WEEK OF FEBRUARY 5-9th

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Read "Big Air"and "Running Out of Chocolate"
"Holding Back the Floods" and "Frogs for Sale"
in Science World + Do Comprehension activity
Due: Friday
History: Study for Test using Quizlet
HERITAGE PROJECT DUE NEXT THURSDAY, February 15th.
Bring $5 for Valentine's Breakfast

HOMEWORK TUESDAY
Reading-See Above-Due Friday
Writing-Finish Typing/Editing/Revising+
Print Information Essay "Expert Topic"
Valentine $ for Breakfast
Study for History Test

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Reading Due Friday
10 Marks Multiply mixed numbers
Study for History Test/Packet+Cornell
Notes due tomorrow
Practice Vocab using Quizlet
$5 for Valentine's



Class Update

In Writing we are finishing our informative writing (Expert Essay). This Friday we will be celebrating our final publishing of this project with Mr. Avey's 6th class so they can learn from them as they share their books with us.

In Reading we will continue Holes and should be able to finish it next week.
Our Spelling Vocabulary comes from reading chapters 30-42.

At home we should be finishing up our Heritage Projects. I will be giving extra time this week instead of homework! The project is due next Thursday, February 15th.

I sent home the yearbook forms today.

Each student was given the Valentine's Day Breakfast form. Please bring in the $5 to help pay for the breakfast.

In History we are studying for our big American Revolution test this Thursday by using Quizlet.

In Math we will be finishing up Unit 4 this week on Multiplying Fractions.

Thursday is our Field Trip at 9:10 am. Make sure to bring a lunch and wear some sunscreen.

See you at the school where kind hearts and open minds rule!

Mr. Sweet

WEEK OF JANUARY 29th-FEBRUARY 2nd

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Newsela: Two Olympic Articles + Quizzes: Due Wednesday
Math - Three 10 Marks Due Friday (Multiply Decimals, By 10s, etc)
Vocabulary-Finish Making Quizlet (Test on Friday)
Heritage Project!

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Reading AR 20 Min.
Math - p.135_136 in workbook
Three 10 Marks Due Friday (Multiply Decimals, By 10s, etc)
Vocabulary-Finish Making Quizlet (Test on Friday)
Heritage Project!

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Reading 20 min. AR
Math-Finish p.138+139 in Student Wkbk
Writing-Finish Rough Draft of Expert Essay
STUDY DLR + VOCABULARY QUIZLETS
History - Study Guide Posted/Test next Thursday

WEEK OF JANUARY 22-26th

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Read Newsela : "What's it like to be an NFL player" + 
"What it's like to grow up with an ankle bracelet"
DUE WEDNESDAY
Math - p.121 Student Workbook
Write a story with 15 vocabulary words underlined (Due Friday)
Heritage Project 


HOMEWORK TUESDAY
Finish Read Newsela : "What's it like to be an NFL player" + 
"What it's like to grow up with an ankle bracelet"
DUE WEDNESDAY
Math - Three 10 Marks (Due Friday)
Write a story with 15 vocabulary words underlined (Due Friday)
Practice Learning Vocabulary on Quizlet
Heritage Project 

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Read: AR Book 20 min.
Math - Three 10 Marks (Due Friday)
p. 124 in Student Wkbk
Write a story with 15 vocabulary words underlined (Due Friday)
Practice Learning Vocabulary on Quizlet
Heritage Project 

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
AR
Math-Finish 10 Marks + Moby Max
Finish Vocab Story (Underline words)
Study DLR/Vocab for test
Heritage Project

CLASS UPDATE
We are continuing to explore our personality profile to help understand the best ways that we learn and work together in class and life. Feel free to take the personality profiles that the class done together:
Pig Profile: http://www.csap.org/fall_meeting_files/Fall2012/Personality-Test.pdf
Otter Lion Retriever, Beaver Profile:https://solvemymaths.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/fiveminutepersonalitytestforclass.pdf

In Math we continue Unit 4 with Multiplication of 10s and 100s. We need to review adding/subtracting fractions with different denominators. We will continue Moby Max
Math to reinforce new material.

