Thursday, February 26, 2015

Two Pieces of Information from Ruskin



HW - Thursday, 2/26


PARENTS:

  • Lunar New Year Celebration tomorrow.
    • 8:30 a.m. Grades K-2 (students only)
    • 9:30 a.m. Grades 3-5 (students only)
    • 10:50 a.m. Lunar New Year Parade on the blacktop (parents are welcome to attend)
    • If desired, your child may dress up in New Year's attire (or wear red clothing) to help celebrate the event.
    • Due to the Lunar New Year celebration, there will not be Friday Flag Pole.
  • Next Thursday is STEM night at Ruskin.
  • In fact, NO Friday Flagpole until March 20th due to Lunar New Year celebration and minimum days for conferences.
  • Next week, we will continue with our California Agriculture Taste Tests.
  • Scholastic Book Orders due March 6.
  • Parent Conferences are coming soon: Friday, March 6 - Friday, March 13. This is an OPTIONAL parent conference. I do want to meet some parents in person, but most do not need to meet. Please check for an email with more information.
  • Sunday, March 8 is when we "spring ahead" one hour for Daylight Savings.
  • Each month we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • NINE TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers and Modeling Fractions) as well as review some older topics (Decimals). All assignments will go off-line on Friday, March 6:
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise Lesson 18e / Test tomorrow
- Reading Comprehension:  #16
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 296-299 (Common Core booklet)
- WORKBOOK pages none
5.  Science - Textbook pgs. none
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #16) Quiz tomorrow.
** Project Cornerstone: Either at home or in class, write a letter to Ruby Bridges. It can cover a variety of topics but try to stick with ones around her experience going to a "desegregated" school. Due Friday by recess. **

Three PBS Nova Videos Related to Our Science Topics

Here are three videos related to the current science topics of Earthquakes and Volcanoes. Each are about one hour long.

Please keep in mind: although these videos were shown on the Public Broadcasting System channel (KQED, Channel 9 for almost all of us), there may be some sensitive images like human suffering since the documentaries covered real events (i.e., 2010 Haiti earthquake). Furthermore, there are about eight commercials per video; they CAN be skipped after a few seconds.

It is recommended that you watch the videos with your child. You may learn something new.  :)


Video #1:  PBS NOVA's "Deadliest Earthquake"
In 2010, several epic earthquakes delivered one of the worst annual death tolls ever recorded. The deadliest strike, in Haiti, killed more than 200,000 people and reduced homes, hospitals, schools, and the presidential palace to rubble. In exclusive coverage, a NOVA camera crew follows a team of U.S. geologists as they enter Haiti in the immediate aftermath of the tragedy. The team hunts for crucial evidence that will help them determine exactly what happened deep underground and what the risks are of a new killer quake. Barely a month after the Haiti quake, Chile was struck by a quake 100 times more powerful, unleashing a tsunami that put the entire Pacific coast on high alert. In a coastal town devastated by the rushing wave, NOVA follows a team of geologists as they battle aftershocks to measure the displacement caused by the earthquake. Could their work, and the work of geologists at earthquake hot spots around the U.S., one day lead to a breakthrough in predicting quakes before they happen? NOVA investigates compelling new leads in this profound scientific conundrum.




Video #2:  PBS NOVA's "Deadliest Volcanoes"
Millions of people around the world live in the shadow of active volcanoes. Under constant threat of massive volcanic eruptions, their homes and their lives are daily at risk from these sleeping giants. From Japan’s Mount Fuji to the "Sleeping Giant" submerged beneath Naples to the Yellowstone "supervolcano" in the United States, we will travel with scientists from around the world who are at work on these sites, attempting to discover how likely these volcanoes are to erupt, when it might happen, and exactly how deadly they could prove to be.





Video #3:  PBS NOVA's "Volcano Under the City"
A team of scientists clambers down into the steep crater of an active volcano in central Africa, a lake of molten lava seething far below. The team’s mission is to explore this deadly mountain up close to find out when and why it is likely to erupt next. The lives of half a million people living directly in its shadow are at stake.
In January 2002, the ground close to the city of Goma in the Democratic Republic of Congo split open and rivers of lava swept through entire neighborhoods, killing some 100 people and leaving 120,000 homeless. The volcano towering over the city, Mount Nyirangongo, had awoken again. Now French volcanologist Jacques Durieux and his team worry that, next time, deadly lava could erupt from cracks directly under the city itself.
Volcano Under the City reaches a stunning climax as Durieux’s team struggles to capture a sample of furiously boiling lava from the heart of the volcano. The crater walls crumble and Mount Nyirangongo belches poisonous gas as the scientists put their lives on the line to retrieve their vital data.

