Learn to Code!

http://csedweek.org/learn

Science Fair Help

What? Help with your science fair project and journal. Where? Mrs. Burton's classroom When? Every Monday from 3-4pm Who? You! College and High School students will be there to help you. ?Que'? Ayuda con su proyecto de feria de la ciencia y la revista! ?Do'nde? El lunes en la sala de la se~nora Burton después de la escuela. ?Cua'ndo? Todos los lunes de las 3 a las 4 de la tarde. ?Quie'n? !Ustedes! Los estudiantes de ciencias de la universidad y la escuela secundaria estar'an allí' para ayudar.

Thanks to WJHS for the fabulous show today!

WJHS Performing Arts Presents:

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
November 14, 15, 16, & 18th @ 7 pm
Doors open at 6:30 pm. Cost  $8

Tickets are $8, available at the door or in the WJHS Main Office.

COME SEE SOMETHING INCREDIBLE!

Science Project Help

  Need Help with your Science Project idea, research or just a little extra time to put everything together? Come to Mrs. Burton's room on any of the following Monday's 3:15 to 3:45pm.

November 18

November 25

December 2

December 9

December 16

January 6

January 13

WJHS Walking Field Trip

11/4/13

Dear Parents,

         Your student may have already informed you that we are going on a walking field trip to see Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at West Jordan High School. We have been invited to attend on Wednesday, November 13. The play starts at 9:30, so we will start walking at 8:50 and we will start walking back at 11am.  We will have lunch at Westvale Elementary. There are several schools attending this special matinee so spaces in the auditorium are limited. Please let me know if your child will be absent during this event.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I understand my student, ____________________________, will be walking to West Jordan High School on the morning of Wednesday, November 13.

Parent or Guardian Signature  ________________________________________

Safety Patrol Schedule

Safety Patrol Schedule - Rendell

September 30 - October 4
November 25 - November 26
February 3 - February 7
March 31 - April 4
May 27 - May 30

Typing Pal is set up!

Typing Pal

Letter to parents

 

Dear Parents,

The presence of digital technology in our daily lives has made it a must for your child to be keyboard proficient. This invaluable skill will serve one well in life, whether one pursues further studies or training, or moves directly into the work force.

With this in mind, I would like to inform you that our school now has access to Typing Pal Online, the best tool for learning how to type. Via the Internet, your child can now practice keyboarding at school AND at home

As a parent, we ask that you encourage your child to improve on what he/she has learned by reminding him/her to practice at home every week. He/she can log in at this address made specifically for our school and its students:

http://school.typingpal.com/index_ecole.asp?JORDWEST

You can click on the link to Typing Pal from Westvale Elementary’s website. The link is under the resources tab.

__________________________________________________________

Your child’s user name: ___Same as their ALEKS name_____

Your child has his/her password. If not, it is _____their lunch number______

We wish your child the best of luck with his/her typing.

Scholastic Book Clubs

Book Orders due Sept. 26 in the classroom or Sept. 27 online. There are more choices online but I am happy to take book orders in the classroom too.

Scholastic Book Clubs

Shop Online: scholastic.com/readingclub
One-Time Class Activation Code: GZ7QW
Dear Families,
Encouraging reading is one of the most important things we can do to help your child succeed. It
can be tough finding the right books to keep them interested, which is why I am so excited that our
class will be participating in Scholastic Reading Club this school year.
With Scholastic Reading Club:
Every book you buy earns FREE Books for our classroom library
You can choose from handpicked, grade- and reading-level-specific books for your child
You'll find the best values on a variety of formats, including eBooks
Each month, your child will bring home Reading Club flyers. Together you can choose from books
hand-selected by teachers and experts, and then order online or by returning your order form and
payment to me.
I'd also love some help growing our classroom Reading Club. If you'd like to help out, please let
me know! I'm excited to get our class reading!
Thank you for your support,
If This Is Your First Time Ordering Online:
REGISTER at scholastic.com/readingclub
ENTER the Class Activation Code at the top of this letter
CHOOSE from thousands of print titles, value packs, and Storia eBooks
SUBMIT the order to me by the due date listed on the website
EARN FREE Books for our classroom too!

