Providence Creek Academy 2010- 2011 School Year

Welcome to the 2010-2011 School Year

2010-09-05T17:48:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Parents and Students!!!
I hope everyone has had an eventful and relaxing Summer break! I know mine was wonderful, but as always, it was over in the blink of an eye! I am the fifth grade Writing, Grammar, and Spelling teacher. I also teach a leveled Math and Reading class. This is my 6th year teaching 5th grade at Providence Creek Academy. I am super excited about starting this year! We have another big year ahead of us! Here's what is going on this upcoming week.
Tuesday, September 7
After introductions of one another, we are going to begin going over rules and procedures. Fourth and fifth grade students will attend an assembly to discuss our dress code, code of conduct, locker/bathroom use, recess rules and the overall expectations of this upcoming school year.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
We will continue to go over procedures/rules. In the afternoon students will change classes to be introduced to the other fifth grade teachers, what each of us teach, and what items are necessary for each class.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
This will be the first official day of classes! Students will be switching into their Math, Reading, Writing, Social Studies, and Science classes.
Thursday & Friday Plans....
Math:We will be starting our "Monkey Island Math" fluency. Fluency is done 3 times a week, Mondays Wednesdays, and Fridays. Help your child daily by quizzing him/her on facts. Multiplication is usually difficult to master, so ask your child every day one or two facts. Chances are by the end of the day, he or she will never forget what 6 x8 is, after being asked several times! We will be beginning Chapter 1:Place Value.
Reading:Students will begin to familiarize themselves with our Reading Anthology. We will begin with the "Back to School" section of our text. This introduces ways to read with a purpose while using strategies to help along the way.
Writing: Students will be receiving their Spelling words. Normally, spelling is done every Wednesday. However, this week, students will receive their new spelling words on Thursday. These words are from the story "Earthquake Terror". These words work with the short vowel sounds. Here is the list below:
1. bunk
2. staff
3. dock
4. slept
5. mist
6. bunch
7. swift
8. stuck
9. breath
10. tough
11. fond
12. crush
13. grasp
14. dwell
15. fund
16. ditch
17. split
18. swept
19. deaf
20. rough
Challenge Words
1. trek
2. frantic
3. summit
4. rustic
5. mascot

Students will work on Practice Book page 17 in class on Thursday. Homework Thursday night will be to alphabetize words 1-20. Homework Monday, September 13, 2010 will be to complete Practice Book page 18. Homework Tuesday, September 14, 2010, will be to study for Wednesday's test and complete Practice Book page 19.
****The spelling test for these words will be on Wednesday, September 15, 2010. Help your child study this week!

This week many papers will be coming home for signatures and information. Here's what you need to look for...
-Blue Emergency Cards (The class that gets them all in first wins a FREE JEANS DAY!!)
-Nurse forms (this allows me to give your child a band aid, cough drops, neosporin if needed)
-Language forms
-The last 3 pages of the Student Handbook will need to be signed and returned.
**I am sure there are going to be more!!! Normally all papers will be coming home on Thursdays in your child's "Thursday Folder". But because it's the first week of school, papers should come home each day.

Please feel free to contact me if you have a question/concern. Email is the easiest way for me to communicate, however phone calls are welcomed too. My email is: jcobble@pca.k12.de.us My phone number is: 659-6276 x219
I look forward to meeting with you all in our upcoming conferences!
Take Care!
Mrs. Cobble

Science Fair

2010-05-07T11:20:00.000-07:00

During the week of May 10 through the 14, PCA students will be incorporating Science in each class. 5th grade students will be experimenting with flight. They will be creating paper airplanes, reading about famous aviators, creating timelines of flight, graphing distances, and writing new paper articles about types of flight. It is an awesome week! *****Parents,come and check out the Science Fair on Friday, May 14. The times will be from 8:30 to 11:30.
***Spelling will be on hold until after the Science Fair.

Upcoming Events:
-Progress Reports will be going home on May 19, 2010. Please view your child's PR report, and send back the signed envelope.
-The Spring Concert for band and chorus will take place during the last week of May.
-No school Monday, May 31, 2010 for Memorial Day.

