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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Settings

Principals' Lunch tomorrow - Don't forget you do not need  to bring  in a lunch, but you do need a drink

Don't forget: Friday is Sentosa field trip  - You will need a camera. You are responsible if it gets lost. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR PARENTS' PERMISSION BEFORE TAKING THE CAMERA

Math
IXL  B. 16 compulsory
IXL B. 21 optional

RLA - Fantasy Story Settings - Collect research on your fantasy story setting

The way to begin is to try and find a picture of a place that is similar to where you would like your fantasy story to occur.
Collect research on a real place for the setting of your story. Facts you collect might be related to:
  • Names of Roads
  • Possible businesses/shops
  • Names of buildings
  • Description of Vegetation
  • Noises associated with the place
  • Smells associated with the place
  • Events that might occur there
  • Description of movement in the place
  • Typical weather for the place
Next: Go to http://thebookshelfmuse.blogspot.com/ (find the setting thesarus on the rigght sidfe of the page.) Get ideas for a place that is similar to what you want to describe.

With your facts - ask yourself the question: WHAT IF...
e.g. What if the roads were named  Sir/ Madem - street?
e.g. What if the buildings were great towers?
Don't forget to add some 'fantasy elements' to your description.
Your  research should be completed by  tomorrow.  You will write your final draft in class using tonight's reasrch.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Poetry Party

Bravo. What a superb day we had. Congratulations to you all on your passionate delivery of your poems.
Poetry Party on PhotoPeach
Optional.
Select your best poem and enter a competition. See below. Get your parents' permission before doing so
http://www.poeticpower.com/

From your music teacher: “Memorize music festival songs”

Math Study Link 9.4 ( I won't give you extra H/W because you were all so good in the poetry party)

RLA - Make sure you have finished your fantasy character description (Due: Wed)

Make sure your tik-a-tok is on your blog.

Collect  research on a  setting from a famous fantasy story or movie. You should have about 10-15 facts. (Due:Wed)

Monday, February 27, 2012

EASA Announcment

EASA is offering a competitive Touch Rugby program for Under-11 girls this year. We are desperately looking for 3 more girls to try out for the team.  Check EASA website if you are interested.

Make sure you are ready for the poetry party.

You must turn in your poetry booklets at the end of the poetry party. Make sure they are completed.

RLA
Working with your partner on google docs, finish the description of your character. Bring a HARD copy of your finished piece (approx. 200 words) to class on Wed.

Math
Study Link 9.3
Watch this video to recap today's lesson

Friday, February 24, 2012

Poetry Party Preparation

Camille and Breann - A big thank you (You know why!)...
Well done on your narrative poems today. There were some passionate performances:

These are the poems that should appear in your poetry booklet.
  • Kennings
  • Everyday Object
  • Noun Poem
  • Extended Metaphor
  • Memorized Published Poem
  • Inside/Outside
  • I wonder
  • Song Interpreatation
  • Slam
  • Narrative Performance Poem
  • Free Choice
You may also add other poems if you choose. By Tuesday, your poetry booklet should be completed and attractively decorated. Choose any two poems that you want to perform from the list above and be prepared to do short auditions on Monday.  The more you put into  your poems the more enjoyable the poetry party will be. What will you do to make your poems the BEST you have ever recited? - Amaze me!!!


Great game for fractions practice!!!
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/ks2bitesize/maths/number/fractions_to_decimals/play.shtml
Student of the Week: Arielle

Don't forget to to say why Sabine is cool on the blog this w/end! Happy B'Day Sabine! - I meant to eat the treat during free Friday - but we ran out of time...sorry :-(

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Ordered Pairs

Teleprompter: Just copy and paste your text into this the wondow on this link and it acts like a TV teleprompter
http://www.cueprompter.com/

Make sure you have effective movements for your poem.

