Monday, September 16, 2013
News From 5-4
September 16, 2013
Hello 5-4 parents and students! Our field trip to Naper Settlement is coming up this Friday, September 20. Please remind your fifth grader to dress appropriately and to bring a sack lunch in a disposable bag. Thank you to Mrs. Slifierz and Mrs. Giannopoulos for joining us as chaperones and thank you to everyone who volunteered to come along. There will be a few more opportunities for the rest of you to chaperone throughout the school year.
Dates to remember:
September 16, 2013
Hello 5-4 parents and students! Our field trip to Naper Settlement is coming up this Friday, September 20. Please remind your fifth grader to dress appropriately and to bring a sack lunch in a disposable bag. Thank you to Mrs. Slifierz and Mrs. Giannopoulos for joining us as chaperones and thank you to everyone who volunteered to come along. There will be a few more opportunities for the rest of you to chaperone throughout the school year.
Dates to remember:
9/18 Chapter 11 History Test
9/19 Cheesy Mack author visit
9/20 Fifth Grade Field Trip To Naper Settlement
Spirit Wear Orders Due
Student Council Forms Due
Here's what will be happening in 5-4 the next couple weeks:
Literacy:
We are excited to begin a new vocabulary program that focuses on prefixes, suffixes, and greek and latin root words. Not only will this program help the fifth graders to understand word meanings, it will also help them with spelling. These vocabulary words will be used as "challenge" words on the weekly spelling tests as well. Vocabulary word lists will come home on Mondays along with the spelling lists. The students will also have the words here at school and will be doing sorts and games with them each day during "word work" time. Vocabulary quizzes will be on Fridays and will be multiple choice. This will take the place of the vocabulary section on the Treasures tests that are currently given on Fridays, and will not be an additional test for students. The first two weeks will look at the prefixes pre- and post-.
In the next two weeks we will be focusing on the skills cause and effect and making inferences as a whole class. These skills will be introduced through whole class texts, but will be reviewed throughout the week during guided reading groups. The students will be assessed on these skills each week through a quick comprehension check, which will take the place of the comprehension portion of the Treasures tests.
Guided reading groups are going along smoothly. The students are doing an excellent job of recognizing contrasts and contradictions and aha moments throughout their novels.
**After this week, Friday Folders will not contain a weekly Treasures Test. In its place, I will be using a weekly vocabulary quiz and a comprehension skill question sheet to assess reading each week. Most weeks will also contain a high-interest non-fiction article and questions.
Math:
This week in math we will continue with estimation. Next week we will work on multiplication of whole numbers and decimals and look closely at the lattice method of multiplication. Students will be allowed to use their favorite method for all operations on the test.We'll also be looking at comparing millions, billions, and trillions next week. We'll use my bank account statements to help us with that. ;) Right now it looks like our Unit 2 test for math will be next Friday, September 27.
Social Studies:
Our Chapter 11 history test is tomorrow. Please encourage your child to use his/her study guide, binder notes, and the review posted on Edmodo to study for the test. Next week, we will begin Chapter 12 and our study of the Declaration of Independence. We will study the major events that led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence including: the Second Continental Congress, the popularization of Common Sense, Thomas Jefferson's first draft, and the Patriots signing of the final document.
WEX: During the next two weeks we will focus on showing, not telling in our writing. We will work on ways to use words to show readers how we or the subject is feeling, rather that come right out and tell them. I will be modeling this skill, as well as using excellent samples of student writing to give the class a good idea of what this looks like and how to do it.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kelly O'Kelly
Student Council Forms Due
Here's what will be happening in 5-4 the next couple weeks:
Literacy:
We are excited to begin a new vocabulary program that focuses on prefixes, suffixes, and greek and latin root words. Not only will this program help the fifth graders to understand word meanings, it will also help them with spelling. These vocabulary words will be used as "challenge" words on the weekly spelling tests as well. Vocabulary word lists will come home on Mondays along with the spelling lists. The students will also have the words here at school and will be doing sorts and games with them each day during "word work" time. Vocabulary quizzes will be on Fridays and will be multiple choice. This will take the place of the vocabulary section on the Treasures tests that are currently given on Fridays, and will not be an additional test for students. The first two weeks will look at the prefixes pre- and post-.
In the next two weeks we will be focusing on the skills cause and effect and making inferences as a whole class. These skills will be introduced through whole class texts, but will be reviewed throughout the week during guided reading groups. The students will be assessed on these skills each week through a quick comprehension check, which will take the place of the comprehension portion of the Treasures tests.
Guided reading groups are going along smoothly. The students are doing an excellent job of recognizing contrasts and contradictions and aha moments throughout their novels.
**After this week, Friday Folders will not contain a weekly Treasures Test. In its place, I will be using a weekly vocabulary quiz and a comprehension skill question sheet to assess reading each week. Most weeks will also contain a high-interest non-fiction article and questions.
Math:
This week in math we will continue with estimation. Next week we will work on multiplication of whole numbers and decimals and look closely at the lattice method of multiplication. Students will be allowed to use their favorite method for all operations on the test.We'll also be looking at comparing millions, billions, and trillions next week. We'll use my bank account statements to help us with that. ;) Right now it looks like our Unit 2 test for math will be next Friday, September 27.
Social Studies:
Our Chapter 11 history test is tomorrow. Please encourage your child to use his/her study guide, binder notes, and the review posted on Edmodo to study for the test. Next week, we will begin Chapter 12 and our study of the Declaration of Independence. We will study the major events that led to the creation of the Declaration of Independence including: the Second Continental Congress, the popularization of Common Sense, Thomas Jefferson's first draft, and the Patriots signing of the final document.
WEX: During the next two weeks we will focus on showing, not telling in our writing. We will work on ways to use words to show readers how we or the subject is feeling, rather that come right out and tell them. I will be modeling this skill, as well as using excellent samples of student writing to give the class a good idea of what this looks like and how to do it.
Please contact me with any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Kelly O'Kelly
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