Embedded Files
Welcome Letter <--- Click the blue underlined words there to open and read!
For grades K-5 of Young Voices Academy for the 2025-2026 school year from Mr. Lellis
Remind signup online form <--- click here to provide your information to Mr. Lellis to be signed up for Remind app messages and updates. It provides a number and message you can text to signup, or a link at the bottom of the sheet you can click to signup that way.
Want to excite your students?
Click the links below for a cool video
Parent Newsletter (September 2025)
QUOTES
"Intelligence, without ambition, is a bird without wings" (Salvador Dali, artist) [You cannot show how good you are, unless you desire to show how good you are]
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OLD STUFF BELOW
Share Table Day 1 (1/30/24)
Mr. Lellis donations
Share Table Day 2
(1/31/24)
Student donations
SAS-P Chirinos.pptxMr. Poppers Penguins (PDF file)
If you would like to read the book "Mr. Poppers Penguins", which also has a movie of the same name (2011) starring Jim Carrey, click the title above to be taken to a digital copy you can read. It is 77 pages long. You can also go to your local library to ask to borrow a copy, written by Richard and Florence Atwater.
This could be a fun novel for older students to read alone this summer, or for younger students to try and read with their parents and to then enjoy the movie version, available on streaming services like HBO Max, or perhaps DVD copy from your local library. Older students then can analzye differences between the two versions, much like how other movies began with their book counterparts, such as "Harry Potter" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." This will also apply to books students will read into middle school and high school, into college, if they go that far along. One sure such title would include "Of Mice and Men." This is a fun way to make watching movies and educational experience.
Grade 4
Waves and Communication
"Cracking the Enigma Code": clip about how the Allies in WWII cracked the coded language of the Axis Powers
"TIE fighter sound effect design": how the named fighter ships from Star Wars had their iconic sound effect screech designed
Morse Code chart: before the Internet, cell phones and even landline phones, communication between towns and cities was limited to traveling to share news, until the Morse Code was developed. It sent electronic signals through power lines that enabled communication between towns and cities, never seen at the time. Click the hyperlink to see the chart. Dots mean a single beep, rectangles represent pauses.
Grade 5
Suggested Reading
Find book collections on ancient civilizations and find out which have connections to astronomy. This could include the civilization of the ancient: Greeks, Romans, Aztec, Incan, Myan, and even Native American tribes, among dozens of others. Middle school will include units on World Religions and World History, of which select civilizations are studied.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)
Parent surveys (click below links (2) to fill them out, should take about five minutes to do both.
Students will receive 1 Voice Dollar for each survey completed.
There are also two articles being hyperlinked under the surveys that can be read before or during the surveys if you choose.
Your participation in the surveys is much appreciated and Mr. Lellis thanks you for your time.
Articles you can read about artificial intelligence (AI), if you choose:
Generative AI can be the academic assistant an underserved student needs | ZDNET
Artificial Intelligence is already here; we need to make access more equitable | EdSource
Grade 5 (and any others interested in reading about them)
For our 4th unit of the year, we focus to "the Stars and the Sky" with a lot of focus on the stars (in space, NOT celebrities from movies and tv) we see in the sky and what they have to do with Earth and other parts of space. A favorite connection of this topic for Mr. Lellis is when we talk about "constellations" most of the names picked for the ones dicsovered so far have basis in mythology of ancient cultures, such as the Greeks and the Romans. While some think of "mythology" as fake stories to entertain, they were often told to children and families to help the ancient people to understand the way of things in nature when scientific explanations we have now were not yet understood. For example, while we understand lightning is a charge of electrcity that comes from the sky and touches down to Earth, ancient Greeks were told it was the god Zeus throwing thunderbolts at them from Mount Olympus in his anger. Side note: while most current religions in the world focus to one deity (monotheism), ancient civilizations like the Greeks and Romans, and even cultures like the Native Americans, believed one being to be in charge of each part of nature and their lives (polytheism). Students should read more about these cultures during World History in their middle school years. Click HERE to find a PDF document that contains some of the most common myths from ancient Greece. Programming note- some stories will appear strange to our current thoughts of a story, so please try to understand them as they were written for people thousands of years in the past.
Hopefully on time to spare before the year is over, we can watch "Hercules" (1997) with the fifth grade.
Grade 5 Progress Test
HW for 3/29/25-3/31/25
Purple cover review book, pages 180-191. Answer the questions in the book, then click HERE to submit the answers digitally. This way when Mr. Lellis receives your answers and those of all 5th graders, we can determine what topics are going well and which need more focus
PARENT NEWSLETTER- SCIENCE April 2025 <--- Click here to read it and know what your student is learning about in the K-5 Science classes
Grade 5 STATE TEST STUFF
We have done the following lessons (between in-class time and assigned for homework):
6, 4, 2, 11, 8, 10, 12, 13, 16
Mr. Lellis is assigning the following lessons for the week of March 24:
5, 7, 9
After this week, students will likely be asked to take an assessment from the same purple review book as they did the Tryout Test originally. With the results, Mr. Lellis can determine where classes are doing well and require less study, along with topics of concern that still require more review.
Students are still asked to review their Study Guides (hyperlinked below), study from the vocabulary PDF sheets (also hyperlinked, by topic) and to watch the videos from the link provided.
The state Science test is in May, so we have approximately 5 weeks to be getting ready for it
GRADE 5 STATE TEST STUFF
More for studying and practicing!!!
