Last week!! June 7-10

Wow,  I cannot believe this is the last week.  Where did the time go?  I can tell you this was an amazing year and I loved each day.  But enough sentiment……you will hear that at graduation, so on to week events.

Monday- swim party from 9:30-1:30-  please have students bring SUNSCREEN, a change of clothes and a swimsuit.  They must carry their own items, so they need a bag.  It should be a great day!

Tuesday- please have students bring in a paper bag to bring home supplies.  We will be cleaning desks and sending home all items.  Also. the letter they are writing to themselves is due.  I will mail these to them when they are graduating Seniors.  I just had my first group receive their letter from 5th grade and they have loved reading them.

Wednesday- county fair from 8:30-10:00.  Slideshow for the students and yearbooks after lunch.

Thursday- Graduation from 8:30-10:ish.  You can elect to take your child home after the graduation or they can stay at school until dismissal at 1:20-

Looking forward to seeing you on Thursday!

June 1st-4th

Good Tuesday morning!  I hope everyone had a relaxing and joyous Memorial Weekend.  I know we enjoyed the beautiful weather by gardening outside this weekend.  It was wonderful to be able to get out without the fear of rain looming ahead in the forecast.

This week will wind down our year.  We will have a few math pages for homeowrk, just to keep some type of schedule, but for the most part, homework is over!  The class will finish up BizWiz simulation on Wednesday.  This is the second phase to BizWorld and instead of creating companies, the students learn about “balanced” investing.

We will continue to work on Social Studies.  We have finished the Revolutionary war and are now into the development of the Constitution.  Students will be encouraged to learn the Preamble and recite it to me- Fun! Of course, we have ways to make this fun.  In addition, we will be working on a Journeyman project- from “Apprentice to Master”.  Each person will be assigned a colonial trade (by pulling a title from a box) and begin as an apprentice.  The journey to Master is by researching the trade, advertising to the town, and finally making a small replica of what would be produced.  This project is enjoyable at the end of the year.

Finally, students will finish reading “Tuck Everlasting” and “Out of the Dust”.  These two books are a few of my favorites.  This reading activity is for pure enjoyment- no assignments!  We read, discuss, and share some quick writes.  We will culminate the reading by comparing and contrasting the movie, “Tuck Everlasting” with the book.  The movie is scheduled for Friday afternoon.

The class has completed most of the Everyday Math lessons and a few Problems of the Month, as well as the Math Olympiads program- by the way, our class received Highest Honors for the combined scores.  We did very well and all for the students should be proud of their efforts!   But, the very last assignment in Everyday Math is the End of the Year Assessment.  This will be given over 2 days and assesses the students on the program.  I will administer this assessment on Wednesday and Thursday. It is only 1 small part of the grade for the report card.  We will correct it together on Friday.

Calendar of Events:

June 1st- Tuesday- final life skills assembly

June 2nd- Parent Music Concert- students should wear white shirts and dark (black) bottoms.  Timing is…..TBA today.  I believe it is from 9-10, but I want to double check

June 3rd- Field Day  8:30-11:30***** WE NEED PARENT HELPERS!!  PLEASE READ THE MESSAGE BELOW!

June 4th- graduation practice in the morning

June 7th Monday- – Swim Party at SCRA  10-2  We will walk over together

June 10th Thursday- GRADUATION  from 8:30-10:00.   *** you may take your child home after the ceremony.  We are not holding the 5th graders to the entire day.  If your child would rather stay at school, they must plan to eat lunch here and dismissal is at 1:20.  I will have the students that stay, help clean the classroom, move some of my materials to my new classroom and have a movie showing.

***FIELD DAY HELPERS-  This is a wonderful day for the students, but we need a lot more parents to help us during that time.  It is this Thursday from 8- 11:30.  We need parents who can stay the entire time to help run a station.  It is a lot of fun and the weather will be beautiful- so email me if you are interested.  If 11:30 sounds to late for your schedule……then we could use a few parents to take over the station when others leave at 10:00– so your shift would be from 10:00-11:30.  Please let me know what will work for you.  Thank you!

