September-October

I have greatly enjoyed getting to know all of the students in our classroom.  They can be a bit chatty, but are eager learners. Caughlin's Think Kindness campaign is creating a positive culture in our classroom and school.

Below is an outline of what students are learning:

ELA

We are currently reading the children's novel There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom by Louis Sachar. As we read this novel together, students are investigating the realistic fiction genre, analyzing character, plot structure, and theme. Students are also honing their summarizing skills. In conjunction with this novel, students have been asked to read at least one realistic fiction book, complete a story map for the realistic fiction book, and answer character analysis questions.  This is all part of their Independent Reading assignment, which also includes working towards and AR goal and completing a WOW! Words bookmark.  Students have several papers related to this assignment in their reading pockets.  The assignment is due Tuesday, October 6, 2015.

In writing we are working on summarizing and learning how to organize an essay.  Students are also becoming familiar with using our mobile computer lab. Following completion of our Me Essays, students will begin writing personal narratives and learning how to insert appropriate transition words/phrases and elaborate with dialogue and imagery.  

As part of language development, students are learning about word parts.  We will be studying how to add suffixes, such as, -ed and -ing to base words and spell them correctly. Following that, we look at common homophones.

Math

We have completed a quick review of base ten, the foundation of our number system. Students learned to multiply and divide by powers of ten. Currently we are in Unit 1 of Everyday Math, Number Theory in which concepts of arrays, factorization, and divisibility are addressed. Next up, will be a review of measurement with a focus on the metric system, linear measurement, and area. This will lead to volume and integrate into a science unit on density.

Social Studies

We have had a slow start in the area of social studies, but we are progressing through a short unit of study on United States geography.  This will be followed by a unit about the first people of the Americas.

Science

We have started a unit of study called Atoms to Minerals which will lightly investigate atomic theory, the periodic chart of elements, and matter.  The matter focus will be minerals. 

Please remember to donate to our Caughlin Ranch Colts on the Run fund raiser. Donations in the past purchased our wonderful mobile computer lab and many other supplemental programs for our school. Every dollar matters! Thanks!

Welcome Back Part 2

In the previous blog post I mentioned the Ice Cream Social.  That social has been cancelled. Parents and students are officially invited to meet their teachers and view classrooms starting at 8:30 on Monday, August 10, the first day of school.

Another change that has occurred is our class's outside line-up area.  In the past, students in D1 have lined up at the single-entry side door for D hall. Starting with the first day of school, D1 students will line up facing the double-entry doors at the end of D hall.

I'll keep you posted as to any other changes as staff continues to meet over the next few days.  Enjoy your remaining days of summer vacation!

Welcome Back!

I'm looking forward to greeting new students and old at  the Ice Cream Social on Thursday, August 6.  If you can't make the Social, I'll be seeing you the first day of class on August 10.  Below is the Caughlin Ranch 5th grade supply list. If you are unable to obtain the items requested, please let me know and it will be taken care of.

• At least a 1 gigabyte flash drive (also known as a thumb drive or jump drive) for storing & transporting computer work from school to home and vice versa

• Durable expandable file folder (letter size), also known as an accordion folder, with at least 10 pockets to be used as a filing system for notes and assignments. Briefcase style—one that can stand alone with a handle, if possible.

•  $50 made out to Caughlin Ranch School which will cover the cost of the items below and other classroom supplies for science, math, and art throughout the year. 

We are happily providing these items to take the stress out of “Back to School” shopping!

·       Pencils  ·       3” x  3” Post-It Notes ·       Highlighters ·       Rulers ·       Correcting pens ·       Kleenex ·       Science, math, & art supplies.

·       Markers and colored pencils ·       Sharpie pens ·       Glue sticks ·       Scissors ·       Dry erase markers ·       Math, Science/Science and ELA notebooks

April-May

I must apologize for not posting in March.  I came down with a case of the shingles and had very little energy for most of the month.  Below is an outline of up-coming events in our classroom for the months of April and May.  Four SHARE lessons will also be taught between April 28-May 6. I did not include the dates and times, but if you need to know, please e-mail me.

Math

We have completed our fractions unit, which is a large part of the Nevada Academic Content Standards for math.  I will have students to continue to practice fractions skills and problem solving as we delve into co-ordinate graphing and converting between customary units of measure.  For fun, we will graph simple linear functions.