Review book lesson 4
Review book lesson 6
Mr. Lellis has been working on making PDF copies of the review book lessons we have gone over in class so students can reread them at home for practice. The files are NOT accessible here yet but should be soon. We have covered Lessons 6, 4, 2, 11, 8 and 10, with the following to come soon in class- 12, 13, and 16. These selections were made reflecting on how both fifth grade classes did in the Tryout Test (30 questions) and where were scores lower. Once these lessons are completed, we may try another similar test and see how the scores are then to determine what still may need more study or if we can move onto other additional topics of review.
PARENT NEWSLETTER- SCIENCE March 2025 <--- Click here to read it and know what your student is reading about in the K-5 Science classes
GRADE 5 STATE TEST STUFF
Studying and Practicing
Parent engage workshop 2/27/25
1) In class, we took a "Tryout Test" of 30 questions (10 questions each class period, three class periods) which could include any topic from kindergarten to fifth grade science. Mr. Lellis then gathered the results and noted topics that were scored best and worst; best will be reviewed in class less, while worst will be focused on in-class more.
2) Ahead of class time, Mr. Lellis will be trying to keep up with preview videos students should watch BEFORE SCHOOL for homework that have to do with upcoming review topics. See below for hyperlink to access the document with the list of video links that can be clicked on to go to them to watch.
Review videos for 5th grade
Click HERE to see a list of videos about topics from kindergarten through fifth grade to help you review for the state test. Each is from less than 1 minute to five or so minutes. We will likely play some in class as we continue learning and reviewing for the test, but watching some for your own review time can help.
Reminder: continue studying your study guides for 5 min per weeknight, 2 min studying vocabulary per weeknight (see below hyperlinks) and then maybe another 5 minutes per weeknight watching videos from this list above. That's 12 minutes! Everyone can spare that time nightly from Monday to Friday :)
See the below for which videos you should be watching weekly as we will be doing review lessons and watching the videos before class will be more helpful to students.
WATCH LIST FOR WEEK OF FEB 10:
Lesson 6: "Conservation of Mass," "Moh's scale of hardness explained"
Lesson 4: "Wavelength and amplitude," "Talking Drum"
WATCH LIST FOR WEEK OF FEB 17:
Lesson 2: "Junkyard heavy electromagnet," "Static electricity science demo (Bill Nye)," "The science behind magnets"
Lesson 11: "Fabulous food chains: crash course kids," "Who needs dirt?," "Understanding ecosystems for kids," "Decomposers"
WATCH LIST FOR WEEK OF MARCH 3:
Lesson 8: "Large fly eaten bu giant venus fly trap"
Lesson 10: "Army of ants working together", "Canada geese form the Flying V", "Grizzly bears catching salmon", "snapping turtles hatchlings hibernate"
3) During class time, Mr. Lellis will be working to split the 45 minutes half and half to complete the regular curriculum, while doing review work to help prepare for the state test, using purple cover books that students will read passages and data tables, graphs and more from, while reading and answering questions (that will be recorded in notebooks, for the sake of saving the review books for more years of use). Answers will also be reviewed in this time.
4) At home, students have THREE (3) study guides they can use to study topics from kindergarten to fifth grade science. These were handed out at the start of the year and another chance for copies was given at a parent engagement Mr. Lellis hosted. Hyperlinks to the guides are provided below, please print at home, Mr. Lellis will not be providing more copies. I am also providing hyperlinks to vocabulary words and definitions for each grade, by topic, that students can click on and review nightly, see below.
STUDY GUIDES (click hyperlinks to access, can print at home if needed)
INFORMATION SHEET!!! (<--- Click me!) 1/3
Information sheet 2! (<--- click me!) 2/3
Information sheet 3! (<--- click me!) 3/3
VOCABULARY
Kindergarten
First grade
Second grade
Plant and animal relationships
Third grade
Fourth grade
Fifth grade
5) In a moment (below), you will see information about a test simulator. This is a resource where students can pick the topic (Science, Reading, or Math), pick their grade (5th) and then be provided with four sample question sets. This will show the formatting of the online test to students, the available tools they can use during it and the approximate reading level of passages and data on the test. The questions included are from the spring 2024 test- this is NO GUARANTEE the same questions will be on the spring 2025 state test! The purpose is to help students see the format and complexitity and to prepare for similar, while being able to answer such for other topics in the subject they choose. They can use this simulator to practice for their Math and Reading state tests too. NOTE: students can use the tools and answer the questions as they would for real (clicking multiple choice answers, typing in responses, etc), but ANSWERS WILL NOT BE RECORDED OR SCORED!
Mr. Lellis may also provide released questions from the spring 2024 state test, which can include answer key at the bottom so that when students attempt the questions and write down their answers, they can check them at the bottom when done practicing.
Grade 5 NYS Released Science Test Questions from Spring 2024 <--- CLICK THERE! (when you see the title is blue and underlined, it is HYPERLINKED to the item and will bring you there when you click it)
The questions included on the document are from the test this past spring, but does NOT include every single question. At the end is an answer key to the multiple choice (A, B, C, D) questions. You should only check with the answer key when trying a question yourself first and then writing down the answer and thus seeing if your answer is truly correct when consulting the answer key. If you just check the answers without trying, you learn NOTHING.
