Friday, June 15, 2012      

Last Day of School

8:00AM             Clean-up and Return Textbooks

9:00 AM             Awards Assembly in O’Grady Hall

10:00AM           Dismissal

50 States, Capitals, and Abbreviations

Western Region – Week 1	Midwest Region – Week 2
State: AlaskaCapital: Juneau Abbreviation: AK	State: North DakotaCapital:Bismarck Abbreviation: ND
State: HawaiiCapital: Honolulu Abbreviation: HI	State: South DakotaCapital:Pierre Abbreviation: SD
State: CaliforniaCapital: Sacramento Abbreviation: CA	State: NebraskaCapital: Lincoln Abbreviation: NE
State: OregonCapital: Salem Abbreviation: OR	State:KansasCapital:Topeka Abbreviation: KS
State: WashingtonCapital: Olympia Abbreviation: WA	State:MinnesotaCapital: St. Paul Abbreviation: MN
State: IdahoCapital: Boise Abbreviation: ID	State: IowaCapital: Des Moines Abbreviation: IA
State: UtahCapital: Salt Lake City Abbreviation: UT	State:MissouriCapital: Jefferson City Abbreviation: MO
State: ArizonaCapital: Phoenix Abbreviation: AZ	State: WisconsinCapital: Madison Abbreviation: WI
State: MontanaCapital: Helena Abbreviation: MT	State: IllinoisCapital:Springfield Abbreviation:IL
State: WyomingCapital: Cheyenne Abbreviation: WY	State:IndianaCapital: Indianapolis Abbreviation: IN
State: ColoradoCapital: Denver Abbreviation: CO	State: MichiganCapital: Lansing Abbreviation: MI
State: New MexicoCapital: Santa Fe Abbreviation:NM	State: OhioCapital: Columbus Abbreviation: OH

Northeast Region – Week 3	Southern Region – Week 4
State: MaineCapital: Augusta Abbreviation: ME	State: VirginiaCapital: Richmond Abbreviation: VA
State: New HampshireCapital: Concord Abbreviation: NH	State: West VirginiaCapital: Charleston Abbreviation: WV
State: VermontCapital: Montpelier Abbreviation: VT	State: KentuckyCapital: Frankfort Abbreviation:KY
State: New YorkCapital: Albany Abbreviation: NY	State: TennesseeCapital: Nashville Abbreviation: TN
State: PennsylvaniaCapital: Harrisburg Abbreviation: PA	State: MississippiCapital: Jackson Abbreviation: MS
State: MassachusettsCapital: Boston Abbreviation: MA	State:AlabamaCapital: Montgomery Abbreviation: AL
State: Rhodes IslandCapital: Providence Abbreviation: RI	State: GeorgiaCapital: Atlanta Abbreviation: GA
State: ConnecticutCapital: Hartford Abbreviation: CT	State: South CarolinaCapital: Columbia Abbreviation: SC
State: New JerseyCapital: Trenton Abbreviation: NJ	State: North CarolinaCapital: Raleigh Abbreviation: NC
Southern Region	State: FloridaCapital: Tallahassee Abbreviation: FL
State: DelawareCapital: Dover Abbreviation: DE	State: LouisianaCapital: Baton Rouge Abbreviation: LA
State: MarylandCapital: Annapolis Abbreviation: MD	State: ArkansasCapital: Little Rock Abbreviation: AR

Southern Region

State: OklahomaCapital: Oklahoma City Abbreviation: OK

State: TexasCapital: Austin Abbreviation: TX

Science Fair

Steps for the Science Fair Project (Due April 18th, 2012)

Choose your topic (Earth Science, Life Science, or Physical Science)

1. Choose a problem and then state the problem as a question.
2. Research your topic – you will need a minimum of three references only two may be from the Internet. Complete a reference card for each reference.

Reference Cards (must contain the following information)

1. Title of book, article, or Internet site
2. Author or name of the person, persons, or organization
3. Publisher or name of the publishing company and city
4. Date of Publication / Copyright if an Internet source you will also need the date viewed the site
5. Pages Used (page numbers) or Web address
1. Form a Hypothesis – make a prediction about what you believe will happen or what you wish to prove
2. Design an experiment – make a plan for how best to test your hypothesis
3. Test your Hypothesis – Conduct the experiment and keep detailed records of what is happening during the experiment or over time (pictures, charts, or notes)
4. Organize your data – take the details or notes you kept during the experiment and create graphs that will visually explain the experiment and data collected
5. Draw a conclusion – Analyze your data and summarize the results or findings.
6. Design a Science Fair Project display board to visually share the data using Steps of the Scientific Method
7. Present your findings to the class and attend the Science Fair

All above items are due on April 18, 2012

 

Black History Month

Black History Month 

Due: Tuesday, February 6, 2012

Black History Month started in the United States in 1926. February had been decided upon because it was the birth month of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Abraham Lincoln was the U.S. President who freed the slaves and Frederick Douglass was a black man who helped to smuggle slaves out of the South through  the “underground railroad.”

