Hello all!

I must apologize that the website was not updated at all last week.

 

In an act of timing that can only be described as “are you serious?” “COME ON” and “You’ve GOT to be kidding me”, as the children were arriving last Monday for their first day of school, I was being wheeled into the operating room to have my gallbladder removed in an emergency surgery.  I am extremely disappointed that I missed the first week of school with the children, as it is such an important week.  Rest assured we will be working double-time to make up for it!

 

So this morning we started off talking about school expectations.  As a class we came up with a description of the perfect classroom and what that looks like.  Students came up with a fantastic list that included these:

The perfect classroom …..

Is clean, and quiet when appropriate
Tries their best
Works together, helps each other
is on task, following directions
are good sports, KIND
are responsible – picking up after yourself
Sets an example for the younger students
Sets goals, and follows through
Is honest
Has a positive attitude
Is safe (no fires!)
Respects others (EVERYBODY)
Follows directions
is inspiring

 

This is a list that our own students came up with.  I must say, I was quite impressed.  We then put on some skits showing what good groups look like, and others showcasing what NOT to do in groups.  The students did a great job with this.  Ask them about their skit!

 

Next we played some introduction games, and got to know each other.

Finally we spent some time sorting out supplies, talking about organization, and how they should organize their supplies.  It is IMPERATIVE that starting tomorrow students have at minimum these supplies:

3 composition notebooks (preferably one blue, one black, and one yellow)

3 single subject spiral notebooks

1 3-ring binder

Dry erase markers

We really have to start moving through things in order to catch up, and not having supplies will just create more of a delay.  Please make sure students have these items tomorrow!

 

The entire day couldn’t just be about procedures of course, and we managed to fit in some really great talk about Base 10.  We discussed how the number system we use today came to be, and we worked ourselves through the same process that the creators of the system worked through thousands of years ago when designing it.  Essentially we reach an issue when we start counting TEN of anything.  The reason for this is because in the base 10 system, we can actually only count to NINE using each of our numerals:

0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

So what do we do when we get to that TEN of something?

Well, we start making groups!  We take all TEN of those objects, and instead think of that as ONE group of ten.  This is facilitated by the place value system, which shows that the VALUE of a digit is denoted by its PLACE in the number.

so ’10’ means we have 1 ten, and 0 ones.

’98’ describes 9 groups of ten of something, and then 8 more ones of something

100 describes something as 1 single group of hundred, 0 tens, and 0 ones.

It’s really a fascinating solution to the problem of limited numerals (just 10 of em!) and a really neat counting system.

Tonight students should answer these questions about our lesson:

How do we count things?
What are the numerals we use to count things?
What is base 10?
Why is it called that?
How did it come to be?
What is place value?

 

We had an absolutely fantastic day up to this point.  We finished the morning on negative 10, which meant we got ten extra minutes of recess.  We then seemed to stumble a bit in music, only getting one of a possible three paws.  I told the students that being tired is not an excuse to stop being the perfect class.  I expect much better tomorrow!

 

At the end of the day we also discussed our reading logs.  Basically I expect students to read books they enjoy each day.  They received a reading log which they should fill out and get signed tonight.  They only need to write the title of the book they read, as well as get a parent signature verifying that they read for 15 minutes.   Students must read a minimum of 25 minutes per day, but for now I am allowing them to count 10 of their in-class minutes towards this goal.

 

SO, tl;dr

Answer these questions about the base 10 system:

How do we count things?
What are the numerals we use to count things?
What is base 10?
Why is it called that?
How did it come to be?
What is place value?

 

Read for 15 minutes and get your reading log signed.

 

Not a bad night, I don’t think!

 

Have a good one,

-Mr. Potter

“You better put me on the website.  I’m checking it tonight”

-Yadira

There ya go!

Today was our last EOG!!!

many of our students really worked diligently on today’s EOG.  I saw pages of models, pictures, equations, reasoning, and checking of work with inverse operations.

 

A few students, unfortunately, did not utilize our strategies for solving problems (writing out what we know, drawing pictures, proving our choice of operations, and checking our work).  Some students simply tried to get done as quickly as possible by guessing at answers or not checking their work.

I was very surprised and disappointed with a few individuals, and we had some one on one conferences this afternoon.  Some of our students still don’t quite understand that the consequences for doing poorly now will not come until later, when their choices of classes and opportunities in middle school and then high school become limited.  Agree with it or not, it is the system we have ;-/

 

Tomorrow is our end of quarter celebration!

We have:

donuts in the morning

a surprise in the afternoon

and ice cream before we go home!

If students would like to bring something to play with, or a snack/drink to share with the class, they are welcome to do so.