Question sampler <--- This lets you see what it is like to take the state test in Science, ELA or Math online. State tests going virtual has started spring 2024 and will continue rolling out; the Science test did happen only online last year. Pick the subject, grade and then next drop down will give 4 samplers (five questions each). The objective of this resource is to show parents and students what it's like to take the test online. For instance, students will NOT receive a paper copy of the test and answer the questions online; the screen will SPLIT down the middle and things like text to read, graphs, diagrams and the like will be on the left side of the screen, while questions and space to select or type answers will be on the right side. There are also tools that can help students to better annotate the test while they take it and better navigate it. This is like how on paper and pencil students would underline, circle, highlight and write notes in the margins. This is to help students jot notes as needed, better understand the questions and choices and have a better understanding of what is being asked of them.
Mr. Lellis is reiterating here that 5th grade students are responsible for being ready for the state test and appropriate studying at home is required in addition to such in-class, along with learlearning the proper fifth grade topics (ecosystems, food chains/food webs, transfer of energy and matter, Earth systems [atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, geosphere], chemical changes, and soon other topics like matter, atoms, molecules and more before concluding with outer space). If a student will not properly study, prepare and participate, they will only do as well on the test, while those who do study, prepare and participate would be expected to do much better on the test.
***Ms. Tully/Ms. Davis can stop reading here for the Parent workshop ***
Skype a Scientist meeting presentation
Archaeologist (Grade 4)
Click the top dialog box to view the presentation that the 4th grade saw. File is too large to view, must click and download. Lots of cool pictures, only part missing is the video which is too much to download.
Mr. Lellis will continue working on scheduling other SAS matches with the K-3 and grade 5 classes so each will be able to meet a different kind of scientist via video call and to learn about them and hopefully get some questions answered.
Plant scientist (Kindergarten)
Classes met Dr. Benjamin on video call to discuss his career as a scientist, specializing in plants. The presentation has been requested and if Dr. Benjamin provides permission, a link to or the presentation itself will be provided here soon.
Mr. Lellis continues to schedule meetings with other scientists for the remaining grades.
1st grade: Neuroscientist
2nd grade: Mathematician
3rd grade: Physicist
5th grade: Chemist
Review videos for 5th grade
Click HERE to see a list of videos about topics from kindergarten through fifth grade to help you review for the state test. Each is from less than 1 minute to five or so minutes. We will likely play some in class as we continue learning and reviewing for the test, but watching some for your own review time can help.
Reminder: continue studying your study guides for 5 min per weeknight, 2 min studying vocabulary per weeknight (see below hyperlinks) and then maybe another 5 minutes per weeknight watching videos from this list above. That's 12 minutes! Everyone can spare that time nightly from Monday to Friday :)
See the below for which videos you should be watching weekly as we will be doing review lessons and watching the videos before class will be more helpful to students.
WATCH LIST FOR WEEK OF FEB 10:
Lesson 6: "Conservation of Mass," "Moh's scale of hardness explained"
Lesson 4: "Wavelength and amplitude," "Talking Drum"
WATCH LIST FOR WEEK OF FEB 17:
Lesson 2: "Junkyard heavy electromagnet," "Static electricity science demo (Bill Nye)," "The science behind magnets"
Lesson 11: "Fabulous food chains: crash course kids," "Who needs dirt?," "Understanding ecosystems for kids," "Decomposers"
WATCH LIST FOR WEEK OF MARCH 3:
Lesson 8: "Large fly eaten bu giant venus fly trap"
Lesson 10: "Army of ants working together", "Canada geese form the Flying V", "Grizzly bears catching salmon", "snapping turtles hatchlings hibernate"
EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT
For students is grades 4 and 5 who are looking to share their Google Doc or other form of research project to Mr. Lellis, please share it to:
If you are setting a permission to it, leave it at "viewer" or "commentor".
Projects submitted late will not be able to receive the extra credit
All the best!
GRADE 5
Tryout test (Questions 21-30), click HERE to access
NOTE: DO NOT CLICK THE ABOVE LINK TO DO THE QUESTIONS UNTIL MR. LELLIS INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO SO DURING CLASS TIME ON TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY IN THE LAB!!!
At the time, we will do things the same way, read the questions from the book and enter the answers to the Google Form linked above, or on looseleaf if no device. Answers on Google Form help to collect answers faster. Mr. Lellis will then be analyzing the results to gauge what topics we need review on the most and which we do not.
FOR ALL GRADES!!!
Today is Climate Action Day #2; Energy! This is Mr. Lellis reminding you of some basic energy saving tips:
1) When it's daytime, try to avoid using the lights and just open the curtains (natural light)
2) Always turn off any lights you have in use when you leave the room. Who are you leaving them on for?!
3) Check out this awesome PSA I made! I only printed copies for grades K-2 to not use so much paper and betray CAD #1 on waste.
Review videos for 5th grade
Click HERE to see a list of videos about topics from kindergarten through fifth grade to help you review for the state test. Each is from less than 1 minute to five or so minutes. We will likely play some in class as we continue learning and reviewing for the test, but watching some for your own review time can help.
Reminder: continue studying your study guides for 5 min per weeknight, 2 min studying vocabulary per weeknight (see below hyperlinks) and then maybe another 5 minutes per weeknight watching videos from this list above. That's 12 minutes! Everyone can spare that time nightly from Monday to Friday :)
GRADE 5
Tryout test (Questions 11-20), click HERE to access
NOTE: DO NOT CLICK THE ABOVE LINK TO DO THE QUESTIONS UNTIL MR. LELLIS INSTRUCTS YOU TO DO SO DURING CLASS TIME ON TUESDAY OR WEDNESDAY IN THE LAB!!!
