Volume 7 Issue
13
November
17, 2009
Homework
PreparationÉ
On the back of the Red Tuesday Folder Signature Sheet is a
chart that may contain information about missing assignments or low grades from
the past few days. Please use this
information to take care of each these items. It is very important that
students follow the circled numbers each night written in the agenda book, so
as no to fall behind. Gradespeed may be used to check for zeros, missing grades
or low grades in addition to the back of the Tuesday Folder Sheet. Please remember that at a point in the
near future, students who fail to complete homework will not be given a second
chance to complete it.
Science
FairÉ
The science fair process has begun. Students were given a packet of
information last week. 
Students
need to select the question (topic) intended to serve as the focus of the
science fair project. Topics are
due Monday, November 23.
Over the next week Mr. P will continue going through each of the steps
to creating a good, testable, quantifiable, and interesting question. Next, research will be conducted to
produce a hypothesis. That
hypothesis will then be tested in a controlled setting. The results of that test will be then
analyzed and communicated through the project display. The Meigs science fair will occur in
February. Winners at that time
will go on the Metro –Nashville fair in March. For more information go
to: http://www.flyparsons.org/sciencefair.html
Kilowatt
OursÉ
Students have studied about conservation in recent
weeks. The program is called
Kilowatt Ours. Students are to be
looking for ways to conserve electricity around the home. Hopefully many have already implemented
some things! Please work together
as a family to creatively think of way to help conserver! Our Belmont volunteers will return
tomorrow to answer questions and wrap up our study with them.
Math
OlympiadÉ
Our first math Olympiad was conducted yesterday. Congrats to Samuel Hutchinson with the
top score of 3 in our class. The
next contest will be in December.
Centennial/Invention
Convention: Dec 16É
Fifth graders annually participate in a study of the
American Centennial (1876). This
study also includes an Invention Convention. Students have been given a packet of information that
contains all of the information and due dates. This yearÕs study will culminate on Wednesday, December
16. That day will feature multiple
activities and events in which each student will participate. Parent volunteers will be needed. A yellow form was also included in the
packet that needs to be returned this week. Any and all help will be appreciated!
A
Note from Mr. PÉ
Our second MNPS ThinkLink assessment was conducted
today. Our second MNPS writing
assessment is Monday. These are
both formative assessment pieces to help us prepare for the next steps of fifth
grade.
Mr. PÕs
Student of the WeekÉ
¥November
16-20, 2009
Corey Jones
Be sure to read about Samuel on the electronic ÒStudent of
WeekÓ board in Mr. ParsonsÕ room and on the web in the password protected area
soon.
Next weekÕs student
of the week. . . Chris Jookar
Items to
Bring. . .
Ÿ Red
Tuesday Folder Signature ChartÉ
Ÿ CORRECTED
WORKÉ
Dates to
RememberÉ
11.23.09 Science
Fair Question (topic) dueÉ
11.23.09 Science
Fair Journal (1 inch binder) dueÉ
11.23.09 States
& Capitals Map Test #2É
11.24.09 Intent
to Invent Sheet dueÉ
11.25.09 NO
SCHOOLÉ
11.30.09 November
Book dueÉ
25pts: Secret Word = ¥see the
websiteÉ
For Additional News Items &
Info Check:
On The WEBSITE ONLY:
EXTRA EXTRA
EXTRAÉ
It pays to check the website, tooÉ
This WeekÕs SECRET WORD
(Nov 17):
25pts: Note Home Secret Word =
ÒEducationÓ
Mr. PÕs SECRET INFORMATION
LEAK:
www.flyparsons.org/computers.html
TEAM SHIRTSÉ
As always, please watch the website to know which days our
class will wear our class shirts in the future! By the way, the next date to wear class t-shirts is
Wednesday, November 18, and maroon class shirts is Friday, November 20.
[GRADESPEED]: Check it OutÉ
UPDATE!
Gradespeed.com will update again later this week The updates will reflect the past
week. Late work has been recorded
as of Friday, November 13. Notice
any missing assignments. Please
submit them each week with the Tuesday Folder Sheet.
