Our Week

I cannot believe October has ended!  Here's a glimpse into our week...

• We continued with unit 2 in math and have worked hard to master three digit by two digit multiplication. Each student worked on a "Restaurant Project" to showcase mastery.
• Reading Book Clubs are winding down.  New clubs will form next week.
• Almost all students have conferenced about their second narrative.  They have worked diligently to raise the level of their writing. 
• We've continued reading Fish in a Tree and skyped with a classroom in Colorado to talk about it.
• Our Three Worlds Meet unit culminated this week with some AMAZING projects!  All students created slideshows, Animotos, newscasts as well as debates to demonstrate their learning.
• We will be starting a Science unit next week (Circulatory and Respiratory) and a Social Studies unit (Colonization).
• We ended our week with a fifth grade extra birthday recess.  We then joined 5H to play an online quiz game about Halloween (Kahoot!) as well as Halloween Bingo.  A great time was had by all!

A few reminders...

1. Half day Thursday for parent conferences.  Students are dismissed at 12:50.
2. NO SCHOOL Friday for our Teacher Workshop day.
3. Please return a form that went home last week giving permission for the students to use audio and video of themselves for academic purposes.  We hope to make videos with our next S.S. unit.

I hope you all had a fabulous Trick or Treat last night!

-Shannon

Happy Birthday to Johnny!

Skyping about Fish in a Tree

Pumpkin math with our reading buddies

Playing a Columbian Exchange game

Pictures

Presentation on Scientific Notation

We fishbowled a reading group as they had a book talk.

We skyped with the author Kate Messner as she talked about the writing process.

Book Club Pics

Pairs helping to revise each other's writing

October 23, 2015

Hello Parents and Families,

Here is a glance at what we did this week...

• In Math, the students have worked hard at powers of ten as well as multi-digit multiplication.  Two students in the class prepared a thoughtful lesson all about scientific notation!  
• We are continuing our book clubs in Reading.  During the week, we brainstormed ways that the clubs can start a conversation.  On Friday, we fishbowled a club.  A club demonstrated for all of us how they talk deeply about the book they are reading.
• In Writing, we looked at our writing just like a book in reading.  We completed story arcs which helped us see where to revise our writing.  
• In Social Studies, our first unit is coming to a close.  The students had incredible conversation about the Columbian exchange between the three worlds and if the worlds meeting was a positive or negative event.  Their higher level conversations have been amazing to observe. We also assigned a culminating project with a few choices.  This project will be done in school next week.
• We began blogging as a class!  I've never seen the students so excited about blogging!  Next week, I plan on discussing what makes a good blog as well as blog comments.  You can find the blog right on the SMS website.  Here is the link to it too.
• https://kidblog.org/class/mrs-delellos-class/posts
• Students have been collecting DOJO points for expected behavior, helping others and going above and beyond.  We celebrated points earned on Friday with a little extra recess.

Questions to promote school talk...

1. What do you know about the powers of ten?
2. What was the fishbowl like during Reader's Workshop?
3. How did you story arc help you revise your writing?
4. What was your first blog about?
5. Do you think the Columbian Exchange was a positive or negative event?

One more thing...

Since we are now blogging, I will no longer be doing Reader's Response.  Every other week the students will be given an assignment related to reading for their blog.

Enjoy the weekend!

Shannon

Blog Information

Hi everyone,

I introduced KidBlog to the kids today.  We are having some issues with getting kids logged in so please be patient.  Have your child try at home and see what happens.  I will work with them tomorrow to fix the issue.

They are SO excited to blog, as am I!

Thank you kindly!

Shannon

Reading Clubs

Here's some of the things we did this week!