At the time, we will do things the same way, read the questions from the book and enter the answers to the Google Form linked above, or on looseleaf if no device. Answers on Google Form help to collect answers faster. Mr. Lellis will then be analyzing the results to gauge what topics we need review on the most and which we do not.
Until then, KEEP STUDYING THE THREE (3) REVIEW GUIDES EVERY WEEKNIGHT FOR FIVE (5) MINUTES AND WORK ON STUDYING THE VOCABULARY DEFINITIONS FOR ANOTHER TWO (2) MINUTES WITH THAT. Vocab PDF documents hyperlinked below by grade and topic.
GRADE 5
Tryout Test (Questions 1-10)
Click HERE to get to the Google Form where you will pick your answers or type them to turn them in. Only the short response will not be graded since Mr. Lellis needs to read the responses. All other questions are multiple choice for 1 point each or checkboxes for 2 points.
We will try to do this in class and debrief after, then do the following 20 questions over two separate class sessions.
Grade 4
As discussed with 401 and 402, along with most other grades, Mr. Lellis is looking to match each grade with a professional scientist for a video conference meeting that would occur during school time. The scientists would be taking time to speak with students, discuss their careers and branch of science, while sharing information from their experiences and findings, including pictures and videos. Grade 4 has been lucky so far to be matched with an "archaeologist" (scientist studying old and ancient civilizations). Students may have heard this term if they have done reading into the Romans, Greeks, Aztecs, Incans, Mayans, and many other civilizations of the past. Below, I am including a video sent from the archaeologist that describes their job in more detail, along with a very interesting internet game that tests student knowledge about the career of an archaeologist.
Click the above hyperlinks to be taken to each. These resources are meant to entice the fourth grade for their visit with the archaeologist, please use where there is extra time, not when students should be doing their homework or other assigned chores and tasks!
The meeting is roughly scheduled for early February!
Grade 5 has made a match with a scientist; a chemist!
The meeting date and time is being arranged
Grade 5
In preparation for the NYS test, we are taking a second look back at the HW assignments from earlier in the year that we previewed. They contained questions related to K-5 topics and questions from the simulator, and may also contain questions released from the state test last year.
The first questions can be read and answered using this Google Form (<--- click it), while the link to get the questions from the simulator are included in the above Google Form. You'll need to highlight, copy and paste the link to see those questions. Read the questions and choices, but do not answer them there; answer them in the Google Form! Mr. Lellis will then be checking student responses and will count this toward your grade.
For taking their state Science test simulation, 501 was asked to self-assess their responses to the simulation against the following answer key. Click HERE to go to the website with the simulation, then set to Science, Grade 5, and Sampler 3 to see the simulation you took. I am providing the answer sheet for those questions HERE. Please reread the passages, and questions and be honest if you chose the correct choice for each answer, or if what you written sounded similar to the acceptable answers. As long as your answer was similar enough and included many of the same information, you would get full credit. Not having the needed parts would result in partial credit or no credit.
We did the Science simulation test the same as simulations in ELA and Math so we can successfully navigate the application on the Chromebooks so that when we take the test, we know how to use it and we are only focusing to the questions and passages and answering with correct responses.
Mr. Lellis also noted that students need work on reading and interpreting (understanding) various data graphs, which we will see practice on soon, including review books for the state test that are on order. We will also work on using C-E-R to ensure our responses include a Claim (answer to the question), Evidence (information from the passages and our knowledge) that supports our claim and Reasoning (an explanation of how the evidence we chose helps to support the claim).
We will begin to redo Homeworks from earlier in the year where we use one link to get to the questions and another link to submit answers that can be tracked. When having the results, Mr. Lellis can determine if some topics are well learned and do not need more practice, while others are not as strong and do need more practice.
I am also aiming to start posting Vocabulary lists and definitions of grades K-5 below this area for students to add to their nightly (week nights) study time of five minutes (study guides), for an additional two minutes of vocabulary study. This would be helped with index cards and students writing the vocabulary word on one side, and the definition of the word, and a sentence of using the word in context, and maybe a related drawing on their other side.
To find the vocabulary you seek, look for the grade and the topic below and click on the title of the topic to be taken to a PDF of words and definitions; there are languages other than English available. Not all pages of the PDF are needed to study because it's the same words translated into multiple languages.
VOCABULARY
Kindergarten
First grade
Second grade
Plant and animal relationships
Third grade
Fourth grade
Fifth grade
SCIENCE PROJECTS INFORMATION (for extra credit to those who complete and submit on time)
Letter to families about the projects <--- Click here to understand about the science projects!
"SCIENCE PROJECTS: What do I need to find and do?" <--- Click here to find what information you need for your project, scroll down to find your grade
Resources that show BLUE UNDERLINES, are "hyperlinked" and will take you to a website about that thing when you click on it. Any other words in black and no underline are regular words.
1st grade (Planets)
All planets, Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
2nd grade (Dinosaurs)
Students next unit will be in weathering and erosion (geology), so perhaps we will do research on dinosaurs since their fossils are found in rocks too.
Tyrannous Rex, velociraptor, brachiosaurus, triceratops, spinosaurus, gallimimus, stegosaurus, diloposaurus, pachderm, pterodactyl, ankylosaurus, allosaurus, and mosasaurus.
3rd grade project is on traits about yourself, and which of them (five or six) are inherited (from your birth mother and father through DNA) or they're from environment (from where you live and the people that you live with and spend a lot of time with).
