Sunday, May 4, 2014

End of the year wrap up

Hello and thank you for checking in!

 
We are currently in the middle of state testing and I am so proud of how focused our students have been during this challenging time. This is the first year we are using IPads for testing and it has been smooth thus far. Thank you for making sure students arrive at school early or on time during these important testing dates...
Friday, May 2  English Language Arts Part 1
Monday, May 5 Math Part 1
Thursday, May 8 Science
Friday, May 9 Science
Monday, May 12 English part 2
Tuesday, May 13 Math part 2

Here are a few helpful test taking strategies to remember...


Although we are testing in the mornings, our afternoons are still full of learning.  In Language Arts we are working on close reading skills and finishing the book Maniac Magee.
 



In Math, we are working with conversions and real world applications including
distances and measurements, volume and space.

In Social Studies we are wrapping up our state reports.

 
A few upcoming events are our field trip to the USS Midway on Monday, May 19th.  I have 4 parent volunteers at this point and am able to take up to 6, so if you are interested in coming along please let me know!


There will be no school on Monday, May 26 in honor of Memorial Day.



Tuesday, May 27th is our fifth grade Gentlemen's Lunch
and Tuesday, June 3rd is our fifth grade Girl's Tea.

The last day of school is Friday, June 13th.

Thank you so much for all you have done to make this a wonderful year!
Mrs. Bing

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

Month of March

March is a busy month at Bancroft.  Here are some of our upcoming events...


All 5th graders are completing state mandated physical education testing.  This week we are running the mile and reporting our times. Boys should be able to run 1 mile in under 11 minutes and 30 seconds. Girls should be able to run 1 mile in under 12 minutes.


Next week students will complete the rest of the PE testing with curl ups (like sit-ups), push ups, the trunk lift, and the sit-and-reach all modeled below. They can be practicing these exercises at home.









 
 
2nd trimester report cards are done and will be sent home Friday, March 7.  Students have been working hard the last couple months and their efforts will be rewarded!
 
 
Achievement Awards will be held on Friday, March 21 at 10:00 in the morning in the auditorium. I will call parents to let you know if your child is receiving an award.
 
 
Wednesday, March 12 is our class field trip to the Helix Water District where we will learn hands on about the concepts we have been studying in science. 
 
 
 
Spring pictures will be taken Wednesday, March 19 at 10:00.
 
 
 
Thursday, March 13 is our Open House from 6:00-7:00. Hope to see you there!


Sunday, February 9, 2014

Week of February 10

Happy Lincoln Day!
 There will be no school this Monday or Monday, February 17 due to Presidents' Day.
Enjoy back to back 3 day weekends :)


Speaking of presidents, our class is completing a biography report on the president of their choice. Several students have elected to create president poster displays as well. I love how excited my students get about learning and applying all of their creativity.
 
We just started reading Where the Red Fern Grows and are working on summary writing as well as character analysis and thematic content. 

 
Keep up with your 100 pages a week of reading! Reading logs are due each Friday and Thursday is our library day, so make sure you are remembering to check out chapter books.
 


In lieu of a parent bulletin, I sent home progress reports with your child's current grades. Report cards will be released March 10, which is just 4 weeks away. If a student is missing work they may come to me for make-up assignments.  
 
Our class will be passing out Valentine's Day cards this Friday afternoon. Please remember to bring a card for every student in class so that no one is left out.
I sent home a class list with all of the student names.  

Have a great weekend and a nice short week!





Saturday, February 1, 2014

Week of February 3

Hello and thank you for checking in!
 
This week our class is starting a new novel, Where the Red Fern Grows.
 
 
We will focus on summary writing and comprehensive reading strategies.
Our class excels with reading and is quickly filling their 100 pages reading chart! Keep it up!
 
We have a field trip coming up Thursday, February 20. Check your child's Friday Folder for the permission slip and please return it this week.
 
This field trip will be to Balboa Theatre for a performance entitled "Journey to Asia". We leave the school at 8:30 and return at 11:30. This is a special opportunity for our class because only three classes from our school get to attend and ours was chosen!
 
 
As we approach testing season, and our state implements new testing criteria, we will be utilizing Ipads in our classroom to take the "Smarter Balanced Practice Test."
 

 
 
 
 You can review the practice test sample on their website here.

 
Thank you to everyone who turned in their Scholastic Book orders this week. When we submit the order altogether we earn more points for our class that turn into extra books at checkout. Our class has earned over 800 bonus points this year which equates to 4 more books! We will vote on which books to select in class.

There will be no Parent Bulletin this Friday, but I will be sending home a current assignment summary report so that you can check over your students' progress thus far in the trimester. 
 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

Week of January 27

January is almost over already! I hope everyone is enjoying our wonderful "Winter" weather in San Diego. My husband and I hiked Lake Murray on Saturday and Cowles Mountain on Sunday. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area! 

 
Even though the sun is out, remember it is still cold and flu season.
There have been several cases of strep throat, H1N1, and the stomach flu on our campus. Room 17 is still healthy so thank you to our thoughtful parents who keep their sick students home to prevent spreading illness. Thank you also to all of you who generously provided our class with Lysol wipes and disinfectant. You're the best!
 
Here is a peek inside our classroom...

A friend of mine gifted our class with a cute little dining table and chairs for ELD time and an area for students who need a little more assistance to work. On fun Fridays the group with the most weekly table points gets to eat lunch with me in class.
 
 
In math we are converting improper fractions to mixed numbers.


 Students continue to move up in their reading levels, which is awesome! Keep up the good work!

Scholastic book orders are due on Friday, January 31st. Several students have already turned in their order form and money.  Thank you for getting your orders in on time!


We are almost half way through the school year. Here's a nice little reminder message about what is important:

 
I am so grateful for my nice students :)  Let's make it a great week!

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Week of January 21

This week we are celebrating Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and discussing the impact he had on the world we live in today.

  

We are continuing to read Dollhouse Murders and updating our 100 pages reading logs each Friday.

Students have been writing persuasive essays about which makes a better pet: cats or dogs?
We have a lot of dog fans in our class!


After reading Time for Kids magazine, students worked in groups to create current event posters. Here are a few examples:

Please make sure to sign and return the parent bulletins that are sent home each Friday.
 
Thank you for checking in!


Sunday, January 12, 2014

Week of January 13

Welcome back from Winter Break!

I apologize for not updating last week... my family surprised me with a week long trip to Florida and the Caribbean to celebrate my 30th birthday.
 

I had a blast touring NASA's Kennedy Space Center and am inspired to teach a Science/Social Studies unit of space exploration!  So fun! But I missed all of my fabulous students and am happy to be back for a great school week.

This week we are starting a new novel called The Dollhouse Murders. Don't let the title scare you! It's an intriguing mystery story and you can read a synopsis here. Students will be completing a book report on it over the next few weeks, so make sure to check their progress as there will be several homework assignments pertaining to the reading.


In Math we are still working with fractions. Our class is putting forth great effort with the challenging concepts of adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing by fractions. We will be spending a few more weeks on this subject. I am doing my best to keep it enjoyable bringing snacks for the class to divide into fractions. :)

 
Band has ended for the 5th grade school year and I am so proud of my students who performed in the concert. You guys rock and you are so talented!
 
We continue to learn about early colonization in Social Studies and are reviewing states and capitals.


Enjoy your 3 day Martin Luther King Jr. weekend!