January 12th-16th, 2015

General Announcements:

• We have recently welcomed two new students to Brock's Gap. Yuvi came to BGIS in December from Wisconsin, and Madelyn moved from Enterprise, AL and started BGIS last week. They are both in Mrs. Watson's homeroom. We are so happy to have them as part of our community at Brock's Gap! We also want to welcome "back" Argelia! We are so glad she was able to rejoin our team; She is in Mrs. Ponder's homeroom.
• Please make sure to pay the American Village field trip fee by January 26th at https://secure2.myschoolfees.com.  The cost is $13.oo for students and $9.00 for chaperones.
• To commemorate the "Snowmageddon" 2014 we are offering a special T-shirt. Orders for the "Snowmageddon" t-shirts are due this Friday.
• We are in desperate need of pencils. Please replenish your child's pencils, eraser caps, and glue sticks. Mrs. Ponder is down to her last box of pencils this week! THANK YOU!!!  

Important BGIS Dates:

• 1-13: SCA meeting in health room (7:30)
• 1-13 and 1-15: After school tutoring
• 1-14: First Priority meeting in choir room (7:30)
• 1-14: Lego Robotics Group B (3:00-4:30)
• 1-19: No School (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday)- schools & offices closed
• February 4th, 2015- American Village Field Trip

Upcoming Important Dates:

Curriculum News:

Math: Topics of Study –  We are currently involved in our Fraction Unit of Study. We are learning how to find equivalent fractions and ordering/comparing fractions. This Unit will eventually involve adding/subtracting fractions and multiplying/dividing fractions.  

A new IXL Math Contract came home today and is due no later than next Tuesday, January 20th. A new Math Computation Homework came home today. Math Boxes from the Math Computation are due daily this week.  

Our rescheduled Math Computation TEST is tomorrow!

Science: Topics of Study – We finished up our Human Body Unit last Friday. Today we began our Earth/Space Science Unit. We will be investigating the many different types of technology used to study planets including telescopes, space probes, piloted and unmanned space vehicles (spacecraft), space probes, etc. This is always a very fascinating unit for 5th graders! There won't be any tests or quizzes this week. Grades will be taken on activities done in class.

Language Arts: Topics of Study -This is a Reading week, however, we will be focusing on the overall structure of events, ideas, concepts, or information in two or more text using chronology, compare/contrast, cause/effect, problem/solution, and description.

The test this week will be on text structure of text rather than a story. It is also Word Wizard Week, but students will not have a vocabulary test and we will just review past vocabulary words.

Social Studies: Topics of Study – We will be studying battles of the American Revolution this week, including the location of the battle, generals on both sides of the battle, and outcomes of the battles. A study guide will come home later this week so the students can study for the American Revolution test. This test will include: Causes of the Revolution, Battles of the Revolution and Important People during the Revolution.   

                                  

We hope everyone has a great week!
Sheryl Ponder and Stephanie Watson

November 10-14, 2014

General Announcements:

• Camp McDowell Health Forms and Risk Acknowledgement forms were sent home last Tuesday.  We need a form from EVERY child attending Camp McDowell even if no medication is necessary.  Camp McDowell will not allow your child to participate without a health form.  These forms are due this Wednesday.  If you are using the Camp McDowell payment plan,  the second payment of $70 was due last Friday. All money for Camp McDowell is due by November 28th.   
• Please mark your calendars:  We will have a Parent Meeting about Camp McDowell next Tuesday, November 18th at 6:00 in the Brock’s Gap Cafeteria.  Staff from Camp McDowell as well as fifth grade teachers will be available to answer your questions. We are looking forward to a wonderful trip! 
• Thank you so much to all veterans and families who were able to join us for our Veterans’ Day Assembly last Friday!  The Veterans Day celebration is such a highlight of our school year!  We are grateful for your sacrifice!  
• Please see the following link to see the Brock’s Gap eNews: Brock's Gap eNews

