Gonzales Weekly

Gonzales Weekly

12/16/13

This is the last week of 2^nd quarter, which means we are now halfway through the school year!

Report cards will go out on Friday. There will be an awards assembly at 1PM. If your child is getting an award, I will send home a letter by Wednesday to invite you.

In math, we will begin adding fractions. In reading, we will focus on main idea and supporting details. In writing, we will begin working with adjectives. In science, we will read through a Scholastic Superscience magazine and practice nonfiction worksheets.

There will be no spelling or Paragraph of the Week this week. Your child's only homework should be math.

Since the holidays are a time to give thanks, I would like to say I am so grateful to have such a wonderful class and supportive parents this year. Thank you all for making sure your child is up-to-date on their assignments and working with them at home. I can see the work you put in in class every day. I can't wait to see what the rest of the year will bring.

Happy holidays, and have a wonderful break!

Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

(520)721-4205

Gonzales weekly!

Gonzales Weekly

12/09/13

This is the last week to turn in any missing work! I will give half credit for any missing assignment. Be sure to check Family Link! All of next week's assignments will go towards third quarter (and will be made available in January).

Remember that we have a canned food drive going on! Make sure to bring a can or two!

Your child will be taking Galileo quizzes online during class time throughout the week. You can log in and see their scores using their login information (which they should have).

This week, we will begin a unit on adding and subtracting fractions in math. In reading, we will complete and take a test on Harry Potter. In writing, we will write a persuasive essay. In science, we will take a test on the respiratory and nervous system. In social studies, we will work through a Scholastic magazine.

Spelling words:

1.       covered

2.       rising

3.       ordered

4.       hitting

5.       planned

6.       amusing

7.       sheltered

8.       visiting

9.       deserved

10.   squeezing

11.   rehearsing

12.   shredded

13.   anticipated

14.   scalloped

15.   entertaining

16.   parliament

17.   pronounceable

18.   protein

19.   perceived

20.   premonition

Have a great week!

Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

520-721-4205

Gonzales Weekly

Gonzales Weekly

12/02/13

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Break!

We have just three weeks left until the end of the quarter, and two until second quarter grades are final! I strongly encourage you to use Family Link to make sure your child doesn't have any missing assignments.

Starting this week, I am trying a new policy that has worked well for students in the past. In addition to my regular homework, any work that your child does not get done in class will have to be done at home. Influencing my decision is multiple groups choosing to talk and not get their work done. This will only affect the students that are not being productive, as the majority of the class is getting their work completed.

This week, we will read Chapters 12-14 in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In math, we will finish our unit on dividing with decimals, and begin a unit on adding and subtracting fractions. In social studies, we will read through a Scholastic Weekly magazine, and in science, we will review the nervous system and the respiratory system.

Spelling words this week:
1) create
2) quiet
3) cruel
4) liar
5) actual
6) ruin
7) trial
8) rodeo
9) science
10) usual
11) appreciate
12) variety
13) enthusiastic
14) realize

15) eventually
Challenge Words

16) ominous
17) occurred
18) obscure
19) obeyed
20) opportunity

Have a great week!

Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

520-721-4205

Gonzales Weekly

Gonzales Weekly

11/18/13

Welcome to another week!

Today, your child will take home their progress reports! It will include Language Arts (Spelling), Writing, Reading, and Math. If your child gets it signed by tomorrow morning, they will receive five points of extra credit in their lowest subject.

At this point, your students should be more than halfway done with their novel! In order to pass writing this quarter, all students are required to have 10,000 words. This means that your child should be above 5,000 words.

Remember that the school is asking for $1 from every student for money to purchase turkeys for our Thanksgiving Feast on Tuesday, November 26^th. Nine students have done so already! I need that money by this Friday, November 22^nd!

In math, we will begin a unit on dividing decimals. In reading, we will read through the next few chapters of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In writing, we will continue to work on NaNoWriMo in class, as well as learn about using verbs correctly in sentences. We will go through an edition of Scholastic Weekly in social studies, and take a test on the human skeleton in science.

Spelling words for the week:

1.      district

2.      address

3.      complain

4.      improve

5.      although

6.      laughter

7.      mischief

8.      complex

9.      orphan

10.  employ

11.  sandwich

12.  function

13.  extreme

14.  simply

15.  farther

16.  necessity

17.  nostalgia

18.  nomadic

19.  negligent

20.  nutritious

Have a great week!

Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

520-721-4205

Sorting Hat Activity

For an easier and shorter quiz, choose this link:
Sorting Hat Quiz Shorter Version


For a longer quiz with slightly harder vocabulary, choose this link:
Sorting Hat Quiz Long Version


If you are doing City of Ember, please click this link:
Electricity Game

11-12-13!

Gonzales Weekly

11/12/13

I hope everyone had a great Veteran's Day!

Every year, we have a Thanksgiving Feast the Tuesday before Thanksgiving Break. Fifth grade has been asked to collect money to purchase turkeys. I ask that every child bring in one dollar to help offset the costs of a turkey. Please make sure your child has their dollar to me by Friday, November 22^nd!

Midquarter is upon us! Progress reports will be sent home next Monday. Please make sure to check Family Link so your child can make up any missing assignments!

I am changing my homework policy slightly starting this week. I will now be grading your child's math homework, instead of giving participation credit. This is due to the fact that multiple students write random numbers or "?" as their answer to homework problems multiple days in a row. If a student gets 2/5 or lower, I will assign them extra work in Homework Hall on Friday. This is not to be seen as a punishment. I believe that if a student in my room does not understand a concept, they need to practice it instead of playing a game. If you have any questions about this new policy, feel free to email me or see me in person after class.

