fiction. The students will be reading short fictional books and will discuss the main plot elements, compare themes and text structures.
Writing-Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? This will be our topic of discussion in writing. The students will be choosing to write about any person, dead or alive, real or fictional, that they would like to invite to Thanksgiving dinner. We will be completing a 4-square graphic organizer and completing an essay on this topic. Our creativity will be soaring!
Math Accel.-The students will be taking the Unit 3 test on Monday. We will then begin Unit 4 on Tuesday which will focus on fractions.
Social Studies-The students presented their Colony Projects last week. They were beautifully done! I am amazed at how much creativity this group has! Moving forward, the students will be introduced to Puritan and Pilgrim life, the thirteen colonies, and colonial economy.
Looking forward to a wonderful week ahead! Have a fantastic week.
~Mrs. Bennick
Parent-Teacher Conferences
Parents:
Thank you for attending Parent-Teacher Conferences this past week. I enjoyed having the opportunity to touch base with all of you to discuss your child's progress this quarter. It was truly a pleasure meeting all of you. I hope to see you around the school soon.
~Mrs. Bennick
Thank you for attending Parent-Teacher Conferences this past week. I enjoyed having the opportunity to touch base with all of you to discuss your child's progress this quarter. It was truly a pleasure meeting all of you. I hope to see you around the school soon.
~Mrs. Bennick
Sunday, November 6, 2011
5B News for the week of 11/7
Happy November!
As we embark on a new quarter, you will find that the school work becomes a bit more rigorous. Until now, the students have been given ample time to complete most assignments within the school day. However, as the year continues, the curriculum becomes more advanced, therefore, some assignments may need to be completed at home. Our schedule will become very structured.
Having said that, here is a brief overview of our upcoming week's activities:
Reading-Non-fiction will be our main focus this week. 5B has completed all activites pertaining to Roberto Clemente, therefore, we will be talking about some non-fiction materials from our Time For Kids magazines and we will also review non-fiction reading strategies and complete some graphic organizers.
Flex.- As a continuation of our classroom reading activities, we will also be discussing non-fiction during flex. time. Our plan is to use some non-fiction reading passages from Read Naturally, a reading intervention. We will also be completing four comprehension questions about the topic, introducing new vocabulary, and completing graphic organizers.
Writing-Our 4-Square organizers are coming along beautifully! Most students have completed these organizers and have started writing their essays. I have met with several students to conference with them about their writing piece. This week, we will continue to revise and edit our work. The students will be sharing their piece with a partner as well.
Math Accel.- We had a short quiz last Thursday on lessons 3.1-3.5. On Monday, there will be a study guide sent home so that the students can prepare for their Unit 3 math test, which will be the following Monday, November 14th.
Social Studies-As a class, we decided that we needed one more day to pull our information together concerning the colony projects. Therefore, the students will take half of Monday's SS time to finish up their colony projects. The first group or two will present their colony projects tomorrow, the remaining groups will present on Tuesday.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to seeing you all at conferences later this week.
~Mrs. Bennick
As we embark on a new quarter, you will find that the school work becomes a bit more rigorous. Until now, the students have been given ample time to complete most assignments within the school day. However, as the year continues, the curriculum becomes more advanced, therefore, some assignments may need to be completed at home. Our schedule will become very structured.
Having said that, here is a brief overview of our upcoming week's activities:
Reading-Non-fiction will be our main focus this week. 5B has completed all activites pertaining to Roberto Clemente, therefore, we will be talking about some non-fiction materials from our Time For Kids magazines and we will also review non-fiction reading strategies and complete some graphic organizers.
Flex.- As a continuation of our classroom reading activities, we will also be discussing non-fiction during flex. time. Our plan is to use some non-fiction reading passages from Read Naturally, a reading intervention. We will also be completing four comprehension questions about the topic, introducing new vocabulary, and completing graphic organizers.
Writing-Our 4-Square organizers are coming along beautifully! Most students have completed these organizers and have started writing their essays. I have met with several students to conference with them about their writing piece. This week, we will continue to revise and edit our work. The students will be sharing their piece with a partner as well.
Math Accel.- We had a short quiz last Thursday on lessons 3.1-3.5. On Monday, there will be a study guide sent home so that the students can prepare for their Unit 3 math test, which will be the following Monday, November 14th.
Social Studies-As a class, we decided that we needed one more day to pull our information together concerning the colony projects. Therefore, the students will take half of Monday's SS time to finish up their colony projects. The first group or two will present their colony projects tomorrow, the remaining groups will present on Tuesday.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me. I look forward to seeing you all at conferences later this week.
~Mrs. Bennick
Picture Retake Day is 11/8
Hello Parents:
Picture retake day at May Watts will be this Tuesday, November 8th. If you would like to have your child's picture retaken, please call the May Watts' office to get your child on the list as soon as possible. Also, please return your original packet of pictures on retake day.
Picture retake day at May Watts will be this Tuesday, November 8th. If you would like to have your child's picture retaken, please call the May Watts' office to get your child on the list as soon as possible. Also, please return your original packet of pictures on retake day.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
5B News for the week of October 31st
Parents:
Yet another week has flown by! Where does the time go?
We will begin our week with Halloween festivities and then get back to our normal routine on Tuesday.
This is what's going on this week in the content areas:
Reading-On Monday, the students will be sharing their spooky stories that they wrote during reading. Tuesday, we will begin a story from our reading book entitled, We Will Never Forget You, Roberto Clemente. We will focus on vocabulary development, scan and run reading strategy, utilizing graphic organizers and outlining. There will be a test on this story at the end of the week.
