I will be out of town April 27-29th.
Next year
It is the time of year when schools start ordering things for next year. To help us plan more thoroughly, if your child is planning to return to their home school next year, please let myself or Mrs. Meier know. You might also want to give the home school a call and let them know of your decision. They usually have placement meetings in May.
Certainly, you could decide later (this spring or summer) to return to your home school. However, if you have made that decision now, please let one of us know.
On that note, you need to know that I would totally respect any decision you make. I do not need to know your reason unless you choose to share it with me. Getting your child to Poly everyday is a HUGE commitment. Coming to Poly Drive has been a huge adjustment for your child. Being in a combination class is a tremendous adjustment. There are many reasons a parent might choose to have their child return to their home school.
It has been a delight, a challenge, and a journey for me, personally, this year. I am already thinking what I will do differently next year (desks: they need their personal space!). Whichever way you choose, please know that I sincerely have appreciated your input, support, and kind words this year. You have made a tremendous difference in my year.
READING GOALS: Students set reading goals last week. I sent home a STAR reading report with the goal written on the bottom. Please ask your child for it, sign it, and return it. I have received about ¼ of them. If you were away on a trip, it may come home next Monday when I return.
Thursday, May 26th: Field trip to the Audubon Center 9:00-2:00. Permission slip will come home in May.
Reading—Both classes are reading books required by the district
5th grade: Tall Tales
4th grade: The Missing Gator of Gumbo Limbo
Language
Latin Word Root----claim/ equ/voc Quiz on THURSDAY
claim/clam call out, shout
equ/equi equal, fair
voc voice, call
ex- out, away, from
pro- for, before, forward
-ation an action or process
-ate to make, to act
-ity state, quality, act
Math
All: Fractal Geometry
Chapter 12 for both classes
Science
Acid, Acid Everywhere
A problem based science unit that requires the students to analyze the problem situation, to discover and select information that applies to the problem solution, and to obtain that information in a variety of ways. They will conduct experiments of their own design to generate useful data and to formulate possible problem solutions.
Social Studies
5th grade: Posters/billboards to lure people to colonies
4th: Focus on state in their region (short presentation with 3 facts about their state)
Spelling:
We will have spelling the week of April 26th
4th grade U 32 Final /schwa/ + /l/ sound
BASIC: towel, nickel, barrel, model, marvel, squirrel, pedal, metal, special, total, title, battle, simple, eagle, trouble, gentle, tangle, ankle, juggle, riddle
CHALLENGE: cancel, decimal, material, pretzel, triangle
REAL WORLD VOCABULARY: Animals in the Wild
Species, identification, habitat, populations, range, behavior, nocturnal, captivity
We will have spelling the week of April 26th
5th grade U 32 Suffixes -ent, -ant, -able, -ible
BASIC: different, difference, urgent, urgency, absent, absence, frequent, frequency, vacant, vacancy, distant, distance, infant, infancy, radiant, radiance, honorable, comfortable, possible,
CHALLENGE: evident, evidence, occupant, occupancy, capable
REAL WORLD VOCABULARY: Exercise
Fatigue, workout, accelerates, heartbeat, strength, nutrition, endurance, marathon
Summer Enrichment Programs for Gifted Youth
As I get information about summer programs, I will post it here. You can explore them and see if any would work for your schedule and finances. :-)
Camp Invention
Camp Invention is a weeklong adventure in science creativity. Led by qualified educators, this exciting program is being hosted by MSU-Billings Campus this summer for children entering grades 1-6.
Date: June 20-24 9-3:30 PM Cost: $225
Contact
Math Camp
Location: Colorado College
We would like to make the gifted education community aware of Epsilon, a new summer camp for the exceptionally (EG) and profoundly (PG) gifted, ages 8 to 10 years old (students must be under the age of 11 during camp), who love math. This new camp, directed by Dr. George Thomas, founder of Mathpath and Canada/USA Mathcamp, will be held at Colorado College from July 24 through August 14, 2011. Epsilon Camp combines an intellectually rigorous student camp running in parallel with a parent workshop addressing the concerns and challenges of raising EG/PG children. Epsilon students will be exposed to mathematics enrichment not available anywhere else at this time for their age group.
For more information, including eligibility requirements and how to apply, please visit http://epsiloncamp.org/index.php
College of William and Mary
Location: Virginia
This is a link to a PDF flyer of the offerings through W&M. Page 7 of the PDF is where the grade levels pertaining your children begin. There is some information on the previous pages about scholarship opportunities. College of William and Mary
Location: Virginia
This is a link to a PDF flyer of the offerings through W&M. Page 7 of the PDF is where the grade levels pertaining your children begin. There is some information on the previous pages about scholarship opportunities.
