Student Survey for Elevate Workshop

Elevate came and did a workshop on CLOSE READING!

Please fill out the survey here  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/3J392W8

Busy Week in ELA

• Monday - ReadyGen  Unit 4A - Lesson 4
• The learning focus was to determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text and quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text Hudson - "The Half Moon"
• Tuesday - Readygen Unit 4A -  Lesson 5
• The Focus was to explain how an author uses reasons and evidence to support particular points in a text, identifying which reasons and evidence support which point(s) using the text Hudson - "To the New World".  Students practiced taking a stand by doing a quick write opinion piece as well on the topic:  Is Hudson’s anger at the crew justified? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
• Wednesday - ReadyGen Unit 4A - Lesson 6
• The focus was to quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text using the text Hudson - "Mutiny!" We spent a lot of time talking about transitions in the text and then used that as our focus during independent reading.
• Thursday - Readygen Unit 4A - Lesson 7
• The focus was to explain the relationships or interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical text based on specific information in the text from the text Hudson - "After Hudson".  Students were again asked to take a stand and write an opinion piece on the topic: Should the surviving crewmen have been convicted of mutiny? Give reasons from the text to support your answer.
• Friday - Skill Review Friday  using Time For Kids
• We looked at finding the main idea and supporting details from an article about Google Assistant and how Google is grappling with the issues of voice-activated technology. We practiced this skill of finding the main idea all week so this was a great review and assessment opportunity.  
• Next we looked at an article about texting while walking and students had to have an opinion of if it should be against the law or not.  Students had to pick a side and use text evidence to support their opinion.  We call this the RACE format and if they master it, it will make answering short response questions a breeze.

Updates:

• Yes there will be a homework packet for next week.
• I gave out Vacation Packets on Monday so students traveling for the holiday would have them and could start working on them.  
• Class Holiday Parties will be Thursday during 6th and 7th Periods.  More info to come!
• Thursday is also Winter Wishes Day!

Divide Decimals

Dear Family,


Throughout the next few weeks, our math class will be learning about decimal division. We will also be learning how to estimate decimal quotients.
You can expect to see homework that involves division of decimals through hundredths.

decimal A number with one or more digits to the right of the decimal point
dividend The number that is to be divided in a division problem
divisor The number that divides the dividend
quotient The number that results from dividing 

Use trips to grocery or department stores as opportunities to practice decimal division. For example, “Which is the better buy, the 10-ounce box of cereal for $3.25 or the 15-ounce box for $4.65?” Work together to write a division sentence to represent each situation. Help your child estimate the quotient and then find the exact answer.

Querida familia,


Durante las próximas semanas, en la clase de matemáticas aprenderemos la división decimal. También aprenderemos a estimar cocientes decimales.
Llevaré a casa tareas con actividades que incluyan división de decimales hasta las centésimas. 

Use los paseos a las tiendas de alimentos o departamentales para practicar la división decimal. Por ejemplo, “¿Qué conviene comprar, la caja de cereales de 10 onzas por $3.25 o la caja de 15 onzas por $4.65?” Trabajen juntos para escribir el enunciado de división que represente cada situación. Ayude a su hijo o hija a estimar el cociente y luego hallen la respuesta exacta. 

The Four Gift Challenge....

Was just listening to the radio and heard this...

Thought it sounded interesting...

I kinda like it!

What do you think?

Leave me a comment!!!

This Week in ELA

This week has gone by SO fast....

• Monday:
• We finished and turned in our PBA's and collected homework, and passed out the new packet.   Then we looked at the unit slides to go over expectations, new vocabulary words, and the end product PBA for our next unit (Unit 4) on Explorers.   We did lesson 4.1 from ReadyGen.  We ended the period with our first HIV Lesson.
• Tuesday:
• Tuesday was picture day so it took up a good 1/2 of our day to get downstairs and get the individual and class photos taken.  The rest of the period we worked on portfolios, independent reading, and small group work.
• Wednesday:
• We continued with our study into our new book HUDSON and did lesson 4.2 from ReadyGen.  The big focus here is opinion writing and learning how to start an opinion response and how to use text details to support your opinion.  Students had a quick write were they had to "pick a side" and write their opinion.  
• Thursday:  
• We continued our study from the new book HUDSON and did lesson 4.3 from ReadyGen.   The focus was looking how the author chooses words and organization techniques to support her opinion about Hudson (He was not a failure and deserves to be remembered in history!) We finished by reading "A Wrinkle In Time" from our class read aloud. 
• Friday:
• Today was a STAR testing day to get updated reading levels for students.  Then we had visitors from Turn to Us who came in and did a presentation on Bullying.  Students broke up into groups and had to read, write, present, and then act out different information and scenarios about Bullying.  They had a great time.  We finished by reading "A Wrinkle In Time" from our class read aloud. 

