It's Definitely the End of the Year

Phew!  This week has been more exhausting than the entire year put together!  The students are completely crazy.  All of them. :)  But luckily I still really like them. 

Just a reminder...we do still have three weeks left of school.  Here is a breakdown of those three weeks:

May 8/10 -- Normal School Day
May 15 -- Field Day!  All students (Tuesday and Thursday) come on Tuesday, May 15 at the normal time.
May 22/24 -- Last Day of School!

Reminders:

• We are still in school.  Please act that way, students!  Homework and behavior have been lacking lately. :(
• For Field Day, 5th Grade is wearing GREEN.  Also, bring a lunch, water bottle, and put sunscreen on before the day begins!  Wear comfortable shoes and jeans, shorts, or sweats.
• I will need a few classroom volunteers for Field Day. 
• Anyone have a cooler on wheels that we can borrow for Field Day?
• Mr. Ford also needs volunteers for Field Day.

Hope you all have a fabulous week!  We are so close to summer!!!!! :)

Field Trip ~ April 26!

Our Fifth Grade Field Trip is coming up soon!  We will start the day at Old Chicago on Woodmen/I-25.  From there, we will travel to Serenity Springs Wildlife Center (http://www.serenityspringswildlife.org/) and then end our day at Cottonwood Creek Park for lunch (bring a sack lunch!!) and some fun time playing with our classmates!  We will arrive back at TCA by 3:30 dismissal.  Please make sure that you wear comfortable shoes, pack a sack lunch, and are ready for an awesome day!

***You are allowed to wear blue jeans and a uniform top for the field trip! 

Please still tuck in your shirt and wear a belt! :) ***

Please e-mail me if you have any questions...and I also posted the Field Trip permission slip with all of the information on the sidebar for your convenience! :)

Tuesday Class -- Snow Day Make-Up Work!!!!

Wow, I did not expect that snow day at all on Tuesday!  Not good timing, with so little time left in the school year.  Please check the Tid Bits -- they are posted in the right side bar.  I am also attaching anything you need to know to this blog entry to keep you up to date with my Thursday class. :) 

Grammar :
Today we continued working through Pattern 4 : SN LV PrN.  We also continued working on verb tenses.  No new information.    Please do all of each sheet.

Literature :

Today we discussed Imagery. 

Imagery -- writing so that you can see images (vivid pictures) in your mind.

We discussed that Imagery uses many poetic terms (similes/metaphors, personification, alliteration, onomatopeia, etc) to create a vivid picture in your head. 

Writing :
We actually did not hit any writing today.  We will be starting to write our own poetry next week!

I emailed your parents all of the sheets you need to do for homework!  Please let me know what questions you have!

Writing Poetry

For the past few weeks, we have been studying Poetry in Literature.  We have been learning different poetry terms and how to use them correctly.  We have also looked at examples of poems that include these terms.  Starting the week after Spring Break, we will be learning about different types of poetry and we will write our own poems.  We will focus on four different types of poems:  Haiku, Limerick, Cinquain, and Free Verse.  The Scholastic Website has a fantastic "Poetry Idea Engine" that helps students learn to write poems.  If you so desire, play around with this tool over Spring Break!  I think you will have fun and learn a lot while doing so! :)

Poetry Idea Engine

“Frijoles Negros de Guatemala”

A few weeks back, Mrs. Dillon came during Spanish to share with the class about Guatemala.  She did an amazing presentation and shared some beauitful photos with the class.  She even brought in a delicious Guatemalan dish for us to try!  We all loved it so much, we asked for the recipe.  I even made this for my family a few days after the presentation.  Delicious! 

So here you go...

Frijoles Negros de Guatemala

1 pound dry black beans

1 small yellow onion

1 clove garlic

1 tsp. salt (or to taste)

1.  Rinse beans & then soak overnight in about 6 C of water.

2.  Chop onion into large pieces.

3.  Mix beans & onions together in a large crock pot, cover w/ water & cook on low overnight or for about 8 hours, until beans are soft.

4.  Drain beans & onions, reserving some of the water. 

5.  Puree the beans & onions in a food processor until smooth, adding the bean water as needed to desired consistency. 

6.  Add crushed garlic & salt to taste & return mixture to the warm crock pot.

Serve w/ tortilla chips or homemade corn tortillas.

Enjoy!  And thank you, Mrs. Dillon, for taking the time to come share with us!

Research Paper Information -- Due March 13/15

Our Formal Research Paper is due next week!!!  Along the way I have made a few changes to the "Research Paper Asssignment and Timeline" sheet.  Please click to see the new one for a reference guide:  Research Paper Assignment and Timeline.  Please make sure it is complete, all steps, and ready to be turned in when we start Writing Class.  Along with turning in your paper, each of you will present your research to the class.  If you have misplaced your information sheet for this part of the Formal Research Paper, please click here:  Presenting Research!

