First Read Aloud

Today we finished our first class read aloud and like every good book, I am sad to see it go. I have had this discussion in years past... "Ms. Rorey, I don't want you to finish reading, because I don't want the book to end." A great book is like a dear friend and when a wonderful comes to a close, a part of you longs for it to still be there.

Here is what the kids thought:

• "It was a super funny and great book. I hope there is another one like The 15th Goldfish. I loved it!"- Samantha
• "I loved it. It was so funny and very thoughtful. It was GREAT! There should be a sequel." -Elena
• ""A funny and good book."-Paulis
• "It was an amazing book and was so funny!"- Grace
• "It was funny and at the same time reflective about the life cycle. I liked it very much!"- Nastia

The same can be said about The 14th Goldfish, by Jennifer L. Holm. Read aloud time is really my favorite time of day and it is because of vivid, exciting and hilarious books just like this one. I had never read it before but it was recommended to me via a fellow blogger.

The Fourteenth Goldfish Resources: Mrs. Diaz

 

Peacemaker Project

For our Peacemaker projects, please look at these websites to help you choose a Peacemaker to study.

Peacemakers
1,474 Notable Peace Makers
My Hero
Curiosity


Here are some videos that you can use to gain more information about Peacemakers around the world and throughout history.

Enjoy!

Mahatma Gandhi

Dorothy Day

Martin Luther King Jr. 

Dalai Lama

Mother Theresa

Cesar Chavez

Desmond Tutu

Albert Schweitzer

Thich Nhat Hanh

Aung San Suu Kyi

Nelson Mandela

Jody Williams

Rosa Parks

Ruby Bridges

Wangari Maathai

Anne Frank

Henry Dunant

Jane Addams

Joan Baez

...

Kind Kids Club - project 1

This week, grade 5 got elbow deep in their first Kind Kids Club project. It was very exciting for everyone! We reused empty plastic bottles, cut the tops off and filled them with nuts and candy. The students prepared "thank you" cards for all the staff members around the school that help us clean up, fix things, organize events, talk to our parents, run the school and its divisions, drive us to and from school, as well as feed us. The best part was delivering both the card and the candy to these valued staff members. The students were so pleased and felt very awesome about making someone else's day special.... smiles all-around! :)

International Peace Day

Today is International Peace Day, celebrated each year on September 21st to declare a day in which the world focuses on strengthening the ideals of peace within and among all nations. On Friday, their homework was to imagine a new plant or herb that promotes peace and create it with details about how it works, what it does and where it is planted.

The students did a great job on these over the weekend and I wanted to share them on the blog.

 

Video Conference with NASA

Tomorrow eventing, Saturday September 19th is Look at the Moon Night. Yesterday we were lucky enough to be connected with NASA for a webcast about the moon in celebration of this exciting night. We had a live video conference with the US to talk to Mr. Anderson about the moon. He shared information about the moon that covered not only science, but history, art and music. The kids really enjoyed watching themselves on the screen and talking to someone in real time from thousands of miles away. Parents and students, I encourage you to have a conversation about what you learned!

I encourage you to go outside on Saturday and look at the moon. You might see the "man" on the moon or the craters with the naked eye. Grab a pair of binoculars and you will see even more, and a telescope would make the experience even better. If you do go out and look at the moon on Saturday, comment below and let us know what you saw.

 

Teddy Bear Day

Yesterday was Teddy Bear Day and almost all of the grade 5 students brought in a visitor. While it may seem like grade 5 students are too cool for school sometimes, they are still kids, as shown by their enthusiasm for hanging out with some stuffed animals for the day.

The kids wrote a morning letter from their stuffed animals perspective, read with them and did brain breaks with them. It was a really fun day and I was glad that we could celebrate and take a moment to celebrate being a child.

 

Skyscraper Day

Today is Skyscraper Day and I wanted to send along some resources for you if you would like to do more research. In class today we watched a video about the 57 story skyscraper that went up in China in 19 days. We also learned why we celebrate skyscrapers on the 3rd. See if you can figure out why and check out some of the fun links below.

The Big Build Activity

Video Practice for International Dinner

Hi Students! Here is the link to practice for the International Night Dinner. We have a while until you perform, but it would be better to start practicing rather than waiting until last minute.

 

Welcome BBQ Slideshow

We had a wonderful time at the BBQ, but if you missed it, here are the slides. Like always, if you have any questions, let me know.

Grade 5 Parent BBQ Slideshow from Rorey Risdon