September 12, 2019
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
We are very busy learning in 5A! The students have been doing an excellent job learning the procedures of switching classes as well as completing their assignments. Please be advised that MAPS Fall Testing window is September 23- October 18th.
Reminders:
Sell Magazines!!!
- 9/17 – Picture Day – Students may wear free dress
- 9/20 – Noon Dismissal/Westfest Spirit Day! Wear Fall colors and/or Westfest T-shirt!
Curriculum Update for the week of 9/16 – 9/20:
Religion
We are beginning Chapter 1 God’s Plan for All of Creation. Students will be learning about how we are all part of God’s plan and that we have a duty to take care of God’s creation.
Math (Semandiris):
We are currently working on Chapter 1, Place Value. Students will have their first short quiz on Monday 9/16. Looking ahead, the Chapter 1 test will be on 9/23.
9/13 – Check My Progress (Review for Quiz)
9/16 – Quiz Ch. 1 Lessons 1-4
9/17 Ch. 1, Lesson 6, Place Value Through Thousands
9/18 Ch. 1, Lesson 7, Compare Decimals
9/19 Ch. 1, Lesson 8, Order Whole Numbers and Decimals
9/20 Chapter Review – Pre-Test for Homework
9/23 Chapter Test
Math (Mr. Schreck):
Chapter 1, Place Value
Friday: Lesson 6, Place Value through thousanths
Monday: Lesson 7, Compare Decimals
Tuesday: Lesson 8, Order Whole Numbers and Decimals
Wednesday: Review Chapter 1
Thursday: Test Chapter 1
Math (Mrs. Heuer):
We completed our first full week of math, and the kids are learning and practicing the routines and expectations. We have completed most of our first unit of the fifth grade curriculum: Understanding Decimals. Next week we will master adding and subtracting of decimals. We finish out each unit by applying our skills to problem solving scenarios, and then we spend 1-2 days reviewing the skills before the unit test. It’s been fun getting to know the kids and see their enthusiasm for learning!
Reading
It’s been a pleasure getting to know the 5th graders this week. We have been practicing how to use the Scholastic News magazines as homework assignments and will begin in the Journeys textbook next week.
Language Arts
This week in Language Arts, we have completed writing surveys and initial assessment prompts. We have our first Spelling Quiz on September 19th. It will be on Lesson 1 from the Journeys textbook. (The list of words can also be found on my webpage “5th L.A.- Spelling Lists”)
Science
Students are completing a unit titled “Infection Detection.” In this module students are presented with a problem where a large number of students at a school are sick. Students learn about transmission of disease through a simulation and compare communicable and non-communicable diseases. Students design, run, and analyze data from an experiment related to preventing the spread of germs. Student groups present ways to prevent the spread of infection using evidence from their experiments. Students investigate how the body protects us from these germs to keep us healthy.
Social Studies
We have begun Chapter 1, Geography of the United States. In this chapter students will be working with a partner to answer geography questions. Students will use their Interactive Notebooks and textbooks to complete this activity. Please see homework page on the web-site for nightly homework assignments.
Students will be able to:
Label:
- 4 Hemispheres
- Compass Rose
- Equator
- Prime Meridian
- 7 Continents
- 5 Oceans
- Using: latitude/Longitude to find locations on the Earth’s surface
- Define and be able to locate on a map: 14 geographical terms, (bay,ocean,peninsula..)
- Be able to identify 15 major physical features of the United States.
I.E:(Mississippi R., Sierra Nevada, The Great Plains.)