Okay, here goes!  Read carefully, as I am going to tell you how to turn in EVERYTHING to me next week an in what order.  I will also post examples of the sheets we went over in class.  I don't want anyone to come to class next week confused or not understanding what is expected!

For next week... 

Please staple the first three items together in the upper left corner.  ***Just these items!!!***

• Title Page
• Final Copy
• Bibliography Sheet

Also, you need to bring:

• Formal Outline (typed) 
•  The link will show you the formatting of the outline...yours may look very different, but as long as your formating (spacing, Roman Numerals, Letters, Numbers, font, double-spaced, etc...) look the same that is okay.
• Presentation

As mentioned in class, you need to place everything you are turning in to me in a folder.  Please don't go buy a folder, use one that you have laying around the house! 

I should have checked your bibliography cards, notecards and rough draft in class.  If I have done so, you DO NOT need to bring these with you next week.  We are done with them!

Formal Research Paper--Rough Draft (Due March 6/8)

Today in class we began writing the rough draft for our formal research paper.  I spent a lot of time teaching the students how to cite their source in order to avoid plagerizing.  I know when they come home they will have more questions, so I'm going to tell you what I told them in class. :)

• Make sure that your outline matches your rough draft.  That's not to say your outline is set in stone, but if you decide to change the order of something in your rough draft, make sure your outline reflects those changes.
• Skip sentences when writing your rough draft.  This will make editing easier.
• You must have at least four citations in your research paper.  That means you must have at least one citation per source.  You may have more...but at least one per source
• You must cite ANYTHING that you learned from research.  You do not want to plagerize, or steal, another's work.
• Examples:
• Arctic foxes live in frigid climates (Stuhr 38).
• According to Carrie Stuhr, arctic foxes live in frigid climates (38).

Parents, please continue to ask me questions as you come up with them!  Here is a link to refresh your memory on citing sources.  http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/02/  This link is quite advanced, and would confuse your student more than anything.  This is for you! :)

Tid Bits!

I have added a new side bar to our class blog!  If you look to the right, you will see a section titled "Tid Bits!" and under it is last week's newsletter.    All you have to do is click on the week you want to see and it will magically appear on your screen . :)  I plan on attaching the newsletter to the class blog each week...that way you are able to access it any place, any time! 

Occlusal Splint

Oh parents!  You have the most wonderful children ever.  Let me tell you why...

For the past four months I have been dealing with major mouth pain.  I've been to four dentist since mid-October:

•  A friend in MI for a consult back in October...she told me I clench my teeth and told me I should get a night guard from my dentist in CO.
• One in CO...didn't have a dentist, read a sign on the street and went...he didn't know why I had the pain and gave me a root canal.  Not fun, later found out it was not needed.
• Went to a great endodontist who thought the root canal was done properly (but not needed) and suspected I had a bite problem...look back to the first dentist I went to...
• Went to a GREAT dentist who could tell instantly that I am a severe clencher and have completely shot the nerves/muscles in my upper left jaw.

So now that you know my dental history, I'm on the road to recovery.  But it won't be overnight.  I have to wear an Occlusal Splint 24/7 until my bite is adjusted, then I will just have to wear it at night.  I just got this lovely splint yesterday, so I'm still pretty self-conscious of how I look and how I talk.  If I want to get better, I have to do what the dentist says, and he says I have to wear this thing 24/7, except to eat.

Anyway, I started the day (Thursday) not wearing it because I am so self conscious.  I did tell the kids that during the times I'm not talking and they are working or in specials they might see me wearing a weird thing in my mouth.  I made the mistake of telling them I'm supposed to wear it all day but that I couldn't talk well with it yet.  They ALL encouraged me to wear it and ALL were just so lovely and so kind toward me today.  They have been very sensitive and have said many sweet words to me today.  So I want you all to know that you have raised wonderful children with kind hearts and thoughtful words.  Thank you for doing so!

Week of February 14/16...

Literature

We will be having our test over My Side of the Mountain on Feb 28/March 1.  Below you will find an online review that will help you tremendously on your test! :)  Enjoy! 

 If you take the review test online, please do so with a parent nearby. 

My Side of the Mountain Test Review

Also, a big part of our test will be over the themes found in My Side of the Mountain.  Remember that we talked about five different themes that are prominent in the novel.

Theme : an important statement the

author wishes to make about life

***I'm going to give a very brief overview of each of the themes and some of the practical examples we discussed within each theme from class. 