4th grade (Bodily systems)
Cardiovascular, respiratory, excretory, skeletal, nervous, immune, digestive, and muscular
5th grade project is on elements from the Periodic Table. Students are expected to do research on their own with Internet resources or books from their local library or those available in the small library in the Science lab.
All grades (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) are welcome to use print materials and books to find the information they need, in addition to use the Internet. You can use articles, videos and more, but you must write what you will hand in. Providing links on a project is not acceptable for their written task.
Grade 1 will fill out a form with the facts about their planet. Grade 3 will type their information on Google Docs, using complete sentences and proper spelling and grammar. Grade 4 and will also type their information on Google Docs using complete sentences and proper spelling and grammar, but are expected to neatly organize their writing into paragraphs, including an introductory paragraph and a conclusion paragraph.
Questions or facts to be researched can be provided for all students by Mr. Lellis. If students can include pictures with their project, it will be given additional credit.
PARENT NEWSLETTER January 2025: <--- Click there to find out what the students are learning about in each grade, along with the units we have just finished
Grade 5 Science HW #5 (, posted 11/17/24; due 11/26/24)
Google form: https://forms.gle/nFU5vx5Ju7dAhanv6
Released questions: https://www.nysedregents.org/ei/science/2024/2024-released-items-science-g5.pdf
Click the Google Form to see where you answer the questions, click the Released Questions to read the question, see pictures, graphs, charts and information given to you to answer the questions
Answer the questions in the Google Form only!
If you have trouble accessing the Google Form, you need to write your assignment on a piece of looseleaf paper with the HW number, your name and class number and clearly labeled responses, this way you can get credit for doing your work.
For Climate Action Day 1 (Waste), each 4th grade and 5th grade student was sent home with a slip of paper that was as follows:
Name: __________________________ Class number:_______
Leftover food item: ___________________________________
What could I do to the leftover food, or add to it, to make it appetizing to eat again?
The concept is to develop a resourceful list of ideas for students and families alike to reuse leftovers in the days after cooking (and before expiration) to avoid wasting. This open ended concept could be a first of its kind for the NYC Department of Sustainability and focuses to the "Reuse" of the 3 Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle). Students are being asked to turn in 1-2 ideas each on the slip and can write on the front and back if needed to make sure their ideas are written in as much detail as possible. They may include their own ideas, those from their family and ideas from the internet. However, Mr. Lellis is insisting on original student and family ideas the most so those ideas are helping the same students and families that are giving ideas. This activity is due 11/19/24, on the day of the Waste CAD.
Climate Action Days
For the second year in a row, NYC schools and YVA are participating in "Climate Action Days, with each day focusing on an important section. The following dates indicate which topic is to be discussed:
November 19- Waste
February 5- Energy
April 9- Health, wellness and green spaces
May 21- Water
For the upcoming Waste day, we are hoping to do the following:
A sorting activity to help students understand which kinds of containers all their waste belong in so that items that can be recycled go to the proper facilities, a cafeteria "Check Up", a secret project headed by Mr. Lellis, Ms. Mani and Ms. Mochica, along with a possible student collaboration from fifth grade students (and maybe fourth grade) to develop a resource book that would be a compilation of tips and tricks to help families decide how to reuse their leftover food to prevent food waste. Such ideas include reheating of pizza in the oven (not the microwave) to get it crispy again, taking old chicken and shredding it and adding mayonnaise to make chicken salad, and adding different spices, sauces and ingredients to make old food appetizing again. One such example is taking plain breaded chicken and adding tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and baking in the oven to make it into a chicken parm dish. Depending on number of responses and ideas, Mr. Lellis will investigate into compiling the ideas into a student made book that could see some level of publication, whether sent home to families or more.
Parent engage workshop overview (11/6/24)
The test assesses K-5 science knowledge, is an online only test that is one day, and about 30-40 questions. Students test only on school Chromebooks and with an app they log into. Test questions are very reading and vocabulary heavy. The test does provide tools to help students better read and decide for the texts, charts, graphs, etc as they work. Below is the "Question Sampler" hyperlinked so anyone can see the layout of questions similar to the test. There is also "Released Questions" from the spring 2024 test hyperlinked below. There are about 70% of the actual test questions shown there and the answer key is provided at the end of the document. This is most intended for students to try the questions first (as if taking the exam) and then checking their answers to see if their multiple choice answers are correct, or if their short response or extended response questions include acceptable information for full credit.
Mr. Lellis has sent home 3 study guides with students earlier this year with topics from K-5 that students should be studying NIGHTLY for 5 or more minutes each time.
The objective is to memorize grades K-4 content and learn current material for fifth grade now in-class so that students go into the test knowing the topics most likely to appear on the exam.
Students have had four Homework assignments thus far, about weekly, with 3-4 questions on each one. The objective has been for students to get used to the texts and information provided in the test, along with how questions are worded, while attempting the questions. We will focus to reviewing such questions soon, along with practice in CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning). This is to make sure students understand the question, provide a clear answer, use relevant evidence in supporting their answer and then rationalize their evidence. Students will also learn more in data (tables, graphs, charts, etc) between time with Mr. Lellis and with Ms. Tully in Math, later this year.
Students are to be studying the Study Guided they have for 5 or more minutes NIGHTLY, while doing Homework assignments as they are posted. Students may also opt to use other resources about topics on the guides, such as videos to better understand to their learning style.
