Wow, we completed our first week of school! I am really proud of how quickly the students have learned the routines and gotten back into the groove of being in the classroom.
We had a lot of fun learning about one another and our classroom through various activities, including a “Book Tasting,” group challenges, “worry stone” creations, and even completed a fun STEAM Lighthouse Challenge. It’s been amazing! Please congratulate your child on a successful first week of school!
I am so excited to be working with you and your child this year. Thank you so much for all of your support as we navigate this school year together. This newsletter/blog is a fantastic resource full of dates, details, and links that I will update each week. It’s important that you and your child review it each week so that you “stay in the know” of all the happenings in fifth grade.
Please complete the parent questionnaire https://forms.gle/XgQBhX8J4XmRBoBx9 to indicate permission for your child to have classroom treats, photos in emails and blog, and areas that you are available to assist in the classroom if applicable.
Computers:
Students brought home newly issued Chromebooks last Friday. We spoke about the HCPS policies regarding these devices. This week we will begin going over digital citizenship.Please reinforce responsible use of the Chromebook at home for homework or practice assignments. Students are expected to charge the Chromebook daily at home and bring in the Chromebook and charger each day to class.
9/6 School Holiday – Labor Day!
9/9 Math quiz (prime/composite; odd/even; computation review)
9/12 Reading Growth Assessment
9/14 Growth Assessment
9/14 Science Quiz on Planets
9/16 Vocabulary & Spelling Quizzes on Greek & Latin List #1
9/21 Science Quiz on Planets, Earth, Moon & Sun
9/22 Back to School Night for Adults at 6:00
9/23 GAES Spirit Night at Ashland Skateland
Notes from Resources:
Art: Please have your child bring in an art shirt (large T-shirt) labeled with his/her name for art this week.
Academics:
We are so thrilled to offer this great collection of sites for extra practice! Please bookmark the portaportal and use this in conjunction with your child’s notebook and Schoology files to help your child feel prepared. Thanks for your support! (This is linked on our Schoology page as well). https://guest.portaportal.com/gaes5thgrade
We will be ramping up to our more traditional homework load this week. Your child will typically have nightly vocabulary and math homework Monday-Thursday. We also ask that students read for 20 minutes a night. We looked at digital book options in class, so your child can access e-reading material in Epic or Sora through Clever if they do not have hard copy books available at home.
Math: This coming week we will work on prime and composite numbers and divisibility rules. Please make sure your child refers to the notes in the math interactive notebook as well as the Student Resources folder on Schoology to reinforce these concepts. We will also review working through multi-step word problems. A quiz on these skills will be on Friday, Sept. 9.
Reading: Students will begin to work on reading and understanding Greek and Latin Roots in word study. Each Friday students will have a quiz on the meaning and the application of the ten vocabulary words that will be introduced each Monday, as well as a second quiz in which they have to spell each word correctly. Both of these scores will be entered into the gradebook. Students will practice the words during stations in class and will have a daily homework assignment to practice learning the vocabulary. For our first list, students will receive the words on Tuesday, and then have the tests the following week on Friday, 9/16.We will also be reviewing genres this coming week and aspects of poetry. Students will even get to write their own poem!
We will begin reading the wonderful book, “Because of Mr. Terupt.” The students will quickly get hooked on this book about a new 5th grade teacher, his students, and the unexpected year they have together. Be prepared for gift requests to the sequels in this great series.
Science: We are starting the year with a review unit on planets. Students will learn about the nine planets that make up the two groups of planets (inner planets and outer planets). We will also be discussing revolution, rotation, night and day, seasons, the phases of the moon, as well as the order of the planets. Students will have the opportunity to read about and create a WeVideo on their favorite planet. A quiz on the order of the planets, rotation and revolution will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 14.