Hello 5-2 Parents ~
We had another busy week in 5-2 today! I hope you all found some time to relax together as a family this weekend.
Important Dates
Class T-shirt Form ~ due Monday, 12/10 ~ The 5th Grade Committee sent home order forms for your child's class t-shirt this week. They are all so excited to receive their t-shirts!! These forms are due on Monday - there is no cost for the first t-shirt, they just need to know your child's size and how you would like their name to appear on the 5th grade memorabilia. If you would like to receive an additional t-shirt, the cost is $6. Please let me know if you child misplaced their order form, and I'll send home another. They'll receive their t-shirt the day we take our 5th grade class photo, currently scheduled for 1/25. Students are asked to wear their class t-shirts on our 5th grade field trip to Camp Edwards and at the 5th grade breakfast.
Class T-shirt Form ~ due Monday, 12/10 ~ The 5th Grade Committee sent home order forms for your child's class t-shirt this week. They are all so excited to receive their t-shirts!! These forms are due on Monday - there is no cost for the first t-shirt, they just need to know your child's size and how you would like their name to appear on the 5th grade memorabilia. If you would like to receive an additional t-shirt, the cost is $6. Please let me know if you child misplaced their order form, and I'll send home another. They'll receive their t-shirt the day we take our 5th grade class photo, currently scheduled for 1/25. Students are asked to wear their class t-shirts on our 5th grade field trip to Camp Edwards and at the 5th grade breakfast.
MAP testing
Monday, 12/10 ~ 1:15-2:15 ~ Reading
Tuesday, 12/11 ~ 1:15-2:15 ~ Reading
**New this year - students will have TWO days to complete each test. We have found that some students felt rushed in past years when only given one time slot to take the test, so all students will be given two blocks to finish the test.
Please encourage your child to take their time and do their best on these tests as they are used for placement in middle school. You can support your child's best effort by ensuring they get a full night's sleep before the test and eat a healthy breakfast and lunch.
We also ask that you minimize absences on MAP testing days if at all possible. While we do offer makeups the following week, we have found that students who need to makeup the tests experience more anxiety because they miss instruction during the makeup test. Anxiety can negatively impact test performance.
Science Behind Drugs ~ Friday, 12/14 ~ 9:10-10:40am
This program outlines different types of drugs including alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, inhalants and medicines and their impact on the brain and body. Students will begin learning refusal and coping skills and become Peer Prevention Specialists. The Science Behind Drugs program incorporates a comprehensive, blended learning approach to substance abuse prevention education. Tied to both SEL and Health Standards, the program structure includes an interactive e-learning lesson (on Thursday afternoon) prior to the classroom visit from the Robert Crown educators, whole and small group work infused with games, activities and discussions and an app-based post activity to help assessments for teachers.
Robert Crown Health educator facilitates a classroom program that includes:
- interactive learning stations for exploration on alcohol, smoking, marijuana, inhalant abuse and medicines and how they affect the brain and body
- small and large group scenario based activities to explore peer pressure and apply refusal skills
- discussion on how drugs can impact the adolescent brain
- question and answer opportunities with a health educator
For more information about the Science Behind Drugs program, please visit the link: https://www.robertcrown.org/category/science-behind-drugs/
Math
We continued working hard to master multiplying fractions and mixed numbers in math, and began practicing dividing fractions this week. We're moving a little slower through chapter 4 than originally planned, and with the interruptions to our schedule (MAP testing and Science Behind Drugs), I have decided to move our final assessment one more day. The Chapter 4 Assessment is currently schedule for Tuesday, 12/18. Please encourage your children to continue to practice multiplying and dividing fractions at home by logging on to Khan Academy and Freckle.
Social Studies
We worked on their Revolutionary War Battle Research all week, and turned in their final poster on Friday. I have been impressed with the progress your children are making in their research skills with each of the projects we've worked on this first half of the year! They are growing in their ability to identify the most important information in the text they read, and they are learning to paraphrase the information in their own words! This is a difficult skill to learn, but one that is essential as they move forward in their education. I'm please with how hard they are working to master this skill!
