Argument # 2: Should 3, 4, and 5 year olds be Watching Sponge Bob Square Pants?

Last week a study was publicized detailing how watching the popular Nickelodeon cartoon Sponge Bob Squarepants could have adverse effects on the concentration of children around the age of four years. The students read a news report and watched a video regarding the study. Afterward, they were asked if parents should allow their children around the age of four (including 3 and 5) to watch the cartoon.

Here are the their results:

YES: 14%

NO: 86%

YES COMMENTS:

1. "Parents should really make the decision."
2. "The show is not supposed to be educational so it's okay."
3. "Kids can learn from it because Sponge Bob has good messages about friendship."

NO COMMENTS:

1. "The scenes do change too quickly. My sister used to watch it and I think she might have learned some bad words."
2. "The show has bad words in it and it's not good for little children around that age."
3. The researchers and psychologists have a point about attention. After watching the show with frames that change every several seconds kids can be like zoned out afterwards.
4. "Maybe older kids can watch it but there's too much fast action and bad words like stupid in the show."

Curricular Update (Week of 9/26-9/30 and important reminders

Hi 5V Families! Here is the update for this week:

Reading:

1. The students will be studying new vocabulary this week and practicing strategies for understanding it. Some of our words are from a story we are reading called "Sees Behind Trees" from our anthology. Other words include frigorific, asinine, and anticipate...perhaps some more.
2. We'll be doing a lot of reading from our silent reading books and I"ll be doing a lot mini lessons in individual conferences as we do close reads and analyze chunks of text as part of those lessons.
3. The children will also learn how to appropriately answer a question using specific skills while at the same time being evaluative and reflective of the question.

Writing:

1. The kids will learn another method to start a story. This week will be monologue.
2. We are slowly setting up our writer's workshop and the kids will learn strategies for pre-writing their own stories.
3. We're also going to study general writer tendencies as we study our read aloud-things that real authors do in their writing.
4. We are going to continue to study where authors get ideas for stories.
5. Hopefully by Friday or by early next week, the kids will have begun their first student generated story.

Math:

1. Students in regular math are currently studying unit 2. Skills include estimation, addition, subtraction, multiplication, understanding probability, and multiplying with decimals. Students in 5V regular math will have a test this Friday or next Monday.
2. Students in accel math have wrapped up unit 1 and will begin unit 2. Unit 2 has a variety of skills to study including understanding place value, multiplying decimals, dividing, dividing decimals, and estimating.
3. We'll also continue to problem solve and we start math reflective journals soon as well.
4. I'm also going to get the kids on the computer and working with math-things like MS Excel, watching math videos, etc...

Math Facts:

1. We are continuing to pursue excellence in math fact studies.
2. The kids will also graph their scores using MS Excel in the lab this Friday.

Science:

1. We wrap up science this week. There's a test on Friday on our weather unit. Kids have done well on the two quizzes.
2. We wrap up this week by studying humidity, air pressure, and clouds.

Citizenship:

1. The students continue to study how to problem solve.

Important Reminders:

Mon 9/26:

1. Track and Field meet for 4th and 5th grade. 9:30-10:30-Kids should wear p.e shoes and bring water bottles!
2. Students in 5V Math accel branch take a pre-test
3. Students who are Vaid Helpers begin work for this week on Monday after school!!

Tues 9/27:

1. Author Michael Grant visits May Watts to discuss his new story "The Magnificent 12"
2. Students in 5th grade take the District 204 writing prompt pre-test
3. Before school Vaid Helpers
4. After school Vaid Helpers
5. Enrichment

Wed 9/28:

1. CoGat District testing for 2nd graders and 5th graders. We will test between 11am and 12pm.
2. Late start Wednesday 9:15am.
3. After school Vaid Helpers

Thurs 9/29:

1. CoGat District testing for 2nd graders and 5th graders. We will test between 11am and 12pm.
2. LMC books due or re-new
3. After School Vaid Helpers
4. Enrichment

Fri: 9/30:

1. CoGat District testing for 2nd graders and 5th graders. We will test between 11am and 12pm.
2. Weather unit test
3. Before School Vaid Helpers

Curricular Update (Week of 9/19-9/23 and important reminders

Hi 5V Families,

Here is what the 5th graders will be up to this week in 5V:

Reading:

1. Students will wrap up research on the innovator they are studying.
2. The kids will also practice presentation skills.
3. We'll continue to draw conclusions and make inferences. I have some fun activities planned for that. There will be some homework coming home about 3x this week in regards to our skill practice.
4. I'll continue to conference with our readers and assess them.
5. We are slated to learn 2-3 new vocabulary words this week :)

Writing:

1. The students will be writing 1 or 2 argument pieces this week. Stay tuned for a 5V family poll question that you can answer.
2. The kids will also learn the writing process this week and practice strategies for pre-writing. This is the step before rough drafting.
3. We'll also do some fun prompts or reaction writing. Recently we went on a little nature walk and the kids were inspired to write.
4. As always we will share any of our writing and practice good listening skills.

