We Had PhUn Today!

Did you know that this is Physiology Understanding, or as we like to call it, PhUn, week? 

Check out some pictures from the really cool science lab the University of Alabama at Birmingham brought to us. Students had a chance to measure the volume of their lungs, heart rate and blood oxygen level. They also got to see a pigs heart and lungs up close. Microscopes and specimens were on hand for students to see what real organs look like.

Each student came home with a goodie bag with information and items to help them remember their PhUn experience! 

                             

                    

Alaskan Author Shelley Gill Visits RES

Awesome morning listening to some really cool stories and information. Ask your child what he or she learned about Alaska and the "last frontier".

April Information

Important Dates:

April 23- Spring Picture makeup day

April 24 – No School (Unused Inclement Weather Day)

April 29- Berry Band pre-application form due

May 7- trip to Berry Middle School/ Talent Show that night 5:30 pm
May 11- Berry Parent Night (at Berry) 6:00 pm

May 19- Graduation at Berry at 7:00 pm (more information to come)

May 20- Field Day (school dismisses at 1:00)

May 21- Last Day of School!!! (school dismisses at 11:00)

Curriculum Update:

Math- We are moving on to decimals! Decimals have a close relationship to fractions and percents but even now there are some misconceptions.  We will be working on comparing, ordering, adding/subtracting decimals.  This will take us to the end of the year!

Reading- We are using Storyworks articles to practice reading skills such as author’s purpose, mood, theme, and locating text evidence.  Citing evidence in their responses is a vital skill for students to master.  Always ask your students "Why?" or "Where did you see that?" when having them explain what they have read.  

Language- We are using IXL and daily language to practice grammar skill. Students are continuing to work on organizing their writing as well as giving evidence.  Please check their Google Classroom for posted writing assignments, scores, and feedback.  

History- We are ending  Chapter 14 about the events that led up to the Civil War. We will finish this next week and then move back into science.  

Berry Middle School Band Visit

Today we had the pleasure of listening to some students with  the Berry Middle School Band. The director, Brian Wilson, talked with the students about their options of instruments. He also explained to them that band would be one of their elective choices in middle school next year. Students will be coming home with more information soon!

Valentine's Day Celebration!

February News

February may be a short and SWEET month but we sure have a lot going on!

Writing
Over the next few weeks we will begin to prep for our next big writing unit which is informational/expository writing.  Our curriculum has aligned well enough that you should begin to see the kids reading (research) and writing about westward expansion.  For this reason, a good portion of our reading and writing time will take place during our content time.  The hope is for students to conquer informational writing, reading, and historical concepts all within the same topic of research.  Work SMARTER not HARDER!

Math
Fractions are our friends!  After a lot of time and attention, perhaps even a few tears, our class has learned a good deal about fractions.  We have made equivalent fractions, compared fractions, ordered fractions and now added and subtracted them.

This month we will continue this by moving on into multiplying and dividing fractions.  We are working our way through this unit slowly but surely and hopefully with a great deal of confidence in fraction number sense!

Reading
We have been working on summarizing non fiction texts these past few weeks.  This is going to come in mighty handy as we begin to research nonfiction texts on Westward Expansion.  It is a major skill for students to learn how to read informational text and sum it up with the most important details in their own words.

We have used Storyworks articles, most recently, but in the next few weeks hope to continue advancing our reading skills through reading historical articles and information.

History
The class has moved through history up until about the year 1829.  Major concepts of study now will include Indian Removal Act, Westward Expansion, Gold Rush and other events that began to shape our country.

Students now have access to a website called Discovery Education where they can read, research, and learn historical events through a variety of resources.


***Other Classroom News***
Our class Valentine's Day Celebration will be Friday, February 13th.  Please remember if your child intends on bringing Valentines cards to send enough for everyone in our classroom.  We currently have 22 students.

Book Fair dates: Feb. 23-Mar. 4

Family Night- Monday, Feb. 23rd 5pm-7pm          Family Afternoon- Tuesday, Mar. 3rd 3pm-5pm

Book Character Dress up Day- Feb. 27th 



Field trip to Montgomery will be March 16th.  Please remember we will be leaving before school starts at 7:15 am and not returning until around 5:00pm.  It is important that you make arrangements for your child to be brought to school and picked up at these times.  

Discovery Education Techbook

Today we began exploring the wild wild West and America's expansion. We were able to implement several new technology strategies to make history much more interactive and a lot more fun!

Students logged into their Discovery Education accounts and browsed just a small part of the resources that are available to them. They also used a few of these resources to research and respond about key concepts such as The Monroe Doctrine and The Indian Removal Act.

I think their favorite part of today was responding to questions on a new tool called Padlet. The students are able to instantly interact and read their reflections.

Stay tuned!  We are just beginning to discover these new frontiers!