*I am offically out of tissues, disinfecting wipes, and paper towels. Please help me out during this sneezy, runny nose, and itchy eyes, allergy season. The kids use these items up like crazy!!!

Please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you!
Take Care!
~Mrs. Cobble
jcobble@pca.k12.de.us

What's going on: Week of April 19

2010-04-20T04:21:00.000-07:00

Here's what's going on the classroom during the week of April 19.
Reading: We have began the story, "Dear Mr. Henshaw" by Beverly Cleary. We will be working with inferencing, comprehension, and vocabulary. We will be testing on the story by the end of the week. ***Parents: Ask your child to bring home his/her reading textbook and have them practice reading fluency by reading the story out loud to you!

Writing/Grammar: Spelling test will be on Wednesday of this week. The word list is titled "One Land, Many Trails, Reading Writing Workshop". These words are commonly misspelled. **Help your child study at home!! A new word list will go home on Wednesday after the spelling test. The next list is from the story, "A Boy Called Slow". This word list works with words that have prefixes and suffixes. All word lists are stapled into your child's agenda book. However, they can also be found at the back of his/her Practice Book.
We will continue to work with commas, interjections, and using quotation marks.

Math: We are going to finish up with fractions this week. Then we are moving into measurement. We will be using the Customary Units of Length. With this we will be converting different units of length while practicing our multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction skills. We are still working on our multiplication fluency, so help your child study at home. We finally have one "Monkey Math Graduate", Bryanna Wright! She now gets to move onto division!

Additional Information:
*Continue to check your child's bookbag each Thursday for his/her "Thursday Folder". You will see your child's graded papers and give your insight to what is happenening in the classroom.
*I still need candy, paper towels, disinfecting wipes, and treats for my "Chance Box". The candy and treats for my "Chance Box" are given out on Fridays for good behavior.

Please feel free to contact me if you need anything. Phone calls are welcome, however email is the best option to contact me.
jcobble@pca.k12.de.us
Take Care!
~Mrs. Cobble

REPORT CARDS GO HOME THURSDAY, MARCH 25!

2010-03-24T11:58:00.000-07:00

I apologize for getting the date wrong. Report cards will go home on Thursday!
~Mrs. Cobble

March Madness!

2010-03-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hello! Happy March everyone! I hope that this finds everyone well. Here is what's is going to happen after we finish DSTP testing...

Math: We are going back to FRACTIONS! We will be discussing fractions and mixed numbers on a number line, understanding equivalent fractions, making equivalent fractions, discussing and figuring out greatest common factors, fractions in simplest form... and more! We are still continuing with "Monkey Island Math" 3 times a week. Keep helping your child learn his/her facts.

Reading: We are beginning Theme 4: Person to Person. In this theme, we will be reading several stories that show how people work together. The first story we will read to kick off the theme is "Mariah Keeps Cool". We will be working on comprehension, vocabulary, and problems and solutions.

Writing: We are going to begin our next writing piece. Students are going to be writing a persuasive essay to Mrs. Erschen suggesting a fun 5th grade picnic at the end of the school year. Students are going to have to come up with the location, what the students will wear, what the cafeteria will serve, and what activities the students will participate in. We will be focusing on writing well quality paragraphs that have an introduction and conclusion sentence in each. We will also work on writing good introduction and good conclusion paragraphs. ***SPELLING WILL RESUME MARCH 24. The list will come from the story "Dear Mr. Henshaw".

What's coming up...
-Wednesday, March 17: Jeans and Greens Day for St. Patrick's Day. Students can pay $3.00 and wear jeans and a green shirt. Proceeds go to the yearbook.
-Report cards go home on Wednesday, March 24, 2010.
-Spring Break.... No School Friday, April 2 to Sunday, April 11. School resumes on Monday, April 12.
-I still need tissues, paper towels, and disinfecting wipes for the classroom.
-I also need candy for candy jar, and goodies for my "Chance Box". These are used for rewards, and if you can help me out, I'd appreciate it.