Donor's Choose Permission Slip

Donor's Choose Permission Slip

PHOTOGRAPHY PERMISSION SLIP
Name of Child Participant:

Name of Parent or Guardian (Releaser):

Name of Teacher:

This teacher is seeking or has earned a grant through DonorsChoose.org, a nonprofit
organization serving public school students. At our website, www.donorschoose.org, teachers
can request resources for their students, and individual donors can choose a request they want to
fund. This teacher has taken the initiative to seek funding for an activity.
As a result, this teacher’s class may receive resources for one or more requested student
activities. In this event, we would like to show photographs of the activities actually taking place
on our website at www.DonorsChoose.org, to the donor(s) who funded the request(s) as well as
other visitors to our site. Additionally, to help generate donor interest for this teacher’s project(s),
we would like to display a picture featuring this teacher’s class on our website for potential donors
to view.

With your signature below, you consent as follows:
• I am the legal parent or guardian (releaser) of the child participant named above. I hereby
give permission for the participant to be photographed (with or without other classmates in a
particular picture).
• I understand, agree and give permission for DonorsChoose.org to display the photographs on
the DonorsChoose.org website.
• I understand, agree and give permission for DonorsChoose.org to otherwise use the
photographs in promotional materials for DonorsChoose.org.


Signature of Parent or Guardian (Releaser):

Date _______________________________
PLEASE RETURN THE COMPLETED, SIGNED FORM TO THE TEACHER
AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THANK YOU.







Donor's Choose Permission Slip
PERMISO PARA FOTOGRAFIAR

Nombre del alumno:

Nombre del padre/madre o guardián:

Nombre del maestro/maestra: _

Su maestro/maestra esta solicitando contribuciones (o ya ha recibido contribuciones) a través de
DonorsChoose.org, una organización sin fines de lucro que se dedica a ayudar a estudiantes en
escuelas publicas. ¿Como funciona? En nuestra pagina de internet, www.donorschoose.org,
maestros y maestras pueden escribir un proyecto donde solicitan materiales escolares para sus
estudiantes, y cualquier persona que visite la pagina, puede donar directamente al proyecto del
maestro/maestra. Su maestro/maestra ha tomado la iniciativa para solicitar donaciones en uno o
varios proyectos.
Como resultado, es posible que la clase de su maestro/maestra reciba materiales requeridos a
través de DonorsChoose.org. Cuando sucede esto, nos gustaría mostrarle fotos del proyecto
llevándose a cabo a los donantes y a visitantes de nuestra pagina de internet. Adicionalmente,
para generar más donaciones para su salón de clases, nos gustaría mostrar una foto de la clase
para que los donantes puedan ver quien va a recibir los materiales.
Con su firma, usted otorga el consentimiento a lo siguiente:
• Yo soy el padre/madre legal o guardián del alumno nombrado en este documento. Doy
permiso a que el alumno sea fotografiado (con o sin otros alumnos de la clase en cualquier
foto).
• Yo entiendo, estoy de acuerdo, y doy permiso para que DonorsChoose.org muestre las
fotografías en la página de internet de DonorsChoose.org.
• Yo entiendo, estoy de acuerdo, y doy permiso para que DonorsChoose.org muestre las
fotografías en folletos y materiales promocionales de DonorsChoose.org.

Firma del padre/madre o guardián:

Fecha _______________________________
POR FAVOR ENTREGUE ESTE PERMISO, COMPLETADOY FIRMADO, A EL
MAESTRO/MAESTRA LO MÁS PRONTO POSIBLE. GRACIAS.

Parent Note 9/16

September 16, 2013

Dear Parents Guardians and Students,

            We made it through the first 3 weeks and our class is becoming a team of learners and leaders.  We are learning to work together, help each other do our best, and make good choices.  Students are practicing their 7 Habits skills to be their own leader.  We are currently studying equivalent fractions, multiplication fluency, solving a mystery to study the Scientific Method, and Argument Writing.

            I was awarded 2 grants, one from a Northrop Grumman Company and one from Donors Choose.  (Thank you to those in our class who donated to our class through Donors Choose.) For those who do not know about them:  DonorsChoose.org is a tax deductable charity that helps teachers give students advantages the teachers would not normally be able to afford. We will be writing Thank You notes to the everyday people who donated to our project. I need to upload pictures to thank our donors as well. Please take a minute to read the Photography Permission Slip from Donors Choose.  Signing this slip gives permission to put pictures only on this website without student names.

 These two grants will allow each student in our homeroom to experience their own personal computer (Artificial Intelligence) math tutor, named ALEKS.  www.ALEKS.com 

ALEKS will help me pinpoint holes in student’s math understanding, and accelerate their math study, as they can work at their own pace.  ALEKS is aligned to our core and our textbook.  Students will have some time to use ALEKS in the classroom but they are encouraged to work on it additional time. Students without Internet access at home can work on ALEKS at the public library, and I will make arrangements for them to use the computers in the classroom before school or during lunch recess.  