Flex.-This week in flex., we will be focusing on non-fiction text. The students will participate in a variety of activities, some of which include reading for information, answering open-ended questions, using the scan and run reading strategy, and completing graphic organizers.
Writing-We will re-introduce the 4-square graphic organizer. I will be modeling a writing piece on a 4-square and, later in the week, the students will be completing their own. Also, we will continue to discuss Harris Burdick and finish up our wordless book activities.
Math Accel.-We are on lesson 3.5 currently and the students will be taking a short quiz on Thursday covering the first five lessons from Unit 3.
Social Studies-The students will continue and complete their colony projects by week's end. On Friday, the students will be presenting information on their colonies to the class. The students have worked very hard in their groups and the presentations should be excellent.
Have a great week!
~Mrs. Bennick
Yet another week has flown by! Where does the time go?
We will begin our week with Halloween festivities and then get back to our normal routine on Tuesday.
This is what's going on this week in the content areas:
Reading-On Monday, the students will be sharing their spooky stories that they wrote during reading. Tuesday, we will begin a story from our reading book entitled, We Will Never Forget You, Roberto Clemente. We will focus on vocabulary development, scan and run reading strategy, utilizing graphic organizers and outlining. There will be a test on this story at the end of the week.
Flex.-This week in flex., we will be focusing on non-fiction text. The students will participate in a variety of activities, some of which include reading for information, answering open-ended questions, using the scan and run reading strategy, and completing graphic organizers.
Writing-We will re-introduce the 4-square graphic organizer. I will be modeling a writing piece on a 4-square and, later in the week, the students will be completing their own. Also, we will continue to discuss Harris Burdick and finish up our wordless book activities.
Math Accel.-We are on lesson 3.5 currently and the students will be taking a short quiz on Thursday covering the first five lessons from Unit 3.
Social Studies-The students will continue and complete their colony projects by week's end. On Friday, the students will be presenting information on their colonies to the class. The students have worked very hard in their groups and the presentations should be excellent.
Have a great week!
~Mrs. Bennick
Report Cards
Parents:
Report cards went home this past Friday. Please sign and return the report card jacket. I do not need the actual report card returned.
Thank you!!
Report cards went home this past Friday. Please sign and return the report card jacket. I do not need the actual report card returned.
Thank you!!
Halloween Reminder
Parents:
Monday is Halloween and we will be celebrating by having a parade and party. Students may come to school in their costumes, but any make-up or hair color/spray must be applied at home. Looking forward to a fun-filled afternoon! Prior to the party, the students will be sharing spooky stories that they have written and then they will vote for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from our classroom.
Monday is Halloween and we will be celebrating by having a parade and party. Students may come to school in their costumes, but any make-up or hair color/spray must be applied at home. Looking forward to a fun-filled afternoon! Prior to the party, the students will be sharing spooky stories that they have written and then they will vote for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners from our classroom.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
5B News for the Week of October 24th
Here's what will be going on in 5B this week:
Reading-This week during reading, we will be using our Time For Kids magazines, wordless books, and our favorite picture books to form opinions and take a stance on a topic. Both fiction and non-fiction materials will be utilized.
Flex-In Flex. this week, we will also be using wordless books where we will be developing our oral language as well as written language skills. The students will have the opportunity to discuss several wordless books both in a whole group situation and in their smaller groups. The students will be writing their stories in their reading response journals.
Writing-Animal memoirs should have been completed last Friday. This week, we will continue to add overused words to our "dead book". The students will have the opportunity to use the laptops to search for synonyms for their overused words.
Math Accel.-We will continue working on Unit 3. Currently, we are on lesson 3.2 which focuses on general patterns with two variables and algebraic expressions.
Social Studies-Our colony project just got underway this past Friday. We will continue to develop this project over the next couple of weeks. The students are currently deciding on locations for their colonies and how to repay a charter of $3,000. I am excited to see the results!
Remember, report cards will go home this Friday, October 28th. Please remember to return the report card jacket signed.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. Looking forward to another exciting week of learning!
~Mrs. Bennick
Reading-This week during reading, we will be using our Time For Kids magazines, wordless books, and our favorite picture books to form opinions and take a stance on a topic. Both fiction and non-fiction materials will be utilized.
Flex-In Flex. this week, we will also be using wordless books where we will be developing our oral language as well as written language skills. The students will have the opportunity to discuss several wordless books both in a whole group situation and in their smaller groups. The students will be writing their stories in their reading response journals.
Writing-Animal memoirs should have been completed last Friday. This week, we will continue to add overused words to our "dead book". The students will have the opportunity to use the laptops to search for synonyms for their overused words.
Math Accel.-We will continue working on Unit 3. Currently, we are on lesson 3.2 which focuses on general patterns with two variables and algebraic expressions.
Social Studies-Our colony project just got underway this past Friday. We will continue to develop this project over the next couple of weeks. The students are currently deciding on locations for their colonies and how to repay a charter of $3,000. I am excited to see the results!
Remember, report cards will go home this Friday, October 28th. Please remember to return the report card jacket signed.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. Looking forward to another exciting week of learning!
~Mrs. Bennick
Saturday, October 22, 2011
Halloween Information
May Watts Elementary School
800 Whispering
Hills Drive
Hills Drive
Phone: 630 428-6700
Dear Parents,
On Monday, October 31, May Watts School
The PTA will sponsor room parties for the children. The parties will run from:
Kindergarten -
Children must be in attendance throughout the day in order to participate in the parade and party.
Children will be permitted to wear costumes and clothing to school that does not interfere with physical education, lunch, and outdoor recess. Accessories (props, masks, etc.) need to be carried to school in a bag and will be permitted to be used and/or worn for the parade only. Since it will be the responsibility of your child to dress himself/herself, please consider this when choosing his/her costume.
