Friday, September 30, 2011

September By: Elly & Charlene

Language Arts: We like that we learn a new thing every day. We also like that we can always read after the lesson. Our books are really good right now so that is another reason we love to read. We watch a lot of Brain Pop videos and we get active with it.

Social Studies: We like that we are learning about Ancient Egypt and their way of living. We are working on the game board project with mikayla and Jennifer. The big test is coming up and this is another way of studying for our test. Social Studies is fun and complicated.

Science: We both like that we got to go to the prairie and learn about it. We also enjoyed doing the prairie project Elly did the picture book and Charlene did the letter to another prairie animal. We really enjoy having science but we don’t like reading straight out of the book.

Math: We switch for math and Elly has Mrs. Fulfer and Charlene has Mr. Finn. We both enjoy math and what teacher we have. Math can be complicated but it can be fun too. Math for Elly is different than normal and hard but, she gets used to it. Math for Char is kind of easy and can get a little hard. But we still enjoy moving to a different class!

F\ce: F\ce is fun but if the class talks too much than it isn’t that fun. Char thinks she is horrible at sewing but she’s really not that bad. Elly thinks that too but isn’t that bad either.

Spelling: Spelling isn’t hard at all because it’s just stuff from last year. It’s so boring when we just work out of our workbook. We like the packets but we don’t like them as homework.

I am so glad that Elly and Char are in the same class. We love to work together and we love to know we are always a team.

September By: Emily & Annika

This year started off very interesting and unique. We have learned new things and forgotten others.
Math, which is one of the first subjects of the day, is different from last year. Rather than staying in your homeroom for math, we switch so we can work with kids that are at our level. For example, in our math class we work on Aleks, a computer program designed to let you work at your own pace. Although it is nice to be able to work at your own speed and we get to choose what we want to work on, it is still can get boring at times.
Spelling is thought of as an important subject, at some points it can just seem dull. Lately we have been working on homophones and prefixes. While spelling can get bland, some of the activities on the weekly packet we get can be pretty fun.
In Social Studies we have been learning about Ancient Egypt. We have learned about many things that made up Ancient Egypt’s civilization. Some of those things include Pharaohs, social pyramid, agriculture and many other factors that made Ancient Egypt important.
In our units in science we’re learning about the prairie, and different sorts of ecosystems and cycles for a type of environment. When we were learning about the prairie, we got to chose from a variety of projects, which was nice, rather than having us do one thing specifically. For our other units we are taking picture notes and labeling different factors of an environment.
Language Arts helps us learn the art of language, hence the name. In this subject we learn about how to respond to books, make connections, and much, much, more. While it can get a little bland it gets us all involved, with the different steps we do. Each day we study a different topic.
Seeing as this is just September, imagine what we will have learned by the end of the year.

Thoughts on September By: Cali & Kathryn

Science-
We started our prairie unit by visiting the prairie. We explored the tall grasses and forbs. (forbs = flowering plants) Then we created projects. Cali made a poster that educated about prairies. Kathryn wrote a letter to persuade another animal who doesn’t live in the prairie, which was written by an animal living in the prairie. We are just getting into learning about ecosystems and different cycles. (nitrogen, water & carbon)

Lang. Arts-
We talked about perspectives (first person, second person third person omniscient, and third person limited). Also inferences and reading with a purpose. We used what we learned while we read during our lang. arts time. By doing this, we have increased our reading skills.

Math-
Kathryn- In Mrs. O’Hern’s math class, we have learned factor puzzles and how they’re used in many different ways. We are graphing and working on ratio tables. As a reward, we got to play a math game called “Beetle” which helped us work on our adding, but mostly just for fun! 
Cali- In Mrs. Fulfer’s math class we’ve been working on the laptops on a program called “ALEKS.” This is pre-algebra. It gives us topics to do and we work at our own pace and achieve goals set every week. There’s a pie chart to show us our progress too.