ELA/Social Studies

The American Revolutionary War is coming to an end in our classroom studies. Students will be giving PowerPoint presentations on Revolutionary Battles and Events as a culminating activity.  Of course with the end of the fighting, comes the formation of a new government, so our next unit of study will be the Constitution of the United States. We will be using a supplemental textbook entitled We the People.  We the People was created by the Center for Civics Education and is endorsed by Congress.  It is designed to help students understand how the Constitution came to be written, the major principles it contains, and how the Constitution effects our lives today. It promotes reading, writing, and critical thinking.  I will be asking students to discuss Constitutional topics with you as part of their homework.

Science

I am happy to announce that Sierra Nevada Journeys, “a 501(c)3 nonprofit that delivers innovative outdoor, science-based education programs for youth to develop critical thinking skills and to inspire natural resource stewardship,” will be coming to our classroom to guide us in investigating our watershed with their Hands in the River unit. We will also be taking a trip to McCarran Ranch on I-80 East to investigate the health of the Truckee River.

Sierra Nevada Journeys charges a fee of $20 per student, and we must pay for the field trip bus. However, I will be using our classroom PTA money of $15 per student to help off-set the fees.  At this point in time, I have enough money left from our beginning of the year fees to cover the other $5 per student.  I am asking each student to chip in $5 to help with the field trip bus fee to McCarran Ranch.

We will also be finishing up our Mixtures & Solutions unit by investigating chemical changes.

April-May Events

Friday, April 24—5th grade Nevada Legislature field trip.  $5 to cover bus fees.
 
Monday, April 27—Reading SBAC (Smarter Balance Assessment Consortium)
                              CAT (Computer Adaptive Test) 1-2:30

Wednesday, April 29—SBAC classroom lesson

Thursday, April 30—SBAC Reading 9:15-10:45

Tuesday, May 5—Sierra Nevada Journeys lesson Watershed Connections 1-2:30

Monday, May 11—Math SBAC  CAT 10:45-12:15
                           Sierra Nevada Journeys lesson Watershed Inhabitants 1-2:30

Tuesday, May 12—Sierra Nevada Journeys field trip Watershed Health

Wednesday, May 13—Math SBAC classroom lesson

Thursday, May 14—Math SBAC 9:15-10:45

Tuesday, May 19—Sierra Nevada Journeys lesson Case Study of Non-Native    
                             Species 1-2:30

Friday, May 29—Donner Park field trip--focusing on  plant identification & glaciation.

January & February

I hope all families had a restful winter break! We are back to academics in the classroom.  At the time of this posting, students have completed the winter reading MAPs assessment and will be taking the math section January 29. Scores will be coming home following the math assessment. We have no word yet as to when students will be taking the SBAC test.

Below is an outline of what students will be studying during January and February.

ELA & Social Studies

Historical fiction will be our genre study and the whole class will be reading Avi's The Fighting Ground which complements are social studies unit on the American Revolutionary War. Students will be asked to read at least one historical fiction book at their reading level for their next independent reading assignment.  I highly encourage students to read a book set in American colonial or revolutionary times. I have many books set during these times for students to choose from. 

Students will also be engaging in several close readings of poetry. They will analyze Ted Kooser's Abandoned Farmhouse and then use his poem as a model for writing their own "abandoned" poem.  They will compare and contrast poems with similar themes, as well.

As mentioned before, social studies will focus on the American Revolution and students will be analyzing primary source documents to draw their own conclusions about the "Boston Massacre." They will then write an opinion essay addressing the question: Were the British Soldiers that fired upon the colonists guilty of murder or did they fire in self-defense?

To give students added support in reading, Caughlin Ranch has bought a subscription from A to Z Learning called Ready Test.  I will be sending home an informational letter once I have inputted students' names and passwords.  

Math

We are now investigating fractions. By the end of our unit students will be able to add, subtract, multiply and divide fractions.  Students will be using manipulatives and models (fraction bars, circles, and number lines) to build a conceptual understanding of fractions. 

Caughlin Ranch has bought a subscription to Dreambox, an on-line math program.  Dreambox will be used in conjunction with IXL to support students' math skills.  Dreambox assesses students and then provides lessons to improve students' areas of weakness.  Dreambox will not necessarily align with what is being taught in class. 

Science

We have finished investigation #1, Separating Mixtures, in the FOSS Kit Mixtures and Solutions. The next investigations center on saturation, concentration, and chemical reactions.