Vocabulary Words for Jan. 31-Feb. 3

Feature Article Vocabulary

1. vignette-(noun)-short, delicate literary sketch
2. anecdote-(noun)-short, entertaining account of something happening
3. foreshadowing- (noun)-hints of what is to happen in the future
4. flashback-(noun)-recalling something that has happened in the past
5. quote-(noun)-exact words spoken by someone and set off by quotation marks

Social Studies Vocabulary
     6. settlements-(noun)-small communities built by English explorers
     7. marsh-(noun)-wet, low-lying land that is poorly drained
     8. democratic-(adjective)-relating to a form of government in which people have the power to rule themselves, often through elected representatives
     9. ally-(noun)-one person or nation united with another for a common purpose
    10. colonists-(noun)-a person who settles in a colony

Reflective Letter Criteria

Please write a reflective letter to me or yourself. It is due tomorrow.

1. Heading, greeting, body, closing, signature
2. Indent all paragraphs
3. Introduction paragraph must have a lead, purpose statement, and thoughtshot/conclusion

• The purpose must be to reflect on your score (1,2,3,4) based on the student expectations rubric. State 2 strengths you possess and 1 area for growth.

4. Three body paragraphs must have leads. Body 1 must explain strength 1. Body 2 must explain strength. Body 3 must explain your area for improvement. All paragraphs must have thoughtshots/reflective conclusions.
5. Capitalization, Organization, Punctuation, Spelling

Weekly Homework for January 30-February 3

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

We want to congratulate all 5^th graders on a job well done during MAPS testing. We are very proud of you! Let’s keep in mind our goals as we move closer towards the state assessment in March. It is a good time to reflect on our talk with Mr. Carney last week, and focus on what we need to do on a daily basis to be successful.

REMINDER: It is school policy to line up outside in the morning and walk in with your class and 5^th grade teacher unless it has been designated an “inside day” due to inclement weather. We appreciate your attention and desire to be good role models in this matter!

All homework is due on Friday so be sure to budget your time accordingly. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Have a great week! J

Vocabulary:  On the back of this page are words that come from the other subjects we are currently studying. You need to know the definition, the part of speech, and how to use it correctly in a sentence. You will have a vocabulary test on all 10 words on Friday. The format of the test will vary each week.

Word Work/Spelling: This week we will focus on different spelling patterns for the ‘ou’ and ‘ow’ sounds in Unit 14. Please read the Family Letter and complete the Take-Home Task together to familiarize yourself with the concepts. Be sure to look for these words in your reading and writing this week. We will have a spelling test on Friday.

Social Studies: Complete the weekly geography worksheet, questions 81-85. Use the provided maps and other resources such as an atlas, globe, or internet websites. Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question!

We will begin Unit 6, which focuses on Early English Colonies. Lessons will be very hands-on. It is important to be actively listening and participating in order to do well on the test. No study guides will be given for the test.

Science: We will continue to concentrate and dilute solutions in our Investigation 3 experiments this week.

Reading: All Novel Groups must have their novels completed this week. The project that you chose and were given last Friday must be completed by this Friday (February 3^rd). Make sure to turn in your rubric on Friday also.

Writing:  We will work on an outline for our Feature Article focusing on our thesis. We will also begin the research process.

PTO Announcements

Earning For Learning

Thank you all for turning in your Southlands receipts this month for Triple Points.  We will still be accepting receipts tomorrow.

Chick fil-A was another great success and we would like to thank all of our wonderful families and teachers for attending.  It is always such fun to see everyone "outside of school" sometimes.

Yearbook

Yearbook order sheets have been sent home with the students and are due by February 10th.  Please note that with the Personalization Icons, these are only available for High School Yearbooks.  Sorry for any confusion but elementary schools cannot order the Icons.  Also, the personalization that is included on your yearbook is the students name.  If you are ordering one book for your entire family you may request personalization such as "The Smith Family" or contact Kenfra Elmore at mkelmore@msn.com. if you have questions.

Box Tops for Education is beginning our Spring collection contest. Please send in your boxtops with your students next week.

Student Council Candy Grams

will be onsale from Feb. 1-10 during lunch for the students.....parents may purchase before school from 8:15 - 9:00

Cherokee Trail would like to pass along the following message to our school:

As part of our Winter Spirit Week, Cherokee Trail High School is raising money for the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Make-a-Wish is an organization that raises money for kids with life threatening diseases, to get a wish granted. We would like to come together as a community and raise money for Make-a-Wish.

