Finding the Balancing Point

In Science we are studying basic physics.  Students built these mobiles and learned the vocabulary stable, horizontal, balance, and balance point or fulcrum.

Winter Concert
Next Wednesday and Thursday Evening TPES is holding Winter Concerts.  On Wednesday evening grades K-2 perform, on Thursday evening grades 3-5 perform.  Because of seating concerns, you should only attend the evenings where you have a child performing.  Attendance is not mandatory for students or parents, but most families do attend.  Next Monday I will have more information about the time schedule for the performances.

Valentines Day
Tomorrow I will send home a list of all the students in Room 5.  In preparation for Valentines Day I would like you to have your child prepare a valentine for every student in class.   Stores like CVS and Ralphs sell very inexpensive valentines cards in sets specifically for school children.  You can use those cards or make something very simple.  If you have any questions please ask me.  Because of diet concerns of our classroom this year, please do not attach any candy.

Math
In Math Mr. Luxon's group has been studying fractions, Mr. Lee's class we also begin the fraction unit shortly.  On Friday and today I worked hard with the students to help them understand fractions of a group.  For example I gave a table of four students 8 crackers and asked for each student to take 1/4 of the total--so every student got 2 crackers each.  While students did okay with this, they struggled with more complex questions like 2/3rds of 18.  I thought the group made some headway today in terms of their understanding but they will definitely need help when they practice these skills in their homework.

Garden
Is there anyone interested in helping Room 5 students in the TPES vegetable garden this Friday?  Your role would involve helping groups of 5 students till (dig up and mix around) the soil and fresh compost to prepare it for planting.  It would be a somewhat dirt job.  I plan to do this work from 2:15 PM to 3:25 PM.  Please send me an email if you are interested.  You must be on the TPES approved volunteer list.

Curriculum Overview

Literacy - Types of Non-Fiction Text: biographies, newspapers, dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, non-fiction books

Math - Fractions, decimals.  This includes fractions of groups, for example 1/3 of 15 is 5.

Writing - Editing and improving our writing to produce a final draft.  Writing about how grandmothers are generally portrayed in fiction books.

Language Conventions and Word Study - abbreviations

Social Studies - The Chinese New Year

Science - Basic Physics - Balance and Motion

In Science we are studying basic physics.  Students built these mobiles and learned the vocabulary stable, horizontal, balance, and balance point or fulcrum.