May 24th-May 28th

Hi Parents!
This is an update only listing the upcoming events.  There is a lot going on this week!

Monday, May 24th- 5th grade bike safety from 11:00-11:45; Sports Award assembly from 12:30-1:00

Tuesday, May 25th- official start of BizWiz, an investment program

Wednesday, May  26th- music concert “dress rehearsal” for students from 9:00-10:00

Thursday, May 27th- Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast  from 7:45-8:15.  If you have volunteered for any event, even driving on a field trip- you are invited to be “appreciated” by the staff.  I would love to see you there!!!

Human Body Health Fair- from 10:20-11:30 in the theater- please come!

Last session for Student led conferences from 2:30-4:00.  Karaoke night at Nixon from 5-8

Friday, May 28th- 4/5 student council talent show in theater, 5th grade kickball versus the teachers!! Oh..No!!!:)

May 17th-May 21

Here is another update for you……………..:)

We have successfully finished our Literature novels and we are concluding with a written response to literature essay.  The response to literature is a paper based on attributes of a character that stood out in a book.  The students were asked to keep a notebook of the various characters in the novels, the characteristic(s) that they thought were being displayed and proof by citing dialogue, examples or actions from the story.  Now each student is putting this down on paper.  Each student is required to write one response to literature in 5th grade.  This paper is the last paper that will be graded and will be assessed for the Standards on the report card.  So far, I have been impressed with the characters, the attributes and the well thought-out examples.  These papers will be turned in to me by Thursday, May 20th. I will give them one last look before the students get the okay for final publishing.

Health and Human Body Boards due THURSDAY, MAY 20th!

So, here we are, in the final days of the final project of 5th grade and I must admit I have been so IMPRESSED with the independence of this class.  They have been ahead of the goals each time…..I know it is not over year, but it warms my heart and convinces me, they are all ready for 6th grade. At this point, the written notes/outline, introduction, and conclusion have all been completed and checked by me.  This final week, students will need to work on pictures or diagrams, headings and labels.  I will be checking for Bibliography citation on Monday and pictures on Tuesday and Wednesday.  The class will have 1.5 hour work time on Tuesday to type, draw and whatever else they might need to finish the Board.  The Health Board is due Thursday, May 2oth.  We will have a class walk-around to “show-off” our hard work!  Please remember the Parent Presentation is Thursday, May 27th from 10:20-11:30.  Students will present the board to those who visit their booth-so, I hope to see you there!

TERMAN FIELD TRIP- this Friday.  I have enough drivers- so thank you.  PLease ensure you have your insurance forms updated in this office.

Here are the drivers and the number of students they can take:

Liz F.  -3 students

Annie G.- 3 students

Daisy Z.- 3 students

Gioia- 5 students

Anya- 3 students

Patty- 5 students

Barbara K.- 3 students.

Please arrive at 10:00 in order to form our groups and begin to load the cars.  Students will be back at Nixon by 12:00- meaning they must bring a sack lunch to eat when we return.

Thank you and email me if you have questions.

The first of 2 student led conferences will occur on Wednesday, May 19th from 1:45-3:00.  This is optional and if you are unable to make these events, then your child can actually take the materials home and have the conference in comfort of your living room- so please so not stress if you cannot make the times available.  The second conference date is on Thursday, May 27th from 2:30-4:00.  Just email me if you would like to come- the time is up to you as long as it is between the times I have reserved.

Have a great week- it is going by so fast!!!

Weekly Update- April 29th

I decided to go ahead and write the update early becuase there is so many dates and bits of information that I feel like I need to pass on to our families.

First, you know that we will continue to STAR test next week.  Our schedule will be the following:

Tuesday, May 4th- from 10:25-11:45  Math part 1

Wednesday, May 5th- from 10:25-11:45 Math Part 2

Thursday, May 6th- from 8:30-10:00- Science Part 2

Thank you to Daisy and the parents who have volunteered to bring in snacks for the class!