S.S-
This year our main focus is ancient Egypt. We got started by reading in our textbooks. Then we chose a “Kids Discover” magazine and answered questions that went along with it. We are currently studying for the upcoming test and working on a project (a board game).

September By: Jacob

This month we went to the prairie. It was very fun to run and go throw the gasses and explore. Then we talked about ecosystems and how they work. In social studies we are working on ancient Egypt. I am doing a report that is going to be very cool. It is a board game and we are going to have special effects. I am in the prealgebra program. We do all of our work on computers and we get no sheet home work it is very cool. We do weekly conferences and set goals. I have to master a chosen number of topics a week. In language arts we are working on reading with a porous. We are also doing point of view it is fun. Last but not least we do author’s measage.

September By: Zach

This month in face I made a pillow I am all most done with it. It says the first letter of my name. We are taking it home next Wednesday. I just need a few more stitches.
Then in social studies we are leaning about Egypt. We have the test next week we have to study our study guide. We need to learn about the Farrow and the terms for some of the words.
Also in science we are learning about the water cycles and biotic and abiotic. We also were talking about the prairie. We had to do a project about the prairie. Then we went outside to the prairie we had to do a work sheet about the plant, animals, and grass and if we knew the name of it we got the bonus.
In language arts we are doing spelling words. We also do spelling tests. I usually get a few wrong. Then we do spelling work sheets like prefixes or fix it. We have to do the whole packet each week.
Then in math we are learning about ratios and factor puzzles. We have our test next week. So I have to study for the test. Then we are studying word problems.

September By: Drew & Ben

The first month of the school year so far has been great. The teacher is so awesome this year.

This month we have learned about many different subjects. In our science unit we learned about the prairie. One day in the second week of school we went to visit the prairie behind the high school. We saw many different forbs, (flowering plants) and grasses, like turkey foot, or big bluestem. At the end of the unit, we did our prairie project. I did a comic strip telling farmers about the prairies disappearing, and Ben did a five page picture book for the pre-schoolers about a walk through the prairie. We learned a lot and it was a fun unit!

In our social studies unit we learned about ancient Egypt. In Egypt when the pharaoh dies his body goes to the top of the pyramid after they get mummified and the pharaoh is the ruler of the people in Egypt. The slaves built all of the pyramids for the pharaoh and all of the other people in Egypt. Farmers grew all the food for the people in Egypt. Right now we are working on games that tell you about ancient Egypt, and throughout the unit we filled out cultural universals and learned about Egyptian’s daily life.

In our math unit Ben learned about factor puzzles, rate tables, and ratio tables with Ms. Cleary.

In Drew’s math class he learned about different things with integers, whole numbers, geometry, and other things on ALEKS with Mrs. Fulfer. It is a lot of fun.

Lastly, language arts was writers’ workshop and readers’ workshop. We like the readers’ one because we get to read for 20 minutes. We also learned about predictions and perspective shifts and lots of other topics. It was very fun, but boring at the same time.

This month has been a great way to start the school year!

September By: Mikayla

Social studies: We learned a lot in our first chapter. Because it was all about Egyptians and it was very interesting. So everyone should have been interested.

Right now in social studies, we are making a board game. It’s is for a new project we are working on. You can have ideas from another board game as an example, Candy Land.


Science: We all started by learning about the prairie. All of us visited our Pewaukee prairie. You had to write and draw what forbs all of us saw. And then name them. All of us learned about different grasses. Such as Big Blue Stem.

We also right now are learning about the ecosystem. Also the water cycle. And living things in the ecosystem.


Math: In Mr. Finn’s class, we are all learning about basic ratios. Also ratio table, some are mixed and some just times by the same number. We are also making our own story problems. We have been doing factor problems to, figure out some math problems.


Language arts: In language arts we’ve been learning about inferences and making our own predictions about what’s going to happen next in our books. We’ve also learned about author’s message. Like if the story is clear or if you can understand what’s happening in the story.


Gym: Right now in gym we are in the basket ball unit “yay “I said!!!

