Have a Happy Holiday

I'd like to wish all my students and their families a peaceful and joyful holiday.  Enjoy your time together, and I look forward to starting the new year with my wonderful students on Wednesday, January  2!

No Before School Math Thursday

I am unable to have the usual help session tomorrow because I have bus duty.  Extra math help will resume on Thursdays after the holiday break.

Remember you can always come for help during H.E.L.P. block or at recess when I'm not on duty.

Holiday Concert Tomorrow!

Fourth and Fifth graders are preparing a musical holiday treat for us.  The concert for parents begins at 1:30 in the cafeteria.
If you plan to dismiss your child right after the concert please remember to send a note in the morning.

Dismissal after the concert can be very hectic for our office staff if we don't have prior notice!

Thanks!!

Parent Conferences Monday

I look forward to meeting with you to discuss your child's progress.  See you Monday!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wish you and your family a festive and relaxing holiday!  Children will be dismissed at 11:40 on Wednesday.
See you back at school on Monday!

Lobster Tales

Bournedale rocks!
For more pictures check out the "Camp Bournedale Memories" page!

Fifth Grade Class Trip

Please be at school no later than 7:45 if you are going on the trip.

If you are to be picked up by someone other than your parents on Friday you must bring a note and hand it to me tomorrow.

If you need to bring medication, Massachusetts law requires that we have a doctor's note (not just the prescription bottle)

Please remember to label EVERYTHING with your first and last name and Fox Hill.

See you tomorrow!!!

Walk for Sandy Victims

Many Fox Hill students  gave up their recess to walk to show their support of the people devastated by Hurricane Sandy.  All money collected will be donated to the American Red Cross.  

Donations should be in by Monday, November 19.  Thank you!

We Care!

Getting ready to walk!!

Walk for Sandy Victims

We have all been touched by the difficulties that our fellow Americans are facing due to Hurricane Sandy's destruction of lives and property last week.  The fifth grade student council is organizing a Walk-a-thon to raise money for the American Red Cross.  The walk will take place at each grade's recess on Friday.  Participating classes have been given a pledge sheet so they can keep track of any donations they need to collect.  We are encouraging students to only ask friends and relatives to give whatever they can.  Every penny helps when we put them together.  We are so proud of our students for making this effort and giving up a recess to show their support and do something for others.  Thank you to the entire Fox Hill Community!

No Math Help Today

Sorry, but I am unable to come to school today, so there won't be early morning math help.

Hurricane Day

I hope you are all safe and enjoying a day off!  I am planning to curl up with a good book after I do a few chores.  I'm also working on a presentation about English settlements in America.  It's fun looking through my pictures of Jamestown and Plymouth, and trying to find ones you will find most interesting.
Have a good day.  I'll see you tomorrow.

Click here for weather updates!

SAY CHEESE!

It's Picture Day Wednesday.  Order forms were sent home last week.  Please send in forms and checks if you are ordering pictures on Wednesday.

Vocabulary Quiz Tuesday (words are on Quizlet)

Here are the words from Unit 1:
Elaborate                         Desperate                        Dusk
Emaciated                       Frustrated                        Gloomy
Exquisite                         Honorable                       Hamlet
Fragile                             Ill-informed                    Looming
Homely                           Odious                            Lush
Lanky                             Shrewd                            Plaza
Spotless                          Solemn                            Ravine
Tattered                          Well-informed                Vegetation

Quizlet Alert!

I have created a set of terms to study for the upcoming Social Studies test on Friday, October 19.  Log on to Quizlet to study, play games, and take a practice test!  Directions for opening a free Quizlet account were sent home two weeks ago.  If you need the directions, please let me know and I will give your child another copy.

Happy October

It's hard to believe we've been in school a month already.  The time is certainly flying by!  At the start of each month I will post a newsletter on the Newsletter page.  I will also be sending home new reading logs in homework folders.  Hopefully you are receiving this post via e mail, as I have tried to set up a Google Group  for this purpose.

Back to School Night

Back to School Night starts at 6:30.  See you tonight!

Thursday Morning Math Help...

... starts tomorrow at 8:00.
Anyone who would like some extra help, feel free to come to Room 13!

Math Rocks!!

Due to a severe EEE threat our trip to Camp Bournedale is postponed until October or November.  A notice will come home in backpacks today.  Tomorrow and Friday are regular school days.  You will be notified about the new date for Camp Bournedale as soon as we know them.

September 17 is Constitution Day!

Do you recognize these documents?

 Click here to find out about the Constitution 

Test your knowledge:

Who is the "Father of the Constitution"?

What are changes to the Constitution called?

What are the first ten changes called?

Where was the Constitution signed?

When was it ratified?

Why is the Constitution so important today?

How many articles are in the Constitution?

Letter to Parents

I told the children that this was your homework this evening!

It was a great day, and your children were terrific!