Important Technology Information

• If you would like to purchase Device Insurance/Protection for your child, please go to www.myschoolfees.com.  After you have logged on, you will choose AL-HOOVER-IT DEPT (this is in the school drop down menu) rather than choosing a school as you usually do.  You will go to Student Fees.  You will need to add your student so you will need his or her 196 student # (they know these).  You will then choose Device Fees.  You will see Device Protection Plan to the right.  The cost at this time for insurance is $25.00.  When it is time to pay, you can choose “Electronic Check.”  There is NO cost for using My Schools Fees if you choose Electronic Check.  If you prefer to not use My School Fees, you will need to come to Brock’s Gap to pay for the device protection directly to the Bookkeeper.  Device insurance cost will increase to $50.00 on Dec. 1st.
• Chromebook cases have been distributed to the students who ordered them.  There are no longer any cases to be purchased at Brock’s Gap.  If you have not done so already,  you will need to purchase a hard case for your child. Please note: Chromebooks will not be allowed to come home without a hard case.  This is a Hoover City schools district guideline.  If you have specific questions regarding this, please contact us.

Important BGIS Dates for this week

• Tuesday, 11/11:  No school for students.
• Wednesday, 11/12:  First Priority at 7:30 a.m. and Progress Reports come home.
• Wednesday, 11/12:  Lego-Robotics (check your child’s schedule for his or her day)
• Thursday, 11/13:  Girls on the Run

Important Academic Dates for this week

• Monday, 11/10:  Math IXL contract due
• Wednesday, 11/12:  Social Studies Test on the 13 Colonies
• Friday, 11/14: Reading Vocabulary test; Reading log due

Upcoming Important Dates

• Tuesday, November 18th at 6:00:  Camp McDowell Parent Meeting at Brock’s Gap.
• December 10-12:  Camp McDowell for the Voyagers Hall.  

Coming up this week:

Math:Topics of Study –  We will continue our study of volume this week. We will continue working on finding the volume of irregular rectangular prisms by finding the additive volume of the pieces of that prism.   This is a very difficult concept, and I completely understand students needing more time with it.  Math Computation came home tonight.  Students should complete the Monday  and Wednesday night boxes.  Math Computation quiz will be this  Friday.   This quiz will include computation as well as volume.  Our next unit will be on fractions.

Science:Topics of Study –  We are beginning our study of the human body systems.  We will take a closer look at the circulatory, excretory, and respiratory systems.  There are many helpful links to websites and games to help your child  on your Science page on our blog:  http://ponderwatson2014.blogspot.com/
Language Arts:
Topics of Study: 

This is a Reading/Vocabulary week.  Our story this week is Stray by Cynthia Rylant. We will focus on quoting accurately from a texts. Our vocabulary words for the week are:  abandon, distress, starvation, timidly, trembling.

Our reading story for this week will be a “cold Read,” a reading the students have not read before or that we have discussed together, rather than from our story.

Due to a shortened week, we will not have an IXL Language Contract.

Reading Logs came home today for the week and will be due on Friday.

Social Studies:

Topics of Study –  We are completing our study of the 13 Colonies.  The test on this material will be on Wednesday. A study guide was given to your students last week.  I set up a quizlet on the Social Studies tab on this blog for students to study.  

                    We hope everyone has a great week!

November 3-7, 2014 

 General Announcements:

