Advertising in Schools

Last week the students of 5V read an article in their Time for Kids magazine about schools raising funds for clubs, programs, and supplies by allowing companies to advertise within the school. The idea would let a company buy wall space, floor space, locker, or bus space, and post their ads in or around the building. Companies like CUB foods, State Farm Insurace, and Avery Office Supplies have already gotten involved.

I asked the kids if they thought it was right for advertisers to promote and sell their products within a school. Here were the results:

YES: 54%

NO: 46%

This was our closest vote yet! Here are some of the opinions:

Supporting:

• Schools can make money and they don't need to get rid of their programs.


• Kids see commercials all the time. Who cares if it's at schools.


• Kids can choose to ignore the commercials or ads at school. They'll be happy when the school makes money from it.

Rejecting:

• Kids are forced to see advertising at all times during school. At home they can change the chanel. At school they have to see it.


• School isn't a place for advertising. What if it's inappropriate advertising?


• School is a place for learning, not selling stuff.

Curricular Update (Week of 12/6-12/10)

Hello 5V Families! Here is what we are up to this week in 5V and in 5th grade:

Reading:

• We are studying two new challenge words this week (skeptical and subtle)
• Students will practice using vocabulary in skits.
• We are going to practice searching for evidence in texts to support our answers or opinions.
• We are going to practice drawing conclusions about characters, setting, events, or action based on evidence we find in the text.
• We are going to read articles in our Time for Kids magazine and make connections, give opinions, and share thoughts about them.
• We will study a debate topic this week as well.

Writing:

• This week in writing we focus more on poetry and four different types of poems: (Limerick, Cinquain, Free Verse, and Quatrain)
• Students will write poetry to their first grade reading buddies.
• Students are going to write letters to their second grade pen pals.
• Students are going to practice using the thesaurus, writing dialogue, using the show not tell writing strategy, and elaboration in their writing.
• All students will work on some of their own student created writing and have conferences with Mr. Vaid about their work.
• We will also research at atom from the Periodic Table of Elements.

Math:

• We continue studying fractions this week.
• This week we study how to convert fractions to decimals.
• We also study how to round numbers up to the nearest hundreth or thousandth or whole number.
• One of our more challenging concepts will be converting fractions to percents.
• In addition, another challenging concept will be to find a part of a whole when given a %. For example, if 30% of May Watts children have glasses and there are 500 students in the school, how many wear glasses?
• We will study bar graphs and learn how to create bar graphs as well using six components of a bar graph.
• Weekly quiz this Friday.
• Test is anticipated to be next Wednesday, December 15th.

Social Studies:

• We wrap up our unit with the test on Tuesday.
• We will continue to study current events through out the week.

Science:

• Our goals this week in science include studying the atom.
• We want to know what an atom is.
• We want to know the parts of the atom: proton, neutron (make up the nucleus) electron shells, and electrons.
• We will study the Periodic Table of Elements and complete research on an atom of our choosing.
• There will be a quiz on Friday covering what we have studied this week about atoms.

Important Dates and Reminders

Here are some important reminders for the next week or so:

Monday, December 6th:

• Math Fact Club 3:45-4:15pm
• Musical Practice after school
• Spelling Test: "Colonies Unit"
• Orchestra Concert for 5th graders at Hill Middle School, 6:30pm.

Tuesday, December 7th:

• Social Studies test: Part I in the morning.
• Social Studies test: Part II in the afternoon.
• 2:30pm musical practice in the gym.

Wednesday, December 8th:

• 9:30am Musical Performance for families.
• 6:30pm Students should arrive in classroom 5V for the evening Musical.
• 6:45pm Students from 5V report to Music room.
• 7:00pm Students perform Musical.

Thursday, December 9th:

• Research atoms in computer lab in computer lab continues.
• Finalize poetry books for 1st grade buddies.

Friday, December 10th:

• Friday grammar quiz on adverbs
• Quiz on parts of the atom.
• Weekly Friday math quiz.

5V Poll Results (Animal Testing)

Hello 5V Families! Recently you were asked for your opinion regarding testing chemicals and substances on animals for medical or scientific purposes. Our class also was asked for their opinion in the form of the practice being right or wrong. Here are the results:

RIGHT: 1/26= 4%

WRONG: 25/26= 96%

Here were some opinions from the students:

RIGHT (Supporting practice)

• The testing can be done safely enough on the animals.
• It's possible to test them with out hurting them.

WRONG (Rejecting practice)

• Animals don't have a choice. We don't get their permission to test on them so it's not fair.
• What is tested on an animal may be not be relevant to a human because they are different from us.
• There are other ways to test chemicals or medicines, like in a special lab.

These opinions are very different from yours and I asked the kids why and some inferred that as you grow up there is more to worry about (not just animals) or as you get older you become more selfish. Interesting thoughts from our 5th grade friends.

Neat Video

Hi 5V Families,

How are you? I showed this video to the class on Thursday after school. It goes along with our "Thankful Thursday". It's about 3 or 4 minutes long and not in English, but it has subtitles and an important message about parents and family!

