Change to H/W Sheet

Due: Friday:

• Bring in a photograph  of a special 'moment in time' from your past. Try to select one that is an important point  in your life. You will be writing descriptively using this photograph, so make it as interesting as possible.
• If you have a problem getting an actual photograph, think of a creative way to achieve this same objective.
• Subjects booklet pages 4,5,6
• (If you didn't get chance to finish your descriptive writing card, don't worry. We will finish it in class or during morning work)

Reminders:

• Studying USAGE of the vocabulary words is the best way to prepare for the test tomorrow.
• Last day of Book Fair is Friday. Please remember any donations of slightly used boks for the 'Giving Tree'.
• Remember: Soar Day Friday
• Friday Night Football Game. As 5th graders, you are all role models for the younger students. Your behavior will be exemplary!

Change to H/W sheet

Instead of the exercise on 'Subjects' - Tackle this question. (Due: Thur)

List EIGHT additional ways (different from what we studied in class) that organizations and businesses could reduce their carbon footprint. Bullet points are fine. (Wink Wink ... these will be very useful facts for next Tuesday's test.)

These are some ideas...but you should try and find some unique ones yourself.
http://ecopreneurist.com/2008/04/11/10-business-practices-that-reduce-your-footprint/

Enjoy these videos on carbon footprint

Mentor Text - U.S. Terrain

Enjoy reading the paper written by Thomas on U.S. terrain. Why did I choose to put this paper on  the blog? comments encouraged

As the Smith family piles into their car, they head out to embark on an exciting adventure to national parks, mountain ranges, and coastlines all across the U.S. To begin with, the impressive terrain across the U.S. is both vast and varied. A multitude of tourists’ favorite national parks are right here in the U.S. From Big Bend to Yellow Stone and Glacier national park, these are some of the largest outdoor attractions in the U.S. Furthermore, Yellowstone national park, located in Colorado, is filled with bubbling hot springs and spitting geysers. Big Bend is located in the Southwest, yet it is on the boarder of Mexico and the U.S. A vast amount of  picturesque mountain ranges are spread across the United States. Stretching across the Southeast region is the Appalachian Mountains. The Rocky Mountains, located in the Southwest and West, crosses two regions. In these two mountain ranges is where outdoor adventurers might find the best skiing in the nation. The U.S. is outlined with a numerous amount of coastlines. Beaches of Los Angeles and Florida are some of the most popular destinations in the U.S. The latter was recently affected by an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The oil spill kept an extremely large amount of people from coming to the coastlines that were affected, but now that the spill is clogged, so people are starting to swarm in again. From national parks to coastlines and mountain ranges these fantastic features make the U.S. a popular destination. After a long day of breathtaking sightseeing, the Smith family parks their car and they stagger into the hotel to take a break and sleep for the night.  

• Words in black are ones I added to avoid word repetition
• Tomorrow, we will work on effective restate sentences

Next Tuesday, you will write an essay in class under exam conditions as part of your Lesson 3-5 Test.

Prepositional Phrases- Test Practice

Use these links to practice for Wednesday's test on clauses, prepositions, and prepositional phrases.

Infinitves - explanations
http://www2.puc.edu/Faculty/Rosemary_Dibben/Grammar/infinitives.shtml
new link on preps. (added Monday night)
http://www.eduplace.com/cgi-bin/hme-quiz-start.cgi?Grade=6&Unit=7&Topic=Prepositional+Phrases&x=25&y=9
http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/prepositions_ex1.htm
http://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/prepositions_ex2.htm
http://www.quia.com/quiz/298373.html?AP_rand=219568485

http://www.towson.edu/ows/ESLexercisePrep2.htm
http://www.english-in-chester.co.uk/stayintouch/prepositional-phrases-english-language-practice_32.html
(drag and drop answers for speed)

http://aliscot.com/bigdog/prep_exercise.htm

http://www.quia.com/cc/73781.html
Make sure you watched last week's videos on prepositional phrases.

Enjoy these zany videos on Prepositions







You will not be able to answer all the quesations on this page as we have not studied gerunds yet. However, this is a VERY useful exercise to try (wink wink!)
http://www.grammaruntied.com/phrases/phrasequiz1/Iquizphrase.html

Mentor Text - Essay Writing

Read this sample essay paragraph that earned an A+  on the last writing assignment by Bennett. You will be writing another one of these tomorrow. See if you can see why Bennett earned the highest grade. Comments welcome.


