September and October Edition

Gallardo Gazette
September and October Edition

Written and edited by the students in Room 2
 
Current Curriculum Topics
 
Math- Number and Operations in with Multiplication and Division
Science- Ecosystems
Reading- Researching Debatable Issues
 Writing – Argument Writing (Researching Debatable Issues)
Serious Talk- Understand Our Identity

 

Math
By: Brendan and Borneil
 
This year so far we have done lots of exciting things in math. Like making figure me out posters, practicing multiplication with arrays, math games, and decimals!!
We spent the first week learning about our Math Mindset. We learned about how our brains learn. Each day we had different math puzzle or challenge to tryout. Our favorite was the cube challenge!
 
Math Workshop
Every day in math, we have a lesson altogether were we learn about a new topic or strategy, then we break in partners or groups for centers. Some days centers are math games, independent journal work, or Xtra Math (computer game). We also do a challenge choice some days to help us think critically and problem solve. These problems can sometimes take 2 or 3 days to solve!
Figure me out posters
The figure me posters were the first math project we did this year. We made math problems that the answers related to stuff in our lives. Then we drew a picture of ourselves in the middle of the poster then you have to… figure me out!
Math Games
This year we have done multiple math games. The math games we have done this year are, multiplication top it, factor captor, multiplication race, and name that number.
It was an awesome month in math. We got to do lots of things including figure me out posters, multiplication, decimals, and math games.
 
Reader’s Workshop
By: Rylee & Ella
 
    This year we have learned lots in Reader’s Workshop. We have learned to take charge of our reading life. Which means that we have to set reasonable goals for ourselves and make sure that we continue to learn.
Another example of what we’ve learned so far is about different types of jots. One kind of jot is a theme or life lesson. For example, if there is repeating symbols we can make big ideas which can lead us to a few themes or life lessons. A way we could find themes and life lessons in the middle of the book or in the end.
 
      In read aloud, we are reading the book: Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. We have looked at the book to practice to finding themes, symbols, the author’s use of figurative language and making debatable topics. For example, “Is Ganwar a good influence or is he a bad influence on Kek (the main character). We practiced taking different sides of the argument by finding evidence from the book.
    Another thing we are doing in Reader’s Workshop are book clubs. In book clubs, we write and discuss about our book and come up with bigger ideas by adding on to each other. The books we have been reading are called: Amina’s Voice, Inside out and Back Again, Wishtree and Mrs. Bixby’s Last Day. Most of the groups have finished their books and starting new books.
This is what we have been doing in Reader’s workshop.
 
 
Writer’s Workshop
By: Justin & Benjamin
 
         Have you ever stared at a blank piece of paper and don’t know what to do? Well, this week in Writer’s Workshop, we’ve been writing small moment stories, (Personal Narratives) about an important time in our lives. Ms. Gallardo teaching us to write with more detail, each day we get around 30 minutes to write. Sometimes we draft, revise, or edit.
     A strategy that we’ve been using is to make relive the story with us (Envision it). To plan out our writing, we use story mountains that help us map out our stories. Also, when we write, we want our readers to see our moment with us, we want to show not tell. We also want to elaborate on important parts by adding internal thinking, actions, and dialogue. In addition, we want to show the reader a life lesson, that tie to the big meaning. Sometimes we even read other authors’ writing to get ideas, for example, we read the story “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros, and we used ideas from her story to put into our stories. We hope to share with you some of our amazing personal narratives soon!
 
 
Social Studies
By: Breana and Carli-Enna
 
        Do you ever wonder what happens in 5th grade social studies? If you wondered keep on reading even if you haven’t you can learn something new. So far what we have learned about the Constitution of the United States. Did you know it was created almost 300 years ago and James Madison and George Washington were involved?  
         Anyways let’s get back on track!  First, let’s talk about the Constitution. Since we were learning about the Constitution, we made our own constitution for our classroom, these are classroom rules. We created the rules all together in order have the best year possible. We all signed it like they signed the Constitution.
Also, we learned about a part of the Constitution, the Bill of Rights. These are different. It was fun because we did groups and made up another way to say amendments that had really huge words and make them into posters. Each pair taught the class what our amendments means, showed a picture and definition of the amendment and they would go in front of the class why the people watching write about what we learn.

Recess
By Aidan and Vatan
Have you seen our new playground.!? There are new swings, a big new play structure it is the best. On the new playground there are drums and a color circle that you can turn, and a rope wall. There is a steep slide more monkey bars no more wiggly bridge but it was moved to a new location. There also a spiderweb. You can climb up the ropes and jump down. And there is a tire swing that is a lot of people's favorite. But in my opinion the new roller slide is the best. There is also a new bar for us to climb on there is another wired zipline where you hold onto a black circle thing and you walk on a wire.
Come check out our new playground, we think you will have a blast!
 
Specialist
By: Sarah
 
We’ve been doing many things in specialists. On Mondays, we have art. In art we did drawing with markers to make shapes. We also made a splotch of paint into a picture I made one into a treehouse.
On Tuesdays, we have gym. In gym we’ve been doing teamwork exercises. One example is called lifeboats. You are put into a team with a little wheelie, a rope, and the choice of a big or small paddle, you have to get your whole team to the other side of the gym. There is an island in the middle you can stop at if you want.
We have chorus on Wednesdays. Chorus is new I’ve never done it before. We just started to sing one song and a warm up song. The warm up song has three versus and the song we learned is called shake the papaya down, we just learned a new song we didn’t sing  
 
 
Leadership
  By Noor
 
      The year in leadership we have been busy bees. So far we have been going to leadership seminars with the entire 5th grade. During the seminar, we talk about being a 5th grade leader and what makes a good leader. Like following directions, the first time and being role models for the younger grades. Also in leadership we got put into groups with different teachers there are like 7 students in each group.  Every time we go to leadership we get into those groups and do the activity. We even learned a cool leadership song at the end of leadership and we sing it every time at the end of leadership.
    As part of 5th grade leadership some students decided to write letters to Ms. Gallardo to go in the raffle for student council. 4 people got picked. 2 from today to February and 2 for the rest of the year (the Fall shift and summer shift). The student council will come to each classroom and announce the school activities like spirit day and stuffed animal day! The student council picks when the fun days are like they pick the date for spirit days and crazy hair day! So anyway we have been super-duper busy in leadership.


*Written and Edited by the Students in Room 2