Well, here we are at the final stretch of the year. I will have to say it has flown by!!! I can't believe we only have 3 weeks left! There will be many fun events and activities coming up for the students to enjoy here at the end of the year. They really deserve to have some fun because they have worked hard all year, however I have let students know that behavior is something that is still very important especially right here at the end of the year. I have let the students know that, like other subjects, I have expected them to become better readers and writers through the year, I have also expected their behavior to get better, too. Students know that if their conduct is not acceptable then they will not be allowed to participate in the end of the year festivities. I look forward to a fun end of the year and have enjoyed working with each of the students throughout the year.
Reading
Students should still be reading and logging in daily for reading practice. We are taking our tests on the computer so there have not been any papers to send home. You can check their grades through the grade portal on the duval county website. If you do not have your child's password, you can go to the main office to obtain it. I can not give out the sign in and passwords only the front office can. This is a great tool for keeping up with your child's grade and you will be able to continue using it when they go to middle school next year.
Writing
Students have been reading and learning about the Patriots and Loyalists in Social Studies. They were assigned to write a paper explaining which they would have been if they had lived back in colonial times. Ask your child which they would have been and why.
Spelling
We have not had a spelling list in language and will not have any for the rest of the year. Spelling grades are being taken from their writing assignments. Students are now being graded on their application of the spelling rules they have learned through their years in elementary school.
Important Dates
May 22................Last Early Dismissal
May 24................Sports Fest.*
May 27................Memorial Day-No School
May 28................Diamond D Ranch Field Trip*
May 30................Talent Show 6:00 p.m.
June 5..................End of the Year Awards Program*
June 6..................Faculty/5th Grade Kickball Game/End of the Year Party*
*please remember, if you plan on coming to school for any end of the end of the year events you will need to have filled out the volunteer application online through the duval county website. All adults have to be approved through the front office to come to the classroom. Just go to duvalschools.org and look for the drop down tab to find the online application. It will stay good for 2 years from the date you submit it.
June 7................Last Day of school-12:00 dismissal
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Week of May 13-17, 2013
Well we have reached the middle of the last nine weeks. You should have seen a progress report brought home last Tuesday. We will be bringing the year to an end so students need to be sure they are listening for due dates and deadlines coming up. I note these on the board for students to copy into their planner. Please continue to check their planner daily for homework, dates and deadlines coming up for the end of the year.
Reading
Last week students took the F.A.I.R test for the final time. I look forward to seeing their progress from the beginning of the year. We will continue to read aloud The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and end with comparing the original written literature to the movie version. Students have been assigned a new chapter book they should be reading daily and keeping a timeline in their reading logs.
Language
We will continue our practice with cursive handwriting through the next several weeks. Students will need to practice at home to become fluent with this skill.
Important Dates
Wednesday, May 15..................Human Growth and Development Lesson
Friday, May 17.........................End of FCAT Celebration Lunch
Wednesday, May 22.................Early Dismissal
Friday, May 24........................SportsFest
Monday, May 27......................Memorial Day Holiday
Tuesday, May 28......................Diamond D Ranch Field Trip
Thursday, May 30....................Talent Show
Wednesday, June 5...................End of the Year Awards
Thursday, June 6......................Faculty/5th Grade Kickball Game/End of the Year Party
Friday, June 7..........................Last Day of School-12:00 dismissal
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Reading
Last week students took the F.A.I.R test for the final time. I look forward to seeing their progress from the beginning of the year. We will continue to read aloud The Wonderful Wizard of Oz and end with comparing the original written literature to the movie version. Students have been assigned a new chapter book they should be reading daily and keeping a timeline in their reading logs.
Language
We will continue our practice with cursive handwriting through the next several weeks. Students will need to practice at home to become fluent with this skill.
Important Dates
Wednesday, May 15..................Human Growth and Development Lesson
Friday, May 17.........................End of FCAT Celebration Lunch
Wednesday, May 22.................Early Dismissal
Friday, May 24........................SportsFest
Monday, May 27......................Memorial Day Holiday
Tuesday, May 28......................Diamond D Ranch Field Trip
Thursday, May 30....................Talent Show
Wednesday, June 5...................End of the Year Awards
Thursday, June 6......................Faculty/5th Grade Kickball Game/End of the Year Party
Friday, June 7..........................Last Day of School-12:00 dismissal
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Monday, April 29, 2013
Updates Week of April 29-May 3, 2013
We are finally finished with FCAT testing!!! Hooray!!! I am very proud of the students and all the effort they put forth on their tests. We will only have one more assessment which is the F.A.I.R. test coming in May.
Now since testing is over you should see reading logs and vocabulary assignments resume. Please remember to check planners nightly for homework assignments and comments on conduct in the classroom. I have reminded students we still have lots of work to do before the end of the year.
Reading
This week we will begin a read aloud of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. We will track events and characters on a timeline in class then watch the movie to compare events from the book to the movie.
Students will be assigned a new chapter book to begin. They will practice using a timeline to track events and characters while reading. This will also be the book they will use when participating in battle of the books in the classroom at the end of the year.