BettyÕs
BrainÉ
Students began part two of BettyÕs Brain last Thursday. This
roundÕs study involves the concept of pollution and the idea of getting nature
out of balance. Betty is a
teachable agent that is simulated on a Vanderbilt server. Students study and plan teaching lesson
to teach Betty through the use of concept maps. For more about our class schedule, check out http://www.flyparsons.org/bettybrain.html
2nd
Nine Weeks: ComputersÉ
Our class is in computers this nine weeks. As part
of that class, Mrs. Purcell-Orleck will be teaching keyboarding. Students
will have homework each week that involves practicing keyboarding. The
keyboarding may be completed at any time throughout the week. Each student is to practice five
minutes at five different times a week.
The keyboarding/typing application is on-line at http://www.flyparsons.org/computers.html
Students have a parent verification chart that is to be kept throughout each
week. These charts will be
collected each Monday morning.
TwitterÉ
Parents have another way of staying connected to our
class. Log on to www.twitter.com on your computer or cell
phone and follow our class. Mr. P
posts daily updates about whatÕs happening at www.twitter.com/meigsmagnet. It is not necessary to sign up a
twitter account to view our class tweets.
Academic
UpdateÉ
1). Click on the button labeled ÒGRADE 5Ó for links to our
on-line textbooks among other helpful items.
2). In science we
continue with BettyÕs Brain, which compliments our study of ecosystems. The links are: http://www.flyparsons.org/ecosystems.html and http://www.flyparsons.org/bettybrain.html
3). We are in the
process leading up to the science fair. http://www.flyparsons.org/sciencefair.html
4). We are reading
the novel, Bridge to
Terabitha in reading.
5). We continue to
study the Civil War in socials studies.
6). Students are to
blog their responses to two topics this week. Link to thte blog at http://www.flyparsons.com/blog
A
Special CouponÉ
Print and clip this coupon below for a special REWARD the week of November 16. To get the reward, please obtain a parentÕs signature that
states your parent has checked gradespeed.com the week of November 16.
COUPON
StudentÕs Name ______________________________________________________________
ParentÕs Signature
______________________________________________________________
Date:
_____________________ Secret Word:
_______________________________________
More
About Which to Mark Your CalendarÉ
Intent to Invent Form due November 24.
Thanksgiving Holidays November 25-27.
The November Monthly Book is due November 30.
Centennial is
Wednesday, December 16.
TuesdaysÉ
Students receive graded papers in the Red Tuesday Folder
every Tuesday. All papers do go home on Tuesdays. If for any reason they do not arrive, let Mr. P know. Students may correct any and all
assignments and assessments for some of the credit (points) back. Those
corrections are to be stapled to the Tuesday Folder Signature Sheet. Mr. P then re-grades the corrections
and put the points earned in a category on Gradespeed labeled extra
credit. The original grade does
remain, while the points earned by making corrections are cumulated in that
extra credit category. As
mentioned, student grades are on-line at https://gradespeed.mnps.org. Parents and students have a password to
check each subject in order to view grades. This should be done each Tuesday and recorded on the
Tuesday Folder Signature Sheet.
HOMEWORK
WORDS = Special RewardsÉ
Kids, be sure to check the ÒHWÓ webpage for the HOMEWORK
WORD each day. Each week a special
reward will await those who follow through! By the way there are also chances
for secret words on Twitter and the Tuesday Note Home from time to time! Please look and donÕt forget!
https://gradespeed.mnps.orgÉ
Grades are on-line at gradespeed.mnps.org. Parents and students have a password to
check each subject in order to view grades. This should be done each Tuesday.
Mr. PÕs
ProceduresÉ
Students, the following are reminders of specific classroom
procedures:
o
Push your chair in when you leave your desk.
o
Have your agenda signed daily.
o
Locker breaks are 7:45AM, and 2:45PM. Students should remember to take all
materials from the locker at that time.
Keep all materials in your locker until needed.
o
7:45AM morning work is posted on the television each
morning as you arrive in the classroom.
This is due at 8:15AM along with your daily tech task and all
homework. Students, be sure to be
prepared everyday and be on time with all of your assignments.
NotesÉ
¯ Hey
kids, remember to send your Tech Task (Monday, Wednesday, & Friday) via
e-mail. Please send it to Mr. P
[james.parsons@mnps.org]. Your tech task should be saved on your computer as a
MICROSOFT OFFICE WORD DOCUMENT with your name and date in the title. Attach the document to an e-mail to
send it to Mr. P. DonÕt forget to
include your name and the date in the title of the e-mail. Doing this will save paper!
Bye ByeÉ