If there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know. It is best to reach me through email: jcobble@pca.k12.de.us , but phone calls are welcome.
~Take Care!!
Mrs. Cobble

After the snow...

2010-02-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome back after a week long snow in! Let's get back into the swing of things! Here's what's going on...
Reading: Before the snow, we finished up reading the story "Katie's Trunk". The selection test grades will be in "Thursday Folders" this week. We will be starting our next story: "James Forten". During the story, we will be working with K-W-L charts, following directions, comprehension, and prefixes. Hopefully by the week's end we will be testing on the selection and finishing up Theme 3: Voices of the Revolution.
Math: Students will be completing the Chapter 5 Test on: Graphing. We will be starting fractions, chapter 7. This will be a brief introduction, and then we will be heading into geometry in order to prepare students for the March DSTP. Fluency will still be done, so keep helping your child study at home.
Writing: Even though we have had a lot of snow, students will be tested on the current list of words "Person to Person: Reading Writing Workshop" words on Wednesday, February 17. We will also be reviewing previous grammar lessons, then moving on to synonyms, antonyms, and adjectives.

If there is anything that is needed in the upcoming days, please let me know. I am sure that with the snow days, we will be playing "catch-up" for a little while. We are still on for the field trip to the DSU Theater on February 24. ***If you were interested in attending, parents need to pay the $9.00 for a seat. If you do not pay, you can not attend.
Feel free to email me of there is anything you need!
~Take Care!
Mrs. Cobble

January 2010: Happy New Year!

2010-01-11T10:25:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I do hope that the holidays and new year have treated you all well! Here's what is going on...

IN GENERAL:
- On Wed., February 24 2010, the 5th grade will be attending the play "I Have a Dream". The cost is $9.00. Money is due Tues. Jan. 26, 2010.
- No school, Monday January 18, 2010 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
-Book orders are due to me by Friday, January 15, 2010.
-Honor Roll Assembly, Thursday January 14, 2010. Grades 6-8 at 8:00; Grades 2-5 at 10:00.

MATH CLASSES: We have started Chapter 5, Graphing! So far we have been working with line plots, frequency tables, and double bar graphs. We will be working with single bar graphs, line graphs, and circle graphs too. We are learning a lot of new vocabulary that goes along with this chapter as well.
We are still doing our fluency practice "Monkey Island Math". We do these timed drills 3 times a week. PARENTS: There are still some students on 3's and 4's on their timed tests! PLEASE help your child with these. Ask him or her 1 or 2 problems a night. Keep doing this as you get dinner ready, as you clean up, as your child washes up to go to bed, and throughout the evening. By the end of the night your child will remember the fact! Then on fluency days your child will build more confidence in him/herself once his/her monkey is moved to the top of the tree!

READING: We are finishing Theme 2: Give it All You've Got! In this theme we read many stories about people who "give it all they've got" and never give up. We will be completing this theme, and testing on the theme this month.
Parents, keep an eye out for "Thursday Folders". You will see the graded papers that have been done during that week. Some students are not correcting and returning papers that need to be fixed.

WRITING: We are almost done our first formal writing piece. We have been working diligently on our 5 Paragraph Descriptive Writing Piece. We have been learning the value of organizing our paragraphs, using a thesaurus/dictionary when needed, all while painting a picture with words.
SPELLING: We are back on track with working with spelling words each Wednesday. Students will be receiving new words and testing on old words each Wednesdays. Please help your child study for these weekly tests!

Please let me know if there is anything that I can do to help you! Email me anytime: jcobble@pca.k12.de.us
Take Care,
~Mrs. Cobble

Turkey Time is Near!!

2009-11-16T16:57:00.000-08:00

Hello! November is half way over... where has the time gone? My husband and I are gearing up to head to Chattanooga, Tennessee on Friday, November 20, for the annual "Cobble Gobble". It's a family reunion we have each year with the southern side of the family. We fry turkeys, play games, and laugh... a lot! I hope that everyone has a safe holiday during the upcoming weeks!

Here is what's going on...

