February 25 - March 1

D.AR.E.
Friday's school closing due to that pesky ice cancelled out Friday D.A.R.E. class. That was an extra class this week to make up for the class we lost last week because of the Valentine party. We'll take another look at Officer McCarley's calendar to reschedule so the gold team gets everything in before the picnic in May.

ISTEP
Next week ISTEP begins with the Applied Skills portion of the test. (Lots of writing and open ended problems)  We'll be starting first thing each day at about 8:10. You can help at home by making sure your child gets plenty of rest the night before and has a good breakfast each morning to maintain a good level of energy throughout the tests. And above all, lots of positive encouragement helps them start the day successfully.

Biz Town
Our Biz Town trip is coming up soon. I'm sure you've already heard about the jobs that were assigned this week. We're scheduled to spend our day there on Monday, March 11.

Mixtures and Solutions
Our class is beginning a new science unit this week on basic concepts in chemistry and finding out how materials interact with each other. The children will learn what happens when simple materials, like gravel, salt, and water are put together. They'll also learn techniques for separating the resulting mixtures and solutions. We'll be investigating combinations of materials, like baking soda and calcium chloride (the salt used to melt ice), that react when mixed, producing new products, like chalk, carbon-dioxide gas, and table salt.

Watch for the home/school connections sheets I'll be sending home with your child. These suggest ways for the whole family to investigate interesting aspects of chemistry.
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This Week's Agenda

Mon, Feb 25
     Social Studies: Biz Town Unit 4, Lesson 1
                              USA Studies Weekly #18
     Science: Lunch Menu Investigation review and checkup

Tues, Feb 26
     Health: DARE class with Officer McCarley

Wed, Feb 27
     Science: Investigation 1.1 Making and separating mixtures

Thurs, Feb 28
     Science: Investigation 1.2 Separating a salt solution

Fri, Mar 1
     Science: Investigation 1.3 Observing crystals

February 18-22

DARE

Our annual DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) begins this Wednesday. Officer Steve McCarley from the Greenfield Police Department will be conducting classes for the fifth graders once a week for ten sessions. This week we'll be having two classes, on Wednesday and Friday due to missing last Thursday due to the Valentine party. The program will help students resist pressures to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants, and other drugs. In May, all student participants will celebrate their learning with a day of fun and picnicking at Greenfield-Central High School.

Biz Town
Since the beginning of February students have been learning basic economic information, developing money management skills, and filling out job applications for our day at Biz Town on March 11. This Monday we'll listen to speeches from candidates for Mayor of Biz Town prior to the mayoral elections.

ISTEP
The first round of ISTEP testing for this year will be coming up the first week in March. Our testing schedule is set for mornings of that week. Parents can help their children achieve at their peak by giving your child plenty of encouragement to give the tests their best efforts, by making sure they get plenty of rest that week, and by making sure they're having a nutritious breakfast each morning to keep their energy levels up throughout the day.
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This Week's Agenda

Monday, Feb 18   (Blue)
1. USA Studies Weekly #17  with text based reading guide
2. Review International food traditions

Tuesday, Feb 19   (Gold)
1. Using baking soda to test food for acid content
2. Construct acid content graph
3. Writing activity - Reviewing acid test investigation

Wednesday, Feb 20   (Blue)
1. Examining calories
2. Food labels: Content information

Thursday, Feb 21   (Gold)
1. Identify foods by food label content information
2. Plan and review lunch with nutritional data

Friday, Feb 22   (Blue)
1. Free Lunch Response Sheet
2. Math Extension: Calories

February 11-15

Text Dependency
This past Friday, students used an article from their USA Weekly history magazine to begin practicing a new format for assessment questions. Text dependency questions require students to find evidence for the answers to questions in the text the questions are based on. On Monday we'll go over those questions in detail, outlining techniques for finding evidence in the text of the reading material to back up answers to questions. The rationale behind this type of assessment is that research shows that it increases the students' ability to develop a better understanding of how to locate and substantiate information than afforded by mere memorization of isolated facts. Mrs. Ashley and I will continue developing student skills in approaching their reading material in both social studies and science in a more thorough and organized manner. Our primary tools we'll be using in evolving this skill will be the USA Weekly history magazine and the FOSS science reader.

