5th Grade Families, Happy December! I hope that everyone had a wonderful, restful Thanksgiving break! From spending time with family and friends, traveling, shopping, eating delicious food, and relaxing, the students were excited to share all about their break! Included within this week's update, there is a family letter regarding our upcoming unit in math, which focuses on multi-digit multiplication. As we begin to wrap up 2021, here's what's going on within our classroom! Literacy This week, our shared text featured an excerpt of the novel, Hatchet. The text tells the story of Brian, a thirteen-year-old boy, who encounters a completely unexpected and unfortunate event that leaves him stranded in the Canadian wilderness to survive by himself with nothing but a hatchet. Using Hatchet, we discussed Brian's thoughts, actions, and feelings in order to analyze the challenges he faced and determine the overall theme. We also practiced our summarizing skills by identifying the main events and character responses in the text. Writing Our analytical writing focuses on the students' opinions of whether they think video games have a positive or negative effect on children. After researching, students have been utilizing graphic organizers to organize information into reasons and evidence that support their stance. Instead of composing a multi-paragraph essay, students are utilizing Book Creator, an application, to create a digital book based on their research and opinion. Within their digital book, students are required to include elements of analytical writing, such as an engaging introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and an effective conclusion. Ask your student about his/her opinion regarding the effects of video games! Math We wrapped up our math unit on decimals and place values by reviewing learned concepts and taking the end of unit assessment. The Unit 3 targets included reading/writing decimals, comparing decimals, rounding decimals, and adding/subtracting decimals. Our upcoming unit encompasses mulit-digit multiplication. Students will be learning how to use the standard algorithm to multiply. In Number Corner, we measured our height and feet length within inches. Throughout the month of December, we will regularly plot the data onto a line plot. We will also be plotting the data onto a scatter plot to analyze the correlation between height and foot length. Science We are continuing to dive deeper into our unit about the Earth's systems. Recently, we analyzed how farming and industries negatively impact Earth's four systems (biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere). We also discussed ways that people could protect the Earth, which involves the conservation of resources, such as fossil fuels. In our recent investigation, we took upon the role of engineers and used various materials to design a water filter that could remove dirt and produce clean water. Through this investigation, we explored the consequences of pollution and ways to protect the Earth's systems. Social Studies Our students wrapped up their discussions about the various responsibilities and powers of different types of governments, which revolved around the pros and cons of a democracy, a parliamentary government, a monarchy, and a dictatorship. In the coming weeks, we will learn about probable causes and effects of events and developments in U.S. history, with a focus on Westward Expansion and on the California Gold Rush. Based on what we learn about Westward Expansion, students will construct and defend an argument of whether or not they would have traveled West. Upcoming Events Monday, December 6th- Reading NWEA MAP test in the morning (bring fully charged Ipad) Tuesday, December 7th- Math NWEA MAP test in the morning (bring fully charged Ipad) Tuesday, December 14th - Early Release (Dismissal @ 2pm) Friday, December 17th - Classroom Winter Parties Monday, December 20th - Tuesday, January 4th - Winter Break Friendly Reminders Please remind your student to charge his/her iPad and Logitech Crayon every night Please remember to send your student with a healthy snack - nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack! Please continue to have your student practice their multiplication facts up to 12

Happy Friday Families! I hope everyone is staying warm during this November cold! But as we deal with the weather, our students continue to work hard, starting the second grading period. Here's What's Happening in Class: Literacy We are currently reading a shared text titled Washed Up, are story about three families who encounter various challenges while trying to win a survival reality show. Within the text, students are working hard to look at the text to help them locate the best evidence to support their thinking. In the coming weeks, we will explore various texts to help our students practice summarizing (Literary text) as well as analyzing multiple accounts of the same event, while noting similarities and differences in the points of view each party represents (Informational text). Writing Our students recently finished their first analytical paper, discussing whether or not students should be allowed to bring and use cellphones during the school day. Their focus was to write engaging introductory and concluding paragraphs, as well as working to add evidence to support their key ideas. Be sure to ask your child to share it with you! They made quite the compelling arguments! Currently, our students are creating and defending an argument whether or not video games have a positive or negative effect on children. They should be interesting read! Math Our students are continuing their work with decimals. They are currently refining their skills in the area of using expanded decimal notation, comparing decimals, adding and subtracting decimals, and rounding decimals. Yesterday we took a checkpoint which came home for you to review with some other assessments. Kindly sign and return them on Monday. Social Studies Our students wrapped up their discussions about the various responsibilities and powers of different types of governments, which revolved around the pros and cons of a democracy, a parliamentary government, a monarchy, and a dictatorship. In the coming weeks, we will learn about probable causes and effects of events and developments in U.S. history, with a focus on Westward Expansion and on the California Gold Rush. Based on what we learn about Westward Expansion, students will construct and defend an argument of whether or not they would have traveled West. Science We are currently learning about earth systems in science. The unit discusses the four main systems of Earth: the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. In addition to learning about their attributes and characteristics, we are also identifying interactions that occur between the systems. Our most recent investigation involved "mining" chocolate chips, while preserving as much of the land (cookie) as possible. Our students were rewarded with their own chocolate chip cookie to eat for their valiant efforts! Upcoming Events **Wednesday, November 24th - Friday, November 26th: No School (Thanksgiving Break)

