Spelling Bee

We will be having our class spelling bee on Friday.  Interested students were given a list a couple of weeks ago.

In Social Studies we will be having a test on Jamestown, Plymouth, and Roanoke on Tuesday, 12/4.  We will complete our study guide on Friday.

In Science we will be having a test on the Water Cycle on Wednesday, 12/5.  That study guide will be completed this week also.  Please have students bring their study guides to class each day.  Some students forget to bring theirs the day of the test.  We spend time in class studying before the tests and they need the study guide to study!!  Thanks!

Our class Christmas party will be on December 20th from 1:15 - 2:15.  A letter regarding this party will be coming home in Monday's Dolphin Folder.

Most students have returned their permission slip for our trip to Minute Maid Park on January 11th.  Parents are welcome to attend and more information on this will be coming home next week.  Permission slips need to be returned this week.

We had some Field Day Fun the day before Thanksgiving break.  However, even in November...it was hot!

 

 

Too Bright for Bullies

Last Friday we had a school assembly called "Too Bright for Bullies".  Mrs. Reaves and Mrs. Miles spoke to the kids about the definition of bullying.  Our school has become a "No Place for Hate" campus.  We also sang a song and danced to a version of the chicken dance...it was fun!  Many students in our class wore yellow in honor of the day...

 

Our classroom turkeys are so creative!  The students may bring quarters to vote for their favorite 5th grade turkeys this week. Our class winners are: Lauren's Christmas turkey, Jordan's soccer turkey, and Lexi's clown turkey.

 

 

The annual spelling bee is approaching!  We will have our class spelling bee the week after Thanksgiving.  The school spelling bee will be on December 19th.

We will have a fraction test on Friday, November 16th.

When we have study guides for Science and Social Studies, please sign the study guides.  Also, study guides need to be brought to school each day, especially the day of the test.  We take time before the test to study independently and with a partner before the test.

I hope you and your family have a wonderful, memorable Thanksgiving!!

Mock Election

On Wednesday the Dickinson students participated in a mock Presidential election. They even received an "I Voted" sticker, just like the real registered voters! In class we have been discussing the timeline of becoming president, comparing and contrasting the 2 major political parties, and the electoral college.  The entire district was able to vote for president and the results for the district will be announced next week.

We will have a Weathering test on Friday.  The students will need to study their notebooks.

We have been working hard on double digit division and it is definitely NOT their favorite thing to do!  However, we will be having a division test on Tuesday.

If your student is participating in the turkey contest those entries will be due on Monday.  Each 5th grade class will have the top 3 turkeys from their homeroom on display next week.  Students will be able to vote for their favorite(s) for a quarter per vote. 

The book fair will be open next week.  It will be open late on Thursday.  So come out and find some great books and vote for your favorite turkey.

Thank you so much to all of you for coming to your child's conference!  I was able to meet with all of you this week! 

Have a fantastic weekend!!

Red Ribbon Week

Happy Monday!  Today is the day when students are encouraged to wear a red uniform shirt for Red Ribbon Week.  Tomorrow, students are encouraged to bring can goods which will be donated to a food pantry.  Wednesday, students can wear jeans and a college shirt.  Thursday, students can wear a Halloween shirt.  We will have a read-a-thon on Friday.  Students may BRING slippers, a pillow, and a small blanket.

As part of our Forms of Energy unit in Science, students are required to make an instrument at home and bring it by Friday.  We will talk about different string instruments tomorrow in class.  The instrument sheet is coming home today. Students will need to write about how they made their instrument.  BE CREATIVE !!

Are you coming to the Monster Mash?  It will be lots of fun!!  In addition to games and food, there will be a silent auction in the library.

On Friday, the students worked in groups to illustrate a math word problem.  The students enjoyed working together and being creative to illustrate their problem.

 

 

 

Next week is when we will be having our first parent/teacher conference.  You will get your child's first report card at this time.  I will send reminders next week regarding your day/time.  Please be sure and be on time.  Your child wrote a narrative story and recorded his/her voice.  You will be able to scan a QR code with your phone or iPad to listen to the story.  Here is Sean about to record his story:  

Heavenly Hats picture

Thank you so much for the generosity for Heavenly Hats.  Many students brought in more than $1!  Student Council is still counting the money, so we should have a total this week of the money collected for this very worthwhile cause. My class had some very funky and fun hats!!

 

 

If you are ordering school pictures, please send your order form and check by Friday, the 19th.