After you finish the test tomorrow, you can use the time to work on finishing your tikatok and hardcopy poetery booklets. Bring any printed copies of any poems you have written that are not already in your hardcopy poetry booklet. Make sure you have digital access t oyour poems in class as you will use Fri and Mon finishing your tikatok (e.g. quick access on your Blogs. This will save you the time to type out all your poems again)

Math
Study link 9.1
Review this video to recap the key points


Narrative Performances: Due tomorrow
Social Studies Test - Tomorrow (Do you know your Ch. 1& 2 facts and your countries and capitals?)

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Work in progress
  • Science Projects for Mrs. Clayton - Make sure you 'shine' tomorrow
  • Book clubs work (Due: thur)
  • Social Studies Test studying: Due: Fri (links to games are still on blog)
  • Narrative performance presentations
  • Final poem: (Due: Next Tue)
  • No Math H/W tonight
Poetry Party Preparation - Next Tue
You need x2 poems for  the poetry party - perfectly memorized and ready to perform for next Tue. You can have one piece of work prepared using simple technology e.g. mailvu, vocaroo, presentme etc. I need to view all technology by next Monday. You may also sing or perform perfectly cheorgraphed poems in small groups. Auditions of all your work will happen on Monday.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Final Poems

Tonight, you are working on your final poems:
  • Narrative Performance poem - Due: Fri (you wil lhave a little time in class to put movements to these poems)
  • Final Poem - Free Choice: Select any topic/any perspective/any poetic devices and create your last poem. This poem should in many ways epitomize your growth in poetry.
  • Don't forget: Social Studies - studying for Friday using links from yesterday's post
  • Book club work for Thursday

Monday, February 20, 2012

Mr. Bliss

Science Presentations this week - Make sure you are ready!!!
 Mrs. Clayton needs to get any media you are using at least one day before the presentation. Also, bring your yellow rubric (only  Maya, Han and Alex have done so at the moment)

Math KMO -Information for Mrs. Shaw
• If they are signed up they must attend ALL three tryout sessions to be considered for the team. However, if they decide after Session 1 that it is not for them they do not need to continue coming.



• They will need to have lunch from 12:15 – 12:30 in the cafeteria – please be sure you give them that message as it wasn’t on the parent letter.


• Tryouts take place from 12:30-1pm in the 5th grade group room.


Math - Unit 8 Practice - Spend 15mins playing this game
Study Link - 8.11 & 8.12
http://www.math-play.com/adding-and-subtracting-fractions-game.html
Watch the division of fractions video again
http://youtu.be/-zMp-hBAzLs

Use these link to practice this week for your Southeast Asia States and Captial. (First links on page)
Who will get the fastest time?
http://www.mapquiz.net/en/
alternate
http://www.sheppardsoftware.com/Asian_Geography.htm (only focus on the countries we have studied)
Finishing Off from Last Week
  • Photovisis must be handed in tomorrow
  • Narrative poems due later in the week

Friday, February 17, 2012

Goodbye - Mr Spencer....

The Friday Message
Thank you for a wonderful week Mr. Spencer..
Singapore Immigrants (1842-1891) on PhotoPeach



Thursday, February 16, 2012

Narrative Poetry

  • Bring your research for your narrative poem. (Can just be printed from internet)
  • Watch the CNN video on paid schooling - Be ready with to discuss this topic in 'Grand Conversation' -v- another 5th grade class

  • Math Study Link 8.10
  • Photovisi - Not compulsory for tomorrow - I'm being too nice!!!(Make sure you are well preapred for Grand conversation and narrativce poem) - We will have time in class to work on them. They WILL be compulsory on Monday

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

H/W
  • Math - Study link 8.9  & IXL V9
  • Mrs Clayton's H/W - Due next week. - Make sure you have this on your calendars and are working toward completing this task daily. I would like to see your finished pieces placed on your blogs.
  • Photovisi - Due: Fri
  • Think about ideas and do research for your narrative poem. You will be drafting this in class tommorrow.
WILF
  • Narrative performance poem
  • Clearly tells the story of an event in history
  • Uses advanced word choice
  • Integrates some figurative language
  • Contains purposeful  choreographed movements
Congratulations on your slams today. Many of you may decide to recite these in the poetry party.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Slams

H/W
  • Math 8.8 Study link
  • IXL - N.11
Book Clubs - Make sure you are ready to have an interesting discussion.

