Eloquence Day was a fun event- the students were pretty excited about it. I saw students pulling out chairs for each other, trying to use their utensils appropriately, using manners at the table, and using their manners to listen as the owner of the Boatwerks gave a manners review before our lunch. We appreciate Boatwerks donating their space for us!
You may view pictures below.

HOMEWORK:
Students should keep reading over break- this is homework kids! Read nonfiction and/or chapter books.

Math: Students should have their study guide completed. Remember there are tutorials on the blog for assistance. 

Mrs. Blower's class will NOT have a January book project. 




 

Week of December 7th

Student Absence: If you know ahead of time your student will be missing school and want work sent home, giving me at least 2 days advance notice is helpful in gathering it from teachers. Thanks!

Christmas Gift Giving- Candy Cane Selling Monday!

Monday volunteers begin selling candy canes- money raised goes to a Charity students will be discussing. This is in place of a Christmas gift exchange for teachers and students.                      
How it works: A student can buy a candy cane for a friend, teacher, sibling, etc., fill out a ticket with the friend's name, and the friend gets his/her name in for the drawing on Eloquence Day. The person drawn will choose which charity the donations will go to.  I will buy each student a candy cane so their name is in the drawing at least once. 
                                                                                                                         

Eloquence Day Friday December 18th: 

We will be practicing our manners in class this week to prepare. Students should dress up for this fun event. Students may bring additional clothes to change into afterwards.   
         

Eloquence Day money is due next week. $6- I need to turn mine in too!                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

CONTACTING US>    
Email:  lblowers@hamiltonschools.us    lcuster@hamiltonschools.us                         
Phone:
269-751-4436
   
HOMEWORK:   Read a minimum of 20 minutes as always!

                                                   

MATH   - Mrs. Custer 

We have been working hard on multiplying fractions times fractions, mixed numbers and whole numbers.  On Friday, we also looked at how you divide a whole number by a fraction.  The kids did Great with this new concept!  For homework, please continue to practice for the math fact tests that are next Thursday.  You will need to be able to complete 30 problems in a one minute this time...  Good Luck, but practice to get better, too!

 
BLOWERS WRITING: 
 This week students gave Book Report presentations. Next week we'll be looking over our graded letter assignment and doing mini-lessons about sentence fluency and adding detail.

READING: with Mrs. Blowers
This week we were back to working with nonfiction texts. We practiced finding cause and effect within a text and students read an article on their own where this was a focus. We also reviewed strategies for making an inference and using text details and worked independently with a text they chose.
 
Social Studies with Mrs. Custer

Social Studies - We have learned about the early Western African empire of Ghana this week, including the reasons why they grew so large and powerful and also why the empire finally collapsed.

Science with Mrs. Blowers

We have been reviewing for our test on Wednesday that covers contact and non-contact forces. I sent Study Stacks to the kids. I am resending them as I took something off and added the term air resistance.We will be playing a favorite review game Monday- Kahoot!

 Spelling:     

No spelling lesson next week.

Week of Dec 1

Christmas Gift Giving: 

Student brought a note home last week about our 5th Grade Charity Project. We will be having a 5th grade Christmas party, but we will not be exchanging gifts, but rather donating to a charity that students will have a hand in choosing. The letter is attached if you did not receive it last week.

CONTACTING US>    
Email:  lblowers@hamiltonschools.us                                              lcuster@hamiltonschools.us                         
Phone:
269-751-4436
   
HOMEWORK:   

MATH:    

This weekend's homework is only to review today's lesson that is in their math spiral. 

 

LANGUAGE ARTS:
Blowers Book Report: Due Date: Dec 9                                                  

WRITING: Some students need to complete the FINAL draft of their 2 letters. 

MATH   - Mrs. Custer 

We can now multiply a fraction, whole number, and mixed number by a fraction.  This weekend's homework is only to review today's lesson that is in their math spiral.  There is a quiz over multiplication of fractions next Tuesday.

BLOWERS WRITING: 
 This week we worked on the standard W.5.4 -writing for purpose, task, and audience. Students wrote 2 letters explaining why they were late to school. One was written to a friend and the other to the principals.  We discussed how the tone and language of the letter to a friend would be different that the one to the principals. 

