Great Guest Speaker for Parents of GT Students

An Evening With Dr. Donna Ford

March 8, 2012

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Overland High School

12400 E. Jewell Avenue

Aurora, Co  80012

Dr. Ford will share her expertise on successful parenting practices for ALL parents with school-age children, with particular emphasis pertaining to ways to successfully parent children who are identified as gifted and advanced.

Breakout sessions after Dr. Ford’s keynote address will include topics such as:

·        Twice-Exceptional learners

·        Sharing the power of a great book read aloud

·        Using databases with your children

·        Differentiation at the elementary level

·        Cultural immersion classes

·        The arts as a universal language

·        21^st century skills

·        Perfectionism

·        Causes of underachievement

·        Playing chess with your child

·        Writing at home

·        Profiles of the gifted

·        And more!

This event is co-sponsored by:

The Offices of Gifted Education & Advanced Learning, and Excellence & Equity

No registration is required for this free event.

PTO Announcements

Can you believe it is almost March, what a whirlwind the past couple of weeks.  Remember that the kiddos will have a short week this week due to parent/teacher conferences......no school Thurs. and Friday. A BIG THANK YOU to all of the families that send in Valentines Day Goodies for the teachers, they were so happy and really wanted to thank the hospitality group and all of the families that contributed. LOST & FOUND Lost and Found is once again getting out of control.  Please check the piles during your conferences this week, the lost and found area is outside of the cafeteria. Thanks to everyone who participated in the Game Shack night/weekend last week.  We had a decent turn out for the last minute function and every little bit helps to support our school and our community businesses. Take Action Project Girl Scout troop 4558, third graders at Pine Ridge, voted on their Take Action project: to raise first aid supplies for Nurse Diane at Pine Ridge! The project will run from Monday, 2/27 thru Wednesday, March 7. The girls will place a collection box and posters in the lobby of the school Monday morning. Nurse Diane can use the following items: Band aids Chewable and liquid Tylenol and Ibuprofen Neosporin Benadryl ointment Kleenex Paper Cups With parent/teacher conferences coming up, this is the perfect time to drop a donation into the collection box. Monetary donations will be used to purchase an ear thermometer and tooth boxes. If you would like to contribute monetarily, please contact the Troop Leader, Nina Minnehan, at 720-982-6434, or ninaminnehan@msn.com. I think that is it for this week.  Have a great week and enjoy another long weekend!  Your PTO Team

Original Art Works Program

Pine Ridge Families: We are pleased to announce that Pine Ridge Elementary has selected Original Art Works to run a program through our school.  Through the Original Art Works program, you have the opportunity to purchase a variety of products featuring your own child's artwork. If you have not received the family letter and your child's art work yet, you will in the upcoming week.  It will be coming home in a green plastic baggy with a couple of things: 1.  A Dear Family Letter 2.  A brochure with examples of what you can order. 3.  An order form for you to fill out and return with your child's art work 4.  Return the order to your child's teacher no latern than March 16, 2012. Posters will be displayed at the school this week with all of the above information as well.  We will have some of the examples of the art work displayed in the lobby for you to view while at school during parent teacher conferences. If you have any questions pertaining to this program please feel free to contact myself or Kerri Bridges and we will be happy to assist you in any way that we can. Thank you all for your support to our school and hope that you all enjoy your child's art work in the many ways that it will be offered to you for years, and years of memories. Your PTO Fundraising Team Julie Millunzi - fmillunzi@netzero.com Kerri Bridges - queensburg1@hotmail.com

Science Post Test Next Wednesday 2/29

Mixtures and Solutions Post Test Review

·         When a solid disappears in a mixture and the mixture is clear, this is evidence that the solid and water have made a solution.

·         When two solutions are saturated they have the same concentration.

·         1 mL=1g so if a spoon of solid has a mass of 2 g and there are 3 spoonfuls of solid in the mixture and 100 mL of water, the total mass would be 3X2=6g + 100mL (100g)=106g

·         You can separate the dissolved solid from water through evaporation. The water evaporates into the air and the solid left in the dish will form crystals.

·         If three spoonfuls of solid do not saturate a liquid then 2 spoonfuls of solid would dissolve in the liquid as well. There would be nothing on the bottom of the cup.

·         Solubility cannot be changed by stirring more.

·         On a balance, the cup that has the most mass is the most concentrated. This is because when equal volumes of two solutions made with the same materials are compared, the one that is more concentrated will have the greater mass (weigh more).

·         When a new material forms after two or more materials are mixed, a chemical reaction has occurred.

·         Be able to design an experiment to find out if temperature affects the number of grams of salt it takes to saturate 50mL of water.