September 4, 2012
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
Welcome to fifth grade! I know this is a greatly anticipated year for you and your child. For some of you, this may be your only or oldest child experiencing fifth grade. For some, well, you’ve been here before. Either way, I’m sure you know how exciting and busy this transition year can be. Even though the next few days will be spent getting to know each other and learning routines and schedules, we will jump right into our curriculum. Today your child received his/her assignment notebook and homework folder. Many papers will be coming home in this bright orange folder. I know you will need some time to read, discuss, and sign these. Of special note is the Fox Hill Code, which I’m sure is familiar to you, and needs to be discussed, signed and returned. The children and I will also create a classroom constitution so that our rules for behavior are clear, ensuring a safe, comfortable, and productive learning environment. I will talk more about this as well as homework, report cards, and curriculum on Back to School Night on September 27.
My primary goal is for fifth grade to be a productive and enjoyable school year. One crucial step toward this goal is to work with you, therefore it is my practice to meet briefly with parents as soon as possible to hear any information you need to share about your child. Please e- mail me or use the attached form to schedule this appointment. If you can fill out and return this tomorrow, I will be able to schedule appointments and get back to you by the end of the week. You will also receive a questionnaire that may help you think about points to discuss. You can send it in before our visit or bring it with you. It will be very helpful for me to have this information even if you are unable to meet at this time.

I know this is a busy time of year, so thank you in advance for giving me the opportunity to meet you and learn about your child. The entire fifth grade team looks forward to working with your family this year.

Warm regards,


Roseann Lee

Please indicate a first and second choice. I will try to accommodate you. Again, this is just a 10-minute conference. It’s a chance for you to tell me anything you think I need to know. I am available to meet with you at any time during the school year, so feel free to contact me anytime with questions and concerns.
Roseann Lee
lee@bpsk12.org
781 238 5688

Morning conferences are scheduled between 7:45 and 8:15. Afternoon conferences are scheduled between 3:00 and 4:00. Please indicate the day, date and whether you prefer morning or afternoon.
*Please note: I cannot schedule appointments on Wednesday afternoons as we have faculty meetings on Wednesdays.
Thank you for returning this as soon as possible. I will confirm promptly so you can note the date and time on your calendar.

✂---------------------------------------------------------------------

1st Choice:

Day:__________________ Date:_________________AM or PM


2nd Choice:

Day:__________________ Date:_________________AM or PM


Please print your child’s name________________________

Please print your name clearly_______________________

Phone/e mail_________________________________________

Welcome to Your New Classroom

It's just a few days before school starts so I thought you might enjoy a sneak peek at our classroom! Enjoy the weekend and Happy Labor Day! I can't wait to meet you all and get to work!

Finding History

One of the jobs archaeologists have is screening the dirt they dig to look for artifacts that may be too small to notice as they dig.

 

 

We didn't find any "treasures" in this batch of dirt, but each unit is a piece of  the puzzle, and even when it doesn't have many artifacts it's important. 

Digging Up the Past

I arrived at Montpelier on Sunday night, and started Monday with a lecture about the property and the history of James Madison's home in Orange, Virginia.  I couldn't wait to get to the site where some of Madison's field slaves once lived and worked.  It's because of the work of these and so many other slaves that the new country Madison and Jefferson were creating could prosper.

 Monday afternoon we had our first taste of digging (I was really scraping) the dirt which is red clay in a very large field where, the archaeologists believe, a tobacco barn was located.  Tobacco was a cash crop in colonial times and after the United States formed.  The area we are working in is called the Tobacco Barn Quarter.  Tuesday was the first real day of digging. Elliot, an intern, and I opened a unit, a five by five foot square.

The archaeologists determine the spot where they will dig by various methods.  This dig started after a metal detector survey showed concentrations of metal, mostly nails, indicating structures, like houses or barns, had once been here. We began by using a spade to take off the top layer of sod. Once we were 2-3 inches down we began finding artifacts such as nails (see below), bits of ceramic and glass and pebbles.  Elliot was excited when he thought we found a fragment of aboriginal pottery, but it turned out to be burnt stoneware probably from the Madison years, late 18th century or early 19th century.  We also dug up bits of bone, and even a pig"s tooth! The picture is pretty blurry, but even up close it was hard for me to tell this was a tooth.  The archaeologists here really know what to look for!

 

 

In the afternoon we had a tour of the grounds including the slave cemetery, the mansion's cellars and Madison's temple.  What I thought about more and more as I listened to the tour guide is that archaeology helps us to know how communities lived, in this case separate communities: Madison's family and the people he owned.  Their lived were entwined, but separate.  The work of the slave was behind the scene, not shown, but it provided the Madison's with their comfort, their nourishment, and their livlihood.  The world knows Madison's achievements, but what do we know about the enslaved people he depended on?  By doing archaeology and reading pimary source documents like slave diaries, maybe we can fnd out!

On Wednesday I worked in the lab.  This was really fun.  In the morning Laila and I did water screening of some of the material the archaeologists dug up before I got here.