Parents should be ensuring that students are doing their nightly studying and completing their Homework assignments as they're being posted.
STUDY GUIDES (click hyperlinks to access, can print at home if needed)
INFORMATION SHEET!!! (<--- Click me!) 1/3
Information sheet 2! (<--- click me!) 2/3
Information sheet 3! (<--- click me!) 3/3
Grade 5 NYS Released Science Test Questions from Spring 2024 <--- CLICK THERE! (when you see the title is blue and underlined, it is HYPERLINKED to the item and will bring you there when you click it)
The questions included on the document are from the test this past spring, but does NOT include every single question. At the end is an answer key to the multiple choice (A, B, C, D) questions. You should only check with the answer key when trying a question yourself first and then writing down the answer and thus seeing if your answer is truly correct when consulting the answer key. If you just check the answers without trying, you learn NOTHING.
Question sampler <--- This lets you see what it is like to take the state test in Science, ELA or Math online. State tests going virtual has started spring 2024 and will continue rolling out; the Science test did happen only online last year. Pick the subject, grade and then next drop down will give 4 samplers (five questions each). The objective of this resource is to show parents and students what it's like to take the test online. For instance, students will NOT receive a paper copy of the test and answer the questions online; the screen will SPLIT down the middle and things like text to read, graphs, diagrams and the like will be on the left side of the screen, while questions and space to select or type answers will be on the right side. There are also tools that can help students to better annotate the test while they take it and better navigate it. This is like how on paper and pencil students would underline, circle, highlight and write notes in the margins. This is to help students jot notes as needed, better understand the questions and choices and have a better understanding of what is being asked of them.
Grade 5 Science HW #4 (due 10/17/24)
Google form: https://forms.gle/cSfKvipKowJqStBq7
Released questions: https://www.nysedregents.org/ei/science/2024/2024-released-items-science-g5.pdf
Click the Google Form to see where you answer the questions, click the Released Questions to read the question, see pictures, graphs, charts and information given to you to answer the questions
Answer the questions in the Google Form only!
If you have trouble accessing the Google Form, you need to write your assignment on a piece of looseleaf paper with the HW number, your name and class number and clearly labeled responses, this way you can get credit for doing your work.
Grade 5 Science HW #3 (due 10/10/24)
Google form: https://forms.gle/XRJXf4Rps34o3TVj7
Released questions: https://www.nysedregents.org/ei/science/2024/2024-released-items-science-g5.pdf
Click the Google Form to see where you answer the questions, click the Released Questions to read the question, see pictures, graphs, charts and information given to you to answer the questions
Answer the questions in the Google Form only!
If you have trouble accessing the Google Form, you need to write your assignment on a piece of looseleaf paper with the HW number, your name and class number and clearly labeled responses, this way you can get credit for doing your work.
GRADE 5 Science HW #2 (posted 9/27/24, due 10/4/24)
Google form: https://forms.gle/BKaJxYsRjLfYWy2p8
Released questions: https://www.nysedregents.org/ei/science/2024/2024-released-items-science-g5.pdf
Click the Google Form to see where you answer the questions, click the Released Questions to read the question, see pictures, graphs, charts and information given to you to answer the questions
Answer the questions in the Google Form only!
GRADE 5, SCIENCE HW #1 (posted 9/19/24, due 9/27/24)
Google Form: https://forms.gle/H4kd8vompM5r6MEJ6
Released questions:
https://www.nysedregents.org/ei/science/2024/2024-released-items-science-g5.pdf
Click the Google Form to see where you answer the questions, click the Released Questions to read the question, see pictures, graphs, charts and information given to you to answer the questions
Answer the questions in the Google Form only!
Climate Action Day 4 (Water)
For this CAD, with K-2 classes, we read two stories related to water, it's daily uses, how it travels through the NY water system and other parts, including items we should be sure to NEVER drop down the sink, down the drain or flushed down the toilet (such as laundry detergent, hair, grease/oil, paper towels, etc). To wrap our time, we did our "Design Your Own Drippy" color in sheet where students designed their own version of Drippy from one of the stories. Many colored theirs as they liked, put hair and other things like shoes, pants, and a hat on their Drippy.
For grades 3-5, we discussed that the idea of Water Conservation is to try and avoid waste or misuse of water at school and at home. Students shared many ideas they heard of or thought of on the spot, most revolving around not leaving a sink running or dripping, when not in use (such as when washing dishes, brushing your teeth, etc). We then listened to a read aloud of the short book "We Are Water Protectors" by Carole Lindstrom. It covered the topic that sometimes water supplies are at risk when elements like a "black snake" (ex. oil pipelines) can poision local water supplies and affect people, animals, plants and more. In a connection to Civics, this expresses the need for students to be mindful of advocating and the right to protest just causes, such as clean drinking water for all. We wrapped the time with a Word Find sheet with 15 different words related to the NY water system, including newer words such as "fatberg" that describes large masses that form in the sewers from unsafe elements that have been dropped in the drain or flushed in the toilet, such as paper towels, toilet wipes, grease, baby diapers, and more. When these things get clumped, they become larger and larger masses that can begin to block pipes and thus the flow of wastewater in the system. The best way to prevent fatbergs is to be sure these items end up in the garbage and NOT in the drain or the toilet
NOTE: with the rising popularity of toilet wipes, students mention using them at home. Initially, most of these brands were intended as baby wipes and were meant for garbage disposal. However, with children and adults using them, they're ending up in toilets and the sewers. PLEASE check the packages you use for some kind of label saying "Safe To Flush." If the package of wipes says this, they are okay to flush in the toilet. It all has to do with how the wipes break down in the sewers and don't become part of larger fatbergs because they don't break down.
