Classroom News - Field Trip - CSUCI

Field Trip – CSUCI (California State University, Channel Islands)

Our class has begun our “We the People” unit, focusing on learning the constitution, structure of our federal government, and history of the Founders of our country. This curriculum is a requirement for all 5th grade students in our district. The program culminates with a field trip later this month to CSUCI.

Students have been collaborating in groups to become experts on different sections of the program. At the field trip, the groups will participate in “Hearings” along with students from several other local elementary schools. Each group prepares and presents a statement to a panel of judges. The judges then pose questions to the group regarding the information that was presented. Students will be scored based on their prepared statement and answers given. These scores serve as feedback for their performance. This experience is not a competition and is not graded

On Friday, May 24th, Cypress will be taking a bus to CSUCI for the day. We’ll leave at around 9:00 and return around 2:00. Students are asked to dress “nicely, looking professional”. Students will also need to bring a sack lunch.

Class Website


We have been busy lately with our implementation of the “We the People” program, finalizing our state reports, and practicing for our upcoming class play on June 5th. For updates on these and other activities, including our schedule for the last week of school, please visit our class website at:

mrwalker-cypress.blogspot.com

Our class website is updated frequently with Classroom News and Calendar information. There are many useful website links, including our school’s lunch menu, Wave Club Challenges, and our class Facebook page.

Cypress Open Friday, May 3rd

Thanks to everyone that helped today. We do have school tomorrow. I'll post here if anything changes.

STAR Testing

STAR Testing all week.

M,T - Language Arts
W,Th - Math
F - Science

We begin each day as soon as the students are situated, around 8:20.  Anyone tardy will need to wait in the office until our class is finished testing.  Make-up testing is usually the next day.

Cypress School Library

Today was our last visit to the school library.

The library will be closed in the mornings for the next two weeks due to STAR Testing.  Mrs. Sherrard will also be receiving and cataloging our district's new Language Arts adoption which begins next year.

Our classroom's students still have books checked out.  I'll check with Mrs. Sherrard to see if there is a definitive due date.  Students may keep any books they are using for our State Reports or Public Speaking Presentations for as long as they need them.

5th Grade Field Trip - Focus on the Arts

On Wednesday, April 24^th, the 5^th grade classes will be attending a dance performance presented by Newbury Park High School students.  A flyer for the performance is on the back.

This field trip is sponsored by our school district and is a part of the Focus on the Arts series of field trips.

Transportation will be provided by bus, which will leave Cypress at 11:00.  The performance is at 11:30 and is expected to last 45-60 minutes.  Students will then return to Cypress for a late lunch.

Our class will need only three chaperones.  Parent volunteers will be asked to help maintain control and safety of the students.  We will only be taking one bus, so chaperones may need to drive separately.

If you are interested in attending this field trip, please let me know in advance.

Public Speaking Presentations

Today, we briefly discussed our Public Speaking Presentations.  Below are the directions and guidelines:

All fifth grade students will present a 3 to 5 minute storytelling speech to their class.  The speech may be a favorite child’s story, poem, fairy tale, or fable.  Students will tell their stories demonstrating good voice skills, presentation skills, body movement, memorization, and establishment of mood.

The complete classroom storytelling speeches will be due the week of May 20-24.  From the classroom presentations, three students from each class will be selected to do their speeches in a school celebration.

Before submitting your book for approval, please read through your book at a steady pace and time yourself.  Your story should be approved the week of April 22-26.

During the week of May 6-10, students will practice the first minute of their story in front of the class.

During the week of May 13-17, students will practice the first two minutes of their story in front of the class.

Students will need to practice at home as well as at school.  Please refer to the 5^th Grade Storytelling Rubric on the back of this page.

Following are the due dates for the project:

·         Week of April 22-26      Story Approved

·         Week of May 6-10           1 Minute Memorized

·         Week of May 13-17         2 Minutes Memorized

·         Week of May 20-24        Classroom Presentations

My Story:    _____________________________________________________

Author:        _____________________________________________________

Teacher Approval: _______________                  Date: ____________________

My 1^st Practice Day/Date:                   _______________        _______________

My 2^nd Practice Day/Date:                  _______________        _______________

My Classroom Presentation:                _______________        _______________

5th Grade Field Trip - COSTAC Hike

Update...

Our COSTAC Hike field trip has been traditionally scheduled for Wildwood Canyon.  Due to construction in Wildwood Canyon, the location of the hike was changed to Los Robles Open Space, near Moorpark Road and Greenmeadow Avenue.  Yesterday, we found out that the construction has been completed, and the location was changed back to Wildwood Canyon.

Since the location has been changed, we have been asked to send home new Field Trip Authorization Forms.  Rather than completing new blank forms, please initial the form next to the new location, Wildwood Canyon.

All of the other details of the field trip are the same.  We are leaving by bus at 10:00 and returning at approximately 2:15.  Students (and parents) should bring lunch in a disposable bag.