 

so, tl;dr

No homework!  RELAX.  You just did 8 hours of testing in two days.

Come ready to celebrate tomorrow!

 

Have a good one,

 

-Mr. Potter

There is no homework!

 

Just get a good night’s rest, eat a BIG breakfast (no lunch until 1pm) and come ready to do some math!

 

Important Dates:

TOMORROW, Thursday June 23rd:  Math EOG

Friday, June 24th: End of Quarter celebration.  Students may bring something to play with, and they are welcome to bring a snack/drink to share with the class if they would like.  We have a donut party in the morning that the students purchased with their saved up tickets, and then an ice cream party in the afternoon that we got for having the most box-tops in 5th grade.  It should be a really fun day.

 

Wednesday, June 29th: 5th grade recognition ceremony.  The ceremony will begin at 9:00 AM in the Lockhart Gym.  Please be seated by 8:50 so we can begin promptly at 9!

 

 

We are almost there….

Have a good one,

 

-Mr. Potter

 

IMPORTANT DATES:

TOMORROW, Wednesday, June 22nd: Language Arts EOG

Thursday, June 23rd: Math EOG

Friday: End of Quarter Celebration (So far we have a donut party and an ice cream party)

 

Wednesday, June 29th: 5th grade recognition ceremony.  The ceremony will begin at 9:00 AM in the Lockhart Gym.  Please be seated by 8:50 so we can begin promptly at 9!

 

Today we finished up our budget projects.  It didn’t quite hit some students until the very end exactly how much money it costs each month in order to simply live.  Real life shock!

 

Tonight students need to get a good night’s rest, and make sure they eat breakfast.  We have EOGs all tomorrow morning, and we won’t eat lunch until 1pm.  Make sure you’re filled up!

 

 

Have a good one,

-Mr. Potter

 

 

 

We are down to the wire here!

Today we spent the entire morning reviewing math.  We looked at some released EOG sheets and went over some test taking strategies.

Tonight students have some released problems to finish.  We also went over using the gridded response sheet on the EOG.  Students received a blank gridded response sheet and they should record their answers to the homework on it.

 

In the afternoon we had our LAST chance to work on our stories and our My Success project.  This would be a total of 6 hours in the computer lab they have had to work on these projects, which should have been ample time to finish both.  The story is due tomorrow at 8am.

For The My Success project we will iron out an issue we had with our budget spreadsheets, and then turn those in during the afternoon tomorrow.

 

so, tl;dr

math released problems

Fill in answers on the gridded response sheet (except for the two that obviously won’t work with gridded response).

Make sure your projects are ready to turn in tomorrow!

 

Read!!

Have a good one,

 

-Mr. Potter

Important dates:

THIS FRIDAY June 17th: Science EOG

NEXT WEDNESDAY June 22nd: Language Arts EOG

NEXT THURSDAY June 23rd: Math EOG

Wednesday, June 29th: 5th grade commencement

 

Today is a real quick update (I HAVE A MEETING YAY!)

Today we continued our science and math review.  We took a little mock math EOG.  Most of us finished it in class, but those of us who did not, should finish it tonight for homework.

Students should also do 10 new vocab words in their science journal tonight.  Just as before, the definitions should be in their own words.

Read a good book!

 

Have a good one,

-Mr. Potter

Important dates:

THIS FRIDAY June 17th: Science EOG

NEXT WEDNESDAY June 22nd: Language Arts EOG

NEXT THURSDAY June 23rd: Math EOG

Wednesday, June 29th: 5th grade commencement

 

 

This morning we took a mock science EOG.  I am happy to say the majority of students did quite well on this.  We seem to have animals, ecosystems, basic cell concepts, and body systems in the bag.  We are still ironing out some things concerning weather and physics.

Today students received a review packet on forces and motion.  Tonight they need to read this packet, and answer the review questions in the back.

Students should also pick 5 more vocab words, and write their definitions in their own words in their science journal.  This should bring our total to 30.

 

We also did a few of our end of year MClass assessments today.  Many students have improved quite a bit from the beginning of the year.

These final assessments aren’t usually a surprise.  Essentially if students read regularly, they show good, continuous growth in their abilities.  Those students who do not read regularly do not show growth.

Because general literacy bleeds into basically every other content area, reading ability is a help or a hindrance in all subjects.  READ READ READ!!  Find a genre you like, an author you like, a series, whatever.  Just read!

In math we talked again about checking our work, and ensuring we actually answer what the questions ask!

Tonight students should look at 5 math word problems.  They do NOT need to answer the questions.  Tonight they should do these things:

Do step 1-3 in our problem solving method.