Reading: We have began Theme 2: Give it All You've Got! We have already read the first story about Michelle Kwan, and we will be reading the story "LaBamba". We will be working with vocabulary, comprehension, and fluency in reading.

Writing: We have been working with common and proper nouns, possessive nouns, and action verbs. We will be working with direct objects too! We did spend a day discussing and sharing our "News Article" writing pieces. After Thanksgiving break, we will begin our next writing piece: a descriptive essay. We will be focusing on how to organize a paper, how to write a well thought-out 5 paragraph essay, as well as how to "paint a picture with words". I am confident that I will be able to give your child the tools he or she needs to become a successful writer! ***Spelling will resume after Thanksgiving break too!

Math: We are beginning LONG DIVISION! So far we are having a tough time working through the steps in order to complete a long division problem. I am finding that students are struggling because they don't know their simple multiplication. *Please keep practicing these facts with your child at home... It helps your child immensely in the classroom. We still complete fluency tests 3 times a week, and some students are still on their 3's test. Students should be on their 7's, 8's, or 9's tests.

What's coming up...
Tuesday, November 17: J.A. Biztown field trip. Students may either wear their school uniform, or "dress for success" clothes. No jeans. Students need to bring a bagged lunch too!

On Wednesday, November 18: Thanksgiving Lunch! Parents are encouraged to come and join us at lunch for our yummy turkey with gravy and mash potatoes! It's yummy!

Tuesday, November 24: Service Learning Day. 4th and 5th grade students will be giving back to the community. We will take part in an assembly from DSWA about recycling, and then we will be making posters for a future mural in the lower-school building about "being green". After lunch we will be going out into the community to pick up trash. Please make sure you are sending in the permission slips with you child. This trip is free, but donations to help with buses are appreciated. **Students may wear school appropriate "yard work" clothes. Please check the weather and have your child dress appropriately.

Please let me know if there is anything that you need from me! Feel free to email me at anytime at jcobble@pca.k12.de.us
~ Take Care!
Mrs. Joanna M. Cobble

Happy October!

2009-10-18T16:16:00.000-07:00

Happy Fall! I cannot believe that October is already half way over! Here is what is going on in the classroom...

Reading: We have finished reading the story "Volcanoes". We will be testing this week and completing an art project that involves drawing and labeling the parts of a volcano. We have also been working on our comprehension skills, how to answer a "short answer" question properly, graphic organizers, and text organization. We will be finishing up Theme 1: Nature's Fury this month. Our next theme, Theme 2: Give It All You've Got, will follow.

Math: We have began multiplying 2-digit and 3-digit whole numbers. So far, I am pleased to see that students are understanding this concept. We will continue to practice these problems, but it would be helpful for parents to continue to work on these problems at home. We will be multiplying decimals, and working on our "writing in math".
***We are still continuing with our "Monkey Island Math Fluency" 3 times a week. Keep drilling your child at home! It really helps!

Writing: We are in the process of editing, conferencing, and making our final drafts of our news article. Your child has been working on an article where they are reporting an interesting or unusual event. Spelling tests are still being held every Wednesday. It is also on Wednesday that your child receives his/her new list of words. They are responsible for 5 times each along with 3 Practice Book pages to help support their spelling skills. ***There are times that your child is able to work on homework in class. However your child should be bringing it home to show you what he/she is doing.

Please let me know if there is anything that I can do for you. Phone calls are welcome, however the best way to contact me is through email at: jcobble@pca.k12.de.us

Take Care!
~Mrs. Joanna M. Cobble

WELCOME TO THE 2009-2010 SCHOOL YEAR!

2009-09-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back Parents and Students!! It has been such a great experience starting off this new school year. The brand new school is so awesome! I am very lucky to be able to begin this new adventure with PCA! For those who do not know me, this is my 5th year teaching 5th grade at PCA. I teach a math and reading class, as well as writing for all of the 5th grade students! Here's a little of what is going on in my classroom...

Math: We will begin our multiplication fluency this upcoming week. ***Parents, if your child has homework every night in math... This homework is to study multiplication facts. We complete timed tests 3 times a week.
We will also begin Chapter 1. We will be working on place value.

