Parents,
I had to make the tough decision to opt out of a rematch game of Kickpin with Mrs. Langford's class.  This call was meant to teach the students how to lose gracefully.  They are all winners in my eyes!
Tomorrow we will leave by 8:45 for our annual middle school field trip. Your child will visit the middle school that they will be attending next year.  Please encourage them to listen and pay attention to how the school runs on a typical day. 
I sent home end of the year party letters.  Each child has a specific thing to bring in. Those who are supposed to bring in candy bars, if you could mix them up, that would be great.  Whatever is not used, I will send back home. 
After lunch tomorrow, we will have our last AR party of the year.  We had 19 students to make their goal!  That is a record for the school year! So very proud.
Field day is this Friday. I need one large cooler if you have one available.  I do have one at my house but it is small and old and I would hate to have to buy another one just for one day.  There will also be Kona Ice.  This is not included in the field day expenses.  So, please send money 2-5 dollars for this.  Thanks and have a great evening.

Mrs. Brown's Interview

http://www.cbs42.com/video/

CBS 42 $1000.00 Grant

http://www.cbs42.com/2013/05/07/8957-autosave/

End of the Year Newsletter

Here are some things that we need to consider for this upcoming May:
-May 3- Please bring in snacks in bulk for students. We will be testing from May 6 to May 10 in the morning.  I will send home a list of drinks and snacks on the newsletter.  Please fill it out and return.
-Get Plenty of rest this upcoming weekend.  All students need to be here on time and ready to go.  Testing starts at 8:30.
-May 3- Fun Day Money Due. Last Day- Last vocabulary test.
-May 6- Science Assessment
-May 7-8- ARMT Reading
-May 9-10- ARMT Math
-May 13- Extra Credit science projects due.  Your child can do a science project on anything that we learn this year an beyond.  They will earn extra credit towards their science grade.
-May 14- ARMT makeup testing
-May 15 - AR deadline
-May 16- DMS/HMS trip @9:00, AR Party
-May 17- Field Day- We need two coolers. If you have one that I could borrow, that would be super!
-May 21- 5th Grade Talent show
-May 22- Recognition practice at Shelton State and 5th grade Fun Day.
-May 23- Half Day-Recognition Day- Please send child to school on normal time in their Sunday's best.  Parents please be there by 8:05 to get a good seat
-May 24-Half Day- Last Day- Report Cards go out on last day.  Please send in a self address stamped envelope if your child will not attend the last day.  I will mail the report card to you.

Acids and Bases Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ko5iDMYzwWE

Homework

Reading- read the ARMT practice sheet story and amswer the two questions on the back
Math- answer the circumference questions from 1-10 on the board
Science projects are awesome! We were able to have 6 students present today, and hopefully we will have 10 more students present tomorrow.

Homework with video of Bullying

Reading- pwb page 153
Math- Board Problems 1-10
Powell- no homework
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltun92DfnPY

Homework

Reading pwb page- 147
Math textbook page- 556, 1-10
Floyd- finish back side of sheet
Langford- Finishand study for pop quiz
Powell- 458, 14-28
Bring Pennies
Bring End of the year activity Money

April 15 News

Ok Parents and Students,

Don't forget to attend the Hillcrest High School Carnival this week starting tomorrow and ending on Saturday.
Reading homework is pwb page 145
Math homework is green book page 551, 2-13.  All you need to do is add up all of the sides to get the perimeter of the shape.  Don't forget to write it in units.
Floyd's Math- worksheet
I sent home a letter from the County Board informing the parents about my upcoming HIV AIDS lesson.  If you have any reservations about me teaching your child about this topic, please respond to me ASAP with an email or a letter.
Some students have not returned their science project signed letter.  The project is due by April 23. Graded work will go home tomorrow.
Have a great evening!

Today's News

DMS students need to have their course selection cards in by this Friday. If you would like for your child to have any AP course, I would have to sign off on it.  Spring picture money is due on Friday of this week.  If you are interested in purchasing bags to help with Englewood's fund raiser, please let me know and I can send home the form.  Hillcrest High School will have a fun carnival next week. More information about cost and times will go home next week.  Chemical and Physical change test has been postponed for tomorrow.  I plan to give the students the test first thing in the morning due to the possible interruption of precarious weather.  Information about end of the year activities will go home by Friday. 

