Happy New Year!

Happy holidays!

As we approach the New Year I am so thankful for such a wonderful first half of the school year. Our final two weeks before vacation were packed with fun. We had a visit from the kindness kids. They encouraged us to participate in random acts of kindness such as collecting canned goods for the Westford pantry, giving away new pencils to a younger class, and delivering holiday candy canes to our previous year's teachers. The students had fun and the recipients of kindness were always appreciative.

Thank you to our room parent Jen Skolnick, and the other parent volunteers that coordinated a great Winter Celebration party. The students all enjoyed themselves. During the week we also presented on festivals and holidays celebrated around the world. The students enjoyed learning about other customs and traditions.

January will be an exciting month! We will have a visit from a local author and will start our first official round of literature circles. We will finish our second round of book talks this month and students will be assigned a more formal book report in February. 

Enjoy the remainder of vacation and I will see you all in the new year!

Have you heard?

Hi Folks!

Have you heard that room 105 has visitors??

Monday morning as the students and I arrived at school there had been an apparent "snowstorm" in our classroom. Along with the snow came two "small" kids that introduced themselves in a letter as the Kindness Kids. The students quickly named them Snow-jingle and Fluffalina.

Each morning since their arrival we have found them in a new location with a short mission of kindness for the class to participate in. All activities are optional and easy to complete. You can ask your child what the daily mission was each day when they get home.

Some missions may require a little help at home, there is no pressure to participate I know that schedules are tight this time of year. The students and I are enjoying spreading a little kindness this season at JAC!

It's almost vacation! -Ms. Moores

Upcoming Author visit...

                                                                

Author Rob Buyea is coming to Crisafulli on Thursday,  January 21st to visit Grade 5 students.  He will start with a grade level presentation and then break out into writing workshops with the classes. 

Next week we will begin reading his first book, because of mr. terupt, during our class read aloud. I read this book with last year's class and they really enjoyed its humor and identifiable characters.

If students have a book by Rob Buyea, they are welcome to bring it in for him to sign.  If you would 

like to purchase a book on your own this link is a resource that may be helpful.  We look forward to welcoming Mr. Buyea back to Crisafulli. Last year's presentation was fantastic!    

Gratitude

I am thankful for a wonderful fall 

and the creation of an amazing group of students 

that have learned how to work together as a team!

       

   I  hope you all had a relaxing Thanksgiving holiday with friends and family. It was beautiful weather and so nice to be able to spend time outdoors. I enjoyed meeting with all of you before the holiday and getting a chance to share the many exciting things your children have done over the past few months of school. Please remember that you do not need to wait until the next set of conferences to contact me if you need an update. I am always available :)

  This week we will be starting a new research project. Each student will be responsible for working in a collaborative team to research a traditional holiday from around the world. They will each individually write a research paper and as a group prepare a Google Presentation that will be shared with the class the few days before we leave for break. Your child may need to do extra research online or at the library in order to find all of the necessary information. As with all projects this is an open ended project and I love it when the students add flare to their presentations. Information will be given to the students over the next couple of days, please contact me if they are unclear about the assignment or requirements. They will be given time at school to complete 50 - 75% of it.

  Enjoy the next 3 1/2 weeks they go by fast!

Thank you!

Hi Folks!

It has taken me a while to get reorganized after our awesome week, but I am finally ready to sit down and write about all of our fabulous activities. The students, and I must admit myself too, had SO much fun exploring pumpkins. We wrote poems and persuasive essays about them. We measured and observed them. We put together character traits to "find" them during the "Great Pumpkin Heist" and finally we dissected them. If your child hasn't already shared some of the exciting things we learned about pumpkins please ask them to share.

Now it is time to get back into our normal routine. We are studying a new list of vocabulary words this week, as well as continuing our personal narratives. This week we are specifically exploring how we can expand our writing through the use of paragraphs.

