WEEK 32

SPORTS DAY
Passover Quote
“Passover affirms the great truth that liberty is the inalienable right of every human being” Morris Joseph

Easter Quote
Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won't stay there. ~Clarence W. Hall

Dear Parents,
It's hard to believe that it is already Spring Break starting this Good Friday! Spring has certainly sprung and the teacher, I mean the class, is definitely ready for Easter
Break! ;>)

* Last Friday our class had a wonderful "Sports Day" Party w pizza, ice cream and soda. The trifecta of health!
* Our class is almost finished with recording our 3 Things project. Thus far, they are very touching and creative.
* As you know, in Science we are studying cells and the basic structures of living things right now. This coming Thursday each student will present their 3-D/Edible Cell to the class.
* In Geography we will be starting to learn all of the states and capitals together. I'll be sending home a packet they can work on at home.
* We will continue to study graphing on a coordinate plane this week which, in this new curriculum, is basically algebra w/out the slope.
* Our class wrote these amazing 5-paragraph essays to their future grandchildren. I will laminate them and hand them out at Open House in May.
* In other news, I was able to purchase a new document projector for our classroom. Check it out the next time you come by!

See you at school!
Mr. Sweet

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Read 20 min.
Math-p. 253+254
Spelling-Right a sentence with each vocab word (p21-30 on pre-test)
3-d/Edible Cell due Thursday

HOMEWORK TUESDAY
READ 20 min.
Math-p.622-623
Spelling-Sentences due Thursday
Plant/Animal Cell Due Thursday

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
READ 20 minutes
PLANT/ANIMAL CELL

WEEK 31

Homework Monday
Read 20 Minutes
Write a paragraph about a virtue and why it is important to you.
Create a story/skit to explain the virtue

Homework Tuesday
Read 20 minutes
Math Wkbk-Daily Routines p. 273-275
Begin 3-D cell project

Homework Wednesday
Read 20 minutes
Math finish p. 607-609
Science Packet first page, L1
3 Things Prep.
Begin 3-D cell project

Homework Thursday
Read 20 minutes
Math finish p.611, 612
Begin 3-D cell project
WEAR SPORTS STUFF
BRING SECRET SNACK

WEEK 29

HOMEWORK MONDAY
READ 20 MINUTES
COME UP WITH THREE THINGS + CREATIVE IDEAS FOR VIDEO DEPICTION
FINISH CHARACTER VIRTUE SENTENCES
MATH-P.250-251 IN DAILY ROUTINE WKBK + NCAA PROBABILITY OF 2 TEAMS MEETING

Homework Wednesday
Read 20 minutes
Math finish page in book and do wkbk page that goes with Ch. 26 lesson 2
NEWS TEAM SUMMARY

Homework Thursday
Read 20 minutes
Math p.569-570
Study for test on Integers
Practice News Team Speech
Bring items, if necessary, for 3 Things Video
DLR/Spelling/Vocab Test Friday




MONTEREY WEATHER STATION
Weekly Quotes: Spring
“Expect to have hope rekindled. Expect your prayers to be answered in wondrous ways. The dry seasons in life do not last. The spring rains will come again.”

“Spring is nature's way of saying, 'Let's party!'"--Robin Williams

Dear Parents,
* We had quite a fun learning experience on our field trip to the Monterey Bay Weather Station on Friday. This trip was a perfect end to our unit of study about weather.

* This week our class will be sharing our President Cubes that we worked so hard on the last month in computers.

* Room 12 will also resume News Teams this week. Because of the budget crunch, local businesses have stopped donating the newspapers to our school. Consequently, we will use the computers in the lab to look up current news and print the stories for our teams to present next Monday.

* After recently purchasing a digital video camera for our class and the after school program, I have planned a new project entitled, "My Three Words." Ask your child about the powerful video we saw together to understand the project a little more. To go along with this project, we will learn 15 virtues/values this week. For instance, integrity, perseverance, honesty, etc.

* In math we will be studying Statistics/Probability this week, so we will talk about the odds and potential pairings for the NCAA Finals. We're down to the Sweet 16!

* I will be researching 5th grade American History Plays this week for a drama performance at the end of the year. Please let me know if you know of any good plays.

* In writing we will be doing a 5-paragraph narrative essay.

