Fragment

It's official. I love my class this year. I know I said this last year, but this year it is also true. There is this one girl who seems to make me laugh often (I know; usually it's the boys that make me laugh). Anyway, one of my pet peeves is that the kids come into fifth grade thinking that dependent clauses are sentences just because it has a capital letter and a period at the end. I quickly burst that bubble and drown them in practicing the difference between dependent and independent clauses. They can now say in their sleep that a dependent clause is considered a fragment (I'm so proud!).
During reading time today, we were focusing on character traits. I used this story about a girl who is a copy cat type character. The discussion went to the idea that this character is not an independent person. This little girl said, "Yeah, I agree. She's just a fragment."

I loved it!

An anesthesiologist & a mother

School is up and running! I have another great class this year, and quite honestly, I wasn't expecting it. You see there is this rumor among the teachers that if you get a sweet class one year, then you are bound to get a rough batch the next year. I loved my class last year, so I expected hell city. Either the shoe hasn't dropped yet or they're just a great bunch. There were two quotes from the kids "Getting to Know You" survey that just cracked me up. Here goes:

Question: What job do you think you'd like to have when you grow up and why?

One boy writes: "I'd like to be an anesthesiologist (spelled anastheezyologist) when I grow up. It is a type of doctor that can put people to sleep. I learned about this job when I had to have surgery this summer. I want to have this job because I think it is cool that you could put anyone to sleep whenever you wanted. I would especially like to use this with my brothers."

Question: Who are some of your friends in the grade? Why do you like being with them?

"I have only one true friend in this school and it is Joey. He is my true friend because he is the only one who understands how much I love rocks. We have a rock club together at recess. Even my mom doesn't understand how much I love rocks. I'm not allowed to pile them in the house anymore."

These answers made me laugh. I hope you enjoyed!

Persuasive Writing

One of the styles of writing we expose kids to in fifth grade is persuasive writing. The thing about learning to write persuasively is that you have to know how to be convincing someone in general. Some of these kids don't realize that 'because I want it' or 'I asked for it' aren't very convincing. Anyway, I started this lesson off with an index card on everyone's desk and asked them to try to convince me not to give them homework. This might be the best idea I've had in a long time. Check out some of the tactics they used (and my thoughts afterward):

"Did you know that a lot of Americans are obese? Well, you're the cause. Teachers force kids to sit and do homework instead of playing outside. That is why the country is fat." Oh yeah, fast food, TV, computers and video games have nothing to do with it ;).

"A scientist said once that the more free time students have the better they do in school." So, does that mean that anything a scientist said once is true?

"If we didn't have homework, I would behave better in class because I'd be done running around. I could get my rest in class." Dude, you have to behave in the classroom anyway.

"Ms. F, I bet you didn't like homework as a kid. So, why do you give it to us? Shouldn't you treat us the way you would have wanted to be treated. It's the golden rule." If they only knew what I nerd I was...(and still am..;).

Special Toys

I was actually excited to see my little dudes and dudettes this morning. Over vacation I drastically cut my hair, and it was interesting to see who noticed. Rather, it was interesting to see how long it took some kids to notice :). It was a true test of who was observant.

Anyway, before break they wrote reports on a "Special Toy." It is supposed to be inspired from a book I read aloud to them. They liked the book (and the voices I do with it) until they realized there was a writing assignment they had to do. The focus of the assignment was to have them practice descriptive writing. It is interesting to me how young they sound in these writing pieces (especially the ones who try to seem tough at school). Here are some highlights:

A boy describing his bear: "It has limo black eyes and a hot chocolate brown nose." How does one go from limo black to hot chocolate?

Another boy wrote, "The reason I still have him is because I would be heartbroken to never saw my little buddy again."

Or, "there's something about his smile that just melts my heart."

I don't know what to make of this one: "Sometimes Lamby would get punched because he was my shield in the war against my family." With your brothers and sisters? I hope...

"My bear doesn't have a nose anymore because I ate it when I was young (at least that's what my parents told me)." Yum?

"Softy is a toy for snuggling only and not playing around. Most people don't understand that about him. He's not that kind of guy." I guess some toys are not for playing.

"Eilat is special because if you give her a hug when your sad, she won't ruin the moment by making some annoying squeaking sound." Yeah, you don't want to ruin those sad moments.

It was our first day back after vacation. I made the decision that I have to put an end to Butt Boy's exposure. I'm going to need to find a way to gently talk about it with him soon. It is just too much!

Journals

We had writing time, where we work on various writing skills through writing assignments. If the kids are finished with their required work, they can go on to their independent writing journal. The topics for their writing journal can come from themselves or an “idea basket” in the room that has writing prompts in it. Every now and then, I take the journals home to read to look at how they are applying the rules in their spontaneous writing. They are precious and, at times, hilarious! Over break, I plan to share some highlights...starting with the first journal I read tonight:

“I am scared that I need 2 of my teeth pulled out. I bet it will be very painful because when I was 1 years old, I had a tooth pulled out. My dad said he had to hold me down. That is why I am scared. If I get my tooth pulled out I think I would cry. I wish it won’t hurt.”

“I do not want to be a group up when I’m older. I want to stay a kid so then I can have a lot of fun. I don’t want to be a grown up because I will have to work everyday to make money. I don’t want to be a grown up because I can’t yell at my boss for a higher salary. When I am a kid, I can play with my friends. I don’t want to be a grown up. I want to stay a kid.”

“If I was caught taking money from my mom’s purse, my mom would be very mad. Once my dad caught me and my brother fighting. We always physically fight, and we fight a lot. I think me and my brother are enemies. My brother said, “we are like Cain and Able.” Sometimes I can’t even remember what we are fighting about, but I just keep punching. I am trying to remember to walk away, but we are like countries at war. We get caught fighting a lot.”

“Being a younger brother is sometimes really annoying. Sometimes it has a lot of advantages. Here are some examples. I don’t have to get the newspaper every morning from our driveway. My grandma treats me nice because I am the younger brother. Sometimes though I don’t get to do so much. When I wanted to go on a ride at an amusement park, I couldn’t go because I was too young and too short. Also, my brother gets to sit in the front seat of the car. We are sworn enemies.”

“If I were an icicle and the weather started to get warmer, I would be stressed out! I would be stressed out because I would soon die and melt. I would also be stressed out because I bet melting would hurt and burn.”

Any lines particularly move you?