In reading, we are learning the individual roles that we will practice when we begin independent literature circles after Thanksgiving break. We also had our first two book talks today. The students are really showing their creativity and engaging each other in learning about new books. I can't wait to see more.

An important update on testing is that we will be having our first Social Studies benchmark on Tuesday November 10th and our first Science benchmark on Friday November 13th. That is just next week. Stay tuned as study materials go up on the homework tab.

Finally a big thank you to the parent volunteers for putting together wonderful snacks for our Poetry Cafe and a fun project for our Harvest Celebration! It was a fun time all around!!!

Book-Talks

               It's official your child has been assigned their first Book-Talk. A book-talk is an informal book report that gives students a chance to share about a book they have read and want to recommend to the class. There are two parts to a book-talk, a written and oral piece. Details, rubrics, and due dates can all be found under the homework tab. This should be a low stress assignment that gets the students thinking creatively. Check out the homework tab and read more about it. Please contact me with any questions that are not answered on the web page.

              Remember that we are collecting pumpkins for our class "patch". We will have a week long exploration next week so the more pumpkins the better. A couple have started trickling in, but I would love to have more. Thanks!

Pumpkin Time

Happy Pumpkin month!

I think everywhere I turn pumpkins are everywhere! In our coffee, in our muffins, even in our salsa :) Room 105 will be no exception to this phenomena. I am hoping to "grow" a patch of pumpkins for the students to explore during the week of October 26th - 30th. If you are willing to donate a pumpkin to our class please send it in with your child this week or next week, or drop it off in the office. I would love to have pumpkins of all sizes and colors.

Last week I also sent home our letter asking for donations to our classroom celebrations. Each year every class asks for a six dollar donation. This money goes towards the classroom craft and games. The classroom celebrations are a big excitement for the students each year. Thank you for your support.

Tech STRETCH!

Check out our technology tab in order to see our latest technology integration project. Students built sentences with a partner using all of the steps of the writing process.

Thank you!

Thank you for attending Parent night last week! 

It was so nice to see so many of you Wednesday night. There is never enough time to fit everything in, but hopefully you all were able to get a sense of what is most important in our classroom. I am posting my presentation as well as the student slideshow for anyone who would like a second look or wasn't able to make it. If you have any questions after viewing the presentations please don't hesitate to contact me. Together, we will make this a truly memorable and educational year for the kids. It reminds me of a poem I read recently:

"Whose Child is This? Whose child is this?" I asked one day Seeing a little one out at play.
"Mine", said the parent with a tender smile "Mine to keep a little while.
To bathe her hands and comb her hair To tell her what she is to wear
To prepare her that she may always be good
And each day do the things she should" 

"Whose child is this?" I asked again As the door opened and someone came in 

"Mine", said the teacher with the same tender smile 

"Mine, to keep just for a little while 

To teach her how to be gentle and kind 

To train and direct her dear little mind 

To help her live by every rule 

And get the best she can from school" 

"Whose child is this?" I ask once more 

Just as the little one entered the door 

"Ours" said the parent and the teacher as they smiled 

And each took the hand of the little child 

"Ours to love and train together 

Ours this blessed task forever." 

Another Great Week!

Happy end of September!

Can you believe we have been in school four weeks? I am very lucky to have such an amazing group of students this year. Their enthusiasm and thoughtfulness are contagious. We have taken these first four weeks slowly as we have gotten to know each other and the routines. I think they are ready now to start to get into the real "meat" of learning in the content areas. We have started our new Science program, which you will learn more about at open house,  we started our first class read, and Friday we had our first math switch! The students came back SO excited after meeting their new teachers and classmates. I think they all feel very "old" and a little like "middle schoolers" :) 

This week we will have another week of vocabulary and I will introduce "book talks" to the students. Students will do several "book talks", informal book reports, over the course of the school year.

Please remember that I am always just an email away, and know that I love hearing from you for big or small reasons. Communication is the key to a successful year!

