Room 26 Weekly News
April 24, 2017
Announcements
Thank you to those of you who have already signed and submitted all of the paperwork that was sent home last week. If you have not yet returned the following documents, please do so as soon as possible (thank you!): (1) End-of-the-Year Behavior Policy Letter; (2) Family Life permission slip; (3) Woodland Park Pool Party field trip permission slip; (4) SEMS visit field trip permission slip; and (5) a $5 donation to cover the Pool Party field trip. I *think* this is the last of the "forms" that need to be signed for the year. :-)
Testing is coming up! 5th graders will be taking a state Science pilot test on May 17th. (Traditionally, all 5th, 8th, and 11th graders take a state Science test...a new test is being piloted this year that addresses the NGSS (national) science standards.) 5th Grade CAASPP state testing will be administered over the course of four days from May 30th-June 2nd. Students will have an opportunity in class to take practice tests (Science, ELA, Math.)
Academic Updates
Math
Language Arts
We are beginning Unit 9, which is focused on Economics. The essential question for this unit is "How do changes in the economy impact societies?" We will be tying this unit in with our Social Studies unit about the U.S. Constitution, and discussing the formation of our government and our economy. We will also be reading texts about the history of the U.S. Economy from 1700 to modern times.
Students finished an informative writing performance task last week. They will be conducting research and preparing a slideshow presentation for their upcoming State Report. Please look for information regarding the State Report to come home this week.
Science
We had the opportunity to visit Splash Lab last week for some hands-on learning about water! Students learned about where our water comes from, things we can do to conserve water, watersheds, how to conduct salinity and chemical tests on water, various birds and animals that live in estuaries, and used microscopes to observe microorganisms like Rotifers and Paramecium. It was a lot of fun! Thank you to Mr. Kenson and Mrs. Rossiter for helping out!
On May 12th, LCM students will have the opportunity to watch a weather balloon launch from our lower field. Members of the Center for Western Weather and Weather Extremes at UCSD are visiting our campus and launching the balloon as an educational outreach program. All LCM students will be able to watch the launch, and scientists will show and explain some of the meteorological instrumentation used on the balloons to gather data in order to measure and predict the weather. After the launch, 4th and 5th graders will get to go to a presentation in the cafeteria with more in-depth information about radars, satellites, and other instrumentation that meteorologists use to monitor and predict the atmosphere. The team will also answer student questions about weather, meteorology, the water cycle, and how weather affects Earth, all things we have recently studied in our Water and Weather science unit.
Social Studies
Our focus in Social Studies is on the U.S. Constitution and the formation of our government after the American Revolution.
Students will also begin their independent state research project. Look for information to come home with your student on Tuesday. This project will take about 3 weeks to complete. Students will be creating a slideshow presentation, and will then be using the information they research about their state to give a 3-5 minute Informative Speech.
Specials
Monday - Art
Tuesday - P.E.
Thursday - P.E. and Library
Friday - Music and "Say Yes to Success" Assembly (Razzle Bam Boom!)