iWrite Eco-Fiction Contest!

iWrite Eco-Fiction Contest!

Click here to download the class letter! 

Next week, students will have the opportunity to take part in the iWrite Literacy Contest!  Students will be given work time to create short stories and poems that incorporate the theme of Environmental Fiction or Eco-fiction.  Students can then submit their short story or poem online and enter the iWrite Literacy Contest.  iWrite will select 65 winners to publish in their annual anthology.  The winners will be invited to a book signing celebration in Houston, Texas.  To learn more about the contest, please visit https://iwrite.org/i-write-contest/

This is a great opportunity for our students to see their work professionally published.  The anthology will also be available at bookstores and online at Amazon.com and Barnes&Noble.com!  Being a published author at a young age is great for future resumes and applications!

We will review environmental issues such as pollution in class.  Students will also have brainstorming activities, editing opportunities, and will write their poems and short stories in class from May 21-29.  Students will have their Environmental Fiction or Eco-fiction short story due for a class composition grade at the end of class on Tuesday, May 29. Students will have their work returned on Tuesday, May 29.  Please see the attached grading rubric.  Students who would like to enter the contest will have to type their submissions and submit it at https://iwrite.org/i-write-contest/ by May 31.

We included other optional educational resources below.  We will cover some of these in class but may not get to all of them due to time restrictions. You can support your student by talking to them about what they plan to write, helping them access the games below, or discussing some of the articles.

Optional Resources:

Brainpop: Username: kimberlines Password: brainpop

·         Pollution videos on topics, such as air pollution, water pollution, waste management, humans and the environment, and water supply.

Children’s Literature:

• ·          Top Children's Books on the Environment        https://bit.ly/2DpG9SD
• ·          List of Eco-Fiction Books from eco-fiction.com       https://bit.ly/2GnVdBz
• ·         Environmental Books for Kids https://bit.ly/1F00G9n

Games:

• ·         Water Pollution  
• ·         Interactive Website “EekWorld”
• ·         Scientists in Action: 5 different Fresh Water Now Interactive Games
• ·         The Water Project – 20 Different Games

Snapshot for May 14

Click {here} to download this week's snapshot! 

Snapshot for May 14  

Here is this week's snapshot if you are unable to get the e-mails. You can download the pdf file by clicking beneath the snapshot picture. All snapshots will be available in pdf form on the "Weekly Snapshots" page {here} once they are sent out and posted!

Thank you to all of the parents who donated their time and supplies to make the STAAR Carnival such a fun experience for all of our students!  It was an amazing day and we could not have done it without you!

Next week, students take their STAAR Assessments on Monday (math) and Tuesday (reading).  Please encourage students to take their time, use their strategies, and to do their best on these assessments.  They may want to bring a jacket, a water bottle, and an extra snack.

With STAAR just around the corner, please take part in our STAAR Prep Incentive Resources. There are new resources available on BoomCards and ReadWorks.  Students know their log-in and there are directions at the end of the snapshot.  Please see the classroom blog for easy access to these resources.  Please see the optional practice links below and on portaportal.com. 

Next week, we will also start our new novel study and will break up into student-led literature circles.  We will start Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo on Wednesday.  Our goal is to cover chapters 1-8 by Friday, May 18. 

For homework, we will have our 100 minutes of at home reading assignment due on Wednesday, May 16.  We will NOT have spelling or a TFK assignment next week.  Please spend time completing one of our reading technology programs, such as Education Galaxy or I-Station, and completing the STAAR Prep Incentive Resources.

Students did a great job on their MAP End of Year Assessments last week!  Many of our students did not finish one or both of their assessments.  As soon as we know when our students will go back in to finish their assessments, we will let you know! 

Reminders:

May 14 – STAAR MATH – No Lunch Visitors

May 15- STAAR READING – No Lunch Visitors

May 16- No Lunch Visitors due to 5^th Grade STAAR Science

Helpful Links:

Spelling City: https://www.spellingcity.com/RMLittre/ 

Mrs. Fendley’s Blog: https://mrsfendleysowls.blogspot.com/

Online Resources for Skills Practice: All of our links can be found at our new PortAPortal account and on the classroom blog. 

www.portaportal.com 

Guest code: kimberlin3rd

·         STAAR Prep Incentive Program – See PortaPortal

o   ReadWorks:  Passwords are the same student password that they use for every other program.  If your student had to have their password reset, I reset the password to 1234.  If you have any problems, please email me or text me through Remind. J

§  Class Code of Fendley’s Homeroom:      76PTWC

§  Class Code of Osborn’s Homeroom:      4H2VX5

o   BoomLearning: https://wow.boomlearning.com/student-login

§  The username will be your student’s first names & last name initial followed by an underscore (_) and the word “fendley”.

§  Example: Lily Moldenhauer  = lilym_fendley

§  Password: 1234

§  If your student goes by a shortened version of their given name, the username will reflect that. Rebecca White = beccaw_fendley