This week, December 13,  we will have our Winter party.  I will be sending home a letter tomorrow with details as well as this post.  Students will begin their day going to the 5th grade Spelling Bee supporting their classmates as the classroom Champions compete to win the title of School Spelling Bee Champ.  This student will continue on to the next level in the county competition.  After the Spelling Bee is over students will come back to the classroom to participate in different literacy center activities that connect to reading, writing, and spelling.  As well as some games with prizes!  Students will enjoy snacks and the movie A Christmas Carol after lunch.  

I want to say a big "Thank you" and let you know everything you send in toward making this a fun and memorable time for the students is GREATLY appreciated.  I have let the students know but just in case...please remember all food items, per county policy, must be story bought and unopened in order to be served in the classroom.  

Again, thanks you for all that you do!! And I hope your holiday this year is a happy and safe one!  See you next year :-)

Until next time,

R. O'Steen

Reading Ball Caps

Hats on For Reading!!!

As you know the fifth grade standards require students to read a variety of books and use strategies to repair comprehension.  Students also are required to meet various other skills to show their understanding of their reading such as being able to tell main ideas, themes, tell about characters, and  the plot of a story just to mention a few.  As part of our reading curriculum students have a 25 book goal to meet by the end of the year.  As an incentive to reach this goal, Ms. Rivers purchased ball caps with the school mascot embroidered for students to earn as they reach different levels of the reading goal.

The first level is for students to read 10 books.  Each 100 pages will equal 1 book.  For example if a student's book had 225 pages that book would count as 2 of their books.  Meeting this goal will earn the students their ball cap.  In order for students to show evidence of reading their books they will need to meet certain criteria.  Students will track their books (title, author, pages, dates and parent signature) in their planners.  The book log will need to be signed by a parent in order to be accepted.  Also students will have to have made an A or B on all their reading logs beginning with the second nine week forward. If a students meets the reading requirements they will earn a ball cap and be able to wear them every Friday as part of our School Spirit day.

The next level will be to meet the 25 book goal and upon meeting this students will earn a pin to add to their cap.  There will be other opportunities for students to earn pins for their caps so be sure to encourage your child to read and earn their ball cap.  I have told them if they do their reading logs each night they can't help but meet the goal but if the aren't reading then they won't meet it.

Look for your child's reading log nightly.  Ask them what book they are reading and what is happening in the book. 
If you have any questions please let me know and I will be glad to answer them!
Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates Week of December 10-14, 2012

Well here we are already at the end of 2012.  The students did so well on the Theme 2 test last week,  I told them I was soooo proud of them and happy that I could have clicked my heels all the way down the hallway the afternoon I graded them.  Therefore, I have planned lots of fun yet still educational activities for this week.

Reading
Last week we began a new read aloud, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens.  We will continue to read the story then later in the week watch a movie version.  Students will compare the book to the movie and tell how they were alike and different.  We will not have any tests in reading this week however students will still be assigned their reading logs.

Writing
Students do not have a new writing assignment this week.  However many students are missing past assignments.  Students also have 2 new assignments due: If You Give a Moose a Muffin story and their critic's review.  Ask your child if they have any assignments they haven't finished.

Spelling
There is not a spelling list this week.

Important dates
If You Give a Moose a Muffin story due....................................December 3
Critic's Review due.....................................................................December 10
Spelling Bee (students, teachers, judges only)...........................December 13
Progress report due signed..........................................................December 12
Winter Party (students, teachers only)........................................December 13
Pajama day (students, teachers only)..........................................December 14
Winter Break...............................................................................December 17-Jan. 1

I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.  Wishes for safe travel if you are going out of town for the holidays. 
Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates December 3-7, 2012

Well time sure does fly! We are already in December and we have soooo much planned I know it will fly be too!  Please watch for reminders in the planner as to due dates and activities coming up for students.  Spelling bee, parties and progress reports are some of the things going on over the next 2 weeks.

