This is the last school week of 2019!  We have lots of fun things planned!  Here’s to the best week ever!  🙂

Thank you for donating to our SCA Toy Drive for kids at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond.

Congratulations to our spelling bee winner. We were so proud of how you represented our class during the school spelling bee! Alex Nguyen did a great job for Team Dawe!

The 5th Grade Room Parents are planning a wonderful Winter Party for the students. If you would like your child to have a pizza lunch on this day, please be sure to  send in your $1.00 donation. Students who do not want to purchase pizza are welcome to buy lunch from the cafeteria or bring in a lunch from home.

The students did a great job at the Tree Lighting last Saturday and they are already gearing up for the 5th Grade Chorus performance, “Gotta Be Jazz.” Mr. Mills has supplied the music for students to practice at home: Gotta Be Jazz. Enjoy!

MATH

The Fraction Computation Test will be given on Wednesday, December 18th.  Your student has notes in their math notebooks to help prepare for this test.  Please remind them to use their notes while completing homework.  The resources on the portaportal also has great resources for review.  (https://guest.portaportal.com/gaes5thgrade)  The students will also participate in a mathematical Holiday Open House.  This activity allows students to choose from several problem solving activities that review skills and practice critical thinking strategies.  This is always fun!  Weekly Math (blue logic problem) is due on Wednesday, December 18th.

LANGUAGE ARTS

We will not have Word Trek this week!  We will return to Word Trek in 2020!  This week the students will work on comparing and contrasting using holiday traditions, solve holiday themed word puzzles, and continue using comprehension skills with holiday traditions around the world.  We will continue reading Esperanza Rising.  The students will also continue writing about gifts that can be given that don’t cost anything.

SCIENCE

The Cells and Kingdoms Test is Tuesday, December 17th.  Your student has lots of notes in their notebook and a study guide in the back of their purple folder.  They will continue working on their Kingdom projects this week.

Information regarding the Glen Allen Science Fair went home last week.  Participation is required for our class, so please sign your student up on the PTA website by Friday, December 20th.  In an effort to allow more creativity, I will not be requiring students to conduct a traditional experiment.  If your student would like to build a volcano or invent something that solves a problem please have them share their plan with me.  Innovation is a great way to approach this assignment.  Because of this, I will not be giving students guidelines regarding specific  steps of the scientific method.  I am excited to see their creativity!  Please let me know if you have questions about this assignment.

SOCIAL STUDIES
The students are working hard on researching their holidays for our Holidays Around the World presentations.  Last week they began creating a postcard that highlights an important object for their assigned holiday.  They will also be writing about this object as well as other traditions observed for their holiday on their postcard.  The students will also create a digital presentation to present to the class on Friday, December 20th.  This is always such a great learning experience!

IMPORTANT DATES

12/17 – Cells and Five Kingdoms Test

12/18 – Fraction Computation Test

12/19 – Book Reports due

12/20 – Winter Party

12/23 – 1/3 – Winter Break

1/16 – Glen Allen Science Fair