Mrs. Vrsek's Room

This week is the last week of the semester.  I can’t believe we are halfway through the school year!  The students have been working super hard each and every day.  NWEA testing began last week and after 2 weeks off, they did a great job getting back into the groove.  We will have 1 more NWEA test this week and 1 more next week.

Students were given a list of missing assignments (if any) on Friday that are due this Wednesday.  I will collect and grade all Interactive Notebooks on Wednesday to be graded this week for their report cards.

Upcoming Events:

Jan. 18             Half day/Teacher duty PM

Jan. 21             No school

Jan. 22             Half day/Teacher duty PM

Jan.23              Half day/Teacher PD PM

Feb. 6              Late start

Welcome Back! I hope everyone had a restful 2 weeks off.  We dive right back into full curriculum mode as we start back up along with Winter NWEA testing.  Our class will begin testing on Tuesday this week.  Throughout the next few weeks there will be many tests from NWEA to WIDA, but the students workload will adjust with that as well.  We are also beginning some new units.  We will begin comparing and contrasting texts, looking at equivalent expressions in math, and continuing on our water cycle topic in science.

Dates to remember:

Jan. 18             Half day

Jan. 21             No school

Jan. 22             Half day

Jan.23              Half day

Students have been waiting for this week since the first day of school….the last week before 2 weeks vacation.  The last week before they can play video games for 2 weeks…the last week before they can just hang out and not do any school work for 2 weeks…. It’s been talk for days.  It’s important to remember to keep reading and writing and working on skills over the 2 week break.  Reading for at least 15 minutes every day helps and writing even just in a small journal of what they did that day helps too.  Writing grocery lists, things to do lists, or anything simple just helps keep the brain stimulated.

This week we will continue working on everything we have been.  We started a new Science unit last week and we will continue it this week and continue it once we get back to school.  We are wrapping up our math unit and will take a test this week.  In Language Arts we are wrapping up our final How-To writing, and working on characters and main ideas in stories still.  We will continue those topics and more topics as we get back from break.  In Social Studies we will be wrapping up our unit on Mesopotamia as well.  We will have a small quiz on it later this week.

This week we also will be having our PBIS December Reward!! I’m excited to say that all students in the classroom have earned the reward and are excited to participate.  They will be doing Minute to Win it Games in the gym.  Some may even get to pie a teacher in the face!!

Upcoming Events:

Dec. 17            Monthly parent meeting at 9:00 in the team room

Dec. 20            Woodworth Winter Concert at 2:00

Dec. 21            6^th grade field trip

Dec. 24-Jan.4  No School

Sometimes as the days get shorter and the sun shines less we start to feel down a little bit more.  It’s important to find activities that keep us upbeat and in good spirits as there is more darkness outside.  Sunlight gives us Vitamin D which helps boosts our mood, but in the classroom we can find other ways to do the same.  We use Gonoodle to take brain breaks and this helps boost kids moods out of their bummed down moods.  Whether it is an energizer to get them motivated or a yoga/calming down right after lunch to get them back and ready to work.  These little brain breaks among other things are just one of the ways we help keep the energy positive in the classroom so the students are eager to work.

Can you believe it’s December already?  3 months of school have come and gone.  The gains these students have made have been tremendous.  They come to school ready and eager to work every day.

We have posted new comprehension focus strategies for the students to use during independent, whole group, and small group reading.  I have been introducing them frequently but will really be working on them even more.  You may hear them bring these strategies up at home.

We have: Iggy the Inferring Iguana–Make inferences from what you read and as you read or look at pictures

Jabber the Reteller- Retell and summarize what you have read

Spinner the Spider- Make connections to self, world, and texts

Digger the Dog- Dig for important ideas in what you have read

Questioning Owl- Ask questions as you read

Rocky Raccoon- Visualize what you read

I hope everyone had a nice and refreshing 5 days off. I know it can help students get back into the mindset and rejuvenated and ready to work.  We will use this week to get back into reviewing expectations and jumping right back into our content right where we left off.  We will continue to focus on main idea and details, synonyms and antonyms, continuing integers in math, and continuing fossils for another week in Science.

We will be starting new writing topics this week and writing “How-to” writings.  This will help students expand their writing by not only writing about something, but giving specific steps on how to do a given task.  They will continue to write paragraphs with introductions and conclusions.

Upcoming Events:

Monday, November 19th: Okay to Say Parent Meeting in Team Room 9:00 am

November 21st-23rd: No School

November 26th-30th: PTA Book Sale

Last week in writing the students wrote about many things they were thankful for and all students included family in their writing.  As Thanksgiving approaches the students are very thankful for all that you do for them each and every day.  As a teacher, I am thankful for all the help and support you give them as well.

This week will be a quick 2 day week, but the students deserve the extra few days off to relax and get themselves ready for the next few week stretch before we have another long break from school.

Again…thank you for all that you do

Upcoming Events:

Monday, November 19th: Okay to Say Parent Meeting in Team Room 9:00 am

November 21st-23rd: No School

November 26th-30th: PTA Book Sale

Most topics circle around and continue to be discussed in the classroom…especially ideas in Language Arts.  We try to focus on one main topic at a time, but continue to return to other topics to continue the understand and knowledge of these topics.  In math we have taken a test, and are beginning a new topic today.  Students have done fantastic on their most recent test and without a doubt will continue to do the same with our next unit on Integers.  As we begin a new focus, we will continue to practice our multiplication and division facts through quick practices and group work activities.

In Language Arts we have begun focusing on Main ideas and Themes of stories and really trying to pull out these specific parts of a story.  Every student has been great at retelling a story and even giving the main ideas and details, but finding the themes is a new and great challenge for us.

In Science, we continue exploring rocks and move our focus onto fossils.  Students have enjoyed our rock study so far and I believe they will continue to enjoy studying about fossils.

Dates to Remember:

Monday, November 12th: Conferences 4-7

Wednesday, November 14th: Conferences 3:30-6:30

Monday, November 19th: Okay to Say Parent Meeting in Team Room 9:00 am

November 21st-23rd: No School

November 26th-30th: PTA Book Sale

Our first marking period has come and gone. It has been a great successful learning time in our classroom. Our students have been working hard every day and building new skills every day too.

Not only do they continue to work on their academics daily but they continue to work on their social skills and leadership skills. Each student takes on positive roles to help showcase leadership.

Importanf Events:

Tuesday, November 6th: No school for students

Monday, November 12th: Conferences 4-7

Wednesday, November 14th: Conferences 3:30-6:30

Wednesday-Friday, November 21st-23rd: No School

We had a great time on our field trip! The weather was perfect, the animals were wide awake, and the kids had a great time.  Thanks to all my chaperones and help throughout the process.