5-2 Updates!
Hello 5-2 Families :)
Important Dates and Information:
Morning Announcements - If you sent in a permission slip for Morning Announcements, your children were placed on the schedule, but please be aware that there are many children who are interested in participating. This means you may not see your child on the schedule until well into the school year. I will attach the schedule to the 5-2 Website. You will receive an email from Mrs. Watanuki the Friday before the week your child has duty. Your child is expected to be here at 8:45 every morning they serve on Morning Announcements.
Maps Testing ~
- Math ~ Monday, 9/14 ~ 9:10-10:10pm
It is important that your child is in school on these days, so please try to schedule any appointments outside of these times. If your child is absent due to illness, we will schedule make-ups, but it does mean they will be out of the classroom during instruction. Research shows that students perform better when they are well-rested and well-fed before taking assessments!
Room Rep Meeting ~ Thursday, 9/17 ~ 3-4pm ~ I will be discussing the need for regular copy moms to help us out with the 5th grade copying. Please let me know if you're interested!
Band Meeting ~ Wednesday, 9/16 ~ 7-8:30pm
What's Happening in the Classroom
Math
We spent much of this week learning and settling in to the routines of math stations the week. The students love the opportunity to be challenged at their level, and they are quite engaged in the learning process as they move through the stations. Using the math workshop model allows me to instruct students in smaller groups at their level, and affords each of them the opportunity to use technology every day. We primarily work on Everyday Math Online and Khan Academy. Students should be logging on to each of these sites at home throughout the week to practice learned skills in the classroom.
As a reminder, please be sure your child is practicing their multiplication and division facts with your students. The automaticity of their facts becomes increasingly important as they move through the 5th grade curriculum. They can review their facts by playing Facts Dash or Facts Workshop using their Everydaymathonline.com login.
Science
Our study of the human body began this week as we learned about the purpose of our skeletal system, how bones provide structure and protection for our body, and how joints allow us to move. Ask your child if they remember the three different major types of joints in their body, and the location of each of these joints! Next week, we will learn how the muscles work in pairs to move the bones, then they will have an opportunity to build models of joints using a variety of supplies in their science teams this week. While we don't have a unit assessment for a couple of weeks in science, it's important for students to keep up on the vocabulary learned in this unit. The graphic organizers they complete for each chapter has the most important information for each lesson - have your child continue to review these throughout the unit.
Reading
We began our new Schoolwide Literacy Program this week by learning about the Reading Workshop Model, and establishing routines and expectations. One of the focuses of our Launch unit is how to share our thinking as we're reading in a discussion format. I've been so impressed with the depth with which your children are thinking during our read alouds, and how respectful and thoughtful they have been while sharing their thoughts. They have been encouraged to share without raising their hands, but to offer their thoughts more naturally in a discussion as a whole group. This requires they pay close attention to one another in the discussion, waiting for an appropriate time to speak and respond to each other. The students absolutely loved this new format - ask them about the challenges of having a class discussion, and about why they like it so much!
I hope you have been able to get out and enjoy the weather on this beautiful weekend! While the temperature drops came quite suddenly this week, it's so nice to feel those fall temperatures rolling in. It won't be long before we see those leaves changing colors :) Maybe it's because I'm a teacher, but fall is definitely my favorite time of year!
We jumped into curriculum with both feet this week in all content areas...you may have noticed the increase in homework expectations. If you are noticing more than an hour of homework, your child is probably not using their classroom time wisely. This is a learned skill, and something we talk about often. If they're struggling at home with the amount of homework, you may want to reinforce using their independent time in the classroom to complete homework. If they seem overwhelmed, please include me in the conversation as your child may need some additional support with organization and making choices during work times.
Important Dates and Information:
Morning Announcements - If you sent in a permission slip for Morning Announcements, your children were placed on the schedule, but please be aware that there are many children who are interested in participating. This means you may not see your child on the schedule until well into the school year. I will attach the schedule to the 5-2 Website. You will receive an email from Mrs. Watanuki the Friday before the week your child has duty. Your child is expected to be here at 8:45 every morning they serve on Morning Announcements.
Maps Testing ~
- Math ~ Monday, 9/14 ~ 9:10-10:10pm
It is important that your child is in school on these days, so please try to schedule any appointments outside of these times. If your child is absent due to illness, we will schedule make-ups, but it does mean they will be out of the classroom during instruction. Research shows that students perform better when they are well-rested and well-fed before taking assessments!
Room Rep Meeting ~ Thursday, 9/17 ~ 3-4pm ~ I will be discussing the need for regular copy moms to help us out with the 5th grade copying. Please let me know if you're interested!
Band Meeting ~ Wednesday, 9/16 ~ 7-8:30pm
Coupon Books were sent home on Friday, 9/04. Please return your payment or unused book by Friday, September 18th. Please contact Sarah Klancnik or Jo Voelker with questions. Thank you for your support!