If your child will require make-up or colored hair spray for his/her costume, please apply the make-up or spray at home prior to sending him/her to school. No make-up or spray should be brought to school. Costumes should be appropriate in taste for elementary school children with no adult or violent themes, and not so big as to cause problems walking in halls or through doors. Children should be able to see adequately so as not to have an accident. Anything resembling a weapon (gun, sword, knife, sticks, etc.) should be left at home.
The PTA will be providing the students with cupcakes and a Capri Sun during the party. The cupcakes are from * Whole Foods Market in Naperville
If your child is unable to have the treat provided because of allergies, please send the school nurse a note informing us of this. You are asked to provide your child with a treat that he/she can have if they have allergies to the cupcakes being served.
Please do not send in any other treats for the classrooms because of possible food allergies. Treats brought to school will be sent home.
Finally, alternative activities will be planned for children whose families choose not to participate in this event beginning at Please contact Mr. Raczak through email in order that appropriate activities can be arranged. His email is: mike_raczak@ipsd.org.
With the excitement of Halloween, please emphasize the need for safety to and from school.
The May
*The May Watts PTA would like to thank Whole Foods for partnering with the PTA. Whole Foods offered a tremendous price break in order to provide our children with a healthier, more natural and delectable party treat.
Robert Crown Parent Information Meetings
MAY WATTS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
800 S. Whispering Hills Drive
Naperville, Illinois 60540
Phone: 630 428-6700
FAX: 630 428-6701
October 18, 2011
Dear Parents/Guardians:
IndianPrairieSchool District #204 will host a parents’ orientation to our fifth grade health unit on Human Growth and Development. For your convenience, we have scheduled two dates. Please feel free to attend any one of the sessions as follows:
Thursday, November 17, 2011 Wednesday, November 30, 2011
7:00 p.m. 7:00 p.m.
Brooks Elementary School Patterson Elementary School
2700 Stonebridge Boulevard 3731 Lawrence Drive
Aurora, IL 60502 Naperville, IL 60564
(Stonebridge Subdivision; (Ashbury Subdivision;
West off of Eola Rd.) North off of 104th St. onto Lawrence Dr.)
This unit includes, as part of its material, a visit by our students to the Robert Crown Health Center in Hinsdale.
At the health center, students have a presentation on the growth changes that are about to begin in their bodies with the onset of puberty. They also will see a twenty-minute film on human growth and development.
The purpose of the parents’ meeting is to inform you of the material your child will be seeing and to answer any questions you might have about the Robert Crown student visitation. If you have any questions about this unit or about the meeting, please contact me. I hope you will be able to attend one of the sessions.
Sincerely,
Michael Raczak
Saturday, October 15, 2011
5B News for the Week of October 17th
Hello Parents:
I can't believe that we are already halfway through October. The days are flying by. The weather has turned cooler, so please have your child bring in a light jacket or hoodie to wear for outdoor recess.
The fifth grade classes participated in a Poetry Cafe yesterday. All of the participants did an incredible job! It is amazing what this fifth grade class is capable of.
Here's what the upcoming week will look like:
Reading- This week in reading we will be focusing on a story from our reading textbook entitled, Dear Mrs. Parks. We will focus on vocabulary, character traits, and extended response. We will be taking a comprehension test at week's end.
Flex.- During flex this week, we will discuss colonial times, which corresponds with our social studies unit.
We will read a book about colonial times and each group will be responsible for summarizing their portion of the book. Also, we will focus on the main idea and supporting details. The students will do a think-write-share activity. Our goal will be to work on reading for meaning.
Writing- The students just completed their personal memoirs. They have now begun writing a memoir from their animals' point of view. We hope to finish these memoirs by the end of the week. In addition to this, we will be making a book of "Dead Words". This will be a synonym book which will focus on using synonyms for words that are used much to frequently. For example, the word "happy" is used frequently. A better choice of word could be "joyful."
Math- We have finished Unit 2 and the students will be receiving their study guides on Monday. The Unit 2 test will be this Thursday. I will be reviewing a couple of concepts on Monday that were difficult in the last lesson.
Social Studies- We have a lot going on in social studies this week! First, the Chapter 4 & 5 test will be this Thursday. There will be no study guide, as the test will be open book. We have been studying colonies these past couple of weeks, therefore, the other fifth grade teachers and I thought that having the students create their own colony would be a great culminating activity. We will start this group activity mid-week. The students should have a lot of fun with it. Basically, each group will be given a charter. They will be responsible for discussing how best to use this charter along with developing a plan for repaying it. They will be naming their colony, developing a flag for it, discussing the areas' natural resources, climate, geography, etc. This is a creative group of students. I can't wait to see what they come up with.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
~Mrs. Bennick
I can't believe that we are already halfway through October. The days are flying by. The weather has turned cooler, so please have your child bring in a light jacket or hoodie to wear for outdoor recess.
The fifth grade classes participated in a Poetry Cafe yesterday. All of the participants did an incredible job! It is amazing what this fifth grade class is capable of.
Here's what the upcoming week will look like:
Reading- This week in reading we will be focusing on a story from our reading textbook entitled, Dear Mrs. Parks. We will focus on vocabulary, character traits, and extended response. We will be taking a comprehension test at week's end.
Flex.- During flex this week, we will discuss colonial times, which corresponds with our social studies unit.
We will read a book about colonial times and each group will be responsible for summarizing their portion of the book. Also, we will focus on the main idea and supporting details. The students will do a think-write-share activity. Our goal will be to work on reading for meaning.
