Announcement -- Summer Reading Challenge 2014!!!

Welcome to all of my current and former students.  I invite all of you take take on the Summer Reading Challenge of 2014.  The challenge is to read at least 5 good chapter books before school starts again in the fall.  If you want to be an elite reader, then you should read at least 10 good chapter books.  Champion readers would probably read at least 15 good chapter books over the summer.  Not sure what to read?

Check out these websites for ideas:

5th grade summer book list.

San Jose Public Library 5th grade book list

6th grade summer book list

San Jose Public Library 6th grade book list

Leave me a comment so that I know what you are reading.  I might even recommend your book on this website.

As you are completing this challenge, let me know by leaving comments with what book you read and how many you have read so far.  I will keep track of the number of books you have read on this link.  I would also encourage you to write a list of books you have read on kidblog over the summer.  If you complete (or surpass) this challenge, I will try to get you recognized by the principal in the fall.  Have a great summer and enjoy reading!

Math Webquest -- Plan a surprise party

Your mission is to buy everything, from invitations to a cake to a gift, for your best friend's party.  The only catch....you only have $85 to spend and you want to give your friend an awesome present for his birthday.  Not only will you learn about budgeting in this WebQuest, but you will also be comparing prices and using decimal operations.  Good luck!  --->  Surprise party WebQuest.

This webquest is for my homeroom.  However, if you are from my math class and visiting this web page, feel free to attempt this WebQuest at home.  If you find you need help with decimals, you can review them on the Khan Academy website.  Do not spend too much time on this page.

Three Branches of Government -- Webquest

Use these resources to figure out how the branches of government are different and how they each limit the powers of the others.  Remember to stay on task and work as a group.

Webquest 3 branches of government.

(Use this link the most.)

Slideshow #1 -- 3 branches

Slideshow #2 -- American government

Slideshow #3 -- Checks and Balances

Coordinate Grids

Graphing on the coordinate grid is fun and interesting.
Coordinate grid practice.
Independent practice.
Online practice.
Real world problems
Online problems
Coordinate Grid Links internet4classrooms

The United States Government

Our government is based on the US Constitution.  Check out this teacher's page on it.
Our constitution also includes amendments (changes).  The Bill of Rights is what the first 10 amendments are called.

Read about all three branches of government, the constitution and more on Congress for Kids.
Check out this short Brain Pop video about the government.
Kids.gov has an easy to read graphic about the three branches of government.
Fact Monster has a great page describing the government.
Finally, read more on Ben's Guide to the US government.

School House Rock is old, but fun.

Discussion Questions -- Round 4

These questions can be used for any of the books.

1.  Write about a problem that the characters in your book face.  How did they solve or attempt to solve that problem?  What do you think they should have done?  Be specific.

2.  Write about a mistake that one of the main characters in your book made.  Why was it a mistake?  What were the consequences of the mistake?  Give evidence from the text showing that this was a mistake.

Weight vs. Mass -- What is the difference?

What is the difference between weight and mass?  Can you explain it to me in your own words?  Try to be detailed and specific.  Please watch the video and read about the difference.

Physics for kids:  Mass & Weight
Math Is Fun (Wait a minute I thought this was a science lesson...)
Mass vs. Weight
NASA video -- Mass vs. Weight

Discussion Questions -- Round 3

Sign of the Beaver

1.  What favor does Saknis ask of Matt? Discuss Attean’s attitude. Predict why this

may be a challenging assignment for Matt.  Do you think he will be able to honor

Saknis’s request? Explain your predictions.

2.  Toward the end of Chapter 6, you learn why Saknis wants Attean to learn how to

read. Discuss some situations in which knowing how to read and write could help

someone understand or establish his or her rights. 

3.  Matt must use Robinson Crusoe, the only book he owns, to teach Attean 
to read.  Which book or books would you use to teach someone your own 
age to read?  Explain the reasons for your choice.

Woods Runner
1. Can war ever be justified (proven to be a good thing)? 

2. Name some famous wars throughout history? From your point of view, 
were these wars necessary. Why or why not? 

3. From your point of view which individuals did the Revolutionary War help? 
Which individuals did the war hurt? Explain your answers.