Oceans
by Bennett Smith

On a beautiful summer day John Drinkwater, a scuba diving specialist, prepares to explore the awesome oceans. A number of major oceans cover about 70% of our Earth’s surface. The largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean. Surprisingly, The Pacific Ocean is 69,000,000 square miles wide. While oceans themselves cover 70% of the Earth’s surface, the Pacific covers 30%. The deepest point, The Mariana Trench, can fit 28.7232 Empire State Buildings inside it. The Atlantic Ocean has various amounts of geological features. For instance, the Mid Atlantic Ridge runs right through the Atlantic Ocean. Another feature is the mysterious Bermuda Triangle that is located on the Atlantic. Additionally, there are lots of hydrothermal vents that squirt out waters form 500 – 780 degrees Fahrenheit. The Arctic Ocean is known for its cold waters. Astonishingly, in the winter the Arctic Ocean is mostly sea ice, but sometimes it forms glaciers. The salinity level increases in the Arctic because the water freezes and leaves the salt behind. Not only has global warming affected the water temperature, but also it affects animals’ habitat. From the ring of fire of the Pacific, to the Mid Atlantic Ridge of the Atlantic, and the bone chilling waters of the Arctic, oceans are one of the most interesting and fun topics people can learn about. John Drinkwater is all prepared, and he is finally ready to explore the amazing underwater world of his ocean.

Homework Sheet Week 9+10

Click above to get next week's homework sheet. The next two weeks close this first trimester. Can you belive one third of fifth grade is almost already over.  Be VERY organized with your studies next week as many grades are being taken for your Report Cards. Finish the trimester STRONG!

Word of the Week
Precocious

Phrase of the Week
You'll always know when you are on the right  road; it's uphill.

Note: Buxton class Teddy Bear skit is Monday, Graham class Tuesday.

Prepositional Package H/W

Remember:

• Pages 7-8-9 from your prepostional package for H/W.
• Graham class ONLY - Write three P2s for the topic sentence on the back of the power plan. Next, write three P3 for just one of the P2s.
• work on your prepositional phrase skit. By the end of tomorrow's session, your group should be able to run through  your play from start ot finish. Remember the WILF
• Daily Editing Books due tomorrow. This is an easy A+. You just need to hand it in completed on time.

Don't worry about finishing Hatchet. We'll tackle that tomorrow.

Prepositional Phrase Practice -Videos

A reply from Mr. Warton

To Mr. Buxton's Students,



It was exhilarating to talk with you about the challenges of living in a diverse, global world. You really are the leaders that our city, state, and nation is waiting for to grow up and solve many of the problems we adults can't figure out. Thank you for your thoughtful and smart comments. Always think critically, listen intently, and speak and write with clarity and passion.


Mr. Wharton



Watch these videos to recap what we learned about prepositional phrases today

Will your prepositional phrase song be full of prepositional phrases like this one?



Use this link to practice for next week's Prpositional Phrase Test

"Wink Wink Nudge Nudge  Bob's your Uncle"- This exercise could be VERY useful next week! (click on -pop quiz)
http://eslus.com/LESSONS/GRAMMAR/POS/pos7.htm#Pop Quiz 1

Homework Week 8

Click above link for this week's homework'

Phrase of the Week
You can't applaud with one hand

Word  of the week
naive

Sentence Fluency Test Practice 2

Add your questions/comments/study examples to the blog.

Plus points for quality questions or answers that you can provide to other people's questions.

Mr. Warton's talk...

What messages did you take away from Mr. Warton's talk today?

Any other comments regarding the topics discussed?