That's it for now. See you at school!
Mr. Sweet

Week 28

Homework Monday
Read 20 minutes
Math-Team A Daily Routines Wkbk p. 170-172, Team B-p.171-173
WEAR GREEN
BRING CUBE

Homework Tuesday
Finish writing final draft of Limerick + Color Pic
Write an Irish Fairy Tale

Homework Wednesday
Read 20min.
Social Studies Take Home Test
Ch. 9 use book
St. Patrick's Day Quotes

Oh, the music in the air!
An' the joy that's ivrywhere -
Shure, the whole blue vault of heaven is wan grand triumphal arch,
An' the earth below is gay
Wid its tender green th'-day,
Fur the whole world is Irish on the Seventeenth o' March!
~Thomas Augustin Daly

When Irish eyes are smiling,
'Tis like a morn in spring.
With a lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
~Author Unknown

May your blessings outnumber
The shamrocks that grow,
And may trouble avoid you
Wherever you go.
~Irish Blessing
Dear Parents,
I am very proud of each child's progress this last trimester and if you have any questions, or would like to schedule a time to meet, please let me know. This week we will be setting our goals for the last trimester for Accelerated Reader. The goals are set based on their reading level and previous point totals. This Tuesday in the computer lab we will hopefully finish and print our President Cube project. Next week we will share them with the class. Please make sure your child brings a box of tissue for the assignment if they have not already done so. This coming week our class will continue our creative writing assignment. We are all writing our own American Revolution lyrics to our favorite songs. Some of these songs are: Ring of Fire, In Bloom, Breakaway, Hey Jude and many more. It is quite a fun project and the students will perform them for extra-credit. This project will take the place of the Chapter 9 test. (I know we are sad about this).

This Friday we will be going to the Monterey Bay Weather Station. We will need to be back for the big spin at 1pm. We are short one driver (4 students) at this point so if you can drive please let me know. Here are the drivers that have signed up: Kean (3), Linda (4), Kristin (4), Tara (5), Diane (6), Lisa (3). It would be great to get two more drivers because Kristin was a last resort driver who has gone on almost every trip and probably needs a break.

Our next field trip will be on Friday, April 24th when we go to the county courthouse for "Cookie Court." Keep an eye out for the permission slip.

Here is a list of the students that HAVE (less than half) paid the $28 for the Roaring Camp Field Trip. If your child is not on the list, please send it in by Friday. It is on my credit card. I know money is tight for all of us, so if you need a scholarship, please let me know. Also, here is the link to this amazing field trip. http://www.roaringcamp.com/schlgrps.html
Dante, Graham, Rachel F., Christopher, Jack H., Haley, Jade, Kate, Daniel, Jack O., Olivia, Rachel S., Alyna

That's it for now!
Mr. Sweet

P.S. Happy St. Patrick's Day! Our band is playing at the Crow's Nest on Tuesday for those parents who can get away on a date.

WEEK 27

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Reading 20 min. A.R.
Math-Finish p.305+p.129in HWWKB
Science-Do study guide-Test Thursday on Weather Unit of study
Social Studies-finish p. 92,93
BRING CUBE TO CLASS FOR PROJECT-We'll work on it at the lab.

Thursday Homework
Read 20min.
Study for tests

WEEK 26

NEWSPAPER BOOK REPORT EXAMPLE
HOMEWORK MONDAY
Read p. 76-88
Math - Finish Ch.3 test (No parent help)
Finish p. 89
Writing-Finish Rough Draft of American Revolution Story
Newspaper Book Report Due Thursday

HOMEWORK TUESDAY
Read p. 97-111
Math - Team A-p. 121HW WKBK/p. 134 Daily
Team B- p. 170 Daily/157, 158 Hw Wkbk
Newspaper Book Report Due Thursday

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Finish Math - p. 301-302
Finish Bookmark
Finish Final Draft of Revolutionary Writing

Weather Unit Review…Test-Thursday, March 12th.

1. Describe the three levels of the Earth’s atmosphere. Which level has the most pressure? Thickest? Where does most of the weather take place?

