March 17, 2011
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We are so glad that the accreditation visit went well! The students of 5A were great ambassadors. Next week a detailed reminder list for Camp Seymour will go out in the Boomerang envelope. Camp is April 4-6, 2011!!!
No School: March 25 – Teacher Inservice
March 25th – Greek Independence Day!!!
The following is a brief curriculum overview for 3/21-3/24.
Math
Monday: Lesson 75, Changing Improper Fractions to Whole or Mixed Numbers
Tuesday: Test #14
Wednesday: Lesson 76 Multiplying Fractions
Thursday: Lesson 77, Converting Units of Weights and Mass
Religion
Friday we will be learning about the Eucharist and how it is a sacrifice. We will be learning about the consecration and transubstantiation. Then we will discuss what does it mean to live the Eucharist? The study guide will be handed out on Friday and class time will be given to work on it. The test for Chapter 18 will be Monday 3/28.
Social Studies
The fifth graders have been working very hard this week on Chapter 12, The Declaration of Independence. We will be having the Chapter test Tuesday 3/29. Students are rewriting 5 excerpts of the Declaration of Independence into fifth grade language to better understand the meaning. In groups they are creating skits about the 5 excerpts and then presenting them to the class as a processing activity.
Science
Students will learn what food chains, food webs and energy pyramids show about energy flow in an ecosystem. Students will learn about natural cycles in an ecosystem. They will discover how carbon dioxide, oxygen, nitrogen and water cycle through an ecosystem. Students will take a short quiz on lesson 1 & 2 next Tuesday (3/22).
Reading
5th graders continue their work in Book Clubs. This week we met in groups of students reading a variety of books and shared some of the story elements of each. This activity gave students some great ideas about which books they might like to read next. We have been focusing on spending more quality time on journal responses and thinking about and setting personal reading goals. Also, each day this week and next, we are enjoying a performance from one of the Reader’s Theater groups. The students are working on reading fluently and with great expression.
Language Arts
Students learn about the writing trait of “voice” as we write letters as a follow-up activity to reading and analyzing the humorous picture book, Dear Mrs. LaRue. Writing that reflects voice makes the reader feel as if you are speaking directly to him/her. It includes emotion and is interesting to read. Students have a spelling assignment due on Monday; our test is also on Monday.
Ms. Semandiris