Reading: We already started our "Back to School" unit on reading strategies. These strategies help readers become stronger. We will be completing Reading Level Assessments this upcoming week, and the students will be learning about Tall Tales.

Writing: This past week, students were already given their list of spelling words. This weeks words come from the story "Earthquake Terror" (which will be read later in your child's reading class). In class we discussed how each of the words have short vowel sounds. Spelling tests are every Wednesday!!! On Wednesdays, students will test on the words, and then recieve a new list of words! Students also will complete 3 practice book pages, as well as 5 times each to help strengthen their spelling skills. This week we will be learning how to use a thesaurus, subjects and predicates, and the types of sentences. We will also be taking short quizzes on classwork too.

It has been a very busy week! If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to email me at: jcobble@pca.k12.de.us . Thank you to all who came out to the open house last week! It was great to meet you all.

Look for the 5th grade news letter later this month!

Take care~
Mrs. Cobble

Happy New Year!!

2009-01-04T16:50:00.000-08:00

Happy 2009!! I hope that everyone had a wonderful holiday! I know that mine was filled with LOTS of food, naps, and relaxation. I also have been practicing my Guitar Hero skills, and I am proud to say I , getting pretty good! Here's what to expect in the classroom:

Reading: we are going to be starting a new story "James Forten". We will be learning new vocabulary, building our comprehension skills, discussing topic, main idea, and supporting details. We will also be working with KWL charts and discussing viewpoint.

Math: Before the holiday break we were working diligently on long division and factors & divisibility. We are going to be reviewing those concepts. We will then move on to "finding a pattern". Finally we will be finishing up with the chapter test. ***Parents, please continue to work with your child at home to build his/her multiplication and division skills.

Writing: We will be working with verbs. We will be learning about subject-verb agreement, regular and irregular verbs, and correct verb forms. Students will be receiving their new spelling words on Wednesday, January 7 from the story "James Forten". This week's list focuses on the final /l/ and /el/ sounds. I have found in the past that students have a hard time on this list because all of the ending sounds are the same, but the words end in either -al, -el, -le or -il. Please help your child prepare for the spelling test by quizzing them at home. The spelling test will be given on January 14.

If there are any questions or concerns do not hesitate to contact me: jcobble@pca.k12.de.us I look forward to a happy, healthy, and successful 2009!
~Take Care!!
Mrs. Cobble

Happy December

2008-11-30T16:20:00.001-08:00

Happy December everyone! Here's what's going on in my classes...

Reading: We are finishing up Theme 2: Give it All You've Got. This theme was about people who do not give up when faced with challenges. We will be testing on the this theme during the first week of December. We will then move onto Theme 3: Voices of the Revolution.
*Parents: Although reading homework is not given, I encourage you to ask your child to bring him his or her reading book and have them read the story we are covering to you.

Math: We are reviewing chapter 2 and then testing on it during the first week of December. The chapter covers multiplying with whole numbers, decimals, and algebra. We will then be moving into division in chapter 3. **Parents please continue to help your child with multiplication. In the past students have had much difficulty with chapter 3, division, because their multiplication struggles.

Writing: We just finished up our first 5 paragraph writing piece! I am currently grading the papers, and your child will receive his or her grade shortly. We are currently working on direct objects, and will be moving on to helping verbs, linking verbs, and writing business letters! Spelling words will be given out on Wednesday, December 3, 2008. The words will come from the story "Katie's Trunk". The spelling test will be given on Wednesday, December 10, 2008.

** Book Orders are due on December 3, 2008.
**Report Cards go home Thursday, December 4, 2008.

Please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help you! Drop me an email anytime: jcobble@pca.k12.de.us
~Take Care
Mrs. Cobble

What's Happening......

2008-10-24T05:46:00.001-07:00

Hello to all! Here are a few lines to let you know what's going on.

PROGRESS REPORTS: Progress reports went home on October 22, 2008. The envelopes needed to be signed and brought back to me.

CONFERENCE TIME: Inside the Progress Report envelopes you will find a conference form sheet. Please read through the sheet, pick the appropriate option that suits your needs, and send it back with you child.

