What We're Learning this Week! (November 17-21, 2014)

Standards of focus: Math: 5.NBT.7; Science 5-PS1-3

Last Week's MobyMax Math High Scorers!: Conner Clem (135) and Scott Coffey (15)

Monday was off to a rocky, or should I say snowy start as we had our first weather delay of the school year so far. This put us a little behind, but we still got quite a bit accomplished today!

In Math, we began our last standard of the Numbers & Operations in Base-10 unit by taking our pre-test over standard 5.NBT.7. This standard is partially a review (adding and subtracting decimals) and partially new or newer information (multiplying and dividing decimals). We were pretty good at the adding and subtracting part, but we forgot our decimal rule when multiplying and the division problems really threw us for a loop! Nevertheless, we are cruising right along and will continue practicing and refreshing these skills as the days pass. 

After missing Tuesday due to a snow day, we were right back at it on Wednesday. We practiced adding and subtracting decimals by playing board games in small groups of 3-4 students. 

In Social Studies, we had to become detectives to solve crimes! After reading about crimes and the clues that were left behind, we had to figure out which colonial region the suspect came from. 

In Math on Thursday, we began taking notes on multiplying decimals in our Interactive Notebooks. We discussed how multiplying decimals isn't any different from multiplying whole numbers except for the last step of inserting the decimal back into the product. 

In Social Studies we began working on colony brochures. We were allowed to pick any of the the 13 original colonies and from here, we had to create a travel brochure highlighting its features. 

In Math on Friday we took our usual Weekly Math Quiz over morning work, lived scored them and then analyzed our data. Mrs. Dennis' homeroom won this week!

In Social Studies, we completed our colony travel brochures and Mrs. Elliott hung a few of the realllllllly good ones on the proficiency board outside. 

What We're Learning this Week! (November 10-14, 2014)

Standards of focus: Math: 5.NBT.6; Science 5-PS1-3

Last Week's MobyMax Math High Scorers!: Derek Butcher (112) and Karalyn Swartz (145)

Monday had us presenting our Veterans Day Program for the community (see post below) and we were off on Tuesday to celebrate the holiday.

Wednesday, when we returned, we were right back at it, back in the learning groove. On Wednesday and Thursday we continued reviewing long division, especially the larger and more complicated problems that incorporated 4-digit dividends and 2-digit divisors. 

In Social Studies, we kicked off our chapter 7 studies, which focuses on comparing the original colonies and their regions (New England, Middle, and Southern) by working in groups to complete a colony scavenger hunt. Mrs. Elliott hung posters all around the room of the 13 colonies, which included information such as who they were founded by, their reasons for establishment, the geography of the land, the economy, and so on. We had to complete the recording sheet that asked us various questions about each. 

On Friday, in Math we took our post-assessment for 5.NBT.7 and reviewed both long division and multi-digit multiplication by playing "Turkey Trot". It also got us in the Thanksgiving mood! :)

Happy Veterans Day!

Monday was our annual 5th Grade O.E.S. Veterans Day Program and all of our hard work throughout the past few weeks paid off because it was FANTASTIC! We switched it up a little this year, from past years, but the result and hard work of the entire 5th grade was evident! Check out some of the pictures and videos below of our program if you were unable to make it. 

Our simple, yet beautiful bulletin board in honor of those who have served. The poem "Flander's Field" is so beautiful and a favorite of mine, so we made 3-d flower poppies to help decorate. In fact, every bulletin board in the entire 4-5 grade hallway was decorated in some fashion to honor our Veterans so that on their journey from the front office to the gym and cafeteria, they would know how much the students of OES appreciate and thank them for all of their contributions. 

Here's a link to the tribute video of Veterans that are relatives to students, teachers, and faculty of our school. 

Honoring Our Veterans

We were also fortunate enough to have Jodi Cassidy, daughter of the late Roscoe Cassidy (the oldest living WWII Veteran in the state of Kentucky before passing away recently)

Post by Owingsville Elementary School.

 Jodi Cassidy, Mr. Harvey Tackett, Superintendent, and Mr. Jarrod Slone, Principal

 The Morehead State University's ROTC posted and retired the colors at the beginning and end of our ceremony.


Some of our fabulous 5th graders speaking during their Reader's Theater in honor of our Veterans. 

5th Graders singing "Color Me America"

Honoring all of the military branches during the Armed Forces Medaly. 

After the program, our Veteran guests enjoyed a reception in the cafeteria in their honor!

What We're Learning this Week! (November 3-7, 2014)

Standards of focus: Math: 5.NBT.6; Science 5-PS1-3

Last Week's MobyMax Math High Scorers!: Derek Butcher (107) and Gavin Brown (75)

On Monday we began really focusing and practicing on our Veterans Day Program. We've been practicing our song for week during Arts & Humanities with Mrs. Rice, but we began rehearsing our speaking roles, our introductions, our movements, and really putting it all together into a wonderful program. 

Because of our focused practicing, we didn't get a lot of actual class time on Monday. In Math, we focused on reviewing and practicing dividing by 1-digit divisors and going back to correct any mistakes we were making before we move on. We're still using Mrs. Elliott's "Cheat Code" as the process to solve division problems and making sure that we double check all of our answers using division's inverse operation: multiplication. 

In Social Studies, we watched most of "Pocahontas" as it tied directly into our studies of early American settlements, specifically Jamestown, one of the three settlements (Roanoke, Jamestown & Plymouth) we've focused on. We discussed the motives of the English, as well as their thoughts, ideals, and treatment of the Native peoples. We've also been jamming to this song lately: