5th Grade News from Longyear

5th Grade Responsibility

I bet the children are excited to see their report card! I keep telling them that nothing will be a surprise because they have already seen every assessment that has been graded. They still seem to be nervous!!

As the next nine weeks begin, I need to “tighten the ropes” a bit! Many students continue to leave their name off of assignments. This is very frustrating when Mrs. Brindley and I spend hours grading at home and then can not give credit to half the students due to no names! We will begin making children redo the assignments that they do not have credit for! You will also begin to see points taken off for no end marks, lack of capitalization and  sentences that do not make sense. Students have to create proper, correct sentences every time they write one! We are in 5th grade now and correct sentence writing is mandatory.

Please spend some time in the next few days going over the responsibilities of 5^th grade with your child again as you discuss their report card. We want to keep a high quality of work! Continue with agenda monitoring, 900 page monitoring, and general “Do you have a test coming up?” questions! The students will continue to work to our expectations!

I bet the children are excited to see their report card! I keep telling them that nothing will be a surprise because they have already seen every assessment that has been graded. They still seem to be nervous!!

As the next nine weeks begin, I need to “tighten the ropes” a bit! Many students continue to leave their name off of assignments. This is very frustrating when Mrs. Brindley and I spend hours grading at home and then can not give credit to half the students due to no names! We will begin making children redo the assignments that they do not have credit for! You will also begin to see points taken off for no end marks, lack of capitalization and  sentences that do not make sense. Students have to create proper, correct sentences every time they write one! We are in 5th grade now and correct sentence writing is mandatory.

Please spend some time in the next few days going over the responsibilities of 5^th grade with your child again as you discuss their report card. We want to keep a high quality of work! Continue with agenda monitoring, 900 page monitoring, and general “Do you have a test coming up?” questions! The students will continue to work to our expectations!

Cells and Decimals

Science:

For the next few weeks we will be learning about cells. We are starting Chapter 5 lesson 1. We will be learning all about plant and animal cells and the parts that make them up. We will also be learning how they are different. Students will be constructing large cells on our ceiling next week! Please save any lightweight materials you think we could use. Things like lids, cardboard containers, fabric scraps, foil or any crafty type supplies. We can also still use shoe boxes if you have them!

There will be a Think tac toe that we will work on for the entire time we study cells, about 2 1/2 weeks. The assessment for this unit will be to draw a plant and animal cell, label all its parts and tell their function! We have a lot of work to do!There will not be a quiz this week.

Math :

We have started multiplication of decimals. Chapter 7 in the math book.

Report cards will be in the Thursday folder. Please keep the report card but return the white signature card and the envelope as soon as possible.

Please send in permission slips for our field trip if you have not done so. 

YEARBOOK

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL $22*
Nov. 1st price increast to $25*

On-line ordering available at:  http://www.myyear.com
*Note:  cost includes taxes.  Does not include 1x $1.75 processing fee per transaction, multiple items per order allowed.  Be sure to print & keep your confirmation for proof of payment.

ORDER FORMS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE CREDENZA OUTSIDE OF THE OFFICE.

Thanks and This Week in Math and Science

Thanks to everyone who came out to the Fall Festival and dunked me! I had a blast!

This week we will be finishing up Chapter 3 in science. We began lesson 3 today. Our essential question is " What are chemical changes in matter? " We will do several activities this week to learn about chemical changes. There will not be a think-tac-toe or quiz on Friday for lesson 3. We will have a Chapter 3 test on Monday, October 13. This will cover all of Chapter 3. Think-tac -toe will resume on Monday when we begin our study of cells!

In math this week we are learning a little about algebra. We have started Chapter 3 in the math text book.

The grading period ends on Friday, but the science test will be the final grade for science. We will have several informal assessments in math this week on material covered each day. Homework will be an important part of doing well on the assessments.

Permission slips are being sent home today for our Fall field trip. Please return them ASAP. We will be going to Marietta and taking the trolley to several historic locations. We are looking forward to a fantastic day!

Hat Day is this Friday. Please bring $1.00 to support Relay for Life and wear your favorite hat all day in school!