            I have used ALEKS personally as a student in college, for my own children, and with small groups of students in my classroom. This is the first time I will be able to use it for my full class, so I am thrilled with the possibilities.

            A few upcoming events:

                        September 16             Start using personal Artificial Intelligence tutor – ALEKS

                        September 30             Safety Patrol / Bus Duty for the SP Students and me

                        October 22                 Students will begin a unit on Electricity

                        ~October 31               Market Day  - Reward activity – Students can bring items to

     sell for classroom money with a permission slip

   (Permission slip available when date is confirmed)

                        November 13              Walking field trip to West Jordan High School Theatre

            Joseph’s Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

                        November 27              No School until December 2 Thanksgiving Break

http://teamrendell2013.blogspot.com

                                                                                                Sincerely,

                                                                                                B. Rendell

Why should you read 20+ minutes per day?

Theatre Troupe Application

Theatre Troupe Application

 2013-2014

            Theatre Troupe will read plays to choose which plays we want to perform. We will learn all of the aspects of play production. The Troupe will do several practice performances of plays and 2 larger evening productions. Members of the Theatre Troupe will learn technical aspects (lighting, scenery, and sound) as well as acting opportunities.

            Troupe members must be Westvale Elementary students.  Students will be expected to maintain satisfactory citizenship and stay current with schoolwork to stay in Theatre Troupe. 

Remember all parts in a play are important, even the shorter ones. Troup members understand that the director has the final decision of parts, and agree to be at all rehearsals and performances for any play they agree to be cast in.

            Theatre Troupe will meet after school 3:10 to 4:00, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday most weeks.   Applications due September 6, 2013.   Meetings will begin on September 10, 2013

Student Name    ________________________________________________

Homeroom Teacher______________________        Grade   ______________

Parent Name            __________________________________________________________ 

I give permission for my student to stay after school for Theatre Troupe. I understand that no bus will run after Theatre Troupe.

Parent Signature            ___________________________________________

troupe [truːp] n. A company or group, especially of touring actors,

INSPIRE - turn $5 into $10

Hi Friends, I want to make sure my students have the materials they need to succeed. So I've created a classroom project request at DonorsChoose.org, an award-winning charity. I'm asking for donations of any size to help my kids. For the next four days, any donation you make to my project will be doubled (up to $100). If you know anyone who is passionate about education, please pass this along. Your donation will brighten my students' school year, and you'll get photos and thank yous from our class. Here's my classroom request: http://www.donorschoose.org/project/learning-at-my-own-pace/1053300/ To have your donation matched dollar for dollar, enter the match code INSPIRE on the payment screen. This awesome match offer lasts through September 3. My students and I greatly appreciate your support. Becky

7 Habits

This year we will continue to study the 7 Habits that you learned about last year, and our 3 school rules. In case you forgot them:

  7 Habits

1.     Be Proactive – You are in Charge

2.     Begin with the end in mind – Have a Plan

3.     Put first things first – Work first, then play

4.     Think Win/Win – Everyone can win (compromise)

5.     Seek first to understand then to be understood – actively listen before you talk

6.     Synergize – Working together

7.     Sharpen the saw – balance your life - take time to draw, dance, skateboard/whatever you enjoy

    School Rules    

1. Be Respectful

2. Be Responsible

3. Be Safe

                        These habits and rules will help us all be accountable, responsible, and an organized leader of our own life!

Pioneer Library

Check out Pioneer Library online at
http://pioneer-library.org

It is great for research, videos, and more!

Username is: pioneer
password is: online

Typing Pal

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The presence of digital technology in our daily lives has made it a must for your child to be keyboard proficient. This invaluable skill will serve one well in life, whether one pursues further studies or training, or moves directly into the work force.

With this in mind, I would like to inform you that our school now has access to Typing Pal Online, the best tool for learning how to type. Via the Internet, your child can now practice keyboarding at school AND at home

As a parent, we ask that you encourage your child to improve on what he/she has learned by reminding him/her to practice at home every week. He/she can log in at this address made specifically for our school and its students:

__________________________________________________________

Your child’s user name: __Student ID – can be found on Skyward__

Your child has his/her password. If not, it is __Their lunch number___

(add A to the end if the number is less than 5 digits)

We wish your child the best of luck with his/her typing.

Face

 FACE!

Stare at this picture carefully and you

 will see this man turn his face.

