Happy Holidays

Wishing you the very best this holiday season!

Thank you all for all your well wishes with my family's recent loss. The outpouring of concern and sympathy was incredible and very heartwarming. I will be posting many more pictures of the Reindeer Games and our Holiday party in the classroom. Thank you parents for your help with the party today!

Field Trip Coming Up

Dear Parents;

I am providing additional and repeat information from a flier that went home last week. The field trip must have permissions turned in by Wed for your child to attend.

All 5th grade students in Keller ISD have been given the opportunity to hear the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra on Tuesday morning, December 11th. This field trip is FREE OF CHARGE! In this posting, I will include links to inquire about various parts of the field trip. Click on the links for more information.

The field trip will be in the morning, leaving campus around 9 AM and return sometime at or around noon. The concert will be held at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Keller.

Your children should wear nice school clothes. Due to the distinguished nature of the activity, we ask that all students wear their shirts tucked in for the duration of the trip. You do not need to send your children with a sack lunch, they will be returning for lunch at the school cafeteria.

Each homeroom needs FIVE Parent Chaperones for the field trip! Between Mrs. Schwartz and I, we will need TEN parents on this trip. We can have Too many, but not too few chaperones. If you have not submitted to a background check for the safety of our children, please ask me or Mrs. Schwartz about the forms necessary.

Thank you for your patience in receiving these little updates. Your interest and participation in your child's education is what makes everything I do possible!

Mr. Arroyo

GradeSpeed Information

Parents;

If you have not signed up for Gradespeed, I would like to encourage you to do so. A bit about it:

Gradespeed is a means by which you are able to access your child's grades via the internet. There are 2 forms that must be completed before you can access the Parent Connection.

1. Complete the Online Application:
go to https://kellergs.kellerisd.net/pc Click on the CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP link.
make certain you enter a accurate email address since all Gradespeed communication will be handled by email.
You will need your student's ID number to add them to your account

2. Complete the form from the office and return it to the campus with a PICTURE ID.

I hope that you find this helpful.

Have a great weekend.

Mr. A.

Catching up after the Holidays

Dear Parents;

By the way, we Need GERM-X and Dry Erase Markers! Also, the TOY DRIVE is going on and some kids are counting on our classes to provide a new, unwrapped toy for Christmas. Please help out. My homeroom goal is 26 Toys. I will keep you up to date on the progress toward that goal.

I wanted to commend you all for your hard work over the holiday break. I know that you have studied hard with your children as they taught you about all the "M and M's" (Matter, Mass, Median, Mode, Means, etc.). Great job on the test results!

For a bit of seriousness, we have some new students over the past few weeks to welcome to the Mustang Family! In the next few weeks, we will be working hard to cover some Geometry in Math and new concepts in Science. I want to remind you to keep up to date by going to the website at http://campus.kellerisd.net/tmis and going to Faculty Contacts and clicking on my page, Mr. J.A. Arroyo's page and keeping up to date on the News page. This information is also on the BLOG page, http://tmis-mra.blogspot.com/ . For parents that are new to my emails, my past news is on these pages.

There will be some more "Parent Homework" to come, so stay tuned.

I also wish to commend your students. We started a new behavioral sheet that goes home every week (I will be sending mine home tomorrow, I am sorry for the delay). They MUST be signed and returned the next day. Students that do not return them will end up trading their recess for a "Study Hall" so it is important for your student to remember. We have seen TREMENDOUS progress since starting this just 4 weeks ago! I look forward to celebrating in some way the progress soon.

Well, I have a PTA meeting to go to, I hope that I will see some of you there!

Take care!


J.A. Arroyo
5th Math and Science

Parent Homework - Thanksgiving

Dear Parents:

By now, you have probably, hopefully, heard that I have sent home "Parent Homework" again!

The response was so encouraging and exciting from the last time. I will post some of your incredible answers from the last time on the web site during the course of this week. Studies have shown that retention increases up to 90% when a student teaches the information that they are required to learn. Your child will be teaching you throughout the week and will be giving you a four question 'test' which they will make up on, or about, Thursday.

The assignment for this week is for your child to teach you about Math and Science! You and your child will have a choice of which class to test from. In Science, your child will be teaching about Matter and it's states. In Math, they will be teaching you about Median, Mode, Mean, and Range. In this letter, I will be giving you an outline of what you can expect to learn as well as some links to information to suppliment your child's teaching.

Math Vocabulary

• median - The middle value of an ordered set of values.


• mode - In a set of numbers, the one that occurs the most.


• range - The difference between the largest and smallest numbers in a set of data.


• mean - the average number in a range of values


• Dividend The number to be divided


• Divisor The number used to divide another number


• Quotient The answer to a division problem


• Divisible A number is divisible by another number if the remainder is 0 after dividing


• Remainder The number that is left after dividing


• Division Sharing equally, making or finding equal groups from a single group.
  