2. Why is air pressure highest at sea level?

3. Describe what happens in an area of high pressure.

4. What are convection currents?

5. What happens to cause a sea breeze?

6. Describe the flow of the California current.

7. Where on Earth does the water evaporate the fastest?

8. Understand: humidity, current, precipitation and wind.

9. Understand the difference between: cirrus, cumulus, cumulonimbus and stratus clouds.

10. What are condensed small water droplets that are near ground level?

11. Describe what a barometer, hygrometer, anemometer and thermometer measure.

12. Every air mass has two characteristics…what are they?

13. Understand different air masses and the type of weather they bring.

14. What is the difference and what results from a cold/warm front?

15. How does wind interact with a tropical depression?

16. Describe what happens in a hurricane. On land, at sea, how fast are the winds?

17. If air pressure is going up each day what can you infer about the weather that is coming? Why? Explain.

PRESIDENTIAL CUBE

This project will give you the opportunity to research one of our nation's past presidents! You will present and explain your cube in front of the class for an oral grade.

Directions: You may gather information about your president using your Social Studies book, encyclopedias, other books, the Internet, or any other appropriate resources. Neatly type or write the information onto a separate piece of paper and glue it to the cube. Cover a square tissue box with white or colored paper. Decorate your cube with borders and accents. You may use colored pencils, markers, crayons, stickers, construction paper, or any other appropriate materials.

Your cube has six sides. Below is a list of the information that must be on the cube.

Side 1: The President's Name (in large letters)
• The years he served as president
• His numerical order (Washington was the 1st president)
• The number of terms in office (each term is 4 years)
• Optional information: political party (republican, democrat, etc.) and vice presidents
Side 2: Previous life experience
• This side should include any information about previous jobs held by this president (lawyer, governor, actor, etc.)
Side 3: Major Historical Events during the president's term
• List any historical events that occurred while that president was in office (was there a war during his term, etc.)
• This side should also mention any well-known policies enacted by the president such as FDR’s "New Deal."
Side 4: Personal Information
• This information must include the date of birth and death (if applicable), the cause of death, and information on his family (wife, children, etc.)
Side 5: Map of your president's home state
• This map should be hand drawn, in color, include the capital and the city of the president's birth
Side 6: A picture of the president
• A hand drawn picture of your president
• This picture can be traced or sketched free-hand. It cannot be a photocopy, a photo from a book, or printed from a computer.
Remember: Neatness and Creativity Count

WEEK 25

WEEKLY QUOTE
“Life is like a rainbow. You need both the sun and the rain to make its colors appear.”

WEEKLY RIDDLE
You do not want to have it, But when you do have it, You do not want to lose it? What is it?

Dear Parents,
I just wanted to say how impressed I was with the Science Projects. The students, as you know, gave their speeches last week and they turned out so well! Thanks for all of your support and assistance at home with this exciting project. Here are few quick reminders about this week and what is coming soon:
* This Monday we are going on a field trip to The Santa Cruz Symphony at 10am on the bus.
* Thanks to Lisa Bruce and her family for donating a new class set of a hardcover books entitled The Fighting Ground. It is a Newbery Medal winner about the American Revolution that will be used for years to come. We will be starting this book on Monday, as well.
* Spanish class resumes tomorrow after several weeks off.
* Our class is still presenting their Revolutionary Hero Power Point Presentations. This week we will also start researching for our Presidential Cube Project. Most of this project will be completed in the lab and in class. It is not due until Friday, March 13th.
* Each student should have begun their Newspaper Book Report, which is due, Thursday, March 5th.
* The last day of the trimester is Friday, March 6th. This is also the last day to take an A.R. test. Report cards will go home the following Friday, March 13th
* This Friday we will be going on a field trip to UCSC Life Lab to learn about Nutrition and how we can plant our own garden in the coming months. Some of our class funds will pay for this ($160) so parents will not need to pay for this one.
* Please check out our Writers Blog. There is a link from this page. There are two exceptional letters that were written to President Obama that I wanted to share.

That's it for now...See you at the school where kind hearts and open minds rule. Well, we are working on it anyways ;D
Mr. Sweet

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Read p.7-19 in THE FIGHTING GROUND
Math-p. 24+25 in book (Review Test) No parent help
Vocab-write the word, the sentence it is in and the definition. (10 words)
Due Friday
Newspaper Book Report
Extra Credit due next Monday


HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Read p.38-48 in THE FIGHTING GROUND
Math-Team A-p.60inbook/ Team B p. 140+142
Vocab-write the word, the sentence it is in and the definition. (10 words)
Due Friday
Newspaper Book Report
Extra Credit due next Monday


HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Read p.59-70 in THE FIGHTING GROUND
Math-Team A-p71 inbook/ Team B p. 46/47 in book
Vocab-write the word, the sentence it is in and the definition. (10 words)
Due Friday
Newspaper Book Report Due next Thursday
Extra Credit due next Monday

