Free Throw Contest (By: Erica)

There was a awesome contest that involved one of our classmates. On March 6th, some kids from the West Milwaukee School District grades 3-8 entered a contest.They gathered in Central High School. Each grade had their own contest and the boys and girls were split up.They had to shoot 20 free throws and who ever made the most got a little trophy and got to go to the regionals.

At the regionals all of the winners from the districts in the southeast Wisconsin were in it. This time there was 2 rounds each round you shot 10 free throws.Whoever got the most out of all the rounds got a first place trophy and that all the way to 3rd.Our classroom is lucky a 5th grade girl named Erica Turk got 3rd place.

Her best friend Malina said, " I was happy for her and proud."

Her other friend Alyssa said, "She could probably get 1st next year."

"That's a good accomplishment," said Megan a good friend of Erica's.

Also Malina is going to try to compete against Erica next year. Erica thinks that she did good and agrees with Alyssa. She hopes to do it next year!

A Book that Changed the Group (By: Megan)

A few months ago Strategy Group E finished a book called Gathering Blue. My friends, Mr.Kallie, and I read this for a few months and we all thought same thing.

We would meet every week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This was during literacy block. Even though we only met two days a week, everyone was hyped-up to talk about what has happened. This book did help us with our strategies, but it turned out to be a little book club for us.

Discussing

When everyone had to stop at a certain chapter we always wanted to go on. The book had so many mysteries it would always give us hints and facts about what will be in the next chapter. Once we stopped everyone wanted to go on and talk about the book and read as much as possible. It was a big discussion every time.

This book had so much going on we all had different opinions. The one who really wanted to keep reading was Emma. " The drama was always there, but when we got to the ending it was disappointing though it nicely tied everything together," Emma replied. But she's not the only one in the group.

           " It was dramatic and when Mr.Kallie stopped us at certain chapters it got more dramatic," Alyssa said.

             " Touching and amazing. It got very dramatic when we had to stop after a few chapters," responded Malina.

             " A good book with a lot of mysteries," said Isaac.

             " The book was a big mystery and no one knew the truth," Calvin replied.

The book

    As everyone said there were a lot of mysteries, drama, and secrets, but this book was more than just that. Gathering Blue was a book about a young girl named Kira whose mother just died. She is alone in the world until she is assigned her mother's job as the weaver. As her future is unknown her, friend Matt has been helping her find out what it is by discovering a mystery and helping her with a problem involving her job. This book is so interesting and I recommend it to anyone.

High Interest Day (By: Jon W.)

The whole Mitchell school does High Interest Day. Where you might ask? Well everywhere, even on the playground, and ooh wee, it is fun!

"Hey Ethan" Jon said. "What did you pick for session  1?"

"I picked basketball," Ethan said.

"Cool, so did I!”

This is what normally happens during a conversation before High Interest Day. Normally, people goof around during the sign-up. People talk during the sign-up because they want to be in a session together. Last year. they added three new sessions and they did it this year too.

Cadets! (By: Alyssa)

Have you ever noticed the students standing on different corners around the school wearing orange vests? If you were wondering, those students are the cadets. Cadets are students that the 4/5 teachers choose to be one.The cadets get chosen by having the ability to be responsible, respectful, and safe.They also have to be trustworthy to go outside earlier than everybody else without supervision.The cadets cross people to and from the school everyday before and after school.The cadets "work" right here at Mitchell school.

The cadets just put on their vests and go to their assigned corners.Once they get to their corners,they wait until a person comes, then they cross them.The cadets work hard each and every day before and after school.The only reason that the cadets do this is to cross people to and from the school so the people don't have to hassle their time to wait for cars. With the cadets, the cars will let people cross if they need to.The cadets always have fun crossing people to and from the school.

Now lets see how the cadets like it.

Erica says,"It is very fun,but at the same time it's serious. It's also fun working with friends!"

Megan says, "It is a great experience. It can be rough when some adults don't respect us."

Isaac says,"Cadets are a nice way to make sure that kids cross safely."

The cadets here at Mitchell school sure love their jobs. Now, they were the cadets of the 2012-2013 school year. Now lets just hope that the cadets for the 2013-2014 school year will love their jobs just as much. Maybe even a little more.....

We Went to the Capitol! (By: Mykayla)

Who wants to hear about my class’ trip to Madison? You do? Well get ready to relax and read!!!!