I look forward to seeing you all on Wednesday night,

Ms. Moores

Correction for math test

Update. I was incorrect on the math testing day. Students will be taking the Unit 1 math test on Tuesday.

Happy First Full Week of School!

This is our fourth week of school, but the first week where we have a full scheduled week... How exciting! 

We have all settled into the routines and to be honest it feels like we have been together forever. I am so excited for the year ahead of us. The specialists are already raving about what a fabulous class I have and I am certainly not surprised to hear it. This is a great group!

A week of firsts:
Vocabulary routines start Monday (including nightly homework due on Friday).
We will have our first Math test on Wednesday.
On Friday we will begin switching to new math classes and on Friday we will also do our first technology project in writing.
Band and strings has officially started so remember you instruments if you play.

If you have not hear from me via email about your child's first 2 weeks of school then please contact me. I look forward to seeing all of you on September 30th at Curriculum night.

Happy First Day!

Happy first day of 5th grade!

The last year of Elementary school can be very exciting and it certainly goes by very fast. We will try to make the most of each day in room 105. Your child's homework for the day is to share one activity with someone at home. If they have trouble remembering what they did today, and they seem to only remember how to use one word answers :) Try out these conversation starters:

1. Why did you play with toilet paper today?
2. What is human bingo... it sounds painful?
3. What's a selfie?
4. What will you carry everywhere you go to help keep you organized?
5. Tell me about your "puzzle"?

Hopefully those questions will elicit some more in depth responses. We really had a great first day and I am excited to spend the year with your children. If you and your child have not gotten a chance to fill out my online survey please take a moment to click on the links on the sidebar and fill out the questionnaire.

Thank you and feel free to email me with any questions or concerns.

Welcome Letter

Dear Team Member,

I hope you are having a restful and relaxing summer because fifth grade will be a busy and exciting year! I am thrilled about the opportunity to get to know you, and I am looking forward to a happy and productive school year. This year we will work hard AND have tons of fun!

This is will be my 9th year teaching in room 105 at Crisafulli. Along with teaching I also am co-advisor of the student council and I direct the fifth grade play, (no hints on this year's play just yet). I enjoy integrating the arts and technology into the classroom and learning new ideas from my students. Our classroom website will be a place for us to share ideas and collaborate throughout the year. This will be a great tool to keep up with current events and homework in the classroom. Please take a moment to fill in a quick survey to help me prepare for the school year. Parent Survey / Student Survey

Our main focus this year will be on building a community within room 105. Through Team 105 meetings, cooperative activities and discussions, we will become a team of students with whom you can feel safe to share your ideas, concerns and talents.

I am getting anxious to begin our school year and I’m sure you have lots of questions about how to be ready for the fifth grade. All you will need for the first day of school is a healthy snack and a smile. We will spend most of our time getting to know each other and our classroom: room 105. During the first two weeks of school you will be working on an in class book project. You can choose any book that you read over the summer no need to read a special book.

There is no need to bring any personal supplies this year. Everything that I expect you to use this year including pencil box, binder, and notebooks will be provided for you when you get to the classroom.

I would love the opportunity to meet you before the start of school. I will be in room 105 during the open house on Thursday August 27th from 10:30 - 12:00. Please stop by to say hi!

Sincerely,

Ms. Moores

Optional Classroom Donations

• Large box of tissues
• Paper Towels
• Wipes
• Ziplock plastic baggies

Final Post...

Well I have to say it has been an incredible year! I have truly enjoyed teaching your children this school year. Team 105 was comprised of hard working, caring students and I feel lucky to have had the opportunity to work with all of them. I am confident that this group is ready and prepared for their journey to Blanchard next year. I look forward to seeing many of you at the completion ceremony tomorrow morning at 9 am. Remember that your child will change into their blue completion ceremony t-shirt when they get to school tomorrow. If you would like to take your child home after the reception you may, but please make sure you come to the classroom to sign them out and say goodbye first. Thank you for a fabulous year!

Happy Field Day!