Important Dates and Reminders

Hello again! Please read the list below as it contains many important dates and reminders.

Monday, November 22nd:

• Kids should bring anything to class that is related to the non-fiction presentation because we'll have some work time.
• Unit 8 spelling test in the morning during reading class.
• Please have silent reading book ready for class for work time and small group reading conferences.

Tuesday, November 23rd:

• Kids should bring anything to class that is related to the non-fiction presentation because we'll have some work time.
• IMPORTANT: KIDS SHOULD TAKE HOME ANYTHING THEY NEED TO WORK ON AND FINISH UP OVER BREAK FOR THE NON-FICTION PRESENTATIONS THAT WILL OCCUR IN CLASS ON THE 29TH AND 30TH!
• Yellow folders go home! Please anticipate the following items to be in the yellow folder:

1. 5V Unit 4 Math test
2. 5V Fractions quiz
3. Unit 7 spelling test
4. Unit 8 spelling test
5. Chapter 4 Social studies test
6. Chapter 4 social studies essay
7. Most recent two minute math fact test
8. HW % update
9. Updated grade sheet with grades for reading, writing, spelling, math, and social studies

Curriculum Update for 11/22-12/3

Hello! Here is an update for the next week of classes:

Reading:

• When we get back from break, students will be presenting the information they have researched on their non-fiction readings. They will present this to the class.
• Students should make sure they have the material they need for class this Monday and Tuesday and then for over break in order to prepare for the presentations on Monday and Tuesday the 29th and 30th.
• We recently studied the word essential and will study more challenging vocabulary.
• We'll be reading a story from our anthology book. The story is an excerpt from the full length story Island of the Blue Dolphins.
• The students have shown great success in writing open ended response essays. We'll continue that next week.
• We will also continue studying how to summarize effectively.

Writing:

• The kids have been enjoying writing so much this year. They are writing a variety of compositions.
• One composition we just started was a personal expository. The work so far has been stellar.
• We will continue studying how to incorporate details and follow that up with elaboration.
• Next week, we'll also study elements of poetry, different types of poems, and more figurative language.
• Students will also continue to work on their own student created compositions. Some include letters, fictional stories, comics, and poems.
• I will conference with students on our units of study like the personal expository as well as their own workshop writing.

Math:

• We've just begun a unit on fractions. This is chapter 5 of our unit.
• Students successfully have understood how to calculate a unit or a fraction of a whole.
• Next we are studying mixed numbers and how they are a number with a fraction, and we will study how to write mixed numbers as fractions.
• We are also going to study how to compare the size of fractions using a variety of strategies.
• Further into December we will study how to add and subtract fractions as well as how to reduce them.

Social Studies:

• We've had a blast in social studies. We kick off each class with current events. The kids are SO engaged with the world around them now, wanting to know more, and bringing in articles. (I'm sure getting a pop motivates them too!)
• We'll continue studying the early English colonies in chapter 5.
• I'm teaching the kids study skills more and more and with chapter 5 it's no different.
• We're also journalling, watching videos, and studying vocabulary.

Science:

• Our science unit on magnetism and electricity will begin after chapter 5 of social studies is finished. Please anticipate this sometime during the week of December 6th.

Spelling:

• I'm teaching more and more strategies to the kids.
• Be sure to check out www.spellingcity.com
• The kids should use the strategies to study for the tests.
• Keep studying! We will start a new unit list when we get back from break.

Nonfiction Project and Biography Project...and book blogging!

Hello again! I want to update you on two very specific projects for this month, both reading related, and the book blogging on the Blackboard program.

Non fiction project:

Important: Kids, let's make sure we don't lose our research. Keep the research in our rough draft pocket of the writing folder from now on. You no longer need your non-fiction book.

The students in 5V all read their non-fiction books for a purpose. First they decided what they wanted to find out or research. Then they wrote down ideas or concepts to research. Next, they found details for those ideas. So they have the information. Now it is time to present it to the class. Presenting the information to the class can be done in almost any style. For example: Poster board project with visuals, singing a song, making a board game, doing a skit, creating a powerpoint presentation, making a movie, using photographs etc...Kids WILL have work time in class to get ideas started and constructing the project. Anticipate 3-4 days before Thanksgiving break. In addition, I'd like all work to be done and ready to present the first Monday we get back from Thanksgiving break.

Biography project:

Important: ALL students should have a biography with them. Bring this to class each day. Do not leave this at home. We will begin some non-fiction work with this during reading and writing class. You won't need the book everyday, but it will be important for you to have it in class everyday in case I teach you a lesson relevant to reading biographies or allow some work time for that biography work.

Kids will have some time in class to do project work-though reading should ALSO be done at home. I don't have an official project yet, but it as always, will be reading based and the completion date will be sometime the first week or early second week of December. We won't start this reading of biographies and skill work until the end of this week most likely.

Book Blogging:

Ah, the Blackboard program! Once I get the password mess straightened out, this will be a go for all students. Each week, once a week at the minimum, students must post a message about the story they are reading in class. The message is to be an opinion of what they have read just recently in their story. The opinion should be backed with evidence and contain support for the statements in the post message.

