A Winter Break Challenge

Ok students, I know you are getting antsy now that you have been out of school for a while. We still have a whole week left until we go back! I figured you might need something to do...a challenge. Have fun with it and you may earn some Behavior

Bucks too.

As we start the new year we will be learning about a new European country, SPAIN! Here is an activity I think you will enjoy that will also help you learn more about Spain.

Imagine that The President of the United States needs an expert in Spanish culture in his cabinet. You applied for the job and after extensive interviewing and background checks, you were hired! The President is preparing for a trip to Madrid, Spain in two months. Your first assignment on the job is to plan and prepare his travel itinerary.

TASK 1:

You must teach the President at least five phrases that he can use during his stay. Keep in mind that he is meeting with government officials, as well as locals. Research using the sites below and choose 5 phrases that you think he needs to know for his trip. Come back here and post your 5 phrases and what they mean. You will earn a buck for each phrase. Good luck! You have until next week to complete your first task.

Use these websites to help you find information:

Spanish Phrases
More Basic Phrases
Pronunciation and Words

Chet's Trip to California

Remember when Ms.Launey and Chet went to California? Well, it's taken him a while but Chet has made a movie about his trip. I hope you enjoy!

Update from Chet-Italy

Hello Ms. Launey:Chet says Ciao from Italy. He saw The Last Supper painting in Milano, and the Milano Duomo (cathedral). He then traveled by car to Venezia, where he saw many exciting things, including the San Marco cathedral and plaza, the Rialto bridge across the Grand Canal, the Doges Palace, and the island of Murano (where he saw glass being made by hand). He took many boat rides and walked across many bridges, because there are no cars in Venice. Chet also went to a concert in a 400 year old church-Vivaldi's 4 Seasons was played by a string ensemble. Today we saw the High Water (Aqua Alta) in San Marco Piazza, and had to where rubber boots. We are now in the Mestre where we will soon board an overnight train to Salzburg. Goodbye for now.
Sincerly,
The Boyd's and Chet

CHET’S 2008 EUROPE ADVENTURE

Students,
I am so excited to show you the video that Chet made about his trip to California with me. It will be on the blog this week.

I am even more excited to tell you that Chet is on his way right now to.... Europe! He will be there with some good friends of mine, the Boyd's. (Don't worry, he is in very good hands, they are great people.) They took him to the Build-a-Bear and even got him his own "pawport", so he is all ready for some international traveling. He will be visiting some of the places we have learned about so far our virtual trip around Europe. I can't wait to see the pictures. He is one lucky bear! Check out his itinerary below:


CHET’S 2008 EUROPE ADVENTURE WITH THE BOYD’S

(EVERETT, VALORIE, RETT, RANSEY, BABY GIRL BOYD, BLAIR, and CHET)


Dec.6 Depart Tallahassee 12:55 p.m. Delta # 4989
Arrive Atlanta 1: 25 p.m.
Depart Atlanta 5:45 p.m. Delta # 74

Dec.7 Arrive Milano Malpensa Airport, Italia 8:30 a.m.
AutoEurope Car Rental 9:30 a.m.
Visit da Vinci’s Last Supper 11:30 a.m.
Santa Maria delle Grazie
Tour Duomo di Milano 12:00 p.m.; climb to roof and dome
Snack Milano
Depart Milano; Arrive Sirmione (On Lake Garda) 2:30 p.m.
Lunch at Giorgio and Alberto’s
Depart Sirmione for Venezia; Arrive Venezia 5:00 p.m.
Vaporetta on Grand Canal to Piazza San Marco
Hotel shuttle boat to Molino Stuckey Hilton Hotel Giudeca Island
Initial tour of Venezia; Dinner at Osteria ai Carmini, Campo
Santa Margherita Dusodorma

Dec. 8 Tour Basilica di San Marco and Palazzo Ducale
Climb San Marco Camponile
Explore Rick & Steve’s Venezia thru the back door
Custom-made Christmas ornaments by Daniel Stevens Calle delle
Carrozze San Marco
Dinner overlooking Grand Canal

Dec. 9 Vaporetta to Murano; tour of glass factories
Lunch on Murano
Exploring Venezia; vaporetta to Chisea San Giorgio Maggiore and
Camponile
Fancy dinner overlooking Piazza San Marco
Concert: Interpeti Veneziani Chisea San Vidal
Vivaldi, Rossini, Paganini

Dec. 10 Gondola ride through Venezia and Grand Canal
More exploration of Venezia
5:00 p.m. Shuttle train from Venezia Santa Lucia station to Venezia
Mestre station (on mainland)
8:00 p.m. Depart Venzia Mestre train station


Dec. 11 Arrive Salzburg, Austria 4:00 a.m.; walk to Hotel Elefant in the Altstadt
Two hour nap; Exploring Salzburg Altstadt and Hohensalzburg Castle
Christkindlmarkt; Dinner and concert at Hohensalzburg Castle

Dec. 12 Depart Salzburg AutoEurope car rental 9:00 a.m.
Tour Hallein and Salzbergwerk salt mine
Drive through Bavaria to Hohenschwangau, Germany
Hotel Schloss Lisl & Jaegerhaus ; Dinner at fancy restaurant

