Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Just a gentle reminder: We have an Exercise tomorrow!

We will be taking an exercise in Religion, Session 14.  Remember to earn 5 extra points, log onto www.FindingGod.com and complete the review game.

We are reviewing England:  From Golden age to Glorious Revolution.  I am planning on an exercise on Thursday.

Lastly, costumes for the Shakespeare play are due tomorrow!!!!  Also, please sign and return the "Contract" for the play.  It lists our expectations of the actors.  It also outlines the when, where, and what time for the play.

Thanks!

Monday, April 15, 2013

What is in store for the Fifth graders this week.

Math:  We will be learning about changing percents into a fraction, multiplying decimal numbers, adding zeros and multiplying decimal numbers by 10, 100, and 1000.  Also finding the Least Common Multiple of two numbers.

Literature:  We are in the midst of rehearsing for Midsummer!  Go Shakespeare!  We will conclude the Secret Garden this week as well!!!!  Each student has been assigned a partner and will create their own REAL secret garden.  We start that today - Monday!

Science:  We will continue work in our Plant packet.  Our secret gardens will show us how plants germinate and grow thus reinforcing both Science and Literature.

Religion:  Complete Session 14.  We will have an Exercise on Friday!!!!

Social Studies:  We will wrap up the  unit on England:  Golden Age to Glorious Revolution.  Students must complete Section 5 & 6 reiew questions.  We will review Thursday, Friday, and Monday.  Exercise on Tuesday of next week.

Language Arts:  Classifying sentences by purpose.  Diagramming Interogative and and Imperative sentences.

Vocab/Spelling:  Unit 11  We will have a exercise on Friday.  Pre-exercise on  Wednesday.  Spelling exercise on Friday

If you have any questions, please send me an email.  Thank you!

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Oh the joy of "Secret Garden Pots!"

Hello parents!

As you know, we are reading Secret Garden together in class.  The students love the book and enjoy me reading it aloud.  It is fun.  Also, we have started our unit on plants. I was thinking the other night - which is a very dangerous thing for me to do - and devised a plan to wrap-up our reading by combining literature and science!  Who knew?

I have decided to assign groups with the task of creating a live garden that reflects their vision of what they think the garden looks like.  See!  I told you it is dangerous for me to think!

Here is what they will need:
pot with dirt
flower seeds
simple decorations!

The kids can fill you in on all other other stuff.  Remember, I expect the children to keep it simple.

Yours favorite fifth grade teacher,

Mr. Turskey

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Some additional information for the kids!

I want to give the kids a link to help them study for the Religion Exercise tomorrow.  Here it is:

http://www.loyolapress.com

Select 5th grade under Children menu heading off the left hand side

Unit 2,  Session 8, and Interactive Session Review.

This link will lead them to quiz game for the chapter or Session.  We are in Session 8.  Encourage them to get online and try this practice session.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Fat Tuesday then Lent! What could be better!

Lent is a time of preparation for the Catholic Church.  We prepare through fasting, prayer, and alms giving.  Encourage your children to give something up, but to also promise to DO something for someone else.

Virtue of the Month:  Perseverence

Math: Lesson 88 - Identifying Equivalent  Fractions; 89 - Finding Equivalent Fractions; 90 - Prime Numbers; 91 - Dividing Equivalent Fractions by 1; 92 - Finding Greatest Common Factor;  Exercise 12A Wednesday

Religion:  Session 8:  Baptized into the Life of Christ.  Exercise Friday.

Social Studies:  Section 3:  The Spread of Protestantism; Read Discuss and produce Venn Diagrams comparing Luther, Zwingli, and Calvin.  Section 4:  The Counter Reformation; read, notes, discuss.  Begin  answering review questions for Unit.

Vocabulary/Spelling:  Unit 7: Complete workbook pages; write two sentences for each vocabulary word.

Language Arts:   Exercise 15 & Review Exercise A p 198-199; Simple Sentences and Compound Sentences 199-200; Diagramming Sentences in Class as a group.; Classifying Sentences by Purpose; p202-203

Science:  Introduction to cell structure and processes.  Begin constructin of cell parts in class.

Literature:  Secret Garden!!!!  Continue in class reading with reflections, drawings, and discussions.

Computer:   Keyboarding and completing PowerPoint Presentations.

Music:  Discussing musical theater

ART!!!!!!  Please send in a 8X10 picture of your child.  School portraits work best!  We will be using 8X10 canvases for their self portraits.

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Back on Track! Her is what is happening now.

Dear parents,

Sorry for the lack of communication.  Here is how we are finishing up the week.

Virtue of the Month:  Perseverance

Math:   Lesson 86 - Multiplying Fractions!!!!!; 87 - Converting Units of Weight and Mass;  Exercises Form 12A on Friday

Religion:  Finish up Session 7 on Thursday.  Study guide,  Exercise on Friday.

Social Studies:  The Reformation:  Section 2:  The Birth of Protestantism - To cover this section, I am using a "Gallery Walk."  The students are grouped and then asked to DRAW what they learned.  They are not allowed to use any words to express themselves.  Martin Luther is a tough one to do.  They love it!  Section 3 - The Spread of Protestantism:  Read discuss and employ venn diagram to compare Luther, Calvin and Zwingli.

Science:  Cells:  Structures and Processes.  The building blocks of life.  Introduction to new words and their meanings.  We will be building our own cell in class.

LiteratureSecret Garden  We will continue to read this exciting story as a class.  Each chapter will be followed by some sort of reflection that the students must write for homework.  These reflections must be twelve to fifteen sentences in length.

Language Arts:  Continue with compound subjects and verbs; diagramming sentences;  compound sentences.  Review for exercise.

Computers:  Keyboarding and wraping up Power point presentations.

PE:  Getting physical by running and jumping and learning about new sports!

Monday, January 7, 2013

The new year has begun and we are ready!! Let's go!

Virtue of the Month:  Courage

Religion:  Unit 2  Jesus, Our Lord and Savior  Session 6:  New Life in Jesus.  Exercise on Friday

Math:  Lesson 68 - Recognizing Halves; 69 - Estimating Arithmetic Answers; 70 - Subtracting a Fraction from a Whole Number Greater Than 1; 71 - Decimal Place Value through Hundredths'; 72 - Writing Tenths in Decimal Form; Exercise 9A on Tuesday

Social Studies:  Renaissance:  Section  7: Michalangelo; Section 8:  Two How-To Men.  Read, take notes, class discussion

English:  Diagramming sentences.  Identifying simple and complete predicates

Science:  Finish Classification of living things.  Review packet in class.  Exercise on Thursday!!!!  

Literature:  Secret Garden  We will be reading this book as a class.  There will be no book report for this month.  The students will be asked to provide reflections on the chapters read.  Our culminating project will be an exercise.

Vocabulary:  Unit 6  pages 56 - 63  Pre-Exercise on Wednesday;  Exercise on Friday Spelling Exercise on Friday.

Computers:  PowerPoint and keyboarding

Finally:  I would love to thank all of the parents in my Fifth Grade class for your generosity.  I love teaching your children and I hope they enjoy being in my class.  Also, I would like to thank the Turners, Lutoskys and Della Ducharme for hosting our Christmas Luncheon.  It was wonderful!  Thank you for all your hard work!