5th Grade BLOG update for 11/5

Hi Parents, It is so hard to believe we are already in November and nearing the end of the first trimester! Here’s a quick update to fill you in on what we have been covering in each of the academic areas: Literacy This week we read a number of different nonfiction articles ranging from the topics of whether we should live on Mars, how dogs can help the health of their ownser, the need to stop using plastic bags, and the importance ov voting! These articles helped students practice finding the main point, along with reasons and evidence that supported the article. Writing We are continuing to work on our “Should Cellphones Be Allowed in School” analytical paper. Students chose a side, and have been going through the writing process step by step, writing the introduction, working on body paragraphs, and then conclusion. We will conclude the process next week as students edit their work and share their essays with peers. Math We have begun our third unit already- Adding & Subtracting Decimals! We are starting the unit by looking at place value, multiplying and dividing by 10’s and powers of ten. We have also been working on reading and writing numbers. Next, we will be learning how to add and subtract those decimals, along with comparing and ordering the decimals on a number line. We will have our first checkpoint on this unit next week. This unit won’t be reported out on report cards until Trimester 2. In order to learn some of these concepts, we've been doing some tasks which required movement and engagement. During one lesson, students were "human decimals" in order to physically experence what happens to numbers when they are multiplied and divded by powers of ten. Today students worked in teams to dicatate and write decimals together! At the end of the day we enjoyed a game on "Among Us "GIMKIT" game to practice our skills in comparing decimals! Social Studies This week, we have been working hard to answer the question, How do declarations of independence from other places in the Western Hemisphere compare with the United States Declaration of Independence? To do this, we have started looking at three ypes of government: Monarchy, Democracy, and Dictatorship. The students have really done well comparing and contrasting them with one another! Yesterday we had a great discussion about N orth Korea and the aspects of its govenment which make it a Dictatorship. Upcoming Events Friday, November 12—Trimester 1 report period ends Friday, November 19- Trimester 1 Report Cards sent out Wednesday, November 24th- Sunday, November 28th- Thanksgiving Break

5th Grade BLOG update for 10/22

Hi Parents, We've had a busy week of learning! This was the first week of a challenge from Dreambox that I signed our class up for! Starting this week until mid-November, any student who completes 5 lessons during a week will be qualified for a prize giveaway from the Dreambox company! If nothing else, students seem motivated to work towards this goal! We also have weekly goals for utilizing our Lexia reading app. Each student can see how they are progressing towards their personal goal when they login to Lexia on their iPad. I have been starting to do supplemental activities during intervention with students when skill needs are identified on Lexia. If you are interested in seeing your student’s progress, have them login to show you! Today, as with every Friday, we had “First Chapter Friday”! Here, I read the first chapter of a book to entice the kids to want to read the rest on their own! I also show a book trailer to “hook in” my visual learners! This week’s book was one with a spooky feel for Halloween titled Bunnicula by Deborah Howe! We also had Fluency Friday Poetry today that featured two Halloween poems. Each weekend, if students read these poems at home and get a parent signature, they are rewarded with a raffle ticket on the following Monday! Please encourage your student to take a few moments to read these poems to you, and improve their fluency! Here’s a quick update to let you have peek into the content we have been covering in each of the academic areas: Literacy This week we finished reading a historical fiction book titled Road to Freedom. The story was narrated by Emma, a young girl who was trying to escape slavery along the Underground Railroad. This story helped students understand how the particular point of the narrator, can affect how the story is being told. Through the viewpoint of Emma, students were able to see the unique perspective of a young girl facing such unimaginable challenges. Writing We have now moved onto the genre of analytical, nonfiction writing. We started the process by analyzing our prompt: “Should students be allowed to have cell phones in school?” After reading several nonfiction articles which have presented both sides of the argument, students have been using using graphic organizers to classify this information. Once they have chosen which side of the information they most support, students will develop a plan to compose an essay. They will be guided through the process of how to write an effective introduction, and then move onto body paragraph writing. Math We are nearing the end of our second unit in math which focuses on fractions. The unit 2 targets include addition and subtraction of fractions with unlike denominators and solving fraction story problems. Students have completed two checkpoints on these targets, and are receiving instruction based on needs identified in those assessments. The end of unit assessment for these targets will be given next week. In number corner, we've been weighing two carrots regularly to track the information on a double line graph. Our smaller carrot has lost a considerable amount of mass! Ask your student to describe its appearance! Yuck! Science We recently wrapped up our first unit on Ecosystems around the world and have started our next unit on the Earth’s four main systems. Throughout this unit, we will be learning about how the Biosphere, Geosphere, Hydrosphere and Atmosphere interact to affect weather, shape landforms, and support living things. Social Studies This week, we have been working hard to answer the question, What are the Responsibilities and Powers of the officials in the US after gaining independence? To do this, we have been studying the three Branches of Government (Executive, Legislative, Judicial) and have been exploring the checks and balances in place to ensure that one office does not have more power over the other. Upcoming Events Tuesday, October 26 th—Early Release @ 2:00 Friday, October 29th—Halloween parade and classroom parties Friday, November 12—Trimester 1 report period ends

