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