Weekly Update: January 28th

The progress report window closes on Thursday, January 31st.  Progress reports will be sent home with students on Monday, February 4th. 

Class Updates: 

Social Studies: Students were introduced to Augustus and the start of the Roman Empire. We spent most of the week defining what an empire is and ultimately discussing whether or not the United States is an empire. On Friday, students learned about how a volcano not only destroyed a city but preserved it for many years to come. Ask your child about it!

Science:  This week in science we are continuing to look for patterns in how traits are passed on.  Students have analyzed human pedigrees and the results of their own plant crosses.  Look at pictures here!

Literacy:   Rhetorical devices were just one of the topics we discussed this past week, as we listened to excerpts of some very famous speeches, and read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address.  We enjoyed looking at students' first few slides of their Omnictionary projects.  Hearing students give suggestions and constructive, supportive criticism was absolutely wonderful.  In the week ahead we will spend some time looking at the structure of text, and begin Latin Unit 8. 

English: Students spent time this week finishing their character change unit once I-Ready testing was complete.  A new science fiction unit was also introduced in class and students played a true or false game, relating to topics covered in our new book, The Giver.  Ask them some of the topics they discussed in class and whether they agreed or disagreed with the statements.

IRP projects are due this week!  This month students should have created a summary, timeline, and a letter to the author.  Students should submit their completed projects on Thursday, January 31st.

Math: We are finishing up are unit on circles and area. This week we will finish learning about complex figures, a topic they started in 6th grade. The test for this unit is on Thursday, January 31st!  Study guides are posted on Google Classroom and will be handed out on Tuesday in class.  Be sure to check out the instructional videos this weekend if you're still struggling with radius, diameter, circumference, and area.

Weekly Update: January 22nd

We have iReady testing on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.  Remember to eat a good breakfast and get plenty of rest.

Book Orders!! Thank you for the book orders that were submitted this week!  Books were ordered  Wednesday and should arrive within the next 7-10 days.

Class Updates: 

Social Studies: Students explored the rise and fall of Julius Caesar and wrapped up the collapse of the Roman Republic this past week. They were assessed on this topic Friday. We will begin the Roman Empire on Tuesday.

Science:  This week in science we started looking for patterns in how traits are passed on.  We started by analyzing pedigrees of human traits and then started a cross with plants.  Our "baby" plants should be sprouted by next week so that we can analyze those results.  Students should be studying all of their genetics notes each night.  We'll have a few quick quizzes next week.

Literacy:   Children can certainly make a difference!  Ask your children how!  Latin Unit 7 is a wrap, and next week, while we are doing iReady testing, students will learn how to read and analyze a famous speech. The first Benchmark for the Omnictionary project is Thursday. Check Google Classroom for details!

English: Students worked in the library all week creating character change cartoons using a new online resource.  Ms. Sand, our librarian, helped facilitate this fun learning experience. Students also created captions and dialogue for each of their cartoon blocks.  Next week brings our final assessment for this character change unit.

IRP projects are due on January 31st! Students should be finished reading their independent reading books at home and starting to compile their projects!  This month students are creating a summary, timeline, and a letter to the author.

Math: Last week students did well on their tests overall, I was very proud.  Grades have been put in the grade book. This week we will continue to work with circles and learn about area.  There is a lot of new vocabulary so it would hurt to study those new terms! 

Weekly Update: January 14th

Book Orders!! New orders went home this week in English and are due back on Wednesday, January 16th!  If you'd rather place an order online, please click here and follow the book club instructions.

Class Updates: 

Social Studies: Last week we started our new unit on the Roman Republic. This week students researched and discovered a war that used war elephants--this war is known as the Punic Wars. We spent the majority of the week on this topic as it is one of the major conflicts that the Roman Republic was involved in. Students were assessed on this topic on Friday.

Science:  This week in science class we have been very busy figuring out the differences between DNA, chromosomes and genes.  How do we get our genes is the question we are ending the week with.  Students are in the middle of a flower dissection that will lead them to answer this question next week.  Check out pictures of our flower dissection on the science blog!

Literacy:   In addition to beginning Latin root unit 7 this week, and receiving the Google Classroom assignment for their Historical Fiction project, we began to discuss human rights and social injustice.  This begins a unit in which students will learn about how brave Americans have fought to correct social injustices in our country.  Next week we will take a close look at how the work of thousands of children from Alabama helped to change history!  And on Friday, Latin 7 Mastery Test!  

English: This week we concluded our character change unit with A Christmas Carol and students had an opportunity to work on their January independent reading projects during class.  Together we discussed the various ways Scrooge changed his character throughout the text and how people, in general, change their ways for the better.  Next week we'll be in the library all week with Ms. Sand, working on an interactive character change project.

Math: Last week we started working in inequalities to wrap up our equations unit.  Students will receive a study guide on Monday to start preparing for their test on Wednesday, January 16th.  After we are going to start our geometry unit with circles.

Weekly Update: January 7th

Class Updates: 

Social Studies: Happy New Year! We returned from break starting a brand new topic: The Roman Republic. We spent this week learning about Rome's geography and how a republic works. We will move deeper into Rome's rich history next week.

Science:  We've started off the new year with a new phenomenon:  Why do I look the way I do?  Students have shared a lot of questions that they have about their own traits.  They have figured out that traits are inherited, environmental or both.  Next week we will continue investigating our questions and look at chromosomes and DNA.

Literacy:     Happy New Year!  Students finished their wonderfully narrated Atlas Obscura projects just before vacation, and we've enjoyed watching one another's videos.  Kudos to everyone!  Students were given the opportunity to work on Omnictionary projects this week, as we had chrome books in the class.  Monday we will begin Latin Unit 7.  The test will be next week!

English: Welcome back! Despite the shortened week, students stayed busy in class!  We visited the library and students chose historical fiction novels for their new project this month.  Students will be creating timelines, writing letters to an author, and providing summaries of their novel and historical event.  Furthermore, students will use these novels for a project in their literacy class as well.  Students should be reading a total of one hour this weekend.

Math: Last week students learned about two-step equations.  Students were taught the traditional way we solve equations while linking back to the tape diagram model students learned in the last module.  Students will have a quiz on Tuesday, January 8th.  Be sure to study!