Problem Solving Friday 9/28

Here are some videos and pictures from Problem Solving Friday

Friday Problem Solving and Catch-Up Work

On Fridays, we have catch-up day. This is an opportunity to let kids finish assignments that were started during the week.  At 2:00, if this work is not finished, the students will go to one of our rooms to finish and the other students will have choice time.  Choice time is not Free Time!  There are a few activities they may choose to work on during this time.  The students will always have the choice to play chess or read.  Crossword puzzles, boggle, yahtzee, scrabble, bananagrams, math 24, kiva planks, rummy 500, or jigsaw puzzles are some of the choices.

If work is not finished by 2:55, then it will need to be brought home to be finished over the weekend.  If your child has worked on the assignment diligently and brought it home, then we want you to decide how much time it should be worked on over the weekend.  Work brought back on Monday can always be finished at lunchtime or during the morning business time.

Please let us know if you have any questions.  We want all students to start fresh each Monday.  We want to set high expectations, but also want to meet the needs of each student in the best way possible.

Every Friday morning we have Problem Solving during math time.  I will write another post this weekend to share some pictures and video from today.

Fountas and Pinnell

Homework is due tomorrow.

Mrs. Tully started Fountas and Pinnell testing today.  We will put this information on the report card.

Miss. Marino's Field Trip

Miss. Marino's Homeroom had a FANTASTIC time on our field trip, this past Tuesday. We "gleaned" vegetables and fruits at a local farm. These are all fruits and vegetables that most likely won't get bought at a store and they donate all of these to local food shelves, or to others in need!

We gathered multiple boxes, but here are two boxes of the peppers!

Fish in a Tree

Homework:
Weekly Poem and Daily Math Practice.  Students are to touch base with us if they have a question about the homework.
Last week's homework should be reviewed with your child and signed by you.  Your child is to return it to Mrs. Tully.
Mrs. Tully's homeroom received a permission slip for next week's field trip.

Students may have received their copy of Fish in a Tree, the novel we are going to read as a class.  All the chapters will have the audio version available to the students on the class blog.
fairfieldteamtst.blogspot.com
I did have the youtube site where the chapters are available shared on safetv.com. This site made youtube videos available without the other videos showing up on the side of the page.  I don't think safeshare is available anymore because today the links wouldn't work.  I revised the links to the direct youtube site.  There is a teacher who has recorded all the chapters.  Please check out the page where the chapters are available in audio form.  Let me know if you do not want your child accessing youtube to listen to the book.  The books are kept at school, but you can listen to the story on youtube if you want.

Every Tuesday, the 5th grade has a full Circle in the library.  At the end of every day, 5th grade will join together in Mrs. Tully's room (it's larger) and have a Triple A time.  Triple A stands for Appreciations, Apologies, and Ahas.  This is a time when students can share an appreciation for someone, apologize for something that happened during the day, or share an Aha moment, (I learned this today, or I noticed this today).  Students do not have to share. This is an opportunity to end the day as a whole class, sharing, and valuing one another.
Here is a video showing a teacher and his class doing this.
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=appreciation+apology+aha

Field Trip tomorrow!

Homework:
Poem and Math are due on Friday.
Students are to get a parent signature on last week's homework assignments.

5M goes gleaning tomorrow!!!!! Dress for the weather!  Bring your permission slip!

5M Homeroom!!!!! Please remember to send in the signed field trip form tomorrow morning. The weather looks like rain, so please send boots and rain jacket!

Hi!

For my homeroom (5M), your child has received three field trip forms. The first two need to be signed and returned, the other is information for you. 5M will be going this coming Tuesday, September 25th. Please try and get the forms in on Monday!!!! Mrs. Tully's homeroom (5T) will be going on October 2nd. We will be home in time for lunch and please be aware of what the weather is supposed to be... we will be outside!

We had a lot of fun this week delivering/emptying compost buckets and recycling bins for the whole school! This will be our grade's job for the whole year :)

Thank you and have a great weekend!