Science Vocabulary

• matter anything that has mass and takes up space


• solid the state of matter that has a definite shape and definite volume


• liquid the state of matter that has a definite volume but no definite shape


• gas the state of matter that has no definite volume or shape


• mass amount of matter in an object


• volume the amount of space an object takes up


• density concentration of matter in an object


• weight measure of the pull of gravity on an object


• melting/ freezing point the temperature at which a substance changes from a solid to a liquid or a liquid to a solid


• boiling point the temperature at which a substance changes from a liquid to a gas


• mixture - combination of two or more different kinds of matter, each of which maintains its own physical properties


• solubility ability of a substance to be dissolved


• solution a type of mixture in which one substance dissolves in another

classify matter based on its physical properties including magnetism, physical state, and the ability to conduct or insulate heat, electricity, and sound;

• Including: Physical Properties - Color, Shape, Texture, Mass, Weight, Volume, Density (relate to buoyancy - does it float?)

Here are some examples of questions that your student may use:

• What did you serve on Thanksgiving that was a solid, became a liquid, and gave off gas?


• Was there a part of dinner that had the most volume inside?


• Is weight and mass the same?


• What was soluble? Explain.


• Was anything served that was 0 Celsius?


• Was anything served that was 100 Celcius?


• Did anything served start at 0 Celcius and go to 100 Celcius?


• What solids were combined with Liquids?


• What did it make?


• What Mixtures were served?


• How were ingredients measured?


• 
  
  Did you measure Mass, Volume, or weight?

Here are some ideas for Math problems:

• How many people came to the Thanksgiving celebration of your family? What was the Range of their ages? What was the Median age? What was the Mean age? What was the Mode?


• How far did they travel? What was the Range of the distance traveled? What was the Median? the Mode? the Mean??

I hope that helps. The idea of this exercise is for you and your child to enjoy each other's company. I know that the children really enjoy the "Parent Homework" and it has the added benefit of helping them to learn the material and enjoy learning it! I hope that this exercise will be something that helps you enjoy this holiday break even more.

From my family to yours, Have a wonderful break and Thanksgiving Holiday! Your child is a big part of why I am so thankful this Thanksgiving!

Mr. J.A. Arroyo

5th Grade Math and Science
Trinity Meadows Intermediate School

Toy Drive

I would like to pass this information along about our 'competition' between classes:

Students and Teachers,
TMI Student Council and the Leadership Squad are holding a Toy Drive at our school to help families in Keller who may struggle to have a nice holiday otherwise. We are looking for new, unwrapped toys, specifically ones that our age level would like if possible. Any new and unwrapped toys will be accepted.
Okay....let the competition begin.....the class who brings the most toys will earn a pizza party in their class on the day before we get out for our Winter Holidays! Start bringing in those toys! We want everyone to be able to celebrate the gift of the season with joy! You can make a difference!

We have been given so many blessings and there are those around us that suffer for lack of those blessings we take for granted. If you have the means, please try to provide something for a child that may, otherwise, not have anything under their tree this Holiday season.

Mr. A

Composition Books

Parents;

Please check with your children and inquire about their Composition books. Especially when it comes to their Science Journals, if they are torn up and/or lost, it will seriously impact their ability to complete assignments in Science Class!

Some of the students have shown me composition books that are in tatters, some almost literally a stack of papers. These will need to be replaced. I cannot stress, however, the importance of keeping their old journals. Students are beginning a 'library' of what they have learned.

Data that is entered into their journals will be called upon throughout the year so throwing them away is Not an option!

Oh, almost forgot! We are still (always) in need of GermX so if you happen to be at Sam's or WalMart, if you could pick up one for the students it would be appreciated.

Thank you!

Mr. A
5th Math and Science
Trinity Meadows Intermediate School, Room 2109

Report Cards and More

Well, Parents, the day has come, that first 9 weeks' report cards. Mrs. Schwartz and I have sent home the report cards and, also in this packet, the first of the Behavior Report cards that your child has filled out.

On the subject of the report cards, nothing is set in stone. On one hand, most of the kids received pretty high, and good marks. Some are used to making "A's", some may have been in for a surprise. 5th Grade is different from their previous experiences in the previous grades. It should be a bit tougher.

For those children that are struggling, things are not too late to work on those problem areas in Math, Science, Language Arts or Social Studies. For those children that are not bringing their work home, I will continue to send these newsletters so you may question them about their work.

This Tuesday, they have their Report Card that has to be signed by the parent and returned, they will bring home a Green report card when I have their white copy returned. They also have a Behavior report, they are to have you sign and Return it as well. It will show their progress over the 9 weeks as they give themselves their Behavior grades (A-D) and we will Agree or Disagree with their assessment of their grade. We hope this will help them, not only to exhibit appropriate behavior during the school day, but also for them become more aware of their actions during the week.

Well, parents, now for your questions:

The children are working on some basic definitions in the classroom for science:

• Instead of just defining Mass, Weight, Solid, Liquid, Gas, etc, they are asked to Describe these terms and explain them. Ask them, at dinner throughout the week, to identify and describe characteristics of dinner, for example. Does it have "Mass", is it "Solid", "Liquid", "Matter", etc.