Dec. 13 Tour Schloss Neuschwantstein (Cinderella’s Castle)
Depart Hohenschwangau on Romantic Road (via Nordlingen and Dinkelsbuhl)
Arrive Rothenburg ob ter Tabuber Hotel Gastof Goldener Greifen

Dec. 14 Exploring Rothenburg by Rick and Steve’s back door
Reiterlesmarkt (Christmas market); Dinner at fancy restaurant

Dec. 15 Depart Rothenburg; drive through Black Forest
Tour and lunch in Baden-Baden, Germany
Drive across Rhine River to Hotel del Europe- Strasbourg, France
Christkindelsmarik (oldest in Europe) and climb Strasbourg Cathedral

Dec. 16 Depart Strasbourg; visit Meuse-Argonne American WWI Cemetery
Romagne-Gesnes, Meuse, France (near Verdun)
Lunch in Reims, Reims Cathedral (Notre Dame de Reims) climb tower
Arrive Paris Marriott Hotel Champs-Elysees
Walk under Arc de Triomphe
Dinner at Restaurant La Litau, Rue Washington
Visit Arc de Triomphe and Tour Eiffel at midnight

Dec. 17 Saint Chapel and Notre Dame Cathedral
Exploring Paris by Rick & Steve’s back door
Boat ride on Seine River; dinner at fancy restaurant

Dec. 18 Visit Musee du Louvre and Musee d’Orsay
Lunch at Rue Cler; visit Musee Rodin
Exploring Paris and Montmartre; dinner at fancy restaurant

Dec. 19 Climb to top of Tour Eiffel
Explore Paris; dinner at Fancy restaurant
Taxi to Hyatt Hotel at Charles de Gaulle airport

Dec. 20 Depart Paris 9:20 a.m. Delta # 29
Arrive Atlanta 1:30 p.m.
Depart Atlanta 5:15 p.m. Delta # 4937
Arrive Tallahassee 6:24 p.m. Finish!

Tips for Raising Your Current Math Average

Progress Reports went home today. How are you feeling about your current average in math?

Are you interested in raising your average for this nine weeks now that we are at the halfway point? What can you do THIS WEEK to get started?

Well, we have two math assessments this week, as well as a Fraction Design project that was just assigned- these will be three upcoming important math grades toward this nine week's math average. There will also be a math homework assessment next Friday, based on Week 13 (last week), Week 14 (this week), and Week 15 (next week) topics.

So, here are some tips on RAISING that math average, or KEEPING it right where you want it!

TIP #1- Quiz yourself or have a family member quiz you. For tomorrow's EDC quiz, review your EDC purple folder tonight - the month of November elements. The assessment will be based directly in alignment with the notes and skills that you practiced all month each day (if you have an overall grasp of each element and how we approached the math content each day, you should be just fine on tomorrow's quiz). Can you explain the Calendar for November to a family member? Can you identify all four quadrilaterals? Do you know which have right angles, and which have acute/obtuse angles? Do you know which are parallelograms (all opposite sides parallel)? Skim over each element for the month and ask yourself general questions like the ones I just shared with you. Also, check to see that your notes are accurate and thorough. Any mistakes should be corrected from when we discussed the work as a whole group in class. If you have incorrect or incomplete work, you should really reflect on how well you are engaging and spending your time in class applying yourself as an ACTIVE LISTENER! Hopefully, you will be pleased in looking at your work knowing that you put forth your best effort each and every day!

TIP #2- Review your notes and study guides. There will be another assessment this Thursday on our current unit of focus, Different Shapes, Equal Pieces. We will work through a review/study guide in class on Wednesday. In addition to reviewing that, we will also give you a "Comparing Fractions' reference sheet in class tomorrow. You will need to study these Tuesday and Wednesday night to review for this important test.

By the way, can you answer the following?

Fractions are instructions to do what?
What is half of one-half? half of one-third? half of one-fourth?

When the denominator doubles, what happens to the area/size/value of the fraction?

Which is larger, two-fifths or two-thirds?

TIP #3- Start Planning Now! Fraction Project guidelines were passed out today on a yellow sheet. You were encouraged to take notes on an example that was given in class (using Fruit Loops). How thorough are your notes? Are you going to plan ahead now for this project, or might you wait until the night before this project is due to begin working on it? (Remember, it will be due on Tuesday, December 16th). Start planning NOW! Also, don't forget to have FUN! This is an exciting and creative project, so enjoy it!

TIP #4- Complete homework INDEPENDENTLY and USE PREVIOUS NOTES to help you when you get stuck! With the week 14 homework, look back at last week's notes and see how successfully you completed that work. Don't ask for much help on this week's homework; rather, use your class notes from last week to complete this week's homework when you need a reference. Then, after you are finished, you can ask a family member to go back and check over your work to give you feedback. Remenber, this is YOUR homework!

Four great tips on how to achieve your very best on the next four assigned grades in Math for this nine weeks. :-)

Put forth your best effort in all that you do! We are proud of you!

Love,

Ms. Phillips