1. set up 3 cups of 50mL of water: 1 hot, 1 cold, 1 room temperature

2. add spoons of salt to each cup and stir until no more salt will dissolve

3. filter the undissolved salt from each of the solutions

4. weigh the cups against each other or find the mass of the 3 solutions in grams

·         Crystals of different materials have different shapes. The crystal shape can help you identify the solid material used to make the solutuion.

·         A chemical reaction is evidenced by a gas being produced and/or a precipitate forming.

·         Rust forming on a bike or a candle burning are 2 examples of chemical reactions.

·         A saturated solution will have particles undissolved on the bottom of the cup and evenly dispersed particles throughout the solution.

·         Be able to identify the most concentrated solution. Concentration is a comparison of the amount of solute to the amount of water (solvent). Think about how much solute is dissolved in each 50 mL of water and compare the ratios.

Vocabulary & Spelling Activities-due Tuesday 2/28

You will have  class time to work on these projects in your literacy notebook.

Vocabulary:
Write a "word splash" (1 paragraph only) with 7 of the 10 words. Do not use the 3 math words. Be createive! Underline the vocabulary words. Use context clues. Use writing tools.

Spelling:

1. Write abbreviations for the following categories: time units (min.), parts of speech (conj.), places (mt.), # amounts (lb.), people (Mr.)
2. Write the /or/ antonym for the following words: after, less, south, remember, against, tall, import, evening, unimportant, unusual, disorganized, backward

Weekly Homework for Feb. 22-29

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

Are you ready for two short, but busy weeks? This week we have school W-F and next week we have school M-W.  Report cards will be sent home this Wednesday and parent/teacher conferences will be conducted this week and next. Students are required to attend the conference just like in the fall. We look forward to spending this time with you!

TCAP Testing will be held the week of March 12-16. It is extremely important for all students to be at school during this week. Testing sessions will be held in the morning and afternoon, so please take this into consideration when scheduling appointments for your child.

All homework is due NEXT WEDNESDAY 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 next Wednesday. The format of the test will vary each week.

Word Work/Spelling: This week we will build vocabulary skills through antonyms, recognize plural noun patterns, and focus on spelling patterns for /er/ and /or/. We will also review strategies for making plural and possessive nouns in Unit 17. 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 next Wednesday.

Family Letter is due Wednesday, February 22.

Spelling activities in the literacy notebook are due Tuesday, February 28.

Social Studies: Complete the weekly geography worksheet, questions 96-100. This will be due next Wednesday. Use the provided maps and other resources such as an atlas, globe, or internet websites. Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question!

In History Alive Unit 7, we will compare & contrast the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies.  We will work in small groups to create persuasive billboards to “sell” the 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 conclude our Mixtures & Solutions unit with an I-check 4 test and a post unit test.  

Reading: Students have chosen new novels to read in partner groups. Books must be completely read by Friday, March 9. We will have a Daybook Unit 2 test this week, and then move on to the skill of “determining importance.” We will also focus on non-fiction leveled reader texts and skills. Thinking maps will also be incorporated into the curriculum.

Weekly Reader will be due next Wednesday.

Writing:  We will continue prewriting with our feature article and practice TCAP-like short constructed responses and extended responses.

Vocabulary Words for Feb. 22-29

1. luxurious (adj.)- expensive and comfortable
2. modest (adj.)-plain
3. debris (n.)-garbage
4. escorted (v.)-guided or brought
5. assailant (n.)-one who attacks
6. tyrant (n.)-cruel leader
7. federal (adj.) having to do with the U.S. government
8. ratio (n.)- a comparison by division of two quantities with the same units. Can be fractions, decimals, or percents. Examples: 3/5; 3:5; 60%; 0.6
9. area(n.)-the amount of surface inside a 2-dimensional
10. perimeter (n.)- the distance around the boundary of a 2-dimensional figure

Study Guide for TEST on WEDNESDAY, FEB. 22

·         When a new material forms when two or more materials are mixed, a chemical reaction has occurred.

·         A solution is formed when two solids dissolve (disappear) and the mixture becomes a clear liquid.

·         If you use a balance to measure two liquids, you can infer the side of the balance with the liquid that is a solution will be lower and heavier.

·         Evidence of a chemical reaction can include bubbles & fizzing, which means a new material (a gas) was produced.

·         It is possible for different materials to have different solubilities. For example, many grams of citric acid will dissolve in 50 mL of water. Fewer grams of salt will dissolve in 50 mL of water.

·         Be able to explain which solution is more concentrated. Be able to justify your answer with a comparison ratio of the amount of solute to the amount of water.

·         To separate a mixture, add water to the mixture. Stir to dissolve any particles if possible. Use a screen to separate the larger particles (gravel). Use a paper filter to separate the finer particles (powder). Evaporate the water to separate the finest particles (salt).

