Homework - 2/28/2007

• Grammar - PB 228 (Note: you might find the Grammar Study Guide: More Uses for Commas helpful with this homework assignment.)
• Reading - James Forten - Answer questions 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 on page 328 (Some students may have finished this assignment in class.)
• Science - Room 27 - Review question 1 on page C75
• Science - Room 25 - C83: 1-5 and WB 167

Fitness Newsletter

Here is the on-line version of the fitness newsletter I sent home in today's Wednesday envelope.

Physical Fitness Test

Physical fitness is comprised of several components: (1) aerobic capacity, (2) body composition, and (3) muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility.

This newsletter will provide you with some basic information about what is considered a passing score, that is, what is within the Healthy Fitness Zone, for the fifth-grade fitness test. We will also be measuring the students’ height and weight to determine their Body Mass Index, an estimate of the appropriate weight for their height.

Trunk Lift & Sit-and-Reach

The Trunk Lift is a test of strength and flexibility, and the Sit-and-Reach is a test of flexibility.

For the Trunk Lift, 10 and 11-year-old girls and boys must lift their trunk between 9 and 12 inches.

For the Sit-and-Reach, 10-year-old girls must reach 9 inches, and 11-year-old girls must reach 10 inches. 10 and 11-year-old boys must reach 8 inches. This test is marked as Pass/Fail; students either reach the required length or not.

Mile Walk/Run

The Mile Walk/Run is a test of aerobic capacity and endurance.

The Healthy Fitness Zone for 10-year-old girls completing a mile is between 9 ½ and 12 ½ minutes, and between 9 and 12 minutes for 11-year-old girls.

The Healthy Fitness Zone for 10-year-old boys completing a mile is between 9 and 11 ½ minutes, and between 8 ½ and 11 minutes for 11-year-old boys.

Curl-up

The Curl-up is a test of abdominal strength.

The Healthy Fitness Zone for 10-year-old girls is between 12 and 26 curl-ups, and between 15 and 29 curl-ups for 11-year-old girls.

The Healthy Fitness Zone for 10-year-old boys is between 12 and 24 curl-ups, and between 15 and 28 curl-ups for 11-year-old boys.

Push-up

The Push-up is a test of upper body strength.

The Healthy Fitness Zone for 10 and 11-year-old girls is between 7 and 15 push-ups.

The Healthy Fitness Zone for 10-year-old boys is between 7 and 20 push-ups, and between 8 and 20 push-ups for 11-year-old boys.

Newsletter - Issue 6

In today's Wednesday envelope, I sent home my sixth official newsletter. In it, I am informing you about the report card pilot for the last two quarters of this year. I have also included information regarding the fifth grade promotion field trip and activities, Stop, Drop and Go, and the upcoming Spell-a-Thon.

Homework - 2/27/2007

• Science - C83: 1-5 and WB 167 (many students already finished this assignment last night)
• Math - 285: 6-33 (odd); 288: 12-29 (even); 292: 20-49 (odd)

Grammar Study Guide: Interjections

An interjection, one of the eight parts of speech, is a word or phrase that expresses feelings. They almost always appear at the beginning of a sentence.

Mild interjections are followed by a comma.

Example: No, I didn't do my homework.

Strong interjections are followed by an exclamation point. Don't forget to capitalize the word that comes after the exclamation point.

Example: No! I didn't do it, I tell you. I swear I'm innocent.

Here are a few common interjections: ah; aha; ahem; all right; fine; gee whiz; good grief; gosh; hello; help; hey; hooray; my goodness; no; no way; oh; oh, no; oops; ouch; phew; right on; super; ugh; well; whew; wow; yes; yikes; yippee; and yuck.

Grammar Study Guide: More Uses for Commas

We also use commas to set off introductory words at the beginnings of sentences and to set off the names of people who are being directly addressed.

Introductory Words: Words like yes, no, and well which are used to start a sentence are separated by a comma from the rest of the sentence.

Examples: Yes, you have to do your homework tonight.
"Well, let me think about that," said Mr. Walker

Direct Address: When you are speaking directly to someone, you set off what you are calling them, usually their name, by using a comma. This can happen at the beginning of a sentence, in the middle, or at the end.

Examples: Jessica, would you collect the homework please?
If I've told you once, young man, I've told you a thousand times to pick up your socks and put them in the laundry basket.
Isn't that right, Claudia? and I don't want any more, honey.

Both: You can also have an introductory word and a direct address in the same sentence. If that is the case, then set off both the introductory word and the name of the person being spoken to with commas.

Examples: No, you can't go to the movies tonight, Michael.
Yes, Minh, I expect you to take out the trash.

Grammar Study Guide: Commas in a Series

One way we use commas is to separate items in a series, a list of three or more items. Put a comma after each item in the series except the last one. Use and or or before the last item in a series.

Examples: I like to read history, science, and mystery books.
My dad said we could order French fries, baked potatoes, or potato salad.

Grammar Study Guide: Comparing with Adjectives

Adjectives that compare two things are called comparative adjectives. Adjectives that compare three or more things are called superlative adjectives.

Comparative Adjectives: If an adjective is just one syllable or two syllables ending with a y, then just add the suffix –er to the end to make it a comparative adjective. Note: don’t forget the y changing to i rule when adding suffixes.

