Accomplishing Goals

Reading: Goal Accomplished!

We are putting the finishing touches on our reader’s response journals by filling in all the boxes on our think-marks and writing two paragraph responses. We are also adding a title to our responses to help students identify the main idea of their reading for the day. Students will use the scoring guide for the 5 w’s in order to receive a grade. Be looking to see how your child is doing! 

Writing: 4-Square Writing

With so many early outs and special schedules we are going to take this week not only to finish our Helmet piece but we will also be working on writing about our reading. Students are learning through the use of Reader’s Response Journals to write a summary as well as learning how to respond to literature when reading their Scholastic News Magazines.  

Math: Fencing the Garden!

With spring like weather we are gearing up for the preparation of our garden so have started figuring area and perimeter for a garden area. Using our problem solving models students are working through garden troubles! We will talk more about garden vocabulary and using Math in the Garden  after we are finished with the MAP test.  

Science:

5^th grade is the only grade required to take the Science MAP test, which will start April 2. We are gearing up by reviewing 5^th science concepts! 

Monthly Lineup

March 16               Assembly 10:15  (extra early out day)
March 19               Health Express / Tutoring
March 20               Choir at Lake Contrary
March 22               Early Out / Teacher PD
March 24               Honor Choir @Fredrick Blvd. Baptist Church
March 27               Science Club / Cooking Class / Kdgtn Roundup

March 29           Kindergarten Music Program 
 

Contact the Coach

I maintain an open door policy! Please feel free to come visit before or after school or give me a call any time!  Also feel free to come see our team in action!  

Notes from the Teacher: 

On Monday we took the SRI, reading test that helps students with vocabulary and comprehension. At the beginning of the year we set a goal to have at least 67% of our class in proficient or advanced categories. By completing homework, working hard on think-marks, and showing improvements in Reader’s Response Journals we are now at 68% proficient! Way to go team!

Now we will set a new goal to help us get ready to enter the 6^th grade!

Also, the grades your child received today are close to their final grades. I will be entering a few more over the weekend! If you have interest in getting your log on and password to the parent portal please be sure to stop by the office when you come for parent teacher conferences!  

A Slam Dunk Week!

Reading: Non-fiction Mondays

We are using Monday’s for our nonfiction days. We utilize our Scholastic News magazines to read and write about news that is going on in the world! We will be writing summaries which includes a main idea and topic sentence and supporting details. We will dig into this deeper in the next few weeks followed by Communication Arts Bencmark test!

 

Writing: Snap Shot or Big Potato?

Students used various kinds of leads to introduce their United States regions paper. We explored how the opening paragraph should hook your reader and make them want more information! We even have a few that tried a talking lead! We will finish by typing the all six paragraph report and publishing! Looking to have parents come and view this wonderful project! 

Math: How Likely Is a Snow Day?

Reading a bar graph is a skill most fifth graders come to 5^th grade already knowing, so not only did we create our own but now we are analyzing the the data shown! We will finish this unit up with probability to determine how likely is it that we will have a snow day in January?  

Simple Machines: Benchmarks

Benchmark #2: Check planners for multiple choice scores!  

Monthly Lineup

Dec 12                    B&J Skate Trip (12:00)

Dec 15                    Winter Wonderland (5:00)
Dec 20                    Reading Circle Celebration
                               Science Club
                               3^rd – 4^th Grade Music Program

Dec 21                   Classroom Parties (2:00 – 3:00)

Dec 22                   2^nd Qtr Awards Assembly (10:15)
                                        Early Out (1:25)

**Grade cards will be sent home on the 22^nd before break!**

Notes from the Teacher: Wish List

Are you thinking about purchasing a teacher gift? If so, please consider the following items needed in our classroom for the remainder of the year!
Clorox wipes, kickball, volleyball or any other playground equipment, dry erase markers, hand sanitizer
These are just a few items that we are already starting to get low on and will need to get us through the rest of the year! Any other supplies that you can think of would be greatly appreciated.
Teach America with Target Grant!
Our 5^th grade will travel to the MWSU planetarium through a grant won by Mrs. Allbury! More details and information later! What a great opportunity for our 5^th graders!

 

Reader's Workshop

Reading: Homework

This quarter your child will be bringing reading homework home two nights a week! They will not be allowed to work on this homework here at school because it does require them to complete it with you! Each time these come home you and your child should sit down and read the article together and then answer the questions together. Be sure to have the answers in complete sentences using text based evidence. 

Writing: Regions Scrapbook

We finished taking notes on the West Region of the United States and are working on completing the rough draft of the paragraph. Starting next week we will be putting all the paragraphs together and editing them one by one. This will teach student specific strategies they can use to find places to make their writing better! Soon we will be showing them off!  

Math: Frightening Fractions!

Fractions is always a scary concept for fifth graders to grasp! They very quickly realize how important knowing how to divide is! We are working on adding and subtracting fractions and converting improper fractions and mixed numbers. Putting our answers in simplest form is our next scary adventure!  

Science: Simple Machines on the Farm

Exploring the simple machines that are all around us is so much fun! Ask your child about the simple machines they found on the farm!

Notes from the Teacher: Thank You

 Thank you to everyone who was able to attend my parent teacher conferences! I really appreciate all your cooperation with the weird times and a few days early! I enjoyed talking to each parent about all their students hard work! We do have a lot of work to do still, however we are making progress every day! 

 

Additional Support Time

Does your family schedule not allow time for your student to participate in our Paw Pack, Lake Contrary's tutoring program? No problem! In our 5th grade classroom there is about a 20 minute block built in at the end of each day for additional support. This allows time for questions about homework, help with missing assignments, or just a time that they can use to complete any assignment not completed during the day! I also sometimes pull small groups that may have missed instruction due to other services they receive throughout the day. Further explanation of misunderstood concepts or questions before taking homework home allows students to feel confident they can bring homework back completed the next day!

F.L.I.P

When: February 2, 2011 @ 1:30
Where: Lake Contrary Library

We are busy preparing for our second 5th grade Family Learning Involvement Partnership event! Often students ask the question of, "Why do I need to know this?" We are going to dive in and explore this question hands on allowing kids to brainstorm about what they will use 5th grade math for in a real world job. Our guest speaker is the manager of North Belt Walmart and will be guiding students through the process of becoming a Walmart employee! Please join us in exploring and discussing real world math! This event was originally scheduled for Wednesday, February 2, 2011. Due to recent weather conditions, if there is no school it will be rescheduled as soon as possible!