Visiting Authors Give the Low-down on creativity

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Here are some of the photos of the children chatting and working with the visiting authors, Sheree Fitch and Ralph Fletcher.

OK Parents, time to give me the ‘low-down’ on my performance this year when it comes to meeting the needs of you and your 5th grade child. Here is some information from Mr. Bissmeyer:

As a component of SAS’s Faculty Performance Evaluation program and in an effort to promote continued professional growth, parents are invited and encouraged to provide anonymous feedback on teacher performance via an online survey.  Know that you should complete the survey for each of your child’s teachers so please allot 10-15 minutes for you to respond to the 12 questions.

Please go to this link: http://portal.saschina.org/survey/pudonges
The survey will be available from Thursday, March 5th – Wednesday, 11th.
This survey is also available in Korean and Chinese from the above site.
Thank you in advance for participating and offering honest, constructive and balanced feedback.

OK, Kimbra here again, I must say that I just completed a survey for my daughter’s teacher and it took me more like 2-5 minutes so don’t be put off, it is quick and easy.

News of the week is that we will have a math test before the week is out, all I can guarantee is that it won’t be before Thursday but I am hoping for a Friday test at this stage, it depends how we go this week with the disruptions of the schedule through the visiting author’s being here.

Unit 8

Skills covered on the unit eight test include:

*use an algorithm to multiply mixed numbers

*use an algorithm to multiply fractions

*use an algorithm to subtract mixed numbers with like denominators

*find a percent of a number

*use an algorithm to add mixed numbers

*order and compare fractions

*convert among fractions, decimals and percents

*convert between fractions and mixed or whole numbers

*find common denominators

Regarding buying author books get in quick if you want your child to buy a book and have it autographed, there are not as many books for sale as there have been in the past.Have a great week and let’s hope there will be some sunshine soon.

Invention Convention and Buying Author books

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Are YOU freaking out? Feeling behind, starting to panic about the Invention Convention and your current LACK of ideas???

Well so you should be…you have fallen behind a little bit 5KP and it is time to get your act together, use some of your home time and get back on target!

I am linking here to the Invention Convention booklet we have used in class. I am putting it here in two different formats so fingers crossed it will open whether or not you have the old or new version of word. This booklet has everything you need to know about the project and so if you need to copy, cut and paste then Go For It!

Stay focused on the calendar, print it off if you need to or write some of the deadlines in your diary.  But most of all, GET MOVING and stay focused!

On a more positive note, our visiting authors arrive next Tuesday. It has been great seeing the kids participating in Love of Reading Week this week, today was wear a word day or put a poem in your pocket and many students went to a lot of trouble, thanks parents for your support.

Here is a note from Mrs Boyer about buying author books, it is going home with your child today.

Letter sent home this week…Books go on sale starting next Monday, March 2nd

Process for Buying Books

·        Students return form with money in an envelope.

·        Students come to the library to choose book(s).  A receipt and change will be given to the student at the time of purchase.

·        Books will be kept in the library for the author(s) to sign.

·        Signed books will be brought to the classroom and given to the student as they are completed.

For those of you who have already purchased books and would like the authors to sign your books…

Please put your child’s name inside the front cover and bring to the library starting Monday, March 2nd.

·        Complete the form below and place inside book.

·        Books will be kept in the library for the authors to sign.

·        Signed books will be brought to the classroom and given to the student as they are completed.


Sunday Update!

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Hi Students, looks like Hannah has been given the all clear and should be home tomorrow. Thanks for all your concern and for being such sweet kids last week when I was a little stressed out…Anyway, I will be back on Monday so see you soon.

There has been some great blogging over the weekend, from news on the authors and black boxes to rube goldberg machines and readers theater updates, great job 5KP!

Tomorrow I will hand out a form for your parents that I did not give out last week, it is about reading. Here is the information about it in a ‘nutshell’…

Three ninth grade students are hosting an SAS Elementary Read-A-Thon.

If you choose to participate, your child will ask friends and family to pledge a little bit of money for each book they read between Feb 20th and March 20th.  Your child may ask you and other friends and family to sponsor them.  Sponsors can donate a flat rate or a per book rate.

Any type of reading counts – independent reading and parents reading to kids!

All money raised will go to buy books for migrant schools.

This is a wonderful event because it will help our students improve their reading skills and help other children develop theirs.

For more information, please read the information pack that is coming home in your child’s bag soon or go to giftsshanghai.wikispaces.com

Also Mr Davis and I have noticed that not all the kids are bringing healthy snacks and then I found the following on Mrs Voge’s blog which I think is very relevant to all of us.

“I have been noticing that some children are not bringing a snack and water bottle from home each day.  It’s an early start for everyone and the children really need a good breakfast and mid-morning snack.  Most children are also ready for another snack in the afternoon.  Please remember to send healthy snacks as opposed to treats.  Lately, I’ve noticed an increase in sugary snacks, or snacks with high levels of additives or coloring such as cookies, chips or candy.  As our children grow they need healthy food to help develop their minds and bodies.  At school we have discussed the importance of ’switching on our brains’ by drinking water, exercising and eating healthy food.  If you are having trouble finding things that your children will eat, give them a choice e.g. “Would you like carrot sticks or apple slices?”  Take them shopping with you to choose healthy snacks.  Ask them what healthy snacks other children bring.  Some popular snacks are cut up fruit or vegetables, raisins, yogurt or cheese and crackers.”

