May 31st, 2016

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Students need a sack lunch for DTE lunch.

MATH

Barber: no math today

Brazier: Review the End of Year Test

Martinez: No math today.

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: Independent reading & running records testing.

Brazier: “Readers know of multiple strategies for figuring out tricky vocabulary.”

* ASK: “Tell me about the two main ways in which readers try to figure out unfamiliar words.”

Martinez: Independent reading & running records testing.

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Informational writers create conclusions that remind readers about the topic.”

Brazier: Informational Writing Checklist - Structure

Martinez: “Informational writers use transitions to connect subcategories.”

May 25th, 2016

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Congratulations to Teacher of the Year nominee Mrs. Barber, who’ll be honored at the Teacher of the Year Celebration today at 4:30 at the Board Office.

• Thank you to Lily Kurmaniak, Yasmine Ofiara, and Ben Simececk for stepping up and agreeing to tell BLE’s ASL Story during this evening’s ASL Celebration at Clarkston Junior High (6:30-7:30 -- all are invited).

• Chaperones: Arrive by 8:45 for tomorrow’s field trip to Greenfield Village.

• No school for students on Friday

MATH

Barber: Investigation 4.3: Dividing fractions by a fraction.

Brazier: Review the End of Year Test

Martinez: Math Practice.

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Nonfiction readers use strategies to determine the main ideas of a text.”

Brazier: “Readers know of multiple strategies for figure out tricky vocabulary.”

* ASK: “Tell me about the

Martinez:”Nonfiction readers use strategies to determine the main ideas of a text.”

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Informational writers organize chapters with a beginning, middle and end.”

Brazier: Informational Writing Checklist - Structure

Martinez: “Informational writers use subcategories to organize their writing.”

May 24th, 2016

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Chaperones: Arrive by 8:45 for Thursday’s field trip to Greenfield Village.

• No school for students on Friday

MATH

Barber: End of Year math test.

Brazier: End of Year Test

Martinez: End of Year Test

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: Independent reading & reading assessing.

Brazier: Morphology Mini Lesson: “To tackle tricky vocabulary, a reader will look inside a word.”

* ASK: “Look inside the word indestructible and try to figure out its meaning.”

Martinez:”Nonfiction readers use strategies to determine the main ideas of a text.”

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Informational writers write an introduction that has hooks the reader and reveals how the text will unfold.”

Brazier: “Transitions make it easier to follow an author’s thinking.”

Martinez: “Informational writer's craft chapters with a beginning, middle and end.”

May 23rd, 2016

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Chaperones: Arrive by 8:45 for Thursday’s field trip to Greenfield Village.

• No school for students on Friday

MATH

Barber: End of Year Review

*END OF YEAR TEST TOMORROW

Brazier: End of Year Review

* HOMEWORK: FINISH THE END OF YEAR REVIEW IF NEED BE

* END OF YEAR TEST TOMORROW

Martinez: End of Year Review

* END OF YEAR TEST TOMORROW

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: Independent reading.

Brazier: “A reader searches for clues all around hard, technical words to determine what they might mean.”

* ASK: “Tell me about a technical word you’ve recently come across in your reading - and how you tried to figure it out.”

Martinez:”Nonfiction readers use strategies to determine the main ideas of a text.”

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Informational writers think in chapters.”

Brazier: “Informational writing pieces frequently have multiple introductions (not just at the beginning but also at the start of chapters).”

Martinez: “Informational writer's craft an introduction that a) hooks the reader and b) reveals how the text will unfold.”

SOCIAL STUDIES - Final Class! (Teacher: Mrs. Barber)

Wrap up the American Revolution.

EXPLORE & DESIGN - Final Class! (Teacher: Mr. Brazier)

Shaving Cream Spelling! Word Study Jeopardy!

SCIENCE - Final Class! (Teacher: Mrs. Martinez)

The Come-back Can Lab

May 20th, 2016

MATH

Barber:Dividing Fractions by a Whole Number continue and End of the Year math test review packet.  

*END OF YEAR TEST TUESDAY, MAY 24th.

Brazier: Dividing a Fraction By a Fraction

* ASK: “How could one use both multiplication and division to quarter a recipe calling for 5 tablespoons of butter? What does this question have to do with the algorithm we recently uncovered for dividing fractions?”

* HOMEWORK: COMPLETE THE END OF YEAR REVIEW

* END OF YEAR TEST ON TUESDAY

Martinez: Multiplication Retake.  End of the year test review.  

* END OF YEAR TEST TUESDAY, MAY 24th.  Review went home today.

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: Independent reading.

Brazier: “A reader searches for clues all around hard, technical words to determine what they might mean.”

* ASK: “Tell me about a technical word you’ve recently come across in your reading - and how you tried to figure it out.”

Martinez: Independent reading.

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: Working on nonfiction text writing.

Brazier: Work Day with a focus on structure

Martinez: Working on nonfiction text writing.

SOCIAL STUDIES (Teacher: Mrs. Barber)

Wax Museum final paper.