Wow! We have been so lucky with weather! It was a great day filled with fun and lots of activities. The shirts came out great and "Moores MOhawks!" made a fabulous team today. I am so proud of how supportive they all were of each other during the games!

You can wash the field day shirts by hand or in the washing machine. If you put them in the washing machine wash them inside out.

Tie-Dye shirts!

What a gorgeous day for camp! All of the students got a chance to create a unique Tie-Dye shirt today. It will come home in a zip-lock bag. In order to preserve the vibrant color the first thing you should do is take it out of the bag and leave it out to dry. When it is pretty dry put it in the Dryer on high heat for 5 or 10 minutes to fully set the color. After that you can wash and wear as you would normally. It is important that you dry the shirt completely before wearing or the color will wash out.

The students may choose to use this shirt for their field day iron-on if they would like. Just send it back to camp with them and I will hold on to it till Monday when we do the iron-ons. If anyone would like to donate a package of printable iron-on sheets for us to use that would be great. If not I will just pick a package up this weekend :)

Let me know if you have any questions.

Camp and Field Day

Yay! We made it through the day without any thunder... and lots of kids have already had their chance on the zip line and swimming. What a great week! i am having fun with my group of kids and I have heard from other group leaders about the GREAT kids in room 105. I am so proud of the comments about my respectful, polite students :) Three more fun filled days to go and so far the weather looks sunny and warm! Remember to apply the sunscreen and bug spray and wear/bring shorts tomorrow.

I am also looking ahead to field day. This year our theme is the Moores MOhawks! I would like to make T-shirts with the students on Monday after camp... I know this is a challenge in remembering a shirt, but unfortunately with field day Tuesday it is our only day to do it. I am encouraging the kids to come up with a design and to submit it through Google Classroom so that we can make an iron on to put on our shirts. Please ask your child to sign into their google classroom writing account to submit ideas and I will share them with the class on Friday. Students can bring in either a white T-shirt or their Tye-Dye camp shirt on Monday to put the iron-on on. Let me know if you have any questions.

Lastly, I wanted to let you know that Monday afternoon is also the day that your student will participate in the Human Growth and Development lessons. Please let me know if you have any questions. 

Planning for camp...

Hi Parents! 

I can't believe it is already time to start getting ready for fifth grade camp. I have put together a checklist of suggested items that are helpful to have at camp. Please review these lists with students and help them prepare for this exciting week! 

Students will be given their camp groups and schedule the Friday before camp. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns after reading this list.

What to wear: (Label Everything)

• ·      Dress for the weather, dress in layers, the mornings are typically cool and afternoons warm
• ·      Put sunscreen and bug spray on BEFORE leaving your house. (No bug spray is allowed at camp and it gets buggy in the woods.)
• ·      A hat if you want
• ·      Sneakers (You need these to go in the woods and play sports, wear them every day)
• ·      Sweatshirt (It can get cold in the woods)

What to bring: (Label everything)

• ·      Your lunch if you are bringing (Snack is provided to all students everyday, Lunch is provided to all students on Friday)
• ·      Water bottle
• ·      Your bathing suit every day (If you have swimming first block you should come wearing your swimsuit,  a one piece suit is not required, but is recommended as students will wear them on the zip line.)
• ·      Towel (everyday)
• ·      Sandals/Flip Flops for water activities (Wear sneakers and change at camp)
• ·      Your schedule (I will give it to you Monday morning and you will keep it for the rest of the week.)
• ·      Plastic bag for your wet suit and towel
• ·      Sunscreen (No sprays please)
• ·      A large bag to put your back pack in if it is raining (All belongings are kept outside and will get wet if it rain)
•      A raincoat or poncho in case it rains. Keep one in your bag every day.
•       An extra sweatshirt in case one gets wet.

