Essay September 30th-October 4th

Choose One to write your weekly essay:

1. "Tuck Everlasting." We finished "Tuck" on Friday. Did you like the ending? Well, here's your chance to change it. Write an alternate ending at least three paragraphs long. What happens? Does the man in the yellow suit come back? Does Winnie drink the water? You tell me!

2. As we study the map of the United States, I think about all the people I know in the USA and all the places I've travelled. Have you been out of state on a vacation? Have you gone on a road trip? Do you know anyone from another state? You may write about a vacation to another state: What did you see, taste, touch, hear, smell that was different than you were used to? Otherwise, give a friend or relative from another state a call and ask them how it is living in their state. What is the land like? The climate (the weather over a period of years- what is it usually like in the winter/spring/summer/fall). What kind of crops do farmers raise? Anything else that would be useful can be asked. Please write at least three paragraphs about your vacation or your out-of-state interview.

Room 20 Classroom Notes September 30-October 4th

This week, we will have a guest artist working with us for the next five weeks. Michael Wehrli will be working with half of our class at a time for four sessions per week. This week, we will also be vistied by Gregory MacNaughton from Reed College's Cooley Gallery. We will discuss the exhibit we will be going to and prepare ourselves for our journey on Thursday morning from 9:00am-11:30am. We will arrive back at Lewis for lunch. Speaking of guests, next week (October 8th), we will also be working with a musician Aaron Meyer. This week during writing, we will prepare for that musical experience by writing song lyrics about what we have learned so far this year. In math, we will begin a new unit on understanding multi-digit multiplication and division. Since the first unit was an overview, we will not have a unit test. We also started our first multiplication facts quiz last week. Students need to know a fact within a few seconds. Sometimes students think "knowing your math facts" is knowing how to skip count by that number. We started on our two's. If students answer 38 questions within two minutes, they will move on next week to three's. If students do not meet the 38 answers, they will have a week before the next quiz to practice. I will have worksheets, flashcards, and games to help them study. In reading, we did not get to "Thunder Rose" because we got caught up into the final chapters of "Tuck Everlasting." We will read the tall tale of "Thunder Rose." We will also be introduced to "Island of the Blue Dolphins," by the end of the week. We will have another walking field trip to Tideman Station Johnson Creek, which will take place on Wednesday, October 23rd from 9:00-11:30. This will be a scientific field study interacting with and studying water, macro-invertebrates and indicator species (if a certain creature is thriving, it indicates a healthy eco-system), native plant species, and invasive plant species. If your walking field trip permission slips are in, there are no other forms to fill out. October 9th is class pictures. We will be taking pictures at 10:20am. Every Thursday, we will be doing calligraphy. Aside from letter formation, we also started designing our own monograms- a blending of our initials in a creative way. This is a design-based exercise that helps students play with spatial reasoning using their initials. In science, we will continue to work with our Reed friends studying scientific variables and learn about the solar system in class. Homework this week will be: math- Home Connection 10, 11 (possibly 12), writing essay (will go home and be posted on blog), studying the capitals and names of the midwestern states and northeastern states, and "Thunder Rose," spelling pages 5-8 long vowel VCV spelling patterns. Keep viewing the moon!!! In math, homework depends on how far we get. Like most of the week, activities may go as planned, or we might go another direction toward another teachable moment. Thanks for signing up for conferences outside room 20!

Friday Science

Studying Bubble Gum Science Variables with our Reed Friends Nisa and Emily. We described (observation) the gum and compared between two types of gum. We then created a hypothesis based on what we think would happen after chewing the gum. Then we chewed the gum for one minute and measured the bubble in centimeters. We checked to see if our hypothesis was correct. Would a particular gum have a bigger bubble? Based on what observational data?

Mighty PEMDAS!

Working with data and words

Home Essay Due Friday, September 27th

Essay Question Due 9-27-13

Tuck Everlasting

In “Tuck Everlasting,” Winnie discovers a spring of eternal life that the Tucks have kept secret for many years. Your essay question for homework this week is: Would YOU drink the water and thus live forever? Or, would you not drink from the spring?

Please write a paragraph about why someone WOULD drink from the spring.

Then, write a paragraph about why someone WOULD NOT drink from the spring.

Final Draft: WHAT DO YOU THINK? What would you do and why? Please defend/support your answer with examples from the story, such as, “I would not drink from the spring. In the story, the Tucks have a sadness about them that I would not want in my life.”

