Running for Council

TODAY WAS A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!Today the whole grade sat in the hall to learn about student council! If child is intrested have them show you the student counsil sign up sheet. You will need to sign the permisson slip, and your child will have to write or type a page about why they should be elected. Also what would they change about Woodbrook school(THEY DO HAVE TO HAVE GOOD BEHAVIOR!!!) things that are good are taking away the sign in sheet put lines on the soccer field.things that are not good are I will add soda I will have school stop at 9:00. The sign up sheet and your speech is due monday.Have a great day!!!:)
by Griffin

Show Me How

Yesterday's training for Everyday Math proved to be really good. I found out a lot of great information, as well as some terrific resources to pass along to you--especially those who often suffer nightly on account of Everyday Math and some of their unique methods.

First off, the kids now have cards that will allow them to log onto the website and play the games and such, but probably the best thing of all is the interactive Student Resource Book. They can access it, see demonstrations of problems being done, and even have it read aloud to them.

Log in here for the Everyday Math online! We played some of the games and began exploring triangles and degrees today--like I told the kids, it's a hodgepodge kind of a math chapter this time, but at least we're going to be exposing them to a wide variety of things.

I will give the kids their cards with their login and password tomorrow. I started to do it today, but couldn't get them cut out in time!

Training Wheels

You know, I did get a lot of good information today about the Everyday Math program, including some things you can do online. Look for links to this as well as our TCI Social Studies stuff on this very blog soon.

I haven't been back to the school to see the guest teacher's report on how the kids did today. Let's hope it's a good one!

Under the Stars

Today we continued on with Social Studies, Reading, and we started in with astronomy in Science. The kids were anxious to get started on this one, and I'm also really excited about it. I love to teach astronomy. One thing that I really like about teaching astronomy at this time of year is that it's set to culminate with our trip to Camp Tecumseh--one month from now, by the way! Camp Tecumseh is the one time we will all be together as a class at night time, so (keep your fingers crossed) we will be able to see the stars and the moon phase and all that astronomical stuff at that time.

I'm going to Camp T this Saturday, and I'm thankful that some of you are too. It should be a great day!

Have a stupendous week, everyone!

The Best Lessons

During Math today, I assigned the kids a few pages in their Math Journals, and then told them that when they were finished, they could play Math games. While I was sitting there at my desk grading journals, I listened in while they played the games.

It was maybe the first time during this school year that I had just let them go and released all control to them to do their thing. Listening in on all of their interactions, all of their idle talk while playing these games, I was smiling to myself the whole time. So funny, so innocent, and so genuinely enjoyable to overhear. I thought, "I love my job."

Hope everyone has a great Friday and an even better weekend.

Testing 1...2...3...Go!

Today was another great day at 5-1!!! Today we started our new Social Studies unit! our new Social Studies unit is called How and why new Europeans came to the new world. Tomorrow we have a math test, states and capitals test, and a spelling test. Make sure you study and also do your homework! Which is by the way a DOL which approximately has 23 mistakes. Our new science unit is up in a few weeks is astronomy!!! Today we also had Mrs. Haberfield's class come down and play math games with us, we really like having guests in 5-1 ! During math today way did four pages and then played chopsticks.
Thank you and have a good day!
p.s.Ally and Griffin are awesome for writing this!

But Will My Head Be Able to Fit Through That Door?

Great job by the kids on today's Social Studies test! Very cool! Now I know just how much I can challenge them...and just wait til we get to the good stuff in Social Studies!

Received a very nice compliment from a mom the other day with a connection to the special education class. She said that my helpers are the best helpers they've had in years. Hardly surprising, but what a wonderful thing to hear about some kids that I already knew were wonderful. Somehow it just makes me happy knowing that they're receiving some recognition from the other side of the 5-1 door.

Twisted Test Week

Today we reviewed our social studies test for tomorrow. Make sure you have your kid study for their social studies test TOMORROW!!!!!! We practiced our math where with every problem they read I read a story to them. For their social studies test they need to know the American Indians tribes, where they live,what they hunted basically whats on the study guide. test is tomorrow!On the math test you have to know mode,median,mean,minimum,maximum,range and vocab. The vocab words are sum,difference, product, quotient, dividend, divisor, and factor. And do not stress on the tests. Well I think that's all, Oh!!! hang on remember tomorrow is color day were black for 5th grade. Otherwise have a great day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Griffin G.