During the week of January 30th to February 3rd, we will be raising money to give to this foundation. Below are ways that you can get involved:

 1.     On Tuesday, January 31st, Cherokee Trail will be hosting a restaurant night at Rumbi Grill in Southlands Mall. Please mention that you are from Cherokee Trail, and they will donate a percentage of their sales to us. Their hours are from 9 a.m-5 p.m. The fundraiser lasts through these hours.

2.     On Wednesday, February 1st, there will be a Pack the Gym for Boys Basketball at 7:00 PM as Cherokee Trail High School. They will be playing Cherry Creek High School. The cost will be $5 dollars for parents and $3 dollars for students with IDs.

3.     On Thursday, February 2nd, we will have a Dodgeball Tournament at 3:45. There is a $3 dollar entry fee at Cherokee Trail.

4.     On February 2nd, we are hosting a restaurant night at Chick-fil-a in Southlands Mall. Please mention that you are from Cherokee Trail, and they will donate a percentage of their sales to us. Their hours are from 6 a.m.-10 p.m.

5.     On Friday, February 3rd, there will be a Pack the Gym for Girls Basketball at 7:00 PM at Cherokee Trail. They will be playing Eaglecrest High School. The cost is $5 dollars for parents and $3 dollars for students with IDs.

At all of these events, there will be a table set up with a Student Leadership representative if you would like to donate additional money to Make-a-Wish.

All of your support to this cause is greatly appreciated.

If you have any questions feel free to contact Lisa Porter, our Activities Director at eporter11@cherrycreekschools.org or 720-886-1927.

Upcoming District Class

We would like to help spread the word about an upcoming class available to all parents in the district.

Think: Kids

Rethinking Challenging Behavior Using Collaborative Problem Solving A new parenting approach to prevent and solve behavior challenges

Who Should Take This Class?

Do you struggle with parenting a child who, in spite of his or her best intentions, seems to lack the ability to cope with frustration, perceived injustice or stress?  Does your child's emotional roller coaster leave you feeling drained and angry on a daily basis?  Do you find that discipline strategies that work well for most kids only seem to make the problem worse for yours?  Does your child get "stuck," seemingly unable to move on or think about things in a flexible manner? If so, then this class is for you!!!

What is Collaborative Problem Solving?

The guiding philosophy of this approach is "Children do well if they can." The goal of Collaborative Problem Solving is to teach children and adolescents and adults how to work toward mutually satisfactory solutions to problems underlying difficult behavior. The approach is based on the belief that children's difficult behavior is often the byproduct of a delay in the skills of flexibility, adaptability, and frustration tolerance. This research based approach emphasizes a proactive focus on solving and preventing problems before they occur instead of focusing on rewards, consequences or time-outs to manage children's behaviors.

Facilitators:

Dr. Lisa Wolff, CCSD School Psychologist Mrs. Denise Sironen, CCSD School Psychologist

LOCATION:

High Plains Elementary 

Media Center

6100 S. Fulton Street

Centennial, CO 80111

DATE:

Saturday, Feb. 25th, 2012

TIME:

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

COST:

$20 includes lunch and the book, The Explosive Child, by Dr. Ross Greene

Full Scholarships available for families who receive free and reduced lunches.

For more information and to register, please contact:

Sally Milian

CCSD Wellness Office:

720-554-4247

smilian@cherrycreekschools.org

Thanks to all of our families and teachers for such wonderful support.....GO PANTHERS!!!  Your PTO Team

Vocabulary Words for Jan. 23-27

1. alliteration (noun)-the combination of two or more words that begin with the same letter or consonant sound. (i.e. fun facts, amazing animals, healthy habits, etc.)
2. protagonist (noun)- the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.
3. antagonist (noun)-person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another.
4. instruct (verb)- to teach
5. initiate (verb)- to start
6. bondage (noun)-slavery
7. protest (verb) speak out against
8. homophone (noun)- words that sound the same, but spelled differently & have different meanings (their, there, they're)
9. homograph (noun)- a multiple meaning word (bat, mouse, etc.)
10. concentration (noun)-the amount of material dissolved in a measure of liquid

Winter MAPS

Congratulations to all students who completed the 2nd round of MAPS testing this week. I am so proud of how hard you worked. You tried your best and gave your best effort...WAY TO GO!

I'd like to hear from you about MAPS...of which accomplishment are you most proud? Which subjects were the easiest and/or most difficult for you? What did you learn about yourself or the test from this experience? What will you do the same/differently for next time?

This Blog is for you to share your ideas with your classmates. Have fun!

