Summertime Field Trips

Don't just participate in the Summer Reading Challenge this year.  You should also educate yourself by trying out a few field trips with your family over the summer.  Try these out:

San Jose:
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
The Tech Museum
San Jose Museum of Art
Discovery Museum

SF Bay Area:
CA Academy of Science
Exploratorium
Oakland Zoo
SF Zoo
Aquarium of the Bay
Lawrence Hall of Science

Summer Reading Challenge 2nd Post -- Library Style

You can double up on the Summer Reading Challenge by participating in the library's program as well.  They offer cool prizes, activities and drawings.

Check it out:
SJ Public Library Summer Reading Challenge
Try a few of their book suggestions.

Don't forget to check your status in my Summer Reading Challenge.  Leave a comment on this post with your name, book title, and author so I can track your progress.

Announcement: THE SUMMER READING CHALLENGE OF 2016 IS HERE!!!

Announcing the Summer Reading Challenge of 2016!!!

Who?  Anyone from our school who likes to read.

What?  Read books over the summer and leave a comment telling me what you read.  A participant will read at least 5 good chapter books this summer.  A champion reader will read at least 10 books this summer.  An elite reader will read 15 or more books.

When?  The Summer Reading Challenge starts June 8 and ends on the first day of school.

Where?  That's the beauty of it.  You can participate from anywhere in the world!  Just leave me a comment for each book you read.

How?  As you complete chapter books this summer, leave a comment with the author and title of the book.  I will update you on the official SUMMER READING CHALLENGE PAGE.  You can track your progress and the progress of your friends too.

Why?  Do you really need to ask this question?  You should participate because reading is awesome!  I will also be recognizing students who participate and read at least 5 books when we return in the fall with award certificates.

Book lists:
American Library Association
Goodreads
Education World 5th Grade
Education World 6th Grade
Imagination Soup 5th Grade

Math Games and Practice

Check out these great math resources!  Practice your skills constantly so you are ready for sixth grade.  Follow the links to cool websites and games.
Math Playground 5th
Math Playground 6th
Math-Play 5th
Fun Brain
Hooda Math
Internet4Classrooms
Mr. N

Bill of Rights

Once you have watched the video above, read the actual language in the Bill of Rights. (Please read this whole article carefully.)

Scholastic News -- Bill of Rights
History for Kids -- Bill of Rights

Once you have completed all of the reading, please write a paragraph on Kidblog explaining which right is the most important right, in your opinion.

Interpreting Line Graphs

Watch another video on misleading line graphs.

Read these lessons from Math Goodies and do the problems at the bottom of the page.

Electric Circuits

Science Games -- Electricity Circuits

How do electric circuits work?

The Constitution -- Schoolhouse Rock -- Civics PBL

These two videos serve as an amusing introduction to our Civics project.  Schoolhouse Rock is old, but a fun way to learn.

Thank you.

To my entire class,

Thank you very much for the birthday wishes, songs, and gifts.  You are a great class.

Sincerely,

TeacherP

Practice Your Coordinate Grid Skills

Coordinate Plane Basics

Locating Coordinates

Finding Ordered Pairs

Quiz yourself and let me know how you do.

General Washington -- American Revolution PBL

We will be watching several videos this week as part of our PBL unit on the American Revolution.

Biography.com -- George Washington

General Powell on General Washington

Freeschool -- George Washington

American Revolution Videos -- Mr. N

Geometry Review -- Points, Lines & Planes

This is a great review video of several concepts that we have already learned.

Monterey Bay Aquarium

While you are at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, your job will be to find one sea creature that you find fascinating.  Please research that creature and write a one paragraph summary of what you learned about that creature on Kidblog.  I will be looking for well-researched paragraphs.  (You can do this research at the aquarium or on the internet.)  You must pick a creature that is currently at the aquarium for this assignment.

You can visit the aquarium's website for more information.
Have fun!

American Revolution -- PBL Unit

How did the major battles and events of the American Revolution affect the outcome of the war?

This will be our driving question for this project.  All of your work should be based on this question.
As the culminating task of this unit, you will be creating a slideshow with your Google account.

Your slideshow should include:

1. A cover slide that includes the driving question.
2. Five to seven slides with information about the battle or event.
• What happened?  Why?
• Who won?  How?
• How did this victory or defeat affect the outcome of the war? or How did this event affect the outcome of the war?
• How did this battle/event change history?
• How did the war change because of this?
3. A bibliography slide with links to resources that you found useful.
4. Relevant pictures and images that support your information.

Your group for this project can be found on this page.  I have assigned battles on a preliminary basis.  Your group will be able to trade with another group prior to beginning this slideshow.

Useful resources:
Battles & Events of the Revolutionary War
Kid Info -- Revolutionary War
Land of the Brave -- Rev Battles
American Revolution -- Ducksters

Thomas Jefferson and The Declaration of Independence

We have been learning about Thomas Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence.  Learn more about this Founding Father:

Jefferson and the Declaration of Independence

Jefferson and Slavery

Brief Biography of Thomas Jefferson

You can read the complete text of the Declaration of Independence, one of our country's most important historical documents.