October 15, 2009
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
We are very busy preparing for conferences next week. I have held many papers so this weeks boomerang is very light. Students will be sharing some of their work at conferences. Please look for the Room Parent Letter included in this weeks boomerang!
Here is a look ahead for Monday and Tuesday of next week and the week after conferences. Dates: 10/19-10/29
(If you need to sign up for powerschool contact Mr. Barker via email. He will expedite that request.)
Math
Monday: Lesson 21, Problems About Equal Groups
Tuesday: Lesson 22,One-Digit Division with a Remainder
Monday: Lesson 23, Recognizing Halves
Tuesday: Lesson 24, Parentheses
Wednesday: Lesson 25, Listing the Factors of Whole Numbers
Friday: Lesson 26, Test #4
Religion
We have been working on Chapters 2 & 3. The study guide will be due the Tuesday (10/27) after conferences. We will have the test on these Chapters the Tuesday 11/3.
Science
Students continue to observe and discuss the phases of the moon. Students will explore the properties of stars and learn what constellations and galaxies are.
Language Arts
Students learn about persuasive writing as we practice the “4-square” pre-writing technique. 5th graders begin 5 paragraph essays written from the point of view of a pumpkin doomed to be picked for Halloween carving. Spelling homework is due on Monday; our test is also on Monday. Next week, students will have a review spelling assignment for a test covering all words learned thus far in fifth grade.
Social Studies
On Friday we will begin Lesson 4, Why Europeans Left for the New World? In this lesson students will be learning and be able to explain several factors that led to European exploration of the Americas in the 15th &16th Centuries. They will be categorizing eight artifacts of exploration in one of three ways: as motives for exploration, as new technology that encouraged exploration, or as new products from the Americas. Students will partake in a diving exercise in which they will try to find Artifacts from a sunken ship in hopes to learn more about these European Explorers. They will be completing their Interactive Notebook pages for this lesson with a partner in class. The test for this lesson will be on 11/12. Check my web page for nightly homework.
Reading
5th Graders have been working with the Target Skill of Cause and Effect relationships. Being able to determine why things happen increases our understanding and enjoyment of what we read. There will be a Selections Test on Thursday, which will cover the vocabulary and events from the story, Meeting Mr. Henry.
Book Report News: All students should have received the paper for their final project. This Friday, Oct. 16th, 5A and 5B will be given a work period during Reading class. Students should come prepared to use their work time well, which includes having their Newbery book with them and/or the necessary materials on hand to work on their book jackets.
Have a great week!
Ms. Semandiris