Looks to be a busy week in 5th grade!

Monday February 8th Parent Involvement Day
Please join us at school this Monday.  Parent Involvement Day gives families an opportunity to know more about their child's day at school and meet other parents in our school community.  Our schedule for the day looks like this:

9:00 Morning Meeting
9:30 Introduction to Science Fair
9:44 Art
10:30 Math-More Strategies for Finding Common Denominators
11:47 Freeetime and Lunch
12:35 Quiet TIme
12:50 Energy sharing and reflection
1:20 Science-An inquiry into how diseases spread
2:15 Prepare for assembly
3:00 All School Assembly

The kids have been working hard in music in preparation for our NAAPID Assembly.  If you can make it, please come--their hard work is not to be missed!

Science Fair
Fifth grade students at Mitchell School participate in the school science fair each year.  Students may choose to develop a project on their own or with a small group students.  On Monday I will present information to the class and how to develop a science fair project.  We will also brainstorm a few ideas for projects.  Students then should use their home study period to research and conduct their investigation.  On Thursday February 11th 5:30 p.m. is the Science Fair Pick Your Project Night in the Mitchell Media Center.  Teachers will be available with resources to help students develop their project ideas.

Winter Survival Trip
Last week a letter and permission slip went home regarding this trip.  The weather looks to be more wintery than it's been. so please help your child make appropriate clothing choices for the day.  Additionally, students who have not yet returned their permission slip need to do so as soon as possible.  While the trip has been planned to take place at Lima Center it is possible there may be a change to the location based on the availability of wood to build fires.  If any changes are made a note will go home with your child. 

Children will be working in groups of approximately 6 to build their own cooking fire and then prepare their lunch.  I shared with the children last week ideas for campfire cooking and they had a chance to talk with their group and develop a plan.  Each child should bring a lunch to cook on the fire on Wednesday.

Valentine's Day--Celebration of Friendship
The class has voted and decided upon having a small celebration of friendship in honor of Valentine's Day on Friday, February 12th.  This week we will plan a menu for our celebration.  I am hoping your child will be able to contribute a snack item to our celebration.  The kids also voted to include Valentine's as part of the celebration.  Students are not required to bring Valentine's, although, those who do, must bring enough for each student.  We have 27 students in our class.  A class list will go home early this week.

Winter Break 
Winter break begins at the end of the day on Friday February 12.  School will resume on Monday February 22nd.

Week of February 1st

Beginning this week all outside doors to Mitchell School will be locked during the school day, including the front door.  To access the building please use the front door near the keypad.  Please press the button to let the office staff know you would like to come in and they will open the door for you. 

Welcome Back to Ms. Stowe!  After a busy month of coursework at the University of Michigan, Ms. Stowe will be returning to teaching and learning in our classroom full-time through the end of April.  

Upcoming Events
2/3-2/5 Scholastic Book Fair
2/3 3:30 p.m. Little Caesar's Pizza Kit Delivery
2/8 NAAPID--Watch for an invitation to come home this week.  Mitchell School celebrates Parent Involvement Day all day on February 8th.  Stop by for breakfast in the teacher's lounge, visit the classroom, and attend the assembly at 3:00.  
2/23 Kindergarten Round-Up

We are excited to announce that Kindergarten Round Up at Mitchell School will be on February 23, 2016 from 6:00 – 7:00 PM.  Children who turn five on or before September 1, 2016 are eligible to attend kindergarten for the 2016-17 school year. We love to give school tours. Please call the school office at 997.1216 to set up a tour!

 

Native American Experience

Last week Gary Ghareeb of Native American Experience visited our classroom to share his knowledge of the Native American way of life and the various Native American cultural regions throughout the United States.

Abalone was important to tribes of the Pacific Northwest.

Tribes of the Great Plains used horns to make spoons and other tools.

Native people living in the Eastern Woodlands used bark to make baskets for cooking and storage.

We also learned about how life changed for Native people as a result of the arrival of the Europeans.

Europeans brought tools and knives made of metal, blankets, and other goods that made life easier. 

Thank you to Gary for an interesting and engaging program.  Many of the kids were busily jotting notes throughout the program to help them process their learning.  The information we learned this week is related to our next IB unit of study, Where We Are in Place and Time.

Week of January 25th

As I began looking at the calendar to share upcoming dates with you--I realized we have a lot coming up!

• 1/26 Little Caesar's Pizza Kit Orders Due

• 1/27 Listening Campaign

     At a PTO meeting earlier this school year, a proposal was brought forward to engage in an intentional process of building relationships and fostering a more connected community here at Mitchell School. This proposal was considered by the PTO group and it was recommended that we move forward to implement what is being called - The Mitchell Listening Campaign 

     Ellen Patnaude, Mitchell 4^th grade parent, will lead this group. One of the most effective ways to find out what other people are thinking about, excited about, concerned about, and what is most important to them is to engage in one-on-one conversation. To this end, a group of parents is forming with the intent of getting to know other parents and building our school community.

      On Wednesday, January 27 from 5:30-8:30 Ellen Patnaude will lead a training for interested parents who will learn how to engage others in an effective one-on-one conversation. If you're interested in learning more you are invited to attend the training and/or reach out to Ellen. She can be contacted at 248.534.6409 or ellen.patnaude@gmail.com 

• 1/28 Native American Experience 

This program introduces and explains the culture areas or regions of North America.  It shows how the Native Americans used their environment to survive and how each culture area is different based on what they had to use in each region.  We will cover stone tools, plant materials, shells and animal parts that were used by Native Americans.  Examples from many different culture areas are represented.  This program follows the Michigan fifth grade social studies curriculum and is suitable for students in fourth grade or above.

• 2/1 No School-Teacher Professional Development Day
• 2/3 Little Caesar's Pizza Kit Delivery
• 2/3-5 Schlastic Book Fair
• 2/8 NAAPID Families are invited to participate in the classroom throughout the day.  The goal of this day is to involve parents in their child's school day and help families better understand your child's school experience each day.  Parent involvement is key to a student's academic success.  All School Assembly 3:00
• 2/11 Winter Survival Field Trip Look for permission slips and information to come home shortly! 

  

Energy Resources

alliantenergykids.comhttp://www.eia.gov/kids/
http://energy.gov/science-innovation/science-education

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

Over the next few weeks we will be revisiting our hopes and dreams for 5th grade as well as thinking about the hopes and dreams we want to accomplish throughout the rest of the school year.

Planners--With the new year please help your child make a new commitment to getting their planner signed and returned to school daily.  Each morning as your child arrives they fill out their planner with the learning activities for the day.  While it is their job to ask a parent/guardian to sign it each evening there are many students who need support reestablishing this habit.  Thanks for your help!

Week of December 7th

Sharing our thinking about natural resources.

Wow!  Check out all this thinking!  We were using a routine called "Chalk Talk"  where students have a silent conversation based on 2-3 statements.  As students move around the room they share their thinking and comment on the thinking of others.  They were so proud to see all their thinking in one place!

Coming up! Used Book Giveaway

Our book giveaway is fast approaching.  Next week your child will have the opportunity to select gently used books to add to your home library.  Please check your child's backpack and set time aside to enjoy the books at home together.