Sunday Monday Happy Days

Read and think. Seems appropriate to me on a day of testing. Something to consider, at least.

Okay, now I finally have the lowdown on the rest of the week's Homecoming spirit days:

• Tuesday: Cowboy/Cowgirl Day. Man, I'm left wondering who does have an outfit for this one. I think I'll be improvising myself.
• Wednesday: Color Day, and our color for the fifth grade is black. If my class looks good enough, maybe I'll train them in the ways of the ninja. Okay, kidding.
• Thursday: Jersey Day. Which shall it be? Baseball, football, basketball, badminton...
  
• Friday: Blue and Gold Day.
  

Come Right to School As You Are

Hey, just a quick reminder that Monday is pajama day at Woodbrook. Actually, I'm pretty sure this one extends across all of Carmel Clay, because it's Homecoming Week! So get your cheering voices ready and prepare for a fun week around school.

I don't know the other days, yet, actually. And a quick web search turns up nothing, so I'll put the rest of the week up on Monday as soon as I know the days. Wow, that's going to make six days in a row of the kids wearing wacky costumes--the seventh and final "crazy" day will be them wearing normal clothes again...

Flying Dutchmen

Aaargh, me maties! Admittedly, for Talk Like a Pirate Day, we did very little talking like pirates. We did look good, though.

As I promised my Math class, though, here is what your kids can work on for next Friday's test:

Adding and subtracting with and without decimals
Multiplying with either the lattice method or by traditional means
Mode, median, mean, maximum, minimum, and range

There will also be a vocabulary section on this test. Your kids will need to know:

sum
difference
product
quotient
dividend
factor
divisor

Happy weekend!

Captain Crunch

Hello there! Tomorrow is many things:

1. Constitution Day! We will be learning all about the Constitution, the rights it gives us, and the responsibilities it bestows on us as well.
   
2. Talk Like a Pirate Day is tomorrow! I told the kids they weren't allowed to go and buy expensive costumes, so please don't!
3. The Spelling test!
4. Cereal box book report due date!
   

Can You Spell "Pirate"?

Today we all got through three tests, states and capitals the reading test (that one you can not study for) and the not horrible cursive test. Today we learned in math lattice method in math. I sent home a social studies study guide that the kids are to do and turn in Monday the test is next Wednesday. Other ways it was a great day.

This was the first student-written blog entry of the school year. Thank you, Griffin!

Today was a bit of a mad-house at the end, but it was a pretty good day in the end. Here's a bit of business from Mr. Vahle:

Anyone interested in trying out for this year's Spell Bowl team are encouraged to come down to the tryouts on Thursday, September 23rd from 12:00 to 1:00. This would be during the school day during lunch. Woodbrook's Spell Bowl Team has an awesome record and it will be a very worthwhile activity to do if you're interested.

I sent home a study guide for next Wednesday's Social Studies test. As I told the kids today, I like to put an essay question on the end of each test.

And this FRIDAY (yes, as in two days from now, I keep forgetting this...) is Talk Like a Pirate Day! The kids can even come dressed like pirates! Of course, we will have to have our usual Friday business, so I guess I'll be giving the Spelling Test as a pirate...

I think that's all for now, but be on the lookout for more news soon.

Take care!

Mr. C

Impending Test of Social Studies Skills

What a great day we had today! It was just a fun one (okay, for me, at least) for some reason. I hope it was for them too.

The biggie for today is that it is my goal (goal) to get the kids their Social Studies study guide by tomorrow. The test itself is planned for next Wednesday. The students will have to fill this out themselves, so take a couple days and go over that with them. Hopefully they've been learning some time management skills with this book report project. I promise this is the first and last cereal box report we'll be doing, but the others should allow for some creativity as well.

Hope everyone is having a most tremendous Tuesday.

So Make the Best of This Test and Don't Ask Why

Next Monday is our InView testing, so it is important not to have any appointments or anything at all during the day that day. This isn't ISTEP, and it's not a test that any child can study for, or anything like that. You can just make sure your child gets a good night of sleep and get them here to school on that day, September 20. This is just a district-wide test for the fifth grade, something like an IQ test.

