Mrs. Thompson Teaches
  • Home
  • Students
  • Standards
  • About Me
  • Service Learning
  • Grading
  • Missions
  • Genius Hour

welcome to class...

Week of 12/1

11/30/2014

0 Comments

 
Dear families,

I can't believe I just typed the week of 12/1 - December already?! I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving holiday. I have relaxed and eaten for a good part of the week - and loved every minute of it! However, I am anxious to get back to school, see the kids, and start working again. 

Book Fair is this Tuesday - we will visit at 9:30. You can send in cash or a check, or you may plan to visit with us! There are lots of great books on the fair this year.

Field Trip! We are going on a field trip THIS FRIDAY, 12/5, to see the Nutcracker at Brenau! We have several 5th graders performing this year, so all classes are going to see this production and support our wonderful Gainesville Ballet. Tickets are normally $6, but we have discounted ticket prices of $2! You'll receive permission slips in Tuesday folders. Please send them back signed as soon as possible.

Mon, 12/1 Back to school!
Tues, 12/2 Book fair visit at 9:30; Red folders come home (with permission slips!)
Thurs, 12/4 Permission slips due
Fri, 12/5 Science test; math homework due; field trip to see the Nutcracker

Reading
This week, we start a three-week unit on organizational structures. Students will read a text and try to decide how it's organized: description, cause-effect, compare-contrast, problem-solution, or chronological-sequence. We will start off by identifying a text's organizational structure, and next week, we'll begin to compare the organizational structures of one text with a different text. We will test the week before we get out for winter break.

Math
We start working with fractions this week! This is another three-week unit. We will start by identifying the least common denominator of two fractions (also known as least common multiple), then we'll start adding and subtracting them for these three weeks. In 4th grade, your child added and subtracted fractions with LIKE denominators (the number on the bottom is the same). However, in 5th grade, we are adding and subtracting fractions with UNLIKE denominators (the number on the bottom is different; for example, 1/3 + 2/5). We will also be adding and subtracting whole numbers and fractions, mixed numbers, and improper fractions. Whew! We will also test for this unit the week before we get out for winter break.

Language Arts
We are continuing to work on conjunctions and informational writing. Students will be working on the differences between coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions. We will also begin how-to writing. Students final how-to paper will be due on next Monday. 

Science
Students are finishing a science unit with Mrs. Hawkins. They are studying physical and chemical changes. The science test will be this Friday. 

0 Comments

November Service Learning

11/18/2014

0 Comments

 
My homeroom partnered with Mrs. Hicks's first grade class to write encouraging notes to the homeless in Gainesville as we prepared lunches and collected winter gear. (Mrs. Weiser's 5th graders partnered with Mrs. Igleheart's first graders as well.)

CAA's Total Donations for November: 213 pairs of socks, 26 coats, 6 sweaters, 2 blankets, and 30 sack lunches. THANK YOU!!!!
0 Comments

Week of 11/10

11/7/2014

0 Comments

 
Dear families,

Welcome back to your weekly blog posts. I hope you are finding these updates to be helpful and informative about what your child is doing in class.

Before we get to the academic portion of this week's update, I'd like to share with you some general behavioral concerns in our class. As you can tell, there is a lot of work to be done each week in class. Several students are finding themselves off task by talking instead of working with others. In order to curb this behavior, I have set up some strictly no-talking time so that they can get their work finished. However, many of the students are still talking during this time. I am also at times disappointed by the amount of effort put into student work. We have talked about how to complete work at a satisfactory level, but some are still finishing quickly instead of putting thought and time into their answers. I would like to ask that you have a talk at home about putting forth the best effort possible. I am trying to change things around in order for students to be more productive. 

You'll see Class Dojo reports come home in Tuesday folders. These are behavior reports that show how your child did in class for the week (last week). It comes with a code so you can sign up and see your child's daily behavior. Please review these and sign and return them to school on Wednesday. As always, feel free to contact me at any time with any questions or concerns.

Also, we have had a problem with math homework being completed but not turned in. The last couple of weeks, we've only had 6 or 7 turn in their homework. Thank you for reminding your students to turn their work in - all students turned it in on Friday! Woohoo!

Now, let's take a look at the work for the week. We were blessed to have a no-test week last week, but that is not the case for this week! We are looking at three tests this week. Next week, students will have a reading test on figurative language. 