As for further Water day advice, students should continue use of reusable water bottles to reduce how many single use plastic bottles wind up in landfills, along with that most public water is clean to drink and thus not buying water bottles ultimately saves families money. For those with less than clean water at home, you could speak with a building manager or plumber about the quality of your water, or purchase a water filtration system that is either a container with a filter in it, or one that attaches to the sink. These will clean the water as it comes out of the tap and makes it safe to drink.
Skype a Scientist: Bug-Type Pokémon & the Real World Insects that Inspire Them with Greg Pask (5/16/24)
SOLAR ECLIPSE (4/8/24)
Click the links below to learn something cool about the event happening today!
GRADE 5
INFORMATION SHEET!!! (<--- Click me!) 1/4 (Was sent home with students on 1/8/24)
Information sheet 2! (<--- click me!) 2/4 (being sent home approximately 2/1/24)
Information sheet 3! (<--- click me!) 3/4 (Sent home week of 2/5/24)
Question sampler (How to try out taking the test on the computer to see how it will appear in the spring; students did Sampler 4 during the Science simulation in the Science lab)
***Only students in Class 501 took the Science Simulation test during school hours, we will hope to have time for students in Class 502 try the same fairly soon)***
NYS Science Test 2024 Frequently Asked Question
Released questions from 2022 Science exam (Grade 4)
Students in 2022 were the last to take the test in 4th grade. In 2023, the 4th grade was not taking the Science test, so that they would take it spring 2024, as 5th graders, according to the new arrangements from New York State. Students can use the above link to look at some questions from the 2022 Science exam, which will have assessed their learning of K-4 knowledge at that point.
Released questions from 2022 to 2004 (Grade 4) <--- Click me!
You will see several years listed. Click "Regular size version (8.5" x 11") " to get to a PDF of questions from that year that you can read and try to answer on your own, on looseleaf paper
OLD HOMEWORK FROM 2023-2024
Grade 5 Released Questions and Review HW #7 (due on 1/12/24)
https://forms.gle/uEUkzBiQAcioWr9X6
Grade 5 Released Questions and Review HW #6 (due on 12/22/23)
https://forms.gle/sBVctkF4YdurKvnBA
Grade 5 Released Questions and Review HW #5 (due on 12/15/23)
https://forms.gle/Qo3eSrAqDDYqWEMM8
Grade 5 Released Questions and Review HW #4 (due on 12/8/23)
https://forms.gle/L8jzhUrBgSPTEDsR8 (Click the link and answer the questions, link to the Released questions is included with the questions that have to do with it)
Grade 5 Released Questions and Review HW #3 (due on 11/24/23)
https://forms.gle/cbHRsyQZDxWhN5kR9 (Click the link and answer the questions, link to the Released questions is included with the questions that have to do with it)
Grade 5 Released Questions and Review HW #2 (was due 11/17/23)
https://forms.gle/bueLqhJ3vKMCq1kH6 (Click the link and answer the questions, link to the Released questions is included with the questions that have to do with it)
Grade 5 Released Questions and Review HW #1:
https://forms.gle/3f1njQJTUzp5Gu1t9 (Click the link and answer the questions, link to the Released Questions is also included with the questions that have to do with it)
"Excelsior! (Onward and upward)"
Stan Lee
"What's 'can't'? There ain't no can'ts. There's no can'ts!"
Mickey Goldmill
"Do or do not; there is no 'try'"
Yoda
NOTE: While this website is to aid students and parents, it is not to take the place of student being responsible for their own learning, inside and outside of the classroom. Use these resources in addition to your learning in-class. As said since September, if you have questions, the best thing to do is ask for help
NOTA: Si bien este sitio web es para ayudar a los estudiantes y padres, no es tomar el lugar de que el estudiante sea responsable de su propio aprendizaje, dentro y fuera del aula. Utilice estos recursos además de su aprendizaje en clase. Como se ha dicho desde septiembre, si tienes preguntas, lo mejor es pedir ayuda
In our efforts for Sustainability (saving energy, recycling, etc), we have an effort to help people to save electricity and saves some money $$$ on their monthly bill. The 3rd grade has talked about the difference between incadescent bulbs and LED bulbs. We have found that incadescent bulbs (when trying to light a room), put off about 90% heat energy and only about 10% light energy. This obviously very wasteful compared to LED bulbs, which typically output 90%+ of their energy, providing a much brighter light, that is cool to the touch (unlike incadescents that can burn your skin if you touch them after they're on for more than a couple minutes). Con Edison has a SALE on LED bulbs that can make for a brighter light and a lower cost on your utility bill if you use consistent amounts of electricity each month. We also look forward to our first "Climate Action Day" (December 6), as we do a school-wide initiative for the day and some at home actions to help us reduce our Energy usage, without much changing our daily routines.
Climate Action Days
DECEMBER 6: Energy (electricity) <--- SUCCESS!
FEBRUARY 7: Waste (food) <--- SUCCESS!
Expected plans: implementation of the Share Table at lunch time (DONE!), practice sorting activity for the trash and recycling containers (DONE!), reemphasizing students bringing their own reusable plastic water bottles DAILY (compared to single use plastic bottles) (DONE!), and Plastic Free Day during lunch!