Writing- The students just completed their personal memoirs. They have now begun writing a memoir from their animals' point of view. We hope to finish these memoirs by the end of the week. In addition to this, we will be making a book of "Dead Words". This will be a synonym book which will focus on using synonyms for words that are used much to frequently. For example, the word "happy" is used frequently. A better choice of word could be "joyful."
Math- We have finished Unit 2 and the students will be receiving their study guides on Monday. The Unit 2 test will be this Thursday. I will be reviewing a couple of concepts on Monday that were difficult in the last lesson.
Social Studies- We have a lot going on in social studies this week! First, the Chapter 4 & 5 test will be this Thursday. There will be no study guide, as the test will be open book. We have been studying colonies these past couple of weeks, therefore, the other fifth grade teachers and I thought that having the students create their own colony would be a great culminating activity. We will start this group activity mid-week. The students should have a lot of fun with it. Basically, each group will be given a charter. They will be responsible for discussing how best to use this charter along with developing a plan for repaying it. They will be naming their colony, developing a flag for it, discussing the areas' natural resources, climate, geography, etc. This is a creative group of students. I can't wait to see what they come up with.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
~Mrs. Bennick
Saturday, October 8, 2011
5B News for the Week of October 10th
Parents:
Welcome to another week in 5B. Just as a reminder, there will be no school on Monday, October 10th, due to Columbus Day. Also, there is a half day of school on Wednesday, October 12th, due to teacher in-service. Dismissal will be at 12:15 on Wednesday.
Check out my previous post about meeting our new Kindergarten buddies. We enjoyed spending time with Mrs. Peterson's wonderful students. We look forward to our next visit next month.
Here's what's going on this week in 5B...
Reading- We will have some mini lessons on onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors, hyperboles, idioms, and personification to prepare us for our poetry study that we will be starting this week. The students will be listening to and performing poems with their peers. At week's end, we will choose three groups from our room to represent us at the Poetry Cafe in Mr. Schumann's room on Friday.
Flex- We will also be working on poetry during flex. time and we will write our own "I am" poems to share.
Writing- We will be finishing our memoirs this week. Some students have already finished and they are excellent! There are still a few students who need to conference with me and write their "good copy". All memoirs should be completed by Wednesday. Also, we will continue our work with memoirs but from a different point of view. All students will be asked to bring in their favorite stuffed animal and we will be writing memoirs from the animals' point of view. The books, Memoirs of a Goldfish and The Secret World of Teddy Bears will be used to introduce this activity.
Math Accel.- We have just about finished up lesson 2.8 and will begin lesson 2.9 on Tuesday. My plan is to finish lesson 2.9 by Friday since it is a short week. (no math on Monday or Wednesday afternoon)
Social Studies- We have finished Chapter 4 and will be starting Chapter 5 on Tuesday. We had an awesome discussion on Friday about the lost colony of Roanoke. What happened to that colony? Our theories were very interesting. We will continue to discuss Roanake and move forward to Jamestown. Also, we are planning a fun project based on colonial life and coming to a new world. At this time, we are building background knowledge which will allow the students to fully understand how colonies came to be.
Enjoy this gorgeous weather!!!
~Mrs. Bennick
Welcome to another week in 5B. Just as a reminder, there will be no school on Monday, October 10th, due to Columbus Day. Also, there is a half day of school on Wednesday, October 12th, due to teacher in-service. Dismissal will be at 12:15 on Wednesday.
Check out my previous post about meeting our new Kindergarten buddies. We enjoyed spending time with Mrs. Peterson's wonderful students. We look forward to our next visit next month.
Here's what's going on this week in 5B...
Reading- We will have some mini lessons on onomatopoeia, similes, metaphors, hyperboles, idioms, and personification to prepare us for our poetry study that we will be starting this week. The students will be listening to and performing poems with their peers. At week's end, we will choose three groups from our room to represent us at the Poetry Cafe in Mr. Schumann's room on Friday.
Flex- We will also be working on poetry during flex. time and we will write our own "I am" poems to share.
Writing- We will be finishing our memoirs this week. Some students have already finished and they are excellent! There are still a few students who need to conference with me and write their "good copy". All memoirs should be completed by Wednesday. Also, we will continue our work with memoirs but from a different point of view. All students will be asked to bring in their favorite stuffed animal and we will be writing memoirs from the animals' point of view. The books, Memoirs of a Goldfish and The Secret World of Teddy Bears will be used to introduce this activity.
Math Accel.- We have just about finished up lesson 2.8 and will begin lesson 2.9 on Tuesday. My plan is to finish lesson 2.9 by Friday since it is a short week. (no math on Monday or Wednesday afternoon)
Social Studies- We have finished Chapter 4 and will be starting Chapter 5 on Tuesday. We had an awesome discussion on Friday about the lost colony of Roanoke. What happened to that colony? Our theories were very interesting. We will continue to discuss Roanake and move forward to Jamestown. Also, we are planning a fun project based on colonial life and coming to a new world. At this time, we are building background knowledge which will allow the students to fully understand how colonies came to be.
Enjoy this gorgeous weather!!!
~Mrs. Bennick
Calling All Favorite Stuffed Animals!!!!
Parents & Students:
This upcoming week, we plan to continue our study of memoirs from a different point of view....the viewpoint of your favorite animal! We will introduce this lesson by reading the books, Memoirs of a Golfish and The Secret World of Teddy Bears. Plan to bring in your favorite stuffed animals on Wednesday.
This upcoming week, we plan to continue our study of memoirs from a different point of view....the viewpoint of your favorite animal! We will introduce this lesson by reading the books, Memoirs of a Golfish and The Secret World of Teddy Bears. Plan to bring in your favorite stuffed animals on Wednesday.
