September 28, 2017
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
We have been very busy in the fifth grade! I have really been enjoying getting to know all my students better.
*Students still need reminders for proper behavior in their classes as well while walking through the halls during transitions. We have been working very hard to work as a team so that we can all represent ourselves in a positive way at our school.
MAP Testing: This year our school has embraced a new standardized testing system chosen by the Archdiocese of Seattle called MAP: Measures of Academic Progress. Students will take an online assessment for Language Arts, Reading, and Math 3 times this year, once each trimester, so that we can track and assess how to best support each student’s growth in sixth grade. We are excited to see what data this assessment will provide and explore how to apply it to our teaching The testing window is from September 25 – October 20.
**Boomerang envelope will be passed out tomorrow.
Reminders:
10/6 – Teacher Inservice – No School
Religion
In Chapter 2, students will explore their deepest longings, they will learn about the gift of grace as they participate in the life of the Holy Trinity, as well as faith as the free, loving gift of God’s own life and help.
In the Scripture: John 4:7-29, The Samaritan Woman. We will examine why Jesus used water to convey his message.
People of Faith – We will also be learning about Saint Augustine, 354-430
Math
I am so excited about my math class! They have been participating so well and they are especially well behaved in class. We have been making great progress! (Please remember to work on ALEKS or on FACT DASH on Connect-Ed for at home practice.)
Thanks, Ms. Semandiris
9/29 – Check My Progress Quiz Ch. 2, Lessons 1-4.
10/2 – Ch. 2, Lesson 6, Hands On Partial Products
10/3 – Ch. 2, Lesson 7, The Distributive Group
10/4 – Ch. 2, Lesson 8, Estimate Products
10/5 – Ch. 2, Lesson 9, Multiply By One- Digit
10/6- No School
Math
Mr. Schreck
Students have received their usernames and passwords for ALEKS.com. They are welcome to log on to the program from home as well.
Chapter 2, Multiply Whole Numbers
Friday: Lesson 7, The Distributive Property
Monday: Lesson 8, Estimate Products
Tuesday: Lesson 9, Multiply by One-Digit Numbers
Wednesday: Multiply by Two-Digit Numbers
Thursday: Review Lessons 7-10
Monday 10/9: Chapter 2 Test
Math (Mrs. Heuer):
We have begun our second unit, Multiplication and Division Review & Multiply and Divide Decimals. In the first several lessons of this unit, we are exploring patterns and estimation. Next week we will begin multiplying and dividing decimals. We will also work with multiplying and dividing decimals by powers of 10. I have been proud of the good progress the students are making in their transitions and consistency with homework.
Science
Students have tested the pH of soil and water from the fictional town of Greentown. They will be investigating possible sources of pollution. Students will discuss how changes in soil and water pH can affect the health of an ecosystem. They will then compare historical soil and water data to current data to build a case for sources of pollution in Greentown.
Reading
5th graders continue to read and discuss Hatchet. This week we reviewed important events using the ‘Quick Review’ bookmark method. Here we dispense with complete sentences and punctuation in favor of a quick 3-4 word response. This gives us a chance to respond to the literature while at the same time allowing us to move on in the story. There will be an end of book test on Wed. Oct. 11th.
Social Studies
Next week we will begin Chapter 4, Why Europeans left for the New World. In this lesson, students learn about European Exploration in the 15th and 16th Centuries by “excavating” and examining objects from “sunken ship”. In a Social Studies skill builder, pairs take on the role of underwater archeologists to investigate eight placards, each of which contains an image of an artifact from an explorer’s sunken ship. After analyzing and reading about the artifacts, students will categorize them into 3 different categories: as motives for exploration, as new technology that encouraged exploration, or as “new” products from the Americas. * Students may bring in their swim goggles for our deep-sea diving adventure!
L
anguage Arts
This week in 5th grade LA, we have been looking at identifying the different types of sentences. The most difficult part for students is differentiating between the different types and comprehending why every sentence cannot have an exclamation mark at the end. Both 5A and 5B did wonderfully overall on their first spelling test and I feel they are well prepared for this weeks test on the long a and long e sounds. It has been so fun getting to know your 5th graders and see how they grow and acclimate to the new changes of switching classes—I can’t wait to see where the year takes us!