5th Grade Spelling Test 2/3/15

This spelling list is only 15 words long.  These were selected because they were misspelled on previous tests and writing assignments.  Please study them for a test on Wednesday 2/3/15.

1. tyrannical
2. debt
3. lieutenant
4. phlegm
5. exercise
6. principal
7. principle
8. brake
9. break
10. subtle
11. independent
12. success
13. benefit
14. forty
15. fifth

No more blogs until further notice.

Dear Students,

If you have been completing these assignments along with your daily exercise, you are champions!!!

There will not be any more blog assignments until our next break.  Please take the time to go back and check your work, reread your responses, and bring your work to school.

A few suggestions:  

• Exercise is important for everyone, so don't skip!  

• Read daily, and check out books from our amazing public libraries.  It's free and it's fun!  

• You may complete your Scholastic Counts tests at school, because school is open while the other tracks are in session.

• Get plenty of rest, and be prepared for when you return!

Hiking trip, 2013.  Sweetwater Trail, Folsom, CA.

Wednesday 1/14/15

According to the Gregorian Calendar, we have just turned into a new Century.  There have been many types of calendars, and there are currently many that are in use today.  Maybe you celebrate the new year at different time with your family and community.  In our school lives we mostly go by the Gregorian Calendar which starts with January 1.  Please answer the following questions that will help you in your goals.  These are also known as resolutions.  Happy New Year!

My best memory of 2014 was ______________________.

In 2015 I will learn to _____________________________.
In 2015 I will get better at _________________________.
In 2015 I will try to _______________________________.
In 2015 I will make a difference by __________________.
In 2015 I will promise to ___________________________.
In 2015 I will help by ______________________________.

Tuesday 1/13/15

Hello!  I hope you are enjoying your time with your family and friends!  Here is a fun and interesting assignment.

When we are at school we learn character traits.  The ones that we have talked about in school are:  responsibility, respect, justice, and fairness.  These character traits are always important wherever we are.

Please write the word, responsibility, from top to bottom on the left side of your page (see picture below).  Then use each letter to write a word that shows responsibility.  This will make an acrostic poem.  An example for the letter "r" might be "ready."  Someone who does their job on time, is "ready."  Have some fun with this and get some help from your family!

Monday 1/12/15

SWBAT (student will be able to) use homophones in a sentence and understand what a homophone is.

Lesson:  Homophones are two or more words that sound the same, but they have different meanings.  You might think of a phone that you listen to.  That would give you a hint.  When you listen to the words, they sound the same.

Directions: Please write the homophone of the words listed below.  
The first one is done for you.

1)  hear and here
2)  cell and ______
3)  two and ______
4)  see and ______
5)  buy and ______
6)  peace and ______
7)  four and _______
8)  hair and _______
9)  grown and ________
10) hoarse and ________
11) brake and _________

Now, please write sentences using the words you came up with.  You should have 10 sentences, because the first one was given to you.

Sunday 1/11/15

Today you will find a magazine or an advertisement that came in the mail.  Find something that is being sold.  For example, it might be a pizza ad, or a furniture ad.  Ad is short for advertisement.

Use the pictures and the words in the ad, to write a paragraph about who is selling the item, how much will it cost, where the item is being sold, note the web address if the store or company has mentioned it in the ad.  Also, explain how the company uses color, bold writing, exclamation points, language, to try to have you buy the item.  Finally, write a conclusion that explains the purpose of the ad, and if you would be convinced to purchase the item.

Here is an example for an ad for Crayola

Have fun with this assignment!  Three more weeks left before we return C track!  Don't forget to stay active and continue to get your exercise in!

Saturday 1/10/15

Today's assignment is a quick write.  Make sure you have all 5 things checked off:  Indentation, capitals, punctuation, creativity. and neatness.

Prompt:

Write about what you have heard about middle school.  Add what types of things you wonder about when you think about middle school.

Friday 1/9/15

My apologies for giving you a late blog assignment.  If you see this Saturday, you should be able to catch up.

Your assignment is to pick out 3 interesting sentences from the book you are currently reading.  For each sentence, please write why you thought it was an interesting sentence.

Thursday 1/8/15

Today, your assignment is one paragraph about 3 of your favorite things.  Keep in mind, this will be about objects, not people.  Use your bucket brainstorm and an outline to start things off.