All of the fourth graders went to the state capitol and it was amazing! We learned about our history and people who risked their lives for us.We also learned about our country's eagle. Did you know that the eagle got trapped in a fire the first time and survived? Then there was a second fire, and he died because of the smoke!!

I think they brought us there because they thought we needed to learn about our state's history!! Our teachers planned this out of nowhere and we were all stoked!! We all left on March 20, 2012. We went to a bunch of rooms. The ones I liked were where the governor sat when he speaks. The room of congress was a VERY beautiful. I especially the drapes!! Did you also know that the house of congress got cracked by water pipes and had to tear the whole thing down and then rebuild it!! It cost a lot of money to just rebuild it AGAIN!!!

Hope u liked it and thanks for reading!!!!!!!!:)

Pole Tag (By: Dena)

This is how you play:

1:Gather three or more players.

2:Find out who's it.(you can do Rock Paper Scissors.)

3:Run around and find a pole or tree to touch.

4:Whoever gets tagged becomes it.

5:This same process keeps going on until people stop wanting to play.

We play pole tag by the volleyball poles and play it at recess or before school.

So,then I interviewed some kids who play pole tag with me and I asked them how they think pole tag is fun.

Grace said, "That it's fun,and you can run around from pole to pole. I like how you can only have three people to a pole."

Miguel said, "It's a fun game,and allows you to be social."

Savannah said, "It's like plain tag,except with a lot of places to go to."

So,you should get up and play pole tag! Hope you enjoyed!

Thank you for reading!!!

Reading Group (By Abbey R.)

In Mr. Krupar’s class we have reading groups in daily five. When Mr. Kallie calls the group, we bring our book and a piece of paper to the table and the rest of the group would do their daily five. We are working on unknown words and understanding what they mean. We are getting better each time. In most of the chapters, they have a lot of words that you don't know and some have two out of five words that we don't know. If the person that put down the word didn't know the meaning, their friends from the group can help you understand what the word means.

I asked some students about reading group.

Alison said, “That we can learn things.”

Mykayla said, “You practice your reading strategies.”

Dena said, “I have fun!”

Miguel said, “It gets you ready for maps testing.”

Abby L. said, “You practice your reading skills and working with the group is fun!”

Grace said, “That it tells us where our reading level is.”

Brady said, “You learn and work on your strategies.”

Ja'moze said, “It helps you with your maps testing, and that's why Reading Group is good for you."

High Interest Day Lunch

Due to High Interest Day, Friday is cold lunch day for the students.  The students can either bring a bag lunch from home or order a bag lunch from school. 

The bag lunch from school includes PB & J uncrustable sandwich, a piece of fruit, a vegetable, milk and a treat. I will need to know by Thursday morning if a student needs a bag lunch from school. Please talk to you child about this and plan accordingly. Thanks!

"Dig Into Reading" at the West Allis Public Library!

This summer, the WA Public Library will have a summer reading program for children ages 3-11. Children 12 and up are encouraged to participate in the teen summer reading program. Students can register anytime between June 3 - August 9th. The program runs from June 3rd through August 24th. There are many opportunities to earn prizes and tickets to local events. This is an excellent way to keep students reading this summer. A large blue flyer went home last week. If you missed it check out this link to the WA Public Library. Happy reading!

Dig Into Reading Site

Field Day

Field Day is on Wednesday, May 22nd. In the event of a rain out, Thursday will be the rain date. Students should come to school dress to compete. Watch the weather forecast and apply sunscreen if needed. Students will compete in the following events:

1. Basketball Shooting
2. Football Pass Relay
3. Circle Bump and Set
4. Jump Rope Relay
5. Water Relay
6. Distance Run Relay

We begin competing at 9:00. An awards ceremony will take place outside at 11:30 a.m. Parents are welcome to come and cheer the students on!

Learning Targets for May 20-24

Here are the learning targets for the week.

Math

• Students will determine the factors of whole numbers.
• Students will find the least common multiple of a given set of numbers.
• Students will identify prime and composite numbers for the number set (1-100).
• Students will find the prime factorization of a number.
• Students will solve an equation to determine the value of an unknown variable.

Reading

• Students will determine the meaning of words and phrases using context clues.
• Students will identify and describe the differences between first and third person writing techniques.
• Students will analyze authors purpose for writing in certain points of view.

