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.