Happy Valentine's Day
I'm sure you've seen the message sent home this week in the gold folders on the Valentine's Day party set for Thursday afternoon. We'll be decorating bags for delivery of Valentine's this week. (Please don't bring Valentines in until Thursday.) The class list was attached to the note. Extra copies are available for students whose notes didn't get home. Treats for this party are on me this time - as a small way of saying thanks for everything you parents have done for our class this year!

Yearbooks
A note from our Yearbook sponsor:
Yearbooks may still be purchased online at ybpay.lifetouch.com using yearbook ID# 10768413. Ordering online will be available until March 8, 2013. Please contact Mrs. Kim Schrank (kschrank@gcsc.k12.in.us) with any questions.
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This Week's Agenda

Monday, February 11   (Gold)
1. Review text dependent questions from Friday
2. Discuss methods for finding evidence in articles
3. Start reading USA Weekly #16
4. Biz Town activity: The effect of limited resources

Tuesday, February 12   (Blue)
1. Testing foods for acid content
2. Social studies map study - The Northwest Territory

Wednesday, February 13   (Gold)
1. Testing foods for acid content continued
2. Learning about vitamins and minerals

Thursday, February 14   (Blue)
1. Examining food nutrition labels for vitamin and mineral content
*** We were originally planning to start DARE today, but due to the afternoon Valentine party, that program's start has been rescheduled to next Wednesday, Feb 20.

Friday, February 15   (Gold)
1. FOSS reader - Article on food and dietary habits in other parts of the world.
2. Text dependent questions on the FOSS article.
3. Wrap up Biz Town study of basic economics




 

Feb 4 - 8

D.A.R.E.
Students should have brought home a permission slip for participation in the D.A.R.E. program (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) that begins February 12. The program will consist of 10 weekly sessions during our social studies/science-health classes conducted by Officer Steve McCarles of the Greenfield Police Department. Please sign and return these slips as soon as possible.

Biztown
There are still a few students who haven't brought in their $20.00 for the Biztown experience in March. That money is now due. In class training for the program will begin Monday, February 4.

Food and Nutrition
Students will be continuing their study of food and nutrition this week by examining nutrition labels, nutrition requirements, and the planning of high nutrition/low cost meals. When your child accompanies you to the grocery this week, they should be able to interpret the nutrition labels on the food you purchase. (Be sure to ask them about the "5 - 20 Rule.")

American Revolution
Our social studies program will continue the study of the American Revolution. Please encourage students to spend time reading the USA Weekly newspaper when it comes home this week as homework. Unfortunately, students don't always take a homework assignment to read something as seriously as they should. At least 30 minutes should be set aside for reading this material.

Acuity C Test
The social studies Acuity test will be taken in the computer lab Wednesday, February 6. Please make sure students get plenty of rest the night before and have a good breakfast that morning. We want everyone to do their best on this assessment. The math and language portions of this testing program is ongoing as we work toward the ISTEP coming up soon.
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This Week's Agenda

Monday, Feb 4 (Blue):
1. Science - Working in the FOSS Student Reader
2. Superbowl Menu worksheet
3. Biztown - Preview workbook and pre-test
     (Short video clip on the American Revolution today)

Tuesday, Feb 5 (Gold)
1. Social Studies - USA Weekly #15 with comprehension questions and a Bio-Poem
2. Homework - Re-read the newspaper for a quiz on Thursday
     (Sort video clip on the American Revolution today)

Wednesday, Feb 6 (Blue)
1. Social Studies Acuity Test C
2. Science - Nutrition worksheet as time allows.

Thursday, Feb 7 (Gold)
1. Social Studies - Quiz on USA Weekly #15
2. Science - FOSS Investigation 4.1  ("Free Lunch")

Friday, Feb 8 (Blue)
1. Science - Continue FOSS Investigation 4.1
2. Short Nutrition video clip