Dismissal Time for Wednesday, October 12th is 12:15
Parents:
Due to Wednesday's late start, dismissal time on Wednesday will be at 12:15.
Due to Wednesday's late start, dismissal time on Wednesday will be at 12:15.
5B/KP Book Buddies Have Begun!
5B enjoyed a visit from our Kindergarten book buddies yesterday. It was our first meeting, and both Kindergarten & 5th grade students seemed to value the time that they spent with their new friend. We plan to visit Mrs. Peterson's room next time in about a month. Our goal is to touch base with our buddies once per month.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
5B News for the Week of October 3rd
Parents:
I hope that all of you had the opportunity to get outside and enjoy this beautiful Fall weather that we are having.
Here's what's going on this week in 5B:
REMINDER: Track & Field Day is tomorrow, Monday, October 3rd from 9:20-10:30. Please dress appropriately and bring a water bottle.
Reading-This week in reading we will be working on non-fiction material which will include reading from our Time For Kids magazines. Our focus will be on building vocabulary, making inferences, and cause and effect skills.
Flex-Flex groups will start this week. Many of the students will be switching to a different class during Flex. Our focus will include making connections to the real world, short story work, and making inferences.
Writing-During writing we will continue to develop our memoirs. Last week, the students listened to several short memoirs during read aloud. Last Friday, they started their own special memory map, or visual, of a special memory they have. On Monday, they will continue to work on this visual and will begin their rough draft writing.
Math Accel.-We are moving right along in Unit 2. Last Friday, we started lesson 2.5. We will finish 2.5 on Monday and continue on. We will be having a short quiz later this week or early next week on some of the concepts learned in Unit 2 so far.
Social Studies-We will continue the exploration of North America this week. Our focus will be on who came, why they came, and what it led to. We will also be honing in on our map skills. We will discuss longitude and latitude and how maps and globes differ.
Looking forward to another great week!!
Enjoy the rest of this beautiful day!
~Mrs. Bennick
I hope that all of you had the opportunity to get outside and enjoy this beautiful Fall weather that we are having.
Here's what's going on this week in 5B:
REMINDER: Track & Field Day is tomorrow, Monday, October 3rd from 9:20-10:30. Please dress appropriately and bring a water bottle.
Reading-This week in reading we will be working on non-fiction material which will include reading from our Time For Kids magazines. Our focus will be on building vocabulary, making inferences, and cause and effect skills.
Flex-Flex groups will start this week. Many of the students will be switching to a different class during Flex. Our focus will include making connections to the real world, short story work, and making inferences.
Writing-During writing we will continue to develop our memoirs. Last week, the students listened to several short memoirs during read aloud. Last Friday, they started their own special memory map, or visual, of a special memory they have. On Monday, they will continue to work on this visual and will begin their rough draft writing.
Math Accel.-We are moving right along in Unit 2. Last Friday, we started lesson 2.5. We will finish 2.5 on Monday and continue on. We will be having a short quiz later this week or early next week on some of the concepts learned in Unit 2 so far.
Social Studies-We will continue the exploration of North America this week. Our focus will be on who came, why they came, and what it led to. We will also be honing in on our map skills. We will discuss longitude and latitude and how maps and globes differ.
Looking forward to another great week!!
Enjoy the rest of this beautiful day!
~Mrs. Bennick
Picture Day is Coming!
Parents:
Please mark your calendars for picture day at Watts. It is this Thursday, October 6th. Please dress your best and bring your smile! Also, do not forget to bring in your picture order form.
Mrs. Bennick
Please mark your calendars for picture day at Watts. It is this Thursday, October 6th. Please dress your best and bring your smile! Also, do not forget to bring in your picture order form.
Mrs. Bennick
New Reading Incentive Program
Hello Parents:
Please check out Mrs. May's new reading incentive program. The information is on her blog at mwlmc.blogspot.com. The students just need to read twenty minutes per night to earn a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut!
Happy Reading!
Please check out Mrs. May's new reading incentive program. The information is on her blog at mwlmc.blogspot.com. The students just need to read twenty minutes per night to earn a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut!
Happy Reading!
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Track & Field Update
Parents:
Track & Field Day has been rescheduled for Monday, October 3rd. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring a water bottle!
Track & Field Day has been rescheduled for Monday, October 3rd. Please dress appropriately for the weather and bring a water bottle!
FAMILY READING NIGHT
Mark your calendars for the upcoming Family Reading Night for 2-5 grade students and parents!
Family Reading Night will take place on Tuesday, October 11 from 6:15-7:45 with the theme of Reading is for Meaning! The purpose of this evening is to be introduced to the different stages of reading and to understand that reading goes beyond word recognition. The primary focus will be on Newly Fluent and Truly Fluent readers through exploring text complexity in the various genres of literature. Matching readers to text that supports interactive and engaged reading is an important part of building student comprehension. Plan to come and attend 3 different breakout sessions throughout the evening. Registration will be required. (A form will be sent home by Friday, September 30.)
Monday, September 26, 2011
Track & Field Day Rescheduled
Parents:
Due to today's inclement weather, Track & Field Day will be rescheduled to a date, yet to be determined, in October.
Due to today's inclement weather, Track & Field Day will be rescheduled to a date, yet to be determined, in October.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
5B News for the Week of September 26th
Hello Parents,
Welcome to another week in 5B. We have a few exciting things going on this week in 5th grade. First, Monday is Track and Field day. Please dress appropriately as we will be going outside. On Tuesday, the author Michael Grant will be visiting May Watts. Also,on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week we will be participating in CoGat Testing.