Monday Night: prewite/brainstorm/start your first draft

Tuesday Night: finish first draft and start editing and revising (reworking)

Wednesday Night: continue editing and revising second draft with changes

Thursday Night: final draft

Room 20 Classroom Notes September 23-27

Good week to you! We will have a walking field trip to Reed College's Cooley Art Gallery on Thursday, October 3rd. This means ALL walking field trip forms must be in or your child cannot go. This walking field trip will begin at 9:00 and we will get back to school just before lunchtime. The exhibition is titled, "Will Return," and created by the Reed alumnus Jamie Isenstein. I have already had the opportunity to see it and it is very thought provoking. In class this week, we finish an art piece based on Mike Selznick's cover art for such books as "Frindle," and "The Landry News." We explored contour lines and sketch and color a simple item (nicknack) from my house I brought in for each student. The purpose was to bring it in closely and view/explore from a close perspective; an everyday object such as a pen, tape measure, or night light. They are turning out great! In writing, I had students create a baseline- showing me where they are as a writer. I didn't assist too much and simply wanted a work sample for their portfolio. This week, we will finish them and do some short daily pieces along with assigning our essay of the week to be done at home. In math, we explore variables and find an algebraic equation that might be applied to different patterns. If I know the rule of each pattern, can I show a formula that could explain the nth arrangement? I will also start a math facts process for our class that will practice and keep track of our math facts from 1-12. Please study facts with your child: flash cards, car quizzes, or a quick check! In reading, we will read a tall tale called, "Thunder Rose," and explore cause and effect. We will be starting "Island of the Blue Dolphins," at the end of this week or the beginning of next. In geography, we will study landform names and play a bit of Pictionary to make sure we know the definitions before we start a big project the week of October 1st. In science, we have been learning about the moon and sun. We will be visited by an astronomer on Monday, Kathy Kornei, who will teach a lesson about relative distances in our solar system and classifying galaxies. We will finish off our week with Reed Science starting their first lesson with us. Reed will be focusing mainly on physics and human body systems this semester. Homework for this week due Friday will be 1. The essay of the week (see my blog for details)
2. Math Home Connections #7, #8, and #9
3. nightly reading
4. Moon calendar
We will have a quiz on the western states again this Friday. The week of the 1st of October, we will be studying two regions, The Midwest and the Southern states. I am not distributing materials until September 30th, but if students wish to familiarize themselves with those regions' states and capitals, go for it! Finally, I will be asking students to work on math facts this week at home. They will need home support on this. We will have a quiz once a week and I will provide practice sheets and/or games to help them master 1-12. Yet, this first week, please quiz your child on 2's, 3's, and 4's. If they know them already, up the ante. Thanks to everyone who got their forms in on time. Remember, Camp information documents due next week (week of October 1st).

Calling All Cars! Walking Field Trip Coming Soon!

Thursday, October 3rd, we will be taking a walking field trip to the Reed College Cooley Art Gallery. Please wear appropriate gear. The field trip will be 9:00-11:30 am. No need to change lunches, as we will be back before our lunch period. PLEASE bring ALL forms back ASAP, including walking field trip forms.

Moon Phases Game! Beat It!

http://teachers.henrico.k12.va.us/staffdev/clough_d/DragDrop/MoonMatch.swf 

Math: Roll 5

This game helped reinforce number sense and order of operations. As your child how to play!

Moon Calendar - YouTube

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=em-upload_owner&v=jC1vD_-9tX4&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DjC1vD_-9tX4%26feature%3Dem-upload_owner

Link to Reading Assignment Today- Monday, September 16th

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0915.html#article

Room 20 Classroom Notes September 16-20

Happy week to you all! It has been a pleasure working together with your kiddos. We have been getting to know each other, learning how to use the classroom, and solidifying community expectations. Thanks to everyone who has returned all paperwork for the school and student surveys, including volunteering opportunities. I will also solicit volunteer availability at Back to School Night. Speaking of which, I cannot wait to see you all at B2SN! I write these classroom notes every Sunday night, so if you want a preview of the week, please go to "Marchyokverse," at marchyok.blogspot.com. I also sent out our first classroom email. If you did not receive it, please let Tracy know of any email address changes. I sent information home regrading fifth grade camp this May 12-14. Please return the responses by the week of October 1st. It will be a huge fundraising responsibility for our entire fifth grade. We can do it! This week, we continue with our math Bridges program, in which we will work on prime factorization and number sense and number combinations. We also practice clarifying our language when explaining solutions. Speaking of being descriptive, students are finalizing their first writing of the year- "I Am From..." poems. These will be viewable and accompany a portrait of themselves at Back to School Night on Tuesday. In Social Studies, we will work on map skills and master the western states and capitals while discussing the characteristics of the region. Please speak to your child about the diversity of landforms, life, and climate in the west. Weekly, we will be familiarizing ourselves with all regions. The geography unit will take approximately four weeks. We will not do geography every day. We will also begin Reed Biology on Fridays and a unit of study on astronomy, primarily the movement of our solar system. This week would be a terrific time to talk about the moon phases at home. If you google, "moon phases calendar," you can track the various phases and see the nightly differences. Not every night will be clear, but I will be asking the students to skywatch every night starting this week (check online reference if cloudy). Next to their homework/events calendar in their binders, students will have a moon phases calendar for the month of September. We will keep track for an entire cycle, so October calendar will also be available. Aside from the moon phase calendar, students will have a home writing assignment. I encourage students and parents to discuss the writing process together (prewrite, first draft, revise means read it out loud and ask, "Does this sound right?" edit, and final draft.
Monday: Prewrite/Brainstrom/First draft
Tuesday: Revise and make changes
Wednesday: Edit/Final Draft
Thursday: Publish
Students should be working on it every night, so they are in a comfortable place by Thursday night to finish their final draft. Eventually, weekly essays will be five-paragraphs. This week, I am asking students to write as much as they wish. It can be one paragraph or five! I am more interested in knowing them as a writer and helping them build stamina. Now is the time to build stamina in all subjects, but especially writing. See you soon!