LINK:  http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/volcanocity



Wednesday, February 25, 2015

HW - Wednesday, 2/25


PARENTS:

  • During the last week of February, we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • Today we had a Project Cornerstone presentation and activities around Ruby Bridges. Learn more about her here.
  • Lunar New Year Celebration on Friday.
    • 8:30 a.m. Grades K-2 (students only)
    • 9:30 a.m. Grades 3-5 (students only)
    • 10:50 a.m. Lunar New Year Parade on the blacktop (parents are welcome to attend)
    • If desired, your child may dress up in New Year's attire (or wear red clothing) to help celebrate the event.
    • Due to the Lunar New Year celebration, there will not be Friday Flag Pole.
  • Parent Conferences are coming soon: Friday, March 6 - Friday, March 13. This is an OPTIONAL parent conference. I do want to meet some parents in person, but most do not need to meet. Please check for an email with more information.
  • Sunday, March 8 is when we "spring ahead" one hour for Daylight Savings.
  • NINE TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers and Modeling Fractions) as well as review some older topics (Decimals). All assignments will go off-line on Friday, March 6:
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
  • We're only missing SIX Emergency Kits. Please turn in your child's kit.

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise Lesson 18 c-d
- Reading Comprehension:  #13  "The Immortal Bard"
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 292-295 (Common Core booklet)
- WORKBOOK pages none
- Quiz #6 Make-Up tomorrow (Topic 11; practice making numbers lines and placing different fraction and decimal values on them)
5.  Science - Textbook pgs. 210-215
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #16) due Thursday. Quiz on Friday.
** Project Cornerstone: Either at home or in class, write a letter to Ruby Bridges. It can cover a variety of topics but try to stick with ones around her experience going to a "desegregated" school. Due Friday **

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

HW - Tuesday, 2/24


PARENTS:

  • During the last week of February, we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • Project Cornerstone reading this Wednesday. The book will be about Ruby BridgesLearn more about her here.
  • Lunar New Year Celebration on Friday.
    • 8:30 a.m. Grades K-2 (students only)
    • 9:30 a.m. Grades 3-5 (students only)
    • 10:50 a.m. Lunar New Year Parade on the blacktop (parents are welcome to attend)
    • If desired, your child may dress up in New Year's attire (or wear red clothing) to help celebrate the event.
    • Due to the Lunar New Year celebration, there will not be Friday Flag Pole.
  • Parent Conferences are coming soon: Friday, March 6 - Friday, March 13. This is an OPTIONAL parent conference. I do want to meet some parents in person, but most do not need to meet. Please check this week's Wednesday Folder for more information.
  • Sunday, March 8 is when we "spring ahead" one hour for Daylight Savings.
  • NINE TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers and Modeling Fractions) as well as review some older topics (Decimals). All assignments will go off-line on Friday, March 6:
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
  • We're only missing SIX Emergency Kits. Please turn in your child's kit.

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise Lesson 18 c-d
- Reading Comprehension:  #11  "Two Were Left"
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 290-291 (Common Core booklet)
- WORKBOOK pages none
- Quiz #6 Make-Up on Thursday (more information to follow tomorrow in class)
5.  Science - Textbook pgs. 206-207; Science Spin
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #16) due Thursday. Quiz on Friday.

Monday, February 23, 2015

HW - Monday, 2/23


PARENTS:

  • During the last week of February, we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • Tomorrow, we will start a video on the earthquake and tsunami which struck Japan in 2011. Read more about the event here. 
  • Project Cornerstone reading this Wednesday. The book will be about Ruby Bridges. Learn more about her here.
  • Lunar New Year Celebration on Friday.
    • 8:30 a.m. Grades K-2 (students only)
    • 9:30 a.m. Grades 3-5 (students only)
    • 10:50 a.m. Lunar New Year Parade on the blacktop (parents are welcome to attend)
    • If desired, your child may dress up in New Year's attire (or wear red clothing) to help celebrate the event.
    • Due to the Lunar New Year celebration, there will not be Friday Flag Pole.
  • Parent Conferences are coming soon: Friday, March 6 - Friday, March 13. This is an OPTIONAL parent conference. I do want to meet some parents in person, but most do not need to meet. Please check this week's Wednesday Folder for more information.
  • Sunday, March 8 is when we "spring ahead" one hour for Daylight Savings.
  • NINE TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Adding and Subtracting Mixed Numbers and Modeling Fractions) as well as review some older topics (Decimals). All assignments will go off-line on Friday, March 6:
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
        •  
  • We're only missing SIX Emergency Kits. Please turn in your child's kit.