Writing

• Students will finish editing their final drafts for their Autobiographies and send it to Mr. Kallie.
• Students will finish writing Autobiographies.

Inquiry

• Students will be introduced to the process of seed dispersal.
• Students will watch a video on seed dispersal & explore seeds through a hands on seed dissection lab.

5th Grade Planning Committee Meeting

There will be a planning committee meeting for the 5th Grade Graduation tomorrow, May 14th, at 5:00 in Room 110. All interested parents are welcome!

Late Work Update

I have started sending email just to keep parents informed of any late work students have. The purpose for doing this is to have a reminder at home for students. During the course of a day, students forget to write down the assignment that was missing or it slips their mind when they get home. My hope with the email is to help students remember to bring it the next day so I can evaluate their understanding of the skills.

These emails are not meant to be punitive - just informative. In the event that late work becomes a concern, I will contact you to find a solution to whatever is causing the late work. If you ever have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact me. Thanks!

Math Facts

As we begin work with the Algebra Unit, we are finding that all students have shown the ability to pick up the new skills. However, knowledge and quick recall of multiplication facts is key to student success. Without fluency in multiplication facts, student accuracy will not be at a proficient level. Please ensure that your child works with these facts nightly, if they struggle with recall of multiplication facts. There are multiple ways to practice multiplication facts:

• Flashcards
• Math Fact Apps
• Math Fact card and dice games
• Dice and Card Games to Practice Math
• Making Math More Fun: Math Card Games

Thanks for your ongoing support at home!

Learning Targets for the Week of May 6th

Reading

• Students will determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative language such as metaphors and similes.

Math

Group 1 & 2

• Students will find the missing factors in equations.
• Students will interpret a multiplication equation as a comparison and represent verbal statements of multiplicative comparisons as multiplication equations.
• Students will multiply or divide to solve word problems involving multiplicative comparison, e.g., by using drawings and equations with a symbol for the unknown number to represent the problem, distinguishing multiplicative comparison from additive comparison.
• Students will solve multi-step word problems posed with whole numbers and having whole number answers using the four operations, including problems in which remainders must be interpreted. Represent these problems using equations with a letter standing for the unknown quantity. Assess the reasonableness of answers using mental computation and estimation strategies including rounding.

Group 3 & 4

• Students will evaluate expressions with multiple operations, parenthesis and exponents using the order of operations.

• Students will write simple expressions that record calculations with numbers, and interpret numerical expressions without evaluating them.

• Students will generate two numerical patterns using two given rules. Identify apparent relationships between corresponding terms. Form ordered pairs consisting of corresponding terms from the two patterns, and graph the ordered pairs on a coordinate plane.

Writing

• Students will develop strategies to write a lead for a newspaper article of their choice.
• Students will revise and edit their newspaper articles.
• Students will write a final draft of their newspaper article. 

Inquiry

• Students will be introduced to the process of photosynthesis. 
• Students will meet with small groups to explore plant/leaf structures found throughout our local environment.
• Students will discuss differences and similarities between human and plant methods to produce and use energy.

Bake Sale

Calling all  5th grade families. We are looking for families that can donate baked goods for the 5th Grade bake sale.

*5^THGRADE*

**BAKE*SALE**

WEDNESDAY, May 8^th

1pm-2:30PM & 6:00-7:30

BEFORE AND AFTER AM & PM SPRING SING CONCERTS

ALL PROCEEDS GO TO SUPPORT 5^TH GRADE GRADUATION & CAMP UPHAM TRIP 2013

MAPS Testing Update

MAPS testing begins on Monday. Here is an updated schedule for our testing. Notice that we have shorter testing periods each day. This spring we are asking students to only complete half of the test in one sitting. The goal is to get the most accurate score possible. In talking with students, they have made it clear that the tests can be long. By splitting the test, students will be able to give their best effort and stop before they are "out of gas". This was tried with some students in the winter. It was a success! Student attitudes and confidence toward testing were remarkably higher.

Over the weekend, discuss the importance of these tests with your child. Reinforce the fact that they have learned so much this year. They need to use their strategies, focus, and keep a positive frame of mind. An early bedtime Sunday night and nutritious breakfast Monday morning would also help students come Monday morning prepared for class. Thanks again for your support!