Study for Chemical/Physical Change Test

Homework- reading pwb 142

Parts of a plant/ How plants pollinate

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CX2m2n2uDAE
http://www.mbgnet.net/bioplants/pollination.html

Today's News

Wheww!  What a Monday!
Parents and Students welcome back to school. Homework is as follows:
Reading- Pwb page 140
Science- textbook pagef38
Math- pages 124-125 in the Buckle Down ARMT Book.  PLEASE DO NOT WRITE IN THIS BOOK.

Science Fair projects are due on April 23, the day after Earth Day!
Duncanville course selection cards will be going home today along with the general course information pamphlet. Spring Picture order forms went home.  PTO program is tomorrow night. You may purchase books from the book fair between 5:45-6:30.  You may see this week's vocabulary word to the left.
Chemical and physical change test will be this Wednesday. 
I really need paper towels and wet wipes if you have any. I have a student who had a compromised immune system, and it would definitely benefit her if we could keep the desks in the classroom cleaned. 

What's Going on Today?

Students and Parents,

I will be out of the classroom today due to additional training that I have to complete in the library media center.  Please be on your best behavior.  Things to remember: do your best on the vocabulary and grammar test.  The science test should be easy since it is an exact replica of your study guide. Remember to dress comfortable for Friday's field trip.  You will have another science test next Wednesday on chemical and physical changes so study your study guide that you received from me today.  I love you all and good luck. 
PS- I will be looking for some additional websites for chemical and physical changes.

Computer Lab Assignment

You will visit- http://www.quia.com/quiz/303980.html?AP_rand=1186758334 and answer all of the questions

Tonight's Homework

We will not have any spelling words for this week.  Please see side panel for vocabulary words.
Vocabulary test is lesson 22 in pwb. Science test was postponed until tomorrow.

Geological Study Guide

Geological Study guide: Test Date-3/18/13

Alfred Wegener- in 1915 he discovered that all of the continents were once together like a puzzle piece

Pangaea- all of the continents put together like a puzzle.

Layers of the Earth- crust, mantle, outer core, and the inner core.

Lithosphere- is the crust and the upper part of the mantle.

Asthenosphere- hot plastic portion of the mantle, at the top underneath the lower part of the crust/lithosphere

Tectonic Plates-The crust of the planet that is broken in to pieces that moves due to magma activity underneath the crust.  These plates move at speeds of 6.3 inches per year, about the length of time your fingernail grows.

Faults- the actual crack that separates the plates

Plate movement results from convection currents in the asthenosphere, the hot, plastic portion of the mantle

Mid-Atlantic Ridge- is a large crack in the earth’s oceanic crust that separates the North and South American continents from the African continent.

Boundaries

Converging Boundaries- when two plate move toward each other. When oceanic crust converges with continental crust, the oceanic crust moves underneath the continental crust because it is a denser rock. The area or point where the oceanic crust is moving underneath the continental crust is call the subduction zone. When continental crust converges with continental crust, mountains form.

Diverging boundaries- two plates move away from each other. Molten rock rises to fill the gap, creating new crust.

Sliding or transforming boundaries- Two plates slide past each other, moving in opposite directions.

Rock Cycle- Igneous rock (hardened lava), Metamorphic rock (rock that forms from other rocks as a result of intense heat, pressure, or chemical), and Sedimentary rock (rock that forms from compressed or cemented layers of sediment).

Scientists’ tools-

Weather Balloon (send information about humidity, precipitation, and weather),

Seismograph (shows the intensity of an earthquake),

Sonar (A system for the detection of objects under water and for measuring the water's depth by emitting sound pulses- echo location),

Radar (A system for detecting the presence, direction, distance, and speed of aircraft, ships, and other objects)

Types of Volcanoes- There will be pictures of volcanoes and you will have to label them and the parts.

Earthquake- a violent shaking of Earth’s crust- this is due to tectonic plates moving at their fault lines

Focus- point underground where the faulting occurs

Epicenter- point directly above the focus point were the seismic waves are strongest.

Richter Scale- measures the magnitude or size of an earthquake. Scale goes from 1-9, with 9 being the most intense and causing the most damage. There was an earthquake measured 5.5 on the Richter scale and cause structural damage to the Washington Monument.

Homework and such

Parents,
There will be no homework tonight except for math, which is on page 185 in the practice workbook.  Please bring supplies to school by tomorrow.  Thanks!

Trasforming boundaries/ Supplies needed.

