ANNOUNCEMENT FOR Beginner band students: There will be no band on Monday 10/31/11.

ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS! Our New Language Arts Unit

We are in the second full week of our Animal Encounter's themed Language Arts Unit. Students are applying their inquisitiveness and passion for animals to the learning in class so well.

We have discovered that giraffes' tongues can be as long as 21 inches. Mosquitos do, indeed have teeth! Many amphibian species are threatened. Cheetah's can run up to 70 mph!

Yes, animals amaze us and we are marveling at their size, speed, characteristics and habits. However, we are going much deeper to discover the ways in which humans and animals have an interdependent relationship as well as a layered relationship.

How are animals and their future changing because of human impacts?

How do we depend on animals in our lives?

How do animals depend on each other?

What responsibilities do humans have to take care of animals?

These are some of the questions that have guided and will continue to guide critical thinking discussions, debates and responses from students.

We will read some non-fiction pieces from our Houghton-Mifflon series, current news articles from a variety of sources and students will do mini-research projects using online media.

This will all build to provide them with the tools to start their own inquiry projects. Students will research the question of their choice and spend their time and literacy skills, creating a way to present the information and their research, to the class.

Iowa Tests This Week

Here at Hoover, there are pencils circling small strokes to fill in tiny dots, stacks of test booklets and tasty snacks asking to be eaten on the back table. Yes...it is Iowa Test time. In the morning, we focus on the Iowa Tests and in the afternoon, we fill the time with Math, Language Arts and smaller sessions of science and social studies.

Students finished their Heroes and Adversity persuasive essays last week and this week, they will be reading them to the class. I am proud of students' efforts and applaud their creativity, voice and detail within their writing. It is clear that students are feeling more comfortable giving rationale and specific examples for their opinions.

Starting next week, in Language Arts, we will begin our Animal Encounters / Pets unit.

This Friday is a regular schedule. However, if your student missed a day or more this week, this will be a day for them to make up some Iowa Tests.


**A big THANK YOU to parents for providing snacks for students to enjoy! They look forward to the time they can enjoy a treat and visit with each other before concentrating on a new test.

***NOTE ABOUT HOMEWORK: During Iowa Test week, there is no homework assigned. Of course, students are welcome to embrace their choice reading books, creative writing stories and other challenges, but nothing is assigned. So...if planners seem to be a bit blank, don't fret! :)

Have a wonderful week.

Go Hoover Hawks!

~Ms. Dobyns

Iowa Tests next week

Iowa Tests are administered starting next week. Students will take the tests Monday, October 10th - Thursday, October 14th.

Today, in class we had a wonderful discussion about our feelings about the tests. Students expressed excitement, concern, worry, hesitation and motivation.

From these opinions, students elaborated about what causes them to feel this way about tests. By sharing our own opinions and feelings, students were able to find that they had common questions and concerns. We discussed how these tests are but one piece of a large puzzle - that many assessments are given over the course of their year and during their life and that none of them define them as learners or people.

Tomorrow (Thursday), Students and I will go over a mini-practice version of the test just so they can feel comfortable with the format. This will be given only to assuage concerns and go over any questions they may have. I like to equip students with strategies for taking breaks, staying calm and comfortable, problem solving, re-reading and other comprehension advice.

The expectations we have for them are the same that we have every day at school. That they bring an open mind, energy and spirit to do their best and put their best foot forward.

Let me know if you have any questions. Since our schedule changes for a week, I've included changes below in case you have any conflicts, questions about snacks, etc.






Schedule for Room 12 – Ms. Dobyns

Monday
8:45 Set up test booklets
9:15 Reading Part I 30 Min
9:45 Reading Part II 30 Min
10:15 Snack
10:30 Language Arts
11:05 Lunch/Recess
11:40 Math
12:40 Social Studies
1:20 Science
2:05 P.E. / Music
3:00 Dismiss

Tuesday
8:45 Written Expression 40 Min
9:30 Math Part I 30 Min
10:00 Snack
10:20 Math Part II 30 min
11:00 Lunch/Recess
11:40 Math
12:40 Language Arts
2:05 Guidance
2:30 Media
3:00 Dismiss

Wednesday
8:45 Science 35 min.
9:20 Social Studies 35 min
10:00 Snack
10:20 Tryout Testing
11:00 Lunch/Recess
11:40 Math
12:25 PE
12:50 Language Arts
2:05 Art
3:00 Dismis

Thursday
(Early Release at 2:00)
8:45 Misc. LA-Vocab,
Spelling, Punctuation,
Capitalization 45 Min
9:30 Math Comp. 20 Min 10:00 Snack
10:20 Language Arts
11:00 Lunch/Recess
11:40 Math
12:15 PE
12:40 Language Arts
2:00 Dismiss

Friday (IA Makeup Day)

Regular class schedule applies. Students who were absent during the week will be pulled from class to take make up tests.

FIELD TRIP - TORCH RUN! Send In Permission Forms

All fifth and sixth graders at Hoover will be joining Longfellow in a torch run.

Hoover students are doing a torch run with Longfellow students before the Run for the Schools event on Wednesday, Oct. 5th. Their 5th/6th graders will run/walk a torch to Creekside park where they will hand off to us. We are hoping to do a quick activity with them as well before heading the torch back to Hoover. We would leave here at 1:15. It will take close to an hour and we will be back to Hoover around 2:15.

Parents are welcome to join in the run! Please email me if you are thinking of attending and I will let you know how you can help students.

***Please sign the permission form if you will allow your student to participate, and send it back with them tomorrow. Thank you!