Sit Ins and Jim Crow

We are starting our Mildred D. Taylor author study this week. She is a writer of the pre-Civil Rights era. This gives us a great opportunity to learn about the Civil Rights Movement. Today, we read Sit-In, a picture book explaining the Greensboro four. We also watched a video simulation created by National Museum of American History that shows what it was like to peacefully demonstrate.

We will continue our studies discussing Jim Crow laws, Rosa Parks and the Montgomery bus boycott, and racism in America before 1964's Civil Rights Act. We also will celebrate how one person can make a difference. Here is a recipe for change found in our book Sit-In written by Andrea Davis Pinkney:

1. start with love
2. add conviction
3. season with hope
4. extra faith to flavor
5. Mix black with white
6. let unity stand
7. fold in change
8. sprinkle with dignity
9. bake until golden
10. serve immediately
11. Make enough for all!

Here is a link to find out more about the Greensboro Four: http://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/collateral/articles/Greensboro.Four.pdf
or http://www.sitins.com/index.shtml

Congratulations! You Have Been Awarded An Island!

5th Grade Island Winners,

You have just been awarded ownership of an island in recognition of your concern with the five themes of geography and environmental issues. Your wisdom in managing the island is crucial. You have many responsibilities now for your fellow citizens. This includes providing employment, shelter, food, and healthy environment. You are also responsible for the development of a model community for business and natural habitats. Consider your actions carefully. Below are the questions we posed today to help you in your planning of your island. Good luck!

Now that you have found out a little about the five themes, how can you use them?

Here are some questions to get you started developing your island:
Where is it?
Where exactly is that?
What does it look like?
How many people live there and where?
What settlements (cities, villages) does it have?
What sort of climate does it have?
Does it have any extremes of weather?
Is it prone to any type of natural disaster?
What are the natural resources and how are they used?
What type of agriculture is there?
What are the main types of transportation and communication?
What makes the people there different to people in other places?
What sort of government does it have?
Is it associated with any other place?

Here's A TIP

Here is a TIP on how to solve all story problems:

T= What do you need to THINK about to answer the QUESTION?

I= What is the INFORMATION that the problem gives me? (numbers)

P= What PROBLEM do I create with the information? (+ - x ???)

S= What is the SOLUTION to the story problem?

Today, we practiced guess and check questions as a group and as partners. They worked so well together to teach each other how to solve a problem. I gave them clues such as the solution, the information and even the problem and they were to find the missing components. We will continue to use this strategy for all of the problems that we work on. Just a fun tip for you at home.

Word Study Gets Its Start

Today, we worked on our first list of words that we are using to study rules and patterns. Each week, we will begin with a new list, by testing to see what words they already know, then we create an individual list of words they need to work on for the week, and finally we work during the week to study the patterns in our words through activities and practice.

Your child is bringing home their individual list to work on tonight and all of this week. We will retest on Friday by working with partners on our own list. Please help your child practice for this.

This week's patterns and activities deal with short u and syllables.

Snack Time!

Snack is an important time of the day for students. That little pick-me-up gives a child the nutrition that they may need to give them a little boost of energy until lunch. In our schedule, we have built in a time after our literacy block at 9:30. At this time, students can enjoy a healthy snack from home, as well as a drink. Milk cards can be purchased for $7.00. During this time as well, I read to the students from a chapter book. We will start Foxman, written by Gary Paulsen tomorrow.

Students discussed the possibility of swapping snacks. If you do not want your child exchanging snacks with another student please let your child know. Students wanted the option of a one snack trade two days a week. You can also contact me through the comment post on our blog.

Ecaudor, Wow!

Today, we took a trip to Ecaudor! Each fifth grader was given a boarding pass and got on a "plane" today to travel to the eqautor.

We are learning about the five themes of geography for the next two weeks and to do that we are simulating a trip to Ecaudor to learn about HEI, movement, regions, location, and place. We then will create the four geographic regions of Ecaudor in our room and invite the other fifth grade class to tour Ecaudor and learn what this country has to offer in terms of the five themes.

I know the students in room 208 are looking forward to our trip!

Back To School Bucket List...

Our first two days have been fabulous! I am so proud of how focused and hard working this group is so far!

This year, we are working to provide a positive 5th grade environment for room 208. We are using the strategies found in the book, How Full Is Your Bucket? written by Tom Rath. The idea is organized by using a simple metaphor of a dipper and a bucket. We hope to greatly increase positive moments at school and hopefully reduce the negatives in our day. Please ask your child regularly what positive moments that they were part of at school. By simply changing how we state things, we can change not only our attitude about work and school, but others as well. Please help me at home by also continuing to provide a positive environment. Together we can make a difference. How full is your bucket?