So, once a week, students will be required to log on to the Blackboard program and post from there. I know some students don't have net usage or computer usage at home, so we can make accommodations for this to be done at school.

Important Dates and Reminders

• Monday, November 8th:
• Return to school from weekend.
• New song for the week.
• Wrap up Spanish Explorers unit.

Tuesday, November 9th:

• Begin drafting ideas for non-fiction project.
• Potential study for Spanish Explorers test (learn how to study at home!)

Wednesday, November 10th:

• Potential Spanish Explorers test (if not on Friday)
• Math review study day.
• Conferences from 4:40pm to 8:00pm.

Thursday, November 11th:

• No school-Veteran's Day (Thank you Veterans!)

Friday, November 12th:

• Publishers from the last two weeks-MAKE SURE YOU TAKE WHAT YOU NEED HOME TO FINISH YOUR PUBLICATION BY MONDAY.
• Math test in 5V (Division focus)
• Potential social studies test (if not given on Wednesday)
• New seats in the class, move desks.

Curriculum Update for 11/8-11/12

Here's what 5V's up to this week:

Reading:

• I hope to get the Blackboard program up and running so students can post their book blog conversations on them. Currently, I have excused students from the assignments because of password errors.
• This week we will read a personal narrative in our reading books called Woodsong. It's about a dog named Woodsong. We'll study major details vs. minor details and draw conclusions about Woodsong the dog based on the details.
• We are going to continue studying figurative language like idioms and similes which we'll analyze through some music.
• The kids will take a break from acting. The skits they put on last week were phenomenal-the vocab skits-they used the context SO WELL to depict meaning!
• This week, they'll learn a new challenge word-ask them what it is!
• We'll continue book conversations in small groups.
• The kids will also begin reading their biography books this week with some kind of purpose-I'm still thinking of a meaningful idea/activity.
• I have some fun non-fiction reading time for the kids and thinking time. They'll be analyzing non fiction in fun and meaningful ways.

Writing:

• Students will continue to publish their own student created written pieces. They will complete this through the phases of the writing process.
• Students will also continue to study the structure and components of an expository essay. They'll use a graphic organizer to get better at writing this type of essay as well as very strong modeling which includes the detail-elaboration combo.
• I'll continue to meet in groups with students for writing lessons.
• Kids will begin thinking about how they want to publish their non-fiction project information. Any type of presentation is accepted to give to the class. More details to come later.
• Students will have lab time and lap top time to finish their publications. There is a group of 7 students who have now had two weeks to publish-YOUR WORK IS DUE NO LATER THAN NEXT MONDAY.

Grammar:

• This week we continue to take a look at the run on sentence.
• We'll also analyze sentence fragments and how to join sentences with conjunctions.
• We will study different types of punctuation as well.

Spelling:

• As we normally do in spelling, I will emphasize spelling strategies like chunking, understanding prefixes and suffixes, and sounds symbol connections.
• A spelling test will be given the following Monday, on the 15th.

Math:

• Anticipate a math test this Friday. The test will mainly cover division.
• We will finish up our lessons on division this Wednesday.
• Most math this week will be conducted in small groups to reinforce particular concepts that some students are needing some extra practice in.
• Other students will work on games or enrichment work of division.

Social Studies:

• We have just finished our Spanish Explorers unit. Wow, the kids were SO engaged!
• A test will be given Wednesday or Friday. It will be an open book test and perhaps even open notebook for evidence usage with the essay question.
• On Monday, students will summarize their feelings and thoughts about Spanish exploration with a neat book cover activity.
• We will continue to have in depth conversations about our feelings toward history and the birth of powerful nations and their dominance over less colony driven civilizations.

iPhone Ugly App Debate Poll 10/29/10

On Thursday, students read an article about a new app on the iPhone that is called the "Ugly Meter App". The app works like this: The app uses facial recognition scanning that scans the structure of the face and then based on that gives a score out of 10. A score of 1 is not ugly and a score of 10 is very ugly. The makers of the app say it's all in good fun, but psychologists and experts say it could be a form of bullying.

As we study bullying and cyber bullying, this issue of the app becomes more relevant as students become older and need to consider the gravity of their decisions.

The purpose of reading the article was for students to determine if the app is harmless fun or simply mean. They highlighted evidence in the article to support their opinions.

We have not had our discussion but the poll results are in:

RESULTS:

The iPhone Ugly App is MEAN: 70%

The iPhone Ugly App is HARMLESS FUN: 30%

Curriculum Update for 11/1-11/5

Hello 5V Families! Here is what we have coming up for this school week:

Reading:

• Students will be studying non-fiction reading this week and reading a variety of non-fiction passages and texts (including magazines and periodicals) and discussing and analyzing them in a meaningful manner.
• Students will also study a variety of figurative language skills like similes, metaphors, personification, and more. We will use some texts and music to study this!
• The kids will also be practicing using vocabulary through vocabulary skits. Some of the vocabulary the groups are using in their skits include: anticipate, imperative, frigorific, potential, ostentatious, cardigan, stiletto, and nonchalant.
• In addition, students will be having book conversations with their book conversation groups and will be engaging in higher level group work and discussion.
• We will continue comprehension assessments and small group work during work time.

