Volume I No. 15

Test, Test, TEST!
There are so many tests, contests, competition, and more going on at this time of year! See them all on page 7. Let's see the results for all of them so far, what we hope will happen, and what we think will happen. Send your opinion, congrats, or news to: GingerbreadWklyNews@gmail.com

Table of Contents
Cover Story
New News
Debate Time
Mail Pail

Debate Time

Breaks Between Writing Tests
Should the breaks/recesses between classes be eliminated during writing test days?

Some people think they need breaks between classes on writing test days. Others think it is best not to. Do YOU think breaks should be eliminated? Send answers to: GingerbreadWklyNews@gmail.com

By the way, last week's debate topic was a tie of 1 to 1. GWN will have a blog site if our editors have the time.

Yes!

Of course break time should be eliminated! Ideas flow from one to the next, and a break can ruin your writing grade! Essays are best when the writer continues the story throughout. Students may “cheat” during recesses like asking questions to other students or getting ideas. Breaks should be eliminated during writing test days.

No!

Why should breaks be eliminated? Students write their rough drafts all at once, without a break between. Even if students get ideas, it may be hard for them to interpret the ideas into their writing. If two students write the same sentence, the student who copied the idea is plagiarizing. There is no right or wrong to writing and it is very subjective. Breaks should stay, even on writing test days.

Cover Story

Test, Test, TEST

• Diane Zhou's CM Test: 98% Congratulations to Diane for a wonderful theory test! She's in Level VII (7) out of X (10) and she can get 98%! That's great!

• Amanda Chang's CM Test: 93% Congratulations to Amanda for a wonderful theory test! It's her first one she's ever taken. This is a Level IV (4) test, which, compared to Diane, sounds easy, but no, it is NOT easy. Diane knows that too.
  

• Green Grass Contests:
  

• Chinese
• penmanship: Our GWN editors did GREAT at Chinese penmanship
• presentation: Presentation is tough, so our GWN editors aren't so sure about winning this...still cheer for them!
• character recognition: Our editors are GREAT at this!
• writing: Our editors are, without doubt, the top two at this topic!

• Math – No one has taken this contest yet...but our editors are great at this topic.

• Fremont Unified School District (FUSD) Writing Test: 4th and 5th Grade Diane, Amanda, and all of 5th
  grade in FUSD had a genre of response to literature. Both say, especially Amanda, that teachers prepare students for this topic the least! There has never been a response to literature writing test in the past nine years.

Send good lucks, congratulations, and comments or questions to Gingerbread Weekly News and our editors will read the notes. Also send your news about tests, contests, and competitions to Gingerbread Weekly News.

New News

Class Field Trip!
By Cynthia Yao
February 26th, 2008

Everybody in my class was excited about the field trip. We lined up and loaded onto the bus. Finally, (it seemed like hours) we were at the center called "Davis Street Recycling Center". First of all, we were introduced to a worker named Linsey. Then, we went into the building called Recycle Education Center. We were introduced to another worker named "I forgot her name". Linsey taught us about the 4 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot. Then "I forgot her name" took us to a place where they use big bulldozers to transport the trash to someplace else. Also, we had to watch 2 videos before we went out. We got to look at a a place with a giant hole FILLED with trash. (Plastic, glass, wood, paper, cardboard, mattresses and so many other things) Well, it was a short field trip and time to go home. "We're due to leave at 2:20," announced Mrs.Brightwell, and it was 2:20. So, we had to go.

Thank you, Cynthia, for sending your story to GWN!

Events:

• Diane Zhou's CM theory test See results on pages 4 and 5.
• Green Grass Contests See what everyone thinks about the contests and Diane and Amanda Chang's afterschool, Green Grass.
• Amanda and Grace Ching's CM test Still wishing luck for Amanda and Grace. Thumbs up for your CM piano tests! See results on pages 4 and 5.
• March 4th and 5th Also wishing the best for 4th and 5th graders on the FUSD writing test.
• March 16th Get a thumbs up, Diane, for your CM piano playing part test. It's also Diane's ice skating test date. Good luck, Diane!
• March 17th Saint Patrick's Day. Wear green and don't get pinched! Find a four leaf clover!

Get your thumbs ready to go up, everyone, for all our editors, friends, and family, who have worked hard to have achieved so much, and are working hard to achieve much too!

Mail Pail

Here's all the mail GWN received this week:

Debate Time (Should GWN have a blog site?):
“Of course GWN should have a blog! It's easy to update and you can get in touch with a lot of people online.” Cynthia Yao, 5th grade
“No, because it wastes electricity.” Nicole Sun, 5th grade

Happy Birthday, Gingy!:
“Happy 'Belated' Birthday!” (Deanna also gave Gingy a birthday present: a little turtle she made with puff balls herself! It is now Gingy's pet named Turtie. Thank you so much for the cute turtle, Deanna!) Deanna Wong (from last week), 5th grade 2/25/2008
“Happy Very Late Birthday, Gingy!” (Chloris also gave Gingy a house for Turtie. Thank you Chloris!) Chloris Li, 5th grade 2/29/2008