Examples: fast becomes faster, mild becomes milder, sleepy becomes sleepier, and sturdy becomes sturdier

Some two-syllable adjectives and adjectives with three or more syllables add the word more before the base adjective rather than adding a suffix.

Examples: modern becomes more modern, generous becomes more generous, and fortunate becomes more fortunate

Superlative Adjectives: If an adjective is just one syllable or two syllables ending with a y, then just add the suffix –est to the end to make it a superlative adjective. Note: don’t forget the y changing to i rule when adding suffixes.

Examples: fast becomes fastest, mild becomes mildest, sleepy becomes sleepiest, and sturdy becomes sturdiest

Some two-syllable adjectives and adjectives with three or more syllables add the word most before the base adjective rather than adding a suffix.

Examples: modern becomes most modern, generous becomes most generous, and fortunate becomes most fortunate

Irregular Comparative and Superlative Adjectives: Some adjectives are irregular and do not use –er, –est, more, or most. The adjectives good and bad have irregular comparative and superlative forms. (Yes, I know you'll see more and most below, but you use more or most just by themselves, not as more bad or most bad.)

The comparative form of good is better and the superlative is best.

The comparative form of bad is worse and the superlative is worst.

The comparative form of many and much is more and the superlative is most.

The comparative form of little is less and the superlative is least.

Homework - 2/26/2007

• Spelling - PB 290-292
• Grammar - PB 241/242
• Math - 282: 22-39
• Science (due Wednesday) - C83: 1-5 and WB 167

Homework - 2/21/2007

• Spelling - PB 279-281
• Grammar - PB 207-209 and 227
• Math - 274: 24-43
• Science (Room 25) - Answer Review Questions on page C75 and complete WB 163

Note: the Chapter 15 math test will be this Friday.

The research paper is also due this Friday.

Homework - 2/20/2007

• Reading - 1) Read "James Forten"; and 2) select 10 potential vocabulary words and write them on the Stoplight Vocabulary worksheet
• Math - 267: 12-33 and 270: 19-52 (odd)
• Science - Read C72-75

Homework - 2/16/2007

• Science - Answer Review questions on page C67 and complete WB 159

Homework - 2/14/2007

• Science - Study for test
• Reading - Katie's Trunk - Study for test

We did not have homework on Tuesday because of the field trip to Davies Symphony Hall, and nothing today but studying because of our field trip to the DeYoung Museum to see a Young Performances presentation about Harriet Tubman for Black History Month.

We are also reading poetry for Black History Month. I have prepared three booklets of poems by African-Americans. One is a selection of poems by Langston Hughes, and the other two are a small collections by various poets, including Nikki Giovanni, Paul Laurence Dunbar, and Lucille Clifton.

Some students, now up to fifteen a night, are to bring home one of these mini-books, read the poems, and be prepared the next day to share one that they like. The ultimate goal is to read a handful of poems at our Black History assembly on Friday, February 23.

100th Day of School

While not the sort of thing we make much of a big deal of in fifth grade, today is the 100th day of school for us this year. I only mention it to point out my other blog: 180 Days of School. It's a collection of quotes about education and related topics that I have been doing this year. You might find it interesting.

Homework - 2/8/2007

• Science - WB 149, 153/154 (Room 25 only)
• Math - Finish incomplete classwork - Read Learn on page 254 and answer Check problems 2-6; Read Explore on page 256 and answer Try It problems a-f

Note: Room 25 is ahead in science. Tomorrow will be their review day and then they will take the Unit C Chapter 2 test on Monday.

Homework - 2/7/2007

• Science - Finish notes on Metals (Room 27 only)
• Math - Study for test

Homework - 2/6/07

• Math - 247: 1-5; extra credit: 243: 1-6

Homework - 2/5/2007

• Math - 240: 6-33 (Math test on Wednesday for Chapter 14)
• Homework Time Management Log - This week Ms Arios and I are asking all the fifth grade students to work on time management, a skill we find that many of them are lacking. They are to record their homework assignment, estimate how much time it will take them to complete it, and then the actual time they spent doing the assignment. We would also like to have a general idea how they spend the hours after school: reading, watching television, doing chores, eating dinner, playing (video) games, bathing, etc. We are not trying to pry into you or your child's private life, but are merely trying to find out specifically who has good time management skills and who does not - and why.

Theme 3 Grammar Topics

Here are the Practice Book pages and topics that will be on Monday's grammar test:

• 144 - Possessives & Contractions
• 149 - Subject-Verb Agreement
• 150/151 - Regular & Irregular Verbs
• 169 - Verb Phrases with have
• 170/171 - Teach, Learn; Let, Leave; Sit, Set; Can, May
• 179 - Prefixes sub- & sur-
• 184 - Adjectives
• 185 - Proper Adjectives

Homework - 2/2/2007

• Grammar - Study for Theme 3 Test
• Math - 237: 1-13

Homework - 2/1/2007

• Grammar - PB 185/186
• Science - C45: 1-5

Homework - 1/31/2007

No homework tonight. Between the AIM (Adventures in Music) assembly and our field trip to the Exploratorium, there were no homework assignments today.

Homework - 1/30/2007

• Grammar - PB 183/184
• Math - 235: 5-16
• Health - Home Workout