5th Grade Blog update 10/1/21

 

Happy October Families! 

Please read below to find out about all of the wonderful learning that is happening in 5th grade at Ivy Hall!

Here are the concepts we are currently/planning to work on:

Literacy
We have finished up our shared text, Night of the Spadefoot Toads, which we used to practice utilizing direct quotes from the text to answer questions as well as determining theme and summarizing. After finishing Night of the Spadefoot Toads, we read a short story called Shells, which we also used to practice quoting, identifying theme, describing how characters respond to challenges they face, and summarizing a text. This week we also completed our first district CFA (common formative assessment), to assess where students are at with the targets we have been practicing in class. Next week will begin a new cycle of study with another short story called Operation Clean Sweep which is a historical fiction about Women's Suffrage. With this story we will begin to look at how the narrator and characters points of view affect the way a story is told.

PLEASE NOTE: Each Friday your student should read his/her fluency Friday poems to you over the weekend. 

Writing
We are wrapping up our current work on narrative writing. Students used our shared text as a springboard, to write a story that included a "bullyish" character. This week students completed a district PBA (performance based assessment) where they were asked to write a new narrative based on a given writing prompt. As we begin our new cycle of study in literacy next week, our focus will shift to analytic writing.

Math

Last week students complete their unit one math post test that covered order of operations, writing expressions, and calculation volume of rectangular prisms. This week we moved on to unit 2 with a focus on adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. We started the unit by connecting fractions to money values to help students add and subtract. We also introduced using clocks as a model for adding and subtracing unlike fractions. As we proceed through this unit we will also be spending time teaching students to make common denominators in order to add and subtract fractions. In Number Corner, we have continued to reinforce skills regarding volume and to practice skills with fractions and decimals.

PLEASE NOTE: Init 1 post test assessments were sent home for you to view. They included targets on number expressions and finding the volume of rectangular prisms. If your student did not reach mastery level on any of the 3 target being assessed, I will be meeting with them to reteach the skills and give them another chance  to achieve mastery.

Science
We are continuing to learn about ecosystems. In the past couple of weeks we have been learning about consumers and the flow of energy through an ecosystem. We learned that consumers must eat other animals in order to survive. We also learned that the flow of energy starts at the sun and flows to the producers and then to the consumers. On Thursday students conducted an investigation where they were able to dissect owl pellets! If you follow me on Twitter you can see some great photos I posted Students were amazed by the various bones they found within the pellets. This information allowed us to create food chains that show the flow of energy from the sun to the owl. Next week students will be assessed on the knowledge gained from these lessons and the investigation.

Social Studies
In the coming weeks, our students will explore the various responsibilities and powers of different types of governments.  Our discussions will revolve around the pros and cons of a democracy, a parliamentary government, a monarchy, and a dictatorship.  Of the four governments, our students will work to create an argument of which government best uses their powers and responsibilities for the benefit of its citizens.

Upcoming Events

• Friday, October 1st - Half Day (Dismissal @ 11:45 AM)
• Thursday, October 7th - Early Release (Dismissal @ 2pm) - CONFERENCES
• Friday, October 8th - No School for Students - CONFERENCES
• Monday, October 11th - No School

Friendly Reminders

• Please remind your student to charge his/her iPad and Logitech Crayon every night
• Please remember to send your student with a healthy snack - nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack!
• Please continue to have your student practice their multiplication facts up to 12

 

We have officially hit our 1 month mark of school! There has been a lot going on in our classroom this past month, and we are looking forward to what the school year still has in store for us. Please read below to find out about all of the wonderful learning that is happening in 5th grade at Ivy Hall!

Today, your student will bring home his/her Multiplication & Volume Checkpoint. Please take some time to review your student's graded assessment, sign the rubric, and return the assessment to school on Monday. 

