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)