 

Students are bringing home their Square 1 Art order forms today.  I have some amazing artists in my room!  They are so very talented!  You have until the 26th to place an order.  These would make great Christmas gifts for grandparents.

 

We will have an Electrical Energy test on Monday, the 22nd. 

 

The week of the 22nd is Red Ribbon Week to promote being drug free.  We will dress up each day...more to come on that from Mrs. Reaves.

 

Class pictures will be taken on October 30.  Please have your child wear a red uniform shirt and khaki bottoms. 

 

Students should be practicing math on www.firstinmath.com.  Their username and password is taped on the inside cover of their agenda.

 

Have a wonderful week!

 

I have gotten sweet birthday hugs from all my kids today and some very thoughtful birthday surprises.  Thank you!

 

QR codes, science test, book orders...

Book order forms came home on Monday.  Please send in your order or place your order online by next Friday, the 12th.

Several parents are already signed up on Home Connect, which means you are able to receive emails when your child takes an AR test.  Mrs. Preas is encouraging each parent to sign up and to be aware when their child takes an AR test.  If you are not signed up, a letter with log in instructions will be coming home in the Dolphin Folder on Monday.

The students have been writing a narrative about a time when they were successful. The other day they got with a partner and peer edited their paper. Here are some pics:

 

 

The students are going to record themselves reading their final copy.  When you come to your parent conference at the end of the month, you will be able to use your smart phone or ipad to scan a QR code and you will hear your child reading their story.  So, get your scan app ready!  I will have an iPad available for parents who don't have the app.

Please send in Monster Mash ticket money and order form as soon as possible. 

Next Friday the Student Council will have their first school store and fundraiser.  We will be raising money for Heavenly Hats again this year.  For $1, the students may wear a hat on Friday.   I have a crazy hat that I wear every year.  I'm looking forward to seeing the different kids of hats the kids will wear.

We will have a Sound and Light Energy test on Wednesday, the 10th.  Students will be bringing home their notebooks to study from.  Please make sure the notebooks come back to school everyday.

Also on Wednesday we will be having a math test on double digit multiplication.

I will be sending home conference times next week.  If your child has a younger brother or sister and you have already scheduled that conference, please let me know when it is and I will schedule our conference near the same time.  I have already heard from a few of you...thanks!

Orders for the 5th grade shirt are coming home soon.  The t-shirts are going to have an awesome design!  We have talked about our color and our class will be a fuschia/magenta color.  The kids call it "wow pink" !!  The shirt will be $9.  They are going to loooove it!!!

Have a fabulous weekend!!!

Monster Mash

In yesterday's Dolphin Folder, there was a neon green Monster Mash flyer.  If you would like to preorder tickets for this fun event, please fill out the order form on the flyer and return it asap with your check.  The Monster Mash is on October 27th.

There will be a Reading Vocabulary test on Thursday.  The students were given the words and definitions yesterday.

There is a new online Math practice website that the kids can practice on.  The usernames and passwords are taped in your child's agenda on the first page.  The website is firstinmath.com.  We will be exploring the website today when we go to the computer lab.  Also, the kids should be doing Times Attack at home to practice their multiplication facts.

Next week the 5th graders will be taking the COGAT test.  We are scheduled to take it on Tuesday - Thursday with Friday being the make-up day.  Then the following week we will be taking the Iowa Test of Basic Skills.  This test will be given on Monday - Wednesday with Thursday the make-up day.  Please make sure your child gets a good night's sleep and a good breakfast on testing days.  The CogAt is used to measure overall cognitive and reasoning abilities from a developmental perspective.  Our school district also uses the data from the test to help in determing the GT label for secondary grades. 

The ITBS is available at different levels for students at different grade levels. The batteries aim to help determine how prepared students are for academic instruction, what individual accommodations may be necessary, which students may require early intervention, and to determine each student’s individual baseline of achievement. Questions are delivered orally by the teacher and response options are pictures, words or numerals, as appropriate. Approximately 30 minutes are given for each test.

Students are able to sign up for UIL tryouts this week.  The 5th grade events are : Music Memory, Art, Listening, Oral Reading, Spelling, and Maps, Graphs, and Charts.  The UIL competition is on December 1st.

Please remind your child that cell phones need to be turned off during the day.  If the phone goes off during school, it will cost $15 to get your phone out of "cell phone jail".   Parents will need to come to the office to get the phone.

Have a wonderful week!!!