Writing:

• Students have been working very hard through the writing process on independently selected published pieces of work.
• Kids will be studying how to craft an expository essay this week.
• I'll continue to meet kids this week in conferences to teach lessons on writing strong memoirs and expository essays.
• The writing blog will be up soon with a lot of previews to student work, so please check that out when I let you know it is ready!

Math:

• On Monday, we have a unit 4 pre-test.
• Unit 4 covers computation with decimals. (Multiplication and division) with decimals.
• Students will study long division as well.
• The Chapter 3 unit tests should be handed back by this upcoming Friday.

Social Studies:

• We are reading about Spanish explorers in social studies. We have studied HOW they have established power in the Americas.
• We've also been studying the local Illinois political races like the governor's race and the U.S Senate race.
• Stay tuned for a great extra credit opportunity on election night. Kids can watch election coverage and earn extra credit or some type of incentive.

Citizenship:

• Recently we studied what gossiping is during our bullying lesson.
• As part of a writing activity we also read an article about the iPhone's new "Ugly App" and debated whether or not the app was just harmless fun or simply mean.
• This upcoming week we will continue to talk about bullying and more specifically, cyber bullying.

Other:

• So far we have had 75 homework assignments.
• We are working on math facts quite a bit and students are trying to up their two minute scores and two minute times on the math fact test.
• I am giving HW incentives for students who have met a particular HW completion rate %.
• The scary story contest winner will be announced on Monday.

Link to the Book Blog

Hi 5V Families. Below is a link to the 5V Book Blog. Students can read book reviews on the blog. The link is also in the links section of this blog.

http://5vbookblog.blogspot.com/

Thanks,

Mr. Vaid

Important Upcoming Dates and Reminders

Wednesday, 10/27:

• Late arrival for students.
• Study for chapter 3 math test.
• Grammar quiz

Thursday, 10/28:

• Chapter 3 math test.
• Study the sleep charts students bring back today.

Friday, 10/29:

• Fall Festival Party (2:15-3:15pm)
• Scary Story Writing Entries are due.

Curriculum Update for 10/25-10/29

Here is a curricular update for this week:

Reading:

• We are reading a non-fiction selection called Iditarod Dream. We are going to study if dog sled racing is cruel to dogs.
• Students are having meaningful book conversations with one another about the stories that they are reading in their self selected books.
• Students have studied elaboration cues and are using them in their writing. They are learning to expand upon their writing by using phrases like: "because", "for example", and "like."
• We've also been studying pre-fixes, suffixes, and word part pronunciations as we study spelling strategies.
• In addition, we continue to study high level vocabulary words as well as the vocabulary from our reading selection and use these words in context.

Writing:

• Lots to do in writing class! Students are working on a variety of writing including the following:

1. Non-fiction research with their non-fiction selections.
2. Publishing their very own created stories and other pieces of writing.
3. Publishing their book reviews.
4. Writing their scary stories for the scary story contest.
5. Soon they will publish their second draft memoirs.

Math:

• We have wrapped up our Unit 3 geometry unit.
• A test on unit 3 is scheduled for this Thursday. It is a short test but still will be worth the standard 100 points.
• I am going to monitor very specific fraction, decimal, and time telling skills in small groups.
• Next week we will start studying computation, but with decimals.

Social Studies:

• This week and next week we are going to study how Spanish explorers gained power in the Americas.
• We've been discussing a lot of current events, including the local political races in Illinois.
• In addition, we've been building a lot of background in our study of history via great videos of exploration.

5th Grade Citizenship Celebration!

The kids in fifth grade have earned over 1,000 gold tickets this quarter and have earned a day of celebration. This will take place during part of the school day on Friday the 22nd. Here is what the kids voted on. Everyone can wear PJ's if they like and we will have four rooms with activities for the kids to choose from:

1. Game room for board games or electronic games like PSP's. Please no cell phones with games.
2. A craft room where kids can make crafts from a variety of materials we will have or things that kids may want to bring in from home.
3. A room for quite reading.
4. A movie, How To Train Your Dragon, will be shown in one room.

Important Dates and Reminders

Monday, 10/18

*Math Fact Practice Club meets after school from 3:40-4:2opm.

*Some students stay after school to practice their lines for the musical.

Tuesday, 10/19

* Book Review 1st drafts are due today.

*Some students stay after school to practice their lines for the musical.

Wednesday, 10/20

* Memoir 1st drafts are due today.

* Yellow Folder goes home! Check out the grade and progress updates!

*Possible Read with Mr. Vaid day today (tentative-may reschedule)

*Some students stay after school to practice their lines for the musical.

Thursday, 10/21

* Social Studies Test (Chapter 3)

* Culver's Night. I will be working between 7pm and 8pm.

*Some students stay after school to practice their lines for the musical.