But before that we were all in the football unit. We played games against each other. We all had a lot of fun doing this. But now it’s over

September By: Carlos & Jack

Math: In math we’re in different classes Jack does the ALEKS math program and Carlos is in Mrs. Roben’s math class. In math Carlos has been factor puzzles and ratio tables. In the ALEKS program we work online at our own pace and work on your own it’s interesting, but it’s sometimes hard without a teacher.

Language Arts: In Language Arts we learned about point of view, author’s message, and many more. Author’s message is learning what the author’s point is without the author actually saying it. Point of view is what point of view the author wrote the book in. The good thing about LA is you get to read your own book and you are not in groups.

Science: We learned about the prairie and ecosystems. In ecosystems biotic factors are living things such as animals and trees, abiotic factors are non-living things such as water and the sun. Also we got to go to the prairie and learn about forbs and grasses.

Social Studies: In SS we learned about the Ancient Egypt. There are three Kingdoms: the New Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom, and the Old Kingdom. The Pharaoh’s ruled Ancient Egypt, King Tut ruled from age 9-19. Also King Khufu ordered the creation of the biggest Pyramid.

After-School Activities: For sports in the Fall/Winter Carlos plays Basketball and football and Jack plays Basketball and Soccer. For Basketball we have practices Monday and Friday for 90 minutes. We hope to dominate in state, which is in April after a 6th place finish last year.

September By: Matt & Colin

In science about the prairie. In the prairie subject we did a project on the prairie and some of choices to do the prairie project are to talk to a prairie animal and to make a picture book about the prairie etc. Right now we are learning about the ecosystem.


In social studies we are learned Ancient Egypt and we have learned about the life of the Egyptians and how they live. Then we learned how the mummification process works. Right now we are doing a project on an Egyptian board game.


In math were learning about factor puzzles, math table, basic ratios, and etc. Math is very fun! Teachers are a really good teaching supply and we all get how do solve the problem correctly.


In Language Arts we are learning about prefixes, suffixes, and homophones. For the past couple of weeks we have been doing packets of all of the things we have listed above. Also we have read a bunch of times. In language arts we have been having a lot of fun!

September By: Maggie & Emma

This month in science we learned about prairies and how different things affect the prairie. We also learned about the ecosystem and biotic and abiotic feature. All of us also did a project on the prairies and we only got two days to do it.

This month in social studies we learned about Ancient Egypt. We learned about Mummification, the pyramids, their beliefs, pharaohs and a bunch of other stuff.

This month in math we learned about rate tables and constant rates and factor puzzles, ratios, and how to create your own story problem. We also did some work on the white boards. (And one day we even got brain food a.k.a. candy)

This month in language arts we learned about homophones and prefixes, and we also took spelling test to see how much we have improved or if we have forgotten some things over the summer.

This year for one quarter we had face. In face we made pillows and we sewed them and everything. It was really fun but we also learned some new stitches and how to stuff the pillow. But later in the year we will use mechanical babies and how to change them and how to feed them so we’re ready to babysit after we get or babysitting license

September By: Seth

This month was a great way to start the year. Math was a lot of fun. I really liked being able to work at my own pace. I also like working on the computer because I like using technology to learn.
Spelling is a different story though. Spelling is too slow of pace and the words and topics are really easy. Right now we’re working on prefixes, which we really learned in 3rd grade.
In science we were learning about the prairie, and we actually got to take a visit to the prairie. We learned about the different grasses and forbs in our prairie. At the end we picked what type of project we wanted to do of 5 choices, and I wrote a letter as a buffalo writhing to an antelope, which was really fun to use my imagination. We also just started learning about ecology and an ecosystem.
In language arts, we’re learning about much different comprehension and responding techniques. We have learned about reading with a purpose and author’s message. Then we typically read for the last 15-20 minutes.
In Social Studies we have learned about Ancient Egypt. We are nearing the end of the chapter and are doing a final project where we make a board game to help us learn about Egypt. We will wrap up with a test on Friday next week. I really did enjoy this subject, it was fun to learn about how people lived back then.