Win + points for thoughful responses

Setnence Fluency Test Practice

Next Fridaty's test is OPEN BOOK and OPEN NOTES. You may bring ANYTHING you create into the test room with you. The trick is studying 'smart' and looking for the red flags that give you the clues to the answer
e.g. what words do you need to be highlighting if you are trying to decide whether something is compound or complex?
e.g. what's the difference between a semi colon and a comma?
e.g what are the four charateristics of both compound and complex sentences?
e.g. how can you learn from the mistakes you made in your worksheets?
 You are expected to spend about 10 mins every night next week practicing these exercises and playing these games below.

http://www.csus.edu/owl/index/sent/clause_quiz.htm
compound and complex sentences

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073123587/student_view0/chapter6/complex_sentences_exercise.html 

http://www.softschools.com/quizzes/language_arts/sentence_types/quiz1848.html  

http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quiz2/quizzes-to-fix/sentence_types_quiz.html

https://www.classzone.com/books/lnetwork_gr07/page_build.cfm?id=quiz&ch=8 

http://highered.mheducation.com/sites/0073511994/student_view0/brush_up/part_i-grammar2/grammar_exercise_04.html 

http://a4esl.org/q/h/9901/cw-senttype.html

Fused and Comma Splice

http://www.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/quizzes/runons_quiz.htm 

https://depts.dyc.edu/learningcenter/owl/exercises/run-ons_ex1.htm 

http://wps.prenhall.com/chet_smith_english_10/108/27805/7118326.cw/content/index.html 

http://www.quia.com/quiz/299540.html (ignore question 13 and 16)

http://www.quia.com/rr/126726.html
http://www.quia.com/quiz/815621.html?AP_rand=60951870

Week 7 Homework

click above link to see you H/W for next week

Change to Thursday H/W

Spend tonight working on some aspect of your script if you can.   Scripts are not due until next Tuesday. You will have another hour in class to work on these Fri and Mon, so don't panic!

For tomorrow, read this article below on phrases and clauses. This will help you prepare for the lesson. Then try the exercise

http://www.english-the-easy-way.com/Punctuation_English/Clause_or_Phrase.htm 

http://www.csus.edu/owl/index/sent/clause_quiz.htm  

Start to tackle some of the online sentence fluency exercises for practice for next Thursday's test.  This is not compulsory, but you should try all these exercises before next Friday's  Sentence Fluency Test

http://eslbee.com/cgi-bin/quiztest.cgi?helenkeller   compound/complex practice

http://itech.pjc.edu/writinglab/senpat.htm  compound/complex  practice

http://www.learnamericanenglishonline.com/Orange%20Level/Orange_Level_Quiz_4_Clauses_&_Phrases.html  phrases and clauses

This video gives details on clauses - phrases are just without the subject or verb or both

Change to Wednesday's H.W.

Review the SSS technqiue sentences we studied today. Win bonus plus points for any SSS technique sentences your write on the blog.

Do something toward your  freeenterprise script tonight.
e.g.  examples might be:

• write some of your own part
• choose some of your daybook vocabulary and try to put it into some sentences that you can use in your script.
• create some compound/complex sentences that you can use in your script.
• make a list of ideas of events that will happend in your script

Sentence Fluency Test Practice

I will begin putting a few games and links to online exercises on the blog for next week's fluency test. Enjoy this first one.
http://www.harcourtschool.com/activity/sensort/index.html

Capitalism Video from Today

Enjoy today's class video again. This is a very important topic. You will be learning so much more about this topic as you  grow older! Any thoughts or comments?

Change to Tuesday's H/W

Write four compound sentences and four complex sentences using your entrepeneur facts (8 sentences in total)

Complex Sentences

Make sure you review our class notes today on complex sentences. Watch this quick video for review

Week 6 Homework Sheet

Click on the above title to see your H/W for this week

Coming this week

• Complex Sentences
• Styling Super Sentences (SSS) Techniques  (I)
• Free Enterprise System in the U.S./Capitalism
• Writing Scripts Format
• Essay Writing Strategies
• Spelling Content Words Lesson 2
• Performing Skits on Free Enterprise 

Phrase of the Week

The bee that makes the honey doesn't hang around the hive

Vocabulary of the Week
punctilious

Test Review

Feel free to post questions  you may have about tomorrow's tests.  Your fellow students might give you an answer. Feel free to share any of the sentences or techniques you are using to study for the tests.

Change to Wed. H/W

Write a paragraph that describes your bedroom.

WILF

• Use a variety of advanced simple sentences
• Use a variety of compound snetences
• Can you integrate some advanced simple sentences technqiues into your compound sentences
• Avoid banned words - e.g. There is/are  I  many things etc.
• Write neatly (or type and stick) on a large index card
• Approx 100-150words

DUE: THUR

Compound Sentences + Study Techniques

We covered these complicated words today:

• Independent Cause
• Coordinating Conjunction
• Semi colon (;) in compound sentence

Would you know what these meant if you had a pop quiz on these terms? Hint! Hint!
What do did you find confusing about today's class?