Friday, 10/22

* Math Quiz (angles, triangles, measuring, and polygons)

* Maybe switching seats (if we have time) (some students get to choose where to sit next)

Curriculum Update for 10/18-10/22

Reading:

• Students are going to engage in having book conversations about what they are reading and compare, contrast elements from the stories and ask each other questions about their stories.
• Students will also continue working on the essay writing. They have become very strong essay writers. I am very impressed! This week we will study how to add multiple evidences from the text and consequently, multiple inferences (interpretations)
• Students will also use vocabulary words in context and act out the vocabulary in skits.
• Students will read to form opinions while they are working on their book reviews.

Writing:

• This week I will introduce the Halloween Scary Writing Contest. Over the next two weeks, students may enter the competition. The contest is to see who can write the scariest two page (maximum) story. There is a prize involved...oooh!
• While working on their memoir drafts this week, I will teach students how to elaborate using elaboration cues like because, for example, and like. In addition, while working on their memoir drafts this week, students will study how use proper time transition words to move from paragraph to paragraph.
• I am very excited that more and more students are going through the writing process and publishing their work. It is a joy to conference with them and work on things they should fix and celebrate great writing and skills that they have.

Math:

• As usual, anticipate a Friday quiz.
• We will study the following concepts this week: types of angles (opposite and adjacent), congruency of polygons, definitions of polygons, and tessellations.
• We'll continue to work in small groups as well.
• Enrichment work will be given to students who graduate from the concept based on the pre-test.
• I am also monitoring the following concepts: telling time, measuring perimeter, and using variables.

Social Studies:

• This week on Thursday we will take the test on early adventurers and explorers.
• We will study European explorers this week on Monday and Tuesday. We have some interesting and important activities relevant to reading skills and writing skills that we will involve ourselves in.
• Wednesday, I am going to teach the kids how to take an open book test. The Thursday test will be open book and I must teach them how to read and re-read. Actually they already have had these lessons, but I will teach this again.

Citizenship:

• An important citizenship study begins this week: Bullying. The kids will be studying what bullying is and what to do when being bullied. We have a bully prevention program at our school.

Important Dates and Reminders

Tuesday, October 12th: Math Fact Tuesday (Originally Monday) I have asked some of you if your child can stay for more math fact practice after school and occasionally during extra recess. This after school meeting is from 3:35pm to 4:15pm.

Wednesday, October 13th: Half Day of School. Dismissal is at 12:00pm.

Friday, October 15th: Reading Selection Test, Math Friday Quiz

Tests and quizzes: We will have quizzes in reading, math, writing (grammar), and social studies this week. Some are quizzes that students can not really study for, but assessment that I take into account when determining grades. In addition, these assessments are mainly based off of specific mini lessons done in class, and not simply unit work or units of instruction.

Tuesday, October 19th: Book Reviews due (Students should be working on these during this week and early next week) The instructions and rubric will be handed out on Tuesday.

Thursday, October 21st: Memoirs are due. Students will primarily work on these during class, but some work will have to be completed at home.

Thursday, October 21st: Culver's Night. I'll be there at Culver's working from 7pm to 8pm. Proceeds during the work hours of May Watts staff go to the May Watts School.

Curriculum Update Week of 10/11-10/15

Hello everyone! Check out the curriculum update for this upcoming week:

Reading:

1. Students are going to focus on the theme or heroism and read the selection from our reading book We'll Never Forget You Roberto Clemente.
2. Students are going to read for a variety of purposes including to determine if Roberto Clemente was a hero and why, to draw conclusions from pieces of text that are written in a show not tell format, to infer, to predict, and to re-read. As usual, we're using a lot of strategies to strengthen our comprehension.
3. Students are practicing critical thinking skills and using evaluative thinking while writing reviews on their self selected books.
4. As usual, we'll read for pleasure, read to practice fluency, and read with fluency. I'll meet in small groups and have reading conferences. The kids are enjoying the reading conferences quite a bit!

Writing:

1. Students are working on writing their memoirs. I've shared with them several memoirs including my very own (which I'm still writing) and they are in the process of pre-writing and rough drafting their own memoirs. By the way, their memoirs are due Thursday, October 21st.
2. I'll meet students and have conferences on their own student created writing. By the way, some students have finished the writing process on their first pieces and have published either letters or stories.
3. In grammar we are going to focus on possessive nouns and learn how to use apostrophes for singular and plural nouns.
4. Our craft lessons this week will focus on showing action, not telling of it while writing either our memoirs or student created writing.
5. Any other lessons I teach will be based off the errors that I see on draft papers.

Math:

1. Students in 5V math jump into geometry this week. Monday is a pretest.
2. From Tuesday-Friday we will study the following: Different types of angles, different types of triangles, vertical and adjacent angles, and simplifying fractions.
3. There will be a quiz Friday.
4. Small group math groups will meet to study the following concepts: how to tell time, how to simplify fractions, how to long divide, and how to use variables.

Social Studies:

1. This week we will wrap up our exploration, trade, and conquer unit. We've studied how early adventurers have tried to establish power and wealth via exploration, trade, and war.
2. There will be a chapter test (open book) this Friday, or possibly early next week. We are doing a fun activity this week when students apply what they have studied in a writing experience that allows them to take the role of a leader of the country of 5V and plan their way to world domination.
3. As we study our next few lessons, I will emphasize text structure and reading non-fiction, rather attacking the reading of non-fiction in particular ways with a combination of reading strategies, and non-fiction comprehension strategies.