Some upcoming dates that you need to be aware of for the Month of May—yes, already!

May 7th- Dr. Roy’s Thank you party.  We will be celebrating another fantastic year with Roy and Duncan.  Your funds collected earlier in the school year included a small gift for both of these amazing volunteers.  The celebration will be held from 1:30-2:ish. Come if you have the time!

**** Student Led Conferences!!!****

I would like to invite all the parents to take  the opportunity to participate in the Student Led conferences in May. I have reserved Wednesday, May 19th from 1:45-3:00 and Thursday, May 27th from 2:30-4:00 for these conferences. Student Led conferences are led by the student. They begin by sharing collected work throughout the year, MARS math score/test, ERB test results/paper, Math Olympiads scores, Art, and writing, plus a personal reflection on their experience and goals this past school year.. When it is finished, all groups have an time to debrief with me.  If this is of interest to you and your schedule allows you to come, please email me to let me know which date works best.  Please plan 20- 30 minutes for the conference, which includes time with me at the end.  I have no time slots, but would prefer to stagger the times to every 30 minutes.  Although, come when it works for you in between the times listed….(I cannot stay later due to kiddo’s at home and Karaoke night on the 27th).  Just email me the time that would work for you!

Upcoming dates for this month—-there are a lot so have your calendar ready.

May 14th- Puberty Talk.  Look for the notice coming home this weekend.  If you DO NOT wish to have your child in the discussion, then send the form back in to me before the 12th.

May 20- Health Board due

May 21- Terman Middle School visit; International Night

May 27th- Health Board presentation in the theater 10:30-11:30; Karaoke night

May 31st NO SCHOOL

June 1st- Music Concerts for parents 9:00 am

June 3rd- Field Day and Donna Rumwell’s retirement party- after school….come to say goodbye.)sniff-sniff!

June 7th- Pool Party 10-2 at SCRA

June 9th- County Faire- 5th grade small party at school from 8:30-10:00

Curriculum still happening in the classroom….yes, we are still working.

Literature:  Students will be wrapping up the final week of reading their core novel.   The “Break with Charity” and “Witch of Blackbird Pond”  groups will both be culminating their readings with the Spring Writing Prompt on character analysis.  Throughout the weeks, I have encouraged and modeled how to keep notes on characters and their attributes.  The official assignment will be given in 2 weeks, and will be completed during class time.

Language Arts:  Students have been enjoying the sentence diagramming that we have been completing in class.  We break apart each part of speech in the sentence.  I have found that this practice is a great review for middle school and really puts all of the grammar that we have studied into practice.

Human Body Health Board.  Students have picked their topic and have decided on the 3 focus questions.  The next goal is to present the notes that answer the focus questions to me on Wednesday, May 5th.  Students had last Tuesday to begin working on research and I have encouraged them to spend 30 minutes a day to continue to read about their topic.  The notes on the cards will them be turned into a “bullet point outline”.  I will be giving a lesson on this Wednesday in hopes that all students will be independent in the process.  The typed outline is due to me for checking on Wednesday, May 12th.  Each Tuesday, I give computer cart time from 1:00-2:15 to work on this project.  Outside of the time I give them on Tuesdays, the project should be completed at home or during homework time in class.  Please check often to ensure that your child is keeping up with the timing of the due dates.

I know this email seems very long….but May is a busy month.  It will begin to wrap up academically, but that is when the social calendar fills up.

Enjoy the weekend and email me if you have questions.

Nikole

April 26th-April 30th

Welcome Back!  I am sorry I did not get a chance to update the weblog last week, I was still recovering from my amazing trip to Peru.  I promise to update my personal page “About Mrs. Manou”  with details from my trip as well as include some pictures this week.  Until then…..I will only focus on class happenings.