Weekly Homework for January 23-27

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

Be on the lookout for more information about our class Valentine’s Day parties in the Thursday envelope this week. Thank you for taking the time to work with your child on his/her assignments, checking the daily planner, and monitoring homework. We appreciate your support! All homework is due on Friday so be sure to budget your time accordingly. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Have a great week! J

Vocabulary:  On the back of this page are words that come from the other subjects we are currently studying. You need to know the definition, the part of speech, and how to use it correctly in a sentence. You will have a vocabulary test on all 10 words on Friday. The format of the test will vary each week.

Word Work/Spelling: This week we will focus on homophones and homographs in Unit 13. Please read the Family Letter and complete the Take-Home Task together to familiarize yourself with the concepts. Be sure to look for these words in your reading and writing this week. We will have a spelling test on Friday.

Social Studies: Complete the weekly geography worksheet, questions 76-80. Use the provided maps and other resources such as an atlas, globe, or internet websites. Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question! There will be a geography quiz this Friday.

We will continue Unit 5, which focuses on European Explorers. Lessons will be very hands-on. It is important to be actively listening and participating in order to do well on the test. The test will be this week. No study guides will be given.

Science: We will begin Investigation 3, which focuses on mixture and solution concentration. Get excited for lots of cool experiments!

Reading: In our Daybook textbook, we will continue Unit 2, which focuses on Asking Questions. We will also continue our Novel Groups. Please read according to your calendar for 20 minutes each night. Your book must be completely read by January 31.

This week we will work on Thinking Maps based on our novels. Three thinking map posters will be due on Friday. You may choose which three types of thinking maps you want to make. Have fun!

Writing:  We will work on an outline for our Feature Article and focus on our thesis. This outline is due on Friday.

PTO Announcements

First of all we would like to congratulate the following students for participating in the Pine Ridge Spelling Bee, they will continue onto District:

1st place Nicholas Stirbis

2nd place Joshua Kellogg

3rd Place Sonia Qasemi

4th place Maddie Thorn

Edu-Kits

Pine Ridge is looking for a parent to be in charge of the school supply kits for next year.  If you are interested in helping, please contact the Office Manager, Jeannie Larson at jlarson@cherrycreekschools.org.

SOUTHLAND RECEIPTS THRIPLE POINTS

Please turn in any southlands receipts you may have by January 29th to Cindy McMillan, PTO.  All receipts are worth triple points during January and we are now in 2nd place.

Chick-fil-A Night is Wednesday January 25th, take a break in the kitchen and come support Pine Ridge!

Box Tops For Education

We will be having another class contest in February for box top collection.  Continue to clip and save......details to follow.

Thank you for all of your continued support...please contact PTO with any questions or concerns.  Your PTO Team

Weekly Homework for January 17-20

5^th Grade Weekly Homework-Due Friday, January 20, 2012

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

We hope everyone had a fun and relaxing long weekend. It’s hard to believe, but February is right around the bend and with that comes our annual Valentine Party. The party will be on Tuesday, February 14 from 1:30-3:00 p.m. in the classroom. If you are interested in helping out, please contact us as soon as possible. Students are encouraged to decorate a box to collect their Valentine cards. Keep in mind that if you choose to bring cards and/or treats that they should be given to everyone in the class. There are 30 students in all three 5^th grade classes. Thank you!

Although this is a shortened week, we still have much to do! All homework is due on Friday so be sure to budget your time accordingly. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Have a great week! J

Vocabulary:  There will be no vocabulary words this week.

Word Work/Spelling: This week we will work with frequently misspelled words.

I’m                           that’s                      almost                    wouldn’t

threw                     another                  wear                       probably

let’s                         through                  also                         you’re

its                            very                        where                    your

with                        it’s                           always                    we’re

Staple all 3 assignments together in this order. They are all due on Friday.

·         Write the words in alphabetical order. Then write each word 2 more times.

·         Write a story paragraph using all 20 words. Underline each spelling word.

·         Choose 10 words from the list to look up in the dictionary. Write the two guide words for each of the 10 words.  

Social Studies: Complete the weekly geography worksheet, questions 71-75. Use the provided maps and other resources such as an atlas, globe, or internet websites. Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question!

We will continue learning about European Explorers in Unit 5. Lessons will be very hands-on. It is important to be actively listening and participating in order to do well on the test. No study guides will be given.

Science: Great job on the Crystal Making Project!!!

Reading: In our Daybook textbook, we will continue Unit 2, which focuses on Asking Questions. Read your novel 20 minutes each night to stay on track with your calendar goals. You will have short constructed responses to answer in class. If you do not finish in class, it will be for homework.