Please click the link below to see the animation of transforming boundaries.  

http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/visualizations/es0804/es0804page01.cfm?chapter_no=visualization

Video on Tectonic plates
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JmC-vjQGSNM
The students will create an edible model of the lithosphere and asthenosphere, moving
them and using a variety of materials to model different characteristics of interacting plate
boundaries.  Students will also learn the various tools scientist use to help them better understand Earth's activities.  In order to make this a wonderful experience for your child I will need the following materials:
-28 Paper plates
-2 Boxes of graham crackers
-2 bags of butterscotch chips
-4 cans of whipping cream
-2 boxes of vanilla creme wafers
-2 cans of chocolate frosting-spray

Please email me one item you can bring in by Thursday!  I love you all and thank you for your support!

This week's vocabulary words 3/11/13

1.      Cessna- A small plane used for passenger transport

2.      Turbulence- Motion of the atmosphere that interrupts the flow of wind

3.      Altitude- The height of a thing above a reference point (sea level of earth’s surface); elevation

4.      Horde-A large group or crowd; a swarm; mass; gang

5.      Murky- Dark, dim, gloomy, and cloudy

6.      Pulverize- to pund or crush, grind to a powder

7.      Jolt- A sudden harring or jerking from a blow or sudden movement

8.      Imbed- to deposit in a partly enclosed mass

9.      Reposition- placed in a new position, relocate

Spheres of the Earth/ Layers of the Atmosphere

Spheres of the Earth

1.     Biosphere- sphere that contains all living things

2.     Geosphere/lithosphere- earth’s solid surface, which includes continental and oceanic crust as well as the various layers of the Earth’s interior

3.     Hydrosphere- all water. 71% of the Earth is covered by water and only 29% is solid land.

4.     Cryosphere- part of the Earth’s surface where water is in a solid form, usually as snow or ice, and includes glaciers, ice shelves, snow, and icebergs, and snow fields.

5.     Anthrosphere- Contains all things made by humans… cities, bridges, dams, and roads.

6.     Atmosphere- is a gaseous layer that surrounds the Earth.  Contains a mixture of gases composed primarily of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.

Layers of the atmosphere

Four main layers from first to last- Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere.

Four minor layers from first to last- ozonosphere (in the stratosphere), Ionosphere, exosphere, and magnetosphere (all located in the Thermosphere).

Hello Parents,

MAGNETOSPHERE

Characteristics:

1. Earth's Magnetic Field

2. Causes Aurora Borealis

(Northern Lights

TROPOSPHERE

Temperature: DECREASES, 6.5 ºC per km

Characteristics: to about -60 ºC

1. Most weather occurs here where we live

2. Convection Currents

STRATOSPHERE

Temperature: INCREASES, to about -20 ºC

Characteristics:

1. Contains most of atmosphere's ozone

2. Where jets and manned balloons have gone

MESOSPHERE

Temperature: DECREASES, -100 ºC at top, Characteristics: 1. Protects Earth from meteors, 2. Coldest region of atmosphere

THERMOSPHERE

Temperature: INCREASES, 2,000 ºC at top

Characteristics:

1. Temps get up to 2000 oC

2. Air molecules are 1 km apart!

OZONOSPHERE

Characteristics:

1. Ozone is made of 3 oxygen atoms

2. Protects the surface from Sun's UV rays

3. Humans are causing Ozone depletion

IONOSPHERE

Characteristics:

1. Lower part of Thermosphere

2. Radio waves bounce back to

Earth's surface

EXOSPHERE

Characteristics:

1. Upper part of Thermosphere

2. Artificial Satellites orbit here

Plant and animal Cells Study Guide

Parents,
  We make our edible plant and animal cells today!  The room was both messy and full of a sweet scent!  Your child will be tested on the organelles this Friday. Please encourage them to study.

Aniamal Cells
-Vaculoes: bubblelike storage structure that store water
-Lysosomes- digest large particles
-Ribosomes- structures that make proteins
-Golgi Complex- area that stores ad packages chemicals
-Cytoplasm- material that is between the cell membrane and the nucleus and holds all the organells in place
-Nucleus- control center containing genetic information
-Nucleolus- Spherical body in the nucleus
-Nuclear Membrane- membrane that surrounds the nucleus
-Cell (plasma) membrane- membrane that surrounds the cell
-Mitchocondria- Releases energy from nutrients
-Smooth E.R.- Cells internal transport system
-Rough ER- ER with ribosomes attached to it
-Centriole- Small, dark body outside nucleus used during cell division and also helps keep the cell up.

