Hi all,
I am hoping to have the students begin updating the classroom blog sometime next week, but until then, I thought I would provide you with an update. ELA has been quite full of quality learning and discussion! We have been busy learning about prefixes and word patterns during our Word Study blocks. In Reading, we continue applying our nonfiction reading skills and the students are in the process of creating nonfiction brochures that incorporate various text and graphic features that they have learned about. In Writing, the students are beginning to develop mini-stories from their own and their classmate's lives to support a thesis statement for their Personal Essays. We have a wide variety of thesis statements this year, including ideas about sports, the environment, amusement parks, food, and pets. The students are very engaged in this process.
In Social Studies, we are finishing up our study of the Vikings. The students are writing "Viking Time Travel Reports" in which they pretend they have traveled back in time to the era of the Vikings and must report back on what they see, incorporating facts that they learned about. In Science, we have finished our unit on Variables and Pendulums and are beginning our study of types and forms of energy and how they transform from one to another.
Math has been quite exciting as the students are learning different ways to solve complex multiplication problems by using factors, multiples and area models. Very soon, we'll begin using traditional algorithm and examining how area models and traditional algorithms are related.
Well, that's the update for you! Have a great week!
Mr. Weinstein
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Thursday, August 29, 2013
Welcome Back! August 29, 2013
Greetings everyone!
We're off to a FANTASTIC start this year and our class has been working very hard to build a strong learning community. We spent 1.5 hours today creating a set of values for our class and then turning those into rules that will help everyone be successful. The first week is always about building community and routine, and everyone has been pulling together to participate and learn. I have been very impressed at how seriously the children are taking their responsibility of being role models for the rest of the school. I am also encouraged by the depth of discussions that we have had about what being "fair" really means, and how it doesn't mean equal, but it means that everyone gets what they need to be successful.
We're off to a great start, and I can't wait to see what these students can achieve...our journey together is just beginning!
Mr. Weinstein
We're off to a FANTASTIC start this year and our class has been working very hard to build a strong learning community. We spent 1.5 hours today creating a set of values for our class and then turning those into rules that will help everyone be successful. The first week is always about building community and routine, and everyone has been pulling together to participate and learn. I have been very impressed at how seriously the children are taking their responsibility of being role models for the rest of the school. I am also encouraged by the depth of discussions that we have had about what being "fair" really means, and how it doesn't mean equal, but it means that everyone gets what they need to be successful.
We're off to a great start, and I can't wait to see what these students can achieve...our journey together is just beginning!
Mr. Weinstein
Friday, June 21, 2013
June 21, 2013
I write this post as my students are writing their last Friday Letter Home to their parents. It's has been an absolutely fantastic year and I am so thankful that I was able to work with such a wonderful group of young people. I have them watched them grow into fully independent learners who will always push themselves to do their best.
Last night at our graduation ceremony, I asked them to remember two things from fifth grade: The first was to remember that "you can do anything you set your mind to!" The students learned this firsthand during our Wax Museum. The second thing is a quote from our favorite read aloud book called "Wonder." That quote is to be "kinder than is necessary." I share those with you because they are life lessons and are important for everyone, not just my students this year.
Best of luck, enjoy your summer, and we'll be back next fall with a new round of entries from new students.
Last night at our graduation ceremony, I asked them to remember two things from fifth grade: The first was to remember that "you can do anything you set your mind to!" The students learned this firsthand during our Wax Museum. The second thing is a quote from our favorite read aloud book called "Wonder." That quote is to be "kinder than is necessary." I share those with you because they are life lessons and are important for everyone, not just my students this year.
Best of luck, enjoy your summer, and we'll be back next fall with a new round of entries from new students.
Friday, May 31, 2013
May 31, 2013
This week in school we started reading a new book called "Dead End In Norvelt" by Jack Gantos. The book is about a boy who causes a little mischief so far. In one part he is playing with a shotgun that was he dads and trying to shoot china men at the screen and the gun goes off! It's a very good book! I would recommend it to my friends!
Hello there I am a student in Mr.Weinstein's 5th grade class. today I am going to be teaching you on how to create a blade on a windmill. First off you need an Popsicle stick. That will be the base of the blade. Next you need a small piece of paper or an index card. You then need to tape it to the Popsicle stick. After that attach the blade to a foam ball therefore creating your first blade on your windmill.