Here is a snapshot of what's going on in our content areas:
READING- We will introduce our first reading story of the year, Sees Behind Trees. The students will be answering open-ended questions and using evidence from the text to support and identify main plot elements. We will have a vocabulary and comprehension test on this story on Friday. We will also revisit TTQA (Turn That Question Around).
WRITING- Memoirs will be our focus this week in writing. We will read a few memoirs and write our own. We will discuss how a memoir and autobiography are similar and different. We will also complete our first writing prompt of the year. This is when the students write about a topic that is given to them.
FLEX-Our flex groups have been organized and will begin the week of October 3rd.
MATH ACCEL.- We will be having our Unit 1 test on Tuesday this week. We have already started Unit 2 and are moving along at a nice pace. On Monday, we will review our study guide and play the game, Landmark Shark, which focuses on finding the range, median, and mode.
SCIENCE-We have just about finished up our Weather unit. We will be having our Weather test this Friday. Study guides will go home Monday.
SOCIAL STUDIES-We will begin talking about the year 1492 with explorers and East meets West. Our focus will be how the desire for Asian and African goods lead to the exploration of the West and how advances in technology and navigation helped lead to the exploration of new places.
Have a great week everyone! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you!
~Mrs. Bennick
Welcome to another week in 5B. We have a few exciting things going on this week in 5th grade. First, Monday is Track and Field day. Please dress appropriately as we will be going outside. On Tuesday, the author Michael Grant will be visiting May Watts. Also,on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week we will be participating in CoGat Testing.
Here is a snapshot of what's going on in our content areas:
READING- We will introduce our first reading story of the year, Sees Behind Trees. The students will be answering open-ended questions and using evidence from the text to support and identify main plot elements. We will have a vocabulary and comprehension test on this story on Friday. We will also revisit TTQA (Turn That Question Around).
WRITING- Memoirs will be our focus this week in writing. We will read a few memoirs and write our own. We will discuss how a memoir and autobiography are similar and different. We will also complete our first writing prompt of the year. This is when the students write about a topic that is given to them.
FLEX-Our flex groups have been organized and will begin the week of October 3rd.
MATH ACCEL.- We will be having our Unit 1 test on Tuesday this week. We have already started Unit 2 and are moving along at a nice pace. On Monday, we will review our study guide and play the game, Landmark Shark, which focuses on finding the range, median, and mode.
SCIENCE-We have just about finished up our Weather unit. We will be having our Weather test this Friday. Study guides will go home Monday.
SOCIAL STUDIES-We will begin talking about the year 1492 with explorers and East meets West. Our focus will be how the desire for Asian and African goods lead to the exploration of the West and how advances in technology and navigation helped lead to the exploration of new places.
Have a great week everyone! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Thank you!
~Mrs. Bennick
Author Visit
Michael Grant, the author of our current read aloud book, The Magnificent 12 The Call, will be visiting May Watts on Tuesday, September 27th for an hour. We look forward to his visit!
OUTSTANDING INNOVATOR PRESENTATIONS
Wow! I am so proud of my class for the fabulous presentations that they prepared for our judges, Miss Akin and Mr. Raczak! All of the presentations were creative, organized, and well-presented. I thought that they were all winners, but after the scores were tallied, the Thomas Edison group had the highest score, with a close second going to the Gandhi group. Great job by all!!!
Friday, September 23, 2011
A Message From 5B's Room Parent.....Mrs. Hamalis! Please Read!
Hello parents,
My name is Pat Hamalis and I am excited to be 5B's Room Parent this year! I will be helping coordinate volunteers in the classroom for Mrs. Bennick as well as volunteer opportunities that can be done at home. These include three class parties (Fall, Winter and Valentine's Day), Math Explorations, guest readers, supply donations and other needs that arise throughout the year. I will also be sending a friendly reminder when your special time with your child's class is approaching.
New this year, we will be using a simple scheduling website called http://www.signupgenius.com/. This will allow you to view ongoing volunteer availability online and plug yourself in to your desired slot. Again, a VERY user friendly and efficient way of planning. Please let me know if you have any concerns or questions.
Because our school is so careful about everyone's privacy, I need to please ask for your e-mail address directly. Send me your e-mail address and I will add it to my distribution list. Once received I will also send you a direct invitation from signupgenius.com so you can view and sign up for any current activities. I'd appreciate having all e-mail addresses ASAP but at the latest by Friday, September 30th, as we need to start the fun and get organized!
I will do my best to honor all volunteer requests made. I’d like all parents who express a desire to help to have that opportunity so if you are not finding available sign up slots on signupgenius then please call me directly.
Thank you in advance,
Pat
Home: (630) 357-6533
Cell: (630) 885-9793
Email: pathamalis@yahoo.com
Sunday, September 18, 2011
5B Update for the Week of 9/19
Hello Parents!
Happy Fall! I hope that you had the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful weather this weekend. Thanks to all who were able to attend Curriculum Night. I hope that you found the information helpful.
Here's what's going on in 5B this week:
Reading-This week we will continue to do research on our innovators/inventors. We will be presenting on Friday. All groups have now gathered ample information about their innovators and have started working on their visual. These projects are coming along nicely and the students have been working well together in groups.
Writing-This week our writing focus will be on an article that was recently published in the NY Times about SpongeBob Squarepants and how this research shows that young children who watch the show could potentially have attentional issues. The students will be studying this article and discussing it with others. They will then complete a few graphic organizers that focus on making inferences, drawing conclusions, and persuasion.
Science- Weather will continue to be our focus in science this week. We will be engaging in two more experiments and will also complete some research on different types of clouds. It should be another hands-on week in science! The students have really been enjoying the experiments and group work.
