Last-Minute Reminders for Next Week!

Hey 5th Grade Family!

Our Science STAAR is next week, can you believe it?! No worries - you're going to do GREAT!
Here are a few important things I want you to remember as you are getting ready to ROCK THIS TEST:

1. Get a good night's rest on Tuesday night!
2. Eat a YUMMY and NUTRITIOUS breakfast on Wednesday!
3. Arrive at school on time on Wednesday.

4. Read and REREAD the questions! Sometimes, I notice that we miss answers on our practice questions because we read to fast or don't read all of the question before we pick our answer. That is silly! Read the question, read the answer choices, and then read the question again. Please don't rush! You know your stuff, you've got LOTS of knowledge in your brain! Take the time to sort through all of that information for EACH question, and write down evidence that supports your answers. Double check your answers before you bubble them in on your answer sheet!

5. Eliminate incorrect answers. We use the 50-50 strategy A LOT! Remember to eliminate answers that you know are wrong - that will help you find the correct answer!

6. TAKE NOTES in your test booklet! Write down important things or information you know about each question.

7. TAKE YOUR TIME. Please don't rush through your test. There is no prize for finishing first, I promise. Do your very very best work, and double check it before you turn it in.

You guys know your stuff. Don't stress - you're going to do GREAT!

UPDATES: March 17 - March 21

Hello, all!
Now that we are back in the swing of things after the break, I'm going to try and update this site at least once a week. I will let you know what we've been working on in class, and I will provide information and study tips on things that I have seen students struggling with in class.  Please use this site to help our students study at home so that we can ROCK THIS TEST! :) (Also, sign up for an email subscription on the sidebar so that you will get notifications when I add new information to this site.)

This Week In Class:
- We took district benchmarks on Tuesday. Those grades will be counted as one of our first grades for the 4th 9 weeks. Those will be in the gradebook this weekend or early next week.
- We learned about complete and incomplete metamorphosis (5.10C). We talked about each type and discussed examples of insects that go through each type. I have updated this page with notes from class this week.
- We also spent some time reviewing what conductors and insulators do. (5.5A)


Things to Review at Home:

•  During our Measuring Up Live work in the computer lab this week, I had a lot of questions about the Rock Cycle and Weathering/Erosion (5.7B). I have put a few new notes on this section this evening. There are several graphics, as well as a few bullet points of "things to know." In class, we covered sedimentary rocks, but did not talk a lot about igneous and metamorphic. We will be reviewing all three of these and the rock cycle before the test, but please review this at home. Also, please review weathering, erosion, and deposition. 
• We've been talking a LOT in class about Forces (5.6D). Your students should know all about friction, gravity, inertia, etc. Ask them to point out examples and tell you about these things when they see them happening in real life. They have lots of good information to share with you! :) 
• We've also been reviewing scientific method and what a good science experiment looks like (5.2 and 5.3 Objectives). We've talked about variables, and how to effectively test our scientific questions. This is a tricky concept for some of them, so any help and review that can be provided at home would be great!
• The Measuring Up Live website is a GREAT resource. Please use this and work through questions with your students. This is a great way to get their "science brains" in gear! :)

Metamorphosis (5.10C)

The student is expected to describe the differences between complete and incomplete metamorphosis of insects.

For this unit, we are talking about insect life cycles. Insects go through metamorphosis. There are two types - complete and incomplete.

Incomplete Metamorphosis:

Has 3 stages: Egg, Nymph, Adult

 

Insects that go through Incomplete Metamorphosis: 

• Walking Stick
• Dragonfly
• Grasshopper
• Cockroach

Complete Metamorphosis:
Has 4 stages: Egg, Larva, Pupa, Adult

 

Insects that go through Complete Metamorphosis:

• Butterfly
• Ant
• Housefly
• Bee
• Beetle
• Ladybug

Scholastic StudyJams video:

• Animal Life Cycles 

Other Links to Check Out:


Vocabulary:

Egg: The first stage in the life cycle of many organisms including birds, amphibians, reptiles, fish, and insects

Larva: The stage of Complete Metamorphosis during which the organism resembles a worm

Pupa: The stage of Complete Metamorphosis during which the organism seems to be at rest and new body parts are forming

Adult: A fully-grown organism that can reproduce

Nymph: The stage of Incomplete Metamorphosis during which an insect eats and grows, and resembles a smaller version of the adult

Life Cycle: The stages in an organism's life from birth to death

Complete Metamorphosis: The type of development consisting of four distinct stages-- egg, larva, pupa, and adult

Incomplete Metamorphosis: The type of development consisting of three stages-- eggs, nymph, and adult

Stage: A specific time during life or growth

Inherited Traits and Learned Behaviors (5.10B)

The student is expected to differentiate between inherited traits of plants and animals, such as spines on a cactus or shape of beak, and learned behaviors, such as an animal learning tricks or a child riding a bicycle.

