Week 15 - December 14 - 18

Winter Break begins Friday, December 18 at 3:59 p.m.

Please notify me and/or the front office if your child will be starting break early.

Writing assignment due Thursday - Your child will be bringing home a writing assignment that is due on Thursday. This assignment is about giving compliments to others.

Winter Survival - We will be going on our Winter Survival trip January 22nd. More details to come when we get back to school. If you are interested in chaperoning this 9:30a.m. - 2:30p.m. field trip, please let me know.

Lunch with a loved one!This Thursday is the day to come and eat lunch with your child. If you have the time, bring a sack lunch and eat with your child! Our lunch time is 11:54 - 12:18. 

Tappan choir and orchestra - The yearly concert will be this Friday at 1:45 in the cafeteria.

Week 14 - December 7 - 11

 
The book fair is here! Our class will be going to the book fair on Monday to preview the books. This will give the students an opportunity to see what books, if any, they would like to purchase. We will return to the book fair on Thursday, December 10 to purchase books. This will be at 2pm.

Math Test Unit 3 - Students will be taking this Tuesday morning.

Reading - The fifth graders have been working on learning, understanding, and applying text structures to their work in reading. Your child should be able to talk to you about this as well as give different examples. Learning the different text structures helps the students to better understand the content of non-fiction texts.


Writing/Social Studies - We will begin working on a persuasive writing essay that ties in with our social studies unit. The students are learning about the 13 original colonies. They will be choosing a colony and writing a persuasive piece on why someone from England would want to travel and live there. Most of this work will be done in school.

Week 13 - November 29 - December 3

I hope that everyone had a great long weekend. We have 3 weeks until Winter break and we will be working hard during that time!

Math - We are well into Unit 3 in math. This unit is focusing on fractions. Here are the outcomes for the report letters. You should see practice in these areas with the daily homework. If your child is having problems with any of these areas I am available to work with students at lunch. There are also many online sites that will guide and support your child in practicing these outcomes.

Reading - The students are learning 5 different types of text structure that they may encounter in a non-fiction text. These are ongoing lessons that are being taught in all fifth grade classes. Please remind your child to read for 30 minutes each night.

Book Fair - The book fair is coming soon! Please look for information coming home about this fun event!

Thank you! - Thank you for all of the donations made to our first class party! The students had a lot of fun. We even had an impromptu dance party. This is a great class and I'm sure they will be earning their way to another fun activity soon.

Week 12 - November 23 - 27

Short Week!
Good afternoon,
This is a short week, so it's a short post.

Cold weather - Unless the temperature and/or wind chill is 0 degrees the students will go outside. Please be sure your child is dressed appropriately. Snow boots are a must! There are many items in lost and found. If your child has lost something, send me a note and I will direct them to the lost and found.

Report cards - The report letters will be going home on Tuesday. Please look these over with your child. Students will be completing a self-assessment that will come home at the beginning of December.

Canned food drive - Thank you for all of the donations to the canned food drive. It was an amazing display of generosity!

Enjoy your Thanksgiving Break!

Social Studies

Here are the pictures from today's lesson

Week 11 - November 16 - 20

PLTW - We are wrapping up Project Lead The Way this week. The students have built, changed, challenged, and disassembled their robots. They all had an opportunity to work on coding. The free app we used is called Hopscotch. This can be loaded on a device and your child can continue to practice coding at home.

Math - We are continuing with Unit 3 this week. The students are working with fractions. Your child should also be practicing Xtramath every night if we did not have an opportunity to do so in class. Many students have tested out of the multiplication part of this.

Camp - We were all disappointed by the cancellation of camp. The trip has been rescheduled to March 9 - 11, 2016.

Report letters - These will be coming home on Tuesday, November 24.

Class celebration - We will be having a class fall celebration on Tuesday, November 24. Look for an email to come from our room parent requesting donations.

Week 10 - November 9 - 13

A sunset view over the basketball court

CAMP!!!!!