READING: with Mrs. Blowers
This week we were back to working with nonfiction texts. Students read a selection about saving dolphins independently or with a partner. We worked on vocabulary- meaning, parts of speech, synonyms and antonyms as well as how to use the word correctly in a sentence. We practiced skimming for information and how to respond to questions using text support. This is review work and next week students will work on these skills independently  and get a choice of articles.
 
Social Studies with Mrs. Custer

We have started a unit about the continent of Africa.  This should help us establish some history about the people of Africa as we also learn about slavery and the beginning of colonization in North America. 

Science with Mrs. Blowers

We completed our investigation into the forces involved in flight- lift, drag, thrust, and weight/gravity. We began investigating electricity as a non-contact force. Our activity centered around static electricity and positive and negative charges. We used balloons and our hair to see this in action!

 Spelling:     

The Lesson 10 test was Friday. The new skill this week for Lesson 11 is apostrophes and their purpose. Students know they should study the activities we do in class to study for the test as well as practice the words on the list in the spelling tab.

Week of November 23rd.

TURKEY TROT: 

 5th graders enjoyed getting out there for the Turkey Trot and it was a beautiful day for it!

 Christmas Gift Giving: 

Student brought a note home today about our 5th Grade Charity Project. We will be having a 5th grade Christmas party, but we will not be exchanging gifts, but rather donating to a charity that students will have a hand in choosing. I will attach the information about this in an email next week in case you don't get the note.                                                                                                          
CONTACTING US>    
Email:  lblowers@hamiltonschools.us                                              lcuster@hamiltonschools.us                         
Phone:
269-751-4436
   
HOMEWORK:
MATH:   worksheets 11.5 and 10-12 (only the evens on the second one).
Read your book for the Nov/Dec Book Project
    Blowers Book Report Students received the paper with 4 options for their book report and we have discussed these projects. Due Date: Dec 9                                                  
 MATH   - Mrs. Custer
We are feeling successful multiplying fractions times fractions and fractions times a whole number.  The homework this weekend is  worksheets 11.5 and 10-12 (only the evens on the second one).  Today we took our November math fact tests.  Beginning in December, our goal is no longer 20 problems in one minute, but 30. The kids have their progress charted on a math facts graph that is in their binder, and these tests will be sent home next week.

Language Arts
BLOWERS Writing: 
 Students wrote their Fall similes using best word choices.

READING: with Mrs. Blowers
Students took the assessment over the genre unit. Next week we will work with nonfiction text again.
 
Social Studies with Mrs. Custer

We finished our second unit this week and have moved on to studying the continent of Africa.  The kids will get their test back on Tuesday. 

Science with Mrs. Blowers

Both classes rocked the assessment over balanced/unbalanced forces and simple machines! We began our investigations into non-contact forces. We will continue this next week. We will also discuss the forces of flight and make/test paper airplanes as part of our investigation.

 Spelling:     

This week we focused on adverbs and the difference between adverbs and adjectives. We will be doing more activities with these concepts.

Week of November 16th

TURKEY TROT: Wednesday November 26th
    On Wednesday the entire school will do the 5K Turkey Trot to get outside and be healthy together! Students should DRESS IN LAYERS and bring hats and gloves in case they are needed. This event will be held in the afternoon.
                                                                                                          
CONTACTING US>    
Email:  lblowers@hamiltonschools.us                                              lcuster@hamiltonschools.us                         
Phone:
269-751-4436
   
HOMEWORK:
Reading:   
Read your book for the Nov/Dec Book Project
    Blowers Book Report Students received the paper with 4 options for their book report and we have discussed these projects. Due Date: Dec 9                                                  

 MATH   - Mrs. Custer
Our unit on place value is finished and the tests will be corrected by the end of the weekend, with grades for all 4 standards listed individually in PowerSchool.  Next up is multiplication and division of fractions. 

Language Arts
BLOWERS Writing: 
 This week we some students read their "Bad Case" story. We spent some time doing mini-lessons and activities about sentence fluency. The class also did their first of 3 preliminary spelling tests to see who will be in the 5th grade Spelling Bee in January. Next week we wil write a short piece that focusing on figurative language and word choice.

READING: with Mrs. Blowers
We completed Guests and began reviewing for the assessment which will be next Wednesday.  Students also listened to and discussed "Brother Eagle, Sister Sky" as part of our genre unit. The theme is change and all 3 books in this unit. We have been discussing how characters react to change.
 
