Content Vocabulary/Spelling List

*Using what you have learned about breaking words apart and various spelling rules this year, you will need to know how to spell each content word and know its definition.

Your spelling and vocabulary assessments will be this Friday.

ecosystem- a community of living things and the physical surroundings

environment- all the living and non-living things surrounding an organism

food chain- a series of organisms that depend on one another for food

food web- a group of food chains that overlap

population- all the individuals of one kind living in the same ecosystem

prey- consumers that are eaten by predators

predators- a consumer that eats prey

frontier- edge of a country or settled region

pioneer- one of the first of a group of people to enter or settle a region

source- a place where the river begins

flatboat- large rectangular boat partly covered by a roof

prosperity- economic success and security

suffrage- the right to vote

perilous- dangerous

ruling- official decision

We have sent home information on how to receive student’s final report cards. In order to receive the final report card, the school is requesting parents send in an 8.5 x 11 self-addressed stamped envelope (with 4 stamps) by May 16^th. Additionally, all balances must be cleared. Thank you!

Tomorrow is Dress Down Day for $1.

Next Thursday we will be having a Social Studies Test on Westward Expansion. The students were given study guides and their homework has been to study their study guide and notes and to review chapter 10 (which we are also reading together in class). They are to bring home their Social Studies journals every night and they are more than welcome to bring home their Social Studies books as well, or they may access them online. We have also reminded them that if they want to read in the Social Studies book, that would also meet the requirement of reading for 30 minutes and they can log that time on their reading log.

Parents, we need your assistance. We are having many instances throughout the day of classmates not being kind and disrespectful to not only each other, but adults throughout the building. Typically this would be something that we would obviously just handle on an individual basis, however it is a problem that is becoming more widespread and we felt it important to bring to everyone's attention.  We have approximately 4  more weeks of learning left and we want the students to work just as hard in these last few weeks, as they have throughout the year. Please speak with your student about the importance of finishing the year strong and being respectful to all.

Additionally, we want to bring something to your attention. We have heard lots of chatter among the students lately about how they contact each other through various apps and social media platforms and it is starting to become a disruption at school. Continuous disruptions by students in the classroom, could potentially result in being written up. What students do outside of the classroom is not under our control, however when it causes a disruption in the classroom, it is something that we must attend to. Please speak with your children about internet safety, internet bullying and remind them to be careful who they speak with through these outlets and encourage them to report anything to you that is unkind or not appropriate. 

Progress Reports are coming home today. Please sign and return by Wednesday May 2nd.

Please send your child to school in the shoes that you would like them to wear all day. Please do not allow them to bring multiple pairs of shoes.

Thank you!!

• Week 1 of testing is done and now we are moving on to week two. We will only be testing for 2 days this week (Math Session 1 & Math Session 2). We are in the home stretch.
• Thank you so much for everyone who donated snacks to keep the students going throughout the day. It is greatly appreciated.
• Next week, we will be getting back on track with our learning targets and schedule.
• Friday is a dress down day for $1.
• Please be sure to return your intent forms for next year by Wednesday.
• We still have students who are bringing unnecessary items to class. (nonprescription glasses, gum, toys) Please, please, do not allow students to bring any of these items. They become a distraction. Thank you so much for your help with this.
• If you would like to volunteer for  (3rd-5th) Field Day, please see below...
• Secondary Field Day (3-5); Friday May 12th http://signup.com/go/YxLkDg

Intent forms for next year have been sent home. Please complete and return by Wednesday April 26th in order for your child to be placed next year.

All teachers have been asked to remind parents of the following...
Per the student handbook (p. 10), if you come to have lunch with your child, and would like to eat on the patio, students are only permitted to have 1 friend join them. Please adhere to this rule. Thank you all for your understanding and cooperation.

We are asking you to help us celebrate and motivate the students. Please write 5 brief notes of encouragement for your child. (One for each day of testing) They will read a note from you each day before they test. Please send in all of your notes in a ziploc bag marked with your child's name, by Tuesday 4/18.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

• Milestone Testing starts WEDNESDAY.
• Testing Schedule- 
• Wednesday 4/19-ELA Session 1
• Thursday 4/20- ELA Session 2
• Friday 4/21-ELA Session 3
• Monday 4/24-Math Session 1
• Tuesday 4/25- Math Session 2
• Friday 4/28- Make-Up Testing
• Please send a healthy, nut-free snack daily.
• Our testing time begins around 10:00 a.m. Please avoid making appointments and early check outs during our testing days.
• Please have your child go to bed early each night and eat a good breakfast each day.
• There will be no assigned homework on testing days. We do however, encourage students to read and practice their multiplication facts daily.