 

Comments appreciate: However, you must write your comment as a compound sentence!!!

 

Enjoy these videos from today's class.

 

 

Change to Social Studies H/W for tonight (Due: Wed)

Come up with a unique way to remember all the information on one of your 'Study Cards' for Friday's test.Sugggestions include. Make it something simple. Don't spend more than 15 mins on this activity

• Acroynms
• Drawing
• Mnenomic device
• Jingle or song
• Sentence with  special meanings

You should use the techniques we covered in today's class  on how to 'study for tests'  for all future tests. They work. Honestly!

Evaluating - Mentor Text Example from our story

Make sure the evaluation of your newspaper article resembles the paragraph below. Your opinion of what you read should be very evident. Follow effective paragrpah struture by using the color codes. Have you integrated some advanced simple sentences, an appositive, and strong vocabulary?
HOW GOOD IS YOUR SENTENCEFLUENCY?
If many of your sentences begin with I or the same word, CHANGE THEM!

Two adventurous fifth grade school girls search out more than they bargained for while attending a class outing at the Natural History Museum. A Mummy Mystery is an exciting story that leaves readers on the edge of their seats. The main characters, Molly and Lena, are very mischievous throughout the story. Even though they should be with their class, they wander off on their own almost immediately on their arrival at the museum. Lena is probably the most disobedient of the two. Molly seems be the type of person who worries about what other people think, “Mr. Gardiner will be furious with us!” she exclaimed at one stage in the story. Alternatively, Lena’s fascination with ancient Egypt and complete disregard for her class was demonstrated when she almost ran toward the larger banner over the entrance to the Great Hall. The author, Andrew Clements, tries to use humor to break down some of the tension that builds in the story. It was amusing when Officer Johnson thought he was on T.V. when he first saw the Mummy’s hand move or when Molly whispered to Lena about the Mummy, “…it looks more like a squirrel that’s been hit by a car.” The author does not seem to pay meticulous attention to all of the fine details, leaving some of the events of the story a little confusing. How would a mouse be able to burrow under the Mummy’s wrappings without causing damage? Moreover, the mouse would have died of suffocation if it had been stuck in the glass case all that time. Any “…ancient pieces of corn or wheat”, would surely be rotten after thousands of years and could not have provided food for the mouse. Despite some over exaggerated facts, the daring exploits of Molly and Lena and a few light hearted jokes make the tale, A Mummy Mystery both memorable and enjoyable. On your next field trip, I’d watch the exhibits really closely if I were you. Just in case.

 

Rights and Responsibilities Lesson

 

Nice conversation today Ms. Graham's class. Enjoy the video below. Avoiding 'stereotyping' people is very important. Comments related to our conversation?

Week 5 Homework

Click on the title above to see your H/W sheet.

Phrase of the Week
Wag more, bark less

Vocabulary of the Week
Gesticulate

Are you ready for the challenge this week?

Take time to organize those folders this weekend please!

Civility - Compassion - Empathy

What did you learn about Civility - Compassion - Empathy that you will remember for the rest of your life?

How will you 'make a difference?'

Enjoy our class song on 'others first' again. Think about the message it portrays. Comments are appreciated

Evaluating - Review

Thinking about evaluating: Read below to help reinforce today’s session


An 'Evaluation' is an opinion about a piece of writing. It is not a summary of a story.

How do you develop an opinion?

Pretend you are a food critics who have been asked to evaluate a restaurant. What will you be looking for to make a decision about whether or not the restaurant is a good one??

Think about CRITERIA (categories)


Service; Tasty Food; Cleanliness of place; Popular or not; Variety of food; Price to value; Looks like; smells; appearance of store; Healthy food?

Next, you prioritize your categories! What is the most important category to make your final decision about the restaurant?

Once you have categories to think about your opinion, you can back up your opinion with Proof—proper nouns, “quotes”, facts, numbers, dates, names, vocab. Take notes about the Details! Such as Service: The waiter brought us snails when we ordered shrimp. Waiter was rude—he did not seem interested in us at all. He was grumpy. Cleanliness: Roach in the booth. Gum under the table. Hair in the food.

