The Final Lap

It's hard to believe the school year is coming to a close!  Please take a moment to check out a few reminders regarding our last week of school.  See you at the finish line!

What's Happening?!

Coming up...

• As a reward for being the top-selling class during the CE Flower Sale, tomorrow, Thursday, April 14th, the CE PTO is providing a pizza lunch for our class!  Thanks, PTO!
• Tuesday, April 19th is the 5th Grade Family Open House at Carmel Middle School!  Doors will be open from 5:30-7:30.  Information was sent home today. 
• Muffins With Mom is next Thursday and Friday (April 21 and 22).  The Scholastic Book Fair will be open as well.  Kids can stock up on summer reading!  I hope to see you all there!

Happy Spring...Mark Your Calendars!

It's hard to believe we are in the last quarter of the school year!  I always find myself asking, "Where has the time gone?!"  Needless to say, there will be many important dates coming up in the next month or two, so...Get out those calendars and get ready to write!

Important Upcoming Dates:

• Spring Pictures (optional--information regarding ordering pictures can be found on the CE website): Wednesday, March 30th
• Summer Math Review Workbook orders are due:  March 31st
• Spring Break:  Friday, April 1st-Sunday, April 10th
• Field Trip:  April 11th
• Carmel Middle School Open House for Incoming 6th Graders and their Families:  April 19th (5:30-7:30 pm)
• Nifty Fifty Final Exam (over all 50 states, capitals, and state locations):  May 5th
• Ruth Lilly "Life Begins" Presentation (at CE):  May 13th
• End of 4th Quarter and Last Day for Students:  May 25th

As time goes on, there will be more information to add to calendars.  I will keep you updated.  Thanks, Parents, for all that you do!

Ooblek and Non-Newtonian Fluids, Oh My!

Hello!

What a week we have had in Room 19!  Our first round of ISTEP is officially behind us, and we are busy wrapping up the third grading period.

Students have been busy learning...Here are a few recent highlights:

• Science:  We wrapped up our Matter Unit with an investigation on non-newtonian fluids.  What is that?!  A non-newtonian fluid is a mixture that exhibits properties of both a solid and a liquid.  Students observed and investigated a mixture called Ooblek made of cornstarch and water to see exactly how amazing non-newtonian fluids can be.  Ask your child about what they discovered!

• Social Studies:  We have officially wrapped up our Revolutionary War unit and are moving forward to the Bill of Rights.  Students will be learning about the first ten amendments of our U.S. Constitution.  Students will also be memorizing the Preamble (introduction) to the Constitution...Believe it or not, it is only one sentence long!  Our states and capitals unit is still in progress, and students will be taking a quiz over the Southwestern Region, comprised of four states, on Tuesday, March 8th.

• Math:  Exponents and negative numbers are the focus in our new math unit.  Students have been working hard on solving the "4 Fours Challenge".  They are trying to form the numbers 1-100 by adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing 4 fours.  It's pretty amazing to see the combos they come up with!  

• Reading:  We have been working in Unit 5:  "Every Drop", which focuses on water around the world, the water cycle, and water conservation.  Students have been working on identifying main ideas and details in text, as well as using those ideas to form outlines.  This skill will come in very handy as they head into middle school!

• Writing/Grammar:  We have been working with adjectives of all kinds (proper, comparative, etc.), and are working to correctly incorporate them into our writing.  

A Few Reminders:

• The end of the third quarter is this coming Friday, March 11th.
• This year's Drama Club production of "101 Dalmations" is on Thursday, March 24th at 9 a.m. and 7 pm.  
• Spring Pictures are on Wednesday, March 30th.
• Spring Break begins on Friday, April 1st.

A special reminder from the CE PTO:

• The 2016 Carmel Elementary Flower Sale is in full swing! This is CE's largest fundraiser, a 40+ year tradition. We count on big proceeds from this sale to create new opportunities that directly benefit our students. From Friday, March 4^th through Monday, March 21^st, we will be collecting preorders and awarding daily prizes. Your student has received a packet of detailed information. Be sure to look it over together. Please consider helping your child participate to not only reap the rewards, but to feel the pride that is associated with being part of this incredible tradition.
  
  
  Also, consider SHARING your success this year via social media! Post your student’s excitement and progress throughout the presale using #CEFlowerSale. Search #CEFlowerSale today to view fun posts from other CE families!
  Questions? Visit flowers4ce.com or email flowers4ce@gmail.com.