·         After a chemical reaction has occurred, a white solid settles to the bottom and leaves a clear liquid. The precipitate is proof of a chemical reaction.

·         Saturated solutions have the same concentration.

·         Once a solution is saturated, no more solute can dissolve in the solution. It cannot become more concentrated.

·         To prove that two solutions contain the same amount of solute, evaporate the solutions and compare the shape of the crystals. The same shape indicates the likelihood that the solute is the same in both solutions.  

·         A chemical reaction can be indicated by bubbling and fizzing, which means a gas has formed. Gas is a new material. A new material indicates a reaction.

·         The following indicate a chemical reaction has occurred:

o   A new material is formed when 2 liquids are mixed

o   A solid forms when 2 liquids are mixed

o   A gas bubbles out when 2 liquids are mixed

·         An example of a chemical reaction would be rust on an outdoor toolshed.

Class Names for Valentine's Day

On February 3, I posted information about the party and listed names of all the students in our class. To find this on the blog, please look in the "Archives" section under the "Handy Links" box. Click on "February" and scroll down until you see the post from February 3rd.

Vocabulary Words for Feb. 13-17

1. plantation-(noun)-a large farm on which crops are grown by free workders or slaves who live on the land
2. indentured servant-(noun)- a person who works for a period of time to pay off money owned for a debt, such as a passage from Europe
3. industry- (noun)-a group of business that produce certain goods or services
4. West Indies- (noun)-islands that lie between SE North America and northern South America, and separate the Caribbean Sea from the Atlantic Ocean
5. grant- (verb)- to give something to someone of lower rank a s a favor or privilege
6. assembly-(noun)- a body of lawmakers
7. apprentice-(noun)-a person who learns an occupation by getting the experience under a skilled worker
8. dilemma-(noun)- a situation in which a person is forced to make a decision even though he or she does not like any of the choices
9. crisis-(noun)-emergency
10. overseer-(noun)-a person who was in charge of the work of slaves and could punish them for disobeying

Weekly Homework for February 13-17

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

Tomorrow is our class Valentine party. Remember to bring your decorated box or bag and cards for everyone in the class. It will be a fun afternoon with our friends! Remember, there will be no school for students next Monday or Tuesday. Enjoy your extra-long weekend!

Report cards will be sent home on Wednesday, February 22^nd. If you have not signed up for a conference time yet, please do so as soon as possible via the online website sent to you in an email. Students are required to attend the conference just like in the fall. We look forward to spending this time with you!

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 developing reasoning and vocabulary skills through analogies. We will also review strategies for making plural and possessive nouns in Unit 16. 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 91-95. Use the provided maps and other resources such as an atlas, globe, or internet websites. Be sure to answer ALL parts of each question!

In History Alive Unit 7, we will begin comparing and contrasting the New England, Middle, and Southern 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 Investigation 4 “Fizz Quiz” of Mixtures and Solutions to learn about chemical reactions.

Reading: We will choose new novels to read and continue with Unit 2 in the Daybook. We will also focus on non-fiction leveled reader texts and skills. Thinking maps will also be incorporated into the curriculum.

Writing:  We will continue prewriting with our feature article and practice extended TCAP-like responses.

Daily 5 Word Work Assignments

The following assigments are all due on Friday of this week. Students have plenty of class time to complete the following. What is not finished in class is for homework.

• Spelling Unit 15 activities in back of literacy notebook:
• Brainstorm a list of words that have the /oi/ and /oy/ patterns at the beginning & end of the word.
• Brainstorm a list of words that have the digraphs ch, sh, th, wh, & ph at the beginning & end of the word.
• Choose 5 of your vocabulary words to create graphic organizers in your literacy notebook. Please use the model worksheet that was given to you as a guide.
• Vocabulary packet on synonyms

PTO Survey

Dear Pine Ridge Community-

In an effort to better serve our families and community, I have put together a quick survey regarding fundraising.  The PTO would like to get a better idea of how you, our Pine Ridge families, feel about our  fundraising efforts and where you might like to see them go in the future. 

Please go to the link provided and take a few minutes to answer the questions.  We would greatly appreciate your feedback!   Thank you for all your support!