Morning Routine

Homework is due tomorrow. 
When students come in at 8:15, there is a morning message.  After they read the message they empty their backpacks, get their materials ready for the day, bring notes to Brenda, look for a DEAR book if needed, and work on their morning work.  Morning work is 5 grammar questions.  8:15-8:30 is the time for all of this to happen.  It's important to start the day organized and ready to learn.

Book Orders

Homework is due on Friday.  Questions will be answered in the morning or through the day when students have time.  Please, no frustration.  If your child is experiencing frustration, let us know.

Book Orders were sent home today.  The easiest way to order is online at Scholastic.
Our class code is NXBYL
If you are unable to order and pay online, then send in the order form with a check made payable to Scholastic.  I cannot take checks made out to me.  I will submit your order and send the check to Scholastic.  I will send in the order on Friday, September 28th.

9/19/18 Circle

Homework:
You should have received a letter explaining our homework routine.  By October, homework will be at your child's independent level, with a bit of a challenge.  Poem and math are due this Friday.

Today's circle focused on "Making things right."  We identified different harms/hurts that can happen. Then we read a scenario where we had to identify who was harmed and what kind of harm happened.  Then we decided what should be done to fix the hurt.  We are very aware of physical and emotional harm, but we often forget educational harm.  When students are unable to access their education due to students being disruptive in class, then educational harm is happening.  We will work on identifying these harms when they happen and finding ways to make it right.

Homework

Homework:
Poem, math, and reading if there is time.  Same homework every night.  It is all due on Friday. 

Here is a description of our homework week.  We sent it home with the kids today.

Homework Description

Open House

Homework is due tomorrow.

Great turnout for Open House tonight!

Please sign up for REMIND if you haven't already.

"What do you need?" Circle

Homework:
Poem-Students should be re-reading the poem every night.  It would be great if your child read it to you every night.  This helps with fluency.  Math problems: 5 per night.  The reason the homework is due on Friday is so students can learn time management. The assignments can be divided up in any way that best fits the student's schedule.  If they have a question about one of the questions, they can come in and talk to me about it in the morning.  Many students have done this.  8:15-8:30 is our business time.  Students get notes signed by Miss Brenda, get breakfast, read, ask me about homework, choose a DEAR book-if needed-, and generally get ready for their day.

Students received their first Storyworks magazine this week.  These will be kept in the misc. section of their homework binders.  If your child has some homework time left (remember the 50-minute rule?) then I encourage you to read a story or article together.  We keep these all month and the students know they are to reread the pieces many times.  They can also go to scholastic.storyworks.com  the password is frogjar5.  Articles and stories have audio and the students can follow along while they hear it. 

Below is the information gathered from our Orientation Circle and the follow-up circle we had with the kids.

Today the students were assigned their computers.  

This is what our organized computer cart looks like!!!!!

Brain States

Homework:
Poem and Math are due on Friday.

We talked about brain states and showed the kids a video that explains what is going on in their brain when frustration occurs.  Here is the video.
Dr. Bailey's brain model using your hand.

Open House is Thursday night.  Pizza starts at 5:00 and Classroom visits start at 6:00.  Mrs. Tully will be about 15 minutes late and arrive by 5:20.

Picture Day Tomorrow!

Homework was handed out today. Poem and Daily 5 Math Problems: all due by Friday.

Picture day is tomorrow. Please remember to send the picture form in with your child.

A Classroom Reminder: Both of the fifth grade classrooms are peanut and tree nut free, so make sure you are not sending in home snacks containing these! 

Nature & Build It

Homework:
Return any forms.  Poem Activity and Math Problems due tomorrow.  *Name needs to be on the assignment!!!!!:)

Our caterpillar turned into a pupa!  We found another caterpillar on the basketball court and moved it to the tree and it went down to the grass.  Love exploring nature during recess!

Our tray carts came in today.  The fun of dividing the class into 4 groups, giving them a box of parts, having them read the directions, and assembling the cart....with no directions from me!  PERFECT!!

Books Are In!!!!!!