This week we have been learning about the Bill of Rights. I was assigned the 8th amendment is to protect the rights of people who have been arrested. The 8th Amendment is important because cruel and unusual punishments is against the Constitution. Therefore it is protecting people who are arrested. The 8th Amendment makes me feel safe. I know I have my rights and that police officers cant just beat me up.
Hello there I am a student in Mr.Weinstein's 5th grade class. today I am going to be teaching you on how to create a blade on a windmill. First off you need an Popsicle stick. That will be the base of the blade. Next you need a small piece of paper or an index card. You then need to tape it to the Popsicle stick. After that attach the blade to a foam ball therefore creating your first blade on your windmill.
This week we have been learning about the Bill of Rights. I was assigned the 8th amendment is to protect the rights of people who have been arrested. The 8th Amendment is important because cruel and unusual punishments is against the Constitution. Therefore it is protecting people who are arrested. The 8th Amendment makes me feel safe. I know I have my rights and that police officers cant just beat me up.
Friday, April 5, 2013
April 5, 2013
This week in social studies we learned about the American Revolution. The British and the colonists took part in that war. The places the war was fought in were Lexington and concord, and bunker hill.
The British had a base called fort Ticonderoga. They had many supplies there. The colonists found it and invaded the base. The British won the war.
This week in social studies, we learned about the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre wasn't really a massacre. Paul Revere showed people a picture British soldiers killing innocent towns people and a little puppy watching them. It was a lie. The towns people threw snowballs at the soldiers. But the snowballs had sand and gravel in it. When one soldier fell to the ground, he heard someone yell, "FIRE!" He got up and shot. Five people died. But the picture Paul Revere showed people, had many people dying. The Boston Massacre was a snowball fight gone horribly wrong.
The British had a base called fort Ticonderoga. They had many supplies there. The colonists found it and invaded the base. The British won the war.
This week in social studies, we learned about the Boston Massacre. The Boston Massacre wasn't really a massacre. Paul Revere showed people a picture British soldiers killing innocent towns people and a little puppy watching them. It was a lie. The towns people threw snowballs at the soldiers. But the snowballs had sand and gravel in it. When one soldier fell to the ground, he heard someone yell, "FIRE!" He got up and shot. Five people died. But the picture Paul Revere showed people, had many people dying. The Boston Massacre was a snowball fight gone horribly wrong.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
March 13, 2013
Greetings! Today is our Wax Museum and I am always amazed at how kids can surprise you with their perseverance, dedication, and focus when something is important to them. About a month ago, they chose a biography and began to read it and take notes on the life of their person. Then they wrote a 3-4 minute speech and memorized the entire thing, paying attention to their fluency, body language, and expression. They created props and a costume as part of the project, too. Today, we set up the classroom like a darkened museum and gusts shine a flashlight on them to "bring them to life: in the guise of their person!
Some of the kids were behind on the project, even with a planning calendar, but when push came to shove, they got it all down! I'm so impresses with this group of 11 year olds!
Sincerely,
Mr. Weinstein
Greetings! Today is our Wax Museum and I am always amazed at how kids can surprise you with their perseverance, dedication, and focus when something is important to them. About a month ago, they chose a biography and began to read it and take notes on the life of their person. Then they wrote a 3-4 minute speech and memorized the entire thing, paying attention to their fluency, body language, and expression. They created props and a costume as part of the project, too. Today, we set up the classroom like a darkened museum and gusts shine a flashlight on them to "bring them to life: in the guise of their person!
Some of the kids were behind on the project, even with a planning calendar, but when push came to shove, they got it all down! I'm so impresses with this group of 11 year olds!
Sincerely,
Mr. Weinstein
Friday, February 1, 2013
February 1, 2013
This week in Science we did our ideas for the animal summaries. I am a partner with a friend of mine. We haven't started our final draft. We have ten ideas for vertebrates (animals WITH backbones) and invertebrates (animals WITHOUT backbones). Doing the summary will be fun!
In Social Studies this week, we learned about the Salem Witch Trials. The Salem Witch Trials were about when men/women would accuse one another of using witchcraft. If someone was found guilty, they would be hung. Several people got hung each day. It was a horrible time.
This week in Reading we learned about internet safety.We used an internet program called "Missing".The internet program is about a boy who tells too much information and gets kidnapped!He thinks that the person is helping him but he really is kidnapping the 14 year old kid.But at the end the kid gets saved and the person who kidnapped the kid goes in jail.
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