January 9, 2014

January 9, 2014

Dear Fifth Grade Parents,

Happy New Year! We are back in the swing of things here in 5A! The following is a curriculum update for the week of January 13-January 17.

1/20 – MLK Day No School

Math

1/13-Ch. 5, Am I Ready & Vocabulary

1/14-Ch. 5, L. 1 Round Decimals

1/15-Ch. 5, L. 2 Estimate Sums and Differences

1/16- Ch. 5, L. 3 Problems Solving Investigation

1/17-Ch. 5, Check My Progress

 

Religion

This week we will be starting Chapter 15, The Sacraments of Healing. We will also be doing Lesson 3 in the Steps to Respect Curriculum titled “Are you Mad at Me?”

Social Studies

The fifth graders have begun Chapter 6, Early English Settlements. We are learning about Roanoke, Jamestown and Plymouth. The test for this Chapter will be on 1/24. We will be working on “Act it Outs” in class as well as completing our Interactive Notebooks for this lesson.

Science

Students will be participating in a special kind of science fair called the Invention Convention. It is designed to promote problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Students will invent a new product or develop a new method for doing something. Instructions and a grading rubric have been handed out in class. A copy is also available on my website (https://gator.holyrosaryws.org/5b/). Inventions are due Friday, January 24th. They will be displayed in the hallway for Catholic Schools Week.

Students are studying the cell structure of plants and animals. Students are identifying basic parts (organelles) of the cells and their function. Students are looking volvox, blepharisma, and vinegar eels under the microscope. They are learning the characteristics of each.

Students will take a quiz on these microbes based on the notes they have taken in their 5-subs next Friday (1/17).

Reading

BOOK CLUBS!! 5th graders started meeting in book clubs this week. Many got their first and second choices, but for the first time, there were more than a few students who got their 3rd choice. Without exception, the students were great sports and I assured them that at some point in the next month or so, their first choice books will be available for them to read.

Language Arts

This week students have been reviewing possessive nouns and the spelling rules that apply to possessive nouns. At the end of this week, students started a new unit on verbs in present, past, future tense, and past participle. Students will continue to study verbs and the changes between the tenses.
Please continue to encourage your students to study for their next spelling test, Tuesday, January 14th.
I hope everyone has a great break and Happy New Year!