Reading
Last week we did not begin a new story or focus due to a short week and two days of Math benchmark testing.  We have finished Theme 2 in the reading series and have begun our Monitoring Student Progress week last week.  We will continue this week with Science benchmark tests on Monday and Tuesday as well as the Theme 2 test on Thursday.  Therefore, we will not have a new story, vocabulary or spelling focus again this week.  However,  I have continued to assign reading logs so you should still see your child reading and logging in nightly.


Writing
The week before Thanksgiving I stapled a note about any missing writing students had that they needed to make up.  Since then I have assigned students a story to write in connection with our review of story structure in reading.  Ask your child what animal and food they chose to write their story about.  It is due Monday, December 3.  This week we will write a critic's review in connection with our review of fact and opinion in reading.  We will look at some real reviews and then students will choose an event from theme 2 to write a review about.  Ask your child what event they are writing about and what their opinion is about it.

Spelling
None this week

Date to remember
Science benchmarks..................................................December 3 and 4
If You Give a "Moose" a "Muffin" story...................December 3
Theme 2 test..............................................................December 6
Progress reports go home..........................................December 6 (correction Dec. 7)
Spelling Bee..............................................................December 13
Class party.................................................................December 13
School Pajama party..................................................December 14
Winter Break Begins.................................................December 17

Updates Nov. 19-23, 2012

This is going to be a short but busy week!  We will not be starting a new focus or have reading logs this week.  Students will have some time this week because of this to finish any late or missing work.  Please look for notes in their planner listing any missing work they may need to finish over their break.  Hopefully students will take advantage of the time given this week in class so they won't have anything to have to complete on their break!  I hope everyone has a safe, fun, and delicious Thanksgiving filled with happiness and laughter!!

Reading
Students will take their vocabulary and poetry tests Monday, Nov. 19 then the rest of their time is to complete any missing reading logs they may have.  Students won't have reading logs this week, however, as part of our character parade on Tuesday, students will be assigned to complete a character web on any character they have read about this year.  As extra credit students may come dressed as that character on Tuesday and participate in the school parade. 

Language
Last week we studied the genre of poetry in Reading and now students will try their hand writing a poem of their own.  The poem is due November 20.  Students will have some class time to use to write their poem, however if they don't finish they will need to finish it at home.

Spelling
Monday, Nov. 19 we will have the classroom spelling bee competitions.  The top two scorers will go on to participate in the school spelling bee on December 13th.  I will let students know Monday who our classroom winners are. 

Important Dates to Remember
Nov. 19......................classroom spelling competitions
Nov. 20......................Character Parade
Nov. 20......................Poem due
Nov. 21-26.................No School Thanksgiving Holiday!

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates November 12-16, 2012

I hope everyone had a nice holiday and had the chance to thank a Veteran.  We were able to thank many Veterans who came to our school Veteran's day assembly last Friday.  It was a very nice program filled with patriotism for our country.  We have been talking about patriotism in class as it is our character quality for this month.  Ask your child about the program and how they show patriotism daily at school and in their community.

Reading
This week we will focus on the genre of poetry.  We will read many different poems in class and discuss the different attributes of poetry such as: sensory details, rhythm, rhyme, repetition. Students will use many poems in the textbook to practice reading and analyzing the characteristics of poetry. Students will also learn the difference between prose and poetry.  You should see a vocabulary study guide in the front pocket of their reading log folder.  Since it is a short week this week and a shorter week next week we will have our tests next Monday, November 19.

Language
This week in connection with our reading focus students will write a poem.  It should use any of the attributes of poetry that we study through the week.  Their poem will be due on Monday, November 19.

 Spelling
This week the spelling focus is homophones-words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings.  Students will need to not only know how to spell the words but will have to be able to use context clues in a sentence to know which word to use.  Even if the word is spelled correctly, if it was not the correct word for the sentence it will be considered incorrect.