STAR testing this week.  It begins this Tuesday and I have the times and dates below:

Tuesday, April 27th 10:30-11:45- Language Arts Part 1

Thursday, April 29th 8:00-10:00- Language Arts Part 2

Friday, April 30th- 8:00-10:00- Science Part 1

Each day,  I will be providing a small energy snack for the class (cheese sticks, graham crackers), but the students need to bring juice or water. Please make sure to get them into bed early and lots of rest. We will continue working on Literature, Math and Social Studies this week.

STAR testing will continue next week.  Students will be taking the Math portion part 1 and 2 and the last section on the Science.  I try to plan for very little homework during this time.  If I do assign work, I will give time in class and hopefully it will be well used, otherwise it will go home as homework.

The Health and Human Body Board has been officially assigned.  I am hoping that the students have already spoken to you about the last project of the year.  The Human Body Board is also the Community Service Learning Project for the graduating 5th graders.  We culminate our study by presenting the boards to the community during the Health Fair on Thursday, May 27th.  I will be sending home more information to you as we get closer to the date.

The assignment packet should be carefully examined by parent(s) and child.  It has all of the mini-goal dates in boldface to help the student time manage this project.  Yes, I will be checking each mini goal on the designated due date.  I ask that all parents sign the assignment sheet, so that the students know we are a team in this final project.  I will be giving Tuesday afternoons as a research and work period to help them, but most of the work will be done at home.  In addition, we were able to get a bulk discount on the Tri-fold science display boards.  The cost for the board is $3.00.  Please send in the money to me when you are ready for the board.

There are many upcoming events for the 5th graders and our class this month.  I will be detailing the vents and dates int he next weblog.

Have a great week and email me if you have any questions.

We made it! April 5th -9th

Spring Break is almost here and we are ready!  The students have been troopers….I have continued to keep up the pace in the classroom and they have continued to perform beautifully.  We will begin to lighten some of the load this week–but STAR test is coming right around the corner.  This means a lot of review the next 2 weeks, so homework will continue.

Some of the changes in homework this week will be no literature after this week’s questions are completed for Tuesday.  We will give the novel a break until we return refreshed.  Also, lesson E will be omitted this week in Wordly Wise and most importantly, the BOOK REPORT HAS BEEN CANCELED. Instead we are making it optional as an extra credit work.  This is a fun book report.  It will be a comic strip on an Adventure book of their choice.  Yet, we are getting ready to assign the Health and Human Body research report, so the Fifth grade teachers all agree, it might be overload.  Speak with your child about what they think they can manage.  I trust their judgement on what they think they can handle at this point in the year.

Homework Packets will be put together as a math review.  This week, the math packet will center on Order of Operations, Multiplying with Decimals and adding and subtracting Integers.

Math- we are currently working in Unit 10- Algebra Concepts and Rules and Tables.  This is a fun unit for the students as we explore how to balance equations, write Algebraic equations and look for patterns.  During our Thursday differentiated centers, some students are working on Area of prisms, circles and non-rectangular shapes, Pythagorean Theorem, fraction concepts and skills and Equations with variables. I want to send a special thank you to Anya, Reva and Karen for helping us coordinate these valuable centers for the students. If you ever have any questions about the math program we are currently working on in class, please feel free to email me anytime.

***Curriculum Night is this Wednesday at 6:00-  Come and enjoy the work of all the Nixon students.  You may visit your child’s classroom and see all the hard work they have completed in the area of Science.  Science is the theme this year, so you can see the progression of investigations throughout the years.  I will be in and out of the room, since I am a parent this year as well.  I would love to see you and say “hi”, but if we miss each other, know that I am thinking of everyone in my room this year!

Upcoming Events:

April 9th- early dismissal

Spring Break! until April 19th.

STAR Testing- April 26th- May 6th.  A schedule will be sent out the week we return from Break.

Mid May- date TBA.  Student Led Conferences.  I will send a 20 minute sign-up as we get closer to the dates.

Cheers and let us all think happy weather thoughts for our upcoming break!

Nikole

March 29th-April 2nd

Science Rotations will continue.  This week the students will be visiting Mr. McDaniel’s class to learn about animal and plant cells.  The students and teachers really enjoy this change and it gives them a “taste” of middle school.

