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!