It's finally here! I hope everyone is ready. Please be sure to look at a previous post for the camp packing list. Click the link below for a weather forecast.

Howell weather forecast

***Sack lunch!!!***Please remember that your child needs a bagged lunch and a drink for Wednesday. We will eat when we get to camp.

***Early pick up***Please make arrangements to have your child picked up from school at about 2pm on Friday. If you are unable to pick your child up but can have family, a friend, or a neighbor do this they must have a signed note from you. Your child will be tired and ready to go when we return. You must come into the school and sign your child out. 

If you have any questions you may email me or have your child ask in school. 

Week 8 - October 26 - 30

School pictures - You should have received your child's pictures. If you decide that you want retakes please have your child get a form from the classroom or the office.

No School - There is no school Monday, November 2 or Tuesday, November 3.

Conferences - Thank you to all of the parents who have come to conferences. If you have not attended, your conference is either Tuesday or Thursday of this week. A reminder will be sent home.

Howell Nature Center Camp - Please be sure to let me or the office know if you need any assistance with getting proper clothing for camp. We want to be sure that all students are properly dressed for the weather. You can check the packing list posted here on the blog.

Camp packing list

This is an item that you will need soon! Please be sure to check the weather forecast in Howell, Michigan when thinking about what to pack.

Week 7 - October 19 - 23

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy some of the great fall colors that we get to experience in Michigan. The few snowflakes we saw are just a reminder that the kids need to dress in layers when coming to school. You never know what to expect!

Word Study - On Friday, your child should have gotten a set of words to study for spelling. All reading classes started this work on Friday and the first final test will be Thursday. Look for new words to come home every Friday.

PLTW - The class continues to work on their robots and face new challenges. This week we will be working on checking materials and making plans for the next steps. Check the pictures page for more videos from class.

Conferences - These will begin this week on Wednesday and Thursday. I will send a reminder home with your child. Please have your child attend if possible.

Permission to publish - Some families still need to complete this portion of the Infosnap form. If your child has mentioned this to you, please click on the link below and complete this form. Your child's art work or other work can not be used if this is not completed.

https://secure.infosnap.com/family/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2ffamily%2finvitation.aspx

Here's a PERK (Parent Education and Resource Knowledge) for you...

Did you know October is National Bullying Prevention Month? Check out this site for some helpful hints for parents: Stop bullying

Week 6 - October 12 - 16

Math - We have started Unit 2. You should have received the Family Letter. There continues to be nightly homework. Many students have made progress in Xtramath. There is not always time to do this at school so if it is possible, please allow your child to do this at home if it has not been done at school.

Conferences - These will be starting next week. I will send home reminders ahead of time. If your child is able, please have him or her attend the conference with you. It's a great time to look over and set goals.

PLTW - The class has been making great progress on their robots! They are working on completing challenges and making changes to the basic model. Below is an example of how the students use the ipads to follow instructions when making the robots.

Family Movie Night - This Friday from 5:30 - 8pm at the Bryant Gym.

Class needs - We are in need of thin Expo markers (for individual work), tissues, and Clorax wipes. Thank you for everyone who has already sent in items! 

Week 5 - October 5 - 9

Unit 1 test - The students will be taking the Unit 1 math test on Tuesday and Wednesday. We have been working on rectangular prisms, finding volume of three dimensional figures, and solving equations with parenthesis. It is very important that students are able to clearly explain their thinking as part of their math assessments.

PLTW - The students have started to build their robots! Be sure to ask about this.

Camp is coming! If you still have questions about camp after the informational meeting please feel free to contact me. I'm happy to answer them.

Count Day! Count day is this Wednesday. Please be sure that your child is at school on time and for the full day. This is an important day for our school.

Week 4 - September 28 - October 2

Project Lead The Way - We are well underway with PLTW! The students have been working well with their partners, planning designs, researching robots, and getting ready for the next steps. Be sure to ask your child about what they are creating. We are working on this every day so there should always be something new.






