{Post for the Parents} E.L.A. and other Acronyms

The 2012 New York state English Language Arts exam will be a new test. In an effort to align the state exam with the national, the NAEP Reading exam, New York is upping the ante. {New York is also adopting the Common Core State Standards like 44 of the 50 states have.} Accordingly, our literacy units have been revamped. The majority of the year's reading and writing work will focus on deep interpretation of texts. As we learn more about the ELA exam, scheduled for April 17-18, we will keep you in the loop.

Um. So... like...

Oh, nothing major really. Just, you know, uh--scroll down keeping your eyes on the right sidebar.







I'll wait here.





You're passing all those months.




Boy, time is flying!



Are you at May yet? Good!



Notice anything?  No?!


Ok, look again!


Club Getaway... May 31- June 1.



No biggie really.


That's all.


Some pictures I took of our amazing trip!

} Our September Birthday Celebration {

Cubes Time!

How we earned cubes this week: We were conscientious of our space and our community.

We earned cubes for many reasons this past week. But the top reason for cubes, the reason that added the most to our jar, was our consideration for each other and our learning space. Keep up the great work!

If You Know the Way to Cube...

Cubes, Glorious Cubes!

As we embark upon the collective journey of earning cubes for going above and beyond everyday, let us ponder...

How can we earn more cubes?

Here is just a sample of what we can do to raise the cube count:

★ Be our V.I.P. community member (by nomination only.)

★ Perform your class job with exceptional pride.

★ Help to keep our community clean without being asked, even when the mess isn't your doing.

★ Mentor a student who needs extra help.

★ Use our unit vocabulary when talking in math and social studies.

★ Show consistant outstanding effort as a class.

★ Independently post on your blog; comment on our classroom blog thoughtfully.

★ Try the Super Duper Whammy problem--or, better still, get the correct answer!

★ Accurately estimate our cube count on Thursday.

There are so many opportunities to contribute to the jar! Good luck!

September 11, 2001

Below is a word cloud of our thoughts on September 11, 2001. 


The larger the word appears, the more of you associated that word with how the events 10 years ago make you feel.

After our talk we had new thoughts.

It is pleasing to see that "strong" is larger than "angry." 

10 Things To Do to Prepare for 5th Grade

1.
Brush up on your multiplication tables. That means factors and products. These are two fun interactive games to help you.

2.
Read everyday. Remember that reading is more than staring at pages; you're using your noodle too. The more real reading you do the better you get at it. Like anything, you can't get better if you don't practice. Parents, Use our class code "HWMFC"at Scholastic when ordering books online!

3.
Try some writing prompts to build your craft. Here is a website that has hundreds! Some are quite advanced so have a parent help you choose. One of our favorites is: Write a letter to your adult self. We'd love to see what you come up with!

4.
Get a head start on our United States history units! Watching The History Channel's America: The Story of Us will help you in our discussions greatly. A parent can order the dvd here. It's available on Netflix too!

5.
Be a grammar buff. Good grammar tells the world you that you know your stuff.  Grammar Girl: Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing is a wonderful free podcast you can get on iTunes. Because adults struggle with grammar, many of these podcasts are geared towards them. But have a parent select the grammar rules that affect you. We recommend #6, #29, #32, #39, #48, #66, and #67.

6.
Be aware of bullying. We know that a bully can make a student dread going to school. As your teachers, we need to make sure all of you are comfortable and safe--that is when you learn best! Take a moment to Stopbullying.gov to learn a bit more about bullying through their entertaining "webisodes". When we come together as a class we will be taking an anti-bully pledge.

7.
Practice good habits. Being organized, timely, and responsible outside of school will help you do so during the school year. After all, we will be expecting these habits from you during the year. Many of your grades rely on these habits, as well.


8.
Listen. This one word is also a piece of advice. You know a lot--we're sure. Want to know more? Listen. It's very different than just hearing. Listening is not waiting for your turn to talk. It's being open to another's words, letting them into your brain and letting them, sometimes, change you. That makes listening quite powerful.

9.
Stock up on supplies. Supply lists went home with your 4th grade report cards. Make sure you ask a parent to help you prepare your supplies by taking a look at the "preparation/notes" section of the supply list. This will give us more time in class.

1o.
Simply enjoy your summer! A balance of summer activities will help ready you for September.

We'll see you then! Let us know if you have any questions. :-)