PBA Weekend

Hello Students and Parents:

We are giving students the weekend to finish their PBA.

This week we modeled how to

1. Write a topic sentence for a paragraph.
2. How to write a reason
3. How to use the text to prove (with evidence) the reason is valid
4. How to write a concluding sentence for a paragraph
5. How to write a hook for an introduction
6. How to write a thesis statement for an introduction
7. How to write a concluding paragraph that mimics the introduction but also includes what to do with the information gained

Students used graphic organizers and worked step by step to complete this informational writing about the rain forest.

They drafted and conferenced with teachers and peers.

They revised and edited using checklist and peer support.

All that is left is to finish the final, 4 paragraph essay on the publishing task sheet.  It is due FIRST THING Monday!

Monday we start our unit on EXPLORERS! 

Sentence Starters for Quoting from Text

Reflection Prompts for Journals - Use 2-3 for each REFLECTION for your RRJ

Day 2 PBA - Writing an Intro and a Conclusion

Sample Intro

Another Sample Introduction 

Sample Conclusion

PBA Day 2 Co-Writing a Body Paragraph using Text Evidence

Body Paragraph Co-Writing Model

Shared Writing Samples from Class

PBA Week in ELA

Hey Parents:

Just wanted to give you the heads up about what is coming up this week....

• Monday
• Elevate is coming in to start our study skill and note taking lessons.  Parents, they is a training tomorrow (Tuesday) for you as well.  We will finish the day collecting homework, writing thank you letters to Carmel Hill for the sponsoring of the movie trip, and finishing Chapter 2 social studies tests.
• Writing Week Begins...
• Day 1
• We will look closely at the prompt for this Performance Based ASSESSMENT.
• We will look closely at the rubric for this assessment.
• I will model how to craft a strong body paragraph using the Rain Forest Food Web text and the organizers I created.
• Students will have time to use their texts to collect information for their body paragraphs.
• Day 2 
• We will look closely at the different types of hooks for an introduction.
• I will model using the different hooks.
• We will look closely at how to craft a conclusion using the introduction.
• Students will have time to use their texts, the graphic organizers, and their texts to create an introduction and conclusion paragraph.
• Day 3
• Students will write their draft.
• Students will use a checklist for revision and revise their draft.
• Students will use a checklist for editing and edit their their draft.
• Students will peer edit their drafts
• Students will write their final draft for assessment.
• Friday
• Skill Review Friday
• Students will read closely several articles from Time For Kids
• Students will practice the skill of finding main idea and supporting details in a text
• Students will practice forming an opinion and collecting details to support it
• Students will be assessed on how well they read the close reading text
• Students will take an AR test on their independent reading books
• Social Studies 
• Chapter 3 - Lesson 1 ( Explorers of Spain and Portugal)

Homework:

1. Homework Packet #12 was passed out today.  Students should be doing one page a night until they are complete.  

1. AR Tests - Students should have no less than 4 AR tests passed (ON THEIR READING LEVEL) by the end of the month!

1. Students should be reading for 30 minutes each night and then writing a summary about their reading 4-6 minutes (First, Next, Then, Last).   They should then follow that with 3-5 minutes of writing about their reading.. REFLECTING on what they read, making CONNECTIONS....

On the Way to WONDER!

Short Week.... Another Reason to Give Thanks!

• Monday - Lesson 16 was looking at the format of the text PALE MALE. The format was Problem Solution.  After finishing the text today, students worked on their own to identify at least ONE problem and solution in the section read.  They shared with a partner and pasted the results into their notebook.   Next we read 15 pages of Wonder and then did a Wonder Writing Activity.  Homework Packets with an extra Thanksgiving Section were passed out and are due back on 11/27!
• Tuesday - Wrapping up Unit 1B.  WE will compare and contrast the overall structure of information in two or more texts, specifically use of quotations and word choice. RI.5.5  and then reading another 15 pages of Wonder.  We will end the period by working on the Chapter 2 Test for Social Studies.  
• Wednesday - We will spend a little time doing a Thanksgiving reading activity and then we will read the last 10 pages of Wonder before leaving at 10AM for the 11:15 showing of Wonder at AMC Loews on 68th Street. A Special Thank You to Carmel Hill for sponsoring all the students who passed the AR Quiz on Wonder.  They are paying $8.19 cents for each students (and teacher) to attend.  That is almost a $500 donation just for reading. THANK YOU!  The movie is just under 2 hours.  Students are allowed to bring money to spend at the concession stand and we will have bag lunches from the lunchroom.  If your child wants to pack other treats in their bag (I didn't see it!)  Finally, the students will have to do a ALIKE and DIFFERENT activity that compares the movie to the book and will also be due on Monday, 11/27.  

