Fourth and Last Thing for Friday: Come and Watch Principal Nunez Kiss a Pig!

Backstory:  Principal Nunez said she would kiss a pig if Ruskin students met the $ goal for the Pennies for Patients drive.  The students MET and SURPASSED the goal so it was Mrs. Nunez's turn to follow through.  She couldn't do so since she was out on maternity leave...but she's back!

So, if you have the time, come to Fridayy Flag Pole and witness Mrs. Nunez pucker the pig!

Not sure if she's going to do THIS!

Three Things for Friday

Three things to keep in mind for tomorrow:

1)  It's supposed to be HOT. Make sure they have a water bottle to keep them hydrated.
2)  No Little Buddies tomorrow because of the Wednesday Field Trip. So...
3)  We will be in the Fitness Center tomorrow from 10:30 to 12:00 p.m. We will take a break at the halfway mark. All students will be able to use the Xbox Kinect tomorrow.  :)  Please bring a towel to help wipe down the equipment when you're done using it.  And dress accordingly and appropriately!  For example, NO slippers, hard heeled (i.e., wooden) shoes; NO tanktops; WEAR socks.

HW - Thursday, 5/30

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

Yup. That's it!

NOTES:

• FAMILY FUN NIGHT this Friday, 5-7 p.m.!
• It's going to warm up significantly the rest of this week and possibly through next week.  Please make sure your child stays hydrated and brings a water bottle to school, if needed.
• Fitness Center is TOMORROW.  Dress accordingly and please bring a water bottle and a small towel.

HW - Wednesday, 5/29

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- Open Book Unit 4 Test  TOMORROW

NOTES:

• FAMILY FUN NIGHT this Friday, 5-7 p.m.!
• It's going to warm up significantly the rest of this week and possibly through next week.  Please make sure your child stays hydrated and brings a water bottle to school, if needed.
• Fitness Center is on Friday.  Dress accordingly.

HW - Tuesday, 5/28

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- Open Book Unit 4 Test  THURSDAY

NOTES:

• Field Trip to Happy Hollow tomorrow:
• Wear your class t-shirt tomorrow!
• If you are supposed to bring your lunch or lunch money, please do not forget!
• Heleine's mom and Alan's mom will be joining us for the field trip as chaperones.
• Fitness Center is on Friday.  Dress accordingly.

Now This is Pretty Cool: FREE Personalized T-Shirt for Your Sumdog Avatar!

I hope this excites you enough to do it!

Sumdog’s Summer Challenge

For many schools, it’s summer break time soon.  And that means it’s time for Sumdog’s Summer Challenge.

This year, we’re letting you set the details of the challenge.  All we ask is that students answer 2,000 questions over the summer break.

We’ll award all students who complete the challenge a t-shirt for their on-screen avatar, personalized with their initials - like this handsome chap on the right. 

Starts:  Friday, June 14 at 11:30 a.m.

Ends:   Sunday, August 25 at 11:30 p.m.

For most of you who do play Sumdog often, it's easy to complete 500 problems in about two weeks during the school year.  So with no school over the summer, this Challenge is really easy to achieve.

If you need an account, please contact your teacher.

GOOD LUCK!

In Celebration of Memorial Day

1)  A little about this holiday (from Wikipedia):

Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday which occurs every year on the final Monday of May.^[1] Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.^[2] Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union andConfederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service^[3]. It typically marks the start of the summer vacation season, while Labor Day marks its end.
...
Memorial Day is not to be confused with Veterans Day; Memorial Day is a day of remembering the men and women who died while serving, while Veterans Day celebrates the service of all U.S. military veterans, living or dead.^[5]


2)  Check Out These Photos of Preparations for Memorial Day in Washington D.C. (Arlington and National Mall) and Boston
http://photos.mercurynews.com/2013/05/23/photos-preparations-for-memorial-day-2013/

3)  Listen to "The President's Own," The U.S. Marine Band, perform "The Stars and Stripes Forever"

4)  Listen to The Armed Forces Medley from the 2011 Memorial Day Concert (In Order: US Coast Guard, US Air Force, US Navy, US Marines, and US Army)

Chaperones for this Wednesday's Happy Hollow Field Trip

Ms. Teu and Ms. Wong are the chaperones for the upcoming Happy Hollow Field Trip with our Little Buddies from Ms. Coan's class.

If you are interested in being a chaperone for this field trip, please email me for more details.