Please consider selling flowers to help benefit the students here at CE!  Thank you in advance for your support with this!

Have a terrific weekend!

What's Happening in Room 19?

...A LOT!  Things have been very busy here, and students in Room 19 have been working hard.  Here are a few highlights:

• Writing:  We have been busy working on our argument essay writing unit during Writer's Workshop each day.  Students are in the last "bend" of this unit and are composing an argument essay involving a topic of their choice.  It has been very interesting to see the topics they have selected.  Some topic examples currently being addressed are:   "Why I Should Have a Dog", "Say No to Animal Cruelty", and "Why College Tuition Should be Free in the United States".  I have been very impressed by student efforts while researching and writing.  I am hoping to wrap this final project up by next Thursday, February 18th.
• Reading:  We are wrapping up Unit 4 in literacy:"Justice", and will be heading into Unit 5:  "Every Drop".  Throughout Unit 5, students will be enjoying a variety of texts focused on or related to the topic of water.  
• Social Studies:  Students have been learning about the Declaration of Independence and the events leading up to the Revolutionary War.  Our final test over Chapter 12 is tomorrow.  Our next chapter will focus specifically on the Revolutionary War and the people, places, and events that were a part of it.  We have also started our states and capitals unit.  The states and capitals are introduced a region at a time.  Students will receive a study guide for a particular region, and then will take a quiz over those states and capitals the following week.  We have talked as a class about different methods that can be used to help prepare for each quiz.  Ideas include:  creating flashcards for each state and its capital, using the study guide provided as a reference, and utilizing the nifty fifty link that can be found under the "Websites" tab on my blog.  It will be important for students to learn and master each region as we go along, so that they are prepared for the final test over all fifty states, their locations, and their capitals at the end of the unit in May.  
• Science:  We have started our first science unit:  Matter!  Students have been enjoying the hands-on activities exploring the properties of matter.  
• Math:  My math class has just finished up an extensive study of fractions, and has just begun the next unit:  Coordinates, Area, Volume, and Capacity.  

A Reminder:

• Valentine's Day Parties are Friday, February 12th.  If your child is interested in bringing in valentines to share with their classmates, please send them in by this Friday.  A class list was sent home last week for students interested in personally addressing their valentines.  
• Be sure to continue cleaning out those backpacks and take home folders.  Students bring home a lot of papers and it is helpful for them to purge those each evening.  Please be sure to check with your child before discarding any papers.  
• Homework assignments are updated daily on my blog, and can be found under the "Homework" tab.  Please feel free to check there to stay updated on assignments and projects that are due.  

Room 19 Writers Are Up to Their Knees in Chocolate Milk!

Well...not really...But, students have been working on constructing argument essays discussing whether or not chocolate milk should be allowed in school.  It has been so much fun watching students learn how to research, state a claim, and follow up with evidence and opinions!  Some students have been surprised at how much their own opinion on the topic has changed over the course of this writing project.  Students may bring home their rough draft to work on from time-to-time, but must always bring it back to school the next day.  If your child shares his/her writing with you, it may be tempting to make changes to their writing.  Please refrain from doing so.  Suggestions are okay, but sometimes the struggle is part of the process.  Please rest assured that we will be working hard here to make revisions and improvements each day! :)

Below are a few announcements and reminders from Carmel Middle School...Be sure to mark your calendars!

• Middle School Parent Scheduling Information Night--Wednesday, January 27th @ 6:30 pm in the Carmel Middle School Auditorium:  This is an evening for parents only.  The administration and counselors will be sharing information about the middle school scheduling process and course offerings.  
• Carmel Middle School counselors will be visiting Carmel Elementary on Monday, February 1st to begin the scheduling process with students.  Counselors will be providing information that will assist students in completing their class schedule online.
• CMS Open House for Parents and Students--Tuesday, April 19th from 5:30-7:30:  This is a great opportunity for the whole family to tour Carmel Middle School, learn more about clubs and activities, and talk with key staff at CMS.  It is an informal event, and families may come at the time that fits best in their schedule.
• Current 6th graders to visit Carmel Elementary during the 4th Quarter--6th grade students, accompanied by CMS administration will visit CE 5th graders to field questions that 5th graders may have about middle school life.
• If your child is interested in joining band, choir, or orchestra, "try-ons" will be coming up soon! Please see the Carmel Middle School website for more information.

Have a wonderful afternoon!  Stay warm!