EXPLORE & DESIGN (Teacher: Mr. Brazier)

SCIENCE (Teacher: Mrs. Martinez)

“Rolling On” lab about friction.

May 19th, 2016

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Students: For tomorrow’s field trip, wear comfortable shoes, sunscreen, and your BLE t-shirt. You can also wear a hat for $1.  

MATH

Barber:Dividing Fractions by a Whole Number continue and End of the Year math test review packet.  

*END OF THE YEAR TEST TUESDAY, MAY 24th.

Brazier: Dividing a Fraction By a Fraction

* ASK: “How could one use both multiplication and division to halve a recipe? What does this question have to do with the algorithm we just uncovered for dividing fractions?”

Martinez: Multiplication Retake.  End of the year test review.  

*END OF THE YEAR TEST TUESDAY, MAY 24th.  Review went home today.

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: Independent reading.

Brazier: “A reader searches for clues all around a hard, technical word to determine what it might mean.”

* ASK: “What are some strategies a reader can use to figure out the meaning of an unknown word?” (Possible answers include: visualizing the text; noting the type of word it is/part of speech; and considering whether it seems to be a positive or negative word.)

Martinez: Independent reading.

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: Working on nonfiction text writing.

Brazier: “Introductions not only aim to hook but also reveal how the text will unfold.”

Martinez: Working on nonfiction text writing.

SOCIAL STUDIES (Teacher: Mrs. Barber)

Wax Museum final paper.

EXPLORE & DESIGN (Teacher: Mr. Brazier)

Sparkle. Word Games. End of Year Spelling Test.

SCIENCE (Teacher: Mrs. Martinez)

“Rolling On” lab about friction.

May 18th, 2016

MATH

Barber:Dividing Fractions by a Whole Number.

Brazier: Dividing a Whole Number by a Fraction (and Dividing a Fraction by a Whole Number)

* ASK: “Tell me about the discovery the class made today!”

Martinez: Determining an algorithm that works.  How do you solve multiplication problems with fractions?

* Multiplication Checkpoint tomorrow.  Review mistakes at home.

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: Independent reading.

Brazier: “Reader of complex nonfiction push themselves to identify the main ideas and supportive details that are most dominant in the text.”

Martinez: Independent reading.

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Writers determine where they need extra research.”

Brazier: “Informational writing tends to follow the same structure.”

* ASK: “Tell me what you know about the structure of all types of writing.”

Martinez: “Informational writers think about how their writing will be structured.”

SOCIAL STUDIES (Teacher: Mrs. Barber)

*WAX MUSEUM FINAL PAPER ON THURSDAY, MAY 19th.  

EXPLORE & DESIGN (Teacher: Mr. Brazier)

* FINAL SPELLING TEST TOMORROW

* HOMEWORK (due tomorrow):

(A) RE-WRITE, TWICE, ANY SENTENCES ON THE SPELLING TEST THAT WEREN’T COMPLETELY CORRECT.

(B) WRITE, 10 TIMES EACH, ANY OF THE 6 WORDS SPELLED INCORRECTLY ON THE BOTTOM PART OF THE TEST (visible; loyalty; tunnel; tumor; sailor; village)

SCIENCE (Teacher: Mrs. Martinez)

May 17th, 2016

ANNOUNCEMENTS

• Late Start (final one of the school year) tomorrow

MATH

Barber:Dividing With Fractions

Brazier: Dividing a Whole Number by a Fraction

* ASK: “Why is the answer to 8 divided by ⅔ exactly half the answer to 8 divided by ⅓?”

* HOMEWORK: (if necessary) FIX THE ERRORS YOU MADE ON THE MULTIPLICATION CHECKPOINT

Martinez: Multiplying mixed numbers.

* Multiplication Checkpoint test on Thursday.  Review mistakes at home.

READING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Complex text readers search all around the word for meaning.”

Brazier: What Makes Complex Nonfiction Hard to Read (the headings and subheadings don’t help or are misleading; there are several main ideas; and the central and main ideas are implicit)

Martinez: “Nonfiction readers use strategies to find multiple main ideas in a text.”

WRITING WORKSHOP

Barber: “Writers sometimes use props (to help teach their topic).”

Brazier: “Informational writing tends to follow the same structure.”

* ASK: “Tell me what you know about the structure of informational writing.”

Martinez: “Informational writers write all they know about their categories.”

SOCIAL STUDIES (Teacher: Mrs. Barber)

*WAX MUSEUM FINAL PAPER ON THURSDAY, MAY 19th.  

EXPLORE & DESIGN (Teacher: Mr. Brazier)

* FINAL SPELLING TEST ON THURSDAY

* HOMEWORK (Due Thursday):

(A) RE-WRITE, TWICE, ANY SENTENCES ON THE SPELLING TEST THAT WEREN’T COMPLETELY CORRECT.

(B) WRITE, 10 TIMES EACH, ANY OF THE 6 WORDS SPELLED INCORRECTLY ON THE BOTTOM PART OF THE TEST (visible; loyalty; tunnel; tumor; sailor; village)

SCIENCE (Teacher: Mrs. Martinez)

Ball in Cup Lab (Martinez)