RECAP HOMEWORK: 1. Writing essay due Friday. The topic is: Choose from the following...
There are many different kinds of entertainment, such as music, games, books, or movies. 
Explain your favorite type of entertainment and why you like it.
or
What is something you want to learn to do? Explain what you would like to learn and why?
2. Moon Phase calendar filled out every night but collected at the end of the month
3. Know your western states and capitals quiz on Friday
4. Math: Home Connections 5 and 6 and "Goldbach's Conjecture" in math student book due Friday.
Also, IXL accounts are up and running! I will be sending IXL homework in the near future.

Portraits Preview!

Math Quiz

Please do the following math quiz by the end of the day on Friday:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10djaNB3XSwbBHJqNd3fSP2QJzYFsLFcX1Emv8hH3i5c/viewform 

My New and Revised "I Am From..." Poem

I Am From

by Matt Marchyok

I am from the mysterious, exotic Ukraine in the hills of eastern Europe,

I am from mountainous, sophisticated Poland near the border of Russia,

I am from emerald, turfy Ireland next to the sea in the British Isles,

I am from quiet, working-class Trenton, Michigan near Detroit,

I am from the tender, comforting Marchyok family located deep in my heart,

I am from rich, peppery, creamy homemade chicken soup on a winter night,

I am from exasperating, delicate “Watership Down,” reading in the late night hours,

I am from geometrical and clean Mondrian paintings about life’s simplicity,

I am from the intense, stealthy Great Horned Owl in the darkest forests,

I am from the liberating, explosive game of soccer on a damp field,

I am from lavender, crisp sunsets with my wife in my arms,

I am from giggly, sweaty wrestling with my crazy kids,

I am from powerful and vivid Midwest thunderstorms in the middle of the night,

I am from gentle and peaceful meditation after everyone goes to sleep,

I am Matthew William Marchyok.

I Will Be Brave By...

I Will Be Brave By...

I Will Be Brave By...

Please Do the Test Quiz

I am tinkering with a way to score quizzes. Please do the following quiz (should take a few seconds).

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1jLuZllLozDs4e618B6D8z79ge_3iBZSTDPl4w-sE1h0/viewform

Map Link

National Geographic
http://education.nationalgeographic.com/education/mapping/interactive-map/?ar_a=1

National Parks Service
http://www.nps.gov/webrangers/activities/readingmap/

GeoNet
http://www.eduplace.com/geonet/

Weekly Schedule Room 20 2013-1014

	M	T	W	Th	F
8:40-9:00	Entry Task	Entry Task	Entry Task	Entry Task	Entry Task
9:00-9:20	Number Corner	Number Corner	Number Corner	Number Corner	Number Corner
9:20-10:30	Reading	Reading	Reading	Reading	Reading
10:30-11:30	Math	Math	Math	Math	Math
11:30-12:20	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch	Lunch
12:20-12:55	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud	Read Aloud
12:55-1:40	Writing	Writing	Music 1:00-1:35	Writing	Writing
1:40-2:15	Music	Library	Social Studies/Science	PE	Reed Biology 1:45-2:45
2:15-2:50	SS/Science	SS/Science		SS/Science
2:50-3:00	End of the Day Responsibilities	End of the Day Responsibilities	End of the Day Responsibilities	End of the Day Responsibilities	End of the Day Responsibilities

