Spelling List for Thursday, May 15th

1. dormant
2. elegant
3. erupt
4. excavate
5. expel
6. fume
7. molten
8. pain
9. parish
10. population
11. prelude
12. scald
13. stupendous
14. suffocate
15. tremor
16. prosperous
17. severe
18. pioneer
19. furniture
20. frequently
21. prettier
22. dependence
23. aquarium
24. caesar
25. penicillin

Spelling List 27 for Thursday, May 8th

1. animated
2. betray
3. convince
4. decline
5. hilarious
6. likeness
7. meager
8. mischief
9. negotiate
10. obsolete
11. retain
12. sensation
13. somber
14. subsequent
15. vow
16. marvelous
17. excellent
18. imperial
19. clad
20. procession
21. attendant
22. murmur
23. canopy
24. obviously
25. minister

Spelling List for Thursday, May 1st

Spelling List 26 for
Test Thursday, May 1st

adjective
apprehension
raucous
skittles
persecutor
stealthily
infinitesimal
casualty
hypocrite
frightening
whether
weather
bored
board
coarse
course
centimeter
millimeter
century
centurion
millipede
gymnasium
foreigner
democracy
solemn

Spelling List 24 for Test Thursday, April 17th

1. immense
2. atmosphere
3. constellation
4. crescent
5. eclipse
6. suitable
7. enormous
8. lightning
9. temperature
10. revolution
11. dissipate
12. bountiful
13. reflective
14. meteoroid
15. subatomic
16. magnetic
17. aurora
18. splendor
19. mulish
20. warily
21. infuriated
22. dolefully
23. dialect
24. bombardment
25. astronaut

Spelling List 23 for Test Friday, April 11th

1. paralyze
2. paralegal
3. photosynthesis
4. righteous
5. descendants
6. easing
7. geographic
8. meteors
9. particular
10. electrons
11. mortification
12. Mercury
13. political
14. Kalahari
15. lapse
16. minister
17. physics
18. hemisphere
19. collisions
20. hearsay

Launch Day: Friday April 4th

The class is eagerly anticipating our rocket launch on Friday, April 4th. They are designing or building their own rockets. The freedom in the rocket requirements is to encourage creativity. They may build a rocket from a purchased kit - I have asked that they know what type of fuel that it utilizes. There are Internet sites about how to build rockets. Like these:
Bubble- Powered Rocket
Film Canister Rocket (similar concepts)
Air Powered Rocket
Paper Rocket
Quick and Easy Bottle Rocket

There have been important questions like:
Will we have a fire extinguisher on hand? (yes)
What if we blow up a car? (we won't aim them at the cars)
What if it burns up before it comes back to the ground? (that's okay - we're glad that it left the ground)


I have asked the students to practice launch their rockets with their families so they know what to expect. Pastor John will be joining us for the launch (holding the fire extinguisher). We will be shootin' to launch Friday afternoon at 1:00 - anyone is welcome to come watch the fun.

Spelling List 22 for test Thursday, March 27th

1. coherent
2. plait
3. bandolier
4. intricate
5. crestfallen
6. writhed
7. defiance
8. haughtily
9. dejected
10. arrogantly
11. quarrel
12. complex
13. lithely
14. platoon
15. pommel
16. lorry
17. reluctant
18. foreboding
19. tourniquet
20. rational
21. communal
22. penetrate
23. mosque
24. mosquitoes
25. parliament

