Rockhopper Reminders: June 2014

Rockhopper Reminders
June News


Mark Your Calendars:
Thursday, June 5th: 4 / 5 Band Assembly @ 6:30 p.m.
Friday, June 6th: Lunch on the Lawn!
Friday, June 6th: Pajama Day
Wednesday, June 11th: Trip to the Exploratorium
Wednesday, June 25th: Last day of school. Dismissal is 12:30
Wednesday, June 25th: Report Cards go home

Curriculum Flash!
Language Arts:
In language arts we are reading and studying the novel of Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes by Eleanor Coerr. In addition to classroom reading and discussion, we’ve had a chance to build our background knowledge of WWII and the roles of both the United States and Japan during this war. We’ve been learning about Japanese culture, doing poetry studies, and writing written responses connecting us to our literature. In addition to reading our class novel, students are reading and preparing for our literature circle discussions. Our last two sessions are this week. A BIG thank you to the parents who have given up their time volunteering to lead literature circle groups this year!

Students are putting the final touches on their Camp Koinonia Science Camp essays and have begun writing their “Element” essays for science. We will begin compiling our writing and composing our end-of-year Writing Anthologies in the next week.

Math:
4th grade:
Our measurement unit has begun! Students were able to apply what they learned from their fractions and decimals unit directly to their understanding of measurement. Last week, students practiced measuring accurately to the quarter inch. Their understanding of fractional equivalents and decimals was very handy, in being able to round and convert to an accurate measurement. Students then were able to create line plots using the measurements from different objects. This week we are continuing and developing our understanding of capacity and weight. We will also practice conversions between metric and standard forms of measurement. Our unit will wrap up with our Fabulous and Fun Measurement Extravaganza on Friday, June 6! The rest of the school year will be spent on the application of earlier learned geometric concepts.

5th grade:
We covered the key fifth grade standards in geometry, and have now begun a study in statistics. In the upcoming weeks we will discuss various ways of displaying data, make observations and predictions about the data, and infer future trends. We will solve problems related to central tendencies, learn the appropriate use of different kinds of graphs, and take notes on related vocabulary. We will end the year with a business simulation, called BIZ World. In it, students will first register their bracelet making companies with the State. In turn, they will receive shares that they will use to raise capital. Next, they will design, produce, and market their product. This will culminate in a final marketing campaign and a bazaar, where bracelets will be sold to the fourth graders using “biz bucks”. This experience not only helps students understand the applications of real world math, but they have great fun throughout the process!

Just a final note on student placement in middle school math class - we do not know and will not know in what class your child will be placed. Please know that most all students have been placed in the appropriate math class in the past, so this year we expect the same

Social Studies:
We hope you all enjoyed the 13 Colonies Presentations. This is the first year that students used Google Sites, created pages, and did oral presentations using their site. We are proud of their thorough research, the timeline they created adding video clips, and pictures, and most importantly, their appreciation of the present because they know that people in the past made many sacrifices to change the laws, to establish democratic ideals, and to protect some basic rights. We will now move forward to another exciting part of the US History - The American Revolution! We have begun learning about the causes - what led to the revolution, what life was like during the Revolution, and some important historic figures and events during the period. We are very proud that we have been successful in meeting the social studies standards using a variety of methods, integrating technology, having students research, doing a museum walk, learning the States and Capitals, and concluding the curriculum with the Revolution!

Science:
We want to commend our students for doing such a wonderful job on their Element presentations. All of our students worked collaboratively to research, plan and present their “commercials” at Open House. Now our science classes will take their research and create an essay with a bibliography citing the sources that were used to create their Open House commerical. For the remainder of the year, our science students will spend time working on enrichment activities that will incorporate the science concepts that were learned this year.

Human Growth & Development- 5th graders only!
This week and next, all fifth grade students, with the exception of those who may have opted out, will begin learning the final unit in science, Human Growth and Development. This curriculum is developed by the district and is based on grade level standards. During this time, all fourth grade students will be engaged in extension projects.

Mystery State Clues:
If all this state's rivers and streams were laid end-to-end, they could circle the globe at the equator.
At one point in time, this state was part of the territories of Indiana, Illinois, and Michigan.
This state is a leading producer of milk and cheese.
The large number of lead miners in this state who spent most of their time digging underground earned this state the nickname the "Badger State."
This state borders two of the Great Lakes: Michigan and Superior.
Which state is it?