Don't forget the school classroom spelling bee competitions will take place Monday, November 19.  We have been practicing in class.  Students should continue to study at home.  They are receiving a participation grade for their effort in the spelling bee.  The practices in class have been great!  The students are really trying and do a great job!

Also coming up is our annual character parade.  Tuesday, November 20 students may come to school dressed up as a character from a book, history or sport.  They need to have the book they read to learn about the person they dress up as.  

Dates to remember
Classroom spelling bee competitions........................November 19
Spelling, vocabulary, reading tests............................November 19
Character parade.......................................................November 20
Thanksgiving Holiday...............................................November 21-26 (return to school the 27th)

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates Nov. 5-9, 2012

This week we will vary slightly from our regular testing schedule due to a very special assembly on Friday.  We will be honoring our very special Veterans this Friday in our annual Veteran's Day assembly.  Since students will be attending this special event on Friday morning I am going to move 2 of their tests (spelling and vocabulary) to Thursday. The skill and selection test will be given on Friday as usual. This way they will have sufficient time to complete their tests.  I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend and... don't forget to thank a Veteran for all they do or have done!!!!

Reading
This week we will focus on identifying the topic, main ideas and details in a given text.  The topic is what the entire selection is about, the main idea are the most important ideas the author shares about the topic, and the details are the examples that help explain and support the main ideas.  Students will use the story Mae Jemison: Space Scientist for the weekly story to practice identifying topic, main ideas and detail.  Ask your child what they have learned about Mae Jemison this week.

Don't forget students are still assigned weekly reading logs Monday-Thursday.  Ask your child what book they are reading for their reading log practice.

Language

Students have had two writing assignments so far this new nine weeks.  The first was a fact and opinion paragraph on their chosen topic.  The other was a summary of the story La Bamba in their textbook.  Ask your child what their topic was and what facts and opinions they shared in their paragraph.  Also ask your child what the story La Bamba was about.

Monday we will participate in the district writing prompt to see progress in their writing from the beginning of the year.

Spelling

This week students are focusing on words with the "er" and "ear" sounds spelled like smear or peer, along with term and perch.  Students should be reviewing and studying their pretest from Monday each night.  Don't forget this week we will test on Thursday.

We also are practicing mock spelling bees in the classroom to help students become familiar with spelling rules and procedures so whoever goes on to the school bee will be comfortable with the process.  Students are really enjoying these spelling bees.  You can help your child prepare by calling out the words from their word list out.  Classroom competitions will be on November 19.

Dates to remember:
November 5.......................report cards go home
November 7.......................early dismissal 1:30 pick-up
November 12.....................no school-Veteran's Day

*Note: on Friday students received an invitation to the Thanksgiving lunch the cafeteria will be serving.  If you plan on attending please make sure you send in your RSVP.  Also make sure you go online and complete the volunteer application.  Parents will have to be cleared through the office in order to be able to attend.  If you have any questions please let me know.

Until next year,
R. O'Steen

Spelling Bee!!!!

Have you heard the buzzzz?????  We will be conducting a Spelling Bee at Crystal Springs this year!!! The students are very excited about the upcoming competitions.  Students have received their study materials to take home to help them prepare for the upcoming classroom competition on November 19.  From the classroom competition, 2 classroom representatives will move up to the school competition which will be on January 4, 2013.  From there a school winner will move on to the district level.

We will have practice spelling bees in the classroom so the students can become familiar with the rules of the spelling bee. Students will receive a participation grade for their effort they put into the spelling bee.

Ways to help you child at home:
*call out the words on the list to make a "know" and "don't know" lists of words
*have students write, read, or make flashcards of words they don't know
*call out "don't know" words through the week to narrow down the list
*a couple of time a week, call out all words on list randomly for practice, having you child spelling them orally
*have your child read the list to you
*ask your child if there are words they don't understand the meaning to

Even though it is a spelling competition, if students can't read the words or don't understand their meaning, they won't take ownership of the word and learn it completely.