Spelling list for Test Friday, March 14th

1. civilization

2. ancient

3. propellant

4. possessive

5. octane

6. achievements

7. neighborliness

8. missile

9. education

10. mountains

11. indulgences

12. kinetic

13. independence

14. influences

15. ingenious

16. cummerbund

17. curiosity

18. resistance

19. hoodlums

20. reign

21. comprehension

22. appendix

23. oxidant

24. reckoning

25. recoup

Spelling List 20 for Friday, March 7th

1. approximately

2. persecute

3. government

4. pyramids

5. hieroglyphics

6. deities

7. replica

8. reluctantly

9. condescending

10. urgency

11. extinguished

12. specifically

13. symbolism

14. recommendation

15. literature

16. obvious

17. proportion

18. pharaoh

19. Egyptians

20. rugged

21. famine

22. metamorphosis

23. suspicious

24. antonym

25. synonym

Spelling List for Test Thursday, Feb 28th

1. glower
2. disdainful
3. carousel
4. imperious
5. stalk
6. tentative
7. eased
8. massive
9. applique
10. Scandinavia
11. personification
12. convince
13. significance
14. reference
15. resist
16. electricity
17. attract
18. muscle
19. potential
20. molecule
21. their/ there/ they're
22. were/ we're
23. by/ bye/ buy
24. to/ two / too
25. piece/ peace

Spelling List for Test Feb. 1st

evaporation
gravitational
barnacle
deceptive
beautiful
paralyze
mollusk
dynasty
Afghanistan
porcelain

disaster
flee
fracture
immense
intense
investigate
lurch
major
minor
petrify
predict
prone
sparse
topple
urban

Spelling Test Friday January 25th, 2008

innumerable
tsunamis
currents
manganese
molecule
chemicals
hydrogen
intertidal
anemone
algae
diatoms

access
associate
boisterous
brilliant
decade
delicate
employ
idle
illuminate
provide
require
taunt
tolerant
transform
wilderness

Vocabulary/ Spelling List for Nov 5 - Nov 9

Rascal Vocabulary and Spelling List for week of Nov 5th - Nov 9th
Spelling Test: Thursday, November 8^th
Vocabulary Definitions (written in vocabulary notebook)
Due: (1-12) Wednesday November 7^th
(13-25) Friday November 9^th

1) Alphabetize the list.
2) Write the appropriate definition for each word.

(Hint: Following the directions as written makes the assignment much easier)

Final Vocabulary list from Rascal

1. sentimental
2. protested
3. corona
4. spontaneously
5. extravagant
6. baubles
7. unceremoniously
8. interval
9. lath
10. equilibrium
11. ensilage
12. enshroud
13. tremolo
14. amorous
15. distinct
16. unduly
17. dismaying
18. unoccupied
19. cleat
20. exhilarated
21. domesticated
22. peril
23. crooning
24. plaintive
25. entrancing

Spelling Words from Wordly Wise Vocabulary Lesson 7

1. colony
2. compensate
3. deposit
4. fascinate
5. feeble
6. formal
7. frigid
8. harsh
9. huddle
10. remote
11. resemble
12. rigid
13. solitary
14. substantial
15. waddle

Vocabulary Spelling List for Wk Oct 29-Nov2

Rascal Vocabulary and Spelling List for week of Oct 29th to November 2nd
Spelling Test: Thursday November 1st
Vocabulary Definitions (written in vocabulary notebook)
Due: (1-12) Wednesday, October 31st
(13-25) Friday, November 2nd

1) Alphabetize the list
2) Write the appropriate definition for each word
(do not write definitions for the words from Wordly Wise - we have other vocabulary lessons about those words.)

1. ornate
2. vociferous
3. balefully
4. acquainted
5. solicited
6. acrid
7. calliope
8. bough
9. intrigue
10. cantankerous
11. crock
12. lofty
13. reconnaissance
14. jaunt
15. ambled
16. demobilized
17. armistice
18. earthenware
19. avid
20. gravitate
21. flanks
22. justify
23. gracious
24. centrifugal
25. reluctance

Wordly Wise words for the rest of the spelling test:

• abolish
• agony
• catapult
• character
• denounce
• escalate
• grim
• harbor
• inflict
• loathe
• meddle
• monstrous
• rouse
• steadfast
• translate