Camp Packets - You should have received this packet on Friday. There is a lot of information included but often parents have questions. On Monday, October 5th at 6pm there will be a camp information meeting in the cafeteria.

Conferences - If you were unable to attend Curriculum Night you should have received a notice about available conference times. Please check your top 2 choices. I will fill in slots as the papers are returned.

Picture Day - This Thursday! You can send in orders or do your ordering online.

Math Work - We have been studying the difference between area and volume. The students have been working with 2D and 3D shapes and discovering ways in which these can be measured. Your child should be working on Xtramath if we have not had time to work on it during the day. They can also use their Connect Ed math account to play and practice games.

Book Orders - Look for a paper copy Scholastic Book Orders to come home. You can also access the orders by clicking on the link on this page and ordering directly online.


Here's a PERK (Parent Education and Resource Knowledge) for you...


25 Ways To Ask "How Was School Today?"
#1.  What was the best thing that happened at school today?  (What was the worst thing that happened at school today?)
#2.  Tell me something that made you laugh today.
#3.  If you could choose who would you like to sit by in class?  (Who would you NOT want to sit by in class?  Why?)
#4.  Where is the coolest place at the school?
#5.  Tell me a weird word that you heard today.  (Or something weird that someone said.)
#6.  If I called your teacher tonight what would she tell me about you?
#7.  How did you help somebody today?
#8.  How did somebody help you today?
#9.  Tell me one thing that you learned today.
#10.  When were you the happiest today?
#11.  When were you bored today?
#12.  If an alien spaceship came to your class and beamed up someone who would you want them to take?
#13.  Who would you like to play with at recess that you’ve never played with before?
#14.  Tell me something good that happened today.
#15.  What word did your teacher say most today?
#16.  What do you think you should do/learn more of at school?
#17.  What do you think you should do/learn less of at school?
#18.  Who in your class do you think you could be nicer to?
#19.  Where do you play the most at recess?
#20.  Who is the funniest person in your class?  Why is he/she so funny?
#21.  What was your favorite part of lunch?
#22.  If you got to be the teacher tomorrow what would you do?
#23.  Is there anyone in your class that needs a time out?
#24.  If you could switch seats with anyone in the class who would you trade with?  Why?
#25.  Tell me about three different times you used your pencil today at school.

Week 3 - September 21 - 25

Curriculum Night is here!
Be sure to come to Curriculum Night to hear about what will happen in 5th grade this year. The evening begins at 6:30pm in the cafeteria. Come up to room A-8 at 7:00pm to hear about the year, sign up for conferences, and check out some of your child's work. At 7:30pm visit with the Special Area teachers.



Conference Nights - Conferences will be held on Wednesday, October 21; Thursday, October 22; Tuesday, October 27; and Thursday, October 29. Conferences are 25 minutes long and will begin at 4:15pm each day. Please check your calendars ahead of time and have a couple of options for signing up.

PLTW - Project Lead The Way is beginning on Monday, September 21. Our schedule will change slightly from now until the week of November 9. This allows us to experience this new hands on science program. Be sure to ask your child about what they have done this week.

Items we need: 
- tissues
- disinfectant wipes
- Expo cleaner for the white board
- thin expo markers for individual student use
Thank you to everyone who has donated items to the classroom already. It is truly appreciated!

Week 2 - September 14 - 18

Curriculum Night is coming! Please be sure to join us on Monday, September 21 from 6:30 - 8pm. You will get a chance to meet teachers, find out about what happens in fifth grade, and learn about camp.




NWEA - It's already time to start the testing. We will be in the computer lab on Tuesday, September 15 at 9 a.m. for NWEA math and on Wednesday, September 16 at 9 a.m. for NWEA reading. Please help your child be successful by making sure they get some sleep the night before and have something to eat before coming to school in the morning.


