November 5, 2012


Multiage News                                     lannonsmultiage.blogspot.com

November 5, 2012

What We’ve Been Up To

We had a lot of turn-ins last week.  Our second polished writing piece, our Social Studies Core Democratic Values Flip Book, and a math packet from Math workshops.  We learned, and will continue to learn, about the voting process in the U.S.  Friday we had an Anderson School Election.  Barrack Obama won by a short margin.  We also voted to have Mr. Mentzer read to classes and for every Friday to be Spirit Day.  Thanks to the Poll Workers and the Election Day Committee for giving us an authentic voting experience.  Please talk with your child more about the voting/election process.  Share your experiences…

This Week

READING                We will be looking more at story elements and will use the technique of questioning to closely look at those elements.  This week we will begin Book Clubs.  About half of our students will join a club this time.  The other half will be in small groups with me to work on specific reading skills.  All reading 1st quarter  requirements are due this week—2 realistic fiction, one mystery, one non-fiction, and 2 choice.  I am so proud of all the avid readers in our classroom—our Reading Logs are amazing!!

WRITING                We will be choosing another seed this week and will be focusing on using smooth transitions in writing and adding sensory details in order to improve during the revision process.

MATH                     We begin our 3rd unit—MULTIPLICATION for the 4ths and DECIMALS for the 5ths.  Our volunteers have been giving Multiplication Facts quizzes to students.  There are so many good websites and apps to drill facts for speed and accuracy.  Might be a good idea to let your child practice facts often.  We will get into double digit and triple digit multiplication in this unit.  5th graders will be extending basic knowledge of decimals into more complex understandings.

SCIENCE  We will be wrapping up our first life science unit this week.  Test will be next Tuesday.  Watch for Study Guide on Friday.  Please reply to this email if you’d like any of our classroom animals.

SS                            This week we will continue our Government Unit—learning about the 3 branches of government.   Students are making a “Democracy Book”.

Animals Up For Adoption

These are the animals looking for good home:  hermit crabs, pond snails, guppies, dwarf African frogs, and tree frogs.  You need a heated tank or container for any of these (can buy a portable cheap heater from Pet Smart, etc.)  Frogs eat bloodworms/mealworms or crickets.  You can buy fish food and crab food inexpensively.  If there is much response, we will do a drawing.  Animals will come home this Friday.  Reply to this newsletter if interested and I will let you know by Wednesday.  Thanks!

End of the Quarter
As you know, this is our last week.  I will send Report Cards home a few days before conferences so you can look them over and ask me questions when we meet.  If you need me to send your conference time again, let me know.  Conferences are on Thursday November 15 from 1:00-8:00.  Late start the 16th

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