NOTE: As of Spring Break, we have not yet covered this objective in class. We will cover it in late March/early April.

Links to Check Out:

• Ecosystems Games

Vocabulary: 

Organism: A living thing

Inherited Trait: A characteristic that is passed from parents to offspring during reproduction

Learned Behavior: Animal behavior that develops from observation or instruction rather than being passed down by heredity

Offspring: New organisms that have come from parents that have reproduced

Trait: Characteristic of an organism

Heredity: Passing of traits from parents to offspring during reproduction

Adaptations (5.10A)

The student is expected to compare the structures and functions of different species that help them live and survive, such as hooves on prairie animals or webbed feet in aquatic animals.

NOTE: As of Spring Break, we have not yet covered this objective in class. We will cover it in late March/early April.

Scholastic StudyJams video:

• Animal Adaptations 

 Other Links to Check Out: 

• Here's a great slideshow about behavioral and physical adaptations. 

Structure and Function

With this unit, we are going to discuss structure and function. Structure is how something is made. Function is what it does.

Example: A human hand.
Structure: We have a thumb and four fingers that have joints and can move. Our hand is connected to our arm at the wrist, which can turn and move. We can also make a fist with our fingers.
Function: Our thumb and fingers help us grab things. Our wrist moves and enables us to wave or carry things easier.

Camouflage vs. Mimicry

In class, we talked about camouflage and mimicry. These are both adaptations that animals use to survive. However, sometimes it can be confusing to remember which is which. Let's review:

Camouflage is when an organism has colors or characteristics that help it blend it with its surroundings.
Mimicry is when an organism looks or sounds like another organism. 

For example, this frog is camouflaged to blend in with its surroundings. This makes it harder for predators to find. 

Remember that we talked about the snake-necked turtle in class. This animal has a big long neck that makes it look like a snake. This is an example of mimicry.

Vocabulary:

Species: A group of organisms with similar characteristics that allow them to reproduce

Reproduction: The act of making something new

Adaptation: A characteristic that helps a plant or animal survive

Survive: Stay alive or stay with

Niche: A role an organism plays in its environment

Camouflage: Characteristics that blend in with the surrounding environment that increase chances of survival

Mimicry: The resemblance of an organism to another organism or to its surroundings that gives it a better chance of survival

Migration: The seasonal movement of animals from one place to another

Hibernation: When an animal becomes still in an enclosed space and reduces bodily functions to save energy

Predator: An animal that hunts and feeds on another organism

Prey: An animal that is hunted as food

Habitat: A place or environment in which an organism naturally lives

 

The Carbon Dioxide / Oxygen Cycle (5.9D)

The student is expected to identify the significance of the carbon dioxide/oxygen cycle to the survival of plants and animals.

Scholastic StudyJams video:

• The Carbon Cycle 

 Other Links to Check Out: 

REMEMBER: Carbon is an element that can be found in ALL living things! 

 

Remember this picture that we talked about in class:

 

1. Carbon dioxide is found in the atmosphere. 

2. Tree's take carbon dioxide in and use it during photosynthesis. During photosynthesis, the tree breaks carbon dioxide apart. The tree releases the oxygen back into the atmosphere and keeps the carbon.

3. Eventually, some of that carbon from the tree gets transferred into the soil.

4. People and animals breathe in the oxygen that the trees and plans release back into the atmosphere. In this picture, the bacteria is breathing in the oxygen. The bacteria is also taking in some of that carbon from the soil or the tree that it is decomposing. 

5. The oxygen that people and animals breathe in circulates through our bodies. As it circulates, it picks up some carbon that we don't need and turns into carbon dioxide. We breathe out this carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and the cycle begins again!

Vocabulary: 

Carbon Cycle: The movement of carbon on Earth by the processes of respiration and photosynthesis

Oxygen: A gas produced by plants during photosynthesis that animals use for respiration

Carbon Dioxide: A gas produced by animals during respiration that plants use to make food, water, and oxygen

Respiration: A process by which animals use oxygen and food to make energy and carbon dioxide

Elodea: An aquatic plant

Bubble: Gas or air in a liquid

Environmental Changes (5.9C)

The student is expected to predict the effects of changes in ecosystems caused by living organisms including humans, such as overpopulation of grazers or the building of highways.

Scholastic StudyJams video:

• Changes in Ecosystems 

 Other Links to Check Out: 


Vocabulary: 

Change: To become or make different

Environment: The living and nonliving things around an organism

Organism: A living thing

Impact: Direct effect or change on

Carrying Capacity: The population size an environment and feed and support

Population: All the living things that belong that belong to the same group and live in the same area