Our 5th grade classes have decided that Friday is Backwards Day. Please join us in an all school spirit day by wearing your favorite backward attire.
Monthly Archives: April 2015
Earth Materials Test on Monday
Posted onEarth Materials Test Monday
A review sheet came home yesterday for the Earth Materials Test. Feel free to review these concepts with your child:
- Sedimentary rock is formed in layers and has many fossils.
- You can decide the age of a rock layer by finding its position in a series of layers because the top layer is the youngest and the bottom layer is the oldest.
- Fossils are clues of past changes in the earth’s surface and climate. A seashell fossil found on land far from the ocean gives us a clue that the land was once under water.
- Examples of parts of organisms that become fossils are the bones, skull, shell or teeth.
- A mineral is a solid that forms naturally, is not alive, and has the same chemical make-up wherever it is found.
- Rocks are made up of at least two minerals.
- Minerals can be recognized by color, luster, texture, streak, and hardness.
- Rocks formed in layers and usually formed near water are called sedimentary.
- Rocks formed by changing materials under heat and pressure are called metamorphic.
- Rocks formed when melted rock (magma) is forced up from the Earth and cools are igneous.
- Rocks can change form from heat, pressure, and chemicals.
- Properties used when observing rocks are their color and size.
- Soil are small bits of crushed rock containing living or once living matter.
- Sand are rocks broken into smaller pieces by water, wind, and pressure.
Fractions
Posted onWe are coming close to the end of our final unit in math. Which will be wonderful because we will be able to review all of our previously taught units (specifically 2-step complex word problems and area/perimeter).
We have introduced fractions in Unit 7. Students built fractions from unit fractions and explored fractions as parts of a whole. They found equivalent fractions, and compared fractions with either the same denominator or the same numerator.
- Denominator: tells how many equal parts the whole is divided into. (total number of pieces)
- Numerator: tells how many equal parts you are looking at or talking about.
- Unit fraction: has a numerator of 1.
Core Democratic Values Test
Posted onWe have combined Writer’s Workshop with the Public Issues in Michigan social studies unit. We are working on opinion pieces as it relates to a public issue. Our discussions have included public issues in Michigan, our responsibilities as citizens, and Core Democratic Values. There will be a test on Core Democratic Values on Friday, April 24th. For extra review, please click on the picture below for flashcards:
What are Public Issues?
- Issues are things that people disagree about.
- Public issues are issues that affect a large group of people such as school, community, or state.
- Many times people disagree about how to settle, or resolve public issues.
Why do people disagree on public issues?
- People have different points of view about public issues.
- To understand an issue, you need to look at different points of view.
- Disagreements about public issues are related to core democratic values.
- Core democratic values are things people believe in that bring people together as Americans.
- Some examples of core democratic values are freedom, fairness, and the common good.
Exploring a Public Issue Facing Michigan Citizens
- One problem facing Michigan is our growing use of energy.
- It is important to develop new sources of renewable energy to supply our energy needs.
- Wind farms are a good source of clean, renewable energy.
- Winds are often the strongest off the shorelines of the Great Lakes.
- People disagree over whether or not to allow wind farms in the Great Lakes.
Evaluating Possible Resolutions of Public Issue Facing Michigan Citizens
- People have different viewpoints about how to solve or settle a public issue.
- Understand an issue, citizens need to look at different viewpoints about the issue.
- Understand an issue, citizens also need to think about how core democratic values are connected to the issue.
- When citizens understand an issue, they can make better decisions about how to solve the issue.
Great Day to Observe Sand and Soil
Posted onWe started with a nature walk to observe sand and soil around the school. We found many exciting things along the way. We saw a bird nest, the inside of an animal, bugs, frogs, and a rainbow around the sun. I just love how these scientists observe things in nature. We ended our science time by observing our sand and soil samples. We found out that soil is the outermost layer of the Earth’s surface and is made up of crushed rocks and once living plants and animals. Sand has the largest particles and is made by rocks/shells that are broken into smaller pieces by water, wind and pressure or erosion.
All for Science
Posted onI was absolutely thrilled yesterday when Brycen spotted a snapping turtle in the ditch outside of school. I became even more excited when we determined that he was dead. This morning I came to school with my boots, shovel and bucket to obtain my treasure. Once he decomposes, he will be a great addition to our animal adaptation unit.