If anyone is interested in joining us on the hike, please let me know beforehand.  I have a map and another handout for you if you are joining us.  Parents may park at the middle playfields parking lot at the Wildflower Playfields at Avenida de los Arboles and Canna Street, across from Wildwood Elementary School.  Then walk back to Canna Street and plan to arrive before the students.

 

Honor Roll Assembly: 2:00

Our 2nd Trimester Honor Roll Assembly is scheduled for this Friday, April 5th at 2:00.

5th Grade Field Trip - COSTAC Hike

April 12, 2013

On Friday, April 12^th, the 5^th grade classes will participate in Conejo Open Space Trails Education Days, sponsored by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA), Conejo Open Space Trails Advisory Committee (COSTAC), and Conejo Recreation and Park District.

               

Trails Education Days is a two-part program.  Part 1 includes a thirty minute DVD presentation to introduce students to open space concepts and prepare them for their field trips.  In addition to safety information, the following topics are covered:

·         Native plants and animals and the natural “food chain”

·         Local Native American traditions concerning nature

·         Background on the natural open space areas in the Conejo Valley

·          Preparations for the outdoor part of the program

Part 2 is a one hour nature hike to the Wildwood Canyon Nature Center, followed by the following workshops:

·         Live, indigenous animals, presented by Animal Actors

·         Outdoor careers, presented by park rangers

·          Trail safety and courtesy, presented by equestrians, hikers, and bicyclists

Transportation will be provided by bus, which will leave Cypress at 10:00.  Students will return at approximately 2:15.  Although each class will need only two official adult supervisors, other parents may attend.  Parent volunteers will be asked to help maintain control and safety of the students.  Due to the limited seating on the bus, we will ask parents to drive separately.

Due to wastewater pipe construction in Wildwood Canyon, the location of this year’s hike has been changed to Los Robles Open Space.  Buses will drop off students at the corner of Moorpark Road and Greenmeadow Avenue, where the hikes will begin.  Lunches and workshops will be held in the picnic area adjacent to the Oak Creek Canyon Loop trail entrance.

If you are interested in attending this field trip, please let me know in advance.

Field Trip – “Stand Proud” Program in Malibu

On Thursday, we’ll leave Cypress at 8:30 and return at 3:45 / 4:00.  Please have your child wear comfortable clothes, including either a school shirt or a black or orange shirt.  Bring a jacket or sweatshirt, tennis shoes, and sunscreen.  Also, please bring a sack lunch and a water bottle, both with your child’s name on it.

Coming Soon...

5th Grade Focus on the Arts Field Trip, 5th Grade Hike, Class Play, College Spirit Days, Cypress Jog-A-Thon, Cypress Open House, Geography Bee, Holes, Math Club, Poetry Unit, Public Speaking Presentations, State Reports, We the People Program

Opening Day (Tuesday, April 2)

On Tuesday, April 2, to coincide with the Opening Day of the baseball season, we will have a baseball-themed day in Room 20.

As you may have realized, I'm a bit of a baseball fan.  I actually had a streak of attending an Opening Day game every year for 15 straight years.  This streak came to an end when I started teaching.  Such commitment, I know!

Over the past several years, I've accumulated many baseball-themed activities. While I easily have enough for a whole week, I bring out some of the highlights for Opening Day.  A few of these activities are part of our normal routines.  Others I've saved for fun skills practice.  There will be several Read Alouds, including one famous poem that will be a bonus Reading Counts quiz for the month.  Our math time will take us around the bases within our current "Fractions & Ratios" unit.  We’ll even end the day with geography and a baseball trip across the country.

In keeping with the theme, students may wear any baseball themed clothing, perhaps a jersey and hat or just your favorite team’s colors. Dodger blue anyone?

A ballpark-style lunch will be provided.  A donation of $3 would be appreciated.  We'll have lunch in the classroom.  Students are also welcome to buy their lunch or bring their own.

Article - "Most Ventura County school districts are not sending pink slips to teachers this year"

from Ventura County Star...

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/mar/13/most-ventura-county-school-districts-are-not-to/

Art Masters

Our last Art Masters lesson was today. For 5th graders who have been at Cypress since Kindergarten, this means they have been involved in the program's study of 36 artists.

Who are they?

African Legacy
Ancient Americas
Asian Brush
Audubon
Calder
Cassatt
Cezanne
Chagall
Da Vinci
Degas
Escher
Gauguin
Hardin
Homer
Kandinsky
Lautrec
Lawrence
Lichtenstein
Magritte
Matisse
Mexican Murals
Miro
Mondrian
Monet
Native American
Nevelson
O'Keeffe
Picasso
Raffael
Rembrandt
Remington
Seurat
Sheeler
Van Gogh
Wright
Wyeth

Article - "Conejo Valley school chief Jeff Baarstad named superintendent of the year"

from Ventura County Star...

http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/mar/07/jeff-baarstad-named-superintendent-of-year/