In Writer's Workshop we have started our "Expert" Informative writing. We are learning about Text Features that will also help enhance our Family Heritage Project.

In Class we did our Table of Contents for our Heritage Project and learned how to insert page numbers. In addition, we learned how to make a pie graph for our ethnicity graph.
In RTI we are continuing the exciting novel, "Holes" We have discussed Irony, Luck, Curses, and the justice system.

In History we are reviewing the French and Indian War, followed by the skirmishes that lead to the Revolution.

Here are the drivers for the field trip on 
Thursday, February 8th:
Michelle Samples (7 students)
Rosie Black (3)
Courtney Oman (3)
Karlie Grigsby (5)
Mageda Ayyad (4)
Jessica Santillano (3)
SUB  Rachel Nigh (6)
Stay dry!
Mr. Sweet

January 17-19th

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Reading-Newsela MLK + Quiz
Writing-Do New Year's Resolution Paper
Field Trip Form-Have parent sign and return
with $5 for UCSC Life Lab Trip

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Writing-Vocabulary + Pic Review Sheet
Math - p. 67+68 Home Connections
Field Trip Form-Have parent sign and return

with $5 for UCSC Life Lab Trip

Welcome back! I hope everybody enjoyed that extended winter break. A huge thanks goes out to all the parents and students for their thoughtful holiday gifts! I enjoyed a peaceful break with family and friends. During the break I enjoyed reading a book along with my son that kept me up late at night. In addition, I golfed with Mr. Kyle and my new driver (thanks to the class gift + Amazon gift cards). I had to remodel my bathroom, which was fun, but very challenging. My wife, Hilary, just had Lasik(PRK) surgery so I have been taking care of her for the past week. Enough about me!

Here is a quick update in Room 12:

In class we are reading about Martin Luther King Jr. and discussing his "I Have a Dream" speech that we saw today in class.

In Writer's Workshop we are writing starting a new unit on Informative Writing.

In RTI-We start an amazing book....HOLES! 

In Math we will be starting Unit 4 with multiplication of tens and hundreds along with a review of 1st semester.

In History-We are starting the Unit on the lead-in to the American Revolution

Heritage Project-The project is due in a month, (February 15th). See link on right if your child lost the assignment. We will be learning about some text features that can be used in this project. 

Week of December 18-22nd

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Reading-Newsela - History of Christmas Newsela + Quiz
Writing-Finish Rough Drafts of Acrostic Poems
Poetry-Memorize and practice reciting your two poems(record yourself
on iPhone)

HOMEWORK TUESDAY
Reading-AR 20 min. (Take quizzes by Friday) 
Writing-Finish Rough Drafts of Haikus + Edit
Poetry-Memorize and practice reciting your two poems(record yourself
on iPhone)
Heritage Project-Read through project. Plan out interviews
Pick out your clothes for your Recital
Get white elephant gift for Friday!

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Reading-AR 20 min. (Take quizzes by Friday) 
Poetry-Memorize and practice reciting your two poems(record yourself
on iPhone) Recital tomorrow at 8:00 am. 
DRESS UP FANCY
Study Spelling Words
Fill out Poetry Cafe Sheet
Get white elephant gift for Friday!

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Finish AR Book Before Break!
Study Wordly Wise + Spelling
Study History of Holidays for test
BRING WHITE ELEPHANT GIFT
Wear Red and Green/Ugly Sweaters

Dear Parents and Students,

* Last week we learned about Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. This week we will be learning more Winter Holiday History including: Winter Solstice, Christmas, and Saturnalia. On Friday we will take a History Quiz from the notes we took in class.

* The Heritage Report project will be sent home this week our homework is to simply schedule/plan interviews during the break. Also, choose and write the questions you would like to add to the interviews...         
* Extra Credit-Go to a local retirement housing establishment and interview          somebody there. People LOVE to tell there stories and these communities are often forgotten.

