September 30th Newsletter

5th Grade Newsletter

September 30, 2013  

Upcoming Dates:

• 10/8; McTeacher Night to support DARE
• 10/11; End of 1st Quarter, AR Goals due
• 10/17; Early Out Parent Teacher Conferences
• 10/18; No School
• 10/21; No School

Specials Week 2

Cursive- Week 7

HOMEWORK- Students will be able to list their mayor: Dennis Wilson, governor: Jay Nixon, and president: Barack Obama.

Veteran’s Day Service Learning Project- If you have a Veteran in your life, we would love to see pictures of them in uniform. We will be putting together a slideshow to show at our Assembly on November 11th. The easiest way to get us the photos is to take a picture of the picture (camera, iPad, phone,etc.) and email it to either bsandusky@stjschools.org or ruffman@stjschools.org. If you send in an actual photo please know that we will do our best at getting it back to you, but cannot guarantee it will make it back home.

MATH: This week we will expand on our previous lessons by comparing decimal fractions to the thousandths using like units (5.NBT.3).

Writing is an important component of math, and we encourage this every day by doing journal prompts at the beginning of class. We are using the Read-Draw-Write problem solving steps to complete our journals. Our expectations for journals are as follows:

1. Write the entire word problem in your journal.
2. Read and Underline key words. Circle the question.
3. Draw a model/picture/chart/graph.
4. Write a number sentence.
5. Write a solution statement.
6. Explain how you got your answer (like you are explaining to a kindergartener).

ELA: Mrs. Kemnitzer and Mrs. Shultz: Students can turn their extra credit packet in as late as Tuesday morning. We have moved our post test to Tuesday. This week, we will wrap up Unit 1 by asking our essential question, “How and why do we play with language?” We will do more work with capitalization and punctuation because our informal assessments are showing a need. On Friday, we will introduce Unit 2.  Please remember, if you ever have questions or would like to contact Mrs. Kemnitzer or Mrs. Shultz you can do so by writing a note in the red folder, calling us at 265-2300 x4292 or emailing dkemnitzer@stjschools.org and kshultz@stjschools.org.

Sandusky: In regards to the capitalization post test we took last week it looks like we need more practice in that area, so we will be reviewing L 5.2 further which covers capitalization, book titles, and punctuation. Students either brought or will bring home homework in regards to titles it is called, “Alltown Students Shine”. The rest of this week we will be wrapping up Unit 1, and answering the essential question “Why (and how) do we play with language?”. Students will be doing some extensive work with their data binders, rating the new standards coming up for Unit 2, answering the essential question, and adding artifacts. Please remember, Reading Logs are for a grade. They are due by Friday and are worth 5 points. I’ve been pushing kids to check their AR statuses while they are in my room, so they should know how many more points they need to earn to reach their goal.

Engelbrecht:This week we will continue to review punctuation and capitalization.  Students are still really struggling with this skill. We will also be working on our personal narratives, past tense verbs, and beginning Unit 2 (Renaissance Thinking) .

SCIENCE: In Science, we will continue our unit on Force and Motion.

September 23 Newsletter

 September 23, 2013  

Upcoming Dates:

• 9/26; Memorial Library Visit- Meet a Veteran
• 9/27; No School, PD Day
• 10/11; End of 1st Quarter, AR Goals due

Specials Week 7

Cursive- Week 6

HOMEWORK- Students will need to be able to identify the 7 continents below on a blank map. Spelling will not be counted, but teachers will be checking for capitalization at the beginning of the the continent’s names.

Veteran’s Day Service Learning Project- If you have a Veteran in your life, we would love to see pictures of them in uniform. We will be putting together a slideshow to show at our Assembly on November 11th. The easiest way to get us the photos is to take a picture of the picture (camera, iPad, phone,etc.) and email it to either bsandusky@stjschools.org or ruffman@stjschools.org. If you send in an actual photo please know that we will do our best at getting it back to you, but cannot guarantee it will make it back home.

MATH: This week we will expand on our previous lessons by having students read, write, and compare decimal numbers through the thousandths. Students will learn how to write decimal numbers in standard form, expanded form, and unit form.

Writing is an important component of math, and we encourage this every day by doing journal prompts at the beginning of class. We are using the Read-Draw-Write problem solving steps to complete our journals. Our expectations for journals are as follows:

1. Write the entire word problem in your journal.
2. Read and Underline key words. Circle the question.
3. Draw a model/picture/chart/graph.
4. Write a number sentence.
5. Write a solution statement.
6. Explain how you got your answer (like you are explaining to a kindergartener).