Things to remember:

• ·     You will travel to school the way you normally do and switch to a camp bus at Crisafulli. After you get off the camp bus find Ms. Moores to check in and get your badge. At the end of the day turn your badge back in to Ms. Moores. (This is how we do attendance so it is important)
• ·     Show respect to all teachers, peers, and parent volunteers at ALL TIMES. There is a three-strike rule at camp.
• ·     Use water for drinking only; it is against camp rules to squirt water bottles at each other.
• ·     You will travel to activities with your group. You must stay with your group and adult leader at all times.
• ·     Get to know students from other schools who are traveling with you.
• ·     If interested, be sure to sign up for the talent show, which is on Friday of camp week. You will get sign-up week soon. All interested students must sign up the week before camp.
• ·      Raincoat (Everyday!)

Completion Ceremony

Hi Parents!

I can't believe it is already time to start preparing for the 5th grade completion ceremony. Please follow this link to the printable document for information regarding the ceremony from the parent coordinator. I will also add the link to the sidebar for easy access.

Thanks!
Ms. Moores

MCAS Tuesday and Wednesday

A reminder that this week students will be taking the Science MCAS. Because of this you will notice that they do not have homework due at the beginning of the week. Also feel free to send an extra snack on these two days. We will not have lunch until 12 so I plan to give them time after the test for an extra snack. In addition I've reminded the students to get a good night's sleep and have a big breakfast.

Enjoy the "summer" weather while it lasts.
- Ms. Moores

Spring is here...

Spring is here... but it doesn't quite feel like it yet :(

Our Field Trip

Rain or shine, warm or cold we will be going on our field trip to the Minuteman National Park this Wednesday. The current weather forecast is low 40's, rain, maybe even snow!
We are encouraging students to wear winter boots or hiking boots, dress in layers, wear a hat and gloves gloves and bring a water-repellent coat. We will be outside for a majority of the field trip.
Students need to bring their lunches. It was suggested by park rangers that students carry their lunches in a small backpack, either in a large Ziploc or lunch box. The park is a carry-in/ carry -out park. Brown bags will not last if we have to stand out in the rain.
Students will be responsible for carrying their own lunches.
Please, no glass bottles, soda, or gum!
 There is no need for money or a camera so please do not send those items in. We can not be responsible for lost or stolen items during the trip.
We will have fun, no matter the weather, as long as students are prepared!

Spring Fling

Our theme for this year's Spring Fling basket is "School Time". Please consider donating items for our basket. As a class we brainstormed ideas on how to make this a fun basket and we came up with a short list of ideas.

1. Fun erasers
2. Notebooks
3. Binders
4. Staples / Office Max / Walmart / Target gift cards
5. Book covers
6. Fancy pens and pencils
7. Pencil Sharpeners
8. Crayons and markers
9. Fun paper

There are lots of ways to find fun and creative supplies for school and the office, so have fun!

Book Report and Parcc Testing

Hi! 

First, I wanted to remind you that tomorrow is the first day of Parcc testing. Our class will be taking the test during the first morning session which begins at 8:45 and ends at 10:00. This does not leave us much time to have a big snack before testing so please be sure that your child eats a big breakfast. We will have our usual snack at 10:00, but lunch will not happen until 12:45 due to other classes that are testing. This will feel very late for the kids who are used to lunch at 11:15 so feel free to send a little extra for the 10 snack and they can munch if they need to. Please send in your child's book report book tomorrow. They may have time to read when they finish testing.

Second, below you will find a list of ideas that are options for student book reports. Please help your child select a project that makes sense with the book they are reading. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. 

Book Report Ideas and Guidelines (Also posted on Homework Tab)

There are 2 main components to your book report.

1. You will be writing a complete summary of your book with a beginning, middle, and end. You should include all main events, problem and solution. Characters and setting should be included. You may want to use the graphic organizer from the book talks, but remember unlike the book talk this be a complete summary.
2. You will be choosing an idea to visually represent your book. I have included a list of ideas below.