Here are the concepts we are currently/planning to work on:

Literacy
We are finishing up our shared text, Night of the Spadefoot Toads. Using this text as a springboard  we have been working hard on this trimester's literacy learning targets. We continue to practice utilizing direct quotes from the text to answer comprehension questions, many which require students to "dig deeper" into the text and make inferences. As we progress through the book, we have been identifying important events within the chapters, in order to work on our summarizing skills. As we come to a close on the book, we will determine the theme (moral, life lesson) and analyze how the author portrayed the theme.

Writing
Currently, we are in the process of planning and writing our first narrative! Within Night of the Spadefoot Toads, a character named Frankie displayed many characteristics of a bully. Using our shared text as inspiration, students are writing a story that includes a "bullyish" character. In the midst of planning and writing their narratives, students are working on developing elements of narratives, such as plot, point of view, characters, and setting.At this point, most students have completed their planning sheets and have started to compose their stories!

Math
We are building up our knowledge of solving numerical expressions using the order of operations and writing numerical expressions. Using a variety of strategies, we are solving multi-digit multiplication problems. Multiplication strategies include the over strategy, doubling and halving, partial products, and five is half of ten. We are also finding the volume of rectangular prisms by using the volume formula (length x width x height) and math manipulatives (Omnifix cubes). In Number Corner, we are reinforcing skills regarding volume and practicing skills with fractions and decimals.

Science
We are continuing to learn about ecosystems. In the past weeks, we learned about the role of producers and how producers make their own food through photosynthesis. During an investigation, we explored the necessities that help plants survive. We learned that it is essential for plants to receive adequate sunlight, water, and air. However, we were surprised to find out that plants do not necessarily need soil to grow!

Social Studies
This week we began our Civics unit, which involves the responsibilities and powers of the government in different times and places. Currently, we are analyzing the reasons why the 13 Colonies wanted to gain independence from Great Britain. We will continue to explore important events and documents that were involved in the Colonies' independence, such as the Revolutionary War, Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution. Because today, September 17, is officially Constitution Day, we completed several activities to celebrate!

Upcoming Events

• Monday, September 20th-Our class will preview the choices at the Book Fair!
• Tuesday, September 21st - PTO Special Lunch (Bagel & Bialy)
• Wednesday, September 22nd - PTO Book Fair @ 6:00 PM
• Wednesday, September 22nd - PTO Ice Cream Social @ 6:30 PM
• Friday, September 24th - Ivy Hall Fun Run (staff & students only)
• Tuesday, September 28th - Early Release (Dismissal @ 2:00 PM)
• Friday, October 1st - Half Day (Dismissal @ 11:45 AM)

Friendly Reminders

• Please remind your student to charge his/her iPad and Logitech Crayon every night
• Please remember to send your student with a healthy snack - nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack!
• Please continue to have your student practice their multiplication facts up to 12

 Good Afternoon Families!

Our school year is off and running!  It was an absolute pleasure meeting many of you last week at curriculum night.  I hope you found it to be an informative and useful evening.  Your involvement and support are greatly appreciated!  With the long weekend approaching, it might be a good time for you to ask your child to show you a few digital components of our routine on their I-Pad. You might be interested in looking at our virtual classroom and/or our Schoology courses. 

The link you clicked on is our classroom Blogger page, which will have bi-monthly classroom updates.  Included in the updates will be our current target concepts in all academic areas, classroom events, and important upcoming dates.  An email with a link to our classroom Blogger page will be pushed out every two weeks when our Blogger page is updated. Although all of the 5th grade classrooms teach the same targets, anything that is unique information for our classroom will also be mentioned in these updates. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter! I try to post a weekly picture or two from activities we've done in class! Follow me @julie_holzhauer

Here are the concepts we are currently/planning to work on over the next couple of weeks:

Literacy

Our students are greatly enjoying our shared reading book, Night of the Spadefoot Toads.  Because some of the chapters are quite lengthy, students are being required to read portions at home.  They are welcome to use their print copy, read from the PDF on Schoology, or read the story on the Pearson app on their iPads.  Based on the events in the story, our students are currently working on summarizing, which includes identifying characters, settings, events, and the theme.  We are also working on identifying how characters in our class selection respond to challenges. Students are expected to read each night for 20-30 minutes from a self-selected book. I have many options in the classroom that can be borrowed for home use. While we are reading the Spadefoot Toad book, students are welcome to use this reading towards their daily required reading minutes. 

Writing

Our students are currently learning to understand all of the elements of a narrative paper.  In the coming weeks, students will start to plan an original story, including an effectively written introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and an effective conclusion. 

Math

Our students are currently working on writing and evaluating numerical expressions with order of operations as well as demonstrating their understanding of how to find the volume of rectangular prisms.  The first few weeks have also involved getting used to our math routines. In fact, with the new month starting earlier in the week, we started our daily Number Corner routine. 

