April 10, 2008
FYI: ITBS Testing is week of April 21-25.
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
We had a wonderful learning experience at Camp Seymour. We also managed to have a bit of fun too! Now we are back and ready to continue working hard in all subjects.
Here is a brief curriculum update:
Math
4/11Friday: Math Celebration for HW in on time. (Ask your child!) Students are encouraged to bring in a board game that has to do with mathematics and is age appropriate.
4/14 Monday: Lesson 87, Using Manipulatives to Divide Fractions
4/15 Tuesday: Lesson 88, Transformations
4/16 Wednesday: Lesson 89, Finding a Square Root
4/17 Thursday: Lesson 90, Reducing Fractions, Part 2
4/18 Friday: Test #17
Religion
The study guide for Chapter 17 is due tomorrow 4/11. We will have a test on this chapter on 4/16. A fifth grade Prayers handout will be passed out in class on 4/11. The Prayer for the Faithfully Departed has been assigned for the students to memorize. They will be reciting it on Monday 4/21.
Social Studies
The fifth graders are working on a written assignment. They have received the rubric for this assignment in class. Students should be working on a news report of the Boston Massacre or the Boston Tea Party. This assignment is due on Thursday for 5A and Friday for 5B. (I changed it to Friday for 5A too..) These papers will then be used to make a pod cast in Technology class.
This week we reviewed Lesson 10, Growing Tensions Between the Colonies and Britain. The test for this lessons will be Monday 4/14 for 5A and Tuesday 4/15 for 5B. Students have been instructed to reread the lesson several times as well as go online and practice the online test. Information in the interactive notebook should be studied as well.
The remainder of the week we will be moving on to Lesson 11, To Declare Independence or Not. In this lesson the students will learn about 6 prominent Loyalists and Patriots and record these leaders viewpoints on whether or not the American colonies should declare independence.
Reading
5th graders have begun a unit using Comic Books. We are studying favorite comic books to learn more about character development, setting, dialogue, and plot. Some have been surprised to see that there is a lot more to writing a good comic than drawing a few funny pictures and adding some text bubbles! The students will apply what they are learning in Reading to the actual writing of comics, using a special comic creating software in Language Arts with Ms. Corrigan.
We have also been using a Genre Wheel to study the various types of literature, and to note our own preferences as readers. The fifth graders will be using this information to select which book to read for their 3rd trimester Book Report.
Language Arts: Students will use the skills they’ve practiced in reading class to help brainstorm ideas for writing their own comic books. We will use a pre-writing/planning sheet to help guide our ideas, making sure students include the main elements:
1.) problem/conflict/plot
2.) imaginary, distinct characters
3.) action
4.) vivid language
5.) humor
6.) entertaining
In addition, students will learn to add important graphic features, such as: captions, word balloons, background setting, color, and sound effects. Students will use the Comic Life software on the laptops to create the final drafts. Spelling homework is due on Monday. Our test will also be on Monday.
Science
Students begin a unit on the human body. In Chapter 1 Students will learn about the structure and function of the respiratory system and excretory system. Students will blow and measure soap bubbles to explore their lung capacity. Students will discover how your nose prepares air for your lungs and how oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide in your lungs when you breathe.
Have a great week!
Ms. Semandiris