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise Lesson 18 a-b
- Reading Comprehension:  # 9  "The Lion Roared"
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 288-289 (Common Core booklet)
- WORKBOOK pages none
- Quiz #6 Make-Up on Thursday (more information to follow tomorrow in class)
5.  Science - Textbook pgs. 200-205
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #16) due Thursday. Quiz on Friday.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

HW - Thursday, 2/12


PARENTS:

  • Though still not 100%, it's still good to be back...
  • Reminder: This FRIDAY is a minimum day (1:00 p.m. dismissal). Also, if you would like to bring Valentine's Day cards and/or treats to share with the class (29 students), you may.
  • NO SCHOOL next week (2/16-2/20) because it is Presidents' Break.
  • During the last week of February, we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • Science Lab was rescheduled for tomorrow due to bad weather last week.
  • Tomorrow, Ms. Sandra will take any Library book drop offs before the break.
  • We are now covering the Geometry Topics (Chapters) in our Math books.
  • SEVENTEEN More TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Geometry - BELOW IN BOLD) and review some older topics:
      • 4.OA.2 - Relate: Multiply & Divide, Multiply & Add
      • 4.OA.3 - Solving Problems with Four Operations (No Estimation)
      • 4.OA.5 - Identifying Number Patterns
      • 4.OA.5 - Number Patterns and Word Problems
      • 4.OA.5 - Shape Patterns
      • 4.NBT.3 - Estimating Products and Quotients
      • 4.NBT.5 - Multiplication Using Arrays
      • 4.NBT.5 - Base Ten Blocks to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Area Models to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Equations and Multiplication
      • 4.G.1 - Lines, Segments, and Angles
      • 4.G.3 - Lines of Symmetry
      • 4.G.1 - Properties of Two-Dimensional Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Classifying Triangles
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Sides
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Angles
  • We're only missing SIX Emergency Kits. Please turn in your child's kit.

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise none; we will resume the week we get back
- Reading Comprehension:  # 6  "Open Window"
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 220-221
- WORKBOOK pages none
- Enrichment 8-5/8-6 and 8-8/8-9
- Chapter 8 Test Tomorrow
5.  Science - Textbook none
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #15) Quiz tomorrow

Monday, February 9, 2015

HW - Monday, 2/9


PARENTS:

  • Reminder: This FRIDAY is a minimum day (1:00 p.m. dismissal). Also, if you would like to bring Valentine's Day cards and/or treats to share with the class (29 students), you may.
  • NO SCHOOL next week (2/16-2/20) because it is Presidents' Break.
  • During the last week of February, we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • Science Lab was rescheduled to this Friday due to bad weather last week.
  • Library is on Wednesday.
  • We are now covering the Geometry Topics (Chapters) in our Math books.
  • SEVENTEEN More TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Geometry - BELOW IN BOLD) and review some older topics:
      • 4.OA.2 - Relate: Multiply & Divide, Multiply & Add
      • 4.OA.3 - Solving Problems with Four Operations (No Estimation)
      • 4.OA.5 - Identifying Number Patterns
      • 4.OA.5 - Number Patterns and Word Problems
      • 4.OA.5 - Shape Patterns
      • 4.NBT.3 - Estimating Products and Quotients
      • 4.NBT.5 - Multiplication Using Arrays
      • 4.NBT.5 - Base Ten Blocks to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Area Models to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Equations and Multiplication
      • 4.G.1 - Lines, Segments, and Angles
      • 4.G.3 - Lines of Symmetry
      • 4.G.1 - Properties of Two-Dimensional Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Classifying Triangles
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Sides
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Angles
  • We're only missing SIX Emergency Kits. Please turn in your child's kit.