Don’t forget your opening hook and topic sentence. You are on your way to evaluating!

Lesson Review

It is important to reflect on everything we covered today.

1) Can you remember the 6-traits of effective writing?

2) If you can answer question, you will know how your next writing assignemnt will be graded!

3) Do you know the difference between power 1s, power 2s, power3s?

4) What are you doing when asked to give your opinion?

5) Why is selecting p2s the hardest for writing?

If you can answer all of the above, you have a good grasp of today's work.

Social Studies

What is the difference between a direct democracy and a representative democracy?

Do not forget your newspaper article for tomorrow? What categories do you think you will use to evaluate the article?

Try putting some of your simple sentences on the blog. Maybe friends can comment on them.

Have a nice evening.

SAT Practice - FOR FUN!!!!

I am adding this link to the blog on the right side of the page.
http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-question-of-the-day

These are SAT questions from real tests. For those who don't know, SATs are the tests that you take at 18 years old that 'help' determine which university you enter. What I want to show you is how the questions they ask are very similar to the types of language skills we are learning. There is only one multiple choice question each day. Try doing one each day for fun. You might be surprised how many you can get correct. You might need to refresh the page once you open the link...
Don't worry...I got the first one wrong 3 times!

Simple Sentences

Links to Ms. Graham's Science H/W
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/index.html


Again ...Kudos to  Scott and Austin. F for their 100% scores on the first spelling test and correct bonus question.
Well done to Andrew and Lindsey for your 100% scores

 It is clear that some of you are still confused about appositives.  I have  an extra worksheet on this topic if you would like a little more practice. Please come and see me tomorrow if you would like one for extra credit.

It is VITAL  that you spend a few minutes thinking about the 'simple sentences' techniques we introduced in class today. Maybe you can use a few of them to tell me your opinions about the 'traits' of effective writing. Plus points for any notable contributions. Make sure you are comfortable with the terms
'participle phrase' and 'infinitives' and how they are used to open sentences.

From today's session....
Always avoid starting sentences with these words
There is/are -There was/were - Then – And – Because
Pronouns (I We They etc.)
Start sentences instead with:
Technique 1: Starting with a Noun
Mary played tennis with her friends. OR The boys enjoyed the food.
Your example
________________________________________________________________________

Technique 2: Starting with an Adjective
Beautiful trees line both sides of the road. OR An incessant noise droned in the background.
Your example
________________________________________________________________________

Technique 3: Start with an Adverb + Comma
Gradually, the incessant noise began to diminish. OR Slowly, the children headed out to recess.
Your example
________________________________________________________________________

Technique 4: Start with a Verb (known as a participle phrase) verb + ing + noun
Working with their partners, the students finished the assignment.
Your example
________________________________________________________________________

Technique 5: Starting with an Infinitive (to + verb)
To live in Hawaii is the dream of my life. OR To help others is a noble occupation.
Your example
________________________________________________________________________
Technique 6: ‘Doubles and Triples’

Your sentences will be descriptive from now on...won't they?

Homework Sheet - Week 4

Over the weekend, review your folder. Is it tidy? Is it organized?
Maybe you want to make a list of the new skills/strategies/techniques you've learned so far on a page of your day book e.g. proof reading techniques, appositives etc.

Our 'journey' has begun...We are still in first gear, but we are about to charge up those engines... Hold on tight!

Phrase of the Week
A smooth sea never made a skillful sailor

Vocabulary of the Week
stereotype

The Immigration Debate

Thank you for your comments and opinions in our class debate today. I really appreciated your willingness to examine this very challenging topic from different perspectives. Special kudos on this point to Shaw-Well done!  Let's continue our discussion on the blog. Feel free to comment more on today's topic:

How can we protect our borders from illegal immigrants but still remain true to the freedoms and principles that define what it means to be 'An American'?

< Family Seal Activity Be 'VERY' careful and ensure that you follow the WILF for this assignment.

Your seal 'must' include the following:

• 
  
  clear balance of between 4-8 appropriate SYMBOLS organized in a symmetrical way
• 
  
  a title
• 
  
  a  motto
• 
  
  whole seal inside a shape
• 
  
  each symbol clearly named AND explained
• 
  
  NEATLY presented.
• 
  
  No writing inside seal apart from the motto

I strongly suggest that you do avery rough draft copy for Friday.

