Upcoming dates:

Read-a-thon………..Turn in envelopes on Friday!

NEXT Monday (11^th) ……….Valentine’s Day Party (see the end of the blog for more info)

Nothing due this week for inventions or science fair.

Th, February 21^st ………………auction

Reading

To support the Read-a-Thon, students are encouraged to dress up according to the themes listed below:

Monday: Super Hero Day

Tuesday: Crazy Hair Day

Wednesday: Pajama Day

Thursday: Rodeo Day

Friday: Team or Spirit Day

5^th graders:

Unit 4: Forces of Nature

6^th graders:  WWII novels

Language

Skills: analogies;  5th grade: subjects and predicates: compound and simple; 6th grade: gerunds

Writing—Compare/Contrast formats (block and point-by-point)

Spelling—U 23

Math

5^th graders: Writing story problems with fractions, multiplying fractions, multiplying mixed numbers

6^th graders: Finding similar & congruent shapes geometric shapes using ratios

5^th grade Social Studies

Ch 8: Facing Slavery—cont. Test tentatively scheduled on Tuesday, Feb 12

Science— Color and light

I will be available in FEBRUARY on 2 different dates to help students with any aspect of their projects: compiling/analyzing data, generating graphs, organizing science fair display boards, etc. These dates are: SAT, Feb 23rd from 10 –noon and SUN, Feb 24^th from 1-3. I will be at school. The students can knock on the windows or call me ahead of time.

LWR  Kids need to start studying (practicing writing the definitions) on Monday! The quizzes have not been spectacular.

Focus: geo, terr   

Meaning: earth

The quizzes will be a combination of the words AND their definitions, rather than prefix, root, and suffix definitions.

Words	Definition
1.   terrain (n)	the physical features of a region of the earth
2.  geode (n)	an earth-shaped stone with crystals inside
3.  geology (n)	the science that deals with earth’s history recorded in rocks
4.  geography (n)	science that records facts about the earth’s surface
5.  Mediterranean (adj)	the sea located in the middle region of the earth
6.  geometry (n)	math that deals with the measurement of the earth
7.  terrace (n)	a level platform of earth
8. geocentric (adj)	taking the earth as the center
9.  inter (v)	to bury in the earth
10.               subterranean	lying under the surface of the earth

5^th grade spelling words

U 23 Words from other languages

Dictation Sentences:

1.   A siesta after lunch restores energy.

2.   The tsunami was a wave of fifty feet tall!

3.   Sam wore dungarees instead of slacks.

salsa, mattress, tycoon, poncho, lasso, cargo, plaza, hammock, burrito, bandanna, tomato, patio, vanilla, iguana, caravan, pajamas, tortilla

Challenge Words:

mosquito, cathedral, alligator, tambourine, sombrero

6^th grade spelling words

U 23 Prefixes: dis-, ex-, inter-

Dictation Sentences:

1.   The cord won’t extend any farther.

2.   Search by computer on the Internet.

3.   Grains of salt will dissolve in water.

disobey, dispute, distract, dispose, distress, discount, experience, exactly, experiment, extreme, exclaim, expensive, explanation, interview, interest, interact, interstate

Challenge Words:

extinct, distort, intermediate, expiration, dissent

Real-World Vocabulary   Road Map Key

legend, federal, tool road, multilane, secondary, interchange, junction, gravel

V Day Party: Students may bring Valentines for others. However, it is not a requirement. The only requirement is that IF they bring a Valentine for some, they MUST bring one for all. We will not exclude anyone.

I let the students plan the party. It will begin around 11 AM.  They will bring everything for the party. EVERYONE will contribute something, however. It might be 10 napkins but each person will bring something. Those items will be decided on Monday afternoon so you should have plenty of time to purchase or make your child's item. Non-perishable items (paper plates, etc) may be brought anytime. Food-based items may be brought in on Friday. Refrigerated items need to be brought on Monday only.

I will provide each student with a list of the students in the class. In case they misplace it, here are the initials of students: (5th) JB, CB, TB, PB, JG, BL, SpR, AS, FS, RS, LS, MW, MW, (6th) ND, SF, LG, SH, MJ, SaR, JR, JS, EW, BH*

BH went back to his home school. I think it would be nice to include him and send the Valentine’s over to his school. J

Calvin and Hobbies cartoon from http://www.community.sparknotes.com