 Slams - Due in tomorrow: We will do a slam off in class on Wednesday.

WILF
  • Concern about YOUR world
  • Strong language
  • Beginning, middle, and end.
  • Can be delivered with passion

Monday, February 13, 2012

Photovisis

You may wear PINK or RED for Valentine's Day tomorrow
H/W

Math  Study Link 8.7
IXL: N1 & N2 Due: Tue

Photovisi - Due: Friday
WILF:
Your task is to create a 'photovisi collage' that summarizes the content in Ch.1. Your collage should be organized in a symmetrical way. The following pieces of information must be represented in some way:

·The Reasons why the British wanted a new Trading post
·Why Bencoolen and Penang was rejected as an unsuitable settlement
·Information about the two sultans and why this was significant
·Treaty of 1819
·Explanation why Raffles was successful
·New vocabulary words

Your collage will be made up of text,quotes, phrases, images etc.

Step 1 - Read Ch.1 and take notes
Step 2 - Design your collage on paper

You will have to explain the reasons for all the content in your collage
(you will be given 45 mins of class time on Wed to work on this)


Book Club - Make sure you are ready for Wednesday!

Slam poem: collect further ideas for your slam: You will get time tomorrow to work on this. It must be finished by Wed. This is now an individual activity

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Welcome to Mr. Spencer

Hi! My name is Spencer Hong. I just turned sixteen years old and this is my twelfth year in Singapore. This year I was on the varsity golf team and traveled to Taiwan for a tournament. But I also like to play basketball and volleyball (was on the freshmen volleyball team last year). I am here to help you guys with math and social studies, but also to get you ready for your up and coming middle school lives. I’m doing this because I have always wanted to know what it would be like to be in the shoes of a teacher, so, that is what I am doing. By the end of the week I believe that I will have a better understanding of what it is like to be a teacher, but also what it feels like to enrich the minds of our youngsters. Hopefully, I can offer some advice to the kids on how to be very successful not just in middle school, but also in years after that. My expectations of the students are that they treat me just like Mr. Buxton, they give their 110% when Mr. Buxton and I are teaching, and that they most importantly have fun!  Overall, I am very excited to help these kids with their emergence into young adults and into middle school.


Friday, February 10, 2012

Tik-a-tok

Use tik-a-tok next week to add your poems. Make your poetry digital booklet your most impressive piece of work to date.



Student of the Week: Riya

For next week:
  • Be thinking about a topic that makes you really mad
  • Be thinking about a world event that you would like to research (Be creative and think )
The Friday Message - How can you be greater than even you believe you can be?
 http://youtu.be/eVi4k44A1Yo

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Piclits - A Picture Tells a Story

  • Print out your  piclits that you made in class  today. (GATE) - You have the choice to do this activity or not.) See example if you are interested.  http://www.piclits.com/ 
PicLit from PicLits.com
See the full PicLit at PicLits.com
  • Fakebook - Due tomorrow
  • Remember - Word study assessment is tomorrow.  Make sure you are comfortable on the topics listed yesterday on the blog
Math
Study link 8.6

Class party - "Don't kick a gift horse in the mouth" ...Work that out'!

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Word Study & Advanced Book Clubs

H/W
Read some great poems, 'I wonder' today. Really impressed by your creativity. Watch the class door tomorrow to see examples of  impressive poems.
Optional
  • Because you care enough...are  you willing for fun to go back and read one of your earlier writing assisngments and check for any fused sentences or comma splice errors. Let me know if you do!
Math
Study Link 8.5

Fakebook - How is your team progressing?
RLA - Word Study Assessment
  • Do you feel comfortable on all of the Word Study topics for Friday's assessment?
  • What is etymology and why is it important?
  • What  are 'portmanteau' words
  • Can you create word webs from root words e.g. 'read'
  • Know the difference wit hexamples between homophones and homographs
  • What is 'schwa'?
  • Can you create vocabulary lines to show the continuum of synonyms  e.g. plot synonyms on a line for the word 'big'
  • What have you learned in word study that has helped you the most?
Anisha - Can you copy the link to your book?
Enjoy Han's song again

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The Sound of Silence

Boys - Anybody can make a promise. Do you have what it takes to keep the promise?