Math Facts:

1. WOW! The kids keep getting better at their math facts. We are practicing almost every day and I am seeing kids in small groups for multiplication practice.
2. Soon I will be seeing kids in small groups for computation practice.
3. Look out for a line graph to come home that shows your child's math fact progress.

Spelling:

1. We begin a new spelling unit this Monday.
2. We will continue to study strategies for spelling and we'll test this Friday.

Math:

1. The 5V Math class blog will be created soon and you will get updates about math via that blog.
2. 5th grade curriculum students will be beginning unit 2 in math. Unit 2 covers addition, subtraction, estimation strategies, multiplication, and multiplying decimals. The kids will take the pre-test on Tuesday and official lessons will begin on Wednesday.
3. 6th grade curriculum students will wrap up their last lesson for Unit 1 on Tuesday. They will have a test on unit 1 on Thursday, and pre-test for unit 2 on Friday.
4. All students will continue problem solving activities which will encompass computation, measurement, estimation, and analysis.

Science:

1. The kids are having fun drawing conclusions about properties of air.
2. We will study another property or two of air this week.
3. We have a few activities this week relevant to air pressure, humidity, and clouds.

Citizenship:

1. Our lesson this week again revolves around being able to problem solve.
2. Paw print redemption is this Thursday. The kids can trade in their tickets for prizes.
3. The gift card raffle for tickets put into the raffle bin is this Friday.

Important Reminders and Dates this week:

Monday, 9/19:

• PTA Meeting @ 7pm
• Kids get new spelling list

Tuesday, 9/20:

• Possible science quiz on what we've studied so far
• Turn in forms for "Vaid Helpers"if interested-these will come home Monday

Wednesday, 9/21:

• Late start Wednesday
• Turn in forms for "Vaid Helpers" if interested-these will come home Monday
• Possible science quiz on what we've studied so far (if not on Tuesday)

Thursday, 9/22:

• Pawprint Redemption Day

Friday, 9/23

• Math quiz for 5th grade curriculum in Mr. Vaid's class. Depending on 6th grade student curriculum we may just have unit test on Friday so no need for quiz.
• Students finish research and presentations in class.

Curricular Update (Week of 9/12-9/16 and important reminders

Hi 5V Families!

Here is what the 5th graders will be up to this week:

Reading:

1. The kids are going to practice research skills using online and print resources. Some of these skills include reading to interpret information and navigate search sites as well as drawing conclusions, and using evidence to support a thought.
2. The students will also continue to read in their independent choice books. I will conference with them to listen to their reading.
3. The kids will also read their award winning genre books for the purpose of sharing thoughts, reading for purpose, and making predictions. The genre project is due by Tuesday, October 4th. For every 1/3 of the story completed, the kids are required to log onto blackboard and post their reading response in the "Reading Project" forum.
4. The kids will continue to learn new vocabulary words. Here is a sneak peek of three of the new words: relevant, anticipate, and legacy.

Writing:

1. During writing class, the kids will give their "Me in a Bag" speeches. They've practiced communication skills and presentation skills. They learned that making an introduction and a conclusion to bookend the speech is essential for a presentation.
2. We will look at another topic that will spark some argument or debate and write for the purpose of taking a position and then supporting it through argument.
3. As we do each week, we'll also watch a video and react to it. Ask your kids about the Nick Vujicic video we watched. There was strong reaction to that and the kids wrote about it.
4. While we are in the lab the kids will study some word processing skills as well as tips and tricks on MS Word and Blackboard.

Math:

1. Students in the 5th grade math curriculum will wrap up unit 1 this week by studying square roots, prime factor strings, problem solving, and other skills in their math boxes.
2. There are tests scheduled this week for the 5th grade curriculum. Ask your child when his or her test is. In 5V it is on Friday.
3. Students in the accelerated math curriculum will continue unit 1 this week as they study circle graphs, samples, surveys, and interpreting information from visuals. They have a test the following week, not this week.

Science:

1. This week we will study different properties of air. I'm not going to mention which ones because our activities our set up so that the kids have to infer what property or feature of air we are demonstrating or they are experimenting in class.
2. On Friday we may have a quiz on what we have studied.

Citizenship:

1. This week during citizenship time we will study how to problem solve situations.
2. On Monday the 12th, the 5th grade will go to Mr. Schumann's room and we will reflect on the September 11th terrorist attacks as part of our study of history and we will have a discussion about it.