Plant Cells- Everything like animal cells except- lysosomes and centrioles.
- Chloroplast- in charge of cellular respiration and gives the plant its green color
-Cell wall- Gives the cell its shape.

No Homework

There is no homework tonight.  Please don't forget to bring in your items for our plant and animal cell edible project.

Valentine's Day Party

Because of the Science Fair, we will have a Valentine's Day Snack this Friday.  Each child needs to bring cards and a bag of candy to class.  I would like for the students to have cupcakes and drink if at all possible.  If you are interested in helping out in this area, please send me an email by Wednesday. 

Light test study guide

Things to remember:
Magnification happens when light travels through a curved surface
White paper reflects light
Black paper absorbs light
Lenses bend light
 Infrared is closely related to heat
Speed of light is 156,000 miles/second
Concave lenses makes objects bigger
Convex lenses makes objects smaller
When focus point of light is before the retina, you are nearsided, when focus point of light is passed the retina, then you are farsided, but when the focus of light hits the retina right on point, then you have normal vision.
Light is made up of small particles call photons.
The retina is made up of photoreceptors called rods and cones.
We have about 120 million rods in our retina and they help us to detect light
We have about 6-7 million cones in our retina and they help us to detect different wavelengths of color.
Know your "Rainbow" True false sheet.

Homework

Reading- pwb page 104, write spelling words 5 times each
Math- page 261, 16-26

Last Homework For the Week!

Reading/Language Arts- Finish small group packet, Science- complete Rainbow sheet
Math- complete worksheet front and back. 

Homework

Brown- Reading. page 101,103  Math page  289128-129 in ARMT Practice Book
Floyd math page 289, 7-14

Homework

Brown's- Science- Color picture of bacteria, Reading PWB page 98, Spelling words 3x.
Langford- Finisih page 245
Powell- No homework
Floyd- No homework

Please make sure you study spelling and vocab words this week for they are really challenging.
Don't forget science fair t-shirt money is due this Wednesday.

Homework

Brown's- Reading and Language Arts: page 95 and 97 in PWB.  Math workbook page 121
Powell, finish worksheet.

Please visit the below site for a video on fractions with unlike denominators

http://www.khanacademy.org/math/arithmetic/fractions/Adding_and_subtracting_fractions/v/adding-fractions-with-unlike-denominators

Homework for tonight

Brown- Reading and Language Arts- PWB page 92, and write missed spelling words 5 times each
Math- page 245 in big book

Powell- 245 in practice book
Langford- finish worksheet
floyd 275-276

Hoping for SNOW!!!!!

There is only math homework for my group to get them ready for tomorrows quiz.  Finish page 229 up to problem # 24.

We desperately need cleaning wipes and paper towels. If you are in the store and have a little extra cash and if you don't mind, please pick up these items.  We are having our solar system test tomorrow.  Every student should have brought home their study guide. There is going to be 30 questions and 6 bonus problems.  We are going right into our MicroWorlds unit and will be learning about Magnification!  Your child will have the chance to look at small print through several objects that we have that magnify, including a drop of water. 

Have a great evening!

Homework

Brown- Reading and Language- Pwb page 85,91    Science- wieght sheet
Langford math- 109
Floyd- 261
Pictures tomorrow

Welcome back to our second full week of school for the New Year!

Homework
Browns- Reading pwb page 84, Language Arts pwb page 83, Math practice book 101, Study science study guide.
Powell- Study for math test
Langford- page 109, don't do decimal model
Floyd- page 261, 16-25 and study for unit test

Group Pictures are this Wednesday.

Happy New Years!!!!

I am happy to have you all back for the new years.  I will be out for the next two days and will return on Wednesday.  Although I will be out, you still have work to do.  I am expecting you to be responsible with your work and courteous to the substitute teacher.  Below, is bulleted points of information that you need to know for this week.

• Copy and learn your spelling and vocabulary words for this week. You will be tested on them this Friday. 
• Science projects will be due on Wednesday upon my return
• "My New Year's Goals" essay is due this Friday
• AR Party is this Friday
• Complete all of your assigned work that the substitute gives you.
• Go visit the library at least once before Wednesday
• For computer lab on Tuesday, you will visit  http://www.spacegrant.hawaii.edu/class_acts/Weight.html to calculate your weight on other planets.  Make sure you take a pencil, paper, and the calculators to the lab.

If you have any questions, please email me at light001shanel@gmail.com.  Take care.