Of course, we will continue to write journal entries in our Reading Response Journals and our Reflection Journals.
We enjoyed our second citizenship celebration this past Friday. The students voted to have an extra recess since they met their goal of earning 35 gold tickets in one week! GREAT JOB!!
I hope that you all have an enjoyable week!
~Mrs. Bennick
Happy Fall! I hope that you had the opportunity to enjoy this beautiful weather this weekend. Thanks to all who were able to attend Curriculum Night. I hope that you found the information helpful.
Here's what's going on in 5B this week:
Reading-This week we will continue to do research on our innovators/inventors. We will be presenting on Friday. All groups have now gathered ample information about their innovators and have started working on their visual. These projects are coming along nicely and the students have been working well together in groups.
Writing-This week our writing focus will be on an article that was recently published in the NY Times about SpongeBob Squarepants and how this research shows that young children who watch the show could potentially have attentional issues. The students will be studying this article and discussing it with others. They will then complete a few graphic organizers that focus on making inferences, drawing conclusions, and persuasion.
Science- Weather will continue to be our focus in science this week. We will be engaging in two more experiments and will also complete some research on different types of clouds. It should be another hands-on week in science! The students have really been enjoying the experiments and group work.
Of course, we will continue to write journal entries in our Reading Response Journals and our Reflection Journals.
We enjoyed our second citizenship celebration this past Friday. The students voted to have an extra recess since they met their goal of earning 35 gold tickets in one week! GREAT JOB!!
I hope that you all have an enjoyable week!
~Mrs. Bennick
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Curriculum Night is this Thursday evening, September 15th!
Curriculum Night is this week on Thursday evening, I hope to see you all. Here is the schedule:
Kindergarten through 2nd grades 6:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Kindergarten through 5th grades 7:05 - 7:35 p.m.
Grades 3, 4, 5 may visit math teacher 7:40 - 7:50 p.m.
3rd grades through 5th grades 7:55 - 8:25 p.m.
Kindergarten through 2nd grades 6:30 - 7:00 p.m.
Kindergarten through 5th grades 7:05 - 7:35 p.m.
Grades 3, 4, 5 may visit math teacher 7:40 - 7:50 p.m.
3rd grades through 5th grades 7:55 - 8:25 p.m.
Upcoming Week in 5B
Hello Parents,
Welcome to another week in 5B! Even though last week was a short one for students, we did manage to fit a lot of learning in! The following is a brief overview of last week's activities and a snapshot of what's to come:
Reading-We have just about finished our first read aloud book and have completed many journal responses pertaining to it. This week, we will begin a research project about inventors and innovators from the past one hundred years or more. The students will be doing research in small groups. We will be working on this project for the next few weeks. We will then present our information to the class and a judge. The judge will decide which group clearly proved that their inventor or innovator had the most impact on our society. This should be a fun, competetive activity for the students.
Writing- In writing we focused on the book, Fortunately, by Remy Charlip. The students have been working on creating their own "Fortunately" book in class. These will be ready to share on curriculum night. We have also started to add entries to our reflection journals.
Science- Lots of fun activities going on in science! We have been learning about weather tools these past two weeks, and so far the students have made wind vanes, anemometers and barometers. We will continue working with barometers this week, as well as begin some fun weather experiments, too!
Also, on Monday afternoon, all four fifth grade classes will meet together to view some video clips about September 11, 2001. We will be having thoughtful discussions about this tragic day, and hope to be able to answer any questions that the students may have about this event in America's history. One of the video clips that we will be showing is a news segment about a boy who lost his father in 9/11, and who wrote a letter to him. You can view this video at:
Welcome to another week in 5B! Even though last week was a short one for students, we did manage to fit a lot of learning in! The following is a brief overview of last week's activities and a snapshot of what's to come:
Reading-We have just about finished our first read aloud book and have completed many journal responses pertaining to it. This week, we will begin a research project about inventors and innovators from the past one hundred years or more. The students will be doing research in small groups. We will be working on this project for the next few weeks. We will then present our information to the class and a judge. The judge will decide which group clearly proved that their inventor or innovator had the most impact on our society. This should be a fun, competetive activity for the students.
Writing- In writing we focused on the book, Fortunately, by Remy Charlip. The students have been working on creating their own "Fortunately" book in class. These will be ready to share on curriculum night. We have also started to add entries to our reflection journals.
Science- Lots of fun activities going on in science! We have been learning about weather tools these past two weeks, and so far the students have made wind vanes, anemometers and barometers. We will continue working with barometers this week, as well as begin some fun weather experiments, too!
Also, on Monday afternoon, all four fifth grade classes will meet together to view some video clips about September 11, 2001. We will be having thoughtful discussions about this tragic day, and hope to be able to answer any questions that the students may have about this event in America's history. One of the video clips that we will be showing is a news segment about a boy who lost his father in 9/11, and who wrote a letter to him. You can view this video at:
Looking forward to another great week! As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
~Mrs. Bennick
Friday, September 2, 2011
Happy Labor Day Weekend
Hello Parents,
I hope that you are all staying cool in these brutal temps. I just wanted to give you an update since school is canceled for students today. All homework and/or tests that were due today will be due/given on Wednesday upon return. Everything has just been pushed back a day. I hope that you all have a safe, fun weekend! I'll see the students on Wednesday. Remember, Wednesday is a late start day for students.
~Mrs. Bennick :-)
I hope that you are all staying cool in these brutal temps. I just wanted to give you an update since school is canceled for students today. All homework and/or tests that were due today will be due/given on Wednesday upon return. Everything has just been pushed back a day. I hope that you all have a safe, fun weekend! I'll see the students on Wednesday. Remember, Wednesday is a late start day for students.