Homework:

1. Read 30 minutes 5 nights a week.  Write for 10 minutes after reading, 2-3 minutes to write a summary and 7-8 minutes writing a detailed and thoughtful reflection about the reading.
2. Homework Packet due on 11/27/17
3. Wonder Alike and Different Graphic Organizer

Multiplying Decimals

Dear Family,


 Throughout the next few weeks, our math class will be learning about decimal multiplication. We will also be learning how to estimate decimal products. You can expect to see homework that involves multiplication of decimals. Here is a sample of how your child will be taught to multiply decimals.


Activity A trip to the grocery store or the gas station is a perfect opportunity to practice decimal operations. For example, “We bought 8.6 gallons of gasoline that cost $2.95 per gallon. What was the total cost?” Work together to write a multiplication sentence with decimals that represents the situation. Then estimate before multiplying to find the exact product.




Querida familia,


 Durante las próximas semanas, aprenderemos acerca de la multiplicación con números decimales. También aprenderemos a estimar productos decimales. Llevaré a la casa tareas con multiplicaciones de decimales. Este es un ejemplo de cómo vamos a multiplicar decimales.


Activity Use trips to grocery or department stores as opportunities to practice decimal division. For example, “Which is the better buy, the 10-ounce box of cereal for $3.25 or the 15-ounce box for $4.65?” Work together to write a division sentence to represent each situation. Help your child estimate the quotient and then find the exact answer.


Warmly,

Ms. Cruz

Report Card - Parent Afternoon and Evening

Today is a half day!

Students will be released at 11:15

Come pick up report cards and meet with your teachers!  

This Week in ELA

What a busy, crazy, exciting week!  I have to say that this school year is really flying by.  Here is a recap of what happened this week, and what is coming up next week.

• Monday - Mr. McDougall was lucky enough to go to a workshop by a very respected speaker on Reading and Writing.  He was also lucky enough to listen to an author talk by Steven Sheinkin who writes historical young adult novels on real world topics in INTERESTING ways.   Students worked on comparing and contrasting the novel "Rachel Carson" with the non-fiction text we finishing "Rain Forest Food Chains".  
• Tuesday - We did our first Cyber Safety Video about "Private Information" and being safe online. Then we started a new short text called "Pale Male: Citizen Hawk of New York".  This is another true story about the first HAWK to start using a building in NYC as a place to nest.  This fits our curriculum because it shows how when we destroy habitats of animals, they must adapt in order to survive.  Hawks in NYC.... Can you believe it!
• Wednesday - We did our second Cyber Safety Video about being a "Super Digital Hero" about how to act online.  We continued working with "Pale Male" and continued looking at why the author used certain figures of speech.  We did a lot of discussion about point of view between bird watchers and people who live in the fancy building on fifth avenue.  We also started practicing writing techniques that Mr. McDougall learned at his workshop on Monday to build writing stamina.  
• Thursday - SHORT DAY!  Today is Report Card afternoon and evening.  We had the students for just a half day, so that means about 55 minutes between Mr. McDougall and Ms. Cruz.  We watched a video today on "Privacy Policy" and how nothing on the internet is 100% private and nothing on the internet EVER goes away.  Once it is out there, it is out there.  I showed students how to check for and read web page privacy pages and they were a little shocked to see what privacy we give away when we are on the internet.  We spent the rest of our 55 minutes reading WONDER!
• Friday - Skills Review Friday.  We watched our next Cyber Safety Video about "Cyber Bullying".  We worked on our Weekly Reader "Time For Kids" with our main articles being "The Homework Debate" and ""Do Kids Need Homework".  They worked on the skill of pro vs con reasons and benefits vs drawbacks from the two articles and then using the details and reasons to form an opinion that can be defended.  They had a short quiz from the reading as well.  

1. Homework Packets are DUE Friday!!!
2. This weekend students will have to read "To Save the Amazon Rainforest" and answer the four questions for a current event grade.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• Wednesday - November 22 "Field Trip to See WONDER" 

• This trip will be paid for by Carmel Hill if your student reads (in class) and then passes the AR Quiz!

501 - Starting Research for Brochure Project