Next vocabulary quiz - Friday, November 30th!

1.  abandon:  to give up on completely
2.  assault:  a violent attack
3.  convert:  to change from one form to another
4.  dispute:  to argue, debate, quarrel over
5.  impressive:  having a strong effect, commanding attention
6.  justify:  to show to be fair or right; to give good reasons for
7.  misleading:  tending to give a wrong idea, often on purpose
8.  numerous:  many or very many
9.  productive:  making or capable of making large amounts of; giving good results
10. shrewd:  showing clever judgement and practical understanding
11. strategy:  carefully made plan or plot; a plan of military operations
12. villain:  an evil or wicked person or character

Vocabulary words for November 9th

1.  blunder:  to make a foolish or careless mistake; to move clumsily and carelessly
2.  cancel:  to call off or do qaway with; to cross out with lines or other marks to show that something cannot be used again
3.  continuous:  going on without a stop or break
4.  distribute:  to give out in shares; to scatter or spread
5.  document:  a writen or printed record that gives information or proof
6.  fragile:  easily broken or damaged, requiring special handling or care
7.  myth:  an old story that explains why something is or how it came to be; something imaginery
8.  reject:  to refuse to accept, agree to, believe, or use
9.  scuffle:  to fight or struggle closely with
10. solitary:  living or being alone; being the only one
11. temporary:  lasting or used for a limited time
12. veteran:  person who has served in the armed forces; a person who has a lot of experience

Tonight's homework

I love to see you doing your vocabulary homework, but perhaps we need to work on following directions.  You were supposed to write your answers on a piece of paper to turn in to me tomorrow, not respond on the blog.  Remember when I said, "Number your paper 1-10 and only write the word that goes in the blank." 

Vocabulary Homework for 10/16

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word from the vocabulary words. 

1.  People in California live in ____ of earthquakes.
2.  We were ____ at the destruction of the fire.
3.  We heard _____ sounds and a thump in the night.
4.  Mary's house was ____ to the grocery store.
5.  The students wanted to know what would ____ if they skipped school.
6.  People often become ill during _____.
7.  It is wise to be ____ of strangers who come to your door.
8.  After eating six hamburgers, Rosie felt stomach ____.
9.  The toys in the store were of a ____ quality.
10. The story that Ed had won teh lottery was a _____.

Vocabulary Unit #4 - Test 10/26/12

1.  shoddy - of poor quality or make, dishonest
2.  transpire - to happen; to become known
3.  hoax - a practical joke; something intended to deceive
4.  qualm - a feeling of illness; a distrubing feeling
5.  harsh - unpleasant to the senses; unpleasant conditions
6.  famine - a drastic, wide-reaching shortage of food
7.  adjacent - adjoining, next to; near or close
8.  wary - to be alert, cautious; on guard, watchful
9.  dread - to be in terror of; to anticipate with distaste or reluctance
10. aghast - shocked; frightened; terrified; taken back

NO HOMEWORK TONIGHT!

I forgot to hand out all of the homework tonight so don't worry about it.  So sorry!

Vocabulary Unit #3

The quiz over these words will be Friday, October 12th!

shun - to keep away from; avoid

resident - one who lives in a place

ruthless - having no compassion or pity; cruel; merciless

obsolete - out of date; no longer in use or in fashion

magnate - a rich, powerful, or successful business person

despite - in spite of

conceal - to keep from being seen; put out of sight; hidden

climate - refers to weather conditions; a condition or attitude

swelter - oppressed by heat

wean - to withdraw from any type of habit

Vocabulary words for Unit #2

1.  prance - act in a lively manner
2.  encroach - to intrude or trespass
3.  smitten - very much in love
4.  allude - to refer casually
5.  fleet - a group of vehicles
6.  parallel - 2 lines that never intersect
7.  horizontal - parallel to level ground
8.  vertical - straight up and down
9.  bliss - great happiness
10. drench - wet thoroughly

Next quiz on Friday, September 28th!

Welcome to 5th grade!

I can't believe that summer is over and we're back to the routine again.  5th grade is going to be anything but routine with all of the moving we will be doing.  If you haven't memorized your own schedule yet, now is the time!  If you are looking for a 5th grade student, these students can be found in my classroom for Language Arts at the following times each day:

8-8:30 Demeris Homeroom
8:30-10 Mrs. White's homeroom
10:00-11:30 Mrs. Charle's homeroom
11:30-12:30 Lunch/Recess
12:30-2:05 Mrs. Demeris homeroom
2:05-2:50 Specials
3:00 Dismiss

5th Grade Language Arts
"Last year for cupcakes"

See you next year!!!

Students come into the life of a teacher for only a brief moment.  They impact each other's lives in a way that is closest only to that of a parent.  Unfortunately, teachers don't ever get to see the fruit of their labor. 

Day after day I show up to a job I will never see finished.  Students move on, and I can only hope that my hours of planning and nuturing will travel with them.  I am so lucky that for one year, I get to be a part of that trip.  I will be able to glimpse a moment of the fruit, as I watch all of our hard work in 4th grade carry on into 5th.  Truly, I am living the dream.

I will always treasure our year together and I can't wait to see you all in 5th grade!

Mrs. Demeris

Tomorrow, May 22nd, is the day you recite your poem!

Be ready to recite your poem on May 22nd!

