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