Mr. Shahriari’s blog

Do not forget to study for your history and science  tests and for wordly wise spelling. 

 Math class:  if you did not finish the assigned pages in class, finish them at home.  The first to pages of the unit 7 packet front and back.

For those of you who wish to watch “We shall reamin” at home, here is the web site.  Just remembe parts of it are harsh and a little violent, but historically accurate. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/weshallremain/the_films/episode_3_trailer

You should have note on pages 338 – 387  You read these sections last week and we will review the important material tomorrow.  Test will be postponed until next Monday because so many of you seem a little behind.  START STUDYING NOW.  If you have questions, write them down, bring them to school and ask.

Today, I showed you the upcoming social studies test on the smart board and I asked you to study your social studies book so that you know the answers to the questions we reviewed.  The test will be on Thursday. 

If you did not finish the reading packets during reading time, finish them tonight please.  

I was disappointed that so many of you chose to talk during reading time and so did not finish the work.  Please try to remain focused so that you don’t add unfinished classwork to your homework. 

Please discuss cost benefit analysis, opportunity cost, and risk and reward analysis with your parents so they can know these important concepts in economics. 

Always read at night.  It is important not just to improve your reading, but research also shows that it will help you sleep better. 

DON’T FORGET ROSETTA STONE AND WORDLY WISE.

I apologize for the long lapse in updates.  We have had a lot of turmoil, occasioned by illness and death,  in my family and my attention has been elsewhere. I now hope to get back on a schedule of regular updates. 

Here is what we are doing in our various subjects. 

Math:  My math class has been working on a survey and data analysis project in which they have created a survey on a topic of their choice, sorted, analyzed, and graphed the data collected using MS Excel, which I have been teaching since the year’s start, and they are now in the process of creating presentations of their results using any one of a number of modalities, including Powerpoint and presentation boards.  In addition students were shown how to conduct surveys using SurveyMonkey.com, and many have had fantastic results.  Ask your child about this. 

Science:  We have finished our unit on forms of energy and now are learning about the sources of energy.  This is a particularly fun topic for students here in the world’s energy capital.  We will learn about all forms of renewable and non-renewable energy with an emphasis on petroleum.   I combine the teaching of this subject with Economics, with is tested on the Stanford exam, but not a TEK.  Frankly, I think this is a critical area in which Texas standards fall short.  Thus far, we have had an overview of sources, and in dept discussions on the following economic concepts:  Resources, Needs vs. Wants, and Cost-Benefit Analysis including the notion of Opportunity Costs.  Please ask your child to explain these concepts and let me know if they can do so.

We have learned about fossil fuels and will, in that context learn about Supply and Demand and Risk vs. Reward.  We will then move on to renewable resources.

In social studies, we have finished a unit on government which looked at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.  Emphasis here was on Seperation of Powers, Checks and Balances, the Legislative Process and the words of the Bill of Rights.  If you are inclined, read some of the constitution with your child and discuss its provisions.

In reading we have been concentrating on learning how to pull the main idea from text and summarizing.

March 27 4th Writing – day 1, 5th Math

March 28 4th Writing – Day 2, 5thReading

April 24 3rd and 4th Math

April 25 3rd and 4th Reading

April 26 5th Science

 May 7 -11 Stanford

On Wednesday evening, students will present the results of their exhibition work. 

Students should arrive to Roberts at 5:30pm to set up for Exhibition.  They should dress professionally, nice button down shirt, slacks, nice shoes at a minimum.  At 6:00pm, everyone will report to the CAFÉ to view a video about the Exhibition process.  Students will present from 6:15-7:00.  

Parents and visitors are encouraged to roam through the hallways to view many  presentations.

I guess because of Exhibition, some students have neglected two major items that will negatively affect their reading, writing, and science grades. 

First many students did not do a major science writing project which was started in class way back in late October and which was due over a week ago.  This is to write the Story of Bob the Ice Cube.  I provided detailed instructions along with a science and writing rubrics.  Many students have not turned in this assignment and some of those who have clearly did not read the rubrics by which their grade was determined.  Grade must be in by Friday.  PLEASE BE SURE YOUR CHILD HAS TURNED IT IN.  I will not be able to accept any more papers after Wednesday as it takes a lot of time to grade and enter the grades. 