This is me stirring the clay with water so we can screen out any hidden tiny pieces of charred wood, seeds and other small particles that may tell a story of how the enslaved people lived.

The week is almost over.  We've had some difficulties with Internet access, so I'll add more pictures and more of my adventures digging up the past when I get home!

Countdown!

Just a couple of weeks before we start a new school year!  I hope you are enjoying the rest of summer and are feeling as excited and confident as I am.  Next week I am going to Virginia, to the home of the Father of the Constitution, James Madison.  There I will be learning about what archaeologists do as I work with a team to explore the lives of enslaved workers who once lived on the plantation. I hope to share my trip with you by posting pictures and maybe even a video.  So check in once in awhile to see what I'm up to! Here's a link to Montpelier

If  you are a former student and on your way to middle school, I wish you the best of luck.  Come back to visit your friends at Fox Hill and let us know how you are doing.  If you are just coming into fifth grade I want to welcome you, and let you know that this will be a great and memorable year! I look forward to working with you and your family.  See you soon!

"Novel" Poems

Our Guided Reading Class enjoyed 4 different novels in the last weeks of school.  They had several discussions about setting, characters, and theme.  Our final project was to write a group poem inspired by the novel.  Here they are:

The Incredible Journey

Inspired by The Incredible Journey by Sheila Burnford

This is the story of three loyal pets,

who found their masters

whom they could not forget

This is the history of three brave pets,

who stuck together

through worst and best

This is the story of three noble pets

who cared for each other

as they traveled west

The bull terrier was a fighter,

the Siamese clever and sly,

The Lab, he braved a porcupine

and almost lost an eye

In the end the pets succeeded

and made their way back home

So take this reminder,

and never travel alone!

by Jess, Rayna, Luciano, Aditya

Epic War Rap of History

Inspired by My Brother Sam is Dead by Collier & Collier

Tim was a boy who admired his brother

Even though he was told not to by his acusing mother.

His mom and dad told Tim the same stuff

"Get away from Sam and his disgusting bluffs!"

Those parents were right, until Dad was taken away

Onto a British prison ship to stay.

Sam decided to fight in Continental Army battles

But was falsely accused of stealing cattle.

Tim decided to save Sam's life-

And tried to do it all with a musket knife

But sadly, he failed, and now Sam is condemmed to die,

and now, everyone starts to say, "Oh, why?"

Now Sam had no choice but to stand around,

and wait for the executioners to shoot him to the ground.

Shot #1 Sam burst into flames!

Shot #2 Sam fell flat on his face!

And now, Tim is sad and sixty-four,

And now the poem's over- there is no more!

by Sean M., Mona, Swetha, Thomson, Rishabh

Joey Takes a Trip

Inspired by Joey Pigza Loses Control by Jack Gantos

Joey Joey has a mom

Joey Joey has a dad

But they got divorced

They went to his dad's house

The mom left because she was mad at the dad

They had some fun playing ball

but in the end it was not fun at all,

He went to the mall and made a call

and off they went, home...with Pablo (their dog)

by Josh, Isabella, Maggie, Merna

The Upstairs Room

Inspired by The Upstairs Room by Johanna Reiss

The Germans are mad

The Dutch are sad

The mother is dead

Their hair is red

Hitler is crazy in the head

The Oosterveld's let them sleep in the bed

The Hannik's leave them

The Oosterveld's feed them

Usselo, the Canadians do defend

They are all happy in the end.

by Neil, Gaia, Shrija, Ashwini, Sydney, Anusha, Hannah



Congratulations!

I'm so very proud of you all! It was lovely to see you and your families celebrating your accomplishments. What a great evening!! Remember to bring your yearbook next week.  We have some fun activities planned too! Have a wonderful weekend!

Independence Day Drills

Try our slideshow maker at Animoto.

No Homework Week

Our 4 classes have met their goal of 100 Be the One stickers each.  There will be no new homework this week to celebratwe this great accomplishment.  Please ask your child how he or she was caught "Being the One"!

Have a Wonderful Weekend!

Marine Corps War Memorial

Air Force Memorial

Part of the Vietnam Memorial

911 Memorial at the Pentagon

These are some of the special places I visited on my study tour in April.  I'm happy to share pictures of them and hope you are as moved as I was to be able to see them.  It's a honor to share them and to remember our heroes!

Would You Sign the Declaration of Independence?

Visit this website to find out!

Be a Signer!

No Math Help This Morning

Sorry, I won't be in school today, so no math help this morning!

Survival Day Movie

Watch an Animoto Movie

Survival Day 2012

It was soggy, but fun!

Survival Day Tomorrow & No Morning Math Help

Please come prepared for outdoors: long sleeves, long pants, boots.  If you are not properly dressed you will not be able to join us outdoors.

Also, I have a meeting in the morning before school, so anyone needing morning math help should come on Friday instead of Thursday.  Thanks!

Rock and Roll Hits Fox Hill