Homework:
Return any emergency forms, etc.
Poem and Daily 5 Math Problems: all due by Friday.
 Homework is not about what happened in the classroom that day.  It is to have practice with reading and math, as well as time management and problem-solving.  There should NEVER be frustration with homework.  EVER! If a question causes confusion, and your child has tried to figure it out, but can't, then he or she should come to talk to me the next day.  I will never, ever get mad at them.  If they cry remind them of this.  No more than 50 minutes should be spent on homework, including the reading of their DEAR books if there is time.  I sent home a LONG email about this yesterday!!!!!!!!

I got a video of the caterpillar crawling!

We will begin our Class Read, Fish In A Tree, next week.  We have been reading it aloud to the students, but expect them to start at the beginning once they have their own copies.  All of the chapters are read aloud on youtube and I will be posting the links on the blog.  It is a WONDERFUL book! 
We also use books to teach and reteach expectations.  A few that we will be reading are:
My Mouth is a Volcano;
Decibella and her 6 Inch Voice; and
What if Everybody Did That?
The titles are links to see what the books are about.

We spent a lot of time today practicing voice levels like Decibella.  Some students need more practice than others, and Ms. Marino and I will be having lunch with those students who need practice with voice levels.  Example: We will eat lunch at a voice level 0, or voice level 1, or voice level 2.  All students understand voice levels 3 & 4!!!!!!!!  Maybe we should write a play about voice levels! 

Next Thursday, 9/13 is Open House! Can't wait to see you there!

Homework, Recess, Dancing, and Pics!

Found this little (big) cutie outside today. Anyone know what kind of caterpillar it is?

Homework starts this week.  There will be a poem, with questions, and some math.  The poem should be read every night silently and aloud. All of it is due on Friday. This format will stay the same all year.  By October, I will have different levels for different students, but it will stay independent.  Students may need help with some of it, but I have asked them to not become frustrated and ask for help the next day.  No more than 50 minutes should be spent on homework. Students do read during the day, but I expect them to read at home for a bit when time allows.  Example: Your child read the poem and did the 5 questions, did 4 of the math problems, but got stuck on #5. He or she will as me about the math problem in the morning.  This took 20 minutes.  He or she should read for 20-30 minutes depending on your family activities for the afternoon and evening.

Recess: Today, we talked about recess being a fun activity. If any game or activity becomes so serious that name calling and physical contact becomes involved, then that activity may be canceled and students showing that behavior will be asked to sit out for a couple of minutes.  Discussion about the behavior will be attempted, but sometimes students aren't available to have a productive conversation at that point.  The student may be able to go back to the activity if s/he can discuss what happened.  If not, then the student will need to find another activity.  Discussion and reteaching will happen at another time.  It is a Maple Run policy that recess cannot be withheld, but an alternative recess may be provided if needed.

Fortnite, disco, The Waltz, The Tango, Tap, Ballet, etc: Students are more than welcome to dance the night away at recess! Any dancing in the classroom/hallway, unless we have a dance party, causes students to focus more on the dancing than the instruction.  We appreciate your help with this, really...........we do!!!  Not kidding, we really do!

All About Me Poster: Miscommunication on my part!!!!! We sent home a sheet explaining this at our Orientation.  I was to send it home via email and it just didn't happen. No excuse except my overloaded brain! Students may bring in pictures to add to their posters. We can also take a picture of your child and print it if needed.  Let us know if we can help.  Here is the letter.    All About Me Poster  We did not get to it on Friday.  Today was the first day and they will have time to work on it tomorrow and Friday.  

Parent-Student Handbook: Please read the handbook.  Here is the link.  Parent-Student Handbook  Let me know if you have any questions.

Open House is Thursday, September 13th.

Sign up to get the blog posts emailed to you!!!!!   fairfieldteamtst.blogspot.com

Sign up for Remind.  It's the best way to quickly communicate.  

Tell people to text @h69f9b to the number 81010

They’ll receive a welcome text from Remind.
If anyone has trouble with 81010, they can try texting @h69f9b to (802) 461-4271.