Happy Friday Families!
We are refreshed from Spring Break and are using our renewed energy to work hard on our Trimester 3 learning targets! Here are the current concepts we will focus on over the next couple of weeks as well as a few important bits of information regarding PARCC testing and our classroom project next week:
***Please Note: PARCC testing for 5th grade takes place Monday through Thursday of next week. All testing will take place in the morning. Please avoid taking your student out of school for doctor’s appointments if at all possible. Also, please be sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep and eats a good breakfast each day! And finally, please remind your child to charge his or her iPad each night - all testing will be done on their iPads. The two week schedule for PARCC testing, as well as two English / LA placement tests, are listed at the bottom of the blog.
***If possible, please send the Sunday paper comics with your child on Monday. We will start to introduce the concepts of ratios and proportions by creating proportional drawings of the comics.
Also, students brought home a few CFA's for you to sign and return on Monday. Reading log recording sheets will be due for a check-in on Monday. There is no reading log assignment for this week, however there will be for each of the remaining weeks in April.
Students brought home current event calendars for April. Please make sure that your child knows what day(s) he/she should be prepared to present!
Literature
We finished reading Explorers: Triumphs and Troubles and Pedro’s Journal which both focused on the theme of exploration. We compared and contrasted each book's text structure, as well as the information contained in both texts. In writing, we completed an opinion essay about Christopher Columbus. Through our extensive research, we learned that although Columbus's impact on America was significant, his explorations and discoveries came with many negatives as well. The students argued whether they thought Columbus was the hero we grew up learning about or if he was a villain based on some of his actions and other opinions. Students will be sharing these papers next week with you at home!
Math
Today we ended Unit 5 with a post test which encompassed three learning targets. Students were required to demonstrate their skills in the areas of measurement conversions, finding volume of rectangular prisms and finding volume of composite shapes where rectangular prisms have been joined together. Students who do not demonstrate mastery of the targets on the post test will continue to receive small group instruction next week.
Science
We will continue to discuss changes in the different states of matter.
Social Studies
Our conversations continue to revolve around supply and demand and its impact on trade.
PARCC / Placement Schedule:
Week of 4/10
**4/10 - Monday: English / LA 1 (10:00-12:00)
**4/11 - Tuesday: MATH 1 (10:30-:12:00)
**4/12 - Wednesday: MATH 2 (10:30 - 12:00)
**4/13 - Thursday: MATH 3
(10:30 - 12:00)
Week of 4/17
**4/17 - Monday: English / LA 2
(10:00 - 12:00)
**4/18 - Tuesday: English / LA 3
(10:00 - 12:00)
**4/19 - Wednesday: MATH 4 (10:00 - 11:30)
**4/20 - Thursday: English / LA Placement Writing Assessment
**4/21 - Friday: English / LA Placement Comprehension Assessment
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you and have a wonderful weekend!
