September 8, 2011
Dear Fifth Grade Parents,
Welcome to the Boomerang letter! This letter will be published every Thursday and posted on my web-page. This week I am handing a hard copy out. The letter usually contains a brief curriculum update for the following week in the content areas of Math, Social Studies, Reading, Language Arts/Spelling, Science and Religion. Please look at the work and sign and return the envelope.
Reminders:
Friday: 9/9 – 11:00am – Magazine Assembly/Noon Dismissal
Wednesday: 9/14 – 8:45am Mass (Don’t forget that every Wednesday is a 2:15pm Dismissal!)
Friday: 9/16 – No School/Teacher In-service
Curriculum Update for 9/12-9/15
Math/Semandiris
9/12 Lesson 10
9/13 Lesson 11-Story Problems about Combining Lesson 12-Lines,
9/14 – 8:45amMass (No Math)
9/15- Lesson 12-Lines Numbers &Tally Marks
9/16 – No School /Teacher In-service
Social Studies
Next week the fifth graders will begin to work on Lesson 1, Geography of the United States. In pairs they will work on their Interactive Notebook maps 1A-1D. Each map has a set of questions to answer. We will review the correct answers in class orally as well as visually on the Smart Board. The answers in their Interactive Notebook should be correct. The test for this lesson will be on 9/27. Students may access the on-line study tool via my web-age. Just click on History Alive and go to lesson 1. No study guide will be passed out as the on-line tool acts as the study guide!
Religion
5A will be leading the September 30th Prayer Service. Next week we will be using our Religion classes to prepare for this. We will also begin Chapter 1, Longing for God in our Religion texts.
Tomorrow 9/9 the fifth and sixth grade teachers have planned a rotation on Steps to Respect-A Bullying Prevention Curriculum for the fifth and sixth grade students.
Reading
Next week, 5th graders will meet with Mrs. McFaul for Reading for the first time. We will spend some time going over expectations, begin our Reading Logs and enjoy some Reader’s Theater. ** Please note that the school band meets regularly during our Monday Reading class time for 5A. It will be very important for 5A band members to work closely with their study buddies to be sure to find out about missed work and assignments.
Science
Students will create models to help them think productively about complex problems. They will investigate and create models of black boxes to demonstrate how scientists explain the relationship of parts in a system that are not accessible.
Language Arts
This upcoming week, 5th graders will meet for Language Arts with Mrs. Kesterson. As a class, we will spend time reviewing class expectations and start our first list of spelling words. As the year progresses we will explore different aspects of writing including: vocabulary, grammar and usage, Poetry Frames, and will be studying each of the 6Traits of Writing. **Please note our school Band members will miss part of Language Arts on Monday for classroom 5B and it is imperative for those band members to work closely with their homework buddy.
Have a great week! Ms. Semandiris
Guidelines for Fifth Grade Math Placement ’11 – ‘12
The fifth grade math program at Holy Rosary School provides success and challenge for each student at his or her appropriate instructional level.
Students are divided into three math classes, which usually average twenty students per class. The smaller class size makes it possible for each teacher to provide more individualized instruction for students.
All fifth grade math classes use the Saxon math program. At the fifth grade level the text is Saxon Math 6/5.
Holy Rosary offers a fifth grade math class taught at a faster instructional pace. Students in this class meet the following criteria:
- Teacher recommendation
- An A- or above in fourth grade math
- A National Percentile score on the Mathematics Computation subtest on the ITBS (administered in fourth grade) of 70% or higher
- A National Percentile score on the Mathematics Total subtest on the ITBS (administered in fourth grade) of 85% or higher
- A quantitative subtest score on the CogAt (administered in fourth grade) at or above 85%
- A math placement test score at or above the sixth grade level. Students take this test the first week of school.
Fifth grade students not enrolled in the faster-paced math class will receive math instruction from their homeroom teacher.
All students in grades five through eight receive re-evaluation each year to ensure they are in an appropriate math class.
Please direct any questions to Ms. Johnson via email at mjohnson@holyrosaryws.org.
Thank you very much for your support! Placements will be announced on September 12th.
The Holy Rosary Fifth Grade Math Teachers