October 29, 2008
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
Halloween is almost here! Tomorrow we will have a little celebration from 2:15 2:45. I hope you all have a SPOOKY HALLOWEEN!
THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF CURRICULUM UPDATE FOR THE FOLLOWING WEEK:
Math
Friday-Lesson 27, Reading Scales
Monday-Lesson 28,Measuring Time
Tuesday-Lesson 29, Multiplying by Multiples of 10 & 100
Wednesday-Lesson 30,Interpreting Pictures of Fractions, and Percents
Friday-Test # 5
Religion
This week we are working on Chapter 2. The students have received one study guide for Chapters 2 & 3. They are presently working on a Cinquian Poem. Please read the rubric that was given to your child. The final draft is due Tuesday 11/4 (typed). I have instructed the students to center the poem in the middle of the page. Then in class we will be drawing scene for the poem. Our next religion test will be on both chapters 2 & 3. Date will be set in next weeks boomerang.
Social Studies
Today we began 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.
Science
Students conclude their study of the phases of the moon by modeling how the Moons position around the earth creates phases using a Styrofoam ball as the moon and a lamp as the sun. In lesson 3 of the science text, students will learn how scientists use spectroscopes to analyze light and how telescopes work.
Students will take a test on lessons 2 & 3 next Friday (11/7).
Reading
5th graders are winding up their First Trimester book reports. Many have commented about how much they have enjoyed reading a book that they may not have otherwise chosen! If any students have misplaced the rubric, it can be downloaded from the 5th Grade Reading website.
This week we started reading Hatchet. This is a very exciting adventure story. Although much of the reading is done in class, there will be follow-up activities for homework in the form of re-reading, vocabulary study and comprehension work.
Language Arts
Students are composing persuasive essays with the goal of convincing Mr. Farmer that they are the worst pumpkin in the patch in an effort to avoid the jack-o-lantern fate of so many of their peers. We will integrate descriptive writing into a 5-paragraph essay format. 5th graders learn a simple formula for writing effective, organized introductory and ending paragraphs. We focus on writing with voice, word choice and good organizationmainly by staying on-topic. I have posted the grading rubric for this essay on my web page, although students already have a copy of this in their binders. Most of the writing is completed during class time.
Spelling assignments are due on Monday; our test is on Monday, as well.
MS. SEMANDIRIS