Social Studies with Mrs. Custer

This week we focused on The Columbian Exchange and the effects of that on both European life and life here in the Americas.  Our test will be next Tuesday and will cover the Bering Land Bridge Theory, Native American tribes and their regions in North America, early European exploration and The Colombian Exchange.  Please use your social studies spiral notes, worksheets, and textbook to help you review.   We will have one last review on Monday.

Science with Mrs. Blowers
Students completed the assessment over balanced and unbalanced forces & Simple Machines. Tests will come home Wednesday. Our next focus is contact and non-contact forces.

 Spelling:  
  Spelling Lesson 8 Test was Friday.
Next week's Lesson 9 skill is comparatives and superlatives: great, greater, greatest, for example. I suggest students study the spelling list on the blog.

Week of Nov. 9-13

CONTACTING US>    
Email:  lblowers@hamiltonschools.us                                              lcuster@hamiltonschools.us                         
Phone:
269-751-4436
   
HOMEWORK: 
Reading:    
Some students need to finish the summary of Chapter 6.
Read your book for the Nov/Dec Book Project
   
Blowers Book Report Students received the paper with 4 options for their book report and we have discussed these projects. Due Date: Dec 9                                                                                                           
 
MATH   - Mrs. Custer
Our unit on place value is finished and the tests will be corrected by the end of the weekend, with grades for all 4 standards listed individually in PowerSchool.  Next up is multiplication and division of fractions. 

Language Arts
BLOWERS Writing: 
 This week we read an article where 2 sides are given as to whether kids should receive allowance or not. As a class we followed and filled in a very specific outline according to the side chosen. Then students took the information from that outline and wrote it into a persuasive paper. This was a practice run. We reviewed several together discussing tone, how to add details in their own words, and how to not be "wishy-washy", but rather tell people they should agree, not they "hope" others will agree. Next week we will have anyone who wants to read their "Bad Case" story do so and then do mini-lessons about some writing traits.

READING: with Mrs. Blowers
We completed Chapters 5 and 6 in Guests. We worked on vocabulary, meanings of figurative language and choosing the most important events of the story to write a summary. Some students may have their summary to complete and they were told to write this in planners.
 
Social Studies with Mrs. Custer

This week we investigated a primary source that was a patent from King Henry VII of England to John Cabot.  We learned a lot about early European explorers, as well as the style of writing and grammar that was used in the late 1400s.

Science with Mrs. Blowers
We continue to talk balanced and unbalanced forces by moving into investigations about simple machines. We completed other investigations and began reviewing for the test over balanced and unbalanced forces which will be Thursday.

 Spelling:  
  Spelling Lesson 8 Test was Friday. 
Next week's Lesson 9 skill is comparatives and superlatives: great, greater, greatest, for example. I suggest students study the spelling list on the blog. 

Week of  Nov. 2nd 

Wednesday- November 11- 2 Hour Delay

CONTACTING US>    
Email:  lblowers@hamiltonschools.us                                              lcuster@hamiltonschools.us                         
Phone:
269-751-4436
   
HOMEWORK: 
Math: Lessons 7 and 9
Reading:  Read your book for the Nov/Dec Book Project
   
  Blowers Book Report Students received the paper with 4 options for their book report and we have discussed these projects. Due Date: Dec 9                                                                                                           
MATH   - Mrs. Custer

This week was all about rounding decimals as well as the place value concept of 1/10 of a number and 10 times greater than a number.  Our weekend homework is lesson 7 and 9.

Language Arts
BLOWERS Writing: 
 This week we spent writing time giving Book Project Presentations. We also went to the library to check out books for the book project. Next week we will write an opinion piece about an article we'll be reading.

READING: with Mrs. Blowers
We completed Chapters 3 and 4 in Guests. We worked on vocabulary, simile, personification and compare/contrast. Corn is a major food staple in the Native American and early settlers diets. I brought in cornbread and molasses for the kids to try on Monday. Most liked the cornbread- not the molasses so much!
 
Social Studies with Mrs. Custer

We used the verbs identify, organize and analyze as we learned about early European explorers.

Science with Mrs. Blowers
We continue to talk balanced and unbalanced forces by moving into investigations about simple machines. We watched an OK GO video called "This Too Shall Pass" that is a huge Rube Goldberg video containing simple machines that the kids thoroughly enjoyed.      

 Spelling:  
  Spelling Lesson 7 Test was Friday. Lesson 8 skill is various ways to spell the sound /s/ as in skill.