Science - We have started our first science unit - ENERGY! We will work on this for this week and then transition into our Project Lead The Way work. The fifth graders will be working on building robots and programming them. Below are some pictures from the beginning of our first science unit.

Week 1 - September 8-11

Welcome to Mrs. Embry's fifth grade class!

I'm very excited to start a new school year at Pattengill. I'm looking forward to a year of learning and growing for all of my students. Please be sure to visit this page for updates, information on the classroom and the school, and resources that could be helpful. 

Curriculum Night

September 21 is Curriculum Night. Look for more information to come home about this.

Registration Forms On Line

If you have not had an opportunity to fill out the on line registration for your child, please do so as soon as possible. This is replacing the many forms that we used to send home on the first day of school. 

ELMAC Intern

My class will be joined this year by Jazmin Birdsong. She is an intern with the University of Michigan. Read more about Ms. Birdsong in the opening day letter.

Week 37

This time of year is always bittersweet. Everyone is excited about the end of the year but we know we will be missing each other. Over the next week I will try to post more pictures from the year and different events.

Monday - Buhr Pool - Please remember to bring a sack lunch, drink, towel, swimsuit, and sun screen. We will be walking to the pool so students should be sure to have comfortable shoes.

Tuesday - DQ - Students will be allowed to purchase one item at Dairy Queen. We will be walking so students should be sure to wear comfortable shoes.

Wednesday - Rolling HIlls - We will be leaving for the pool around 9:30 and returning by 2:30pm. Please remember that students need a sack lunch, drink, towel, swimsuit, sunscreen, and money if they want to purchase a snack. Students can bring quarters to use a locker if they choose.

Thursday - Game Day/Promotion - Students will be allowed to bring in hand held games to play in the classroom. Please remember that if they choose to bring them in, they are responsible for them.

The promotion ceremony will be in the cafeteria beginning at 2pm. There will be a small reception in the gymnasium after. Your child may go home with you or ride the bus. Please let us know if you will be taking your child before you leave with him or her.

Friday is the last day of school. School dismissal is at 11:51 am

Week 36

It's hard to believe that there are only 2 weeks left! There are many events coming up. Please refer to "Important Dates" for all activities.

Thank you! Our Greenfield Village field trip was a success. Thank you to the parents who volunteered to chaperone and everyone who donated $1 or more for the driver.

Baby Pictures - If you have not sent in or emailed a baby picture it isn't too late! Please send them in to me ASAP so they can be part of the final collage and DVD.



Students need to make sure that by this Friday they have accounted or paid for the following:

History Alive Book
Math Student Reference Book
Calculator
Math Template
Scissors

You should have received a list of the cost for each item. Thank you for people who have already taken care of this.

There are a few summer learning opportunities for students. I will post and update links as I find more. Your child can continue to work on Xtramath over the summer. If they pass an objective I will update it periodically.


Tenmarks Summer Math

Barnes and Noble summer reading

Week 34

Baby Pictures - Please send in a baby picture (or copy of one) of your child. We will be using these as a display after the fifth grade promotion ceremony. The pictures should be 4x6 or around that size so that we can fit the whole class on one display board.

Promotion donations - If you are able to, please donate money or sharpies to our fifth grade promotion ceremony. A note was sent home about this. If you did not receive this, please ask your child to get another. We need these as soon as possible.

Field Day - Friday, May 22 is Field Day at Pattengill in the afternoon.

Greenfield Village Field Trip - Friday, May 29th. Please look for note and field trip form to come home this week. We will leave at 9:10 and return by 3:10.

Health Unit - The following are the dates for out health unit. You should have received a message via School Messenger about this. May 28 (afternoon), June 2 & 4 (afternoon), June 3 & 5 (morning).


Target opportunity - We received an email about an opportunity for our school to earn money. Click on the link below, follow the directions, and our school can get $25 for each note written. 
Target thank you

Week 33
I hope everyone was able to enjoy the weekend. The temperature continues to fluctuate so be sure to have your child bring water when it's going to be hot.