Have fun!!!
Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates Oct. 29-Nov. 2, 2012

I can't believe it will already be November this week! The year is already flying by!! You should have seen your students reading and language grades for the first nine weeks stapled in the planners last Wednesday.  There is such a lag between the end of the nine weeks and when they actually get their report cards, I wanted them to know what they had earned the first nine weeks and to be aware that I was already collecting grades for the second nine weeks.  I hope everyone had a nice three day weekend!

Reading
This week students will focus on predicting outcomes.  This is when readers think about what they already know along with personal experience to make what I like to call an "educated guess" about what they think will happen in the story.  This helps readers set a purpose and stay interested in what they are reading as well as show if they are understanding what is happening in the story.  Our selection story this week is The Fear Place.  Students will have vocabulary words along with the story.  They will receive a study guide to study through the week.  Students should also borrow a book through the week to read the story at home.

Language
This week students will think about what it takes to make stories interesting.  We will work on creating suspense and interest in their writing.  They will have to write a story about a time they were scared.  Ask your child what they are writing their story about.

Spelling
We do have a spelling list this week.  Look for the pretest to come home in their reading folder.  Students should be studying their words throughout the week.  I am very happy to say the spelling grades are coming up nicely!!

Dates to remember
Monday, November 12..................Veterans Day
Monday, November 19..................Spelling Bee Test
Tuesday, November 20..................Character Day Parade
Wednesday, November 21-Monday, November 26.........Thanksgiving Holiday

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates October 22-26 2012

Well this will mark the end of the 1st nine weeks already! I can't believe how time is flying!  Students are rolling right along... I am very proud of them!  Even though this is a short week we will still have our spelling, vocabulary and reading tests on Thursday. 

Reading
This week our focus is story structure.  Students will focus on the elements of a story: characters, setting, plot including problem and resolution.  Our story is La Bamba in the reading textbook.  Ask your child who is in the story, where and when the story takes place and what the problem is along with how the character solved the problem.  Also look for reading logs coming home with activities for them to practice story structure. 

Language
This week we will work on writing a good summary.  Students will work on topic sentences through an IVF (identify the item, verb, finish the thought) statement and then add important details from the beginning, middle and end to complete their summary.  Ask your child what story they chose to write their summary on.

Spelling
Look for their pretest on Monday.  Our focus is the ow sound as in ounce, the o sound as in pause and the oi sound as in moist.  Students should study their pretest through the week.


Dates to remember
Thursday........................Patrol Sponsored Halloween costume dance
Friday.............................Planning day No School

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates October 15-19, 2012

We have completed Theme 1 in our reading series.  Students took their benchmark test Friday and will begin a new theme.  This theme is "Give it All You've Got"  Students will read about characters that face a challenge of some sort and have to overcome through endurance, problem solving, and determination.  Ask your child each week what the story's challenge was all about.

Reading
This week in reading our focus will be fact and opinion.  Students will be able to determine statements of fact and well as write them.  Students will also be able to explain how facts and opinions in writing could influence the reader.  This week's story is Michelle Kwan, Heart of a Champion.  Students will read about Michelle Kwan and learn facts about her as well as some opinions. 

Students do have vocabulary words this week.  Look for their study guide in their reading log folder.  Students should study the words throughout the week.

Language
This week students will write paragraphs using facts and opinions about people they read and learn about.  Ask your child for facts about who they read about as well as some opinions.

Spelling
This week student's spelling words are compound words.  You should see a pretest in their reading log folder to study throughout the week.

Date to remember
October 16.......................Early dismissal
October 26.......................Planning Day

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates October 8-12, 2012

We have now completed Theme 1 in our reading series.  This week we will have a week known as Monitoring Student Progress (MSP).  We have for the most part completed our beginning year baseline assessments also :-)  The students should be settling into the school routines and chugging right along.  If you have questions please let me know through a note in the planner or voice mail.  I will get back with you as quick as possible.


