Aberg's Classroom Blog

Thanksgiving Holiday

I hope you didn't think I had forgotten you!  How could I forget to let you know that I am truly grateful for each and every one of you!  You make it a joy to come to school and I love that!  I also just wanted to take a moment to wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!  Eat lots of turkey! :)


November 19

Today, your child had to write for the 2nd school wide prompt, which was about being a celebrity. I'll let you know how your child scored when we return from break. I would like to remind you that the PTA has a fundraiser going on all month at Painted by Hue, where your kids can paint a holiday ornament for $8 that will be picked up by the PTA and hung on our tree in the lobby during the holiday season. A portion of the $8 comes right back to the school to help us purchase any holiday decorations we need to make the school look festive! I am attaching the flyer that went home in the kid's backpacks at the start of November. Painted by Hue has also offered to extend this event for us until December 5th! You can stop by to an make an ornament for the tree!

The 1st class that has 100% participation in this will win a tile painting party for their class, to be done at school! Wouldn't that be fun if OUR class won that?! I think so! We are on a roll...winning the Goldenbrush Award in Art out of the whole 5th grade TWICE and so, I'd love it if we could participate in this, too! This could be done prior to the holidays for a great keepsake, or during a class party throughout the year!!


Homework:

1. Math: lesson 5.10 (both sides)

2. Reading worksheet

3. Read 30 min. Download file "hue fundraiser flyer.txt"

Jazz for Kids by Kids message

We'll, it's finally hitting the airwaves!

A 30 minute radio series on Saturday mornings;
It's all about Jazz for kids by kids.

The series is called 'Keeping the Standards'
and it debuts tomorrow (Saturday Nov 1) at 8:06 am on WUCF Orlando
89.9FM; or listen anywhere in the world atwucf.org

It's a project to help keep Jazz alive by
stimulating interest in young children.

I hope you and the kids get a chance to tune in.
(If you don't have any kids, borrow a neighbor or small relative.)LOL!

I know there is a lot of competition
from Saturday Morning cartoons....
But that is the point! to give kids something fun and enriching (protein)
in addition to all those 'sweets' they get with empty calories for their minds. LOL!

Have a marvelous weekend,

D. Kenneth Jenkins
Producer, Saturday Morning Jazz for Breakfast
jazz4bfast@hotmail.com

Website address

Please take note that my website address has been changed to:http://teacher.ocps.net/josephine.aberg

On-line texts

Also, your child is able to access on-line the science and social studies textbooks through
www. pearsonsuccessnet.com
username: (1stinitial and last name) ex. jsmith
password: (my last name and the initials of their 1st and last name) ex. abergjs

November 18

Today we had a Mad Science demonstration on Sound during our science period. We have started our Literature Circles during reading and we hope to have: *Students develop vocabulary by listening to, reading, and discussing both familiar and conceptually challenging selections. *Students make inferences and draws conclusions regarding story elements of a grade-level or higher level text. *Students respond to literature by explaining how the motives of the characters and the causes of events compare with those of own life. *Students use strategies to respond to speakers (for example, asking questions, paraphrasing to confirm understanding, summarizing, making contributions, offering feedback). *Students use discussion strategies (for example, acting as a participant and leader; organizing information for a group; using evidence to support ideas). The books we have are Frindle, Number the Stars, The Hundrede Dresses, and The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane. The class chose what book they wanted to read and work on. By the 3rd week, I will assess their knowledge of the book through a final project.
Homework:
1. Math: Lesson 5.9
2. S.S. Chapter. 7 Lesson 1 questions on pg. 236
3. Read 30 min.
** Work on Cause/Effect situations from your Lit. Book

November 13

Here is a great math website for my fifth graders:

http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/me5l/html/Math5.html?launch=true

Today, I sent out your child's DRP scores and also, a Sea World Chaperone letter. Please look over these and return the Sea World form as soon as possible. Thank you!

Homework:

1. Math: Lesson 5.7

2. S.S.- Study for test tomorrow/parent signature on the study guide

3. Reading: Study for vocab. (eduplace.com), grammar skills: linking, main, and helping verbs, homophones, (chompchomp.com) and The Fear Place.

4. Read 30 min.

*Sunshine math due tomorrow

Oct.1

First, I would like to commend those of you dads that attended our FIRST All Pro Dads meeting!It was a huge and wonderful turnout!We loved that!Also, I would like to acknowledge one of our students that submitted her Symphony essay and WON tickets to the Festival of Orchestras symphony….Ashley!Great job!One of our very students also won tickets to the Magic game during the All Pro Dads meeting-wow!

Now moving on…I would like to share some great sites for grammar practice on singular and plural nouns:

http://www.quia.com/mc/67715.html

http://www.lovetolearnplace.com/Grammar/singular&pluralnouns.html#anchor1709890

http://www.softschools.com/language_arts/la_games.jsp

http://www.funbrain.com/plurals/index.html

and also for History on Parade.Your child can find more information on the following sites:

http://www.britannica.com/(Login: ocps and Password: orange)

http://www.nettrekker.com/(User Name: ocps1 and Password: ocps1)

www.biography.com

http://sunsite.berkeley.edu/KidsClick!

www.150.si.edu/150trav/remember/remember.htm (this is a website for inventors and inventions)

www.greatwomen.org

www.factmonster.com

www.wikipedia.org

http://www.worldbookonline.com(Login ID is stonelakes1 and the password is eagles)

Please utilize these helpful sites.Homework for this evening:

  1. Math:Lesson 3.3
  2. Lang. Arts:Complete grammar practice sheet
  3. S.S.:Complete note-taking (5-7 notes) for the first page-accomplishments and awards
  4. Read 30 min./ reading for research can DEFINITELY count!

Help support the reading growth of your child

"If you add a little to a little, and then do it again, soon that little shall be much." -Hesiod



Create a special workspace and schedule daily quiet time for your child to do his/her homework from school. Be sure this is a time you are available to help if needed.


2. Schedule 15 minutes of special time everyday to listen to your child read.


3. Go to the school library, public library, or to the local bookstore once each week and read a new book together. After you read each book, talk about how it is similar to other books you have read together.


4. Encourage reading fluency by having your child read and reread familiar books. It can also be helpful to have your child read a short passage over several times while you record the time it takes. Children often enjoy seeing if they can improve their time from one reading to the next, and the repeated reading helps to establish a habit of fluent reading.


5. Have him read a book to a younger sibling (or even to a pet), perhaps playing "teacher" and asking the brother or sister good questions as he reads.


6. Have your child tell you a new word he has learned every single day. This word could be from a book he is reading, something you or the teacher said, or even a conversation that he heard at school. Talk about what it means then make up a sentence with the new word. If needed, use the dictionary to figure out what the word means. Play a game where each of you have to use the word in a sentence at least twice that day. Try to use the word again that week. Maybe add the words to a "my new vocabulary word list" and post it on the refrigerator.