Your child gets very tired during the day if they don’t get enough nutrients to keep their brain working and their energy levels up, thanks for your attention on this matter.

Work for Friday

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Hello my little munchkins…The last few days have taken their toll so I am having a bit of a rest today and would like you to do the following IF or WHEN your substitute teacher allows you onto the lap-tops. If you don’t have access, use the time in ‘word’ to write up future posts and save them to your s drive.I want you to :complete a blog entry on scholastic; write a post about your experience with readers theater-the good bits, the bad bits etc; find some interesting sites about invention conventions at a 5th grade level and also try and embed a suitable video of either a rube goldberg machine or another invention you find interesting.I would also like you to read through the other 5th grade teacher and student blogs and leave at least 5 comments….Want more! Think black boxes, think humdingers, think science, think creatively!Don’t let me down and I hope to hear glowing reports about you on Monday.Oh, and by the way, if you HAVE NOT completed and submitted your sheet on your go cart feed-back to the brown cart up the front…get off the computer now and do it asap!Ciao for now  

News of the Moment

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News of the Moment

Information about Love of Reading Week

As previously mentioned:

Visiting Authors

Sheree Fitch and Ralph Fletcher will be here from 3 – 6 March.Ralph Fletcher will be the author we have the most contact with in the Upper Elementary School but if you have students in Lower Elementary you may like to also do some background reading on Sheree too.

During their time here, we will have a number of events to make the week exciting for the authors and especially for the students.

TUESDAY February 24: Hats off to reading-wear a fun hat to school

WEDNESDAY February 25: Wear a word (Wear a t-shirt with writing) or put a poem in your pocket.

THURSDAY February 26: “Read through the seasons” – dress for your favorite season

FRIDAY February 27: Pajama Day Children get to wear their pajamas and can bring a soft toy to school

MONDAY March 2: Spirit Day. Wear your house t-shirts to school

Other news in Grade 5 includes:

Goldberg Junkyard War!

We need your help! You need to start collecting reusable and recyclable materials for our annual Goldberg Junkyard War on Thursday, March 19th, 2009. The Goldberg Junkyard War will be held as the culmination of our Invention Convention. It will be a fun morning where you will be placed in a group with other fifth graders to solve a problem using all sorts of different supplies.

We are looking for any materials that you think may be useful to construct a working physical model. Some examples are:

·         egg cartons

·         milk/juice cartons

·         plastic juice/pop bottles

·         cereal/snack boxes (any size)

·         empty toilet/hand towel rolls

·         shoe boxes

·         water/Gatorade/ice tea bottles

·         empty canisters

·         “connectors” like string, ribbon, clothespins, etc.

Start collecting your items now, but don’t start bringing them to school until Thursday, March 12th, 2009, as we do not have any space to store them. There will also be a lucky draw with prizes for students who make useful contributions. The more materials you bring in, the better your chances are of winning a prize!

Make sure that all items have been rinsed and cleaned. Start collecting today!

Here is an example of a Goldberg Machine in action, there are many more to see online.

Important Dates

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This morning the class and I spent some time going through some of the dates coming up and the students wrote many of them in their diary. Here are some dates you may like to add to your own diary.

Important Dates

Visiting Authors

Sheree Fitch and Ralph Fletcher will be here from 3 – 6 March.Ralph Fletcher will be the author we have the most contact with in the Upper Elementary School but if you have students in Lower Elementary you may like to also do some background reading on Sheree too.

Class Photo Reminder

Our class photo is scheduled for Tuesday 17th of February at 11.50pm. Please ask your child to bring any clothing that is to be worn during the photo to school and return the green slip requesting a photo if you would like one, they were sent home yesterday with your child.

Scholastic Book Club

If your child is going to purchase books please ensure the order form is completed correctly and exact money is returned to school by Thursday 12 February

– Feb 12 – Scholastic Book Orders Due

– Feb 17 – Class Photo and Unit 7 Math Test

Unit 7 test information

Skills covered on the unit seven test include:

*understand and apply scientific notation

*understand and apply powers of 10

*understand and apply order of operations to evaluate expressions and solve number sentences

*add and subtract integers

*understand and apply exponential notation

*determine whether number sentences are true or false

*understand the function and placement of parentheses in number stories

*compare and order integers

– Feb 23 – Assembly for Love of Reading  at 2:15

– Mar 3 – Welcome Authors Assembly at 8:30

– Mar 6 – Family Literacy Event 3-5 pm Family Literacy Event

– Mar 18 – Invention Convention

– March 19 – Goldberg Junkyard Wars

– March 20 – Band Bonanza

– March 21- 29 – Spring Break Vacation

Sport Stacking

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Just a reminder that this week we start lunch recess House Speed Stacking in the ES/MS Gymnasium: Grade 4 – Tuesday; Grade 5 – Thursday.

Each student who participates will earn a point for their house. We will have a variety of SS activities, including timers, for the students to participate in.

Check out this guy, now that is speed stacking…