May 5-9

ISTEP
All of our ISTEP testing for this school year was finished this past week. Tests were finished up on Tuesday (Math), Wednesday (Language), and Thursday (Social Studies). Mr. Whitaker has only a few make up tests that will be finished early this week. Mrs. Knecht-Strong administered the tests to a mix of our two classes in the fifth grade lab. We're very pleased to report that the effort put forward by all students was excellent and that, unlike last year, the testing was completed with absolutely no computer issues. Look forward to results coming your way much sooner than the fourth grade tests that were held up with technical issues that just didn't occur this time.

This Week's Activities and Assignments
Monday, May 5  (Gold)
1. Bell Work - States and capitals review
2. Science - Periodic table game (Make as many words as possible from symbols on
     the periodic table.)
3. Review moon activities
4. Western Project due on May 20. (Students have assignment sheet)

Tuesday, May 6   (Blue)
1. Bell Work - Moon review sheet
2. FOSS reader - Stars with worksheet
3. Western Project due on May 20. (Students have assignment sheet)

Wednesday, May 7   (Gold)
1. Bell Work - Civil War map activity
2. Science - Chemical reactions
3. Science - Outdoor chemical reaction activity (weather permitting)
4. Western Project due on May 20. (Students have assignment sheet)

Thursday, May 8   (Blue)
1. Bell Work - Science definitions
2. Social Studies - Civil War  activities and USA #27
3. Western Project due on May 20. (Students have assignment sheet)

Friday, May 9   (Gold)
1. Bell Work - Science review sheet
2. Science - Checkup Test on sun, moon, and stars learning standards.
3 Western Project due on May 20. (Students have assignment sheet)

Video Clips - Civil War
1.  The Battle of Gettysburg in July of 1863 was the pivotal battle of the Civil War. One of the most important events during the battle was the heroic defense of Little Round Top by the 20th Maine Volunteer Regiment under the command of Colonel Joshua Lawrence. Little Round Top was at the very end of the Union line. Failure to hold the hill would have resulted in the entire Union army being flanked. Part of the G-C Junior High 8th Grade trip to Washington, D.C. is a tour of Gettysburg. During the tour, we stood at the very location of the battle depicted in this clip from the historically accurate 1993 film Gettysburg that was filmed on location at Gettysburg.
      Watch video (14:51)

2.   The Gettysburg address from the Ken Burns television documentary The Civil War.
      Watch video (5:53)