Baby Pictures - Please send in a baby picture (or copy of one) of your child. We will be using these as a display after the fifth grade promotion ceremony. The pictures should be 4x6 or around that size so that we can fit the whole class on one display board.

Promotion donations - If you are able to, please donate money or sharpies to our fifth grade promotion ceremony. A note was sent home about this. If you did not receive this, please ask your child to get another.

NWEA - We are almost done. A few students need to do the make up test this week. You will get final reports on this information with your student's report card at the end of the year.

Tappan Visit - The Tappan visit is this Wednesday. We will return to school in time for lunch.

Instrumental Concert - The evening concert is Monday, May 11. Students are expected to be at school by 5:40pm. The concert begins at 6:30 pm. The daytime concert is Wednesday, May 13 at 2pm.

Ice Cream Social - Friday, May 15 is the Ice Cream Social at Pattengill. It is from 6:30 - 8:30. Please join us for some fun!

Advanced Placement Math Test - Monday, May 18 at 9 am.

Field Day - Friday, May 22 is Field Day at Pattengill.

Greenfield Village Field Trip - Friday, May 29th. Please look for note and field trip form to come home this week.

Week 32

I hope everyone had a chance to enjoy the lovely spring weather over the weekend. As the weather gets warmer please remember that students may want to wear sandals to school but should pack a pair of gym shoes to change in to for PE or recess.

NWEA - The students have taken their math portion. The reading test is this Friday, May 8th at 9am. We are almost done!

Instrumental Music - The evening performance will be Monday, May 11 at 6:30pm. The daytime performance will be Wednesday, May 13 at 2pm.

Thank you - To everyone who contributed something to Ms. Kang's last day as our UM intern. She was a special teacher to have in the class and we will miss her!

Tappan Visit - The fifth graders will be visiting Tappan on Wednesday, May 13 at 9am. We will return to Pattengill before lunch. The students will get an opportunity to walk around the school, meet some teachers, visit some classrooms, and ask questions.

Greenfield Village Visit - We will be visiting Greenfield Village on Friday, May 29th. A note about this trip will be sent home along with a permission slip. Please let me know if you have a membership that your child can use or if you are interested in chaperoning this trip. Thanks to the Michigan Youth Arts Grant for helping us pay for the bus!

Be sure to check out "Important Dates"

Week 30

M-STEP
This week we will be working on our math, social studies, and language arts M-STEP. The students worked very hard last week, made it through a difficult beginning, and helped solve many problems. This week should go much more smoothly. Thank you to everyone who sent in snacks.

Did you know that holding a "power pose" for 2 minutes can boost the hormone levels that make you feel less stressed and feel more confident? Here are a few pictures of the class doing this before the M-STEP! We chose from 3 poses. Ask your child to show you!

 









Day of Service
Wednesday morning (weather permitting) our class will be cleaning debris behind and beside the A-Wing. We will also be planting flowers. Your child can bring in garden gloves to wear for this Earth Day activity. Our time is from 9 - 10.

Donations
If possible please donate to our school wide Ice Cream Social fund. The money goes towards great prizes that you can bid on and fun activities for the whole family!

Be sure to check the "Important Dates" tab...

Week 29

M-STEP is here. The fifth graders will be taking the M-STEP test for the next few weeks. We have been practicing using the tools and understanding the new format of this online test. The fifth graders will be taking the language arts, math, and social studies portion. You should have received a color calendar of the dates that we will be testing. Please try to avoid any appointments during these times. Students who have a had plenty of rest and are fed will have a better chance of performing well on this test. 


If you are able to provide a small snack for the class, please send it in with your child or drop it off at the office. We will be testing full mornings or full afternoons with a short break in between tests. It will be helpful for students to have a small snack and something to drink during these break times.