Writing:  Feature Article Pre-writing

Novel Groups Begin Today

Today you chose your novel. Exciting!! Tomorrow you will work with your group to set up your reading calendar. The book must be brought home each night and returned to school the next day. Please read 20 minutes each night. The book must be read by January 31. Happy Reading!

7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens

Our new read aloud book written by Sean Covey is titled The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens. Tonight you are to work on your book cover and table of contents. Be ready to journal tomorrow. This is going to be an amazing journey!

Table of Contents:

Part I:

·         Get in the Habit

·         Paradigms and Principles

Part II:

·         Personal Bank Account

·         Habit 1: Be Proactive

·         Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind

·         Habit 3: Put First Things First

Part III:

·         Relationship Bank Account

·         Habit 4: Think Win/Win

·         Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood

·         Habit 6: Synergize

Part IV:

·         Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

·         Keep Hope Alive!

Vocabulary Words for Jan. 9-13

      1.     conquistadors- noun- Spanish explorers

2.     East Indies- -noun- Southeast Asia (India, Indonesia, Malaysia)

3.     colony- noun-a settlement ruled by another country, not by its own people

4.     concentration- noun-the amount of material dissolved in a measure of liquid

5.     dilute-verb- to make a solution less concentrated, usually by adding more liquid

6.     volume -noun-the 3-dimensional space occupied by something.                      (i.e. the amount of liquid)

7.     sentimental-adjective-a feeling of nostalgia/”sappy”

8.     regal-adjective- like a king or queen

9.     expectant-adjective-eagerly awaiting something

10.  engulfing-verb-taking over

Crystal Project due Friday

Dear PRE Students and Families,

During this past Investigation, we have been creating saturated solutions with sodium chloride, citric acid, and Epson salt. After evaporation, we have observed the crystals that have formed. Please work with your child on this fun project and discuss the science with him/her as you conduct the experiment and observe the results.

Students, you need to write or type up a 1 page report summarizing your crystal experiment and analyze your results. Be sure to describe the crystals’ properties and draw conclusions. Explain the science that you have learned from this experiment.

Have fun, Scientists!

Science Test Tomorrow

·         When you saturate a solution, the level of the solution goes up/becomes higher when more of the substance is added.  The particles of the solute that dissolve are dispersed everywhere in the solution. The particles of the solute that are undissolved fall to the bottom of the bottle.

·         When you use a paper filter to separate a solid from a liquid, the particles of the solid are too big to go through the holes in the paper filter.

·         In order to determine if a clear liquid that passes through a filter is a solution, you should pour the liquid into an evaporating dish and set it aside where it will not be disturbed. If a solid material appears when the water has evaporated, then the clear liquid is a solution. If no solid remains, the liquid is not a solution. 

·         Another way to determine if a clear liquid that passes through a filter is a solution is by weighing the liquid against the same volume of water. If they weigh the same, the liquid is not a solution. If the liquid weighs more, it is a solution.

·         When a solid material dissolves in a liquid to form a solution, the solid material is called the solute.

·         You could make a saturated solution using sugar and 50 mL of water by adding sugar to 50 mL of water and stirring it until no more sugar dissolves.

·         You will know when the solution is saturated when no more solid will dissolve and there will be solid on the bottom.

·         If you are saturating a solution with sugar and you  lose track of how much sugar you have used you could figure out how many grams it takes to saturate the solution by doing the following:

o   Filter the saturated solution to remove undissolved  sugar

o   Weigh the solution to find its mass

o   Subtract the amount of water in grams (1 mL of water = 1 g water)

o   The difference equals the mass of the sugar in the saturated solution

·         If you are finding the mass of a saturated solution, add the mass of the solid in grams to the mass of the water (1 mL=1g). For example, 5 scoops of citric acid (1 scoop=5 grams) = 50 mL of water would be a total mass of 75 grams.

·         The mass of a water solution is equal to the mass of the water plus the mass of the solute.

·         It is NOT possible to have a solution that is not a mixture. A solution is a special type of mixture where a solid (the solute) is dissolved in a liquid (the solvent). All solutions are mixtures!

·         In order to dilute a saturated solution to make all of the solute dissolve you should add more water to the solution. You could also heat up the solution to get more of the solute to dissolve.

·         This would work because only a certain amount of solute will dissolve in a given amount of water. More water means more solute will dissolve. Solubility also increases as temperature increases.

Weekly Homework for January 9-13

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

What an awesome week in football…WAY TO GO BRONCOS! This will be another awesome and busy week here at PINE RIDGE too. Let’s celebrate our hard work on Friday with a spirit dress up day for the Western Stock Show. Be sure to wear your cowboy/girl gear!