African Americans are descendants of the only group of people who did not come to America looking for freedom and a better place to live. They were captured by slave-traders and transported by force.

To further understand  and appreciate the struggles that were instrumental in shaping a culture and a country, students will research and African-American who has made a significant impact on American History.

Step 1. Using the research question handout sheet as your guide, research each of the six questions.

Step 2. Write one paragraph for each question making sure to address all of the ideas listed.

Step 3. Draw or print graphic sources that will help support the written information.

Step 4. Neatly, organize the information into a flipbook (flipbook will be provided).

Step 5. Present the information to the class.

Colonial Project

Exploring Colonial Life Research Project

Students will choose an occupation from the colonial period to investigate further. This research project is designed to guide students in researching key ideas, issues, and events using more than one resource (media sources, books, magazines, textbook).

 Step 1 Choose a colonial occupation, such as apothecary, basketmaker, blacksmith,cabinetmaker, carpenter & joiner, cooper, foodways, gunsmith & founder, milliner, printer & binder, rural trades, shoemaker, silversmith, tailor, weaver, wheelwright, wigmaker

Step 2 Review what you have already learned about colonial life by asking some questions.

1. How did they learn this trade?

2. What tools did they use?

3.

4.

5.

Step 3 Use the above questions during computer lab to guide your research. While in the computer lab go to Colonial Williamsburg and click on “history”. Then in the left column click on “Life” and then “Trades”.  A list of colonial trades will appear. Click on your occupation, read the entire article, and write down important information summarizing the details that you would like to include in your report on a note card.

Once you have complete the above activity you can view further information regarding you colonial occupation. Click on “Multimedia” and then “Trade” in the left column and you will have a short slideshow of you colonial occupation.

Bibliography

Author. “Title of Web Page.” Title of the Site. Editor. Date and/or Version Number. Name of Sponsoring Institution. Date of Access <URL>.

“Colonial Williamsburg Trades.” Colonial Williamsburg. Colin Campbell.

2001. © 2010 The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation | 7 Dec. 2010.

http://www.history.org/Almanack/life/trades/tradehdr.cfm

Step 4 Use the textbook, library book, or another Internet source to further research information on your topic. Write down the important information on a note card summarizing the details that you will use. One note card is needed for each source.

Bibliography

Book with one author:

1. Author.

1. Title of book.(underlined)

1. City of publication:
2. Publisher, date of publication. Walker, Niki.  Colonial Women.  New
3.     York:  Crabtree Publishing Company, 2003.

Book with two authors:

1. Authors, in order they are listed on the title page.

1. Title of book. (underlined)

1. City of publication:
2. Publisher, date of publication. Ride, Sally and Tam O’Shaughnessy.  Exploring Our Solar System.  New York:
3.     Crown Publishers, 2003.

Step 5 Write a two-page essay describing the occupation, develop the topic with simple facts, details, examples, and explanations.  Include pictures or graphic sources that will make your research report more interesting.

Step 6 Next design a “shop front” for the building where the profession is practiced. Models should be no larger than a small shoebox, and depict the shop, goods, and wares that they made and sold. We will use the stores to create a colonial village around the “common” or grass area the villagers shared. (due on or before 1/6/2012).

Step 7 Wear a costume or make a simple prop and present your report to the class as the colonial individual. Note cards maybe used, but the report may not be read. Written reports and oral presentations are due1/10/2012.

Welcome

I would like to welcome you and your child to 5th grade. I realize that teaching your child is a privilege, as well as a tremendous responsibility. I will do my best this year to ensure that each student has a motivating and safe learning experience in the classroom. However, as partners in the learning process I need your help encouraging your child at home by helping to ensure that they have completed their assignments, and help them study for quizzes and tests as necessary.

Fifth grade is a time when more is expected of each individual than in previous grades. Students will learn to broaden their understanding and be ready to engage in higher level thinking skills in reading, writing, and mathematical concepts including problem solving, geometry, and algebra. Students need to recognize the importance of actively preparing for assignments, quizzes, and tests.

Please know homework is an essential part of each learning day. Homework reinforces previous lessons and provides opportunities for students to practice newly learned concepts. Time is allotted everyday for students to copy homework assignments from the board. Please take a moment each night to review homework assignments with your child. Homework will not be given on Fridays except for special projects and reading. The grade level homework policy is listed in the Parent/Student Handbook.

It is my goal that every child has a great learning experience. Please fill free to contact me at 310-322-4218 ext.225 or by email at elaine.shawcross@stanthony-school.org.

Reading List

Fifth Grade Reading List 

April

From the Mixed-Up Files of Basil E. Frankweiler    13                                   700

by E.L. Konigsburg

May

Everything On A Waffle By Polly Horvath                  8                                     950

June 

 Maniac Magee By Jerry Spinelli                                    15                                       820