Yearbook and Spring Pictures
Order forms are due for these as soon as possible. Pattengill spring pictures are on Thursday, April 16th.

Greenfield Village/Henry Ford Museum
Mrs. Embry and Mr. Hatt's classes will be taking a field trip to the Village or Museum (if it rains) at the end of May. More information to come...

Week 23

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a chance to rest up at least a bit over the mid-winter break. Spring break is about 6 weeks away and we have a lot to do between now and then. Please be sure to remind your child to read 30 minutes daily, complete all math homework, practice Xtramath (if they are still on the program) and practice M-Step.

M-Step is the replacement test for the MEAP. The Michigan Department of Education has recently uploaded a practice version that allows students to choose the grade level and test (Language Arts or math for fifth grade) to practice. There is a link to this on the right side of this page. The username and password are displayed for your child to type in. Practicing on this ahead of time will make taking the test less anxiety ridden and easier (hopefully) for to focus. You must use Google Chrome when working on the practice M-Step.

Read-A-Thon will begin this Friday, February 27. Your child will be bringing home information about this. Students at Pattengill can turn in one raffle ticket for every 1/2 hour that is read away from school. The last day to turn in raffle tickets will be the morning of Wednesday, March 11th. Forms for Read-A-Thon will be available on the school website no later than Wednesday, February 25th.

Science Fair is Thursday, February 26th from 6 - 7:30. Students should bring in their projects Thursday morning. They will be set up in the gym and each class will have an opportunity to walk through and look at projects. All students should be prepared to take home projects after the science fair evening event. If you are unable to attend the science fair your child can pick up their project on Friday from the classroom.

Week 22

Parent Orientation for Tappan has been cancelled until further notice. 

Dear All,

With my most sincere apology, I am writing to tell you that Tappan is having to reschedule the Incoming Sixth Grade Parent Orientation.  It will NOT be taking place on February 10th as first indicated (due to conflicts).

Please let your parents know and I will get back to you with some more date options once our principals make that decision.

Again, I apologize for the inconvenience and confusion.  I'll be in touch soon!

Marilyn K. Marion
Office Professional
Tappan Middle School
(734) 994-2012

Mid-Winter break: February 16 - 20

Science Fair: February 26, 6 - 7:30

Students should be working on their science fair projects as well as their biographies. Final biography presentations will begin the first week of March! The students have all of the information they need to be working on their biographies. 

MLK video

Week 17

Happy New Year!!

Science Fair: Students have chosen to work either alone or with a partner. They should have an experiment chosen and be working on it. We will have some time in the classroom to work on this and I will be available at lunch times to help students. This is a 5th grade requirement and must be completed on time.

Math: We will be doing some review for Unit 5 and completing this. Students need to be able to convert between mixed numbers and improper fractions. They also need to understand how to convert a decimal to a fraction to a percentage.

Reading: Our new main unit of study this month will be myths and legends. Students will listen to read alouds as well as read texts during guided reading to learn the difference between these two genre.

MLK Jr. Day: There will be an assembly on January 16 to honor Martin Luther King Jr. Our class is putting together a video presentation of his life. I will post the video to the blog when it is complete. Be sure to ask your child what part he or she did to contribute to the project.


Winter Survival!!!

It's time for Winter Survival. Our trip will be Friday, January 16th from 9am - 2pm. We are in need of parent chaperones to accompany us on this trip. Your most important job on this trip would be to make sure the students stay safe at their fire. Students are encouraged and expected to gather the wood, build a fire, and cook their own food. Please contact me via email (embry@aaps.k12.mi.us) if you are interested in attending this trip.

NWEA Testing is coming: We have two winter dates for this testing. Our reading test will be Friday, January 23 at 9am. Our math time will be Tuesday, January 27 at 10 am. Please be sure that your child is at school on time these days. Make up times will be available but best if we can avoid them.

NO School: Monday, January 19 - MLK, Jr. Day
No School: Monday, January 26 - PD Day