HW - Memorial Day Weekend

REMINDER:  Memorial Day weekend is a FOUR day weekend (Friday/Sat./Sun./Monday)

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 89-90 (due Tuesday)

-- Unit 4 packet due Tuesday
-- Open Book Unit 4 Test  NEXT THURSDAY (b/c Wed Fieldtrip)

NOTES:

• If you have any Field Trip Permission Slips, please turn them in ASAP.
• If you are interested in becoming a crossing guard, see me first then Mr. Barrie.
• We started a new novel, Stargirl.

Fitness Center Tomorrow

Please dress appropriately! :)

If you have a school textbook at home...

If you have a school textbook - Language Arts, Math or Science - at home, please bring it to school TOMORROW or ON Tuesday.

Please MAKE SURE you:

• gently erase any pencil marks from the pages (but not so much it removes the words or pictures)
• carefully unflap any "dog earred" page corners
• write your name on the inside front cover of your book

Ms. Sandra will be available to check in your textbooks on Tuesday, and I will store them when we return to the classroom.

HW - Wednesday, 5/22

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 89-90 (due Tuesday)

-- Unit 4 packet due Tuesday
-- Open Book Unit 4 Test  NEXT THURSDAY (b/c Wed Fieldtrip)

NOTES:

• If you have any Field Trip Permission Slips, please turn them in ASAP.
• If you are interested in becoming a crossing guard, see me first then Mr. Barrie.
• We started a new novel, Stargirl.
• REMINDER: Tomorrow is the LAST school day of the WEEK. Memorial Day weekend is a FOUR day weekend (Friday/Sat./Sun./Monday)

HW - Tuesday, 5/21

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. Lessons 8 and 9

-- Unit 4 packet due Tuesday
-- Open Book Unit 4 Test  NEXT THURSDAY (b/c Wed Fieldtrip)

NOTES:

• If you have any Field Trip Permission Slips, please turn them in ASAP.
• If you are interested in becoming a crossing guard, see me first then Mr. Barrie.
• We are starting a new novel, Stargirl.

HW - Monday, 5/20

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 117-124 (Lessons 6 and 7)
-- Open Book Unit 4 Test  NEXT TUESDAY

NOTES:

• To the brave souls who performed in the Talent Show: You did a great job! We'll see you in next year's Talent Show! :)
• If you have any Field Trip Permission Slips, please turn them in ASAP.
• We are starting a new novel, Stargirl.

Pretty excited...Tomorrow is the last day of the Big Wow Comicfest in San Jose

http://www.bigwowcomicfest.com/

Although the tickets are sold out for his only appearance today (Sunday), it will be cool to see Stan Lee in person at the Big Wow. Moreover, I look forward to meeting some of the artists who penciled, inked, and wrote the comic books I used to read during the 80s.

When I was a fourth grader, I was HUGE into comic books. Along with my brother and older cousin, we would talk about the story lines, art, super powers possessed by both the heroes and villains, and associated toys.  My favorite titles were Captain America, Thor, Macross, and G.I. Joe. My brother specialized in the Fantastic Four and my cousin, the X-Men.

The love of comic books was imparted to me by my dad, who was a big comic book reader as a kid in the Philippines. I remember the days, after he would pick my brother and me up from our grandmother's house, when he would drive us in an early 1970s model Datsun 510 to a few comic stores that dotted San Jose: Willow Street Comics on Willow Avenue (a dingy, lower floor of a house that had a unique smell to it; has been closed for over 25 years); Mike's Coliseum on Lincoln Avenue (now Hijinx Comics; touted as San Jose's oldest comic store - http://www.hijinxcomics.com/history.html); and Comics and Fantasies in Princeton Plaza (I don't know why but it always smelled like a dead rat was rotting in their A/C vents). Stepping into the stores - rather, we RAN inside - always brought satisfying and exciting feelings. There was a reverence to them, as if the cover art of the comics were stained-glass windows. Like saints on pedestals lining the walls, the greats and the soon-to-be greats were on display: Jack Kirby, John Romita Sr., Barry Windsor Smith, Neal Adams, Berni Wrightson, Frank Miller, John Byrne, Alan Moore, and Alex Ross.

Back then, rotating comic racks could be found everywhere especially in 7-11s, Thrifty stores, Toys R'Us shops, and Woolworths. But the comic book industry had a lull during the '90s and comic books suffered greatly: titles by the major publishers were slashed; many artists left the big companies and went the independent route, producing their own titles; and the securing of intellectual property rights reared its ugly head. Comic stores soon shuttered and the only ways to buy comic books were to drive to the corners of the Bay to find those stores that weathered the downturn, subscribe to your favorite titles, and visit your local B. Dalton, Waldenbooks, or Barnes and Noble (though they were limited with the titles they carried and usually did not have the most recent releases).