Vocabulary and Spelling List for Oct 22-26

Rascal Vocabulary and Spelling List for week of October 22-26th

Spelling Test: Thursday Oct. 25

Vocabulary Definitions (written in vocabulary notebook)
Due: Wednesday October 24th - (#s 1-12) (in response to some stuents having a lot of homework on Thursday evening)
Friday October 26th (#s 13-25)

1) Alphabetize the list.
2) Write the appropriate definition for each word. (corresponding list of defintions provided)


tremendous
competent
precipitously
radiant
transfix
autumn
surge
adept
exquisite
veranda
tactic
amber
tattoo
replenish
cathedral
subtlety
inclined
intimation
navigable
manipulate
primitive
divert
reprieve
dutiful
indefinite



avalanche
blizzard
challenge
conquer
crevice
foolhardy
lure
makeshift
optimist
previous
route
summit
terse
thwart
vertical

'Writing Just So' Due Friday October 19

We have now read several of Rudyard Kipling's 'Just So' stories in class. The students are taking this familiarity with a type of story of how something began and will be writing their own. This assignment is a History assignment and should reflect and communicate knowledge from chapter 2 of their history/geography text.

Here is the summary the class received in writing:

Writing Just So
Who: choose your ‘who’ from chapter 2 of your history book. (One of the civilizations) – make sure you make it clear in the story who you chose.

Invention: choose an invention from chapter 2 of your history text

Repeated Phrase: invent a repeated phrase to use through your story. (You cannot use ‘O Best Beloved or ‘Great Grey Green Greasy Limpopo River all set about with fever trees’, or any other that Kipling invented.)

Illustration: You may make a beautiful, meaningful illustration to go with your story - the more beautiful and meaningful, the better. Your illustration should be on a separate, white sheet of paper from your text. If you do not want to do a full sheet illustration, you can do as many beautiful, meaningful small illustrations until they all equal a full sheet size. It is hoped that you will have a full sheet of beautiful, meaningful illustration to share with the world, and hang on the bulletin board.

“All good stories have a beginning, middle, and an end.” This is the first line of chapter 2 in your textbook. Your story should be a ‘good story’. (Your story is about the invention you chose and how it came to be invented.)

The class added this:
a beginning - describes the setting, and introduces the characters and the problem
a middle - builds up the problem and begins a solution
an end - solves the problem and concludes the story

Dialogue: Your story needs to have talking in it. This makes it even more interesting to read.

The grading rubric/ point break-down is designed from these components.

Spelling List for Test Oct 18

There was one student in the class this week who completed enough bonus points prior to the test that the test became optional. The class is now very aware of the fact that this is a possibility. They may not, however, choose the shortest word in the list and write it 300x's. While I am impressed with the critical thinking involved in this solution to a grade, I have decided, rather arbitrarily, that it won't work.

1. complacency
2. trundle
3. rhubarb
4. berserk
5. delicacy
6. ambrosia
7. binge
8. subsequent
9. intemperate
10. respective
11. civic
12. vengeance
13. ponder
14. skirt (v) : to skirt
15. ascend
16. excursion
17. aster
18. maniacal
19. intrusion
20. oblivious
21. pinion
22. surmise
23. dappled
24. agate
25. promontory
26. accurate
27. approximate
28. course
29. depart
30. despair
31. destination
32. deteriorate
33. gale
34. horizon
35. jubilation
36. navigate
37. nostalgia
38. revive
39. sever
40. voyage

We found 1-25 from Rascal. 26-40 came from their vocabulary book. They are writing definitions for 1-25 OR a sentence including each word. They have used 26-40 in vocabulary lessons in their workbooks. They will have 5 bonus words on the test next Thursday. The point for a correct bonus word cancels the point loss for another word. Now that the ball is rolling a bit I can use words from past tests as bonus words.

Before the test they get 1 point for each 10xs of a word - so writing each of the words on the whole list 10xs would be 40 points, which would mean they wouldn't even have to take the test. (but they have been working hard and studying). After a test they get half a point for each 10xs that they right a word, this would be applicable for past tests as well.