The homework will begin to look different this week and we start to prepare for the upcoming STAR test.  This weeks the class will be practicing for the Language portion.  You will see that the practice I send home gives them tips to help.

Upcoming Dates:

April 7th- Curriculum Night- Science is the theme

April 9th- Minimum Day- Spring Break begins

APril 26th- STAR testing begins.

March 22-26

This will be a quick update for everyone.  We are in the middle of many projects: most that will be wrapping up this week.

Book Report: Panel of Experts due Thursday, March 25th

Social Studies: Colonial Region Group board- presentations by Friday, March 26th?  The work is done entirely in class.

Tuesday, March 24th-12:30-2:00 Heart dissection.  We will follow the pathway of the blood through the heart.  It is pretty amazing!

Upcoming dates:

Curriculum Night- Science- Wednesday, April 7th.  I have some students who have volunteered to help in the classroom- for a few minutes to demonstrate 3 of the Chemistry lessons.  We want everyone to look around the school and enjoy the hard work of all of the students.  Please make sure to come in and see the Science materials in B-2.  We have been working hard this year.

Minimum Day on April 9th- due to Spring Break release- it is long awaited and well deserved!

April 12-16- Spring Break.

April 26th-May 7th- STAR testing.  I will send you a schedule when we come back from Spring Break.

Enjoy the week!

March 15th-19th

Yeah!  It looks as if Spring has finally decided to arrive.  I know the class and I have been sharing our wishes of sunny days and warmer weather and it looks as if our wishes have been granted- for this week at least.  I hope you and your family had a chance to get outside and enjoy the warmer days. I will try to do the same with the class- it is not often we can just get out and run through the grass or read a book under a tree. That is my plan for one of our days together.

This week is busy, but manageable. We have an all day field trip, a math olympiad test (our final) and many projects in action.  Here is a quick outline of this week:

Monday- students will work in their colonial groups to continue their research board.  The class was divided into 3 groups- the New England, the Middle and the Southern Colonies.  These groups will read, watch a series of information films, take notes and then present information on colonial region to the rest of the class. Finally, each group will create a mural of a typical town in their particular region including people and daily dialogue.  The date for this project is tentative.  If enough work time is given this week in the afternoon, I think the following week is a reasonable time.  I know that all the students are eager to wrap this up because once we have finished and presented the boards, they will begin the next simulation game called, “Discovery: Early American Colonization.”

The final Math Olympiads Quiz will be given on Tuesday.  After I enter the scores, the program will calculate the average for the school, class and students and will then send out prizes.  I must say that regardless of our scores, the students did a tremendous job and I am so proud of everyones efforts.  I know that we all walked away with more strategies and stronger confidence in the area of math problem solving due to our experience.

The new literature book groups will begin at the end of this week.  Our next historical fiction centers on the Colonial period right before the Revolutionary War.  I have given the students two book choices, “The Witch of Blackbird Pond” and ” A Break with Charity.”  Both novels are challenging and intriguing.  Please look for these books to begin to come home and future weblog information.

FIELD TRIP THURSDAY- March 18th from 8:00-2:00 (ish) We will be back before dismissal.

Bring- bag lunch, comfortable shoes  (no money- no gift shop visit- no time!)

Dear parents, we have more than enough drivers, so I am going to list the drivers from first to reply to the earlier emails as well as yellow form returns.  If you would rather not drive and you signed up as a volunteer, email me right away and I will take your name off of the list.  I am going to take too many drivers because Mrs. Rumwell does not have enough, so we might be transporting some of her class as well.

Drivers:

Nitay G- 5 students

Anya- 3 students

Liz- 3 students

Patricia- 5 students

Gioia- 5 students

Rhesa- 5 students

Suzie- 6 students

Annie- 3 students- total 35 people

***If I do not have your name down and you returned your form, please email me. So far, all are needed to help cover the other 5th grade class.  We can mix it up.

Have a great week!