Fortunately, the resurgence in the past ten years with CGI-driven films starring the industry's juggernaut characters (Batman, X-Men, Spiderman, Avengers, Thor, the Incredible Hulk, and Iron Man) has given comic books "a new life" to a new generation of readers, many of whom are my students' ages.

So attending the Big Wow tomorrow will be like a journey to my youth.

And I look forward to feeling like a fourth grader again.

HW - Thursday, 5/16

OPEN HOUSE TONIGHT..... 6:30 - 8:00 P.M.

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. none
-- Open Book Unit 3 Test TOMORROW

5.  My Math Class

-- NONE...Last Class tomorrow. :(

NOTES:

• Fitness Center postponed due to Project Cornerstone on Monday.  To be rescheduled for tomorrow.
• Regarding Project Cornerstone: Ask your child about how words can hurt or heal.
• Last week of Math switching is this week
• Multiple Field Trip Permission Slips went home yesterday
• NEED Chaperones for Happy Hollow (1 more); Tech Museum (6 more)
• DO NOT NEED Chaperones for Mission San Juan Bautista

HW - Wednesday, 5/15

OPEN HOUSE is TOMORROW from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 107-110, 111-116 (started in class)
-- History Packet due TOMORROW
-- Open Book Unit 3 Test FRIDAY

5.  My Math Class

-- pgs. none
-- End of the Year Testing this week

NOTES:

• Fitness Center postponed due to Project Cornerstone on Monday.  To be rescheduled at a later date and time this week.
• Regarding Project Cornerstone: Ask your child about how words can hurt or heal.
• Last week of Math switching is this week
• Multiple Field Trip Permission Slips went home today

HW - Tuesday, 5/14

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 97-102, 103-106 (started in class)
-- History Packet due Wednesday
-- Open Book Unit 3 Test THURSDAY

5.  My Math Class

-- pgs. none
-- packet due Wednesday at the end of class
-- End of the Year Testing this week

NOTES:

• We are now done with the Science textbook. :)
• Fitness Center postponed due to Project Cornerstone on Monday.  To be rescheduled at a later date and time this week.
• Regarding Project Cornerstone: Ask your child about how words can hurt or heal.
• District Testing will be finished tomorrow (Math)
• Last week of Math switching is this week
• Multiple Field Trip Permission Slips go home tomorrow
• We will start Skylark (the movie tomorrow).  It is the sequel the Newbery Medal book winner, Sarah, Plain and Tall, by Patricia MacLachlan; also, it appears in our Language Arts reading textbook. We will watch it over a couple of days.
• Other movies (based on books we read) that we will be watching towards the end of the school year:  The Adventures of Bullwhip Griffin (Disney adaptation of By the Great Horn Spoon!); California's Gold episodes on exploring our state's towns, natural and historical landmarks, and resources; KQED special of a walking tour of Old San Francisco; among others.

HW - Monday, 5/13 (Edited)

Updated 5/14:  History Unit 3 Open Book Test is on THURSDAY not Tuesday (as was originally posted)

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 91-96 (started in class)
-- History Packet due Wednesday
-- Open Book Unit 3 Test THURSDAY
4.  Science 
-- pgs. none
-- Open Book Chapter 9 Test tomorrow
-- Science Fair Projects are due TOMORROW

5.  My Math Class  -  NO Math Class tomorrow  (Owens's class on a fieldtrip)

-- pgs. none
-- packet due Wednesday at the end of class
-- End of the Year Testing this week

NOTES:

• Fitness Center postponed today due to Project Cornerstone.  To be rescheduled at a later date and time this week.
• Regarding Project Cornerstone: Ask your child about how words can hurt or heal.
• District Testing is this week over two days: ELA and Math
• Last week of Math switching is this week

Weekend - May 10-12, 2013

First, the BERRYESSA ART AND WINE FESTIVAL is TOMORROW at the Berryessa Community Center!  Get out, enjoy the weather, bop to Berryessa Union School District's finest musicians, eat and support the BUSD Music Boosters (who help subsidize Berryessa's music programs)!

Second, SCIENCE FAIR projects are due on TUESDAY, MAY 14.  If you're finishing up your projects and boards, this is the last weekend to do so!

Third, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all mothers, grandmothers, step-mothers, and all motherly figures out there!


Fourth, NO HOMEWORK this weekend! Unless you have to finish your Science Fair projects...