WEEK 24

Homework Tuesday
Read 20 min.
Math-Team A p.1-7 hw wkbk/Team B-Book 1-125,126/Book 2-137/138
Science Packet L1
Practice Speeches

Homework Wednesday
Read 20 min.
Math-Team A p.1-8 Daily Routines Wkbk/Team B-HW Wkbk p. 129 + 209
Newspaper Book Report Paper sent home
Bring Bags + Newspaper
Practice Speeches

Homework Thursday
Read 20 min.
Math-p. 9 in hw wkbk
Practice Speeches
Science packet p. 2 (From Lesson 2)
Extra Credit opportunities: El Nino, Cloud Study, "Northern Lights"
(Last chance this trimester)

WEEK 23

Valentine Mommies


WEEKLY RIDDLE
"What two things can you never have for breakfast?

Valentine's Day Quotes
"I don't understand why Cupid was chosen to represent Valentine's Day. When I think about romance, the last thing on my mind is a short, chubby toddler coming at me with a weapon." ~Author Unknown

"Must, bid the Morn awake!
Sad Winter now declines,
Each bird doth choose a mate;
This day's Saint Valentine's.
For that good bishop's sake
Get up and let us see
What beauty it shall be
That Fortune us assigns.
~Michael Drayton

"Love is a symbol of eternity. It wipes out all sense of time, destroying all memory of a beginning and all fear of an end." ~Author Unknown

Dear Parents,
This week we have a lot happening in Room 12. First, and foremost, I will be moving our Science Test to Wednesday so we can have one more night to study for our Unit of Study on the Water Cycle. On Tuesday we will be finishing our Power Point Presentation on our American Revolutionary Hero in the computer lab. In addition, in class, we will be preparing our Science Project Speeches using 3 by 5 cards. Students will present their projects after these are complete. Also, they will be able to enter their project in the Science Fair too! On Thursday we will be starting our new unit of study in Science on Weather. In reading we finished our book, My Brother Sam is Dead, so we will be going back to our Houghton Mifflin book and do a couple of short stories about the Revolution times.
On Wednesday we will have our big Valentine's Breakfast Bash for all of the 5th grade at 8am in the MPR.

See you at school!
Mr. Sweet

HOMEWORK TUESDAY
Read 20 min.
Math L116/93, 95, 97, 99
Revolutionary Hero Presentations next Tuesday
BRING $5 for Valentine's Breakfast tomorrow.


HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Read 20 min.
Math L117/113, 114/123, 126
Revolutionary Hero Presentations next Tuesday
Spelling-Write your misspelled words 3 times in cursive ON your pre-test-Due Friday
Newspaper Book Report Due: Thursday, March 5th...CHOOSE BOOK BY FRIDAY(It can be one
that you have read this trimester)


HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Read 20 min.
Math L119
Revolutionary Hero Presentations next Tuesday
Spelling-Write your misspelled words 3 times in cursive ON your pre-test-Due Friday
Newspaper Book Report Due: Thursday, March 5th...CHOOSE BOOK BY FRIDAY(It can be one
that you have read this trimester)
WEAR RED, WHITE, PINK OR PURPLE
Optional: Bring Valentines
FIELD TRIP FORMS

WEEK 22

I am very sick at home right now and I'm hoping to be back Wednesday. I have a horrendous soar throat and a high temp. Here are the details for this week. Our only homework after tonight is our Science Projects and whatever students did not finish for their math assignment. Some parents were wondering about the Science Test. It will not be until next Tuesday because of my absences. The study guide will be sent home tomorrow. However, for those of you who would like it now, here it is online.

The Water Cycle Study Guide
Unit 3


Lesson 1 – How does Water Move Earth to the Air and Back Again?
What source drives the water cycle?
Describe what happens to water vapor as it rises higher into the air
What is ground water, aquifer,


Lesson 2 – How do Californians Get the Water they Need?
What is a dam and a reservoir? How do they function?
What is it called when you do not get much of any rain/snow over a long period of time?
What is a watershed?
What bodies of water hold the most of Earth’s water?

Lesson 3 – How Can People Conserve Water?
Describe all of the methods of conserving water.
What is called the recycling of water?
What are some examples of pollution in water?
Describe various practices used to conserve water.

Essays:
Be able to describe what a water table is and how it functions.
Explain the process that water goes through in the water cycle
Name and explain the 5 ways you will conserve water.