This website hosts some resources concerning garbage and recycling. One part labeled "Follow Your Waste" upon entering the site, lets you click on a type of waste and follow the steps from when it is picked up until what becomes of it at the end (each step is a dot at the bottom of the page)
"Play the sorting game" takes you to a drag and drop game where you are given various items to sort into the proper containers (e-waste, metal/glass/hard plastics/cartons, paper & cardboard, landfill and food scraps & yard waste). This activity may be a little advanced for K-2 grades to sort all items properly and I have focused students mostly to the containers they see in school at this point (black for garbage, blue for metal/glass/hard plastics/cartons, green for clean paper/cardboard). This activity is good for students to learn beyond those three containers only along with the recently added "brown for food scraps & yard waste". I'll be giving students a chance to play this sorting game on the Feb 7 Climate Action Day for those I am scheduled with, perhaps with other classes either before or after the day, depending on time.
Make a bird feeder with a toilet paper roll
Click the link to see
If you don't have bird see, instead of buying, you could use pieces of stale bread, or crackers that you put in a baggie and crush. Birds enjoy both and most houses have both and it's a great use for those foods instead of throwing them away if they go stale.
MORE!!!
APRIL 17: Health, Wellness and Green Space <---SUCCESS!
JUNE 12: Water <--- SUCCESS!
For the above dates, we are going to focus on conservation and sustainability for each topic with activities we can do, or activities we can avoid, to make things better.
For instance, for the December 6 Climate Action Day on Energy, we are hoping to go the following activities:
1) A "Lights Out" teaching period of one hour (likely 8:30 am to 9:30 am) where classes will turn off the above head class lights to save electricity and see how "natural light" (the Sun) can keep a room bright during the day.
2) Minimized use of the school elevator (unless physically required by those who would need it daily)
3) Reading of and and discussion of the below PSA page from Mr. Lellis (FIGHT VAMPIRES AND SAVE MONEY!!!). The focus of the PSA is to help students and families understand that while we turn electronic devices to OFF positions when we don't use them, if we leave them plugged in at that time, the devices CONTINUE to use electricity and cost families money, even if they don't notice! The PSA includes helpful examples to help students and families combat this "Vampire Power Drain" to save electricity and money on the utility bill each month.
TOP TIP: The cable box is your BIGGEST DRAIN of electricity from devices that are turned off, but still plugged in.
Cable Box Research document <--- Mr. Lellis conducted a two weeks long experiment to see if unplugging the cable box from bedtime to returning home would save money on electricity. Click the link and read to find out!
FIGHT VAMPIRES AND SAVE MONEY!!! <--- PSA link here, click on it! A copy was sent home with the students starting on Dec 7!
More interesting information:
FATBERGS: What should you flush down the toilet?
Bats can see WITHOUT their eyes!
In celebration of Thanksgiving, (my favorite holiday: food, sports and sleep!), Mr. Lellis is providing the following link to show students how they only need heavy cream and lots of physical energy to make BUTTER!
https://thestayathomechef.com/how-to-make-homemade-butter-in-a-mason-jar/
The links below are for fun and can be viewed AFTER students take time to study, using resources located in different tabs on this website
SONG OF THE WEEK:
October 9, 2023
Here Comes the Sun by The Beatles
October 16, 2023
Conga by Gloria Estefan
October 23, 2023
Only in Dreams by Weezer
October 30, 2023
Crazy Train by Ozzy Osbourne
Novembers 6, 2023
T-R-O-U-B-L-E by Travis Tritt
November 13, 2023
Everybody Needs Somebody to Love by Blues Brothers
November 20, 2023
Ordinary by Train
November 27, 2023
Walking on Sunshine by Katrina & The Waves
December 4, 2023
Living in America by James Brown
December 11, 2023
Come and Get Your Love by Redbone
December 18, 2023
Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) by Eurythmics
December 25, 2023
Blue Christmas by Elvis Presley
January 1, 2024
25 or 6 to 4 by Chicago
January 8, 2024
Enter Sandman by Metallica
January 15, 2024
Love Rollercoaster by The Ohio Players
January 22, 2024
It's Not Unusual by Tom Jones
January 29. 2024
New York, New York by Frank Sinatra
Mystery Science Video of the Week:
Week of 10/9/23: How do broken bones heal?
Week of 10/16/23: Does any place not have fall (autumn)?
Week of 10/23/23: Are dolphins really one of the smartest animals in the world?
Week of 10/30/23: What would happen if you didn't have a skull?
Week of 11/6/23: How do polar bears walk on ice and snow?
Week of 11/13/23: How do erasers erase?
Week of 11/20/23: Why does it matter if an animal is endangered?
Week of 11/27/23: How can you tell if a plant is poisonous?
Generation Genius videos
May have been used in some classes to supplement, viewable by clicking the blue hyperlinked words, only available to view from the listed start date to the end date
Bacteria & Viruses (in light of the cold and flu season, this video is being added on 12/8/23 and should be viewable through approximately 1/8/24. It is intended for grades 6-8, but its use of visuals and demonstrations illustrate what bacteria and viruses are and especially how spread and infection happen and happen quickly)
Conservation of Matter (used during the Butter lab related to Thanksgiving, this video is being added on 12/8/23 and should be viewable through approximately 1/8/24. It discusses that no matter what we do to matter (stuff), when it may change states (solid, liquid or gas), the amount of matter still weighs the same, even if it apears different or seems to disappear)
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