• We started unit 2 in math.  This unit involves place value, exponents, scientific notation, multiplication and division.  Please have your child keep up on the math facts and start division facts as well.
• Reading Clubs began on Tuesday.  There are five groups going on right now.  Each group is reading, writing and discussing their book with topics such as character, problems and possible themes.
• We are continuing with Fish in a Tree as our read aloud. Students are getting to know the main character Ally along with her problems to gather up possible themes.
• As writers, we have asked ourselves a very important question.  "What is our story really about?"  We have bravely looked at our writing to see if we need to start new.  Revision is a tough job!
• Our Three Worlds Meet has hit a turning point!  Our worlds are starting to come together.  Students are gathering information on reasons for exploration.  We closed our week with a simulation of what it must have felt like for those explorers.

Questions to Promote School Talk

• How do you know numbers are either 10 times larger of 1/10 of a number?
• What book is your reading club reading?
• Tell me about the character, problem and possible theme.
• What was your story really about?  How is your new draft going?
• What was the explorer simulation like?

Thank you again for sharing your children with me!  I'm so fortunate!  Enjoy your weekend and stay warm.

Until Monday...

Shannon

Recap of the Week

October 9, 2015

Once again, we've packed a ton of learning and excitement in one week!  Here are a few highlights from our week.

• We practiced our Mystery Skype with Mrs. Wentworth on Wednesday, then had the real one on Thursday afternoon!  Each student had a specific job to help the Skype work seamlessly.

• We've completed unit 1 in math and took the assessment on Friday.  Unit 2, Place Value, Multiplication and Division starts Tuesday!

• Students worked to revise their first writing of a small moment.  The students worked with their writing partner to help add more detail and then edit for spelling and grammar. 

• The class has talked about finding a book that interests you and working hard to stick with the book.  In finding a high interest book at your just right level will help become a better, stronger reader.

• The students did an amazing job working on plot versus theme

• Our Three Worlds Meet unit has gotten off to a fantastic start.  Along with 5H, all students have learned what each world was like pre-exploration.  Together in partners, pairs worked on a venn diagram to compare and contrast the three worlds.  We then talked about identity and how each world identified themselves.

Questions to Promote School Talk...

1. Tell me about the Mystery Skype.
2. What was your "Small Moment" writing?
3. Which book are you reading in school?  Tell me about the plot and theme.
4. Tell me how each of the three worlds were alike and different.
5. What did you learn about identity this week?
6. What questions were on the unit 1 math assessment?

ENJOY your Columbus Day on Monday!  

Until Tuesday....

Shannon

A Note from Mr. Gagnon

October 2015

Dear Parents,

I’m very excited to inform you that your child will be using an online learning journal called Seesaw this year in the Makerspace and in their classroom. Seesaw is a web-based application that allows students to document their learning in a secure way that only the teachers and students within a class can access. Students can show what they know through photos of their work, links, PDFs, drawings, and text. Seesaw makes it easy for students, teachers, and parents to review growth over time. It is very much like a digital portfolio.

Seesaw works across all platforms, including Chromebooks and iPads. If your child is in a K-2 class, then their teacher will create the student account. In grades 3-5, students will sign in through their SAU 16 Google account. Seesaw takes protecting student security and privacy seriously and has taken the Student Privacy Pledge.

Below you will find some additional links to learn more. If you have any questions, let me know. I can be reached at sgagnon@sau16.org.

Seesaw Website: http://web.seesaw.me/

Student Privacy Information: http://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/203258429-What-measures-do-you-have-in-place-to-keep-student-information-safe-

Thanks for your support,

Steve Gagnon

Technology Integrator

Mystery Skype!

I am SO incredibly proud of all the students.  They did an amazing job during the Mystery Skype today.  Everyone was well organized and poised.  We skyped with a class from Lone Tree, Colorado. Ask your child all about it!  Here are a few pictures that capture some great moments...

Our supervisor working hard

The New Hampshire Experts

The Think Tank

Our Greeter

Spokespeople, Notetakers and Runners

Mystery Skype Practice

The pictures below show the class during our Mystery Skype practice with Mrs. Wentworth.  The students did a fantastic job.  We are all looking forward to tomorrow's REAL skype at 2 pm!

Writer's Workshop and Math Workshop