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/KD5N36N

Vocabulary Words for Feb. 6-10

1. chemical reaction (noun)- when 2 or more materials (chemicals) are mixed together and a change occurs, a chemical reaction has taken place
2. precipitate (noun)-a solid material that forms as a product of a reaction
3. change (noun)- the process of becoming something different
4. serene (adjective)- happy and calm
5. merged (verb)-came together
6. mute (adjective)-silent
7. rebelled (verb)-acted against
8. granted (verb)- to give something to someone as a favor or privilege
9. plantation (noun)-a large farm on which crops are grown by free workers or slaves who live on the land
10. indentured servant (noun)-a person who works for a period of time to pay off money owned for a debt

Friday Fun Math Mornings

Unfortunately, I will have to cancel this Friday's math morning due to a scheduled meeting. We will resume next week at 8:15 a.m. This is a great time to review important skills learned in class and ask questions in a more personal setting. This is an optional class and is not required. I hope to see you next Friday, February 17th from 8:15-9:00 a.m. :)

Weekly Homework for February 6-10

Dear 5^th Graders and Families,

We hope everyone enjoyed the snow day and extra-long weekend! Please be aware that report cards will be sent home on Wednesday, February 22^nd. If you have not signed up for a conference time yet, please do so as soon as possible via the online website sent to you in an email. Students are required to attend the conference just like in the fall. We look forward to spending this time with you!

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 “spelling logic” rather than memory to spell words with ‘oi’ and ‘oy.’ Blends and words than end in the /en/ sound will also be taught in Unit 15. 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 86-90. 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 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 begin Investigation 4 “Fizz Quiz” of Mixtures and Solutions to learn about chemical reactions.

Reading: After sharing our novel projects, we will choose new novels to read and continue with Unit 2 in the Daybook. We will also focus on non-fiction leveled reader texts and skills.

Writing:  We will continue prewriting with our feature article.

PTO Announcements

Well I hope you all had a nice weekend with the extra day......here is what we have going for the week.

Student Council will be selling candy grams this week, $1.00 per sucker, parents can purchase them in the morning before school.

PTO General Meeting will be Tuesday at 6:30 in the Library

Kindergarten and Technology will be hosting this meeting.  Kindergarten will be discussing the move into 1st grade and how to prepare your child.  Technology will be discussing internet safety and will give you some ideas to learning websites to help support your child with homework help.

Yearbook Orders Due Friday

NO icons are available to purchase for the elementary yearbooks!!

Quick reminder for all current yearbook club members we will be meeting this Thursday.  We will be taking the yearbook group photo!

Earning 4 Learning

Triple Points Earned From These Selected Stores When Logged In February:

Aqua An Urban Spa, American Eagle Outfitters, Barnes & Noble, Bed Bath & Beyond, The Cookie Company, Cost Plus World Market, Eddie Bauer, Gap, Hallmark, Sports Authority, Victoria's Secret, Yankee Candle and Southlands gift cards. A Southlands gift card is a one-size fits all perfect gift. Gift cards are available in the Management Office or online at shopsouthlands.com. Plus, you earn 1,000 points per gift card purchased!

Box Tops

Send in those box tops!  There is a class contest from Feb. 1st to Feb. 17th.  The class with the most box tops wins a treat party!

Labels for Education

Another shipment will be sent at the end of February to received our bonus points.  Please send in any Campbell's labels or bottle lids by February 17th.

Bliss Cupcake

With Valentines Day coming up, PTO will be hosting a fundraising night at Bliss Cupcakes Monday 13th.  If you need some sweet treats for Valentines Day, please visit Bliss (in Southlands Mall)  all day on Monday the 13th. 

Hope you all have a great week, stay warm.   Your PTO Team

Winter Conferences

Please be on the look out for an email from http://www.signupgenius.com/ with information about upcoming conference times and dates. Report cards will go home February 22. Please be sure to check Power School for updated grades this week. I look forward to seeing parents and students at the end of the month to discuss your child's progress!

Valentine's Day Party

Our class Valentine's Day party will be on February 14 at 1:30 p.m. Hopefully you received an email from http://www.signupgenius.com/ with information on what you can bring to the party. Thank you!

Students, please bring a decorated box or bag to collect our Valentine's cards/treats on that day. If you choose to bring cards/treats, please be kind and bring one for all 30 students in our class. Thank you!

Here is a list of students' names for your information: Have fun! :)

1. Meghan
2. Docker
3. Jeffrey
4. Ritika
5. Isabel
6. Alex
7. Ashley
8. Rachel
9. Angela
10. Amber
11. Rina
12. Dua
13. Jimmy
14. Tiana
15. Aidan
16. Chase
17. Connor
18. Mitchell
19. Derek
20. Alyssa
21. Brendan
22. Tre
23. Marcos
24. Natalia
25. Katelyne
26. Jacob
27. Payton
28. Matt
29. Hannah
30. Jesper

SNOW DAY?!?

Read all about the big storm headed our way! http://www.thedenverchannel.com/weather/index.html
Share your thoughts!

Remember, if we do have a snow day your projects and tests will be postponed until Monday.