September By: JB & Joey

In Spelling we are learning about how to use prefix and to spell 15 words that we already knew and we did not know. We have done some take home tasks, and they were somewhat hard.

In reader’s workshop we have learned techniques. We have learned to make prediction, and the readers’ point of view. Then we read for 25 minutes then talk about what we learned that day.

In science we went to the prairie, and made a project. We are learning about the water, nitrogen, and carbon cycle. We learned what abiotic and biotic factors in the ecosystem.

In Social Studies we have learned about Ancient Egypt. We learned about the pyramids and sphinx. We have also started to make a board game. We are going to take a test in a week.

In math we have learned about factor puzzles. We have also learned about rate and ratio tables and there difference. We are going to take a test on Monday.

September By: Celina & Janie

Social Studies was very fun because we got to watch clay people do mummification and we got to play the Egyptian board game Seega! Another reason is we got to do fun projects like make an Egyptian board game which we’re doing right now.
Spelling is kind of a boring subject because all we do is write on paper. We don’t really do anything fun. We had tests for spelling and we’re doing unit 3 right now. One fun part is when we get to play hangman, but we do it with a bunny.
Science was kind of fun because we got to go in the prairie. It was fun because we got to go anywhere in the prairie without a teacher watching us! Right now we’re in the ecology unit, and we just learned about ecosystems and their cycles like the water cycle.
Math is so boring because all we do is listen and write and have to talk to our pods. In the other class all they do is stare at laptops for an hour! But before math we get to talk to each other, which is good.
Language Arts was ok but we didn’t really like how we had to learn so much and read so little (and we like reading)!

September Blog By: Greg & Noah

In science class we learned about 3 cycles. The carbon cycle, water cycle, and the nitrogen cycle were the three cycles. It was really boring. They’re all pretty much the same thing, except they all have something different that they’re focusing on.

In social studies we’re learning about ancient Egypt. Egypt was one of the longest civilizations. We are currently doing a project where we have to make a board game. The project has to have at least 10 facts in the board game.

In math we’ve been doing lots of stuff. Factor puzzles, word problems and graphs are some things we’ve been doing in math. We also did rate tables. In the aleks program, I’ve been doing a lot of geometry and variable stuff.

Lately we talked about point of view, reading with a purpose, and we also learned how to inference. We also get to read our own book for 20-30 minutes. Also during read aloud Mrs. Fulfur reads the book among the hidden.

September Blog By: Jennifer & Megan

This past month we have done spelling, language arts, social studies, science, and math.
In spelling, we are learning about prefixes, and how it changes a word. For example, fiction means make believe. But if you add –non in front of the word it makes it so it means real.
In social studies, we just finished up with Ancient Egypt, and taking the test sometime next week. We are making a board game, and then switching games so that we can play other groups games that they made.
In language arts, we are doing reader’s and writer’s workshop. In reader’s workshop, we learn about predicting thing that will happen in our independent reading book. Then we read for about 25 minutes each day. In writer’s workshop, we take a piece of writing and make it our own.
In science, we have learned about the prairie. We just finished a project to either make a picture book to preschoolers, poster, letter to another animal on the prairie, or a comic strip. We also did a prairie observation and went out to the school prairie and looked for animals out there. We also tried to find, draw, and name a grass or forb.
In math, we switch classes. One of us is learning about ratios and the other one of us is doing ALEKS. One example of a ratio problem is: Jenna found a bag of marbles. There were 13 marbles in the bag. 6 of the marbles were blue. The other seven were green. Name the ratio for the blue marbles. Answer: 13:6.
In FCE, we are making pillows. We could customize our pillows any way that we wanted. We have learned 3 different stitches; the running stitch, the overcast, and the inside-out. We just finished our pillows last Wednesday.
We have learned so much this month, and hope again for the 8 months to come!