****If you have any shoe boxes at home that you could donate to science class please send them in with your child! ****

This Week in Science and Math

We are all thankful that testing is complete so we can return to a normal class schedule. This is what we are up to this week:

Science: Chapter 3 Lesson 2 Physical Changes

There will not be a Think-Tac-Toe since we will be doing several awesome activities in class.

A quiz will be given on lessons 1 and 2 on Friday. Study the vocabulary and questions within and at the end of each lesson. The workbook pages will be homework instead of the questions in the book. Please look for this homework on Monday and Tuesday evening. E-mail will resume on Wednesday night!

Math:  We will add and subtract decimals this week as well as do problem solving on Tuesday. Please continue to practice math facts for timed tests.

Next week we will begin some algebra concepts through puzzles and input output machines! Fun, fun fun!

News for the Week

Early Release on Tuesday dimissal is 12:15

We will be testing in the mornings on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Please do not be late to school!

Science

We will begin Unit B Changes in Matter Chapter 1 Lesson 1 this week.

There will not be  Think-Tac-Toe activities this week or next week. There will still be a quiz on the lesson on Friday. We will be doing several in class activities that will be graded also.

We have started decimal fractions in math. Decimal fraction is the "new" way to say decimal! We will be learning about decimal place value, equivalent decimal and ordering decimals this week. This is all in Chapter 1 of the math book.

United States Map

Can you label all of the states on a map? If you answered no to this question we are here to help you! A map of the USA will be sent home with your child this weekend along with a letter to you.  Mrs. Brindley and I have found, in the short time we have been with your children, that many do not know states and even in what part of the country they are located. When asked, "In which state could this hurricaine hit?" someone replied , "Mexico!" So you and your child have until November 14th to learn where all of our fabulous 50 states are located. Have fun, there are many interactive websites, puzzles, placemats and games to help learn them. Please read the letter that will come home today explaining the format of the test. Let us know if there are any questions. 

Weekly Science Schedule

This is the weekly schedule for science.

Monday: Start new lesson and essential question- Preview the lesson and vocabulary, make connections and discuss what we already know about the lesson. Homework will be to reread the lesson and answer questions either from the book or a workbook page

Tuesday: Think Tac Toe differentiated activities are given out. The center box is done together. The students then pick 2 other boxes and complete the activity in them. The boxes must make a tic-tac-toe. Most assignments should be done in the science journal. We will further discuss the lesson and have directed instruction on concepts within the lesson, including reading skills. Homework: Explain to parents what you are learning about in science class. Write down any questions or comments that your parents may have had.

Wednesday: Lab Day- we will complete an investigation together. The center box of the Think-Tac-Toe. Homework: e-mail me about what was learned through the investigation.

Thursday: work on Think-Tac-Toe activies  and discuss Essential Question for quiz on Friday. Homework: study for quiz and complete activites as needed.

Friday: Quiz on lesson and Think-Tac-Toe activites are due, no exceptions!There will be limited time on Friday to work on these so they should be completed on Thursday. There is ample time to complete them in class! If they are not finished in class on Thursday then it would be homework.

Many students are not completing the Think-Tac-Toe activities. I am not accepting them after Friday unless the child was absent.

Reminders

Science quiz tomorrow on Chapter 1 Lesson 3

Think Tac Toe activities due tomorrow for same lesson

Next week will be the last lesson in Chapter 1. There will be a Chapter test instead of a quiz on Friday, September 12.

There will  be a math test on Monday 9/8 on place value to the billions, rounding and estimating, prime and composite numbers, factors and multiples and prime factorization. Everyone is doing really well with these concepts.

Reflections are due 9/26.Please bring it in when finished.

Blue folders went home today, please take the time to go through all papers inside.

PRACTICE MATH FACTS!

Thursday Take Home Folders

In the folder today you will find the information needed about "Reflections" I have told the students it is NOT optional and the due date for the class is September 25th. If you have any questions please let me know.

Also, there is a signature card on the back of the folder. Please sign it each Thursday so I can be sure the paperwork inside is getting to you!

Math project with place value blocks is due tomorrow as is the book report for Mrs. Brindley on Kid in the Red Jacket.  Rememeber there is always a science quiz on Friday and Think Tac Toe activities are also due tomorrow.