PICTURE DAY: Picture Day is going to be on November 3. Order forms went home on 10-23-08. Please send them back with your child before or on the date listed above.

JEANS DAY: On Thursday, October 30, we will be having a pep rally to honor fall sports. Students are allowed to wear jeans and a purple or white shirt for $3.00. All proceeds will go to the sports department.

HALLOWEEN: For Halloween this year the students are going to be painting pumpkins on Halloween day. My Uncle Bob has so graciously donated all the pumpkins needed for 5th grade to decorate. However, supplies are still needed. Acrylic paint, plastic table cloths, paper plates, paint brushes, and cups are needed so we can have some fun. We will also be having a party in the classroom as well. Snacks, juice, napkins, and other fun party foods are needed for donation to the classroom. A school wide parade will be at 2:00. Parents are encouraged to join us.

Academic News... Here's what we are doing in class!

Reading: We are moving through Theme 2 and have already finished 2 stories. We will be Reading the story "The Fear Place" next, while learning new vocabulary, using graphic organizers, and predicting outcomes.

Math: We have been working REALLY HARD to understand 2 digit times 2 digit multiplication. Parents, please help me help your child by practicing at home. Practicing at home really influences productivity in the classroom. We will be moving into multiplying with decimals shortly.

Writing: We are moving onto our next writing piece: a FIVE paragraph descriptive paper. We have spent time going over the rubric I use for grading, (which is the 5 point DSTP rubric), and we have looked at many writing samples. As a class we discussed and graded the sample pieces I showed them so they are aware of what it is I expect from them. We will be beginning our drafting next week.
*Remember, spelling tests are on Wednesdays. Please help your child study! There are also 5 times each that are due every Thursday, as well as 3 practice book pages to help with spelling too.

If you have any questions or need my help, please email me at jcobble@pca.k12.de.us . Have a great rest of October!! I can't believe that it's almost over!
Take Care
~Mrs. Cobble

It's October!!!!

2008-10-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

Wow the season of Fall is fast approaching and we have been keeping very busy in 5th grade! Here are a few lines of what's been going on.. and what's going to happen!

Reading: We are just finishing up Theme 1: Nature's Fury. We have read nonfiction and realistic fiction stories about natural disasters. We will be taking our Theme test next week before jumping into Theme 2: Give it All You've Got.

Math: Chapter 1 is coming to a close and we are going to be having our chapter 1 test on whole numbers and decimals. We have learned how to write whole numbers and decimals in standard form, expanded form, and word form. We also refreshed our memory in adding and subtracting both whole numbers and decimals. Finally we compared and ordered all the numbers. In chapter 2 we will be multiplying and dividing with whole numbers and decimals. Parents please continue to practice simple multiplication drills with your child each night. For chapter 2 it is vital for students to know how to multiply simple digits in order to grasp the concept of multiplying 1 digit times 2 digits, and 2 digits times 2 digits. Help me help your child by continuing the classroom learning at home. We are still continuing with our fluency drills (Monkey Island Math) in school, but many students are still stuck on the 3's and 4's of multiplying.

Writing: Whew... we have been super busy in this class! We have been continuing with our spelling words each week and the students have been doing very well. Parents remember that all spelling tests happen on Wednesday. Also, each Wednesday students receive their new words. They are to complete 5 times each for homework each Wednesday night. Then they will have 3 practice book pages. Except for October 2, 2008, all spelling tests will be in your child's "Thursday Folder". I was out on Oct. 1, 2008 and was unable to grade those tests. I will be sending them home on Friday, October 3.
Along with spelling we have been learning about conjunctions, singular and plural nouns, compound sentences and so much more!