Spelling:

1. This week we are studying unit 4 "vowels before the r consonant" and we will have a quiz on the words next Monday or Tuesday.
2. We might try shaving cream spelling this week if we have time.

Math Facts:

1. Students know that by the end of the month the math fact goal is to have 60 correct on the two minute math fact test.
2. We will continue to practice math facts online with our math magician website and our that's a fact website.

From Kathy Heniff regarding SMA Garage Sale

Dear Friends,

On Saturday, September 25, 2010, the West Wind neighborhood in Naperville is hosting its 4th annual Kyra’s idea ... Angie’s hope garage sale as seen in Naperville Glancer in 2007 and on NCTV Channel 17 in 2009 . This event is a large scale, youth inspired, garage sale to benefit Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). SMA is a motor neuron disease. The motor neurons affect the voluntary muscles that are used for activities such as crawling, walking, head and neck control, and swallowing. Approximately 1 in 6000 babies born are affected, and about 1 in 40 people are carriers. SMA is the #1 genetic killer of children under the age of 2. Please visitwww.angieshope.org or www.curesma.org for more information. All of the proceeds from the garage sale will go directly to the Families of S.M.A. Charity -Federal Tax I.D. #36-3320440. Since we are a non profit organization your donation is tax deductible.

We are asking for cash donations, items from your home to be sold at the sale, or a gift card/service from your business to be used in either a silent auction or raffle. If a business donates a gift with a value of $100 or more, that business will receive poster recognition. The name of the business will appear on the garage sale promotional posters which will be distributed throughout the community. All of the proceeds will go to finding a cure for this devastating disease. Please send or drop off your donation at the following address:

1401 Ambleside Circle

Naperville, IL 60540

We know that this sounds like any other charity or fund-raising effort to those not familiar with S.M.A., but to several 6th graders from Hill Middle School, this event is giving them an opportunity to do something to help find a cure for their very close friend and fellow student who is stricken with this disease. Please help our children make a difference!

Thanks for your kind consideration because “Together We Will Find A Cure”.

Sincerely,

2010 Fundraising Committee

Contact Kathy @ 630-544-4463 or kbheniff@comcast.net

5V Debate Topic Wednesday, September 15th

This past Wednesday, students and I discussed the idea of a four day school week. Some schools and districts are moving toward a 4 day school week in order to save money on utility bills, bussing costs, lunchroom food, and hourly worker wages.

However with a four day week, some schools are unable to offer specials such as art, music, p.e, and computer lab. Some schools have to reduce their lunch hours and recess time as well.

I asked the kids what they thought and they wrote arguments to support or reject the idea of a 4 day school week:

Class Poll Results: Do you support the idea of a 4 day school week?

YES (support) 7%

NO (reject) 93%

Comments:

Supporting:

*Schools can save money and use their resources more wisely.

*We will learn more if we have a better school day.

* Teachers and students can have a break to relax.

*Kids can do more outside of school and still learn.

Rejecting:

*Students will not enjoy going to school that is so rushed and packed with class after class.

*Having no specials will make school less fun.

*Kids will get more tired during a 4 day school week.

*School won't be fun.

*Will high schools do this? It would hard for a 4 day week in high school.

Important Dates and Reminders:

Hi 5V Families, here is an update regarding important dates and reminders:

Monday, 9/20:

*Small group band lessons begin during the day. (Children should know their group times!)

*4th and 5th Grade Track and Field Meet 9:20-10:40

Tuesday, 9/21:

*Small group band pull out. (Children should know their group times)

*May Watts Ice Cream Snocial. 7-8pm. I will be there, yay!

*Read with Mr. Vaid after school. (More details to come)

Thursday, 9/23:

*After school opportunity for work in the computer lab on genre project. 3:35-4:35

*We are also working during the day in the computer on the project for 30 minutes.

Friday, 9/24:

*Second set of notes for genre project OR paper draft of presentation (student choice) due.

*Math weekly quiz

*Science quiz on weather unit (no study guide)

*Yellow folders come home.

Curriculum Update Week of 9/20-9/24

Hello 5V Families! Here's a peek at what our students will be studying this week:

Reading:

• Students will practice essay writing using the 1-2-3-4 open ended response strategies that we have studied. They have already shown some impressive traits of essay writing, namely using evidence to support their answer as well as some kind of personal thought.
• Students are going to read a series of letters written to Rosa Parks in our textbook. They will then practice speaking and writing types of personal thought like interpretations and judgments (like opinions)
• Students are going to study another new language word. Here is what they have studied so far (anticipate, relevant, irrelevant, potential, imperative, and frigorific) They enjoy using these words, and yes...frigorific is a real word. Ask your children!
• Students are also going to practice interpreting graphic aids that they see in non-fiction reading.