Reading
This week we will not have a story or vocabulary list.  Students will complete an in class activity reviewing and using the skills we focused on in theme 1: sequence, text organization and categorize and classify.  Ask your student what activity they worked on each day and what skill they were reviewing.

Language
This week students will continue to write their own Tall Tale.  Ask your student what their story is about. 

Spelling
Students will have a spelling list this week.  Spelling grades are coming up however students should study their spelling words nightly through the week.

Dates to remember
October 26....................Planning day

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates October 1-5, 2012

Here we are already in the first week of October!  We will  be completing DRA's and taking the F.A.I.R. test on Tuesday this week.  This should wrap up our beginning year assessments. 

Reading
This week we will focus on the genre of Tall Tales.  Students will read different tall tales and note the characters and characteristics of the genre.  They will have vocabulary words and 2 different selections in the textbook to read for their test on Friday.  One is Paul Bunyan and the second is Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind.  

Language
In language this week students will try their hand at writing their own tale tall.  Using what they have learned in Reader's workshop students will plan and write a tall tale of their own. 

Students also have a spelling list with the focus of long to short vowels.  They are studying words that change vowel sounds when the form of the word changes.  For example; child to children or cave to cavity. 

Homework
Reading logs will continue to be assigned this week Monday thru Thursday along with students studying their spelling and vocabulary study guides.  You should see these in the front pocket of their reading log folder.

Dates to remember
October 3...................Early dismissal

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates Week of September 24-28, 2012

I hope your child brought home their progress report to you on Friday.  I was very proud of the majority of students, however there are some who just need to make sure they are completing their reading logs and they will be doing great too!!!! We will continue this week with our beginning year assessments with the DRA and FAIR test.  Also students will take the M.A.P. test for Music, Art and P.E. on Tuesday.  So this will be a very busy week and hopefully the last for testing! 

Reading
We will continue this week in the reading textbook with the story Volcanoes.  Our focus will be how and why readers categorize and classify information while reading.  Classifying is when a reader groups like ideas or details together and categorizing is when a reader then gives a name for that group of like ideas.  This helps while reading nonfiction to remember details they are learning by grouping like facts and making a name for those facts.  Students will categorize and classify information about Volcanoes this week as well as from their chosen book for their reading log.

Students will have a vocabulary study guide again this week with their vocabulary words and definitions given to them.  They need to draw a picture to illustrate the word.  This strategy really helps students have a better understanding of the word.  Instead of just having a memorized definition they will have a mental picture pop in their head when they see the word.  Students should be studying their vocabulary words throughout the week.

You should see the reading textbook coming home through the week for students to read the week selection story and answer the question after the story.


Language
This week we will have a spelling list.  The focus is long vowel O sounds spelled with the pattern:o, o-e and the "oo"  sound spelled ow, ui, u-e.  Students should come home with a pretest on Monday and study the words they missed throughout the week.

Important dates
September 24-26........................Progress reports due back signed

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates Week of September 17-21, 2012

Last week we started our week off with the exciting field trip to the Marine Science Center.  It was beautiful weather and I believe the students learned a lot as well as had a lot of fun on the beach collecting shells.

Then we spent the rest of the week benchmark testing. I have to say the students really put forth their best effort on their tests!!  We will continue with beginning of the year baseline assessments this week with the DRA and next week with the FAIR test.  Please continue to encourage your child to do their best everyday!

Reading
This week in reading we will study the text organization or structure an author uses with their text.  Students will look at different pieces of literature and determine whether the author used sequence, main idea and details, cause and effect or compare and contrast to organize their text.  Students will use the story Eye of the Storm which is about a storm chaser named Warren Faidley.  Students will have vocabulary words coming home to study.

Please continue to monitor your child with their reading logs.  Many students have missing logs and it is beginning to effect their grades.  I will send a midterm progress report home this week.  I also encourage you to get your oncourse sign on and password to access their grades on line.  That can only be given out by the office.  I can not give it out in the classroom or over the phone.  You have to come in and show I.D. and sign for it but it is worth it.