Please note: Next Wednesday, your student will bring home a graded 

numerical expressions checkpoint . The rubric attached to the front will indicate whether your student has mastered or extended on the two targets covered, or whether they are developing or have not yet mastered. Please know that any student who does not achieve mastery on wither target will meet with me for an intervention to practice and review the skills. I have met with most of the students already. Those students will then have another opportunity to demonstrate their mastery. 

Kindly sign the front rubric of the checkpoint after looking it over next Wednesday evening, and then have your student bring it back to school on Thursday.

Science

Instruction utilizing our TCI science curriculum is well underway!  Our current focus is on understanding the makings of various ecosystems around the world.  This unit ties nicely into the reading we are doing with the Night of the Spadefoot Toads book we are reading during our literacy block.

Upcoming Events

** Monday September 6th - No School (Labor Day)

** Tuesday, September 7th - No School (Rosh Hashanah)
** Thursday, September 16th - No School (Yom Kippur)

Friendly Reminders

** Please remind your child to charge his / her iPad and logictech crayon every night.

** Please remember to send your child with a healthy snack.  Nothing feeds the brain like a healthy snack!  

** Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.  Thank you and have a great holiday weekend!

5th Grade Blog Update for 5/14

 

Happy Friday families!

Now that the weather is finally cooperating, it actually feels like Spring! It’s hard to believe that we are well into into our final full month of school!

Please be sure to refer to the important upcoming dates at the end of this blog. We have so many exciting activities in the weeks ahead!

Here’s what we’ve been working in this week:

Literacy:

We are finishing up our exciting novel, George’s Secret Key to the Universe. The kids have enjoyed the plot twists and the wonderful character development! Other books within the series would make great summer reading choices! These books by Stephen and Lucy Hawking are really terrific! Throughout the book we've been working on a variety of literacy skills. As we finish up next week, we will identify the theme of the story and compare it with a book we previously read called Mayday on the Moon of Jupiter.

By now, all 5th grade students have reviewed the requirements for 6th grade summer reading. The project that accompanies the reading will be due during the first week your child returns to middle school in the Fall. There are a variety of great titles to choose from on the provided list, and students should have no trouble finding a book that matches their interests!

Writing:

We have been hard at work on our science fiction stories! Students have planned stories which include elements of science fiction such as time travel, advanced technology, or advanced life forms! Thus far, their stories sound amazing! They are really enjoying the creative aspects of narrative writing! We have also been honing our summary writing skills through our literacy targets.

Math

We have just finished unit 7 in math which focused on division and decimals. During this unit we  worked with powers of ten and then moved into the multiplication and division of decimals. We have been trying hard to make sure that all students are able to solve long division problems using the traditional method. Students who just recently learned this method will need to practice periodically over the summer to ensure retention heading into 6th grade. We are wrapping up the year with the topic of finding volume of rectangular prisms. Those students who already demonstrated proficiency of this skill on the pretest have been engaged in activities to extend their knowledge of the topic.

Science

We are finishing up or unit on Matter with lessons this week that focus on engineering. Students are learning how engineers use constraints and criteria when making new materials. Next week this learning will culminate with a hands-on experiment where students get to take on the role of an engineer and develop their own new substance!

Important Dates and Friendly Reminders:

Mon., May 24th-IAR testing in a.m.

Tues., May 25th-IAR testing in a.m., Mrs. Barnes from Twin Groves will come and speak in the afternoon

Wed., May 26th-IAR testing in a.m.

Thurs., May 27th- 5th Grade Celebration in afternoon (for remote and in-person students), 5th grade drive-by car parade @ 4 p.m. 

Fri., May 28th  1/2 Day  Ivy Hall Assembly and Celebration

Mon.,May 31-No School  Memorial Day

Thurs., June 3- 1/2 day, Last Day of School 

 Happy Thursday, Families!

It’s hard to believe that we are headed into our final month of school!  Over the course of the last couple of months, our students have made it through the bulk of their placement testing. They’ve demonstrated great perseverance and the end is in sight!  We will take the MAP Reading test on Monday and the MAP Math test on Tuesday.  As always, please be sure that your child gets a good night’s rest and has eaten a substantial breakfast.  

Please be sure to refer to the important upcoming dates at the end of this blog. 

Literacy
**We started our new unit this week, which encompasses the theme of "Understanding the Universe". Our grade level text is George's Secret Key to the Universe, written by Stephen Hawking and his daughter, Lucy. The novel tells the story of a boy named George who is discovering the mysteries of the universe while learning about various aspects of space, such as stars, planets, and moons. We started reading the first five chapters this week, and the students are very excited to see how the story will unfold. Using the novel, we will also continue to work on our literacy targets and skills.

Writing
**Connecting to the theme of the universe, the students started to plan their own science fiction narratives. They brainstormed characters, events, and others ideas to include within their stories. Let the creative juices flow! Remember to ask your student all about the sci-fi narrative he/she is crafting up.