I hope that all is going well for everyone. I just want everyone to know to keep checking their child's agenda each night for homework assignments! As always, if anyone needs to be in touch with me, please email me at jcobble@pca.k12.de.us
Thank you for all that you do!
Take Care~
Mrs. Cobble

Spelling Test Grades

2008-09-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

The 5th grade students had their first spelling test on September 3, 2008. Spelling tests are being graded differently this year due to our new report card/grading system. I wanted let you all know what these changes are so that there aren't any questions.
Spelling tests are graded in 2 ways, therefore there are 2 scores on your child's spelling test. Instead of percentages on tests this year, you will only see points. The 2 grades are as follows:
1. Spelling (S): Each word is worth 1 point. If a word is misspelled, then the student loses a point. If there are 20 words on the list and the child gets a 20/20, then he/she got all the words correct for spelling, thus a 20/20 equals a 100%
2. Grammar (g): Each word again is worth 1 point. In the grammar grade, the student is being graded on whether or not they are writing the words properly on the line. This means no capital letters mixed into the word, unless it is a proper noun of course. If a student adds a capital letter where it is not necessary, then a point is deducted on the grammar portion of the grade. If all the grammar is correct, then the student receives a 20/20 for the grammar grade.
EXTRA CREDIT: Each week the students receive the regular list of spelling words with 5 "challenge words". I encourage your child to study and learn these words to enhance his/her vocabulary. These challenge words are not considered extra credit on homework or on tests. However, if a student misspells a regular spelling word, but gets a challenge word correct, then an extra point is given. If the child misses a regular spelling word, but did not get any of the challenge words correct, then he or she will have a point deducted from the spelling grade.

I know that this may sound confusing, and at first it was to me. With this new grading system things are going to be a little confusing at first, but then we will all get used to it. I hope that this blog has done a good job at explaining what the spelling grades mean. If there are any questions, please let me know by emailing me at jcobble@pca.k12.de.us
Take Care~
Mrs. Cobble

Welcome to the 2008-2009 School Year

2008-09-01T12:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to an exciting school year. This is my fourth year teaching 5th grade, and I teach Reading, Math, and Writing Class. What is happening in my classes so far this year? Take a look below.

Homeroom Students:There have been many papers sent home this week that needed to be signed. The following papers need to be turned in ASAP!
- Blue Emergency Cards
- Bus Cards
- The last 2 pages of the 08/09 Student Handbook this year
- 08/09 Fifth Grade Student Contract
- Cafeteria Forms for free/reduced lunch
- PCA School Improvement Form
**Parents, keep an eye out each week for the "Thursday Folder". This folder will keep you informed on school events as well as any graded papers your child has received thus far. Other papers that need to be signed will be found in this folder as well.

Reading: This week in my reading class, we will be reading the story "Earthquake Terror". We will be learning new vocabulary, filling in event maps, sequencing, and sharpening our comprehension skills.

Math: We will be starting our multiplication fluency called "Monkey Island Math". Students will be taking a timed multiplication test 3 times a week. As the students grow stronger in their fluency skills, their monkey will be traveling up a tree in the classroom. Each time your child masters a fluency level, he or she will receive a sticker on his/her monkey. ***Help your child out by practicing multiplication at home every night. This will greatly help your child throughout the school year.
We will also be diving into chapter 1 of our text book. We are going to begin with place value through the billions. In this chapter we will be looking at standard form, expanded form, and written form of numbers. We will also be working on rounding numbers, comparing and ordering numbers, and place value in decimals.

Writing: We already have the ball rolling in this class! Last Wednesday, each child received the week's spelling words. These words come from the story "Earthquake Terror" in the reading text book. You will find a complete list of spelling words stapled in your child's agenda book as well as in the back of the Practice Book on page 265. Each week, there are 4 assignments that accompany the spelling words. There are 5 times each, and 3 Practice Book pages. As students are assigned homework, it will be due the next day. The work is posted on my homework board. This week's first spelling test is Wednesday, September 3.
We have also began some grammar activities. Last week we worked with short vowels and base words. This week we will be reviewing base words, working with synonyms, kinds of sentences, and subjects and predicates.

**I want to thank all of my homeroom parents for supplying me with paper towels, tissues, cleaning wipes, and hand sanitizer for the year. Your donations are appreciated and very helpful. If there are any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to email me. Email is my easiest way to communicate, however phone calls are welcome too.

I look forward to working with your child this year and making him or her as successful as I possibly can!