2nd Nine Weeks Is DONE..........Now Onward We Go!

Well half of the school year is over and we are heading into the second half of it! With that comes LOTS and LOTS of SOL Test Prep! We have a lot of Math left to cover and there are many weak areas that students need to practice and work on outside of the classroom. After school tutoring has begun and soon in school tutoring will also go on during Activity Time. Please encourage students to study EVERY night and to READ EVERY NIGHT! The best way to become better at reading is to read more and more and more and more..........The first SOL Test will be in March and will be the Writing Test. Students should be writing and writing and writing and writing........The more you write, the better you ALSO get at reading. The two skills go together and help each! Reading improves Writing and Writing improves Reading!
As for Math.........students have a MATH JOURNAL that should be coming home every single night! Papers that I send home with grades on them should be used as study materials and worked over and over to ensure that students don't lose their skills! Students are also told to see Mrs. Appleton during AR time in the mornings if they need extra help with a Math skill. So far, not many students have been coming to get help! Now is the time to prepare and learn and study and get yourselves ready for those tests! We KNOW that everyone can pass but you have to be willing to work at it! Don't disappoint yourselves! You can do it!

Math Benchmark Test TOMORROW! (Jan. 14th)

Make sure you are studying and practicing Math for the benchmark test tomorrow. It goes in the gradebook and the top 3 in each class will get special treats! The grades are turned in to Mrs. Tucker who then goes over them with our superintendent so do your BEST! Take your time and work out EVERY SINGLE problem before choosing an answer on the computer! You get ONE SHOT!!!!! Let's see some 100's!!!!!! You can do it!

The Newest Tool In Our Math Classroom!

Thank goodness for kind donors out there who have donated a HIGH VOLUME pencil sharpener to our classroom! We just got it today and it is getting the job! Just a reminder to students to take care of it.....it is the last pencil sharpener I am getting this year for the classroom and THIS ONE SHOULD LAST or you'll be on your own to get your pencils sharpened. Let's all work together to take care of this one.

A NEW YEAR Has Started! Set YOUR Goals High!!!

Welcome to 2011 and back to school!!!!! Now is the time to set your goals and think about things to come in the future. I am SURE that many of you are thinking ahead to SOL Testing and the scores you hope to make on those tests. You can't wait until the last minute to prepare. You have to start NOW! Here are some things you should be doing to get ready:
1. Do ALL of your homework and come to class ready to ask questions if you don't understand something.
2. Study your notes EVERY night! Those Math Journals should be going home with you every night so you can review the skills that you still are struggling with. Use your OLD papers that have been graded and sent home to review and practice too.
3. Schedule a time to talk to your teacher if you need some ONE-ON-ONE help with a certain skill. AR Time is 8:05-8:40 so while my homeroom students are working on AR, I am free to help students, but YOU have to let me know what you need help with and come to me to schedule a time! I am here for you!
4. Come to school ready to LEARN! Many students are not coming with that "learning attitude." We are noticing that some are coming just to socialize and play with friends. There is a time for socializing, talking, and playing but class time is NOT that time. Save your conversations for Lunch, Recess, and other free time that may come up. Use class time for asking questions, listening carefully, and doing your best on your assignments.
5. Make yourself some study aids such as flashcards, study posters, practice tests, etc. You LEARN when you DO SOMETHING with the information.....not just by looking at it. The more you work with information and use it, the better you LEARN it! Be an ACTIVE learner!!!
6. ENCOURAGE each other.....we're all one big 5th-grade Family and everyone needs encouragement and friendship. When people feel better about being at school, they LEARN better!
7. Follow directions and DO YOUR BEST......no one can MAKE you succeed. You have to choose it for yourself and WANT to be a winner! Your teachers are here to teach you, guide you, and help you. But in the end.....it's up to YOU!

Mrs. Appleton's Baby Girl

So many of my students and former students who have not seen my baby girl have asked me to please post a picture of her.......so here she is.....Miss Rebekah! We traveled to China to adopt her last April and we just love her soooooooooooooooooooo much! She is such a smart, sweet little baby!!!!!

FALL BREAK!!!!!

After 2 weeks of Intersession, it is now time for everyone to kick back and enjoy Fall Break for a week! WOOHOO! Rest up good now and be ready to learn learn learn when we come back on Monday!

Math Benchmark Test On Tuesday: September 28th

Make sure you are studying your Math Journal and practicing with any old papers that I have graded and sent home. Make sure you also get a good night's sleep and that you come to school with a winning attitude ready to work hard on every single problem! Your score will go in the gradebook AND all A's will get a sticker on the Hall of Fame and a "special" treat! I KNOW you can do it!

Picture Day: September 23rd!!!!

Just a quick reminder to everyone that picture day is Thursday, September 23, 2010. Be ready to smile pretty and look nice for your pictures!!!!

Save Those Labels From Sunny D To Earn Free Books For Our Classroom!

Hey everyone! I am collecting Sunny D labels (the UPC codes) to try to earn 20 Free Books for the classroom! If any of your families drink SunnyD, please bring the label to school. It has to be labels from the larger containers. (Excludes Proofs for 6.75, 8.0, 11.3, 12.0 oz SunnyD® bottles/cans.) Every label that is brought in will earn you 10 Team Day points!!!! I only need 20 labels so the first 20 will earn the Team Day points and the class will get to read some new books!!!!

Learn Those Multiplication Facts!!!!!!!!

