November 8, 2012
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
This week has been such a great week! The students are learning so much in every subject. Next week we have a day off on Monday due to Veteran’s Day. The fifth graders made cards for our Veteran’s and we learned about the meaning of this day in class.
Religion
Tomorrow we will be taking the Chapter 14 Test. Next week we will do an extension activity in class by researching our own baptism and creating a “My Baptism Collage”. We will also be working on our “Advent Wreath Blessing Prayer Service” which is on November 30th.
Math
Tuesday 11/13: Lesson 35, Problems About Comparing
Wednesday 11/14: Test 6
Thursday 11/15L Classifying Triangles
Reading
Book Clubs are finally here! Your child has been placed in a
Book Club with 3-4 other students. Each student will have a turn to lead their group through discussion and writing prompts. Reading homework during this Book Club unit will primarily consist of the reading assignment decided upon by the group. Our goal is to complete this book by Nov. 26th.
Language Arts
Students have submitted their descriptive writing piece and are starting a grammar unit on: common and proper nouns, action verbs, multi-syllable adjectives and synonyms.
Starting Monday, students will be learning the difference between: common, proper, singular, plural, and compound nouns. Students will also be able to identify correct capitalization for different proper nouns, i.e. people, locations, and special events.
Please gently remind your child to study for upcoming spelling tests. The next spelling test is November 13th.
Science
Students are learning how learning how to protect our precious land resources. Students will also discover the sources and effects of air pollution and what can be done to protect the atmosphere. Students will take a test on Chapter 2, Earth’s Resources, next Friday (11/16).
Social Studies
The fifth graders have begun to work on L. 4, Why Europeans Left for the New World. In this lesson students will be able to explain several factors that led to European exploration of the Americas in the 15th and 16th Centuries. They will be able to categorize eight artifacts of exploration in one of three ways: as motives for exploration, as a new technology that encouraged exploration, or as “new” products from the Americas.
Students will take on the roles as “Research Scientist” and “Deep Sea Diver” and they will be diving down in our “Sunken Ship” in the classroom to find artifacts. Students are encouraged to bring swim goggles during this lesson. Looking ahead the test for this lesson will be on Tuesday 11/20.
Have a great week!
Ms. Semandiris