Math
**Our students are navigating through our current unit, identifying patterns within powers of ten and multiplication/division of decimals to the hundredths. We recently finished working with powers of ten and will be moving onto the multiplication and division of decimals. The end of our unit will focus on the division of fractions and whole numbers.

Social Studies

**As we start to wrap up our economics unit, our students are critiquing articles with a focus on the U.S. - China Trade War. We have also been "digging deeper" into the concept of supply and demand, and how prices are affected when those factors vary.

Science
**Next week will will switch back from social studies to science. We will continue to explore the states of matter. Previously, students learned about identifying the changes in matter and substances. Over the next few weeks, we will continue to discuss matter by learning how changes in substances affect their weight and how engineers improve materials people use on a daily basis.

Important Dates

**Friday, April 30--No in person learning--1/2 Day Asynchronous learning at home

**Monday, May 3rd - Reading MAP Test

**Tuesday, May 4th - Math MAP Test

**Monday, May 24th - IAR Testing

**Tuesday, May 25th - IAR Testing

**Monday, May 1st - No School (Memorial Day)

**Thursday, June 3rd - Last Day Of School

PLEASE NOTE: A 5th grade celebration is in the works! Stay tuned for details! They are forthcoming!

Reminders

**Please have your students come to school with a fully charged iPad and Logitech Crayon. 

**Snacks eaten in-person need to be from the safe snack list.  

**Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Blog for 4/16/21

 Happy Friday, Families!

Please read below to find out the specifics of what we've been working on!

Reading:

Over the past couple of weeks, students have been reading a nonfiction text called "Real Life Superheroes". Throughout this story students have learned about four amazing people: Thomas Bernardo, Richard Martin, Raoul Wallenberg, and Rosa Parks. Students have learned about the many contributions these incredible human beings have made to society and the legacies they left behind. Through reading this text we have been working on integrating information from multiple sources to write and speak knowledgeably about a topic. To do this we have included readings from other sources about the same people within the superhero book. We have also been working on explaining relationships and interactions between two or more individuals, events, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text. Some of the main relationships we have looked at involve cause and effect, problem and solutions, sequencing of events, and various dependent relationships. Students have been working to ensure that they support responses about these relationships with direct quotes from the text provided.

Writing: Students have been enthusiastically working on a research project and oral presentation. Piggybacking off the work we have been doing in literacy, each student was asked to choose someone they feel is a real life superhero to research and give an oral presentation about to the class. This project incorporates many reading and writing targets for students. Students began by conducting research about their person and organizing it into a tree map. Then students took information from their tree map and composed note cards to be held and used during an oral presentation. Students have been given time to practice their presentation with partners and the option to include props! The kids got a good chuckle when I modeled a presentation that showed everything they SHOULD'T DO! :) Of course, afterwards I modeled another, highlighting the appropriate way to present :) So far, the kids have been doing a great job! I'm so proud of them! They are projecting their voices and not letting masks hamper their ability to be heard! Those listening in the audience are recording something they learned from each presentation!

Math:  Before spring break, we completed our 5th unit of study in math and wrapped up with an assessment that covered multiplication and division of fractions. Students showed a lot of growth throughout this unit and we are very proud of our 5th graders! We have since moved on to a new unit that includes dividing whole numbers, dividing fractions, and multiplying and dividing decimals. When working on division in 5th grade, students are not required to use the traditional algorithm, as ratio tables and other strategies are accepted. However, many students have shown great interest in learning the standard algorithm (traditional long division), so it has been introduced and is being worked on during small group time. For students just learning the traditional long division strategy, any practice at home would be valuable!

Social Studies:  We recently began a new social studies unit on economics. Students have been learning about the importance of trade as they investigate the concepts of importing and exporting goods between countries. 

Science:   We recently concluded our unit on matter. Throughout this unit, students learned about the 3 main states of matter, how substances can change from one state to another, and about what happens when two substances are combined. We were able to engage in some hands on investigations throughout this unit to enhance the learning for students!

Reminders

-Please have your students come to school with a fully charged iPad and Logitech Crayon. 

-Please have your students come to school with a set of headphones.

-Snacks eaten in-person need to be from the safe snack list. 

-In person students can begin to bring back materials. Many materias can stay at school in their cubbies. Online students can return any materials they are not using such as literacy books to the main office for collection.

Important Upcoming Dates

Monday April 19th - Reading Assessment (District CFA)

Tuesday April 20th - Writing Assessment (District PBA--Used for Placement)

Friday April 30th - No students attending in person. Students will have a half day’s worth of asynchronous work to complete at home.

 

Happy Friday, Families!

Please read below to find out the specifics of what we've been working on!