The [human] mind cannot imagine half a face;

so your mind will correct this image [such that] the [man’s] face will appear…sideways.

2013-2014 Disclosure

                                                                                                                                   August 23, 2013

Dear Parents, Guardians and Students,

            Welcome to fifth grade!  I am looking forward to spending the next year teaching your child.  We are going to discover, practice, and learn many new things.  Fifth graders focus on states/capitals, essays, electricity, genetics, land forms, matter, American history, current events and mathematics; we will practice reading, writing, and other aspects of Language Arts. We will have class money that can be used to buy treats at special activities, attend reward activities, and practice money management. We will also focus on accountability, responsibility, and organization. Students will be exposed to the 7 Habits in order to help them achieve these goals. The 7 habits are Be Proactive, Begin with the End in Mind, Put First Things First, Think Win/Win, Seek First to Understand/Then to be Understood, Synergize and, Sharpen the Saw (balance in life).

  This is only an overview of the material we will be covering.  As you can see, we will be very busy this year. Parents, teachers, and students working together make an unbeatable team.  Therefore students are expected to carry their planner to and from school daily. At home students will record reading, exercise, and word study minutes in their planner, show planner to parents, discuss their day and ask parents to sign the planner.  Communication is essential between parents, students, and teachers. My email address is Rebecca.Rendell@jordandistrict.org. I will be “tweeting” homework and other important information @RendellMrs  Our class webpage is http://teamrendell2013.blogspot.com .

            I believe students have the right to a positive friendly learning environment. Our school rules and classroom rules are set up to provide that environment; as our federal and state laws create the society we live in.   Just as we have procedures to keep our civilization running smoothly, we have procedures in the classroom to keep our class society running smoothly. We can have a fun year if we work together as a team (Synergize), following the rules with an attitude of good sportsmanship (Think Win/Win).

            Additionally, I believe that a student’s behavior is solely based on his or her own choices and they can be their own leader.  We, as parents and teachers, endeavor to guide each student to make good choices. Knowing the rewards and consequences helps us all make informed decisions.  Therefore, please read and discuss the following information with your child so he or she will know what to expect and we can all have a successful school year.

Rules:

1.     Listen and follow directions the first time they are given

2.     Show respect for all school personnel, other students, and other’s possessions at all times.  Be polite and keep your hands and feet to yourselves and use appropriate language.

3.     Follow classroom procedures

4.     Complete assigned work to the best of your ability (aim for a 4), Turn assignments in on time with full name on paper and redo assignments with low scores

5.     Do not argue with the Umpire (Teacher, Principal, or other school personnel)  

Our class rules help us follow the school rules:

 1. Be Responsible 2. Be Respectful, and 3. Be Safe.

Rewards for following the rules:

1.     Praise

2.     Classroom Currency

3.     Whole class and small group points

4.     Caught Being Good tickets/Treasure Tower tokens

5.     Participate in bonus classroom activities (Market days, class parties, extra P.E., etc.)

Consequences for choosing to break the rules:

1.     Warning/Classroom Money Fine

2.     Less Market Time/ Less Class Party Time

3.     Think Time

4.     Home notification

5.     Lunch Recess detention

6.     In-school detention

      Homework: (A total of approximately 50 minutes per day)

1. Independent Reading - Each student should read 30 minutes each night.  (S)He may read alone, with a sibling, or with an adult.  Students may read fiction books, non-fiction/ informational books, magazines, comic books, newspapers, parent approved web pages, etc.  It is important to vary the type of reading material and discuss with your child what has been read.  This will give him or her practice with different writing styles and reading strategies. It will improve reading, language, and comprehension skills.  Reading minutes should be recorded on the calendars in the student planner.
2. Planners – Students will fill out their planners with assignments, due dates, and what they accomplished each day.  Would you please look these over with your student and sign the planner each day?  This will give us an established communication line, and prepare your student for the organization necessary to succeed this year and in future years.  I will check student planners every morning.  I believe this use of a student planner helps each fifth grader practice accountability, responsibility and organization.    (You may also contact me by phone or email.)
3. Math – Each student will be given one blue notebook to use as a math journal and math workbook. Most math assignments will be kept in these two books. Students are expected to bring these books, their planner, and a pencil to class each day. Expect one paper per day for math homework.
4. Typing Practice for 5 minutes to build muscle memory 5 days of the week. Sign on to the webpage with the same username and password that you use at school. http://school.typingpal.com/?JORDWEST
5. Sit-ups, push-ups, and stretches: Twice a week, skip a day between workouts. ie. Wednesday and Friday – Please see PE Disclosure for more details.
6. Unfinished Work – We will have assignments in math and other subjects throughout the year that may become homework depending on how much material we cover in class, how well each student manages his or her time, and the need for additional practice of a concept.
7. Projects – We will have a few projects this year. (History Choice Project, Science Choice Project, Published Book, and Portfolio)  Projects will be spaced throughout the year and should be made from recycled materials as much as possible.  Students will write the projects in their planner on the date they are assigned with the due date.   The purpose is to increase student’s understanding, illustrate their knowledge, and communicate that to the class. These projects should NOT cost a lot of money or waste time.  Some class time will be provided for students to work on projects. Please encourage your student to use their time wisely, so they will have less to do at home.
8. Redo – Students are allowed to redo any on-time assignment to improve their grade and understanding.  Redo assignments should be turned in no more than one week from receipt of grade.
9. Spelling and Word Work – Students will have a short individual spelling list of words they do not know, from and in addition to the Rebecca Sitton spelling program that is described in the attached letter.  Students will also have spelling words from Social Studies, Science, and individualized understanding of spelling patterns. Students should study those words all week and will have a weekly assignment based on the spelling program. Students should spend 5 – 10 minutes a night studying Spelling and Vocabulary words. 