* Our main focus this week will be memorizing our two poems. This Thursday students will dress up and recite their winter poem and free verse poem. Parents are invited! 8:00-9:00am. (I had to change the time due to a staff training workshop) Students will be graded on their memorization, volume, expression, eye contact, style, and pacing. I will take pictures and we will have treats. A big thank you to Rachel Nigh for organizing what people will bring.

* I will send home a progress report on Thursday. (You can just go to iGrade to see 

* On Friday we will have our annual sing-a-long together as a school so join us if you you want to share in the holiday cheer! White Elephant gift exchange. Please purchase a gift that is appropriate for a boy or a girl for $10 and under. 


THIS IS FROM MRS. DORNEY regarding the Science Fair Project opportunity. (This is not required, but students from my class who participate will be given a lot of extra credit!)

* Dear 4th 5th & 6th Grade Rio Families,

This year we are excited to open up our Rio del Mar Science Fair to include 4th, 5th and 6th grade students.  This is an optional, at-home activity for our most inquisitive and self-motivated students.  Most of this project will need to be done during winter break. This voluntary science fair project is designed for students who are highly motivated and interested in engaging in the science and engineering investigative process.  As many as ten students who participate in the Rio del Mar Science Fair on Thursday, February 1st, where they will be judged by the RDM science team, could qualify to go to the County Science Fair on Saturday, March 10th. 

Parents are invited and welcome to come on Thursday, evening (2/1) from 6:30 -7:30 to view students’ projects.  Students’ projects will need to be brought to school on Tuesday, January 30th, 2018.  

If your child is interested in participating, please log into this google doc to sign your child up.

• Rio del Mar Science Fair Sign Up Form  

Included in this email and on our school website are attachments and links for your convenience:

1. Science Fair Guidelines & Student Self Pacing Guide
2. Inquiry Boards (Process to narrow your project ideas.)
3. Links for Science Fair project ideas & investigative questions http://science.santacruz.k12.ca.us/

PVUSD S&E Fair Resources

Resource Links:

Santa Cruz County Office of Education, Department: Science Fair

Discovery Education, Science Fair

Science Buddies

Easy Bib (Bibliography Writing Resource)

WEEK OF DECEMBER 11-15th

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Reading - Do American Revolution Newsela + Quiz
Math - Finish/Go over Math Pre Test
Writing - Finish Rough Drafts of Food Poems

HOMEWORK TUESDAY

Reading -Newsela - iPhone Challenge + Quiz

Math - Moby Max Math 15 min.

Writing - Finish Food Poem Final Drafts + Pictures and Color

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Reading - 20 Min. AR
Writing - Finish Rough Drafts of Free Verse (Make it your best yet!)
Wordly Wise- Study words, spelling and their meanings for test on Friday

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Reading - 20 Min. AR
Writing - Finish Final Draft of Free Verse (Begin memorizing/reciting Free Verse and Winter Poems)
Due next Thursday, December 21st (Work on Volume, annunciation, pacing, eye contact, expression and style!)
Finish Wordly Wise- Study words, spelling and their meanings for test on Friday

WEEK OF DECEMBER 4-8th

MONDAY HOMEWORK
Read Newsela + Quiz:
"Scientists have names for four new elements that they discovered"
Math p. 53+54 in Home Connections Wkbk
Science-Do Study Guide for Thursday's Test
Writing - Finish Final Drafts of "Couplet" poem
"Stick it to Hunger"

TUESDAY HOMEWORK
Read 20 MIN.
Math 10 MARKS Metric Conversions
Writing - Finish 2 Cinquain Rough Drafts
Science-Do Study Guide for Thursday's Test
Report Card Envelopes Signed and Return

WEDNESDAY HOMEWORK
Math - Home Connections Wkbk p. 55+56
Writing-Finish Cinquain Final Drafts
Science Study Guide-Test tomorrow!
Report Card Envelopes Signed and Return
"Stick it to Hunger"

THURSDAY HOMEWORK
Read 20 min. AR
Math - p. 105 in Student Wkbk (Dividing and Rounding)
Science Wkbk due tomorrow. Finish UNIT 1 p. 1 through page 47
(It should be finished already)
Report Card Envelopes Signed and Return

