Next Week

Bravo to Eleanor and Marshall for their impressive opening statements in their introductions today. Feel free to share yours on the blog if you would like to do so.

Make sure you tackle some of the websites for practice for next week's (Fri) grammar test. We will review this material next week. If you have any questions, feel free to upload them.

Try these additional websites for practice. These are very similar to your test questions

- Possessive Nouns
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/exploring_possessives/index.html http://www.eduplace.com/cgi-bin/hme-quiz-play.cgi
http://www.english-zone.com/spelling/poss2.html

- Past Perfect
http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/past-perfect-simple/exercises

Thank you for all your hardwork this week. State Report's will be over soon, and we will do so pretty amusing BBC theatre scripts as a more relaxing activity to end the trimester.

Have a great weekend.

Go Steelers!

State Report - Poem Component

Use this link to find rhyming words for your poetry.

http://www.rhymezone.com/r/rhyme.cgi?Word=think&typeofrhyme=perfect&org1=syl&org2=l


Pass on your thanks to Hunter Willis for finding this.

Spelling Lesson 14

You will be tested on Lesson 14 spelling words this Friday. Be prepared. Go to the spelling city website to practice the words at least twice this week (Buxton class only)

Obama Speech Answer

He used a GRAAB technique - Alternative/Be There. Comparing the fear and apprehension that the soliders must have had before crossing the Delware during the Revolutionary War -v- the issues the country faces today. +2 for anybody who mentioned GRAAB.

Change Can Happen- Enjoy this movie of all our U.S. Presidents

http://www.flixxy.com/presidents-morphing.htm

Have a great weekend!

Grammar Test - Update

This will take place the week of Feb 9th-12

Topics that will be on there so far are:

Rules for making nouns plural
Possessive nouns in sungular and Plural
Types of nouns (CPAC)
Comma rules (C.O.M.M.A.S.)
Punctuating compound and Complex Sentences
Fragments and Run-ons
Time Shift sentences (had+participle)

Much of the test will be multiple choice and/or spot the error/ rewrite with correct punctuation etc. There will not be a writing component on the test.

Watch the blog for plenty of practice opportunities

Obama's Inauguration Speech - Challenge

Challenge
Win +1, +2 or +3 points if you can explain how this section of Obama's speech relates to something we have studied in our writing. All reasonable answers will received points.

"...So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:

Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive...that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet (it).

America, in the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Thank you. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America."

Snow Day II

Teachers love snow days too!

Snow Day

Enjoy the snow day today!

Try to take time to watch the Presidential Inauguration from 11.30-12.30pm. Our new Preisdent's speech should be very interesting.

Mrs. Buxton said I can't give you any H/W today...So I won't!
Enjoy the day :-)

State Report - 13 School Days to Go

Your target for this week is to finish 3 components.

Well done to Brady Whitnmore. The only student to achieve 3 stickers by the end of las t week. The target for this week is 5 Stickers. Will 'you' be recognized next week?

Remember - Packed lunch for Tue. We ill watch the Presidential
Inauguration in class from 11.30-12.30pm.

End of trimester Grammar Review Test. You select the topics. Let me know which grammar topics that we have already covered you would like to see on the end of trimester test e.g. Rules for making nouns plural.

Vocabulary Test

The Vocabulary Test Scheduled for tomorrow (Buxton class only) is postponed until next Tuesday.

Well done today with your poems. Did you enjoy the party? You will need to hand in your poetry booklets tomorrow.

Comma Test + State Report

5th Graders

Thank you for working so hard today on your State Reports. Set yourself the target of having all your notes on 'Geographical Features'for class for tomorrow. We will begin to create Power Plans for this component in tomorrow's class.

Important notice- Januaary 20th. All 5th graders will have the opportunity to watch the Presidential Inauguration. You must bring a packed lunch for this day. We will eat in the classroom as we watch the ceremony.

Wednesday-Commas Open book Test - Do some practice exercises from the blog tonight

Thursday - 50 States Test
- Poetry Party 'Will your classmates be amazed by how brilliantly 'you' deliver your poetry?

Have a nice evening.

State Report Websites

Use 'only' these sites below to do your State Report online research. If you find a site on your own that you think is better, share it with me first, and I might add it to the list. There is advice under each website to save you a little time.


State Report Websites


1. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition: http://school.eb.com/elementary [ID=latin, PASSWORD=hawks] You may copy a picture or map from this site. Type the name of your state in the Search box and click Go.

2. NETSTATE.com
http://www.netstate.com/states/index.html Click on your state.
Advice: (Only good for basic facts about the states)

3. IPL Kidspace: Stately Knowledge: http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/stateknow/ provides basic facts and links to other sources about each state
Advice: (Use the links at the bottom of each state page for detailed information on specific topics)


4. Infoplease: The Fifty States: http://www.infoplease.com/states.html Choose state from the list below the map.
(Advice: Good for links to famous people for the character sketch)


5. Biography.com: http://www.biography.com/search/ Type the person’s name in the search box or click the letter the name begins with to see a list of names. This site may be helpful if you are doing a character sketch.
(Advice: Good for links to famous people for the character sketch+Historical
Narrative)

6. http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/namerica/us.htm.
(Advice – Good for geographical features and commerce and industry)

Fifty States Test Practice

http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/web_games.htm

This website has made interactive games that you can use to test your 'Fifty States' Knowledge.

Next Week

Use these videos and this website to do additional practice for your 'open book' grammar test next week. Make sure you bring in your white ('See How We Run')binder. This will be used for your state Report from now on. Put your State Report info. inside this binder. Make sure you are ready with your poems for Monday. http://www.chompchomp.com/csfs01/csfs01.01.htm Fun practice with run-ons

Video- Uses of the comma

Poetry Party H/W

Make sure you are ready for next week's poetry party.

Buxton Class - Thur 2.35-3.05pm
Graham Class - Thur 12.45-1.30pm

Make sure you have prepared your poems so that you can deliver them passionately. Your poetry booklets should be ready for inspection on Monday 12th Jan.

Comma Pop Quiz - Well done today!

Remember there are some more practice exercises on commas under my list of websites below. I strongly recommend you practice your comma usage a little more before next week's test. If you have any questions, add them to the blog or ask me in school.

Tomorrow (Fri) we will play the States and Capitals Round 1 - Class Championship.

Make sure you are prepared for tomorrow's Social Studies Test - Remember the 'Bob's yuour uncle' hint related to geographical features!

H/w Change.

Tuesday's Jan 6th H/W

1) Finish the backside of the commas worksheet we started in class (non-essential words)

2) Go to this website
http://www.chompchomp.com/hotpotatoes/commas01.htm

Print out your score sheet.
(Due Wed)

State Report

Welcome back 5th Graders

You will need a USB key and your white binder for next Monday (13th Jan) for use with your State Report.