ELA: Students will be completing a Performance Task on Tuesday of this week. This assignment is going to take the entire class period and drive part of our instruction for the next few weeks. It is a very involved process, so we are asking if at all possible for your child to be here that day. If it has to be made up they will be missing another class period (and instruction) to do so.

***Extra Credit and Test Practice--we are sending home a study guide/test practice for our Unit 1 Posttest. Students will earn extra credit in both language and reading if they complete these 13 questions before their Unit 1 test.

Mrs. Kemnitzer and Mrs. Shultz: Be looking for a study guide for our unit 1 post test. We will take the test on Monday the 30th. This week, we will review capitalization and punctuation. We will also be practicing a “performance task” which will simulate what they will experience in testing at the end of the year. Grades will not be taken on the results of the task, but on effort in completing it.  Please remember, if you ever have questions or would like to contact Mrs. Kemnitzer or Mrs. Shultz you can do so by writing a note in the red folder, calling us at 265-2300 x4292 or emailing dkemnitzer@stjschools.org and kshultz@stjschools.org.

Sandusky: This week we are reviewing parts of speech and capitalization. We will be participating in the Performance Task and Unit 1 Post Test this week.

Engelbrecht:Next week we will be reviewing theme, working on a performance event, and introducing verb tense. We will be testing over Unit 1 on Wednesday and Thursday. These skills will be tested: conflict, summarizing, theme, context clues, figurative language (idiom, simile, metaphor, and personification), punctuating titles, homonyms, synonyms, and antonyms.

SCIENCE: In Science, we will continue our unit on Force and Motion.

September 16, 2013

5th Grade Newsletter

September 16, 2013  

Upcoming Dates:

• 9/27; No School, PD Day
• 10/11; End of 1st Quarter, AR Goals due

Specials Week 6

HOMEWORK-Thank you for helping your student with last week’s task. This week, we would like students to know the following information by Friday. Students should know and be able to write their home address city, county, state, and country. Please discuss this during the week as we will be checking in with students on Friday again to see their progress!

MATH: This week we will expand on our previous lessons by having the students multiply and divide with powers of 10 using exponents as well as converting between powers of 10 and exponential powers of 10 (i.e. 9.2 x 102 and  100 = 102).

Writing is an important component of math, and we encourage this every day by doing journal prompts at the beginning of class. We are using the Read-Draw-Write problem solving steps to complete our journals. Our expectations for journals are as follows:

1. Write the entire word problem in your journal.
2. Read and Underline key words. Circle the question.
3. Draw a model/picture/chart/graph.
4. Write a number sentence.
5. Write a solution statement.
6. Explain how you got your answer (like you are explaining to a kindergartener).

ELA:

Mrs. Kemnitzer and Mrs. Shultz: This week starts the second half of the quarter. We will be working on our BINGO boards with less paperwork these next four weeks. Students are beginning to understand how it all works and I think we are learning some valuable information along the way. We will be reading Casey at the Bat and Baseball Saved Us. We are also continuing to build our writing stamina.  Please remember, if you ever have questions or would like to contact Mrs. Kemnitzer or Mrs. Shultz you can do so by writing a note in the red folder, calling us at 265-2300 x4292 or emailing dkemnitzer@stjschools.org and kshultz@stjschools.org.

Sandusky: Parents- I am now sending out newsletters via email, if you have given me your email and are for some reason NOT receiving them, please jot me a note with your address attached to make sure that I have the correct one. Last week when I sent it out I received several ‘mail failure notices’ back.

We are focusing on standard L5.2 this week which encompasses punctuation and capitalization. We have been using our Data Binders to chart our understanding and can ‘see the end’ of Unit 1! In our writing this week we are using a rubric for elaboration and craft, grading our own work, and choosing a section to work on in our own writing.

Engelbrecht: This week we are focusing on paragraphing and elaborating in writing. In reading we are reading biographies and working on summarizing and theme. I am sending a record each week with the AR tests and percentage of goal reached in the Monday folder student should be around 50%, unless they are reading a chapter book. In Language we will be reviewing capitalization and punctuation.  We will also be reviewing the skills taught in the previous weeks.

SCIENCE: In Science, we will continue our unit on Force and Motion.