1. Write a children’s picture book based on the Newbery Book you read. Include the main ideas and characters in your book as well as the problem and solution. Your book must contain colorful, detailed illustrations and short text accompanying each. You may use your computer to develop your final copy.
2. Make a scrap-book. The scrap-book should tell the “story” through photos, journal entries, and mementos.
3. Create a board game based on your book. You must include the names and descriptions of all main characters, the setting, problem and solution. You may present the information however you like, but the game must include a description of the rules and HOW the game is played. All pieces must be included so that the game could actually be played in class.
4. Create a newspaper based on your novel. The title should be something relevant to the book. There should be letters to the editor about events in the story, classified ads, advertisements, weather report, articles, etc…
5. Book-in-a-Box. Neatly decorate the outside of a box and label it with the title, author, illustrator, and decorate it with illustrations representing something from the book. Inside the box you must include 10 - 20 objects that represent characters, setting, problem, and solution from the story. Each item has to have an index card attached that explains in detail why the object was included.
6. Your own idea. Do you have an idea for a project that is not on this list? Would you like to find a way to integrate more technology or creativity? Does your book lend itself to a different type of project? If you would like to develop your own idea you must find a time to meet with Ms. Moores to describe your idea and why you would like to do it.

Book Report Assigned today

Our Newbery Book report is officially assigned. Book choices can be found under the homework tab. I am asking that all children try to choose a book they haven't read before and one that is on the provided list. All students are asked to bring the book to school with them this Tuesday March 24th. If the book is on an electronic device a note from their parent with the book title will work as well.

Please note that I have not previewed every Newbery book. Some books are a higher level and others may contain content you do not want your child to read. Please ask me if you have questions about the accessibility of a book or would like suggestions.

The final project details will be coming out after the students begin reading.  Please do not have your child start a "project" until I have sent out the guidelines. I really want the students to get into their books before jumping into a project.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Leprechauns were busy in room 105 today! Ask your child about the simple machines scavenger that they were sent on  to find their pencils.

I enjoyed seeing you all at conferences last week and appreciate your taking the time to fill out my website survey. The feedback is fun to read, and I look forward to the changes and additions that I can make to the website in the future.

In technology the students are enjoying our new classroom game "Osmo". If you haven't heard about it look it up online. It is a great new way to collaborate and use the Ipad in a hands on way.

We have begun our new writing unit on Opinion Writing. This is my favorite unit of the year as I love helping the children breath life into their opinions and learn how to respectfully defend and argue their beliefs. Try discussing some current events with your children and give them an opportunity to form an opinion based just on the facts. It is always very interesting how their brains form new ideas.

EdHeads Simple Machines online assignment is due tomorrow. If your child encounters computer difficulties please send me a note or email to let me know.

Survey Fixed

Hi Parents,

My original link to the website survey was locked only allowing Westford Public School emails to access the form. I have corrected the problem and the link is now accesible to all. Please consider taking a moment to fill out this survey.

Thank you!
Ms. Moores

Website Survey

Hi Parents!

As some of you may know it has been my professional learning goal over the past two years to develop, launch, and maintain a classroom website. Last year before I launched my website I asked parents to fill out a survey on what would be the most helpful information to have on a classroom site. Now that the website has been up and running for almost a year I am again looking for feedback on what is working and what could be improved. I really appreciate your taking the time to help me strengthen my website and use of technology in the classroom. Click HERE to fill out the survey.

Thank You!

Reminders

I wanted to remind you all that our class will be visiting the book fair tomorrow.

In addition there are two assignments outside of the typical homework week:

1. Students will be taking a Social Studies quiz on Friday.
2. I am also asking them to take a look at their current informational writing piece and edit/revise at home. I have included the grading rubric on the homework page to help with this process.

I am looking forward to seeing you all next week during parent teacher conferences. If you have any questions about your time please contact me. Report cards will be visible on the parent portal on Tuesday March 10th.

• If you have specific concerns you would like addressed during conferences please contact me ahead of time so that I can adequately prepare to address it. 15 minutes can go by very quickly!