Writing:

• Students are going to continue to study verb choice and verb usage in the context of writing.
• Students are also going to be introduced to the genre of memoir writing. I am going to immerse them in memoirs and then in a couple weeks they'll start writing memoirs through the writing process.
• Speaking of the writing process, students will continue to pre-write, draft, edit, revise, and publish their class grown writing that they are the architects for.
• I will be continuing to conference with individual students or groups of students on the skills they must learn as I see fit in regards to their drafts.

Math:

• On Tuesday we begin a new unit called "Estimation and Computation". Students are going to study how to make estimates, how to add and subtract whole numbers and decimals using a few different methods of addition and subtraction.
• There will be a quiz on Friday.
• We will study the Thursday math test results on Monday.

Science:

• We wrap up our mini unit on weather this week. There will be a small quiz on Friday.
• This week we will finish up studying the water cycle, precipitation, clouds, and review our work from the wind and air lessons.

Important Dates and Reminders:

Wednesday 9/8:

1. Please have genre project books in class Tuesday.
2. 5th Grade CBM testing. (Whole Class)

Thursday 9/9:

1. 5th Grade CBM testing (Fluency)
2. Maybe a short quiz in reading regarding the book body parts?

Friday 9/10:

1. Second Hot and Cold Summer quiz
2. Math Quiz

Curricular Update: 9/8/-9/10

Hello 5V Families! Here is what is coming up for our short school week in regards to curriculum:

Reading: Students are going to be learning the elements of narrative fiction. I like to call them the book body parts. They consist of elements such as: characters, setting, conflict, ideas, feelings, solution, and more. The kids will study these elements in the context of their own reading for their genre project and have time to work on identifying the elements in their own text! I will also be meeting with students who could use a few pointers in comprehension for the Hot and Cold Summer story we just read. The small groups should teach or re-teach some basic comprehension strategies.

Writing: We officially kick off writer's workshop this week. I will be tracking the progress of not only what students have selected to write for their first published piece, but also what stage of the writing process they are in. Kids will be learning in detail, the stages of the writing process and this week they will study, pre-writing, rough drafting, and editing. It's going to be exciting for them to start work on their first piece of writing to publish.

Math: In math this week, students will study what prim and composite numbers are, their differences, how to square numbers, how square numbers are really created (very few of them know), and finally how to unsquare a number. I will be meeting with small groups to review lessons in which students may have had some difficulty with or still need brushing up on. Please expect a quiz this Friday. I forgot to make last week's quiz!!

Science: Students will study weather instruments this week, and the purposes of use for those weather instruments. In addition, we will take a stab at researching the instruments and even creating some of them such as barometer, anemometer, and we will use ones like a thermometer as well. I'm trying to set up everything in the context of a weather report for the students.

Spelling: Spelling will not take place this week because of the shortened week. We will have spelling next week.

Math Facts: Our math fact binders will be set up this week and students will begin math fact practice, including the two minute Friday test. I am excited that we will have the opportunity to go into the lab and create line graphs using Microsoft Excel to track our progress.

Vending Machines

This has been a hot topic recently, especially with school lunch reform shaping up across the nation. This past Wednesday, our debate topic centered around the gradual elimination of vending machines around middle schools and high schools in various districts in the United States.

We studied both sides of the issue-supporting the argument and rejecting the argument of eliminating vending machines in high school. We looked at the effects of the spreading of fatty and sugary foods through the vending machines and our teen obesity rate. But we also talked about the convenience of the vending machines.

Here are the results:

Should middle schools and high schools eliminate vending machines?

Yes: 19%

No: 81%

Supporting Comments:

* Some kids eat healthy already so it's okay if they have a snack from a vending machine every now and then.

* Vending machines have on the go snacks so it's okay if people need it to take with them on the go.

Rejecting Comments:

* Our teens are the fattest in the world so we need to cut down on the sugary and fatty foods.

* People should just bring healthy food and snacks from home. Obesity can have harmful effects when the kids are really old.

What 5V is Doing this Week 8/30-9/3

Here is an update for what 5V students will study and learn this week:

Reading: Students are going to read their silent reading books this week and have reading conferences with me which we will use to set goals for the reading subject, and just have general reading discussions. In addition, students are reading the story The Hot and Cold Summer in their reading books. We are learning how to make predictions, not just any kind of predictions, but predictions rooted in evidence from the text.

Writing: We officially kick off our Writer's Workshop Tuesday. Students will learn how the workshop works and even begin brainstorming for their first publishing piece of work. Students are also going to learn the difference between the WRITER journal and the PUBLISHING journal. There are many choices that the kids have and they get to choose what to write during writer's workshop. Eventually, they will also be writing book reviews as a required writing assignment!

Math: Much busier week in math this week. The kids took a pre-test so that I can see what knowledge they have in specific areas and then tailor my instruction to their individual needs as best as I can. This week students will be studying and learning how to list factors for a number, what prime and composite numbers are, the rules of divisibility (what numbers can divide by another number?), and what square numbers are and what result occurs when a number is squared.

Science: We'll be finishing up the study of our atmosphere and then students are going to learn about wind instruments used when measuring wind speed and wind direction, (an anemometer, and a wind vane), and the states of matter (solid, liquid, gas, and even plasma). The kids will have a couple of learning experiences in the computer lab as well and outside.

