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Welcome
Parents, Guardians and Students, Announcements: March 4th is an early release
day. Students will be dismissed at 1pm.
MATH Room 207 is a place of mathematical
exploration! Each new day brings a new
challenge and new mathematical ideas/concepts. The 5th graders this year have been
studying Geometry and learning how to use mathematical tools such as the
Compass and Ruler. They are also
learning the intricacies of Division, Multiplication, Addition, Subtraction,
Decimals, and Fractions. Our daily routine consists of a Morning
Math Problem, which leads into our lesson for the day. Mental Math is also a high priority in our
classroom. Students have a large
vocabulary of facts at their disposal and are excited to solve problems such
as the following: Start with the number of weeks in a
fortnight. Add to that number the number of years in a
score. Add to that number the number of branches
of government in the Divide that number by the number of sides
on a pentagon. Multiply that number by the number of
Supreme Court Justices on the Supreme Court. Cut that number in half. Do you know the answer? Quiz your son/daughter… They should
know! (Psst. The answer
is 22.5) HOMEWORK:
Your son/daughter should have math homework Monday through
Thursday. The only exception is when
we have an assessment in class. You
may contact me, if you feel that your child needs more homework/practice
materials… nmwilson@seattleschools.org To view a more in-depth outline of your child’s math curriculum, you can visit http://everydaymathonline.com/. The site is filled with great resources for
understanding mathematical concepts (…oh, and it also has a bunch of
games!!!). -Mr. Wilson There are a wide variety of interests and
reading levels in Room 207. Therefore,
the reading curriculum, much like our math and writing curriculum, is
tailored to meet the needs of each student.
Our daily routine in reading includes a read-aloud during which I
model a skill/strategy that good readers use while reading books. After I have modeled the strategy, I give
the students a chance to practice that strategy while they read independently
in their leveled, “Just-Right” books. In the afternoon, the students get to
re-visit their books in an activity we call “Read to Someone.” Our current unit of study is focused on
Mystery Novels (Fiction) and Natural Disasters (Non-Fiction). By 4th and 5th grade, students are no
longer learning how to read; rather, they are reading to learn! This makes our reading time fun and
educational. Please know that I am happy to provide your
child with extra reading materials.
One of the greatest gifts a child can receive is a wonderful
book. I am happy to gift the students
in Room 207 with timeless literature, and I have the following titles
available in Audio Book format, if you are interested. Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl Antoine de St. Exupery
– The Little Prince (Also in Spanish) Dr. Seuss – Oh, The Places You’ll Go! Gary Paulsen – Hatchet Lewis Carrol –
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland Lowis Lowry – The Giver Phyllis Reynolds Naylor – William Golding – Lord of the Flies John Steinbeck – Of Mice and Men Harper Lee – To Kill a Mockingbird Yes, our library is currently small! But it is growing steadily. Check back for additions to the audio
library, and check our classroom for other new books. -Mr. Wilson SCIENCE The young scientists in Room 207 explore
the physical properties of the world around us. We classify, organize and try to make sense
of our surroundings. The first part of
this year focused on viewing the world through magnifiers and the second unit
will be focused on Land and Water systems. In addition, our trip to -Mr. Wilson WRITING All writers in Room 207 have a writing
journal and write feverishly every day.
Most students have written two personal narratives about their lives,
while some have begun to craft scholarly essays about topics that are
meaningful to them. The routine for
our Writers Workshop includes a mini-lesson where a skill is taught, which is
followed by the students practicing that skill and then finally (hopefully!)
applying that new skill to their writing. Work samples will be uploaded to this web
site ASAP. I hope you look forward to
reading your child’s ideas as much as I do… -Mr. Wilson SOCIAL STUDIES Social Studies in 4th and 5th grade is focused on Oh, I almost forgot, the kids began the
year by learning about students in other parts of the world. After learning about those students, the
kids at Highland Park put a lot of hard work into helping all of the 5th
grade classrooms raise over 300 dollars for UNICEF! All of the teachers are proud of their
work, and I’m sure that those students who
needed their help will be very grateful that kids at -Mr. Wilson ECONOMY Every student in Room 207 has a job. They are paid on a monthly basis and are
expected to pay rent to sit at their desks.
In addition, we have a monthly auction where students can spend their
saved money on items such as books, origami kits, musical instruments, and
other learning tools. Below is a list
of class jobs and how much each job pays.
Students can earn extra The purpose of our classroom economic
system is to teach the kids life skills, so that they are more organized,
responsible and prepared for the future. Below is a list of class jobs and a look at
our class currency! Floor Crew - $650 Banker - $600 Grader - $575 Messenger - $525 Attendance Monitor - $600 Police Officer - $500 Pencil Sharpener - $550 Playground Monitor - $600 Recycler - $550 Clerk - $550 -Mr. Wilson |
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