Natalie Babbitt

Good Afternoon Friends-

Today you have to answer a few questions about our visitor.  You need to answer your questions in the black and white composition notebook.  Mrs. Babbitt spoke about parts of stories as well as what what she enjoyed about them.

What was one question you remember from you larger Literature Circle groups at today's Authors Tea?

If you could change one thing about the book you read what would it be?

What did you enjoy the most about your book?

We will discuss these questions and more tomorrow in class.

-Mr. Church

Natalie Babitt By: Clara

We just finished our classroom lit. circles focusing on books written by children's author Natalie Babbitt. The three choices were Kneeknock Rise, Tuck Everlasting, & Search for Delicious. Everyone loved the chance to break into smaller groups to discuss the books.  Finishing these books meant something special because the author is going to be visiting our school.

The Search For Delicious, is about a boy named Gaylen who goes on a quest to find a 900-year-old creature. Tuck Everlasting, is about the a girl named Winnie Foster who gets captured. Kneeknock Rise, is about a boy who visits his relatives and learns of a scary beast that lives in the mountains. 

The fifth grade teachers have organized an event through Miss Foley-Marsello, to have Natalie Babbitt come and talk to the whole 5^th grade. On Tuesday, May 24th Mrs. Babbitt will visit our grade to discuss these books and other in more detail. It will be very exciting to have the opportunity to meet this author after reading many of her books.  It will be very special for each literature group to get more insight into characters, conflicts, and plot since we have completed out literature circle books.

Energy By: Sophie & Jackson

What types of energy is there in the world?  Our last unit in science lead us to discover the answers to that question.  We may not have discovered all the sources of energy, but we have discovered some sources we did not know before.

Each groups focus was on a renewable energy.  The energies we researched were solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and biomass. Each group investigated how this energy resource was harassed, and then distributed.  Each group was responsible for creating a poster and working models to represent the energy.

The class has seen numerous videos on these potential energies, and created working experiments to demonstrate their power.

AWESOME FACTS ABOUT SOME 
RENEWABLE ENERGY TEAMS

If you use the energy from solar panels you can reduce your monthly energy bill. (From Team Sun)

The earth is always 55 degrees. (Team molten magma.)

Hydro-power lowers energy cost( Team Water)

Biomass burns trash which boils water and the steam creates energy like nuclear power. (Team Biomass)

The windmills that create energy were originated in Denmark. (Team Wind)

Kick The Can By: Andrew, Audrey, & Daniel

A few weeks ago when the weather was better the fifth grade PE class got to go outside.  We got to participate in a contest called "Kick The Can".  We have a group of students who are assigned to defend the can which acts as a prison release.  The island between the soccer and field hockey field is used for the game.  The game has always been played on this particular part of the school.  This game takes skill and awareness.   With a good eye for camouflage, and quiet steps you can stay hidden from the team searching.

There is a team of five students who are the taggers.  These five students must find the rest of the group and return them to the prison.  The only way to escape the prison is if a person that has not been tagged kicks the can which sits out in the middle of the field.


Our favorite part of kick the can happens when there is a race between the taggers and the free runners to get to the can first to release the people in prison.

CCN Student News

Be ready to discuss one story you see on the broadcast today.  What was the story about?

http://www.cnn.com/studentnews/

Debate Reflection

After hearing opening statements today what fallacies did you hear, and do you think it is difficult to  support your side without using a fallacy as evidence?

Evidence to Support Our View: The Debate Over School Year Round By: Owen, William, & Tony

After finishing our projects on the three branches of government we have found a few issues that we feel strongly about in 5th grade.  the first subject was the idea that school should be held year round.  Another topic that was discussed was the idea that states should purchase iPads for students in schools, and how this might help students scores and abilities.

In class we are learning the how a debate is run officially.  There is an opportunity for each side to express their point, and time for opposing sides to express counterpoints.  In class we organized sides to debate the idea that school should remain August to June, or run school year round.

Each side was given information to support their cause, and information that would help the other group.  An important part of debating is being prepared for what the challenging group will bring up.  If you are ready for your debate you should have a very clear idea of what the challenging group will use to support their argument.

Next week we will hold our first debate in class.

 

Our debates will follow this format:

Opening Arguments

First Argument + (5 min.)

First Cross-examination - (2 min.)

First Argument - (5 min.)

First Cross-examination + (2 min.)

Second Argument + (5 min.)

Second Cross-examination - (2 min.)

Second Argument - (5 min.)

Second Cross-examination + (2 min.)

Closing Arguments

Rebuttal + (3 min.)

Rebuttal - (3 min.)

Rebuttal + (3 min.)

Rebuttal - (3 min.)