The final Unit 13 Assessment is scheduled for scheduled for Tuesday, December 11th. To prepare for the assessment, your child could re-read the chapter in their History Alive textbook, review he completed organizer posted on Google Classroom as a study guide, and create flashcards for the vocabulary words in the chapter.
The final Unit 13 Assessment is scheduled for scheduled for Tuesday, December 11th. To prepare for the assessment, your child could re-read the chapter in their History Alive textbook, review he completed organizer posted on Google Classroom as a study guide, and create flashcards for the vocabulary words in the chapter.
Reading
We finished up our Notice & Note Signposts, and returned to our Schoolwide curriculum in reading this week with a focus on story in historical fiction. We discussed the impact of a historical setting on the different story elements. Next week, we will dive deeper into characters and conflict, focusing on how those story elements influence the overall story. We will finish our Fiction unit before Winter Break, with the Fiction Summative scheduled for Friday, 12/21.
We continue to work on our Cereal Box projects this week - you children have been given a great deal of time to work on this project in class. I'm impressed with the quality and care so many of your children are putting into their cereal boxes! These projects and presentations are due on Monday, 12/17. To review the project descriptor and expectations, please ask your child to show you the assignment on Google Classroom. They are expected to submit the graphic organizer by 12/17, as well as be prepared to present their cereal box to the class with notecards.
Writing
We have been using the nonfiction text George vs George to practice our research and note-taking skills, while adding to our background knowledge of the American Revolutionary War. The conversations during our writing block have been engaging!
Fixed vs Growth Mindset
We dove deeper into Fixed vs. Growth Mindset with Mrs. Watanuki this week, and what a great time we've had learning about the latest brain research and how we learn! Your child should be able to tell you about the different parts of the brain, as well as how neurons impact our learning. Then we spent the rest of the week learning about GRIT. If you're interested in learning why we're taking so much time to teach your children about GRIT, please watch the short TED talk by Angela Duckworth - I've included the link below. We ended the week by studying some famous failures, and sharing them "speed dating" style. Your children's interest and curiosity during this unit has been contagious! Next week, we will work on all those things that improve our GRIT, including identifying our learning style and personality, positive self-talk, and strategies for when we get stuck.
Angela Duckworth ~ TED Talk
We finished up our Notice & Note Signposts, and returned to our Schoolwide curriculum in reading this week with a focus on story in historical fiction. We discussed the impact of a historical setting on the different story elements. Next week, we will dive deeper into characters and conflict, focusing on how those story elements influence the overall story. We will finish our Fiction unit before Winter Break, with the Fiction Summative scheduled for Friday, 12/21.
We continue to work on our Cereal Box projects this week - you children have been given a great deal of time to work on this project in class. I'm impressed with the quality and care so many of your children are putting into their cereal boxes! These projects and presentations are due on Monday, 12/17. To review the project descriptor and expectations, please ask your child to show you the assignment on Google Classroom. They are expected to submit the graphic organizer by 12/17, as well as be prepared to present their cereal box to the class with notecards.
Writing
We have been using the nonfiction text George vs George to practice our research and note-taking skills, while adding to our background knowledge of the American Revolutionary War. The conversations during our writing block have been engaging!
Fixed vs Growth Mindset
We dove deeper into Fixed vs. Growth Mindset with Mrs. Watanuki this week, and what a great time we've had learning about the latest brain research and how we learn! Your child should be able to tell you about the different parts of the brain, as well as how neurons impact our learning. Then we spent the rest of the week learning about GRIT. If you're interested in learning why we're taking so much time to teach your children about GRIT, please watch the short TED talk by Angela Duckworth - I've included the link below. We ended the week by studying some famous failures, and sharing them "speed dating" style. Your children's interest and curiosity during this unit has been contagious! Next week, we will work on all those things that improve our GRIT, including identifying our learning style and personality, positive self-talk, and strategies for when we get stuck.
Angela Duckworth ~ TED Talk
As always, please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.
Grit is that 'extra something' that separates the most successful people from the rest. It's the passion, perseverance, and stamina that we must channel in order to stick with our dreams until they become a reality.
~ Travis Bradberry
Cheers ~
Theresa Fowler
Theresa Fowler
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