Important Dates and Reminders:

Monday 9/12:

1. 5th grade meets in Mr. Schumann's room @ 2:45pm to discuss/reflect upon September 11th attacks.
2. Students in Mr. Vaid's math class will take a special math assessment to determine what concepts students are deficient in. All 5th grade students will take this assessment and the 5th grade teachers will use the results to guide our instruction.
3. Ice Cream Social Night at May Watts! I believe it's at 6 or 7pm.

Wednesday 9/14:

1. CBM Testing for 5th graders. These are the one minute fluency checks kids take 3x each year.

Thursday 9/15:

1. Band and Orchestra
2. Curriculum Night @ 7:05 pm for 5th grade (goes till 8:25pm)

Friday 9/16:

1. Possible 5V math quiz
2. Possible 5V science quiz

Argument # 1 Longer School Day/Year Beneficial?

Last week, the kids in 5V were asked if a longer school day (an extra 1 to 1.5 hours) and a longer school year (additional 2 weeks) would be beneficial to kids. They were asked to take a position and explain using an elaboration cue (because) why they picked this position.

After reading the results, ask yourself what you think and vote in the 5V Family poll on the right hand side.

Results of class voting:

YES it is beneficial (26%)

NO it is NOT beneficial (74%)

Student comments:

Yes (beneficial)

* School is supposed to make us smart. If we go to school more we'll be smarter.

* We won't be so rushed and we'll be able to learn more than we already do.

* We could spend more time with our friends if we don't see them outside of school.

No (not beneficial)

* The hours we have now are fine. We already go a lot for 6 to 7 hours.

* Kids need a break-we'll get tired, run low on energy, and not learn if we're tired from school.

* We need to do things outside of school and have other places to go and things to do and we need time to do those activities too.

Curricular Update (Week of 9/7-9/9 and important reminders

Hi 5V Families! A very hot Friday and a five day weekend has thrown our schedule off a bit but not to worry, we're back this week to continue learning. Here's a peek at our work this week:

Reading:

1. The students will study a variety of research skills in preparation for a mini research project they will begin next week.
2. The kids will also practice using vocabulary words in context as part of skits they are performing with the following words: hostile, ostracize, elaborate, and eerie.
3. I will continue to listen to your children read.
4. The students will continue to have time to read in class, read for purpose, journal what they've read, and find out what their first book report project for the year is.
5. On Thursday, kids will select an award winning book from the LMC for their first book report project which will be due Friday, September 3oth or Tuesday, October 4th.

Writing:

1. The kids will be putting the final touches on their "Me en Una Bolsa" aka "Me in a Bag" speeches this week. They'll practice presentation skills at the same time.
2. The students will also be in the computer lab to finish their "What I've Learned" writing project which you may see at Curriculum night. They will have learned some good word processing skills with this work on the computer as well-perhaps they'll show you.
3. We'll work on another argument topic this week and practice persuasive writing and argument writing skills. Earlier we learned it's essential to take a position on a topic and then defend it with elaboration using the word "because".
4. We have another "View and React" video to watch this week. The kids will watch the video, react to it, and journal their opinions, thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

Math:

1. Students in 5th grade math are studying lessons from unit 1. They include learning to differentiate between prime and composite numbers, squares and square roots, and writing factors in prime factorization. A test for 5th grade math students will be coming up early next week. Stay tuned!
2. Students in 6th grade math aka math acceleration are learning to examine, sort through, and order data in a variety of graphic aids such as stem and leaf plots, bar graphs, line plots, mystery plots, and line graphs. The kids are also learning how to find landmarks for a set of data (mean, median, mode, etc...)
3. All 5th and 6th grade students are also learning strategies, tips, and tricks for computation and measurement.

Science:

1. We have our quiz on the layers of the atmosphere on Wednesday. The kids are fascinated by the Earth's one atmosphere and how it has seven layers.
2. On Thursday the students are going to study how to weather instruments (the wind vane and the anemometer) measure wind direction and wind speed respectively.

Citizenship:

1. Our class reached its gold ticket goal for the second week in a row! I told the kids they will receive an incentive for this! Our goal last week was 45 tickets and we recorded 55!
2. So far our ticket count is as follows for the first two weeks of school: 52 and 55.

Important Reminders for this week:

Wednesday, September 7th:

1. Quiz on layers of the atmosphere in science class.
2. Late start Wednesday (classes begin @ 9:15am)

Thursday, September 8th:

1. Kids travel to LMC to pick out award winning book for first book report project.
2. I will tell the students what some of the project will entail.

Friday, September 9th:

1. 5V math quiz (on a few of the concepts we have studied so far)
2. Class two minute math fact test (we will begin graphing our scores)
3. CBM Testing for 5th grade (computation, math applications, comprehension)