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise none; we will resume the week we get back
- Reading Comprehension:  # none
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 206-209
- WORKBOOK pages 123-124
5.  Science - Textbook 182-183
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #15) due Thursday; Quiz on Friday

Friday, February 6, 2015

Weekend Notes and HW


  • Two HW assignments due next week: Science pgs. 176-181 due Monday; Famous African-American Google Slides presentation due Thursday
  • Friday, 2/13 will be our Valentine's Party and card exchange. You do not need to buy packaged cards: making your own is certainly encouraged! Bring something you want to share with others. Since it is a MINIMUM DAY, we won't have a full day to party, per se. Dismissal is at 1:00 p.m.
  • NO SCHOOL for the week of 2/12-16 due to Presidents Week
  • Today's Science Lab is rescheduled for this coming Friday due to the weather.

Thursday, February 5, 2015

HW - Thursday, 2/5


PARENTS:

  • The HW assignments were realigned so please look for the changes.
  • This month, we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • We are now covering the Geometry Topics (Chapters) in our Math books.
  • SEVENTEEN More TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Geometry - BELOW IN BOLD) and review some older topics:
      • 4.OA.2 - Relate: Multiply & Divide, Multiply & Add
      • 4.OA.3 - Solving Problems with Four Operations (No Estimation)
      • 4.OA.5 - Identifying Number Patterns
      • 4.OA.5 - Number Patterns and Word Problems
      • 4.OA.5 - Shape Patterns
      • 4.NBT.3 - Estimating Products and Quotients
      • 4.NBT.5 - Multiplication Using Arrays
      • 4.NBT.5 - Base Ten Blocks to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Area Models to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Equations and Multiplication
      • 4.G.1 - Lines, Segments, and Angles
      • 4.G.3 - Lines of Symmetry
      • 4.G.1 - Properties of Two-Dimensional Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Classifying Triangles
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Sides
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Angles
  • We're only missing SIX Emergency Kits. Please turn in your child's kit.

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise Lesson 17e due Friday; Test on Friday
- Reading Comprehension:  # 14  "August Heat"
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
- Famous African-American Google Slides/Presentation due Thursday, 2/5
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 204-205
- WORKBOOK pages 121-122
5.  Science - none
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #14) Quiz tomorrow

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

HW - Wednesday, 2/4


PARENTS:

  • The HW assignments were realigned so please look for the changes.
  • Today was the District benchmark test, and there are just a few students who need to complete them. I am looking forward to using the results to help reteach certain lessons.
  • This month, we will continue to practice for the Smarter Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) Common Core Test.
  • We are now covering the Geometry Topics (Chapters) in our Math books.
  • SEVENTEEN More TenMarks.com lessons have been assigned to support our current area of study (Geometry - BELOW IN BOLD) and review some older topics:
      • 4.OA.2 - Relate: Multiply & Divide, Multiply & Add
      • 4.OA.3 - Solving Problems with Four Operations (No Estimation)
      • 4.OA.5 - Identifying Number Patterns
      • 4.OA.5 - Number Patterns and Word Problems
      • 4.OA.5 - Shape Patterns
      • 4.NBT.3 - Estimating Products and Quotients
      • 4.NBT.5 - Multiplication Using Arrays
      • 4.NBT.5 - Base Ten Blocks to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Area Models to Multiply
      • 4.NBT.5 - Equations and Multiplication
      • 4.G.1 - Lines, Segments, and Angles
      • 4.G.3 - Lines of Symmetry
      • 4.G.1 - Properties of Two-Dimensional Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Classifying Triangles
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Sides
      • 4.G.2 - Identifying 2-D Figures Using Angles
  • We're only missing SIX Emergency Kits. Please turn in your child's kit.

1.  RuskinFIT (Physical Exercise) - 60 minutes
2.  Reading Is Cool - 30 minutes
Reading Goal of the Month:  Most PAGES Read
Keep track of the books you read daily by writing them down on the Reading Log, get your parent or guardian to initial, total your pages read, and turn it in  March 3 ...Receive a Prize!
Remember: Read your Accelerated Reader Book (selected with your ZPD in mind) and take the Quiz in class.
3.  Language Arts
Wordly Wise Lesson 13-16 crossword review due tomorrow; Lesson 17e due Friday; Test on Friday
- Reading Comprehension:  # 12  "A Work of Art"
- Scholastic News - Pg. 8 / Debate / Sticky Situation due Friday
4.  Math
- TEXTBOOK pages 200-203
- WORKBOOK pages 117-120
5.  Science - 168-171
6.  History - California Studies Weekly (Week #14) due tomorrow; Quiz on Friday