This week, there will be no spelling or Paragraph of the Week. I will have some at-home reading, as well as a brief writing assignment in addition to working on NaNoWriMo at home.  As of last night, your child should have had a word count of over 3,666 words if they are on track to pass writing. Make sure you are asking about their novels!

In math, we will take a test on multiplying decimals, review multiplying whole numbers, and then begin dividing by decimals. In reading, we will continue working through Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In writing, we will continue practicing proper verb tense in sentences and writing our novels. Make sure your child is bringing their notebooks to school! Their novels need to be in that notebook!

Have a great week!

Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

520-721-4205

11-04 Blog

Gonzales Weekly

11/04/13

Happy Monday!

Can you believe that we are already in November? It seems like it was just yesterday that I was introducing myself as your child's fifth grade teacher!

November brings a lot of important announcements! Remember that this is National Novel Writing Month, and your child is responsible for writing a novel that is AT LEAST 10,000 words. This is a month-long project! It will be homework for your child EVERY NIGHT, including weekends.

In place of engrade, we will be using a program in Schoolmaster called Family Link. This will allow you to see your child's grades. Your child received a letter TODAY containing a user name and password. Please log in and take a look around!

Remember that next Monday is Veteran's Day and there will be no school!

In math, we will continue multiplying decimals. In reading, we will continue with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. In writing, we will learn about helping verbs, as well as class time for novel writing. In science, we will begin focusing on the skeletal system.

Spelling words:

1.       jewel

2.       sparkle

3.       angle

4.       shovel

5.       fossil

6.       puzzle

7.       mortal

8.       gentle

9.       label

10.    devil

11.    mineral

12.    influential

13.    vital

14.    neutral

15.    kernel

16.    macabre

17.    margarine

18.    mosquito

19.    myriad

20.    monarch

Have a great week!
Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

520-721-4205

Gonzales Weekly

Gonzales Weekly

10/28/13

Happy Monday!

It was amazing seeing everyone at the Harvest Fest on Friday!  Thanks to everyone who came out, volunteered, or even just stopped by to say hello!

This week in school is your child's first benchmark in Galileo testing, which is a practice AIMS test.  Their results will show growth from the start of the year.  I will make the information available as soon as I have it.

Friday is November 1^st, which marks the start of National Novel Writing Month.  This past month, your child has been planning out a novel.  Each of them have set a word count goal, the minimum at 10,000, and some even reaching as high as 45,000 words!  I encourage them to handwrite their novel.  I am more than happy to type their novel for them if they reach their word count goal.  Please encourage them during this time and make sure that they are writing at home!  It will be homework EVERY DAY of the month!

In math, we will begin multiplying decimals.  In reading, we will read through Chapter 4 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  In writing, we will plan out the setting for our novels.

Spelling words for the week:

1.             equal

2.                   collect

3.                   perhaps

4.                   rapid

5.                   arrive

6.                   shoulder

7.                   sorrow

8.                   vanish

9.                   aware

10.                subject

11.                prefer

12.                device

13.                skittish

14.                logic

15.                sincere

16.                lucrative

17.                liability

18.                language

19.                liquidated

20.                landmark

Have a great week!
Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

520-721-4205

Gonzales Weekly!

zales Weekly

10/21/13

Happy Monday!

It was great meeting with you at your conferences!  Thank you for taking the time for your child and their education!

This week is "Just Say No!" week here at LPA!  I encourage you to talk with your child about what we are discussing in class.

Picture re-takes are tomorrow!  If you were not here for Picture Day, or you want retakes, make sure you are at school.

Harvest Fest is this Friday.  I would love to have more parent volunteers.  Just send me a note letting me know you want to help, and you'll be all set!  It would be great to have one or two more helpers between 7-8 PM.

In math, we will finish up our unit on division.  In reading, we will read Chapters 2 and 3 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  In writing, we will continue preparing for NaNoWriMo and plot out our novels.  In social studies, we will discuss alcohol and drugs and why they are a bad choice for a fifth grader.

Spelling words for the week:

1.      mirror

2.      powder

3.      humor

4.      major

5.      thunder

6.      flavor

7.      mayor

8.      clover

9.      burglar

10.  matter

11.  quarter

12.  clamor

13.  tremor

14.  scholar

15.  chamber

16.  kneel

17.  knuckle

18.  kettle

19.  knapsack

20.  knowledge

Have a great week!

Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

10/14 Newsletter!

Gonzales Weekly

10/14/13

Welcome to the first week of second quarter!

Remember that this week is parent teacher conference week!  I look forward to meeting with all of you!

My most important announcement is that you will not be able to check your child's grades for the first month of the quarter!  We will be moving to a different technology called Schoolmaster.  You will be able to access your child's grades through a program called Family Link.  As soon as we are ready to launch, you will be given an access code!  I apologize for any trouble this may cause you.  I am looking forward to working through this new program!  It should be great!

I will also be starting up a new program called Remind101.  You will hear more about this at your conference, but it is a text messaging service that I will use to remind you and your child about important projects or deadlines!

In math, we will begin a unit on dividing by two digit divisors.  In reading, we will work through a poetry unit and then begin pre-reading work for Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.  In writing, we will take a test on nouns and continue working through lessons leading up to National Novel Writing Month!  In science, we will begin a unit on the human body!

Spelling words for the week:

1)   smear

2)   squirm

3)   early

4)   thirst

5)   term

6)   pearl

7)   perch

8)   worse

9)   rear

10) steer

11) interpret

12) yearn

13) emergency

14) dreary

15) career

16) justifiable

17) jealousy

18) juvenile

19) judgment

20) journalism

Have a great week!

Ms. Gonzales

msandreagonzales@gmail.com

andreagonzaleslpa.blogspot.com

520-721-4205