"Stick it to Hunger"

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 27-DECEMBER 1st

HOMEWORK MONDAY
Newsela - Read Disney-Pixar's "Coco" celebrates Mexican culture
+ Quiz
Math - p. 47+48 Home Connections Wkbk
Correct and Return work

HOMEWORK TUESDAY
Math p. 91+92 Student Wkbk
Writing-Do Poetry Devices Worksheet

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY
Read 20 min. AR 
Math - 10 Marks Rounding Decimals(Place Value)
Writing-Finish 3 Diamantes, Parent/Sibling Edit and Revise with Thesaurus

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Math - Finish 10 Marks/Adding/Subtracting Decimals
Writing - Finish Rough Draft of two couplet poems (1 free-choice,
1 winter theme)
Finish Final Draft of Diamantes
Make up Picture Day tomorrow
Begin Study Guide(Test next Thursday)

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 13th-17th

HOMEWORK MONDAY

Reading: Newsela: "What was on the menu at the first Thanksgiving?" + Quiz

Math-p. 41 + 42 In Home Connections

Sign and Return Thanksgiving Feast Form 

with 3 Choices by Wednesday

HOMEWORK TUESDAY

Read 20 min.

Math - Moby Max - Reading Decimals

to 1000th place value

Thanksgiving Feast Form (Look below 

at what we have so far!)

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY

Reading - 20 min. 

Math - 10 Marks Comparing Ordering Decimals 

Science - Moby Max 15 min.(Periodic Table/Atoms)

Bring Thanksgiving Feast Form

HOMEWORK THURSDAY
Reading 20 min.
Math - p. 45+46 Home Connections (Decimals and Fractions)
Science 15 min. Moby Max-
Study DLR

FIELD TRIP MONDAY DRIVERS!
Rosie Black (3/4)
Larry Giuffre (4)
Karli Grigsby (5)
Alexis Lane (3)
Michelle Samples (5)
Corine Scermelyi (5)
Rachel Nigh (Sub)

THANKSGIVING (TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 21st) FEAST SIGN-UPS

1. Alia - Rice with Vegetables

2. Farris - Traditional Dessert (He'-re;-se')

3. Siena - Deviled Eggs

4. Damaria - Home made Mac and Cheese

5. Kylie - Bruschetta

6. Ella - Cranberry

7. Mackenzie - Stuffing

8. Zac - 

9. Magnus - Caprese Salad

10. Rowan - Cheesy Scalloped Taters

11. Spencer - Sweet Potatoes w/mand. oranges, marshmallows

12. Aidan M. - Ham

13. Gavin - Green Bean Casserole

14. Abram - Mashed Potatoes

15. Gigi - Macaroons

16. Mercedes - 

17. Olivia - Turkey!

18. Mia - 7 Layer Dip

20. Aden P. - Pumpkin Bread

21. Sebass - Cherry Pie

22. Adriana - 

23. Leo - 

24. Kimya - Chicken pot pie

25. Isaiah - Mashed Potatoes with Gravy

26. Mercy R. -  Pretzel nut caramel sticks

WEEK OF NOVEMBER 6-10th

HOMEWORK MONDAY

Reading: Newsela: Astros win first World Series + Quiz

Math Finish p. 70 in Student Wkbk (Review)

Finish Vocabulary-Write the sentence each word is found in the book, 

write a guess with the meaning in (   )

Look up the meanings of the vocab words 

DUE THURSDAY)

CLASS EARNED PARTY ON THURSDAY

Bring $5

Nacho Libre, Pizza, Rootbeer Floats, PJs, Stuffed Animals

HOMEWORK TUESDAY

Read 20 min.

Math 10 Marks - Watch Video Decimal Place Value

Finish Vocabulary

Bring $5 for party food!

HOMEWORK WEDNESDAY

Do Periodic Table Paper (Use planner)

Correct and Return Work (Due tomorrow)

Study Vocab + Finish HW

Dress in PJs and bring Stuffed animals