This is very general, and for the test you will need to be much more detailed.***

• Connection with nature...
• Sam's observation of his first sunrise on the mountain...
• After capturing Frightful...
• Earthworms...
• Asserting one's independence...
• Finding food for the first time (mussels)...
• Not depending on modern day conveniences...
• Free of society rules...
• Surviving in difficult situations...
• Ability to make fire...
• Building shelter (his house)...
• Surviving the winter storm...
• Young people's search for adventure...
• Learning to make fire...
• Catching Frightful...
• His first deer...
• Solitude versus Society...
• Content at first with being alone...
• Sad after Bando departed the first time...
• Realizing his need from human companion...

Writing

For February 28/March 1, please have all 25 of your notecards ready so that we can make sure they match your outline and we can start writing your rough draft!  We are trekking along just fine...keep up the great work!

***I don't remember if I mentioned this to my Tuesday students or not, but please be sure to put the page number you found your facts on each of your notecards!***

My Side of the Mountain Homework -- Due 2/14, 16

Today in class we discussed the final chapters of My Side of the Mountain.  We talked about what would happen to Sam once his family settles in his territory.  After the discussion, we paired up and wrote the next chapter of the novel.  I look forward to hearing your ideas of what is in store next for Sam!

For homework, choose one of the following questions to answer in a 5-10 sentence paragraph.  Remember to have a strong topic sentence, transitions before your RDFs, and lots of great details!!!

***Please write in your best handwriting...cursive would be nice!!

1.  Who is Bando?  Discuss Sam's relationship with Bando throughout the book.

2.  Sam sees signs of the coming winter in the way the animals behave.  What are some of these signs?

3.  What is one of the problems Sam encounters when building a fireplace?  How does he solve his problem?

4.  Why does Sam want to celebrate Halloween?  As he does this, what does he learn about himself and about the animals around him?

5.  Think of two things you would make from the deerhide if you were Sam.  Describe them and tell me how you would make them.  Feel free to illustrate your two ideas!

Research Paper Steps Due 2/7,9

This week we discussed what a Thesis Statement is and how it compares to a Topic Sentence.  We also talked about how to create a formal outline and compared that to how we have been organizing our writing.  Then we talked about citing our sources and not plagerizing in our writing.  We extensively covered how to create a bibliography card for each source. 

For next week, each student is to come to class with a well written Thesis Statement and a Formal Outline and a Bibliography Card for each source we plan on using (at least 4!). 

Remember, each research paper will be between 5-7 paragraphs!!!  Please create the outline to match a paper of that length.

As always, if you have any questions, please e-mail me!  mfernihough@asd20.org

Formal Research Paper

This week we are starting our Formal Research Paper!  Each student is to choose an animal found in North America to research for this paper.  In class, I shared a great site that had numerous animals listed.  If you would like to go back to that site, here it is! :)  http://nature.ca/notebooks/english/namerica.htm

Each student received the requirements for this paper on a nice blue/green sheet of paper.  Please do not lose this paper!  By next week, please give me your topic.  When you choose your animal, be specific.  For example, if you would like to research the fox, tell me which one....red fox?  Arctic fox?  Once you choose your animal, you need to find at least four sources to help you with your research.  You need to have one internet source, one book, one reference, and another source of your choice (another internet source, another book, etc...).  Be sure to bring your sources with you next week for me to see.  Plus, we will start writing our Thesis (Topic Sentence) and creating our outline. 

If any of this is unclear, please do not hesitate to e-mail me! 

My Side of the Mountain Activity 4--Due 1/24,26

In class today we learned a lot about Henry David Thoreau.  What a fascinating man!  What I would like you to do now is peruse the website we glanced at in class today and find FIVE interesting facts about Thoreau.  Please write the interesting facts down in your My Side of the Mountain Notebook for Activity 4.

Henry David Thoreau

Once you have found your FIVE interesting facts and have recorded them in your notebook, please continue working on the rest of Activity 4.  Read the passge in your notebook, then answer the following question:

In what ways does this description remind you of Sam?

You are to answer this question in at least 5 complete sentences and post it on your individual blog (click on the link from this blog for your class) and be sure to title your post "Thoreau".

Week of January 3/5

I can't believe that it is already 2012.  I hope you all had a fanastic break and are ready to tackle the rest of the year! :)

Today in class we began our second novel of the year...My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George.  We had a great time learning about the author and the setting of the novel.  We visited the author's website and learned a ton!  Feel free to go back and review what we learned, or learn more.    Please visit:  www.jeancraigheadgeorge.com

For writing, we finished up the last components of Expository Writing today.  For a final assessment, each student is to write an 11-sentence paragraph and the topic is: Jean Craighead George.  So if you did not take good notes in class or do not remember enough information to write an amazing paper, please go back and visit the website to learn more.

Check your newsletters for this weeks homework.  Welcome back...I'm glad to get into the swing of things again.  Happy 2012!