~Mrs. Bennick :-)
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Things are moving right along in 5B!
The first week of school finished strong! The kids are working well together and seemed to enjoy all of the "getting to know you" activities that they participated in. I am getting to know a little more about each student as the days pass. What a great group they are!
Here's a snapshot of what we accomplished in 5B last week:
Reading- The students are all enjoying our first read aloud entitled, The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of Fifth Grade. We have completed a couple of journal entries in our reading response journals about this book. We also enjoyed the book, Enemy Pie, and created a friendship recipe pertaining to this story. The recipes were incredible! We made a semantic web of "friendly" vocabulary words which were then used in our recipes. They are hanging on the bulletin board for parents to enjoy when they visit on curriculum night.
Writing- I clipped an article from the newspaper for our writing activity this week. The article was about how the class of 2012 will be the first graduating class from Matea Valley High School. There is one student in our class whose brother will be graduating in that class. How exciting! We journaled about some of the obstacles that class has faced not having an older class to look up to. They have been leaders from the start! The students found this current event interesting as some of them will graduate from Matea in the future.
Flex- We visited Mr. Schumann's class and learned a bit about pop artist, Andy Warhol. The students had the opportunity to decorate or change their own faces based on what they learned from this powerpoint. The faces look terrific! They will be hanging in the hallway soon!
Math- The math accel. students who are in my class finished up lesson 1.1 toward the end of the week. We just started lesson 1.2 on Friday and will continue this lesson on Monday. Expect homework to be coming home soon on a regular basis. They also completed a scavenger hunt in which they learned how to utilize their SRB. They were given a pre-test earlier in the week, so that I can start groupings within my accel. classroom.
Science- Weather will be our first unit of study in science. We watched a few short videos on meteorology, tornadoes, hurricanes, and violent weather. Monday we will begin talking about layers of the atmosphere. There will be a short quiz on layers late in the week. I also asked the students to get updates this weekend on Hurricane Irene either on the news or computer.
Otter Creek will be up and running this week! The students have all been leveled and will begin their weekly timed tests this week! Spelling will also start this week. I will be posting both the base and alternate lists on my blog. The base list words will be on the left, alternate words on the right. Spelling pre-tests will be on Mondays and Spelling tests will be on Fridays.
Homework will continue to be posted daily. I usually post it within thirty minutes after dismissal.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me! Looking forward to a great week ahead!
~Mrs. Bennick
Here's a snapshot of what we accomplished in 5B last week:
Reading- The students are all enjoying our first read aloud entitled, The Top 10 Ways to Ruin the First Day of Fifth Grade. We have completed a couple of journal entries in our reading response journals about this book. We also enjoyed the book, Enemy Pie, and created a friendship recipe pertaining to this story. The recipes were incredible! We made a semantic web of "friendly" vocabulary words which were then used in our recipes. They are hanging on the bulletin board for parents to enjoy when they visit on curriculum night.
Writing- I clipped an article from the newspaper for our writing activity this week. The article was about how the class of 2012 will be the first graduating class from Matea Valley High School. There is one student in our class whose brother will be graduating in that class. How exciting! We journaled about some of the obstacles that class has faced not having an older class to look up to. They have been leaders from the start! The students found this current event interesting as some of them will graduate from Matea in the future.
Flex- We visited Mr. Schumann's class and learned a bit about pop artist, Andy Warhol. The students had the opportunity to decorate or change their own faces based on what they learned from this powerpoint. The faces look terrific! They will be hanging in the hallway soon!
Math- The math accel. students who are in my class finished up lesson 1.1 toward the end of the week. We just started lesson 1.2 on Friday and will continue this lesson on Monday. Expect homework to be coming home soon on a regular basis. They also completed a scavenger hunt in which they learned how to utilize their SRB. They were given a pre-test earlier in the week, so that I can start groupings within my accel. classroom.
Science- Weather will be our first unit of study in science. We watched a few short videos on meteorology, tornadoes, hurricanes, and violent weather. Monday we will begin talking about layers of the atmosphere. There will be a short quiz on layers late in the week. I also asked the students to get updates this weekend on Hurricane Irene either on the news or computer.
Otter Creek will be up and running this week! The students have all been leveled and will begin their weekly timed tests this week! Spelling will also start this week. I will be posting both the base and alternate lists on my blog. The base list words will be on the left, alternate words on the right. Spelling pre-tests will be on Mondays and Spelling tests will be on Fridays.
Homework will continue to be posted daily. I usually post it within thirty minutes after dismissal.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please contact me! Looking forward to a great week ahead!
~Mrs. Bennick
Monday, August 22, 2011
A GREAT START
Wow! What a fantastic first day of school 5-B had today! The students are thoughtful listeners, respectful, and hard workers. What a great group of students! I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with your children.
Saturday, August 20, 2011
WELCOME BACK!
Welcome to 5B! This blog serves as the 5B newsletter updated each week. Here you will find information on what we have done, what we will be doing in the coming week, spelling lists, and even links to websites that will come in handy. It was nice seeing everyone at "Meet & Greet" on August 17th! If you need the supply list, go to the following link: http://watts.ipsd.org/uploads/About/SupplyLists2010-2011.pdf.
There will be a lot more information posted here as the year gets started. I am looking forward to working with your son or daughter and intend to make their fifth grade experience educational, challenging, and FUN!
There will be a lot more information posted here as the year gets started. I am looking forward to working with your son or daughter and intend to make their fifth grade experience educational, challenging, and FUN!
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