This Week
  • Mon, 11/10: Math homework given out (due on Friday); ELA homework (due tomorrow)
  • Wed, 11/12: Shurley English Chapter 4 Test
  • Thurs, 11/13: Social Studies WWI Test
  • Fri, 11/14: Math homework due; Math Test (multiplying and dividing decimals)

Reading/ELA
Standards
  • RL.5.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
Activities
  • Figurative Language Warm-Up Page 1 Read the paragraphs and answer the questions.
  • Simile & Metaphor Packet Read each sentence. Identify the figurative phrase and its meaning.
  • “Grandma’s Garden” Figurative Language Puzzle Read Grandma’s Garden. Using the puzzle sheet that goes with it, go back and find each example of figurative language in the story. In the top puzzle piece, write the type of figurative language. In the puzzle piece on the right, explain the actual (literal) meaning of the figurative phrase.  
What We're Reading
  • "Grandma's Garden"
  • One for the Murphy's
What We're Writing
  • Stories with figurative language (primarily similes and metaphors)
English
  • Starting Shurley English Chapter 4 
  • Grammar: compound subjects, compound verbs, and compound objects of prepositions
  • Skills: Types of sentences - simple, fragment, simple with a compound subject, simple with a compound verb
  • Test: Wednesday

Mathematics 
Standards
NBT.7 Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction; relate the strategy to a written method and explain the reasoning used.  

The test for this standard is THIS FRIDAY. We will be practicing multiplying and dividing decimals daily to prepare for our assessment. 
Activities
  • NBT.7 Choice Board Students will be able to choose from a variety of activities to complete from this standard. 
  • Decimal Practice Packet Students have two pages of review for multiplying and dividing with decimals.
  • Workbook pages/Performance Tasks Some students will be working out of their enVision workbooks, and others will be completing practice performance tasks for the test on Friday.
  • IXL – Dividing Decimals Please master all of these: H.13, I.3, I.5
Homework
This week, we have some 4th grade and 5th grade review on the front of the homework. On the back, students will be able to practice dividing decimals. 

Social Studies
My homeroom is back with me for the one more week to wrap up our WWI unit!
Standards
SS5H4 The student will describe U.S. involvement in World War I and post-World War I America. 
  1. Explain how German attacks on U.S. shipping during the war in Europe (1914- 1917) ultimately led the U.S. to join the fight against Germany; include the sinking of the Lusitania and concerns over safety of U.S. ships, U.S. contributions to the war, and the impact of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. 
Activities
  • Read about military families and the tradition of honoring our veterans (for Veterans Day)
  • Read about and discuss the end of the war
  • Complete a study guide and review activity
Test: This Thursday
0 Comments

Week of 11/3

11/2/2014

0 Comments

 
Dear families,

Can you BELIEVE it is November already? I'm just in awe of how quickly this year is passing by! It's also hard to believe that we only have three weeks of school until Thanksgiving Break. (Then three weeks after that until Christmas... it really just blows my mind!)

Be sure you flip through the slideshow above with all the pictures from our Pumpkin Day last Friday! Thanks to all the moms who brought us lunch and helped roast pumpkin seeds. And also a big thank you to all the parents and grandparents who delivered pumpkins! We couldn't have had such a fun day without the support of our wonderful families!

Another big THANKS to everyone who sent in coats for our coat drive in October. We, along with Mrs. Weiser's class, delivered 38 coats (and 30 lunches made by Mrs. Hawkins's students) to New Walk Ministry last week. They operate the Facebook page "Homeless in Gainesville, Ga." Here's a picture they posted of a man who received one of our coats. My students (along with Mrs. Weiser's students) wrote notes to go on the coats - notes with encouraging words. I loved receiving this picture; look at him reading the note of encouragement while wearing a coat he'd been given - it really filled my bucket!
Picture
We are going to do a sock drive for NEW socks in the month of November. Any kind of thick, wooly, or fuzzy pair of socks would be greatly appreciated! We will deliver those on November 18th. 

Well, as you may know, the learning never stops in 5th grade. Fortunately for all of us, though, this week is a little less chaotic than the last couple of weeks; however, there's still lots of learning taking place. Let's take a look at what's happening.