Olive PTA Spirit Wear Sale - continues and runs through 09/18. To place your order, visit the online store at Heads Up Apparel. Orders will be taken online only and your items will be delivered to your child's classroom early-mid October. Samples will be on display in the Commons. For more information, please contact Sarah Klancnik or Jolinta Voelker
Parent Patrol - we need your help to keep things running smoothly at Drop Off. Beginning on Monday, we will no longer have as many Olive staff members in the drop off area. Please consider volunteering for Parent Patrol from 8:40-9:05 two times a month. We provide you with a yellow vest, you provide the smile!
What's Happening in the Classroom
Math
We spent much of this week learning and settling in to the routines of math stations the week. The students love the opportunity to be challenged at their level, and they are quite engaged in the learning process as they move through the stations. Using the math workshop model allows me to instruct students in smaller groups at their level, and affords each of them the opportunity to use technology every day. We primarily work on Everyday Math Online and Khan Academy. Students should be logging on to each of these sites at home throughout the week to practice learned skills in the classroom.
Everyday Math Online is an excellent site for games and other resources we use in the classroom. We explored the site this week, and I shared where students can find and print Study Links should they misplace the copy they are given in classroom, as well as the online SRB. This SRB is a great alternative to the textbook so students do not have to carry their SRB back and forth from school. It has all of the same information as in the textbook, as well as video demonstrations of the concepts taught in the classroom. This tool is quite useful - I encourage you to explore it at home with your child.
As a reminder, please be sure your child is practicing their multiplication and division facts with your students. The automaticity of their facts becomes increasingly important as they move through the 5th grade curriculum. They can review their facts by playing Facts Dash or Facts Workshop using their Everydaymathonline.com login.
Science
Our study of the human body began this week as we learned about the purpose of our skeletal system, how bones provide structure and protection for our body, and how joints allow us to move. Ask your child if they remember the three different major types of joints in their body, and the location of each of these joints! Next week, we will learn how the muscles work in pairs to move the bones, then they will have an opportunity to build models of joints using a variety of supplies in their science teams this week. While we don't have a unit assessment for a couple of weeks in science, it's important for students to keep up on the vocabulary learned in this unit. The graphic organizers they complete for each chapter has the most important information for each lesson - have your child continue to review these throughout the unit.
Reading
We began our new Schoolwide Literacy Program this week by learning about the Reading Workshop Model, and establishing routines and expectations. One of the focuses of our Launch unit is how to share our thinking as we're reading in a discussion format. I've been so impressed with the depth with which your children are thinking during our read alouds, and how respectful and thoughtful they have been while sharing their thoughts. They have been encouraged to share without raising their hands, but to offer their thoughts more naturally in a discussion as a whole group. This requires they pay close attention to one another in the discussion, waiting for an appropriate time to speak and respond to each other. The students absolutely loved this new format - ask them about the challenges of having a class discussion, and about why they like it so much!
We set up our Reading Baskets and our Reading Notebooks this week. Our Reading Baskets are where they keep their Reading Notebooks, Reading Folders, several texts, and a few other supplies while at school. They are encouraged to keep both fiction and non-fiction books in their baskets, and to include both books they are currently reading and books they would like to read. Their Reading Notebooks are where they will record notes and information about what they are reading. The Reading Notebook is divided into 3 sections: Whole Group, Independent Reading, and Reading Log. You should see this notebook come home every night starting next week - they will be expected to complete a response in their notebook every night. Their notebook and selected books will come home in a bag every night - they should bring this bag back to school every day.
Each child chose a book on the human body to tie their non-fiction reading into our science unit. Since their BLB is to be written on a non-fiction book this weekend, many of your children have chosen to read their human body book for their BLB. I thought that was a great choice!
Writing
We started our WEX Personal Narrative Writing unit this week. We worked on the skill of focus, shifting from focusing on the moment to focusing on an object. They were also asked to describe an item that means the most to them - can you guess what they chose?? Ask them! I have been very impressed with the quality of writing I've seen your children produce! As a pre-test for this unit, students participated in a timed Personal Narrative writing prompt. I will be evaluating their essays to determine if students would benefit from enrichment during our writing unit.
Have a fantastic week!
Writing
We started our WEX Personal Narrative Writing unit this week. We worked on the skill of focus, shifting from focusing on the moment to focusing on an object. They were also asked to describe an item that means the most to them - can you guess what they chose?? Ask them! I have been very impressed with the quality of writing I've seen your children produce! As a pre-test for this unit, students participated in a timed Personal Narrative writing prompt. I will be evaluating their essays to determine if students would benefit from enrichment during our writing unit.
“The child must know that he is a miracle, that since the beginning of the world there hasn't been, and until the end of the world there will not be, another child like him.” – Pablo Casals
Cheers ~
Theresa Fowler
No comments:
Post a Comment