Blog Archives

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

3/29/2016

Welcome back! Happy (almost) April! I hope you had a wonderful spring break with your families, and enjoyed a restful vacation. Due to our absence last week, this week’s ANDERLE ADVENTURES will only contain our highlights for the week. Look for a regular edition of the ANDERLE ADVENTURES next week!

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
MATH:
This week in math we will begin Unit 8, Fractions and Ratios. Students will compare fractions, review adding and subtracting mixed numbers, and examine fractions of fractions.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our next Schoolwide unit will begin this week, Poetry! Students will record what they notice about poetry, pay attention to the sounds of poetry, and visualize and determine the big ideas of poetry.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
We will begin our final WEX unit of the year, Writing Short Fiction. Students will use observations to create a believable character, put their character into a mundane situation, and explore the shape of a story.

SOCIAL SCIENCE:
Our Pioneers simulation will continue this week as students face trail decisions and frontier fates, and compose diary entries along the trail!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Tuesday, 4/5....................................................Individual Math Contest #3 (Lunch)
Wednesday, 4/6..............................................Robert Crown: Linda & Michael
@1:30pm
Thursday, 4/7...................................................Team Math Contest #3 (Lunch)
Friday, 4/8.......................................................Field Trip to TMS 1:30-2:45pm

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Monday, March 14, 2016

3/14/2016

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Happy Monday! It's hard to believe that our week of spring break is already upon us! Wishing you all a wonderful and relaxing spring break!!!

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK:
MATH:
In math last week we finished up Unit 7. Students practiced adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers. We reviewed the major concepts from the unit and took our final test on Friday.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our literacy time last week focused on our read aloud, The Stout Hearted Seven, and our nonfiction text, The Children of the Wild West. Students took a closer look at the experiences shared by pioneer families as we examined the American Indians, Frontier Schools, Building the West, and Games, Parties, and Celebrations. We participated in several close reading activities, compared our lives to the lives of Native Americans during the 1800s, and composed journal entries focusing on the development of the West.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Our WEX time last week was spent publishing our Response to Fiction essays!

SOCIAL SCIENCE:
Our Westward Expansion unit continued last week with our interactive dramatizations of the Diverse People of the West. Students did an amazing job with this group assignment! A tremendous amount of thought, creativity, and organization went into these presentations focusing on the lives of people living in or emigrating to the West.

After finishing our study of the Diverse People of the West, we enthusiastically began our Pioneers simulation. First, our class elected Wagon Train leaders. Congratulations to Michael Jasper, Ryane Engle, Maddie O'Dell, and Jason Kanabay on being chosen among their peers as our class leaders! Next, students formed wagon trains and chose their pioneer identities. Pioneers were then faced with the difficult decision of which supplies to take with them on their journey. Narrowing down their supplies to 1000 BWUs (bulk weight units) proved to be super challenging, but they were able to persevere! Finally, students completed their first diary entry and earned points to move their wagon trains along the Hacker Trail!

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
MATH:
A shortened week of school and a completed unit will give us a little time to stop and review, before we begin Unit 8 after spring break.

READING WORKSHOP:
This week we have a skype session scheduled with KL Going, the author of The Liberation of Gabriel King. We will also be reading and responding to The Stout Hearted Seven.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP/SOCIAL SCIENCE:
Our writing and social science blocks will be combined this week to allow for some serious Pioneers time! Students will be composing diary entries, facing trail decisions, and surviving (hopefully) frontier fates!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Thursday, 3/17 and Friday, 3/18..............................Conferences
*************SPRING BREAK**************
Monday, 3/28...........................................................No School
Tuesday, 3/29...........................................................Classes Resume

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Monday, March 7, 2016

3/7/2016

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Happy March! Another busy and successful week of fifth grade passed us by...isn't it hard to believe that our final weeks before spring break are here already???

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK:
MATH:
Last week in math we continued moving through Unit 7. Students solved parentheses number stories and practiced using the order of operations. We also examined negative numbers and compared and ordered numbers on a number line.

READING WORKSHOP:
Reading last week focused on our nonfiction text, Children of the Wild West. Students took a closer look at the experiences shared by pioneer families as we examined frontier photographers, traveling west, and frontier life. We participated in several close reading activities as students were challenged to "dig deeper" and explore pioneer life.
Students explored life as a pioneer child, travel on the Oregon Trail, and the term "emigrants."

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
During WEX last week, students finished up their Response to Fiction essays. We wrote transitions and introductions, and met with writing partners for peer feedback.

SOCIAL SCIENCE:
Our study of the WEST continued last week as students presented their research on the land acquisitions of the United States. Students also began a special project focusing on the Diverse People of the West. Working in groups, students began researching and preparing interactive dramatizations focusing on the Mormons, Chinese Immigrants, Mexicanos, Forty-Niners, Oregon Pioneers, and Nez Perce.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS:
MATH:
We will finish up Unit 7 this week with a focus on adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers. Our final test will be on Friday, March 11th.

READING WORKSHOP:
Reading this week will focus on our nonfiction text, The Children of the Wild West. We will also begin our next read aloud, The Stout Hearted Seven.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
This week during WEX students will publish and share their Response to Fiction essays.

SOCIAL SCIENCE:
Our Westward Expansion unit will continue as students share their interactive dramatizations of the Diverse People of the West. We will also begin our highly anticipated PIONEERS simulation! West or Bust...we're ready!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Tuesday, 3/8................................................Chapter 16 History Alive Quiz
Band Concert @ 7pm TMS
Friday, 3/11..................................................Unit 7 Math Test (Anderle)
Report Cards Sent Home
Thursday, 3/17 &
Friday, 3/18.................................................SPRING CONFERENCES

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