Don't forget to study for your spelling test on Friday. Remember study 'smart' not hard!

Homework Sheet - Week 3

Watch these videos again to review what we did in class today on 'Speed Reading'. I have also added a couple of extra ones that are on the same topic. Enjoy teaching somebody else our new strategies!










Don't forget that your 'A Boy's Story H/W' is due in by the end of study Hall tomorrow

Reading Strategies Assessment (Fri Sept 10th)

For 'Friday's Reading Strategies Assessment' use these activties below to practice. You do not have to do all the exercises. You should attempt at least one from each section over the next week. The test is OPEN BOOK and NOTE NOTES. This means that ANYTHING you have created to study from, you can use during the test itself.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgaSmJKR9HM
Context Clues Practicehttp://www.english-zone.com/vocab/vic01.html
(add at least 5 of the new vocab words to your Daybook)

Parts of Speech Practice

http://wps.ablongman.com/long_licklider_vocabulary_1/0,1682,11839-,00.html
Go to 'word clues' and do exercise 1+2

Practice with Appositives
http://palc.sd40.bc.ca/palc/Quiz/grammar/appositive21.htm  (ignore first question)
http://www.quia.com/pop/8755.html?AP_rand=1733434232
http://www.quia.com/cb/28810.html

Clarification and Question
Write three clarifcations and three questions about this picture

Other
Make sure you are comfortable writing a prediction paragraph based on a piece of text

A Boy's Story - Tuesday Sept 7th 2010

Phrase of the Week
He who cuts his own wood warms himself twice

Word of the Week
Palpable





Use this link to finish your Reading Strategies class assignment that we began in class on Tue. Sept. 7th

http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/immigration/seymour/index.htm

Worksheet is here http://www.box.net/shared/pabt4c6x9t

Apply your reading skills effectively to score all the points

Questioning Text -v- Clarifying Text

What is the difference between the two reading skills we looked at today?

Now watch this video below and write 3 clarifications and 3 questions about what you see.


Read this poem and write 3 clarifications and 3 questions about it.



"I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud"


I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.
Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the milky way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.


The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
In such a jocund company:
I gazed---and gazed---but little thought
What wealth the show to me had brought:
For oft, when on my couch I lie


In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.


William Wordsworth

Enjoy Reading Lindsey's WhereI'm From Poem
http://www.box.net/shared/uz3d9p5jlv

Reading Strategies: Appositives

Use these links below to review our work on appositives today

http://www.eslbee.com/appositives.htm 
http://www.chompchomp.com/terms/appositive.htm 

 




Enjoy Breck's Where I'm From Poem'
click link below


http://www.box.net/shared/k2lu65o6xr 

Reading Strategy: Decoding

Who is frightened by unfamiliar words they see in text after today's lesson?

Knowing your 'parts of speech' will help you decode many words that you do not know.

Change to Tuesday's H/W. (Due: Wed)

Copy 5 sentences from any source you can find that contain at least one difficult vocabulary word.  (you may have your parents write a couple of sentences for you.)

Make a rough guess of the meaning of the vocabulary word by using your 'parts of speech' strategy

e.g. The loquacious man frustrated the group
adj (before a noun -man)
educated guess = describing word for man=annoying?


Buxton Class - Mummy Mystery Prediction  Now due Thursday
Follow the guidelineson the H/W sheet under Monday for this activity.


Both classes: The Design a Seal activity is postponed until later in the week

Reading Strategies: Making Predictions

What is the most important thing that we learned about making predictions today?

Homework - Week 2

Click the title above to see your homework for next  week. You can simply view your H/W online or download and print out a hardcopy.

Thank you for all your enthusiasm and energy in our first week. I have really enjoyed our sessions so far.  

Now...let's get down to some work :-)

Don't forget...those people who still need to hand in their poem on Monday.

Phrase of the Week

To move a mountain you must begin by taking away small stones

Vocabulary Word of the Week

trepidation

Where I'm From - Poetry

Can you be precise and specific in your 'Where I'm From' poems? Look at some examples below. How will you make your poem unique?