MAPS Schedule

Monday, April 29th
Math Test
8:45-9:15 & 1:35 - 2:20

Monday, May 6th
Reading Test
10:05 - 10:40

Tuesday, May 7th
Reading Test continued
8:45 - 9:15

Wednesday, May 15th
Language Arts Test
8:45-9:15 & 1:35 - 2:20

New Inquiry Unit

This week we began a new inquiry unit. This unit will have a science focus to it. In the fourth quarter students are focusing on Plants! Here are some key components of the unit:

Essential Question

Why are plans so important to humans?

Enduring Understanding

• Photosynthesis
• Reproduction
• Pollination
• Adaptations

Reading Calendar Reminder

It's hard to believe April is coming to an end. Students should be finalizing their monthly reading calendars. This would be a good time for students to check how far they are from their goal and do some extra reading if they are behind the target of 30 minutes a night. At the end of the month, please have your child total their minutes for April and have you sign it. Calendars will be collected on Wednesday, May 1st.

Spring Sing

Here is a copy of the flyer that went home this week. Hope to see you all there!

Spring MAPS Testing

Next week begins our spring MAPS testing window. The purpose of MAPS testing in the spring is to gauge student progress from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. In the coming week, students will set goals for each of the three tests. Their goals will be set based on their fall score and the target score that is set for the spring test.

Parents, you can help us at home. Talk with your child about the importance of these tests. The scores are used to inform our instruction. In addition, scores for 5th grade students are used by the intermediate schools to make decisions about classes for next year. The goal is for students to understand the importance of the tests without making them overly nervous. I remind students that we see great things out of them everyday. When taking the tests, use your strategies and complete the tasks as you normally would and everything will be fine. If you have any questions about MAPS testing, please contact me for further information.

Schedule:
MAPS Math: Monday, April 29th
MAPS Reading: Monday, May 6th
MAPS Language Arts: Wednesday, May 15th

• Testing times are yet to be determined. I will update this blog post when the times are set.

Inquiry Night

Our first Inquiry Night was a huge success! We were all very proud of the hard work students put into their projects. Even though we worked with them every step of the way, it was amazing to see the final products and talk with students about their new learning. It meant a lot to students to be able to share their research with the Mitchell community. Last but not least, a big "thank you" goes out to all the parents for guiding and supporting students throughout the process!

Math Update

This week, students in all four math classes will take the Geometry Unit assessment. As this unit wraps up, we are planning for our final unit of the year - Algebra. Students will take a pretest for this unit at the end of the week. We will structure the final math unit differently than the previous units. Instead of splitting students between the four classrooms, students in Ms. Dierbeck's class and my class will be team taught by Ms. Dierbeck and myself. We will still analyze data from pretests and MAPS tests to establish an understanding of student background knowledge - this will not change. In addition, students will still work through the various stages of Math Daily 5. We hope to begin this unit next week after the first round of MAPS testing.

Correction

Yesterday, this flyer came home for all parents of 5th grade students. There were a few adjustments to days and dates that were not correctly listed. Please review the information below. Thanks!

_____________________________________________________________________

ATTENTION ALL 5TH GRADE PARENTS

End-of-the-Year Planning Meeting

Wednesday, April 17 (3:45-4:30)

Room 110

Plans for our 5th grade end-of-the-year celebrations are under way. There will be a meeting on Wednesday, April 17 for parents who are interested in being involved. The following committees will be formed:
• 2013 T-shirt
• Memory booklet
• Last day refreshments

If you would like to join a committee, but are unable to attend the first meeting on April 17, then please return this form with your name, phone number, and your area of interest circled.

5th Grade Completion Activities/Celebration Time Frame:

Tuesday, June 11​(1:00-3:00 pm)
Bowling at Knights of Columbus

Wednesday, June 12 (9:00-9:45 am)
5th Grade Completion Ceremony

Wednesday, June 12 (10:00-11:30 am)
Refreshments and memory book signatures


Thank you,

Mrs. Ceel​
Ms. Dierbeck
Mrs. Graff​
Mr. Krupar

Inquiry Fair!

Thursday, April 18th is the long awaited Inquiry Fair at General Mitchell! The event runs from 3:45-6:30.

In addition to the Inquiry Fair, there will also be a Spaghetti Dinner. A flyer with details and ticket information came home earlier last week. If you need an additional flyer please contact me. Hope to see you all there!