Mondays child

Mondays child is fair of face, Tuesdays child is full of grace, Wednesdays child is full of woe, Thursdays child has far to go, Fridays child is loving and giving, Saturdays child works hard for his living, And the child that is born on the Sabbath day Is bonny and blithe, and good and gay.

My Shadow

Robert Louis Stevenson

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me,
And what can be the use of him is more than I can see.
He is very, very like me from the heels up to the head;
And I see him jump before me, when I jump into my bed.

The funniest thing about him is the way he likes to grow--
Not at all like proper children, which is always very slow;
For he sometimes shoots up taller like an India-rubber ball,
And he sometimes goes so little that there's none of him at all.

He hasn't got a notion of how children ought to play,
And can only make a fool of me in every sort of way.
He stays so close behind me, he's a coward you can see;
I'd think shame to stick to nursie as that shadow sticks to me!

One morning, very early, before the sun was up,
I rose and found the shining dew on every buttercup;
But my lazy little shadow, like an errant sleepy-head,
Had stayed at home behind me and was fast asleep in bed.

Spelling Test - Friday, May 11th!

Spelling Words:

1.  between
2.  brought
3.  chimney
4.  field
5.  half
6.  knock
7.  quiet
8.  straight
9.  thought
10. twelve

May is crazy!!!

We have many crazy dates approaching in May!!!

5/1 - Choir trip and last states and capitols test
5/4 - Spelling test and Field Day
5/8 - Safety Patrol forms due and Character Box due for Kohl's homeroom
5/11 - Spelling Test
5/14 - Safety Patrol training begins
5/17 - Taste of Texas field trip
5/22 - begin reciting poems in class
5/28 - Memorial Day holiday
5/31 - 1/2 day, summer begins at noon!

States and capitols test - May 1st!

Here are the 10 states you do not need to know...

Main, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.

Students need to know the capitol, abbreviation, and location.  Good luck!

Fast approaching due dates!!

Tuesday, April 3 - Character Boxes due (Demeris homeroom)
Thursday, April 5 - KRCE applications due for next year
Thursday, April 12 - Texas Hero Project due
Tuesday, May 1 - 40 states test

Mark your calendars so these dates don't sneak up on you!!!

Reminders!!!

States Test this Thursday, March 1st!  Austin trip on Friday, March 2nd!

What you need to know for the social studies test!! (2/26)

1.  Why did a revolution take place in Mexico?

Mexico wanted their independence.  They wanted fair laws.

2.  Why is this important in Texas history?

Because Texas was a part of Mexico.

3.  What did Moses Austin want?

To start a colony (The Old 300)

4.   Why did his son, Stephen F. Austin, take over?

Because Moses Austin died.

5.  What was different about Martin de Leon’s colony in Texas?

They were all Mexican.

6.  What are vaqueros?  What did they do for a job?

Vaqueros are cowboys.  They herded and trade cattle and rode horses.

7.  What did the Mexicans require to move to Texas?

They required you to join the Catholic church, become a Mexican citizen, and have good manners.

8.  What language did the Anglos speak?  English

9.  What was the same about the Mexican and the Anglo settlers?  Cash crops

10. What was the Law of April 6?  It said that U.S. citizens and slaves could no longer immigrate to Texas.

11.  What was the convention in San Felipe de Austin in October 1832 about?  It wanted Mexico to allow U.S. citizens to be able to immigrate here again.

12.  Why did Stephen F. Austin want Texas to become a state in Mexico?  So they could be independent and make their own decisions.

Happy 2012!!!

Happy New Year 4th Grade!

This 3rd semester is going to be very busy with writing instruction.  Below you will find the states and capitals for this 9-weeks test and dates for our state tests. (STAAR)  I hope you had a great break and are ready for some fun in the classroom!

Important dates:

Thursday, 1/12 - Field Trip to the Museum of Fine Arts

Monday, 1/16 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No School

Thursday, 3/1 - 3rd States Test

Friday, 3/9 - End of 9 week grading period and Spring Break Begins at 3:00
Tuesday, 3/27 - first day of writing STAAR test
Wednesday, 3/28 - second day of writing STAAR test
Tuesday, 4/24 - STAAR math test
Wednesday, 4/25 - STAAR reading test

STATES FOR MARCH 1st TEST

1.  Montgomery, Alabama AL

2.  Juneau, Alaska AK

3.  Phoenix, Arizona AZ

4.  Little Rock, Arkansas AR

5.  Sacramento, California CA

6.  Denver, Colorado CO

7.  Tallahassee, Florida FL

8.  Honolulu, Hawaii HI

9.  Boise, Idaho ID

10. Springfield, Illinois IL

11. Des Moines, Iowa IA

12. Topeka, Kansas KS

13. Baton Rouge, Louisiana LA

14. St. Paul, Minnesota MN

15. Jefferson City, Missouri MO

16. Jackson, Mississippi MS

17. Helena, Montana MT

18. Lincoln, Nebraska NE

19. Carson City, Nevada NV

20. Santa Fe, New Mexico NM

21. Albany, New York NY

22. Bismarch, North Dakota ND

23. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma OK

24. Salem, Oregon OR

25. Pierre, South Dakota SD

26. Austin, Texas TX

27. Salt Lake City, Utah UT

28. Olympia, Washington WA

29. Madison, Wisconsin WI

30. Cheyenne, Wyoming WY