Author: Lindsay Dexter

We are kicking off March is Reading Month tomorrow with a read in from 9:00 to 9:45.  Please join us in our classroom to read with your child.

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!!

Hope you all had a restful break and spent time with family.  My family and I spent most of our break in Cape Coral, Florida in the sunshine visiting family!

NWEA testing will begin this week!  Make sure your child is resting and getting a good breakfast before school.

Here is what is happening this week:

ELA

• Spelling words this week: wreckage, disguises, column, chemical, foreign, wrinkle, misten, character, condemn, resign, knuckle, numb, wrist, choir, wrong, wrestled, technology, mechanic, anchor, debt
• We will be focusing on comprehension to be ready for NWEA.
• Writing we will be making New Year’s resolutions and writing informational text.

Math

• We will begin Module 2 Lesson 9 on multiplying multi-digit word problems using the standard algorithm.
• We will also review coordinate planes in preparation for NWEA.

Science

• We will begin focusing on the moon phases and the lunar cycle.
• We will do an experiment to see the moon phases on a globe because it is hard to track the moon phases each night in the winter.

Social Studies

• We will begin our third unit on colonization of the 13 colonies.
• We will focus on the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies.

Reminder Wednesday, December 12th is Late Start!  Class will begin at 8:55am.

Here is what is happening this week in 5th grade:

ELA

• We are comparing and contrasting different versions of the Gingerbread Man.  This week we read Gingerbread Man Loose in the School.
• We also began reading a new read aloud called “The Fourteenth Goldfish”.
• Spelling words this week are: airproof, afternoon, lagoon, fireproofing, raccoon, foolproof, hooligan, pontoon, proofread, blooming, schooling, doorknob, flooded, football, moodiest, caboose, rookie, snoozes, wooly, balloon.

Math

• We began working on writing and interpreting numerical expressions using a visual model.
• Today we worked on converting numerical expressions into unit form as a mental strategy for multi-digit multiplication.
• The rest of the week we will be working to connect visual models and the distributive property to partial products of the standard algorithm without a remainder.

Science

• We will begin Mystery 3 about seasons and the earth’s revolution.
• The students will be asked “Why do the stars change with the season?”
• We will do an experiment to create a Universe in a Box.

Social Studies

• We began talking about the three western African empires: Ghana, Mali, and Songhay.
• We will review what we learned about the empires and talk about why salt was more important to the people than gold at that time.

If there are any questions at any time, please let me know.

 

Wednesday, November 14th – Honor Roll Assembly

• Congrats to Ahmed Muflehi and Abdulwahab Elhaj for making the first card marking honor roll.

Tuesday, November 20th – PBIS Celebration

• Students will be participating in PBIS.
• Girls will swim in the morning and boys will swim in the afternoon.
• Please make sure the girls are wearing their suits to school and bring clothes to change in to, including an extra pair of underwear. Boys will bring their bathing suits to school and bring an extra pair of clothes to change into after.  Don’t forget to bring a TOWEL!!
• Boys will watch a movie in the morning and the girls will watch a movie in the afternoon.

Wednesday, November 21st – Friday, November 23rd

• No school Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday next week due to Thanksgiving break.

Monday, November 26th – Classes Resume

Wednesday, November 28th – Field Trip

• We will be attending a field trip to the Henry Ford IMAX and Ford Rouge Factory Tour.
• Please bring a bagged lunch – no glass bottles please.
• Permission slips are due back next week.  Thank you to those that have already turned them in.

Parent Teacher Conferences are from 3:30 to 6:30 on:

Thursday, November 8th 

Tuesday, November 13

Thursday, November 15

Each student will come home tonight with their scheduled conference time.  Conferences will be limited to 5 minutes. You will receive your student’s report card, NWEA scores, and a parent/student contract if it is necessary.  Please let me know if you have any questions or need to reschedule your time.  Thank you!

 

LAST WEEK OF THE QUARTER!

Parent teacher conference notes are going home this week!  Please pick a time and day that works best for you and I will set a schedule and post it.  I look forward to meeting with all of you.

Wednesday, October 31st we are having a class incentive party for good behavior for the past two months.  The students have requested a potluck party.  We will be watching a movie and enjoying food the students bring in.  We will make a list of food choices to be sure there is a variety.  Please let me know if you have any questions.

Here is what is happening this week:

ELA

• Here are the spelling words: demonstrate, vanishing, prevent, defending, protest, devoted, define, bonus, moment, punishment, acre, teachable, moment, believe, trophy, column, negative, literally, natural, heritage.
• We are continuing to work on comparing and contrasting two texts.
• We are going to work on writing another TDA to prepare for M-Step.
• Remind students to read 30 minutes every night.

Math

• We began working on adding and subtracting decimals last week.
• We will continue to work with decimals including, multiplication and division.
• Remind students to use their place value chart when completing homework.  This tool is very helpful to determine the answer.

Science

• We are going to continue discussing properties of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.
• Students will be able to see how different properties of matter create slime.  (Something all students are good at now).

Social Studies

• We are going to begin unit 2 on Meet the People.
• We will explore the Native Americans and how America was discovered.
• We will also touch on three countries in Africa that were significant in American History.

Today was picture day!

Operation School Bell will be here October 26th to give the students free items.

Friday, October 12th is a half day of school. Dismissal is at 11:15.

Here is what is happening this week:

ELA

• The spelling words this week are: to, too, two , by, bye, buy, our, hour, sum, some, here, hear, their, they’re, there, threw, through, passed, past.
• In ELA we are discussing theme with our read aloud “Fish in a Tree”.
• We will begin comparing and contrasting two or more characters, settings, or events in a story.
• In writing we are continuing to write our text dependent analysis about the Legend of the Blackfish.

Math

• We began rounding numbers to each place value.
• We will take the mid-module assessment on Friday.

Social Studies

• We are comparing and contrasting the federal and state government and the powers of each.
• We will also go over how a bill becomes a law.

Science

• We are still working on chemical reactions and the properties of matter.
• We will be doing a science experiment this week with acidic foods.

TOMORROW is Count Day, be here tomorrow on time.

PICTURE DAY is Monday, October 8th.

OPERATION SCHOOL BELL permission slips are due back by Friday, October 5th.

INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC Permission slips are due back by Thursday, October 4th.