We are asking you to help us celebrate and motivate the students. Please write 5 brief notes of encouragement for your child. (One for each day of testing) They will read a note from you each day before they test. Please send in all of your notes in a ziploc bag marked with your child's name, by Tuesday 4/18.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

• Milestone Testing starts WEDNESDAY.
• Testing Schedule- 
• Wednesday 4/19-ELA Session 1
• Thursday 4/20- ELA Session 2
• Friday 4/21-ELA Session 3
• Monday 4/24-Math Session 1
• Tuesday 4/25- Math Session 2
• Friday 4/28- Make-Up Testing
• Please send a healthy, nut-free snack daily.
• Our testing time begins around 10:00 a.m. Please avoid making appointments and early check outs during our testing days.
• Please have your child go to bed early each night and eat a good breakfast each day.
• There will be no assigned homework on testing days. We do however, encourage students to read and practice their multiplication facts daily.

Learning Targets for weeks of 4/17 and 4/24:

• Over the next two weeks we will be reviewing all standards taught thus far in the year. There will be no word work until the week of 5/1.

Thank you so much for the generous donation of tissues! We should be good for the remainder of the year. At this point, we are just in need of glue sticks. Additionally, we can always use nut free snacks, especially as we take the Milestones which start next Wednesday.  Thank you again for your support and generosity.

Braves Opening Week! 

We are very excited to have a partnership with the Braves Organization, as they have become our neighbors. The Braves have been kind enough to donate several items for the school to give to students. There will be a weekly drawing for students. In order to be included in the drawing, we are asking students to donate canned/nonperishable food items. With each item donated, the student will have their name placed in the drawing 1 time. (So, if they donate 5 items, their name will be placed in the drawing 5 times etc)

Friday April 14th...
To support opening day this Friday, students will be allowed to wear any Braves shirt or Braves colors that they have. 

Please do not allow your child to bring toys or distracting items to class. We are still having items brought in that are becoming a distraction (goop, nonprescription glasses, and a variety of toys). We want to do our best to keep all students focused during class time. Thank you for your help with this matter.


 Remember that if your child qualifies to retake an assessment, they will be bringing home a retake packet. If they would like to retake the assessment they must complete the practice work attached, have a parent signature on the form attached and return the packet by the date indicated. No late packets will be accepted. 

 Next Wednesday we will begin Milestone testing. Please ensure that your child gets plenty of sleep, eats a good breakfast, arrives to school on time, and brings a healthy snack. More information will be posted soon about next week's testing.

We are so glad to see everyone back and hope that all had a great Spring Break!  We are in the home stretch and it is time to really stay focused and finish out the year. Below are a few things to know and our learning goals for the week.

• Please send a healthy, nut-free snack with your child daily.
• ELA and Math packets should be completed and signed each day.
• Please make sure that if you are signing off on your child's agenda, indicating that they completed all homework,  that study for any upcoming assessments.
• All word work groups have the same words this week. We are focusing on words that are commonly found on assessments. Students will not be tested o how to spell the word, but on what the word means.

Learning Targets for the Week:

• Reading- Test Taking Genre- Reviewing all standards and what good test takers need to know (ways in which questions and directions are worded, what is expected of test takers etc) RL10/RI10
• Science- Solar System (Test Friday- study study guide and classroom notes in journal)     S4E2a-d/ S4E1a-d
• Writing- Responding to various prompts (informational, opinion, narrative review)
• Math- Angle measures and finding missing angles. MD6/MD7 (quiz Friday)
• ELA- Test taking vocabulary-study word meanings. (quiz vocabulary)

Key words found in test questions 

• COMPARE Look for similarities and differences between.
  
  
  CONTRAST        To Look for differences between.
  
  
  DEFINE     The precise meaning of the word or phrase.
  
  
  DESCRIBE Give a detailed account.
  
  
  EXPLAIN   Tell how things work or how they came to be the way they are.
  
  
  IDENTIFY Pick out the key features of something.
  
  
  SUMMARIZE Give a concise account of the main points of the matter, omitting details and examples.
  
  
  VERSE Writing organized in a rhythmic pattern, as often is the case in poetry.
  
  
  RHYTHM The regular, repeated sounds of words in a poem.
  
  
  METER A rhythm that repeats a basic pattern in a poem.
  
  
  FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE You need to distinguish between literal and figurative meanings of words and phrases. Literal refers to the actual meaning of words and phrases. Figurative language requires you to analyze the words and sometimes make comparisons.
  
  
  Some examples of figurative language are similes and metaphors.
  
  
  SIMILES make a comparison using a linking word such as like or as. (Her shirt was as green as the grass.)
  
  
  METAPHORS make a comparison without a linking word. Not literal. EX: The clouds were whipped cream,” The clouds looked like whipped cream, but they were not literally whipped cream.
  
  

Allergy season is in full swing and we could really use tissues for the class. If you could please donate a box of tissues, we would all appreciate it!  We could also use more glue sticks. We go through them quickly. Thank you so much for your generosity!