     Grades

            Grades on assignments will follow the format of our report cards.  Students will earn a 4(100%-90%), 3(89%-80%), 2(79%-70%), or a 1(69% or less).  With the “Redo” option, all students should be able to earn fours.  I will happily go over the assignment again with any student, even if we need to schedule time before or after school.   My goal is to help each student learn. 

            We will correct some of our work in class.  Usually students will correct their own work.  Studies show that students learn more when they correct their work.  Occasionally students will trade papers to correct.   Please let me know if you have any objections or would like to discuss this practice.   

Late and Absent Work

            I believe the transition to Middle School will be smoother if we emphasize accountability, responsibility and organization; therefore we will follow Joel P. Jensen’s late and absent work policy of  - no more than 3 late assignments per term will be accepted for full credit. Students will be given 3 late work coupons at the beginning of each term. Late assignments must have the coupon attached and be turned in by each term’s cut off date. Additionally absent work is due no later than one week after student’s return to school.

A planner, binder, and notebooks will be provided to help each student stay organized to meet these goals.  Each subject has a notebook of a specific color. Inside the binder the students will keep self collected data, reference materials, and current work.

            Thank you for all that you do to help your child have a successful school experience.  If you have any questions or concerns, please call me at the school (801-565-7510), jot a note in your child’s planner, or email me at Rebecca.Rendell@jordandistrict.org ,

Please sign and return the attached sheet of paper indicating you have read and discussed this information with your child.  I would also appreciate the inclusion of any questions or concerns on the attached sheet below.

Sincerely,

Ms. Rendell

Please sign below to indicate that you have read and understand the policies and procedures outlined on the previous pages.  I would appreciate it if you could also write if and when you are available to help in the classroom along with the types of things you would be willing to do.  For example: room parent, reading groups, math, field trips, class room parties for holidays, emergency phone tree, foreign language etc.

Student Signature ____________________________________  

Parent/Guardian Signature _____________________________ Phone number _____________

Email address   _________________________________________

Questions / Comments _______________________________________________________

----------------- ----------------------- ---------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ----------------------- -----------------

Photographs

            We will be taking pictures in class to use in our portfolios at the end of the year, the end of the year slide show, and similar classroom projects. Please indicate below if your child’s photograph may appear in these publications.

___ Yes, my child’s photograph may be used in classroom projects.

___ No, please contact me about my using my child’s photograph.

 Parent/Guardian Signature _________________________________________

----------------- ----------------------- ---------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ----------------------- -----------------

Volunteer Information

When are you available?   ____________________________________

What would you like to do?  ________________________________________________

----------------- ----------------------- ---------------------------- -------------------- ----------------- ----------------------- -----------------

Grading

            Students will often grade their own work as this allows students to learn from their mistakes and we can clear up misunderstandings as we correct. I will occasionally have volunteers, aides or other students correct assignments or homework. This practice also has an important educational purpose in that it allows students to review problem-solving strategies that may be different from their own. It also serves the important purpose of allowing the teacher to review assignments and use correcting time as effectively as possible.

____ I give permission for my child’s work to be corrected by others. This permission is valid for the duration of the school year.

____ I do not give permission for my child’s work to be corrected by others.

Parent/Guardian Signature _______________________________________________