Week of February 13, 2017

This week in 5th grade we will be learning…

Language Arts: This week students will continue learning about point of view in reading and writing. While, they are reading each student will focus on a specific reading strategy (main idea, story elements, sequence of events, and parts of speech).  During Daily 5 students will continue practicing Daily 5 procedures and focus on learning about various strategies that will help make them better readers.  We will be focusing on QAR strategies to help them answer comprehension questions.  In writing we will be focusing on mystery writing.  Students will have to read an informational article set to their level on Frontrowed.com (same login and password as the math) with guided reading questions everyday.

Vocabulary Words–  

Geography

1. Adapt – to change in order to fit new environmental conditions.
2. Bodies of water – all the different sizes and shapes of water naturally found on the Earth’s surface. Oceans, seas, bays, lakes, rivers, and ponds are examples of bodies of water.
3. Communication – ways people send and receive messages thereby linking people and places.
4. Environment – the geographic characteristics that surround and affect the way people live.
5. Environment concerns/issues – interests’ people have about the care of the natural environment.
6. Geographic characteristics – traits that distinguish one place from another. These are divided into two groups.
7. Physical characteristics describe the natural environment of the place. They include physical features (natural landforms and bodies of water), weather and climate, soil, vegetation, and animal life.
8. Human characteristics describe the people of the place past or present their human-made features (buildings, etc), languages, religions, economic activities, and political systems.
9. Human-made features – changes people have made to the land. These changes include buildings, bridges, tunnels, railroad tracks, dams, monuments, piers, farm fields.
10. Land forms – the different shapes of Earth’s surface. Mountains, hills, plateaus, plains, valleys, peninsulas, and islands are examples of land forms.

Spelling Words-

Apples: Vowel pairs ill family- all, call, small, ball, install, football, help, play

Bananas, carrots, egg plants, dragon fruits: Suffix able- portable, advisable, available, favorable, unforgettable, laughable, noticeable, biodegradable

Math: This week we will continue learning about Unit 8 Fractions.  Everyday students should go on frontrowed.com for extra math practice.  They log in using their first name and their last name.  The class code is k9kyvt.

Science: We will continue learning about Life Science Survival of Organisms.  Research with your child about the Solar system and find out these questions…

1.) How are the traits of species influenced by genetics and the environment?
2.) How do the behavioral and physical characteristics of organisms help them survive in their environment?
3.) How do we distinguish between inherited and acquired traits?
4.) How do fossils provide evidence about how species and environmental conditions have changed?
5.) How can species extinction be related to catastrophic events and environmental change?
6.) How do the similarities in traits help us classify organisms? 

Social Studies: We will continue learning about the Road to the Revolution.  Research with your child about how and why different colonial regions developed in North America and find out these questions…

Why did some colonists from different regions join to create an independent nation? How did economic issues and political experiences and ideas affect the relationship between Great Britain and the colonies? Why were some colonists unhappy with British rule after the French and Indian War? How and why did people in different colonial regions unite against Great Britain?

Important Dates

Late Start 2/15/17 

Mid-winter break 2/20/17-2/24/17

Important Reminders

Please send a healthy snack with your child.

We are in need of tissue boxes, it’s that time of the year where noses will run.  Please send them in with your kids.

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact me at anytime (chamsef@dearbornschools.org).

Thank you,

Fatima Chamseddine