Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, are due on Fridays.

Reading: Students received new Literature Circles book groups today. Groups also planned how many pages they will read each day.

Writing: Students continued to draft their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook, due Tuesday, February 16. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: Students practiced adding and subtracting decimals today by going “shopping.” They selected objects to “purchase,” added up the cost, and subtracted the total from the “money given to the cashier.” Homework is to complete five problems to practice subtracting decimals from a whole number (Examples: 5-1.32 or 8-2.5).

Science: We reviewed electrical hazards today by playing Find the Hidden Dangers.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 0

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Our Feb Factor Valentine’s Party is Friday, February 12 from 1:30 pm to the end of the day. We need volunteers for food items to bring, including sloppy joe mix, buns, chips, and drink boxes. We also need family volunteers to help with food setup, cleanup and with the games. Click here to see the volunteer list and add your name if you are coming to the party!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

• What is a spread put on a bed? (bedspread)
• What is a bird that is black? (blackbird)

Cursive: Ten cursive sentences, seven or more words each, were collected today.

Reading: Students previewed the new Literature Circles books today.

Writing: Students continued to draft their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: We reviewed adding and subtracting decimals today, and students completed a MiniQuiz.

Science: None today.

1. Go to VirtualApple to play The Oregon Trail
2. You will have to install an add-on to your browser to get the game to work.
   1. For Internet Explorer, a bar will popup asking you to install an add-on.
   2. For Firefox, you will need to click a link to install an add-on.
   3. Firefox seems to work best.
   4. Follow directions to refresh or restart your browser and you can play the game.
3. If you can’t get any of the above to work, here is another way to play The Oregon Trail (but the colors don’t look as nice as the first option.)

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 5

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Report Cards were emailed home today.
• Our Feb Factor Valentine’s Party is Friday, February 12 from 1:30 pm to the end of the day. We need volunteers for food items to bring, including sloppy joe mix, buns, chips, and drink boxes. We also need family volunteers to help with food setup, cleanup and with the games. Click here to see the volunteer list and add your name if you are coming to the party!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling: Today was a preview of upcoming spelling words.

Cursive: We are finished with cursive review worksheets for this year. For the remainder of the year, the weekly cursive assignment will be to write ten sentences in cursive, using at least seven words for each sentence. Also, students are now required to write their planners in cursive. Ten cursive sentences will be due tomorrow.

Reading: Students received their most recent STAR reading level score. The class average reading level decreased for this test; however, the class is still ahead of the pace to finish with a year of growth by June. Ask your student what their reading level is and what their plan is for improvement.

Writing: Students continued to draft their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: We reviewed adding and subtracting decimals. Homework is to complete at least 10 decimal addition/subtraction problems from a worksheet give to students today in class.

Science: We reviewed open and closed circuits today.

1. Go to VirtualApple to play The Oregon Trail
2. You will have to install and add-on to your browser to get the game to work.
   1. For Internet Explorer, a bar will popup asking you to install an add-on.
   2. For Firefox, you will need to click a link to install an add-on.
   3. Firefox seems to work best.
   4. Follow directions to refresh or restart your browser and you can play the game.
3. If you can’t get any of the above to work, here is another way to play The Oregon Trail (but the colors don’t look as nice as the first option.)

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 3
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 5

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Our Feb Factor Valentine’s Party is Friday, February 12 from 1:30 pm to the end of the day. We need volunteers for food items to bring, including sloppy joe mix, buns, chips, and drink boxes. We also need family volunteers to help with food setup, cleanup and with the games. Click here to see the volunteer list and add your name if you are coming to the party!
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Spelling:  Students completed a spelling and skill test today.

Cursive: We are finished with cursive review worksheets for this year. For the remainder of the year, the weekly cursive assignment will be to write ten sentences in cursive, using at least seven words for each sentence. Also, students are now required to write their planners in cursive.

Reading: The final two groups performed their Literature Circles plays today. Students will receive new Literature Circles groups next time.

Writing: Students continued to draft their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: We practiced adding decimals. Homework is to complete Journal pp. 89-90.

Science: Students made a switch and added it to a circuit so that they could turn a bulb on and off using the switch. Homework is to finish the On or Off? experiment.

Social Studies: We added notes to our minibooks about maps, map skills, regions and landforms. There  will be a test over this subject tomorrow.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 1
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 1

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 61, 62, and 64 were due today.