We have found something that a LOT of our 5th-graders need to work on EVERY SINGLE night: MULTIPLICATION FACTS!!!!!!! There are so many skills that we do in 5th-grade and at the Middle School that REQUIRE that you KNOW your multiplication facts so we are working on a set EVERY week and taking a TIMED test of them. We have already covered 0,1,2,5,10 and 11 and taken the Quiz on those last week. Tomorrow we will be adding our 3's facts to the list and reviewing the ones already covered. At the end of learning all of the facts, we will have a BIG competition to recognize our TOP 10 Multiplication Winners in 5th-grade. Students should be memorizing the facts and be able to recall the correct answers QUICKLY!!!!!

Bring "Boxtops For Education" To School!

Remember that for every "Boxtop For Education" you bring in, our school gets 10 cents! So make sure you check the food containers that you use at home to see if you have any of these, clip them out, and bring them to class. I have a baggy hanging on the bulletin board for you to put them in.

First Day of School Is Monday!!!!

We had a wonderful time at Open House on Thursday and I met a LOT of our new 5th-graders and their parents! We are now ready to start a new year. That always means a LOT of work, but it also means we get to build our new 5th-Grade Family out in the annex building. I am looking forward to seeing all of the smiling faces of our new group bright and early on Monday morning. Be ready to learn how 5th-grade works and to get started on a new year! Students should bring their enthusiasm for learning and winning attitudes in order for us all to get off to a brand new start TOGETHER!

End of Another Year.......Beginning A New Year!

Well, the school year ended on June 18, 2010 for my wonderful group of 5th-graders and I'm sure most of them are enjoying their summer break as they prepare to go to the middle school in September. It was a whirlwind year and I will always remember this year as the one that I FINALLY became a mom! Our baby is doing GREAT and I love running into my students in town so they can see her! She loves meeting them too! The new year school year is quickly approaching!!! My teacher workdays start in a couple of weeks (July 22 and 23 and then the whole next week).
Open House is Thursday July 29th and the students start back on August 2, 2010! I always get so excited at the beginning of the school year as I wonder what my new group of students will be like! I hope they are getting excited too!

Best Wishes To My 5th Graders!

SOL Testing is approaching and I just wanted to send all of my 5th-graders a note to let them know that I am thinking about them and wishing them the best on their SOL Tests! PLEASE take your time and think about all of the questions and the answers CAREFULLY! Do not rush to finish and make sure that on the Math test you work out all of the problems. I know that you will do your very best and make us all so proud of you! This is your time to "SHOW WHAT YOU KNOW!" I will be rooting for you and thinking about you all!
Love ya!
Mrs. Appleton
(Baby Rebekah sends her best wishes too!)

Writing SOL Test Next Week!

Just a reminder to students and parents that March 2nd and 3rd are the dates for the English/Writing SOL Test! Be prepared and get plenty of rest! You need to do your very very best of these tests!
The other SOL Tests are in the Spring (May) so you need to make sure that you are studying every night, doing your homework, asking questions in class, and preparing for those!

Mrs. Appleton Is Going To Be A Mom!!!!!!

I told my class that I would share the news with them once we found out from China, but we have been out of school all of this week for snow days so I haven't seen them but here goes:
MR. and MRS Appleton were matched with their baby from China and received the news on Monday, February 1st! It's a girl!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!
I can't wait to share the news and pictures with all of you!!!!!! She's so cute!!!! So.......when we DO make it back to school we are going to take ALL of our notes for the rest of the year and get them in our Math Journals and REALLY REALLY work hard in Math before I have to go to China! Be prepared!!!!!!!
I miss all of you!!!!!! See you soon!

THIRD NINE WEEKS STARTS TODAY!

Just a friendly reminder that today is the start of third nine weeks! You have had 1/2 of the year to get used to 5th grade and now is the time to start seriously preparing for SOL Testing time and hopefully for 6th-grade. These are the things we look for:
1. Passing grades in all subjects
2. Passing scores on all SOL Tests
3. Attendance
4. Maturity (responsible behavior that proves you are mature enough to go the Middle School).
Keep this in mind! Also, remember to put your names on your papers. If you forget your name on your paper, it is now minus 10 points!!!!!

Back To School Today!

Today was our first day back from Christmas Break! WELCOME BACK everyone. NOW the work begins as we work towards SOL Testing. We have LOTS to learn so buckle down and take it all seriously. Here's what you need to do to be ready:
1. Study EVERY night! Pull out your notes and your old papers and practice!!!
2. Read at least 20 minutes EVERY night!
3. Be in school every day and PAY attention in your classes!
4. Behave and don't get distracted by others.
DO YOUR BEST!!!!!!!!!

Getting Ready To Start THE NEW YEAR! 2010!!!!!

I certainly hope that all of my students are enjoying their break. It is hard to believe that we will be going back to school next Monday. This is a CRITICAL time as we are going to be learning the rest of the material that we need to know for 5th grade and for the SOL Tests! I hope each of you are ready to commit to some hard work, lots of studying, asking questions, and getting ready for what is ahead for the rest of the school year! I hope you all are looking over your Math notes and practicing your skills that we have learned so far! BE READY!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!

We are officially on Christmas Break now! WOO HOO!!!!!! I hope all of my students have a very safe and relaxing holiday break and that they enjoy their Christmas a lot! Hope Santa is good to all of you!
Love ya!