All homework is due on Friday so be sure to budget your time accordingly. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Have a great week! J

Vocabulary:  On the back of this page are words that come from the other subjects we are currently studying. You need to know the definition, the part of speech, and how to use it correctly in a sentence. You will have a vocabulary test on all 10 words on Friday. The format of the test will vary each week.

Word Work/Spelling: This week we will continue to focus on contractions in Unit 12. Please read the Family Letter and complete the Take-Home Task together to familiarize yourself with the concepts. We will also teach comparative adjectives, synonyms, and spelling patterns for the y sound. Be sure to look for these words in your reading and writing this week. We will have a spelling test on Friday.

Social Studies: Complete the weekly geography worksheet, questions 66-70. Use the provided maps and other resources such as an atlas, globe, or internet websites. Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question!

We will review Unit 4 in the History Alive textbook, which focuses on Europeans coming to the New World. The test will be tomorrow. If students are listening and participating in class then he/she will do very well.  We will then begin Unit 5, which focuses on European Explorers. Lessons will be very hands-on. It is important to be actively listening and participating in order to do well on the test. No study guides will be given.

Science: The Investigation 2 study guide went home on Friday. The test will be on Tuesday. Investigation 3 will focus on mixture and solution concentration.  

Reading: In our Daybook textbook, we will continue Unit 2, which focuses on Asking Questions. We will also begin a Novel Study. Be on the lookout for a calendar in order to set goals for reading 20 minutes each night. Information about a Novel Project will be sent home next week based on the book you choose to read. Read for at least 20 minutes every night!

Writing:  We will continue to write short constructed responses in all subject areas and begin a new project: A feature article. We will look at models of magazine articles and discuss their text features. We will begin research and document sources. Together, we will create a class magazine focusing on the New Year and our resolutions. Very exciting!

Weekly Homework for January 3-6

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

HAPPY NEW YEAR and WELCOME BACK!!  We hope everyone had a wonderful and relaxing winter break. Now it is GAME TIME as we swing back into school. Although this is a shortened week, we want to return to our normal routine as much as possible. All homework is due on Friday so be sure to budget your time accordingly. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns. Have a great week! J

Vocabulary:  On the back of this page are words that come from the other subjects we are currently studying. You need to know the definition, the part of speech, and how to use it correctly in a sentence. You will have a vocabulary test on all 10 words on Friday. The format of the test will vary each week.

Word Work/Spelling: This week we will focus on contractions and apostrophes in Unit 11. Please read the Family Letter and complete the Take-Home Task together to familiarize yourself with the concepts. Be sure to look for these words in your reading and writing this week. We will have a spelling test on Friday.

Social Studies: Complete the weekly geography worksheet, questions 61-65. Use the provided maps and other resources such as an atlas, globe, or internet websites. Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question!

We will begin Unit 4 in the History Alive textbook, which focuses on Europeans coming to the New World. Unit 4’s test will be combined with Unit 5, which focuses on European Explorers. Lessons will be very hands-on. It is important to be actively listening and participating in order to do well on the test. The test will be the week of January 17.  No study guides will be given.

Science: We have made salt solutions and citric acid solutions and formed crystals. This week we will observe and compare the crystals. Be on the lookout for an Investigation 2 study guide for the upcoming test.

Reading: In our Daybook textbook, we will review the Unit 1 test on Making Connections and discuss multiple choice & short constructed response strategies. We will begin Unit 2, which focuses on Asking Questions. We will also begin a Novel Study. Be on the lookout for a calendar in order to set goals for reading 20 minutes each night. Information about a Novel Project will be sent home next week based on the book you choose to read.

Writing:  We will continue to write short constructed responses in all subject areas and begin a new project: A feature article. We will look at models of magazine articles and discuss their text features. We will begin research and document sources. Together, we will create a class magazine focusing on the New Year and our resolutions. Very exciting!

Vocabulary Words for Jan. 3-6

1.    astrolabe- (noun) an early scientific tool used to observe and calculate the position of the sun and other stars

2.    Americas- (noun) the land masses of North America, Central America, and South America

3.    cash crop- (noun) a crop that is grown in large quantities for sale (i.e. tobacco)

4.    nation-state- (noun) an independent country whose people mostly share a common identity

5.    solubility- (noun) the property that substances have of dissolving in solvents, such as the solubility of salt in water

6.    component- (noun) a part

7.    lamented- (verb) expressed grief

8.    scrunches- (verb) pinches

9.    melodious- (adjective) having a pleasing tune

10. desperate- (adjective) having lost hope