Author: Erika Whitford

Hello!

We just returned from Stout Middle School and really enjoyed the performance!

Just some notes about this week and break that I wanted to address now before the week flew by and I forget to!

• Spelling Words) Students will have a holiday list of words to work on during the week in class as well as their regular Tic Tac Toe homework. These words will also be needed for the spelling portion of their holiday break homework packet, so help remind students to be responsible with their list!
• Homework packet) Today students will receive their normal reading log, spelling homework, and nightly math practice. Students will get another packet of homework Friday to work on during the break. It will have some math, science, spelling, and writing practice. We will have library check out this week so students should be bringing home new books for the break to use on their reading logs.
• Celebration on Friday) We have a student who’s birthday is over our break so we will be having a treat for her in the afternoon. We are also having a pizza lunch in class at 12:30. Students will need to bring in $3 for their pizza. Students have also chosen items they would like to bring on Friday for our celebration. We will be done with our celebration at 2:00 due to library and Gym in the afternoon. Friday morning, as well as Thursday, we will be completing holiday/winter themed activities in class.

Thanks for all you do! Have a wonderful end to your 2017!

❄Happy Snow Day ❄ check out these websites if you get bored or work on your normal Daily 5 activities. Or drink some hot chocolate, make a snow angel, or build a snowman and send me a picture ☃️Whatever you do, have fun and be safe. Business as usually!

Hello! Hope you had a good Thanksgiving break!

Just a reminder that money, $6, and permission forms for seeing the movie Wonder @Fairlane movie theaters is due tomorrow. The field trip is this Friday, December 1st. No money or forms can be accepted after tomorrow since we are giving them a headcount and funds after school.

If you have volunteered to be a chaperone, I will contact you on Dojo mid-week and let you know which students you’ll be with. Chaperones are also $6.

We will be having our first spelling test tomorrow! Hopefully students completed their spelling menu activities and Thanksgiving packets, all due tomorrow! New words for spelling will be given Tuesday morning along with nightly spelling homework.

Thanks and have a good week!

We will be doing Fall/Thanksgiving activities for the next 2 days in school.

Thanksgiving break starts this Wednesday and we will not have school again until Monday, 11/27.

Enjoy the time off!

Good morning!

We here at Maples are really focusing hard on students being responsible for their actions. This month, I will be giving out many responsibility points on Class Dojo to students who exhibit this habit without being asked or reminded to. As students getting ready for middle school, responsibility is something they need to have a firm grasp on.

We are also doing a few responsibility challenges and activities throughout the month.

Please have your student list was they are responsible at home or at school and always thank them for the things that they do positively!

Happy Sunday! Can you believe we’re in November already?!?!?!

This week we have No School on Tuesday due to election day and teacher professional development.

I wanted to take a moment and explain what is going on in Math this month. Last week, we began Math Workshop. Students were put into random groups and each day they all had a chance to participate in an activity that covers all 5 major domains in Math curriculum. Each day, each group went to a different center. Some were on the Chromebooks, some were games, and some were independent problem solving. We are trying to boost our M-Step and NWEA scores by reviewing all taught math concepts from 4th grade. With the way our pacing guide is set up in 5th grade, many 4th grade concepts are not revisited until Spring, which is when testing season happens. To ensure students are remembering concepts and practicing them, these 5 center activities will activate prior learning and keep concepts fresh in student’s minds throughout the year. Ask your students how they’re enjoying the centers. They change weekly so if they do not like what they’re doing, it’s okay, it won’t last forever 🙂

Hello!

To start, we are not having an actual party for Halloween. Many students do not celebrate. We will be doing Fall/Halloween themed activities, but will not be having a party. If students bring in candy to pass out to the class, they will be allowed to do so at 3PM on Tuesday, Halloween. Students are also allowed to wear a costume if they want to. Costumes must be school appropriate, no weapons, no masks, and no fake blood. These are Maples rules.

We also have a half day this Friday, Nov. 3rd, with dismissal at 11:50 AM. Please make sure your child has a snack that day since lunches will not be served.

We are also taking a break from Social Studies and moving into Science! This week we will being to discuss what a scientist is and what the steps in the scientific method are before we begin our first investigations! We will be studying science until winter break and will return to social studies in the new year.

If you have any questions, please let me know! Thank you and have a good night!

I have added a link to our Google Classroom page.

For the next test in Social Studies, students will be permitted to use any notes they have. I have also added a Slide show with information, readings, maps, and graphics. Every student is signed up for Google Classroom and should be able to see the additional notes and Slides.

Our test is scheduled for next Thursday, October 26th.

https://classroom.google.com/c/Nzc2MTA1ODk1MVpa/p/ODU3MTYyMTMwNlpa/details

Hello 5th grade families!

With testing out of the way, we are getting into academics with a strong start. Below I have added a link to TIME for kids magazine. I was able to get our class a subscription using Donor’s Choose. We will be using these magazines to enhance our non-fiction reading skills and to learn more about what’s happening in the world around us.

https://www.timeforkids.com/g56/

We also began Literature Circles today! Your student should have brought home a Book Bag with a chapter book. This also has a Literature Circle job with it. The books may be used on nightly reading logs. Literature Circle groups may have a different amount of chapters to read within a given time period. This is the first time I’ve done reading groups in this style, so please bare with me! I think after spending time in class last week reviewing, modeling, and giving students a chance to practice each job, Literature Circles can be very successful this year and will heavily depend on the responsibility of the student to complete their task. Currently, I am aiming for each student to get 2 different jobs per week. I am trying my best to keep track, but may forget who had which job.

I’m also adding our videos from Social Studies to Google Classroom. Students really enjoyed the reenactments of Native American life and have been asking for this 🙂

If you have any questions, please message me or email. Thanks and have a great night!

— Mrs.Whitford

October has always been my favorite time of the year. The air is crisp, the sun is warm, and nature’s true colors are vibrant among the trees.

This month, we will be getting more in depth in our study of early America in Social Studies. We will switch to Science in November. In math, we will continue working on place value and decimal numbers. After our first math quiz, we will work on operations with whole numbers. In writing, we will be analyzing the traits of writing and add details and personal touches to our narratives. In reading, Literature Circle groups will begin! Each student will have a job to complete for their reading group. Along with the nightly reading log, Literature Circle activities will be done with their Book Bag books. Students will receive more information on this tomorrow.

Class Dojo has been a very successful tool in our classroom. We’ve been focusing more on Table group points to encourage a cooperative and respectful learning environment in our classroom!

Thank you for checking in! Have a great, sunny day and see you tomorrow!