This is my Nana...

"Death is just another path. One that we all must take." -JRR Tolkien

Hey guys,

      The quote I used as the title for this post can be found in my all time favorite piece of 20th century literature.  Today I am not with you because I am mourning the loss of my Nana (Grandma).  She passed away last Thursday at 3:30 in the afternoon.  But enough about all that, let's get down to brass tax.

      I have a few notes for each rotation:

Rotation 1 Group 3...  The Alex Rider group should have Bjorn back in the ranks today.  So that means you boys need to start cracking on your Beyond the Book project  The Lost Hero group should also continue to work on your Beyond the Book project as well.  Please have a date to present decided for my next meeting with you.  The Dear Dumb Diary girls have decided to disband so please select another text or read your own self-slected text during independent reading today.  All other groups must finish their completion calendars and use the time in class to continue to read their book club books. 

Rotation 2 Group 2...  Nolan, Bryce W., and Eddie, you three should be deciding what kind of a Beyond the Book project you would like to do.  The rest of the groups please finish your completion calendars and use the rest of the time in class to continue to read your book club books. 

Rotation 3 Group 1...  NARNIA you all must be on task today.  If my memory serves me correctly we finished chapter 3 last week and we are now on chapter 4.  Get as far as you can in this chapter and don't forget to fill out your response sheets AS YOU READ.  (Stop, Think, and React to the text)  If you finish the chapter you may read more.  Fudge, Inkheart, and Fablehaven please help each other to finish our completion calendars.  Use the rest of the time in class to read your book club books. 

And now my young learners, I leave you with these photos of our totally gnarly field trip last week.  I had a blast with all of you.  Have fun reading and thinking with your guest teacher.

Yours Truly,

C

P.S.

Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing others to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively." - R.D. Clyde

Take your time. Do your best and forget the rest.

I love how stoic these people were. 



Tecumseh, a great Native American leader.  THERE IS AN ENTIRE BRAINPOP ON THIS DUDE! 

http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/famoushistoricalfigures/tecumseh/



My group if they existed during the cretaceous period.  Wicked!!



This photo brings back embarrassing memories of when I was 5.

Clue: Turn to pages 106 & 107 in your Social Studies book...

VIkings, sequence, and timelines...

Dear enthusiastic explorers,

      Let's read today with a question in mind.  Reading with a question in mind is a great strategy to give us purpose for reading.  Oh yeah, the question!  Who were the first Europeans known to have landed in the Americas?  Now I bet you are all saying to yourselves, "Pssh, come on Mr. C that one is easy.  In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue.  I have known that since I was in kindie."  WRONG!! Try again. 

      Once there were these dudes and dudettes called the vikings who were incredible craftsmen, sailors, warriors, farmers, engineers, and builders.  Their knowledge of the sea, boats, combat, business, and economics gave this culture an edge for almost 3 centuries (that's three hundred years).  Also, they landed in the Americas 500 years before Columbus did.  BOOYAH!! 

      Before you all dive into the reading today there are a few articles and a Brainpop that will blow your SCHEMA through the roof.  You will have so much background knowledge before you read that it will be a piece of cake.  However, if you goof off and do not pay close attention, I can almost guarantee you will be lost.  Pay attention, build your schema, and have fun reading.  We will pick up on Wednesday with our Book Clubs.  No worries.

HERE IS THE BRAINPOP ON VIKINGS!  Watch this before you read and enjoy!
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/vikings/

L'Anse aux Meadows information: this was the site of viking village in Canada.
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/vikings/qanda_popup.weml?qanda_id=13426&category_safe_name=socialstudies

If you want to know more about Norse Gods, Language, or cool viking ships.
http://www.brainpop.com/socialstudies/worldhistory/vikings/fyi/
Love, peace, and taco grease,
C
P.S.
Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing others to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively." - R.D. Clyde

Take your time. Do your best and forget the rest.

STORY ELEMENTS 1: Theme and others...