• In Math, we are dividing as well as continuing multiplication tables. Working on Multiplication as well as giving your child an opportunity to divide and estimate would help them in class.


• The next time you go to the store, take paper and pencil with you and have your child add up what you are purchasing and estimate how much it will cost using rounding skills. See if they can estimate how much it will cost after taxes? If they are able to round over the amount of the purchase, they have done a good job, if they round UNDER, then they need to try again.

I hope this finds you all well. This Friday we will be celebrating Veteran's Day. For those families that have made this incredible sacrifice of a mother, father, uncle, son, etc., Thank you so much for this sacrifice. Our nation owes you a debt of gratitude for what you have gone through and continue to go through by giving up your loved one during our time of need. I continue to hope they return home safely.

That is all for now....

Mr. A.

J.A. Arroyo

5th Math and Science

Trinity Meadows Intermediate School, Room 2109
jaarroyo@kellerisd.net

GERM-X

After the recent reports of MSRA, please make sure you child has a small bottle of Hand Sanitizer @ school.We would also like a few 40oz bottles to keep in the classroom if a child needs to quickly clean their hands.

Thanks for your help in this matter.

Mr. A

Habitat Projects are finally in

Well, the Habitat Projects are in and they ranged from the incredible to the "Hot Dawg!". There was some misunderstandings on the how to's and the "Was I supposed to actually READ the Instructions?" Yes, always a good idea to read the instructions!

The 9 weeks are over and final scores are in for the Quarter. Hopefully, with this 9 weeks on the way, we will fill in a lot of the holes and get many on track for those CBA's in Jan of 2008!

I hope that all of the kids had a safe and fun Halloween and we will be doing some more projects in both Math and Science in the weeks to come!

Question of the week:

What is the average weight of the boys in your class?

What is the Average height of the boys in your class?

and, how about the girls in your class?

Have a great weekend, enjoy the slide show....

Mr. A

Yeah! End of the 9 Weeks!

Some may not have had an email from me before so I wanted to send out a quick update.

Thanks to all of you that were able to donate pumpkins for our pumpkin experiments this past couple of days. We wrapped up the experiments yesterday but this information will keep coming back to 'haunt' the students over the next few weeks! The fun thing about numbers is that they stay FRESH, unlike the pumpkins that produced them!

We will be working on averages, some statistics, and, since your child has brought home seeds, you should be watching them GROW! In the meantime, next week we will work on some of the weak areas identified with the testing that went on last Thursday during the next week or so.

I encourage you to ask your child to tell you about what they discovered about Pumpkins during the last two days in the lab. Don't let them off easy with a "I don't know!", they should know how many seeds their pumpkin had, what the average number of seeds were for the class, how
much they weighed, and, the really COOL question, "Does how much a pumpkin weigh or how big it is tell you how many seeds it will have?"

Have a great weekend and I look forward to meeting with you during the Conferences today and tomorrow!

Pumpkins!

Here is a slide show of Tuesday's Pumpkin lab. Wednesday will be working with the numbers and observations.

October Newsletter

In your child's agenda is a note which they will be more than happy to explain to you. In that off chance that you are not quite understanding what they are telling you, I will give a short explanation:

We are coming up on the holiday season and Pumpkins are a big part of that season. I have a lab/math exercise which will use some pumpkins! I am asking for some donations of medium sized pumpkins to do a few lab activities with the students. My goal is to have 25 pumpkins so that I can have 1 per team of 2 students by next Tuesday.

The lab will include some math and science, weighing and documenting their observations, counting seeds, measuring the pumpkins and estimating. It should be a couple of messy and fun days in the lab.

That also brings me to another need which we have, Clorox disinfectant wipes are also needed as well as Germ X for the classroom. All donations are welcome.

I know that some are not able to donate, some of you have donated to Mrs. Schwartz's class project of decorating pumpkins. Hopefully, with a few extra here and there, we will have enough for this project.

Send an email by this Friday if you are able to donate, that will help me keep track. I do need to be able to gage if the lab will be able to be done or not.

Remember, Tuesday is the day I need the pumpkins in hand so that we can do the lab.

On another note, the projects have been a lot of fun and very interesting. I still have a few students that did not turn theirs in, if your student has not, you will receive an email from me on that. We discovered a lot of stuff about a lot of animals which was really cool. These are a fine bunch of students and I am learning more and more everyday!

We have been working on some decimals the past couple of weeks. Ask your child to figure out the tip the next time you are out, maybe they can do it better than us old fogies do! Whether it is percent or money, these guys have got this money thing down!

Well, that is enough for now, I do appreciate your support and keeping in touch. Email me if you need anything or have a question about your child. I look forward to meeting with quite a few of you next week for conferences. If you are not signed up for Grade speed, please sign up as soon as possible, it is very helpful for keeping up to speed on your child's grades.

Until next time .....

Mr. A