Needless to say, we want everyone in the right frame of mind before taking this--there will be stuff they know and stuff they don't know; it's just meant to be used as kind of a yardstick.

Have your child at school that day! Please!

Daily Blunder

Whoops! I said yesterday on the blog that the book report is due on Wednesday, the 15th. It is actually due on Friday--and I don't want them any time before that!

I actually had that date confused with the States and Capitals quiz over the Northeast. That is on Wednesday, while the book report is due on Friday.

Freaky Friday

Okay, so because of the shortened week, we didn't have a spelling test.

Mrs. Shearman's husband took a fall and had to go to the hospital on Thursday, so to help out both Mrs. Shearman and Mrs. Sommers (who was subbing), we invited her class to come over and learn about pronouns with us in the morning for a little while and then again for math games in the afternoon.

We didn't grade DOLs today, but we did get to see six very fine state presentations which took a little longer than we had planned (good thing we're so flexible). I wasn't about to put off letting everyone try some key lime pie courtesy of Gary and Brock's Florida travel guidance--made from key limes from Key Largo.

Also, we whacked a pinata.

So Fridays are sometimes a little bit off-kilter, but that's what makes them Fridays. Monday? Back to normal, for better or worse.

Remember that the book report project is due on Wednesday.

Plan of Action

What a productive day we had today! As I told the kids, on most days we accomplish about 2/3 of what I want to get done. Today is a day where we got everything finished early, but I won't complain about that.

I told the kids that I have some goals set for the foreseeable future as far as grammar lessons go. By the end of October, I want to have covered:

1. Nouns, verbs, linking verbs, adjectives, and adverbs
2. Subject/predicate
3. Possessives
4. Types of sentences (declarative, interrogative, exclamatory, and imperative)

And then by Winter Break:

1. Commas (all common uses) and semicolons
2. Conjunctions, predicate nouns, and predicate adjectives
3. Prepositions, prepositional phrases, dependent and independent clauses, and appositives

Wish us luck! This is in direct response to feedback from the middle school.

Hope to see everyone tonight!

Gone Are the Simple Times

Hey there! I think our "simple days" have come and gone, but at least things are more exciting around 5-1 than just about anywhere else other than a firehouse and maybe an ER.

1. The Camp Tecumseh meeting is tomorrow night at 7:00 in the Woodbrook cafeteria. I'm hoping this will be a quick meeting but will still answer any and all questions and concerns that you have about the trip. If you want to teach, we just may have special incentive for you, and we would like for you to go up to a special training at Camp Tecumseh on either September 11th, 18th, or on October 2nd. Come find out about this awesome trip tomorrow night, but please know that we will keep you in the loop with correspondence either way.
2. The book report project is due next Friday, September 17th. Ask your child about it if you haven't seen the papers for it!
3. Okay, there is more, but for now, I have to hightail. Please be in touch if you have any questions! I'm here for you!
   

Quick Details

Details for tomorrow:

1. There is a Caesar's English quiz!
2. There is a spelling test!
3. There is an optional States and Capitals test tomorrow (we reviewed them today, and the kids knew them pretty well). If they take it tomorrow, they get ten points extra credit for a 100% grade. They also have the option of taking it on Wednesday. With all these quizzes and tests, I wanted to give them the option.
   

Seeing the Forest for the Trees

Estimation is the name of the game in Math right now. This isn't always an easy thing to do--to take a step back from getting the exact right answer to really understanding what the numbers actually mean. I told them that estimating numbers of people in a crowd is hard for me, and different people struggle with different things.

A few bits of business from the PTO:

• There is a meeting for the Camp Tecumseh trip next Wednesday night at 7:00 in the cafeteria. Hope to see everyone there. This will include information about the trip and the accommodations as well as how you can be a vital part of making this trip work! This is a great trip; I just can't say that sufficiently to emphasize it enough. Fun! In the woods! Yeehaw!
• The PTO is also currently looking for a during-school enrichment coordinator for the fifth grade. Please contact me at jcarter1@ccs.k12.in.us if you would be interested in getting involved in this way.
  

In Social Studies, we've been learning about the pre-American natives, the land they lived on, and their way of living.

The kids will receive their book reports by Friday. I realize this is something that I've been putting off all week (unintentionally), and I apologize, not that you probably minded not having to help them through their book reports. Soon, I promise!