Classroom updates

Well it may not be spring yet, however fifth grade is going to be a whirlwind from here on out. We are already approaching the end of the 2nd trimester and things will start to move very quickly.

Information about Spring conferences went home today. Please remember that conference preferences are filled on a first come first serve basis so if you have a limited schedule please send your forms back quickly.

Your child is also bringing home a weather study guide for their benchmark which will be this Friday. Due to snow days this unit was stretched out longer than typical and review will be necessary. Writing their Water molecule stories is a great way review some portions of the unit as they should be including things they have learned about weather in their writing.
In addition, I have posted the study guide as well as some helpful links on the Science tab of our classroom website. Please let me know if you have questions about the creative writing story or the weather benchmark and help your child plan their week so that they are not cramming it all in on Thursday night.

Happy Vacation!

We had a short but great week at school. Friday was filled with excitement and fun as we celebrated "Spring" in bright colors, had a Valentine Celebration, and ended with a slideshow at community meeting. Did your child tell you about our fun with pink oobleck? 

Over the next two weeks your child will be working on a Science project, the majority of which should be completed at home, it is due Friday February 28th. This is a "personal narrative" told from the perspective of a water molecule. It will be written and submitted through their google accounts. It should be a multiple paragraph account of a molecules trip through the water cycle. In addition to using good writing practices I am also looking to see a strong understanding of the Science and inclusion of scientific vocabulary. Please contact me if you have any questions about this assignment.

Valentine's Day Celebration

I can't believe we are already preparing for our Valentine's Day celebration. Hopefully we won't be missing any more school days as all of us need a little consistency in order to get back into the school groove.

Next Friday, 2/13,  we will be having our last classroom celebration. The students will be making valentine bags in class and are able to bring valentines into school on Friday. Please remember that it is not required to bring them in, but if your child chooses to participate they must bring in a valentine for each classmate. A class list can be found in your child's master binder. There are 11 boys and 10 girls in our class. Please remember not to send in any food items with the valentines. Students will be having a snack, game, and craft at our class party.

Curriculum Update

Happy 2015!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and enjoyed your time at home with your students. I am glad to be back in the classroom with them and excited for all the learning we will do in the first half of 2015! There final few months in elementary school goes by fast but we fit a lot in.

Reading:
In reading students have been working on identifying examples of flashbacks and foreshadowing within a given text. Each child is also part of a book group that is reading a fantasy book. These books will be used to compare theme within different books, as well as give students an opportunity to learn communication and language skills while discussing author's intent in small groups. The students are learning how to put their thoughts into written form and the best way to organize and support their ideas through specific evidence from the text. The reading log that students fill out each week changes along with our focus strategy. Students have an opportunity to demonstrate their understanding as well as practice written responses by filling out this chart. Please encourage your child to use direct evidence from their independent reading books when answering the final log question.

Writing:
In writing students have spent time reading and examining examples of informational writing. They are now learning the basic structure of how to support an idea through writing. They are working on developing short pieces that illustrate understanding of a thesis and supporting ideas. Students are using google docs to type their pieces of writing.

Science:
In Science students are studying extreme weather. Each child is learning about one form of weather which they will share learning with other classmates. All of the books in this unit focus on the same three concepts about weather: Changes in atmospheric air pressure cause weather, meteorologists can use clouds when forecasting weather, and meteorologists us tools to predict the weather.
Students will also combine their new writing skills by creating an informational piece about an extreme weather.

PAARC: Studens will be taking an online practice test during technology time to introduce them to the new testing format.

STEM Fair

A reminder that the deadline to enroll to participate in the STEM fair is the end of this week. The fair is a great opportunity for the students to explore their scientific inquiry skills. Here is a link to the video that was used to introduce it to the students. 

Our Crisafulli website has all of the forms needed to sign up for the Westford STEM fair.  You can click here to go directly to the webpage to read about the STEM fair and complete the necessary forms to participate.   

Entries are due by January 9, 2015.