We have blown up diet Coke, caffeine-free diet Coke, and Dr. Pepper with mint Mentos and found out that diet Coke had the best reaction. Then we used diet Coke with strawberry, green apple, and orange Mentos to see which Mentos worked best. We are keeping data logs and making charts and graphs. Students are going to do their own individual science projects. They need to be equally as fun as our class project! Parents should help their students figure out a good topic.

In social studies we finished talking about the turn of the twentieth century.I asked the students why an immigrant, struggling merely to survive in the confusion and chaos of a "New World," would expend time and energy on the creation of art.  We came up with multiple possible reasons:

• Immigrant art reflected their old home and culture and made them feel more secure in their new surrounding; it gave them cultural stability.
• Art could be therapeutic. 
• A few found they could make money off of their artistic abilities.
• As a general rule, human beings want to make their surroundings beautiful.
• There is joy in creativity!

As a follow-up, I asked each child to create a piece of art work that reflects their culture.  They may use collage, drawing or painting, weaving, pottery or clay—whatever medium they choose.  Parents may help with ideas or teach techniques, if they desire, but the actual piece of art should be the child’s own work.  Please bring the finished pieces to school by Friday, October 23, in time for us to put it on display during conference week.  With your permission, I would like to take pictures of the art to post on our web site. 


Please remember that the genre worksheet is due--typed, following MLA format--on September 30. That is coming up FAST!

On Monday we will have our first core word spelling tests.

We will have our first vocab test on unit one--the one that counts--on Tuesday.

I expect to start math groups sometime next week too, as soon as we all finish our math placement tests. While we waited, we did our STAR reading and math tests.

Meanwhile we read "Intelligent Listening" together and worked on the questions and activities for the article together. We are using the concepts of respect along with intelligent listening to guide our classroom practice as we start the school year. You should find that article in your child's 3-ring binder.

You should also find the fifth grade chapter 8 science test that we did together as a practice. The class worked through the chapter to find the answer to each question and to cite each answer with a page number. 

To launch our study of American history we looked at immigration at the turn of the 20th century. We read The Hole Book, which was written in 1908, and, as a grammar lesson, looked for nouns and verbs in the verses of the multi-page poem. Again, you can find the list in your child's 3-ring binder. Check out the really unusual verbs!

Already two-thirds of the class has done their poetry reading. I expect that everyone is reading their genre book and working on answering the worksheet questions thoroughly and with page citations.

Everyone has finished their job application. They are thinking about what they want to do for the first Market Day, which will be right before Halloween.

Ask your child to define benign, analogous, and monotony. Have them explain how we do our Daily Dictionary and what Basic Cells are.

Each student wrote a paragraph on the computers introducing themselves, using metaphor and simile, to tell who they really are. 

We've got the 3-ring binder organized. The students know they need to start learning the vocab words for the unit one test which will be next Tuesday. (That will be a practice test. The real tests will start the following Tuesday. Then vocab tests will be every Tuesday.) They also know they need to study core words. They will take tests on those words on Mondays. 

We looked at the first trimester reading requirements. You should read over those too with your child. Every student picked out their first genre book to read. Many were able to get a copy of the book from my classroom. If not, they need to find a copy at the school library or the public library. If they don't get a copy in the next couple of days, they need to pick a different book!

They got a worksheet to do with the book they chose. I suggest they fold that in quarters and use it as a bookmark. As they read, they will find answers to the questions. They can write the answers and the page numbers where they found the answers right on the paper. That worksheet is their rough draft. They will turn in a typed final draft copy to me.

We are designing money and applying for jobs and choosing companies for Market Day. Job application letters are due next week. Students who follow the correct format, turn in the letters on Tuesday, and give good reasons for their choices are more likely to get the jobs they want.

Of course we've reviewed expectations for the classroom, the lunchroom, the bathroom, the hallway, and recess. Some of the students in my class have helped me make videos showing proper behavior that other teachers can use in the school to help teach their students. Some students said their favorite part of the day on Thursday was the fart talk! It's just another kind of behavior expectation!

A big event was having Quinny bring in his soap box derby car. He won third place in an international competition this summer! He told the class about the the local soap box derby club in case any other students in the class are interested:

Kitsap Soap Box Derby Association 

Local races are held here in Poulsbo and there is one more local race this fall, the weekend of September 26. Families can also contact Quinny's mother, Sarah Stuart. She is happy to answer questions. I can get you her contact info.