This Week
  • Mon, 11/3: Math homework given out (due on Friday)
  • Fri, 11/7: Math homework due; Chick-Fil-A breakfast sandwiches, $2.50

Reading/ELA
Standards
  • RL.5.4. Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.
Activities
  • Party in Room 302: Tasks A and B Read the story "Party in Room 302." For task A, identify all the instances of figurative language. For task B, explain what some of the examples mean. 
  • StoryWorks “Like Magic” (October 2014) Read the entire story. After reading it, find the 3 similes on page 22. On a sheet of notebook paper, write down the sentence that has the simile, underline the simile, and tell what it means. Do this for all 3 similes.
  • RL.4 Choice Board Complete one activity for each letter: READ. Color in the square for the activity you’ve chosen.
  • Figurative Language Task Cards Choose some of the activities on these cards to complete. Some of them are tough! Be sure your thinking cap is on.
  • Study Island Take the figurative language test on Study Island. Take your time and think carefully! This will show me what you know.
What We're Reading
  • "Princess Penelope"
  • "Party in Room 302"
  • "Like Magic"
  • One for the Murphy's
What We're Writing
  • Stories with figurative language (primarily similes and metaphors)
English
  • Starting Shurley English Chapter 4 
  • Grammar: compound subjects, compound verbs, and compound objects of prepositions
  • Skills: Types of sentences - simple, fragment, simple with a compound subject, simple with a compound verb
  • Test next week

Mathematics
Standards
NBT.7 Add, subtract, multiply, and divide decimals to hundredths, using concrete models or drawings and strategies based on place value, properties of operations, and/or the relationship between addition and subtraction; relate the strategy to a written method and explain the reasoning used.  

We are going to continue reviewing and practicing multiplying with decimals, but this week, we are introducing dividing with decimals. 
Activities
  • Divide Decimals Page Front and back. Show your work on paper and staple it to your paper when you’ve finished. Check your work by multiplying!
  • Solve the Riddle! Solve the division problems to find what number goes with each word. Then enter each word in the spaces below to find out the riddle.
  • NBT.6 Task Cards Complete at least 3 problems for each operation: addition, subtraction, multiplying, and dividing. Show your work on paper. Keep that to turn in with this menu board. 
  • IXL – Dividing Decimals Please master all of these: H.13, I.3, I.5
Homework
This week, we have some 4th grade and 5th grade review on the front of the homework. The back of the homework has 9 problems - 6 multiplying with decimals problems, and 3 problems with dividing decimals. 

Social Studies
My homeroom is back with me for the next two weeks! We'll begin studying World War 1 this week! The kids are very excited.
Standards
SS5H4 The student will describe U.S. involvement in World War I and post-World War I America. 
  1. Explain how German attacks on U.S. shipping during the war in Europe (1914- 1917) ultimately led the U.S. to join the fight against Germany; include the sinking of the Lusitania and concerns over safety of U.S. ships, U.S. contributions to the war, and the impact of the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. 
Activities
  • Watch BrainPop video on WWI; discuss the background to the war
  • Read and write about military alliances; color a WWI alliances map
  • Watch videos about the sinking of the Lusitania and read about how it prompted the US to enter WWI
  • Read about and discuss home life during WWI
Test: Next week
0 Comments
    Picture

    Mrs. Dallas Thompson

    5th grade teacher. Wife. Mother. Book lover. Pinterest addict. Twitter enthusiast.


    HELP OUT

    Want to volunteer in your child's classroom? Click the "Volunteer!" button below to sign up!
    Volunteer! 
    volunteer

    SIGN UP TO RECEIVE FREE TEXT MESSAGE REMINDERS

    Picture
    To receive messages via text, text @hr1415 to the phone number listed above. You can unsubscribe at any time. 

    FOLLOW ME

    Picture
    Follow our class page on Instagram. I'll post pictures and classroom challenges for students and families!
    @mrsthompsonteaches

    Picture

    SCHEDULE

    7:25 Morning Work
    7:30 FOCUS
    8:25 Activity
    9:20 Science/Social Studies
    10:10 Math
    11:20 Reading Warmup
    11:30 Recess
    11:50 Independent Reading
    12:13 Lunch
    12:45 Reading/ELA
    2:05 Read Aloud
    2:25 Dismissal

    SCHOOL CALENDAR

    Picture

    Reading Bowl 2014-2015

    The Boy on the Wooden Box
    The Cheshire Cheese Cat
    Chomp*
    Eight Keys*
    Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's 
       Library
    The False Prince*
    The Lions of Little Rock*
    Mountain Dog*
    Michael Vey*
    Navigating Early
    One for the Murphys*
    Rump*
    Serafina's Promise*
    Three Times Lucky*
    The True Blue Scouts of 
       Sugar Man Swamp
    Ungifted*
    *Indicates titles that Mrs. Thompson has read.

    Archives

    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013


    RSS Feed



Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.