Reading:

This week, students read the story "The Secrets Of Canyon Cave" and have been applying their knowledge to find a theme of the story. Additionally, we have been working on finding the most important parts of a story to include in a written summary. Today, we began a unit about the Navajo Code Talkers. This group of U.S. Marines was able to create an unbreakable code to transfer war secrets during WWII. With this topic, we'll be working on integrating information from several texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

Writing: This week, students worked on reviewing and practicing the rules of comma usage. Today, they began work on a research paper about the Navajo Code Talkers. Students will begin with taking research notes from each new text we read and then organize these notes into main points for the paper.

Math:  We have recently been learning how to multiply fractions while utilizing the area model and the traditional method. We will wrap up this unit by learning how to divide by fractions in the next module before taking our Unit 5 Post Test before Spring Break!

Social Studies:  Students are learning about probable causes and effects of events and developments in U.S. history, with a focus on the exploration of the Arctic.  Students are currently researching and developing a presentation that describes the causes and effects of a key event in history.

Science:   We have continued to work on our unit on the Earth, Moon, and Stars. We recently completed a section of this unit on the perceived movement of stars in the night sky. Students learned that the stars in the sky seem to move because the Earth is moving. We now are discussing different technologies that Scientists use to study Space. 

Reminders

-Please have your in person students come to school with a fully charged iPad and Logitech Crayon. Please bring chargers in case iPads run low on battery.

-Snacks eaten in-person need to be from the safe snack list. 

-Please make sure your child checks Zoom frequently to see if they have been dropped from the call. 

Important Upcoming Dates

Wednesday, March 10th- In-Person Learning (Last Name M-Z)

Wednesday, March 10th- Literacy Placement test 11:45-12:30,  Report Cards Go Live

Thursday, March 11th- Early Release- Family Educator Conferences

Friday, March 12th- No School- Family Educator Conferences

Tuesday, March 16th- Early Release at 2pm

Wednesday, March 17th- In-Person Learning (Last Name A-L)

Monday, March 22nd-Friday, March 25th- Spring Break 

Monday, March 29th- Return from Spring Break

 Hi Families,

It's hard to believe that we are well into February and approaching Valentine's Day! We had a fun virtual party on Wednesday to enjoy the holiday! With Lunar New Year beginning today, and Presidents Day on Monday, there has been so much to learn!  We have also been honoring Black History Month by incorporating the study of the outstanding contributions of many black Americans to our society. Next week in literacy we will spend each day reading and "delving deeper" into the accomplishments of many such individuals. We will be expanding our current literacy topic of "exploration" to include people who have exhibited an unusual sense of discovery and passion in a variety of fields of study. 

Here's a recap of what we've been learning about:

Literacy- All week we've been reading and learning about the "triumphs and troubles" of some famous explorers. Our nonfiction text specifically focused on explorers such as Hernan Cortes and Francis Younghusband, and what motivated their respective explorations. Throughout the week we focused on our literacy target of determining the author's main point, the reasons given for these main points, and the evidence to prove their points. 

In writing, we have continued working on our analytical essays about whether Columbus Day should be recognized and celebrated as a holiday in Illinois. For the last several weeks, students have read books and articles from which to collect evidence for their writing. 

Math- We have started unit 5, which focuses on the multiplication and division of fractions. This week we have focused on utilizing concrete models to show the process. We will be moving from multiplying a whole number by a fraction to multiplying a fraction by a fraction. We will also learn visual models to represent our calculations. Students who demonstrated mastery in this area on the pre-assessment have been expanding upon this knowledge with other learning.

Social Studies- Our topic of exploration in literacy has nicely merged with social studies. Here, we have been learning about the South Pole, and why explorers of the past sought to go there. We have read  about a British explorer specifically--Robert Scott , who historically competed with a team of Norwegians, in a quest to be the first  to arrive in the South Pole. We have been learning skills in note-taking and research, and will put such skills to use on our next inquiry project. Here, students will be  given the opportunity to choose a historical event of interest to research and present to peers. 

Reminders: 

*All students should power down their iPads at least several times per week. This helps tremendously towards making sure that they function properly throughout the school day. Also, IPads and logic tech crayons should be fully charged at the beginning of every school day.

*In person students should check the weekly doc for supplies needed. PLEASE be sure that students bring a pair of headphones/earbuds to school each day.

*Homework has not been given on a regular basis in order to give kids a break from screen time, however, it is expected that students read independently on a daily basis.

Please take note of the important dates below:

Monday, Feb. 15--No School-Presidents Day

Friday, Feb. 26--Half Day of school

 

Happy Friday Families!

It was wonderful to welcome back our in-person learners this week! I am still working out all of the "kinks" in making instruction seamless between in-person and remote students! It has definitely been a learning curve, but the kids have been exceedingly patient, for which I am extremely grateful! 

Although "snow days" are not what they used to be in the age of remote learning, many of the kids shared stories about enjoying the snow from earlier in the week. With the snow and chilly temperatures it seems as if Spring can't come soon enough!

Please read below to find out we're working on!