Math Facts: Our math fact binders will be ready next week. Till then we will be practicing with our math fact computer program: "That's a Fact" and taking a two minute test, and setting math fact goals. In 5V we have friendly competitions and races when it comes to our two minute timings.

Spelling: We will start spelling next week.

What we did last week...

Hi 5V Families! How are you? This is an update on what 5V studied and accomplished last week. It was a fair amount for a first week of school:

General: As expected, we set the tone for the classroom. I discussed expectations, talked openly about the class, how it works, my teaching style, and rewards/consequences.

Reading: Students studied and learned about what a genre is and how it can be applied to stories, books, music, movies, and more. Students had reading conferences with me as well. In addition to that, students also learned what the word "anticipate" means as I used it quite a bit in context when discussing my expectations for the class.

Writing: We set up our writer journals and had some fun with free writing. Students also wrote to me in their personal journals. Students learned how to brainstorm ideas for stories, and that can be done by looking at an image, hearing another writer's story, and by using a story formula. There are more we're studying this week.

Math: We didn't start math until Thursday but in our first lesson, students studied how to write number models for products, and then they learned how to make arrays for those number models.

Science: Students learned that the Earth has an atmosphere made up of 7 layers and each layer is distinctive from the other.

Math Facts: Students did some math fact drills that we are continuing this week until we officially start the math fact season next week when the binders are ready.

Year Round School

On Wednesday, the students and I had a session of writing dedicated toward a debate topic. The question posed was: Do you support the idea of having year round school? Students were asked to support their argument. 27 students were polled. Here were the results:




YES: 7%
Supporting arguments:

• "We lose a lot of information in our heads over the summer."
• "Kids in other countries are going to year round school."

NO: 93%
Rejecting arguments:

• "Kids need time to travel, see family, take a break from the stress of school, go to museums, and explore."


• "You can always go to summer school if you want more school. Students will do better in school with a long break."

Not a surprise on the second day of school, fresh from a summer vacation. I'll ask them again mid year. But what do you think? Please respond to the 5V parent poll of the week.





Thanks!





Mr. Vaid

The First Day for the 5V Students

Hello 5V Families! What a great first day today. It was a day we have been anticipating for some time now. The students and I went through a series of expectations for the 5V class, procedures on how we go about certain routines, and the students learned them quite well.

We also began writing in our personal journals. These are teacher/student communication journals. They are due Friday. The kids will write me a letter and then over the weekend I will write them back. We will continue this correspondence through the year.

I was very pleased with how recess, hallway walking, transitions, and student engagement and focus began today. We are already on the right track as I set the tone for the year.

Tomorrow we will begin reading and writing class. In addition, at 2:00pm, the students will view a presentation on the band/orchestra program for 5th graders.

Please sign the May Watts Citizenship document the kids bring home. It is due by Thursday.

Talk to you shortly,

Mr. Vaid

Meet and Greet

Hello 5V Families! I am anticipating your arrival at the Meet and Greet on Thursday, August 19th, between 1:15 and 2:00pm.

Here is what you can expect for the event in 5V:

1.) Meet Mr. Vaid. I'll be roaming the classroom meeting with everyone. I'm really looking forward to that! (If you have any specific questions about curriculum OR the school year in general, feel free to ask. (If it's an answer I have to ponder, please email me at Amit_Vaid@ipsd.org)

2.) Children, please feel free to find your own seat. Yes, you may get to choose where you sit. (I may have to switch some seats because of health or visual concerns, but for now, please find the seat of your choice.)

3.) Kids, if you've brought supplies please take them to the seat of your choice. Please unpack the supplies and put them inside the desk. (On the first day of school, we will specifically place each supply in exact areas of the desk.) LINK TO SCHOOL SUPPLY LIST: http://watts.ipsd.org/uploads/About/SupplyLists2010-2011.pdf

4.) There will be some literature on your desk regarding the 5V class and myself. Please take that home for your reading.

5.) Families, please provide me with your email address. There will be either an email sign up sheet OR a separate sheet on the desk to provide your email address.

Welcome to the 2010-11 School Year!

Welcome 5V Families to the 20010-11 school year at May Watts. My name is Mr. Vaid. I will be your child's teacher. I am looking forward to seeing you and your child at the Meet and Greet event on Thursday, August 19th.

Blog: This blog is tool of communication that I will use to communicate class wide and school wide announcements, reminders, and dates of interest pertaining to curricular and non-curricular agenda. You will receive an email letting you know that the blog has been updated. Feel free to take the weekly poll and read.

Email: I would like to start adding family email addresses to the 5V family email list. Feel free to email me at: Amit_Vaid@ipsd.org and I can add you. You can submit your email at the Meet and Greet as well or later.

A little bit about me: I am entering my seventh year teaching 5th grade at May Watts Elementary School. I was raised in Skokie/Morton Grove, Illinois and attended Northeastern Illinois University ('04). This year I am pursuing a Master's degree in either Technology Education or Secondary Education.