Language
Students should have one essay turned in on their imaginary person,place, or thing. We will continue using writing throughout the subjects especially Social Studies.
Spelling
You will see spelling resume next week.
Upcoming events....
FCAT Picnic Lunch..................May 15
Sports Fest................................May 22-24
Talent Show..............................TBA
5th Grade Celebration...............TBA
Faculty/5th grade Kickball game....TBA
End of the Year Party......................TBA
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Now since testing is over you should see reading logs and vocabulary assignments resume. Please remember to check planners nightly for homework assignments and comments on conduct in the classroom. I have reminded students we still have lots of work to do before the end of the year.
Reading
This week we will begin a read aloud of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. We will track events and characters on a timeline in class then watch the movie to compare events from the book to the movie.
Students will be assigned a new chapter book to begin. They will practice using a timeline to track events and characters while reading. This will also be the book they will use when participating in battle of the books in the classroom at the end of the year.
Language
Students should have one essay turned in on their imaginary person,place, or thing. We will continue using writing throughout the subjects especially Social Studies.
Spelling
You will see spelling resume next week.
Upcoming events....
FCAT Picnic Lunch..................May 15
Sports Fest................................May 22-24
Talent Show..............................TBA
5th Grade Celebration...............TBA
Faculty/5th grade Kickball game....TBA
End of the Year Party......................TBA
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Updates Week of April 22-26, 2013
We have one more week of testing. This week students will finish up the FCAT with CBT (computer based testing) in Math. Our class has been scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. Please make sure students are here on time as we will try to be in the computer lab and begin promptly at 8:45. During last week and this week students are not being assigned any reading logs or other tests due to FCAT testing. We will resume next week with reading logs and tests.
This week students will work out of the Social Studies text continuing reading to learn. We have picked up where we left off earlier in the year with the Revolutionary War. Students will be learning about the beginning of our great nation. They will have textbook assignments along with writing assignments to show what they learned from their reading. These assignments will count toward their reading grade.
Report cards went home Friday, April 19th. We still have lots of time to practice reading and writing so please continue to check planners nightly for notes or comments about conduct and assignments and tests coming up. We will be working right up to the end of the year in June.
Lastly, one test you should see your child studying for is their United States map of states test. I have not announced the day but study guides go home this week.
Dates to remember:
April 24.................return signed report card
April 30.................Symphony field trip
Week of May 6......Progress reports go home
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
This week students will work out of the Social Studies text continuing reading to learn. We have picked up where we left off earlier in the year with the Revolutionary War. Students will be learning about the beginning of our great nation. They will have textbook assignments along with writing assignments to show what they learned from their reading. These assignments will count toward their reading grade.
Report cards went home Friday, April 19th. We still have lots of time to practice reading and writing so please continue to check planners nightly for notes or comments about conduct and assignments and tests coming up. We will be working right up to the end of the year in June.
Lastly, one test you should see your child studying for is their United States map of states test. I have not announced the day but study guides go home this week.
Dates to remember:
April 24.................return signed report card
April 30.................Symphony field trip
Week of May 6......Progress reports go home
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Updates Week of April 15-19, 2013
Well, students have been working hard since we have returned from Spring Break getting ramped up for the FCAT. This week students have put their best foot forward on the Reading and Science sessions of the test. Next week students will be taking the Math portion of the FCAT on the computer. Their testing days will be Tuesday, April 23 and Thursday, April 25. We need to begin promptly at 8:45 so please make sure students are here on time :)
Friday, April 19th students will bring home their report card for the third nine weeks. Most students are doing very well and I hope they continue to focus this last nine weeks. We will continue working in Reading and Writing everyday. Please continue to make sure your child is reading nightly to move their reading level higher. You should see them looking for words they don't know while reading in their book and writing the definition for the words they don't know on notebook paper. This is a vocabulary grade toward their reading grade.
This year has flown by and I know the end will be here before I know it. Please check your child's planner for important notes home as well as important papers to be sent home on Friday's.
Important dates
April 19.....................report cards go home
April 30.....................field trip
Week of May 6th......progress reports go home
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Friday, April 19th students will bring home their report card for the third nine weeks. Most students are doing very well and I hope they continue to focus this last nine weeks. We will continue working in Reading and Writing everyday. Please continue to make sure your child is reading nightly to move their reading level higher. You should see them looking for words they don't know while reading in their book and writing the definition for the words they don't know on notebook paper. This is a vocabulary grade toward their reading grade.
This year has flown by and I know the end will be here before I know it. Please check your child's planner for important notes home as well as important papers to be sent home on Friday's.
Important dates
April 19.....................report cards go home
April 30.....................field trip
Week of May 6th......progress reports go home
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Updates Week of March 4-8, 2013
Burrrrrrr! Is it cold enough? It surely doesn't feel like March. However it is March already and we are half way through with the third nine weeks. You should have seen the mid-term progress report come home last week on Tuesday. Thank you to all that signed and returned them already. If you have not returned yours yet please send it in this week.