Reading: Two additional groups performed their Literature Circles  plays today. The final two groups will present on Tuesday. Students also completed an informational reading test today.

Writing: Students continued to draft their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: We practiced estimating with decimals. For example, the sum of 5.2 miles and 3.8 miles is about 9 miles (5+4=9). Homework is to complete Journal pp. 86-87 about estimating with decimals.

Science: We reviewed conductors, insulators and electromagnets and wrote notes in our minibooks.

Social Studies: We reviewed regions and map skills today. There will be a test over this subject on Tuesday.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 2
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 5

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• The second marking period ends today, January 29.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 61, 62, and 64 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Two groups performed their Literature Circles  plays today. The remaining groups will present tomorrow.

Writing: Students began drafting their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction gamebook, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: None today due to extra time with Science.

Science: We learned that metals are conductors of electricity, and non-metals are usually insulators. However, we did an experiment and noticed that graphite (carbon pencil lead) and salt water are also electrical conductors, even though they are not metals. Students also created electromagnets today and tested how the number of coils of the electromagnet affects its magnetic force.

Social Studies: None due to art.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 2
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 3

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• The second marking period ends Friday, January 29.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

• Grandma and I went to the store.
• Do you want to go to the store with grandma and me?

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 61, 62, and 64 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Students continued to work on their Literature Circles  plays to share their magazine with the class. We remembered that speed, tone and volume are part of good reading voices. Presentations will start tomorrow.

Writing: Students continued to prewrite for their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction piece, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: search for “the end” to see some of the endings of the book)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: None today due to extra time with Social Studies.

Science: None on Wednesdays due to library.

Social Studies: We learned about the different regions of the United States and some of their common landforms (coastal plains, plateaus, mountains, basins). Students also completed a MiniQuiz over map skills.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 1
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 2

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• The second marking period ends Friday, January 29.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 61, 62, and 64 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Students continued to work on their Literature Circles  plays to share their magazine with the class. We remembered that speed, tone and volume are part of good reading voices.

Writing: Students continued to prewrite for their Choose Your Own Adventure fiction piece, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com.

Choose Your Own Adventure Resources

• See examples of Choose Your Own Adventure fiction websites here and here
• Look through The Abominable Snowman Choose Your Own Adventure book (hint: use the search command to look at more pages)
• View the titles of all the Choose Your Own Adventure books to get adventure topic ideas
• Play Zork, a text-based computer came. Here is a list of commands and directions. Here is a map of the dungeon if you get stuck or lost.

Math: None today due to an assembly by Coach Steve Moreland from the Detroit Pistons.

Science: We reviewed yesterday’s experiment about how to connect a circuit. Students also completed an experiment testing different materials to see if they were electrical conductors or insulators. Homework is to finish the Conductors and Insulators experiment.

Social Studies: None due to an extra science experiment.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 0
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 1

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• The second marking period ends Friday, January 29.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.

Cursive: Cursive worksheet pp. 61, 62, and 64 are available and due Friday.

Reading: Today, students planned their Literature Circles projects to share their magazine with the class.

Writing: Students reviewed scoring and comments for their last writing piece, turned in their current fiction piece, and began planning for our next  piece of writing.

The next piece of writing will be a Choose Your Own Adventure fiction piece, due Friday, February 12. Students will publish their adventure as a website at sites.mrhowd.com. Examples of the Choose Your Own Adventure genre can be found here and here. Students should be prewriting by now.

Math: We reviewed decimals, fractions, and comparing and ordering decimals. Students also completed a MiniQuiz.

Science: Students completed an experiment testing different configurations of a circuit, to see which ones could like a bulb. Homework is to finish the Repair Manual part of the experiment.

Social Studies: None due to art.

Behavior Update:

• Yellow magnets: 1
• Orange magnets: 0
• Red magnets: 0
• STAR Awards: 0
• Magnets moved this week (goal: 10): 1

Check your student’s Personal and Social Growth grade at SnapGrades to see if your student moved their magnet. Need help with SnapGrades?

Notes:

• The second marking period ends Friday, January 29.
• Check out our class calendar to stay up-to-date.
• View grades, assignments, and attendance at SnapGrades.

Our Mission:
Every student in Room 130 leaves improved and prepared for 5th grade.