Spelling Test Mon Oct 8

1. tassel
2. plucky
3. murmur
4. bleakly
5. lanky
6. isolate
7. bleachers
8. nutritionist
9. meticulous
10. gullible
11. technically
12. perceptive
13. sweltering
14. magnificent
15. undaunted
16. clique
17. banister
18. whimsy
19. auburn
20. has been deleted - can't find it in a normal dictionary
21. mystical
22. myriad
23. bizarre
24. chameleon
25. sporadic
26. oasis
27. porous
28. pygmy

29. ancestor
30. carnivore
31. comprehend
32. duration
33. evident
34. extinct
35. ferocious
36. gigantic
37. obscure
38. option
39. premature
40. preserve
41. prey
42. puny
43. survive

We found 1-28 from books the kids are reading on their own. 29-43 came from their vocabulary book. They are writing definitions for 1-28 OR a sentence including each word. They have used 29-43 in vocabulary lessons in their workbooks. This is a long spelling list, so I gave them more than a week to study as well as the fact that we will have 8 bonus words. The point for a correct bonus word cancels the point loss for another word.
Before the test they get 1 point for each 10xs of a word - so writing each of the words on the whole list 10xs would be 43 points, which would mean they wouldn't even have to take the test. (I just realized that - maybe I won't point that out to the class.)
After a test they get half a point for each 10xs that they right a word, this would be applicable for past tests as well.

Zoo Pic's

no small task is watching kids watching animals


fun in the tropics


Emma and Aaron watching and enjoying the gibbons


coral reef from above (from right to left, Susanna, Jordyn, Mrs. Gauger)


inquisitive porcupine fish


watching the feeding of the fishes in the coral reef


We had toads in the classroom, this is definitely a frog.
He looks like he sat out in the sun and began to melt.


Evidence of Mikayla


so many reasons to visit the zoo


Painted reflections


Korbyn pointing out a bowfin


Jordyn and Bri at the wolves


watching the wolverine (rather upset wolverine)


Emma checking the map


Keeping up appearances











We got to watch the dolphin show. It was amazing that the dolphin didn't pop that ball with his teeth. He would even swim underwater holding it in his teeth.













Tide pool exhibit (left to right and in focus, Aaron, Korbyn, Nolan)


We separated into different groups while at the zoo. I found out going through the pictures that I didn't have many images with Mikayla and Andrew - but they were there.


capturing the movements of the day (and one more shot of Andrew)


Another shark touching attempt (another wet t-shirt sleeve) (from the left, Michela, Susanna)


Touching sharks, or playing in the water - either was fun. (Michaela)

Terrarium drama

This week, due to the generosity of a student, toads were introduced to our classroom terrarium. Overnight we discovered that toads are efficient predators. They reduced the population of bugs in their new environment to the large katydid the first day. The class continued to supply bugs as they were able, but I am quite certain that the toads need to be out and about getting ready for hibernating. They were released today down near the lake. Upon return to the classroom there was a significant reduction in interest in the now ravaged terrarium.
I underestimated the amount of ongoing interest there would be in the bugs in the corner. When there is any lull in the classroom activity or an perceivable movement amongst the bugs, at least four people will rush to the corner to see just what it is that is going on. Due to their careful watch, they have been able to witness the demise of a couple of the bugs. This is, of course, 'the point' of the whole project. It is good for them to be curious and observant and interested. It is probably even good for them to move across the room periodically as long as they return to their seats just as quickly.
We are looking to evacuate the terrarium for the winter however. I suppose a few bugs could stay, but I wouldn't expect them to live long. We would appreciate a caterpillar choosing to spin up its cocoon for us to observe, but as of yet, the caterpillars have merely disappeared (consumed by crickets?) and have been quartered in separate containers.If the kids continue to memorize their verses, the 'memory tank' will continue to gain components and we will, soon enough, have a whole new world to observe.