Reading
Last week students did not have a focus or story in their textbooks because I assigned groups chapter books to read for their reading logs. Students were to read a chapter each day and complete the assigned reading log. Many students were not completing this very important practice so hopefully this will help them to stay on target and complete their reading chapters and logging in each day.
This week students will focus on main idea and relevant details. Their story will be A Boy Called Slow. Students will read and practice in class along with continuing reading in their chapter book daily.
Students do not have an assigned list of vocabulary words. They are to find at least 2 words per day while reading in their chapter book. These could be words they don't know or words they thought were good word choices by the author. By the end of the week they should have at least 8 words.
Remember students need to practice reading just like they would anything else they are trying to become better at. Like any sport or hobby if you don't practice you won't improve.
Language
Students are beginning to work on their book publishing kits now. These will be the pages and cover for their published book. Ask your child what they are writing for their book publishing project.
Spelling
Students did not have a spelling list last week but you should see a spelling list for this week. Their test will be on Friday.
Important Dates
February 26......................Progress reports went home
March 6............................Early dismissal
March 18..........................Book publishing project due
March 20..........................Early dismissal
March 25..........................First day of Spring Break
April 2..............................Students return to school
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Reading
Last week students did not have a focus or story in their textbooks because I assigned groups chapter books to read for their reading logs. Students were to read a chapter each day and complete the assigned reading log. Many students were not completing this very important practice so hopefully this will help them to stay on target and complete their reading chapters and logging in each day.
This week students will focus on main idea and relevant details. Their story will be A Boy Called Slow. Students will read and practice in class along with continuing reading in their chapter book daily.
Students do not have an assigned list of vocabulary words. They are to find at least 2 words per day while reading in their chapter book. These could be words they don't know or words they thought were good word choices by the author. By the end of the week they should have at least 8 words.
Remember students need to practice reading just like they would anything else they are trying to become better at. Like any sport or hobby if you don't practice you won't improve.
Language
Students are beginning to work on their book publishing kits now. These will be the pages and cover for their published book. Ask your child what they are writing for their book publishing project.
Spelling
Students did not have a spelling list last week but you should see a spelling list for this week. Their test will be on Friday.
Important Dates
February 26......................Progress reports went home
March 6............................Early dismissal
March 18..........................Book publishing project due
March 20..........................Early dismissal
March 25..........................First day of Spring Break
April 2..............................Students return to school
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Updates Week of February 11-15, 2012
Well, this week will have a slight interruption due to Math Benchmark testing this Thursday and Friday. Students will be given their new focus and words, however tests will not be until next Friday, February 22. Students should also be working on their reports at home-final due date to be coming soon.
Reading
This week we will begin Theme 4 Give It All You've Got! The story is Mariah Keeps Cool. The focus is problem solving. This is when students determine the problem the character is facing, are able to recognize how the character is solving the problem and come up with other solutions for the problem if necessary. We will be working with this story throughout this week and next with the test on Friday, February 22.
This week since students will have extra time I am going to have them define their own vocabulary words this week. I reviewed context clues last week and modeled how to use context clues on the vocabulary tests. Students need to be able to read the word as well as explain what the word means.
Language
Students will receive a rubric to use as their guide for their report this week. Students should begin revising and editing their reports this week with a due date to come soon.
Students will also begin their book publishing project this week in class. Ask your child what they are writing their book about.
Spelling
Students do have a spelling pretest this week with a test next Friday, February 22.
Important Dates
Math Benchmark 1 and 2....Thursday and Friday, February 14-15
Book Fair.............................Thursday, February 14
Valentine's Day....................Thursday, February 14 Students may bring in Valentines
President's Day.....................Monday, February 18 No School
Reading tests........................Friday, February 22
Please remember if you ever have any questions don't hesitate to ask! :)
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
Reading
This week we will begin Theme 4 Give It All You've Got! The story is Mariah Keeps Cool. The focus is problem solving. This is when students determine the problem the character is facing, are able to recognize how the character is solving the problem and come up with other solutions for the problem if necessary. We will be working with this story throughout this week and next with the test on Friday, February 22.
This week since students will have extra time I am going to have them define their own vocabulary words this week. I reviewed context clues last week and modeled how to use context clues on the vocabulary tests. Students need to be able to read the word as well as explain what the word means.
Language
Students will receive a rubric to use as their guide for their report this week. Students should begin revising and editing their reports this week with a due date to come soon.
Students will also begin their book publishing project this week in class. Ask your child what they are writing their book about.
Spelling
Students do have a spelling pretest this week with a test next Friday, February 22.
Important Dates
Math Benchmark 1 and 2....Thursday and Friday, February 14-15
Book Fair.............................Thursday, February 14
Valentine's Day....................Thursday, February 14 Students may bring in Valentines
President's Day.....................Monday, February 18 No School
Reading tests........................Friday, February 22
Please remember if you ever have any questions don't hesitate to ask! :)
Until next time,
R. O'Steen
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