Goodbye 2010

Homework for the week:

Monday- math worksheet, reading comprehension story

Tuesday- math worksheet, reading comprehension story

Wednesday- spelling sentences

Thursday- study spelling, list of materials due for science fair project

Spelling Words:
1. Christmas
2. Kwanzaa
3. Hanukkah
4. wreath
5. tinsel
6. mistletoe
7. decoration
8. traditions
9. feast
10. wassailing
11. ornament
12. luminaria
13. menorah
14. charities
15. angel
16. reindeer
17. sleigh
18. December
19. chocolate
20. garland

Weekly Update- December 7th

Spelling Words:
1. absent
2. servant
3. present
4. instant
5. accident
6. assistant
7. current
8. moment
9. resident
10. ignorant
11. pleasant
12. distant
13. innocent
14. intelligent
15. restaurant
16. patient
17. government
18. statement
19. migrant
20. participant

Problem of the Week:
Mrs. DeBono went Christmas shopping with her mom. She went to Old Navy and Target. Mrs. DeBono spent a total of $90. She some money on 5 gift cards at Target. She spent a total of $40 at Old Navy. Write a two-step equation to show how much money each gift card was at Target.

Homework:
12/6- integers practice, read for 20 minutes, study for science benchmark, work on POW
12/7- integers practice, read for 20 minutes, work on POW, study for science benchmark
12/8- work on POW, read for 20 minutes, study for science benchmark
12/9- write your spelling words in ABC order, finish Bloom's ball, read for 20 minutes

This week's events:
12/9- Science Benchmark 1
12/10- School spelling bee at 8:30, come cheer Christopher on!

Science fair update:
- All students should have turned in their topic and their hypothesis.
- Research is due Monday, 12/6 if you haven't turned it in yet.
- Begin working on your list of materials, procedures

It's time for Round 2 of Benchmarks!

Dear parents and students,

It's that time of year again...Benchmark week! I know all of the students have been working hard to polish and refine the skills we've learned in quarter 2 in preparation of our benchmarks. Please join me in wishing them good luck this week. Our benchmarks will begin on Tuesday and end on Thursday. The schedule is as follows:
* Tuesday- Writing Benchmark beginning at 8:20 and ending around 10:30-11:00am
* Wednesday- Reading and Writing multiple choice beginning at 8:20 and ending at 11:00am
*Thursday- Math Benchmark beginning at 8:20 and ending around 10:30-11:00am.
Please help in making sure your child is at school during these time frames. Making up a benchmark test will require your child to miss additional class time. Thank you for your support.

Due to benchmark testing, our homework is different this week. Here is the homework schedule.
Monday- Rewrite persuasive essay using the checklist provided and notes from Mrs. DeBono.
Tuesday- Benchmark reading review packet
Wednesday- Benchmark math review packet
Thursday- Study for spelling test, read for 20 minutes
Friday- spend time with your family

Spelling words for this week are as follows:
1. anyway
2. any way (yes, this is different from number 1)
3. all right
4. every one
5. everyone (yes, this is different from number 4)
6. already
7. all ready (yes, this is different from number 6)
8. a lot
9. its
10. it's (notice the apostrophe)
11. your
12. you're (again, notice the apostrophe)
13. who's
14. whose (a lack of apostrophe here)
15. there's (there is)
16. theirs (showing possession)
17. anyone
18. any one (two separate words here)
19. altogether
20. all together (2 separate words here)

Science Fair Project Due Dates

Science Fair Dates
November 12th: Ideas due and questions
November 26 :Hypothesis
December 3 :Research
December 17 :List of materials
January 7th: A detailed list of procedures is due (your plan)
January 21 : The results of your experiment and conclusion
January 26: Display board and journal are due
January 27th: Science Showcase

Turkey, Pumpkin Pie, Football and Fun

Dear families,

Happy Thanksgiving. This is such a wonderful time of year as we recognize and count our many blessings. Even in stressful, poor economic times, we all can find something to be thankful for. Here are a few things I am particularly thankful for this year...
1. My family and friends
2. My students and staff at Cottonwood
3. The most basic freedoms of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness
4. My faith in the good of mankind
5. Food, shelter, and all other basic needs

This week is a short week with no school on Thursday or Friday. Book reports are due Monday, November 22nd and we will have time over the next three days for students to orally share their projects. We will review for our upcoming benchmarks in reading.

In math, we will continue our study of 2-step equations by creating them from word problems. We will also go over number sequencing and patterns. We will begin to review for our math benchmark as well.

In Social Studies we will begin a unit on European Exploration, one of my favorite units to teach! Students will have a unit project on European Exploration that we will discuss in class.

We will review the human body systems for our Science benchmark as well.

There are no spelling words this week.

Homework for the week is light and simple....math review, read for 20 minutes and continue to work on your science fair project.

I hope everyone has a great holiday.

Until next week,
Mrs. DeBono

Biztown Week !!!!!

Dear families,

Are you excited as I am? The week is finally here for us to travel to Biztown! I cannot wait to see all of the students in their jobs working as adults in a community. I plan to take lots of pictures and email them when I can. As for our trip, please see the note that will go home on Monday. It is full of reminders about the where, when, what and how of the trip.

For the rest of the week, the chilly weather brings no new surprises or events. We have a typical academic week planned. In math, we finish our study of 2 step equations and begin numerical sequencing. We move from the world of economics in Social Studies to begin our study of the explorers of North America. We will review all body systems in preparation for our Benchmark exam in Science and in reading, we will discuss reasons why author's write the stories they do. It should be a pretty great week for learning.

Your homework for the week will include a math assignment and a POW, a spelling assignment, reading 20 minutes and to continue to finish your book report and work on your science fair project.

Your P.O.W. for the week is: Jennifer and her friends went to the fair. They spent a total of $64. Jennifer and her friends spent $32 dollars on food and drinks. Tickets were $4 a person. How may tickets did they buy? (Don't forget, write and solve the problem mathematically, draw a pictoral representation, and in complete sentences explain HOW and WHY you arrived at your answer.)

Your spelling words for the week are: 1. basketball 2. seventy-five 3. rock band 4. everybody 5. fireplace 6. anything 7. takeoff 8. skateboard 9. homework 10. two-thirds 11. high school 12. railroad 13. motorcycle 14. vice president 15. strawberry 16. freeway 17. car pool 18. comic strip 19. fine arts 20. forty-two (THIS WEEK'S WORDS ARE COMPOUND AND HYPHENATED WORDS- BE SURE YOU KNOW WHICH ONES ARE TWO SEPARATE WORDS)

I hope you all have a wonderful week.
Mrs. DeBono

Computer Lab Assignment- November 9, 2010

Computer Lab Assigment

1. Go to Comet's Kids and log into BrainPop. Click on science and then, "Natural Disasters". You will watch the video and take the quiz. You will print the quiz out.

2. Afterwards, come back to the blog and check out this link for science fair experiments
If you haven't chosen one, look through to see if any interests you.

3. Continue to work on your powerpoint presentation on the plot of your favorite movie.