1.  What is the problem asking?
2. What do I know?
3. Draw a picture or a model

Above each problem is a line.  They should write the operation that they will be performing in order to solve this problem  For example they should write either ‘addition’, ‘subtraction’, ‘multiplication’, or ‘division’ on this line.

 

 

so, tl;dr

Finish forces and motion review packet

5 more vocab words

Look at this sheet:

do the following on the sheet:

1.  What is the problem asking?
2.  What do I know?
3. Draw a model or picture

Then, identify the operation you will be performing on the line above each problem.

 

Read!

 

Have a good one,

 

-Mr. Potter

 

DOWN TO THE WIRE!!!

Important dates:

Friday, June 17th: SCIENCE EOG

Wednesday, June 22nd: LANGUAGE ARTS EOG

Thursday, June 23rd: MATH EOG

 

Wednesday, June 29th: 5th grade ceremony

 

 

This morning we took our last STAR test of the year.  We talked about how important it is to do our best on these types of assessments.  I was quite impressed with the results.  Our little ones are growing up!

This week is a whirlwind of math and science review.  Today we talked about the Coriolis effect, wind, air pressure, the jet stream, and all of those neat weather topics.

Tonight students have a weather review packet they should be reading.  It talks about weather, weather instruments, and the basic forces that drive weather on the Earth.

Tonight students should also pick five new vocab words, and write them in their science journal just as they have been.  They should be in their own words.

This is everyone EXCEPT Nicole, who complained that it was only five words.  SO, Nicole can do ten words instead!

Cat’s response: “HAHAHAHAHAHA”

Nevaeh’s response: “THAT’S WHAT SHE GETS!”

 

 

In math, the students worked on word problems.  Our goal continues to be that we check our work.  We continue to make simple mistakes, or not actually answer the questions that were asked in the problems.  When we have a word problem we should do the following:

1.  Write down what the problem is asking.
2. Write down what you know
3. Draw a picture or a model to determine how you will solve the problem
4. Solve, and check to make sure your answer makes sense

That last one is still something we need to work on!

Tonight students should FINISH their math review packet.  This packet essentially covers the big ideas from the year.  If they can understand and do these problems, they are golden.

CC-5th-grade-word-problems

 

so, tl;dr

5 more vocab words in the science journal

Read/Do weather review packet

Finish math packet

CC-5th-grade-word-problems

And read!

 

Have a good one,

 

-Mr. Potter

Number Drummer!

This morning we had a REALLY neat assembly in the gym.  Our students learned about keeping beats, rhythm, and how essentially everything is based on math.  The students were given different types of sticks and then made some music.  It was super interesting and I hope the kids got some new understandings and a newfound appreciation of music and math.

Again this morning students had to solve some challenging math problems, and then one at a time explain their thinking, their process, and their answers.  Every single student was able to do this.  I was quite impressed.

After our assembly we looked at our science review sheets, and talked some about weather.  We made some clouds in a bottle again, as some students had forgotten about high and low pressure systems!

Ask your student if they remember what high pressure and low pressure systems indicate! (high = clear, low = cloudy)

Tonight students should pick EIGHT words from their review packet or their journal, and write definitions for them in the back of their science journal.  This should bring their weekly total to twenty words.

In math we received a review packet.  We will examine this packet in great detail tomorrow and next week.  It essentially covers everything that we have talked about this year.  Tonight students should do the first four pages.  They received plenty of time to work on this in groups and ask questions, so hopefully they don’t have much left to finish.

CC-5th-grade-word-problems

At this point it was already time to leave.  The assembly made today seem extremely short.

Read tonight!

Have a good one,

-Mr. Potter

 

5th grade commencement meeting tonight at 5pm in room 137 (next door to our room)

 

And the review continues!

I’m VERY happy with how well everyone has retained their knowledge of ecosystems, plants, and animals.  We learned a lot from our gardens, and I’m glad the students enjoyed them enough to make some memories.

Tonight students should pick SIX more words from their science journals or science review packet, and write their definitions in their own words in the back of their science journal.

In math we did some quite challenging word problems, and students were tasked with explaining their methods and proving their answers.  Many had to go back, think some more, try something else, think again, and re-do their work.  The most impressive part of this whole process was the perseverance displayed by the kids.  Every single student in the class was able to solve the problems, explain their thinking, and prove their answer.

Tonight students have some more word problems to work on.  They should be able to explain how they came up with their answer, AND prove their answer.

WordProblemsJune8

They should also do pages 182-183 in their Math coach – it’s more volume stuff.

 

Tomorrow we have a Drum performance that Mrs. Roach has lined up for us.  It should be fun.

 

Remember to read!

 

Have a good one,

 

-Mr. Potter