Hey there 5th graders,

      Repeat after me... A THEME IS A "BIG IDEA".  Theme is just one of the many things we call STORY ELEMENTS.  Every subject area has its own vocabulary.  In READING, when we are talking about fiction, good readers use certain words to describe STORY ELEMENTS.  Here are a few you have already heard, and will probably get sick of because you will continue to hear them so much.  Anyways, without further ado...

Antagonist and Protagonist
Characters
Dialogue and Dialect
Genre
Plot & Subplot
Point of View
Setting
Theme
Tone and Mood

Irony
Persona
Flashback
Foreshadowing
Style
Symbol

These vocabulary words will help you analyze your book club books over the next few weeks as we dive deeper into fiction.  Let's check out this Brainpop to get a collective understanding of some of these words.  You will use a few today in class as you read your books.  Have fun reading!!

http://www.brainpop.com/english/writing/bookreport/

Sincerely,
C
P.S.
Getting things done is not always what is most important. There is value in allowing others to learn, even if the task is not accomplished as quickly, efficiently or effectively." - R.D. Clyde

Take your time. Do your best and forget the rest.

STRUCTURES!!!

Gravity = Tension + Compresion

Sick again...

Dear 5th Graders,

      Your teacher here again.  No I am not in Madison.  I assure you I am sick and recovering.  Your guest teacher has been given the plan for the day.  Your rotations today are going to be a reread.  You are going to read pages 85-88 in your Social Studies books.  There is a Brainpop that accompanies the reading.  Please fill out the T-CHART first as you are reading.  I would like all of you to practice stopping, thinking, and reacting to the text as you read. 

      To wrap up the rotation please complete the other cause and effect graphic organizer on the back.  There is a question that should help you get started.  You have all seen these graphic organizers before so this is nothing new or surprising.  Do your best. 

Here are the learning targets for todays assignments pertaining to Social Studies:
I CAN...  summarize major issues associated with the history and culture of the American Indian tribes and bands. 
I CAN... employ cause and effect to demonstrate how significant events have influenced the past and present in the U.S. 

Sincerely,
C

Our guest teacher today...

Hello Rotation 3,

      This is your teacher speaking.  Please stay on task today during your book clubs.  I will be receiving a note from our guest teacher on how class went.  I will also be asking you all when I return tomorrow.  The fate of your book clubs rests on today's actions.  If you show me you 5th graders are not able to handle working in groups alone, than we will combine into one big group tomorrow.  I know you all, and I also know you can accomplish this task.

      Your work plans are there to help guide you through the day.  If you have a reading/work day what are you doing if you are on task?  If you have a meeting day today what are you doing to stay on task?  Remember, blog entries are only to be done if your YELLOW or WHITE response sheets are complete. 

      Over to the right is an example of a discussion director response I filled out for the book The Hobbit.   If your work looks like the one on the right side, you have earned your 3 or 4 and have met the expectations.  (Note: click on the picture to enlarge the photo.)  If your work does not look like the picture on the right, you may want to look at it again and revise your work. 

Sincerely yours,
C
P.S. I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand.
Do your best and forget the rest. 

Writing is...

"Writing is telling a story.  Writing is releasing feeling on paper.  Writing is bringing ideas to real life.  WRITING IS MAKING THINKING VISIBLE!!  Writing is all around you.  Good writing is rarely forced.  Good writing comes from meditation, time, thought, and action." -Lola Meyer

"Writing is like ARCHITECTURE.  There is a form, a structure to writing and although the structure a writing piece takes on is flexible; flexible structure gives it shape.  There is an art to writing, and there is also a science to it."  -C 

Text Codes Revisited

Hey Readers,

      Let's dive back into text coding.  Good readers INTERACT WITH TEXT.  We all know that by now.  A few weeks ago I showed you 3 text codes that we use to leave tracks in our thinking.  We call this ANNOTATING text.  We do it, not the author.  Here are the three text codes i showed you:

L
? or Q
!

Can you remember what they mean? 

Here are some new ones:

R or C
??

What do you think they mean?  Let's turn and talk with someone near us...  Next write what was discussed on a post-it.  To wrap things up, use a computer and make a blog comment about what you have on your post-it or what you discussed with your partner. 

Sincerely,
C