Room 20 Classroom Notes September 9-13

Good week to you, room 20 families! You ALL have such wonderful children!!!!! The first three days are always challenging because the schedule is not fully set up. Our schedule will go into full swing this week. I will post the schedule to this blog and outside of the classroom. We have been busy getting to know each other and how our ship functions. Students created and are maintaining their binders with all of their assignments, dates, and logs. We started an "I Am From..." poem. These poems started simple: "I am from Portland." Eventually, I want students to insert at least two adjectives and a prepositional phrase to make it more descriptive. "I am from eclectic (adj.), fascinating (adj.) Portland, Oregon, in the lush northwestern United States (prep. phrase)..." In math, we used our skills of observation to identify patterns and then write algebraic expressions. This week we work on factors, multiples, composite and prime numbers. We will begin a geography unit this week of the United States of America and also learn about various maps. We will begin a geography project that will be ready by Back to School Night. In reading, we will organize our classroom library by genre and begin the beautifully compelling story, "Island of the Blue Dolphins." This story by Scott O'Dell is a moving story about culture clashing, native peoples, change, and making big decisions. We will also study Native Americans in the fall, so the book should tie into our Language Arts/Social Studies curriculum well. The entire fifth grade will have information about science camp and volunteer opportunities by Back to School Night. I also received your volunteer information/interests from the surveys I sent home last week. Thanks for returning them! I will be setting up an online volunteer sign up. Also, please have all beginning of the year forms to room 20 by the 20th of September. Thanks to you who have contacted me for check-ins. If you email me, I'll try to respond as soon as possible. See you soon!

Homework Help Thursday 9-5-13

If you are stuck with math homework tonight, please remember:

1. Every Arrangement will always have one cube in the center.

2. There are always 5 arms.

3. There is always 1 less than the arrangement's name in each arm.

So... if it is the 4th arrangement, it will have 1 cube in the middle, 5 arms, and each arm will have 3 because it is one less than the arrangement's name, which is 4.

1+3+3+3+3+3=16 or 1+ (5x3)=16

First Day Jitters All Gone!

I enjoyed meeting my new classroom! We had a day of getting to know each other, setting up some classroom norms, and getting organized preparing for our fifth grade journey. Everyone brought home their binders, in which you will find homework log, reading log, and monthly calendar. We also had packets go home, which are due this September 20th. Hope your first night is great!

First Day Letter

September 4th, 2013

First Day Quick Information

Dear Room 20 Families,

Welcome to fifth grade! My name is Matthew Marchyok, and I will be your child’s teacher this year. I am very excited to work with your child and you! I just wanted to give you a quick overview of our classroom and let you know how to contact me if needed. I will be sending more specific information as the year unfolds.

-News: I will send information via the weekly news, our classroom blog, and call/email. It is VERY important I have your updated email address- this is a quick means to contact and receive messages. Check http://marchyok.blogspot.com to view up-to-date posts/information.

-Survey: I will send a survey home about your child on the first day of school. Please fill it out. It gives me a good perspective from your end. I am a parent of a 6 and 9 year old and know that a little information about your child goes a long way.

-Birthdays: If you would like to bring something for a celebration, please send or arrive at 2:45 for a quick “Happy Birthday,” and snack. Please be aware that Safety Patrol will need to leave by 2:50.

-Contact: If you would like to contact me or meet, please call the office to schedule a meeting at 503-916-6360. My email is mmarchyok@pps.net. I check it regularly.

-Homework: Every day I will assign homework, yet the homework is always due on the last day of the school week; usually Friday. Fifth grade expectations for homework are: 30 minutes of reading to self per night and filling out reading log. Students’ weekly reading logs will be in their binders. Students will be expected to write down homework every day before they go home as part of their end of day responsibilities. They will write homework down in their homework log in their binders on the same page as their weekly reading logs. Binders go home every night with homework. On Friday morning, I will collect homework and both homework and reading logs (a one page document). Students will also have a homework folder for homework and correspondences or school notes/information. Students will get a new homework/reading log sheet every first of the week. Note: homework may be hard copy or online. It is important I know immediately if you do not have internet access at home.

If students do not return their homework by Friday, they will be expected to return by Monday morning. If returning homework becomes a challenge, we (parent, student, teacher) will conference and problem solve. Sixth grade homework is quite hefty. Fifth grade is a bridge between elementary and middle school expectations.

-Volunteering: By Back to School Night, I will have all of the volunteerships, regular or one-time, available for you to peruse and sign up for.

-Fifth Grade Science Camp: Fifth grade will send out detailed information about camp by Back to School Night, including fundraisers, times, and costs.

-Specials days (PE, Library, Music) will be written down in student binders. Except for the first week, Mondays and Wednesdays we have Music, Tuesdays Library, Thursdays PE, and Fridays Reed Science.

This will be a year of hard work, exploration, curiosity, growth as students and as people. I am honored to be here for your child. Please contact me for clarification and go to my blog at marchyok.blogspot.com.

Most Sincerely,

Matthew Marchyok