Language
Students this week will have a spelling list.  They will study words with long vowel patterns of a, e, and i.  You should see a pretest come home Monday for them to study throughout the week. For writing students will connect what we are working on in reading and apply it to writing.  They will choose a topic and then decide the best text organization for their writing.

Important dates
Progress report..........................beginning of this week
Early dismissal.........................Sept. 19

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates Sept. 10-14, 2012

Well this week is going to be quite busy between the field trip and benchmark testing.  Therefore we will not be following our regular routine in Reading.  Also, don't forget Open House this Thursday from 7:00-8:00 p.m.  Hope to see you there!

Reading
This week we will not have a vocabulary, story or spelling list due to the field trip and benchmark testing.  We will continue to read and log in daily so please be looking for your child's folder coming home each night.  Even if they say they have completed it in class ask them what they read and what the response was for that log.

Language
This week we will review writing from earlier in the year that has been graded for neat handwriting, complete sentences, spelling and use of details.  Students will receive back their writing to see what they need to improve on and write a new paragraph focusing on the weaknesses of their first paragraph.

Important Dates 
September 10..................Marine Science Center field trip
September 11..................Reading benchmark test
September 12..................Math benchmark test
September 13..................Open House 7:00p.m.
September 14..................Science benchmark test

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Updates September 4-7, 2012

Well we have concluded our focus on rituals and routines in the classroom.  Students are doing well knowing and following the expectations of the classroom as well as the school.  Please continue to sign the agendas nightly.  You should see the weekly conduct grade written each Friday for the week in their planners.  If there are big problems through the week they will be noted in the planner or a phone call will be made home.

Reading

This week students will begin working in their textbooks.  They will have vocabulary words to study through the week with a test on Friday.  This week's story is Earthquake Terror.  Our focus is sequence which is using order words and clues to help keep up with the events in a story.  At this level students may come across authors using flashbacks in a story which they as readers need to be aware of so they don't get confused with the what is happening in a story.  Students will read the story through the week and we will have a test on vocabulary, sequence and the selection story on Friday.

Reading grades consist of a student's reading habits which include weekly reading logs, reading book goal, and other activities in class.  Also averaged in are tests which include vocabulary, skills and story selection or comprehension tests.  The selection test students may use their reading textbook to reread and find answers.


Language* edit-no spelling words this week

Students will begin to work on a study of the narrative standard in writing.  We will be discussing story structure and sequence in stories this week.  Students will also have a spelling list this week with a test on Friday.  You should see a pretest coming home so students can focus on just the words they need to study through the week.

Language grades consist of a student's spelling tests and writing activities through the nine weeks.


Important dates
Early dismissal...................................September 5
Marine Science center field trip.........September 10

Until next time,
R. O'Steen

Second Week of School

Well the first week is over and I have to say "WOW" have these students impressed me- academically and with their conduct!  They were focused, participating, respectful and picked up on the rituals and routines with ease.  I would also like to shout out a huge "THANK YOU" in your effort to get the supplies to the classroom.  It really does make a big difference for students when they have the needed notebooks, etc during our lessons.  I also would like to say "Thank you" to parents who sent in extra folders, notebooks, paper for students who might not have theirs yet or for the class through the year.  I think we are off the an AWESOME start!


Reading
Last week I set up the reading log folder with students which they brought home for a parent signature.  This week we will continue to practice in  class, however I will also assign a nightly reading log this week.  We have not started using the textbook or introducing vocabulary but that will be coming.

Language
This week students will begin using their writing journal to review the writing process by writing a paragraph about their favorite character so far from our read alouds.  Ask your student who they are writing about.

Spelling
This week we will not have a spelling list.  Soon, however students will have a pretest on Mondays and a spelling test on Fridays. Look for reminders in homework agendas.

Important Dates:
Monday September 3............Holiday Labor Day
Wednesday September 5.......First Early Dismissal Day

Until next time,
R. O'Steen