Math
Study Link - 8.4

Reprint your I/O poems if you have adapted them for white space and line breaks (Due: Wed)
Enjoy...the sound of silence again - What sounds does silence make?


I Wonder Poems (Due: Wed) - "Lesson leanred are seldom repeated"
Think purposefully about your line breaks and white space in this poem.

Monday, February 6, 2012

I wonder... Just another Lemon Tree

Math - Compulsory
  • IXL M.1 and M.3 (F.Y.I. - IXL will always be fifth grade lessons unless I specifically write otherwise)
  • Study link 8.2 and 8.3
Many of you were having difficult today wit hthis topic. I will be checking that you have done the practice
RLA

Enjoy this again.

I wonder... Can anybody write a poem that is even 'close' to the truly magnificent draft written today by Sabine...? Talk about setting the bar high!!!

Finish your I/O poem. Due tomorrow. Make sure you have a complete PRINTED version of this poem. We will be doing a few adaptations to it in tomorrow's session
S.S. Fakebook - Due: Fri

Friday, February 3, 2012

The Friday Message.

Bravo for your work again this week. 

For students who need further practice on integers: Your task during the month of February is to work through the Grade 6 IXL Unit -  C1,2,3,4, I4,5,6,7,8,9, Y9 Samamy Snake when all exercises are completed.

Don't forget to bring in something that you 'wonder about' for Monday - see complete post from earlier in this week that explains this topic more clearly.



Optional - Those students wanting to work ahead

Monday night's H/W
  • Finishing your I/O poem
  • Study link 8.2 & 8.3
  • Social Studies:  Continue researching/ working on your fakebook project.
Congratulations on  'finally' reaching the top of the Ladder to Laughter. The class treat will be decided next week

Tech Integration
https://www.tikatok.com/  (make sure you have created an account by next Fri.) - You will be using this software to create digital copies of all of your poems into an anthology.


Stduent of the Week:  Camille

Blogger of the Week: Sabine

Enjoy Rachel's performance again

The lyrics in Harrisen's work are powerful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6UVhZTTWb0
Maady's intrepetation of title and presentation showed how much you can see from so little if you look hard enough


Enjoy the Friday message below. (found by Madddy) - If you find a video that you think teaches a good point - Win TQs for sharing

Thursday, February 2, 2012

I/O poems postponed until next Tuesaday.

Math
Study Link 8.1

RLA
Annoucements Poem - priority
Record your finished announcement poem using vocaroo. com and embed it into your blog. Listen back to your poem multiple times. What works well? What cannot be heard correctly?   Use this as a way to improve your performance
(Maya- can you work virtually with Caroline on this evening?)

Optional
1) Work on your I/O poems

2) Continue working on your Social Studies fakebook research.
  • Do you have between 6-10 people.
  • Can you make connections?
  • Can you clearly identify the historical event/time period

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Fakebook

Maya and Harrisen: You are both a team and will work together on the fakebook assignment. You should communicate virtually. (wall)The instructions are below:  Watch the video in an earlier post to see how to create this. You will have one week to finish this.





H/W -Compulsory
  • Practice the noun exercises from yesterday's post
  • Work on announcments poem (virtually)
  • NO MATH H/W
Tonight is a light H/W night. (Especially for all those who have already studied for the nouns test) I expect BIG progress on your announcments poems!!! - I suggest you work virtually using a google doc. if you haven't already done so.

Optional
  • Work on yout draft for your I/O poem
  • 30minutes research on your fake book assignment

For next week... Be thinking about topics you would like to write about.
New... Bring in a 3 topics that you 'wonder about'
e.g. why do children cry?
e.g. why don't squares roll?
e.g. why is blood red?
e.g. why doesn't the elephant smile?
e.g. why am I not good enough?

Be creative!!!