 

The Witches

1.  Does the boy have a name?  Why do you think Roald Dahl did not give the boy 
a name?

2.   Why did the boy go to the ballroom?  What happened when he was in there?

What would you have done in his situation?

3.   What did you think of the Grand High Witch?  Do you think the Grand High Witch 
looks like a traditional witch when she is not disguised?  When you write this, use 
evidence from the text.

Discussion Questions -- Round 2

Please answer the following discussion questions about your literature book when I assign them for homework:

The Witches
How does the author make the Grand High Witch different from and scarier than the other witches?  Be specific.  What techniques does he use?

What is our stereotype for grandmothers? How is the grandmother in this book different? Do you like the grandmother?

What did you think about the grandmother telling the boy all these scary stories about witches?  Was this mean or was she doing it so that he would be prepared? What if she hadn’t told him anything? What would have happened?

Woods Runner
Read about Frontier Life on page 17.  Explain what you learned that you did not know before in 3 to 5 sentences.

What problems does the main character face now?  How do you think he should solve these problems?  Explain.

Can you identify a mistake that the main character made?  Why was it a mistake?  Explain your reasoning.

The Sign of the Beaver

From Matt's encounter with the bear and then with the bees, what can you infer about his ability to survive on his own in the wilderness? Explain how you came to this conclusion.

Matt has come into contact with different strangers in this book. Contrast his interactions with Ben and Saknis. Who would you seek help from if you were alone in the woods? Explain.

Write about a time when you or your family benefited by help that came from a stranger. How was this similar to or different from Matt's experience?

Patterns in Mathematics

We will be learning about how to understand patterns and function rules in math.
Learnzillion Videos
Khan Academy Videos

Internet4classrooms games & practice

Step by step lesson on functions.
Patterns on graphs -- guided lesson
Math patterns from rules practice
Patterns and relationships online practice.



Function Tables Online Quiz
2nd Quiz
Extra Practice Worksheets with patterns.
Online expressions practice
Patterns in nature

Discussion Questions -- Literature Books

Sign of the Beaver
Look at the illustration on the front cover. What do you particularly notice about the two boys? What is the setting? What do you think the boys are discussing?

Write about a friendship you’ve formed with a person whose background or

culture is very different from yours. What hurdles did you both have to overcome

when you first met? What has finally brought you together as friends?

The Witches

What do you think would be an interesting fate for a child caught in a witch’s spell?

What is a stereotype? What is our stereotype for a witch? (These 2 questions go together.)

Why do you think the author tries to make it sound like witches are real at the beginning of the story? We know they are not, so why does he do this?

Woodsrunner

Turn to page 12 and reread the author, Gary Paulsen's, nonfiction connection to the text. Then answer the questions below.

After reading the nonfiction passage on "communication" what textual evidence (the words written in the passage) can you gather regarding what communication was like during the Revolutionary War? Explain in your own words.

Based on this textual evidence (the passage you are reading) what inferences can you make regarding communication during the war and how it affected or influenced individuals during that time?

Based on this textual evidence, what point of view do you have on what communication was like during this time?

Math Bonus Question -- THINK!!!

The front face of the prism is an equilateral triangle.  If the height of this equilateral triangle is 4 meters, what is the surface area of the this triangular prism?

Hint:  You already know how to find the area of a triangle.  The surface area of a prism is equal to the sum of the areas of all of the faces on the prism.

Declaration of Independence -- 5th Grade History

The Declaration of Independence for kids.
Declaration of Independence -- Congress for Kids.

The Declaration of Independence -- (primary source)

Quiz yourself.
Just for fun, check out the Schoolhouse Rock video below.

Online Homework -- 5/6/14

4th grade:
Meet the Author
Eword game
Crossword Puzzle (For fun.)
Listen to "I Have a Dream" (If you choose this activity.)

5th grade:
Meet the Author
Eword game
Epostcard (optional)

Drawing Conclusions -- Reading Skill

Drawing conclusions while reading is a skill that we have been working on in class lately.  Try out some of these lessons and links for practice:
Slideshare lessons about conclusions. #1 & #2
Lesson & Practice for drawing conclusions.
Conclusions practice.
Internet 4 classrooms links.
Quiz #1
Quiz #2