1) Create a bucket page.
2) Put your main idea in the farthest left bucket, then add your three things and brief notes about the objects.
3) Start writing an outline by first creating a thesis statement.
4) Then you will need three sentences that explain what your favorite items are, why you like them.
5) Finally, you will end with a conclusion.  Remember, as you become an advanced writer, your conclusion will be special and tell the reader something interesting at the end.  Please do not simply repeat the first sentence.

Remember to complete all of your assignments in your notebook so that you have a handy and organized way of keeping all of your work.

Great job!

Wednesday 1/7/15

Today, you will sketch 4 things.  Find 4 objects and carefully sketch the details that you see.  You may use plain paper, and divide it into 4 sections.

Have fun!

Tuesday 1/6/15

Today's assignment is very simple.

1) Find fruits, vegetables, or herbs around you
2) Describe each food with adjectives (think of your 5 senses)

Examples:

bumpy orange
fresh cilantro

Monday 1/5/15

It is time for you to review your exercise plan for this break.  Are you breathing, stretching, and moving?  Make sure you practice daily and work up to one hour.  Remember, the requirement is one hour a day --- at least.

You should be logging your daily exercise in your intersession notebook.

Sunday 1/4/15

Today, you will find 3 packaged food items in your refrigerator, cupboard, or pantry.  On those food items, you will find a Nutrition Facts food label.

Write down the following for each:

1) Food name
2) Servings Per Container
3) Sodium
4) Protein
5) Ingredients (circle the ingredients that you know)

This is good practice in reading what is on our food labels.  Do you think it's important to know what we eat?  Answer this questions in a complete sentences and state why.

Here is an example of a Nutrition Facts food label.  For your assignment, please find something in your own home.

Saturday 1/3/15

     Below is a paragraph from a larger fictional story.   Read the paragraph, then pick out the sentences that have prepositions.  The definition of a preposition is a word that describes a location of a person or object.  A preposition may also show when or how long an event takes place.  Example:  below
     When you have picked out the sentences, please write the complete sentence and underline the preposition.

     The next morning, Father popped his head into Mai's room to see how his daughter's project was progressing.  She replied that she would come show him the finished product as soon as she was done. Then Mai began the task of decorating the paper to make stationery.  She used a pen and colored ink to draw things that she had seen in Grandmother's village.  She drew the dense topical forest on one sheet and colorful orchids on another.  She was careful not to let the pieces of paper touch each other to prevent the ink from smearing.  After the ink was dry, Mai showed the stationery to her parents.  They were amazed by the beautiful drawings and thanked Mai for making her grandmother this thoughtful gift.  Mai gently stacked the sheets of paper and tied a yellow silk ribbon around them.  She looked forward to giving her grandmother the best present ever.

Friday 1/2/15

Today you will read a part of a novel.  Something is happening in the story, and you will finish it.

     Joey didn't like what he saw or smelled.  It was odd, and didn't remind him of what he was used to eating.  He gave one look at Jasper, and turned his head away.  Jasper didn't understand what was wrong with food.  He kicked Joey's bowl closer, but not too close.  Jasper knew that if he made any sudden moves, Joey's snarl would turn into a growl.  Jasper didn't want that.  He only wanted to find out the best way to be friends with this dog.  The flies returned as the sun rays disappeared.  Both dog and boy, sat with a huge space between them.  They didn't say anything for about 10 minutes, until…


Finish the paragraph, and write a second paragraph.  You may introduce new characters, or continue with the same characters.  You may also change the setting, or add things to the setting that your reader doesn't know.  Have fun with it!

Please complete this assignment in your intersession blog notebook.  Please write the first part of the story.  By writing it, you can warm up, and it will allow your imagination to start its magic!

Thursday 1/1/15

Today, you will find a drawer in your home filled with different things.  You will take those things out, and write about each one.  For example, my mixed drawer has many things from trips I've taken.  Some are key chains, and sun glasses, and keys that belong somewhere.  Write a list of the things you find in the drawer, and describe what you know about them, where they came from, or who they belong to.  Use complete sentences, and be descriptive so that your reader will be interested.  Write this assignment in your intersession blog notebook.

Example:

The above picture is the inside of one of my drawers.  It has treasures of the past, like photographs, my mother's spool of thread, gloves that can be used in my garden, a little clock, and a long beaded necklace.  Each item has its own history.  Find a drawer of your own.  Have fun!