Our problem and solution lesson was very engaging and I was fascinated by your thought-provoking questions about rebuilding Afghanistan. As we discussed, identifying the problem and solution in a text helps us become better readers, helps us remember the text, and helps us understand the text. The author may propose a solution, but sometimes we are left with several questions. The following are questions that we shared. If you are able to find an answer to any of the question, you will receive a ticket! Be sure to use a reliable source and write it down on for Monday! Use the Rebuilding Afghanistan link below to reread the text.
Rebuiling Afghanistan

QUESTIONS
How can Afganistan rebuild if there isn't any money?
Where do people live?
Why did the war last so long?
Are any other countries helping?
How long will it take to rebuild?
How come the U.S. is helping when we attacked them?
How do they get their food?
How do people protect themselves?
Do they have clothes?
Are the people going to do anything or are they relying on the President?
How come 8-10 women do not know to read?
What do children do while they wait for their schools to be rebuilt?
What will they rebuild first?
Do students have school supplies? How will they get them?
Where do the kids live? What are their living condition?
Are they in the process of rebuilding now?
What is being done to help women learn how to read?

I was so pleased to hear so many of you supported our PTA fundraiser at Jerry's on Wednesday! Working together truly pays off and I am proud to announce that we won a pizza party for having the most receipts! 

I decided to post questions that you jotted during my "Me Bag" presentation. Feel free to post a comment if you have further questions.

Why do you like making jewelry? 
I love jewelry! Using beads gives me the opportunity to explore different color schemes.

How did you learn to make necklaces? Do you like making different types of jewelry?
I have a friend who is an expert at making jewelry. She used How-to books and went to workshops to learn how to make necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. I was amazed by her work, so I asked her to teach me. In my opinion, bracelets are the easiest to make, so I love to make them the most.

Is the hat made out of paper?
The hat is called a gele or head-tie in Nigeria. It is made of Damask which is a fabric made of silk, cotton, wool. linen, or synthetic fiber. 

When did your grandpa learn how to make masks?
He was taught as a young boy by my great-grandpa who also carved masks.

Have you ever been to Nigeria? How many relatives live in Nigeria?
I have not visited Nigeria yet. I am looking forward to going soon since I have plenty of family members who live there. My family is massive since Nigerians have big families. I probably have about 100 or more family members who live there.

Do you speak Nigerian at home?
I do not speak my family dialect fluently, but I can understand common words. Nigerian is not a language. However, the number of dialects in Nigeria is over 500! Dialects are varieties of languages. The official language is English. Other major languages are Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba.

Where are you getting married?
I will have a local wedding in Montgomery County.

Could I be your best man?
My fiance is choosing his best friend to be his best man. I am flattered that you want to be a part of my special day!

Can I be your flower girl, bridesmaid, or maid of honor?
My cousins from Chicago will be flower girls. My sisters will be the bridesmaids and one will be the maid of honor. Again, I am so honored that you want to be a part of my special moment!

What pool do you go to?
I usually go to pools in Germantown.

Are you good at swimming?
I am not the strongest swimmer, but I can do the basics.

How did you get on the Washington Post?
Reporters from the Washington Post came to our school last year for the 5th grade Promotion ceremony. They wanted to learn more about it, so they interviewed students, teachers, and parents. Their photographers also took several pictures. Surprisingly, I was on the front page with one of my students! What a memorable moment!

Why do you like the Redskins? Do you like other football teams?
I love all Washington hometeams. Redskins, Capitals, Nationals, Wizards, and D.C. United. I tolerate other football teams, but I only love my Skins!

This week flew by once again!
In reading we have been focusing on informational text structures. On Monday we will wrap-up description and learn about cause & effect. I am thrilled to start our new informational reading books as well. How much do you know about Earth's surface? Be prepared to share your ideas from your K-W-L chart on Monday!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Today was our first day of P.E.! Hooray! remember to wear your sneakers every Monday.

In math, I was so impressed with for using accountable talk and applying divisibility rules to responses. Tomorrow we will learn the rules for 6 and 4. Keep up the great work!

It was so wonderful to meet all the grandparents who visited us today! I can't believe we finished our second week of school already!

This week we sharpened our writing skills by avoiding TABOO WORDS and using idioms. I have an idiom challenge for you! Write the meaning of the following idioms and include one in your free-writing:

Back to square one
Let the cat out of the bag
On the fence

Have a wonderful weekend writing!
 

The first week in fifth grade has been fantastic! Sharing our "Me Bags" has given me the opportunity to get to know you and I am looking forward to learning more about your interests next week! Stay tuned for my day to show and tell!

Also, I was very impressed with how well everyone has been transitioning into fifth grade! Remember, there are several responsibilities you have now such as signing your planner, reading for 20 minutes daily, and being a patrol. Some may be challenging at a point, but they help you grow as a learner which is our mission as fifth grade students at Flower Valley!

Continue to keep up the good work and give your best effort in everything you do. I know next week will be awesome! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!