• We will be sending home some important paperwork about Camp McDowell on Tuesday of this week. This will be paperwork that will be passed on to Camp McDowell. They need this by mid-November at the latest so please be prompt in returning this to us. Thank you so much! We are getting excited about our upcoming trip. 
•  This Friday at 9:00 A.M. is our Brock’s Gap Veterans Day program. A separate email and letter came home today with this information, We welcome all family members and friends of  of Brock's Gap students to come join us for this special celebration.  
•  The Brock’s Gap Book Fair is this week. Mrs.Watson's class will go TOMORROW- Tuesday, and Mrs. Ponder's class will go this Thursday. Please send money with your child if would like them to purchase books or other items from the Book Fair! 
•  Please see the following link to see the Brock’s Gap eNews: Brock's Gap eNews
• Brock's Gap eNews Important Technology Information:  If you would like to purchase Device Insurance/Protection for your child, please go to www.myschoolfees.com. After you have logged on, you will choose AL-HOOVER-IT DEPT (this is in the school drop down menu) rather than choosing a school as you usually do. You will go to Student Fees. You will need to add your student so you will need his or her 196 student # (they know these). You will then choose Device Fees. You will see Device Protection Plan to the right. The cost at this time for insurance is $25.00. This may go up once devices are passed out. When it is time to pay, you can choose “Electronic Check.” There is NO cost for using My Schools Fees if you choose Electronic Check. If you prefer to not use My School Fees, you will need to come to Brock’s Gap to pay for the device protection directly to the Bookkeeper. Device insurance cost will increase to $50.00 on Dec. 1st. To purchase a cover for your child’s Chromebook from BGIS, please go to www.myschoolfees.com. You will choose Brock’s Gap and then your child. The Chromebook cover cost is $22.00. An order for these has been placed. When it is time to pay, you can choose “Electronic Check.” There is NO cost for using My Schools Fees if you choose Electronic Check. If you prefer to not use My School Fees, you will need to come to Brock’s Gap to pay for the cover directly to the Bookkeeper. If you choose to purchase a cover yourself for the Chromebook, please be sure that these are “hard sided” rather than a “soft sleeve.

Important BGIS Dates this week:  
Brock’s Gap Book Fair-11/04 Tuesday (Watson's homeroom)11/05 Thursday (Ponder;s homeroom)
Student Council Meeting Tuesday, 11/4 at 7:30
Girls on the Run Wednesday-11/5 after school
First Priority at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, 11/5
Lego-Robotics (check your child’s schedule for his or her day)
Friday, 11/7: BGIS Veterans’ Day Program at 9:00 a.m.
Important Academic Dates :
Science Quiz (Single-Celled and Multicellular Organisms)- Wednesday (Study Guide came home today) 
Spelling Test on List 5 Thursday, 11/06
Math Computation Test, Thursday, 11/06
Spelling Activities due Friday, 11/07
Reading Log due Friday, 11/07
IXL Grammar due Friday 11/07 (Time to work on this in class is given to get started on these activities)
IXL Math Contract due Monday, 11/10 (Time in class is given to get started on these activities) 
Camp McDowell for the Voyagers Hall 12/10-12/12
Coming up this week:
Math: Topics of Study – We are talking about volume as additive. Students will be able to find the volume of an irregular figure by combining the volume of two figures combines. A new IXL contract will come home today which will be due next Monday. The students will have computation questions as well.  Pl;ease note there are Monday night problems due Tuesday, and Tuesday night problems will be due Wednesday. There will be a Math Computation test this Thursday which will cove problems from last week and this week's math computation homework.
Science: Topics of Study –  Today we completed together a single-celled and multicellular study guide.  There will be a quiz on this material this Wednesday.  We are also beginning our study of the human body systems-Skeletal, Muscular, Circulatory, Respiratory, Digestive, Excretory, Nervous, Endocrine, Integumentary, and Reproductive. We specifically concentrate on the Respiratory, Circulatory, and Excretory Systems.  We are also looking forward to having the UAB Department of Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology  visit our school this week.   The Physiology Understanding  hands-on activities help students learn more about their bodies’ cardiovascular and pulmonary systems.
Language Arts: Topics of Study – We will have Spelling (list 5) this week. Spelling words are: dejected,eject, injection, interjection, jettison, projectile, projector, reject, subject, trajectory. We will also continue with our Narrative Writing Unit writing about important moments (first times, last times, and times when you realized something) and "a place that matters."  The tombstone projects were all amazing! I am so proud of the kids and all their hard work. :-) IXL Grammar Contracts will be due on Friday, November 7. We are going to try the Reading Logs again after a little break. We want kids to enjoy reading each night but we also feel like they need to be held accountable.

Social Studies: Topics of Study – We will continue our study of the earliest colonies in America. We will specifically explore why settlers came to America. Students will be given a study guide on Monday that will encompass the discussions that we have had on the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Students will recognize the differences between these colonies as well as the similarities. Students have used a Google presentation tool to present on these colonies. The test on the colonies will be the following Wednesday. We hope everyone has a great week!