Reading
This week, during our shared reading, we continued our theme of “Exploring New Worlds” as we started to read a book titled "Pedro’s Journal".  The story depicts the exploration of Christopher Columbus. However, it is told through the perspective of a young boy (Pedro) who traveled with him as a crew member. Much of our learning, as we continue to read, will focus on Pedro's perspective, as well as determining theme.


Writing
We are using the above-mentioned story, "Pedro’s Journal", as a springboard for our next analytical essay.  Here, students will utilize multiple sources in order to research about Christopher Columbus and his explorations.  Based on their findings, students will decide whether they feel that Columbus Day should continue to be celebrated as a holiday.  Students will utilize the strategies we’ve learned throughout the year in order to compose a well-written paper, which will contain evidence and reasons to support their opinions.


Math
This week, we continued to work on multi-digit multiplication.  By the end of our unit, students should feel comfortable in utilizing the traditional method, as well as other algorithms such as partial products, area model 5 is half of 10, etc. Ideally, students will show proficiency in being able to solve two and three digit multiplication problems with accuracy.  Students who have already demonstrated mastery of such skills have been working on extending their skills with related challenges.


Social Studies
Students have been learning about probable causes and effects of events and developments in U.S. history, with a focus on Westward Expansion and on the California Gold Rush.  Based on what we learned about Westward Expansion, students had to construct and defend the argument of whether or not they would have traveled West.  In the coming weeks, our focus will shift on the exploration of the Arctic.  Students will read articles and watch videos about arctic exploration in order to hone their research skills and their use of multiple sources to support their thinking.


Science
We continued our work on learning about the Earth, Moon and Stars.  We recently completed a section of this unit on the perceived movement of stars in the night sky. Today, students chose a constellation to learn about, and will be sharing such information in groups with fellow classmates. Students learned that the stars in the sky seem to move because the Earth is moving. Next week, we will model this movement with students remotely.  Based on the model, students will see that during different times of the year, different stars and constellations will visible due to the position of the Earth in relation to the sun.  In the final section of this unit, students will be learning about the different tools scientists use to observe space.

Important Dates and Reminders
*February 15th - NO SCHOOL (President's Day)
*February 26th - Half Day
*Please continue to have your child practice their multiplication facts up to 12.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank you and enjoy your weekend!

 Happy Friday Families! 

Since coming back from winter break we have hit the ground running! Students have been working hard to complete class work, asynchronous work, and district assessments! We have also been learning about the many accomplishments of Martin Luther King Jr. We did a fun escape room after reading information about him and watching an awesome rap video about his life! We ended our day today on a fun note by doing a directed drawing of Dr. King! We have some talented artists for sure! We will continue our learning about Dr. King into next week.

Reading:

In reading, we spent the week after winter break looking at several nonfiction articles to compare and contrast the author’s points of view on various topics. Students particularly enjoyed reading about driverless cars! This week was spent assessing students’ skills at the conclusion of our 3rd unit of literacy instruction. Students completed two CFAs (common formative assessments) and one PBA (performance based assessment). Our CFAs included a fiction assessment testing their quoting and summarizing skills. The other was a nonfiction assessment to test the point of view target reviewed last week. For the PBA students were asked to combine information from three different articles to write an analytic piece of writing. With these assessments finished we look forward to our next unit where we will start by reading a fiction story called “Beyond the Horizon”. This is a text that your student should have received in the most recent material pick-up. If you do not have the text, please be sure to contact the Ivy Hall main office to pick up your copy. There is a PDF version available in Schoology as well, but having the hard copy of the book is always best!

Writing: We are just wrapping up our writing project about natural disasters. Students reported on the formation of their natural disaster, warning signs, and ways to prepare for when they happen. Next week will begin some writing skill practice to continue to enhance students’ skills.

Math:  Since break we have been working on multi-digit multiplication. While there are many ways to solve these types of problems (area models, ratio tables, etc), in 5th grade students need to be able to properly execute the standard algorithm for multiplication. This was introduced to students last week and continues to be reinforced.

Social Studies:  In social studies we have been learning about probable causes and effects of events and developments in U.S. history, with a focus on Westward Expansion. We have also discussed the California Gold Rush. Next week students will be asked to answer and defend the argument of whether or not they would have traveled West.

Science:   In the coming weeks we will continue our unit on the Earth Moon and Stars. In the next section of this unit students will be discovering how stars appear to move in the night sky.

Important Dates

Monday, Jan. 18th - No School (MLK Jr. Day) 

Tuesday January 19th - No School (Staff Planning Day)

Monday Jan 25 - First day of Hybrid Instruction (A-L In Person Students Attend)

Thursday Jan 28 - First day for M-Z in person learners (grades 3-5)

Tuesday, Jan. 26 - Early release @ 2:00 p.m.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Enjoy your long weekend!