Second, we have a weekly vocabulary assignment that it to be done in class, or while reading at home.  Students are to write down vocabulary words they come across in their vocabulary notebook then look up the definitions and write them down with an illustration showing the meaning.  Many students have done this consistently and so have earned easy A’s for this.  Many have not.  The grading is as follows:  <8 word = F (50),  9 = D 70, 10 = C, 11 = B- (82) 12 = B (85,)  13 = B+ (88) 14 = A- (92) 15 = A (95)  16 = A+ (100)  >16 = 101-105 depending on number of bonus words. 

 I will be taking grades for the following weeks: 10-24, 10-31, 11-7, 11- 14, and 11-28.  I will be flexible if they have words from other weeks and will attribute them toward and average weekly word count to cover missing weeks.

PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR CHILD ABOUT THESE ASSIGNMENTS.

Thank You.

                    IF YOUR CHILD WILL NEED MEDICATION

You must send it in the original medicine bottle with the prescription bottle.

 NO MEDICATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED THAT ARE NOT IN THE ORIGINAL LABELED PERSCRIPTION BOTTLE.

 Place all medications into a plastic zip lock bag. 

Make sure the bag is labeled with your child’s FIRST AND LAST NAME, HOMEROOM TEACHER’S NAME, and YOUR EMERGENCY CONTACT NUMBER. 

YOU (THE PARENT) MUST BRING THE BAG WITH ALL MEDICATIONS INSIDE TO NURSE FELDER PRIOR TO TUESDAY AT 8:00 AM. 

She will take it from there. 

 We still need Chaperones

We need help on the trips up to and back fromCampOlympia.  Not to stay.  If you can accompany us on the trip up to camp on Tuesday or on the return trip from camp on Friday, we can use your help.  Contact your child’s teacher for more information.

For detailed Instructions on what to bring look at the top of this blog for the page called “Camp Olympia Parent Information.”

We are not going to be assigning homework from now until after the new year.  This is so that you can spend time with your family talking, playing games and reading.  To help you get the family fun ball rolling, here are some discussion starters that you can use to open discussion time at dinner or wherever.  Have fun learning about each other. 

Focus on Family

Talking at the dinner table is an important part of family life.  These kinds of moments not only build relationships, but research suggests that family dinner conversations have a lot to do with building language skills and the ability to think critically.

These questions can help your family get started having “real conversations.” Kids are curious about what parents think, so make sure to share your thoughts as well.

1. Tell me the five best things about you.
2. What does the word “success” mean to you?
3. If you could tell me never to serve two vegetables again, which two would you choose?
4. Tell me who you think are the three greatest musicians in the world? Why?
5. What are the qualities that make a good friend?
6. What does it mean to be open-minded?
7. Who do you know that has strong principles?
8. Which of your friends do you think I like the most? Why?
9. What would be the ideal allowance?  How would you use it?
10. Name 2 things we should do as a family on the weekend.
11. If you were going to have a weird unusual pet, what would it be? Why would you want this pet?
12. What have you done, in school or sports or anywhere, which you are especially proud of?
13. What is the grossest thing you can think of?
14. What would you do if you were invisible for a day?
15. If you could have picked your own name what would it be?
16. Which is your favorite cartoon character?
17. Which character in a book best describes who you are?
18. If you were granted 3 wishes from a genie what would you wish?
19. If you could keep your room anyway you wanted, how would it look?
20. What do you think is beyond the stars?
21. What is the most enjoyable thing our family has done together in the last 3 years?
22. True or False – Dalmatians are born without spots.
23. How far can large kangaroos cover with each jump?
24. What color toothbrushes do most people use?
25. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but what never stops growing?
26. What sport (that you haven’t tired) do you think you would be good at? Why?
27. 20 questions….think of an object, an animal, or thing and have your family guess what it is…they can only ask yes/no questions.
28. What was your “high” for today?
29. What’s your favorite season?
30. How long does it take for a red blood cell to circle the whole body?
31. What kids are popular in your grade? What do you think makes a person popular?
32. If you knew a friend of yours had stolen something, what would you do about it?
33. If there anything you pretend to understand, but you really don’t? What is it?
34. If you could have one of the following two things which would it be and why? Trust or love.
35.  Why do we park on a driveway and drive on a parkway?
36. Make a rhyme using a name or species of an animal. For example, you might say, “I think mice are nice” or “There’s a cat in the hat.”
37. Pretend you are a patient in an operating room and you hear noises and conversation. Say what you would like to hear or what you would not like to hear. You must begin each response with “I would like to hear . . .” or “I would not like to hear . . . .”
38. What was the best thing that happened to you today?
39. What are 3 questions that you asked today?
40. What do you want to be when you grow up?

This is bad.  Please have it on Monday or you will get a 50.