“I’m From the Woods….” by Nick

I’m from the woods and the creek behind my fence
From the gray wooden backyard deck.
I’m from the honeysuckles,
The pear trees by the neighbor’s garden


From the creek when I swing over it.
I’m from the yellow walls of Grandma’s kitchen
From the Yorkshire pup, the coolest thing in my family.
I’m from macaroni pictures of the Ark


From “I just can’t snap my fingers and make it happen”
and from David the Gnome in summers long ago.
I’m from my mom’s side of the family,

From roasting turkeys for each holiday,
From when Papaw yelled at his boss and got fired
From the family pictures in the big wooden cabinet and
From the family gathering when we drag them out.


I am from those moments.
A root that no one sees, but walks all over
An important part of the tree.”
I'm from all the places that makes me, me.

I can tell that we are gonna be friends

Enjoy the song again from today's class!



Tonight's H/W - Due Thur

Write a reflection of your  1st day of school using the notes you collected  in your daybook. Don't just write about what happened; write about how  you FEEL about what happened.
approx. length -1-11/2 pages of daybook

Thank you to you all for making such a positive first impression!

5th Grade Orientation

Welcome to Orientation. This blog will be an excellent resource to help you stay organized. For example, every week there will be a link on the blog that allows you to download the weekly homework sheet.

See below
http://www.box.net/shared/eajukyq2dp

Aternatively, you can recap material/worksheets covered in lessons by downloading them directly from the blog.
see below
http://www.box.net/shared/rdlr3o36ei

You must check the blog daily for updates, additional resources and even examples of your own work.

Mr. Buxton's 5th Grade 2010.11

Welcome to Mr. Buxton's blog. This is an excellent resource to assist you with your 5th grade school work and H/W this year. There will be website links to exercises, videos of lesson explanations and even examples of your own work posted from time to time. You will be able to download w/sheets and powerpoint lessons that we do in class if you are absent or if you just want to look over the material again. There is even a ping pong game that you can play 'after' you finish your H/W!

I would just like to welcome you to the blog by introducing my family. I am holding baby Lucy (2 years old) and Mrs. Buxton is holding Sophia (almost 5).  Lucy will be in the Latin's NEST daycare program this year and Sophia will attend TK.

You should bookmark this blog and visit it regluarly. Feel free to look at some of the older posts to see how last year's fifth graders used the blog. You will probably have many questions about the blog. PLEASE WAIT until we meet at Orientation, and I will answer all of them at that time. Watch this video  below to gain a basic explanation about blogs if you would like.

See you next Tuesday!

Snapsots of Disney -summer 2010

Personalize a free scrapbook

Moving Up - Powerpoint

There is a link to the Moving Up powerpoint showed in the ceremony on the mylatin homepage. It takes about 10mins to download a copy from there. Enjoy!

Moving 'UP' ceremony

Why did we choose 'UP' for the theme of the graduation ceremony? What message are we saying to each one of you?

Charlotte Doyle

What was the author trying to teach us about life through the novel Charlotte Doyle? Please share your thoughts.

Grammar Questions

Feel free to post any questions you may have about Thursday's test. You should have been given a sheet to practice the types of questions on the test today. If  you can do those, the test will be a piece of cake...

We will finish Charlotte Doyle tomorrow. There's still a few twists left in the book!

Of course, the MLK speech was cancelled. The only H/W your have left is using the worksheets and blog to practice for the test.

Only 2 days of excellence left...It's actually quite sad to think it's almost over..  Didn't time fly!

Charlotte Doyle Ch. 9-15

Try just the vocabulary and multiple choice questions to help you practice for 9-15 test on Tuesday

http://www.smls.org/downloads/pdf/doyle/Doyle_9-12.pdf

http://www.smls.org/downloads/pdf/doyle/Doyle_13-15.pdf http://www.smls.org/downloads/pdf/doyle/Doyle_Skills_Wkst.pdf

End of Year Grammar Review Test - next Thursday

What can you remember about these topics:

subject and predicates

comma rules

fragments and run-ons

simple, compound, and complex sentences

prepositions and prepositional phrases

nouns

verbs

tenses

adjectives

Test will be open book and open notes. Go back to Sept 2009 in blog archives and spend next week tackling some of the exercises you did at the beginning of the year/each month on the different topics we covered. You'll be amazed at what you have learned... I hope!