No homework yesterday and no post--I was out for the day. Our post is a little late tonight! Many students have science for homework tonight--it is a fun assignment we did about specialized structures. Students should invent three unique specialized structures for an insect, humanoid, or animal-like creature from the planet Wakyabi. Most of the work for this should be done as we had about thirty minutes of class time.

No homework tomorrow, but I will post early in the day with the link to scholastic. I didn't realize I had to enable online ordering each month until a parent clued me in that it wasn't working. I meant to bring the codes home tonight and forgot, so I promise to send that out tomorrow! We recieved FIVE free book coupons for last month's online orders...woohoo! Enough for a new literature circle novel. Thank you parents and students saving allowance.

Some students have a homework practice sheet, but most do not. Study, study for tomorrow's test!!!

Acrostic by Abi Durham

Acrostic by Cache Arbon

Just spelling tonight! Study for our test Thursday.

Tonight we just have a short spelling practice. See you at conferences this week. Parents, your student has a paper with your appointment on it if you weren't able to make an appointment online.

No weekend homework! Grades will be fully up to date later this weekend. Hopefully your child shared the access codes and note from the fifth grade team stating that it isn't quite ready. L.A. is close to accurate, but science isn't quite there. I wanted to spotlight some awesome student work. Here are a few samples of poetry:

Haiku by Morgan Schmakski

Poem from the heart by: Angela Littlefield

Cinquain by Jakob Roundy

Limerick by Kristin Peters

Stay tuned for more!!!

Some students have no homework tonight! Parents, ask your student to see their practice test. We finished ITBS today, woohoo! Tomorrow we have an assembly from Front Runner and I will be passing out codes to check the gradebook at home. I know some teachers gave them out yesterday and you are probably anxious to get them, however our gradebooks were just set up this week. I have been tracking grades in a free online program and all I have to do is transfer them over. Mr. Garrido and I preferred to pass them out when you can actually log in and see something accurate.

Tonight is the last night for homework if you get 100% on the pre-test tomorrow. Happy studying...it is such awesome training to get into!

*Scholastic order should be here soon. I put in our order on the 11th and it usually takes a week for them to arrive.

Tonight's h.w. was a spelling and vocab. practice. Come prepared and only two more nights of h.w. to play homeworkopoly! We will continue ITBS tests tomorrow and our horse heredity/ family tree projects.

Tonight's homework

All students have a practice page for spelling and vocabulary. This program wouldn't let me copy and paste our word lists, so I will email a copy out tonight.

Some students are still finishing the cinquain poem. Students, make sure to do your final copy in pen and include a quality colorful picture. We have had parts of three class days to work on this, so it should be in the final stages.

The afternoon class had an additional assignment. I asked students a VERY broad question about how they use class time and I am looking for a paragraph (at least) answer. It has been a struggle to get focused in the afternoon for the majority of students (which is typical) and I am interested to see some things that students share. It will be a good conversation starter so that our class can problem solve and begin to use our time more effectively because we have so much good stuff to learn. There is no time to waste!

Book orders should arrive soon. We had a great turn out and the company gives us points for every order. We are working on getting some interesting books together for literature circles later in the year.

If you have embroidery floss that you aren't using we would love to take it off your hands. Please don't worry about going out and buying anything, though. We are doing a cool yarn painting project lead by Mrs. Roundy who just taught about Grandma Moses.

• Today we worked on our cinquain poetry, started the poetry reading contest, and practiced spelling.
• Tonight's h.w.--Practice spelling (write words missed on the pre-test 10x each)
• Book orders due tommorow
• Parents: Don't forget to schedule parent teacher conferences online using the directions your child brought home yesterday. We look forward to seeing you!!!

Tonight's h.w.: Spelling and Vocabulary. Study, study tonight so that you will get 100% on the pre-test tomorrow! Tonight will be your last h.w. night of the week if you ace the pre-test, too.

Tonight's homework is the spelling w.s. titled "Spelling and Writing." Study your words because it is a short week.

*Book orders due to me by Friday. Let me know if you want to do an online order and need help.

Thursday and Friday

Hola! I missed posting earlier today, but wanted to update everyone for the weekend. Hopefully everyone practiced the spelling words missed on the pre-test this evening. Every Thursday night the only homework will be writing each word missed 10 times. Tomorrow we will have our quiz and there will be no homework over the weekend.

Book orders

Book orders are due Friday, September 11 and there are some great deals for as inexpensive as $1. You can now order online! Every online order (no matter how small) gets our class a free book. I would like to use our points to order some great books for literature circles this year. Literature circles will allow us to read at least one more novel this year and allow for differentiation by interest and/or ability. I plan to do it with or without points, but it will help with cost. To order online go to www.scholastic.com/bookclubs.
Username: mrsvillastrigosclass
Password: ndpa

Thursday night

Tonight could be your last night of homework for the week! Study hard and you will ace the practice test tomorrow. All those who get 100% will be exempt from the test Friday. We gave Haikus back to everyone today--don't forget to improve yours if it didn't quite fit the grading criteria. Those will be due tomorrow along with the family tree, which should be about finished. Tomorrow we will analyze the poetic devices used in some poetry.

Tuesday

I missed yesterday's blog! We are doing great anyway...at least 90% return rate on homework so far.

Tonight's homework: Spelling and Vocabulary practice page and some students may have questions about family members to help them complete their mini family tree tomorrow.

*Reminder* pictures are tomorrow. The smallest package is $7.50 and they go up into the mid 20s for larger packages. If your child lost the envelope one from home is fine. Even if you don't order pictures, a picture will be taken for the year book.