Lastly, the California Mission Projects look pretty good:  the Power Point presentations definitely surprised me (in a good way!); the models look like the students really took their time creating them; and the photo scrapbooks display originality and personality!

HW - Thursday, 5/10

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 81-84, 85-88 (started in class)
-- California Mission Projects are due TOMORROW

4.  Science 
-- pgs. 342-343
-- Science Fair Projects are due May 14

5.  My Math Class

-- pgs. none
-- End of the Year Testing next week

NOTES:

• District Testing is next week
• Last week of Math switching is next week

HW - Wednesday, 5/8

WE'RE DONE with the STAR/CST Tests!
Next Week:  District Testing and End of the Year Testing

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 75-80
-- California Mission Projects are due THIS FRIDAY, May 10

4.  Science 
-- pgs.none
-- Science Fair Projects are due May 14

5.  My Math Class

-- pgs. none
-- End of the Year Testing next week

NOTES:

• District Testing is next week
• Last week of Math switching is next week

HW - Tuesday, 5/7

TOMORROW is Math CST Part II and then we're DONE!


Students were instructed to bring them home ALL CST Test Prep packets and worksheets so parents can review the materials with them.

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 71-74
-- California Mission Projects are due THIS FRIDAY, May 10

4.  Science 
-- pgs. 338, 340-341 #s 1-20, Map the Concept
-- Science Fair Projects are due May 14

5.  My Math Class

-- Test Prep Packets (for BOTH my homeroom and math classes)

NOTES:

• Because the last CST (Math Part 2) is tomorrow, please make sure they get enough sleep, food, and water.  :)
• Last day of after school S.I. is tomorrow!

HW - Monday, 5/6

TOMORROW and WEDNESDAY are Math CST Parts I and II


Students were instructed to bring them home ALL CST Test Prep packets and worksheets so parents can review the materials with them.

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  History 

-- pgs. 67-70
-- California Mission Projects are due May 10

4.  Science 
-- pgs. 330-337
-- Science Fair Projects are due May 14

5.  My Math Class

-- Test Prep Packet

NOTES:

• Because CST Math Part 1 is tomorrow, please make sure they get enough sleep, food, and water.  :)
• No field trip to Sacramento as we are already confirmed to go to Happy Hollow with our Little Buddies.

Weekend HW

Mr. Amutan's Homeroom Class:

• April Reading Logs due Monday
• Math Test Prep Packet
• STAR CST Math Test Parts 1 and 2 this week
• Mission Projects due this Friday, May 10
• Science Fair Projects due Tuesday, May 14

Mr. Amutan's Math Class:

• Textbook pgs. 462-463 (skip 5 and 7); 464-465 (skip Set D)
• Test Prep Packet (except if you are ALSO in Mr. Amutan's Homeroom Class)

And.....DON'T FORGET!

FREE COMIC BOOK DAY TOMORROW!

(Click for more info)

HW - Thursday, 5/2

NEXT TUESDAY and WEDNESDAY are Math CSTs

Students were instructed to bring them home ALL CST Test Prep packets and worksheets so parents can review the materials with them.

1.  Ruskin Reads - 30 minutes 

Reading Goal of the Month:  MOST BOOKS READ 
Remember: read your Accelerated Reader (ZPD) Book and take the Quiz in class...and ADD UP THE PAGES YOU HAVE READ!
They are DUE MONDAY, JUNE 3!!!

2.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 30 minutes

3.  Spelling Activity

4.  Reading Comprehension -  NONE

5.  Wordly Wise (DONE WITH THE BOOK)

6.  Language Arts
-- Workbook (DONE WITH THE BOOK)
7.  My Math Class  -  Topics 19/20 Test tomorrow

-- Textbook pgs. 456-459

-- Workbook pgs. 255-258
-- MY HOMEROOM CLASS: Four-Page Test Prep Packet

8.  Science 
-- pgs. none
-- Science Fair Projects are due May 14
9.  History 

-- pgs. none
-- Unit 2 Open Book Test tomorrow
-- California Mission Projects are due May 10
-- I am still waiting for FOUR STUDENTS to let me know what mission they will be researching, reporting and presenting

NOTES:

• Since we are done with the textbook, we are reading BY THE GREAT HORN SPOON and will finish the book TOMORROW. (Really, we will.)
• Spring Picture order forms have arrived and will be in this Wednesday's Folder.
• Family Fun Night is ON!  Friday, 5/31 from 5-7 pm
• No field trip to Sacramento as we are already confirmed to go to Happy Hollow with our Little Buddies.