Happy Friday Families!
It's hard to believe that we've officially entered our final trimester and Spring Break is only a couple of weeks away! Our students are in the process of creating their collaborative conference slideshows, where they have the opportunity to reflect upon their 5th grade year so far. They are looking forward to sharing all of their growth and progress during Spring conferences in the coming weeks!
Read below to find out what we're learning in class!
Literacy
Our current shared text, "Real-Life Superheroes", highlights specific individuals who significantly and positively impacted society. Featured superheroes include Richard Martin, Thomas Barnardo, and Raoul Wallenberg. These individuals earned the title of "real-life superheroes" due to their immense amount of bravery, compassion, and selflessness. We are also integrating other sources, such as articles and books, to gather and organize additional information. Next week, we will read about Rosa Parks and her importance during the Civil Rights Movement. We will also read about women of discovery, who accomplished great feats and helped pave the way for many young girls and women today! These magnificent women include Bessie Coleman, Katherine Johnson, Mae Jemison, and Maya Rudolph!
Writing
Our students are in the early stages of planning their analytical choice essays. Their pro/con topic choices include: Celebrating Christopher Columbus, Learning foreign languages in school, GMO information on food labels, and cell phones in the classroom, just to name a few. Students will utilize multiple resources to research their topic, plan their introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions. Students are enjoying the freedom of picking their topic and creating their arguments!
Math
We wrapped up Unit 5 this week! Our students learned various methods to multiply fractions and mixed numbers by a fraction, using both the area model and improper fractions. Our students also worked hard to analyze division of fractions word problems in order to understand which number was the dividend and which number was the divisor. We learned how to create visual models to gain a greater understanding of the concept. Next week, we will start Unit 6, which will incorporate skills in the area of geometry. Unit 5 post tests will come home next week for you to view and send back to school.
Science
Our students are continuing to learn about the Earth, Moon and Stars. Within this unit we're exploring such concepts as gravity, how distance affects the brightness of stars, and how day and night occur. In the coming weeks, our focus will switch to the perceived movement of stars in the night sky. Our students will learn that the stars in the sky seem to move because the Earth is moving. As an extension to our learning, our students will also participate in the Star Lab simulation. Through the simulation, we will be able to see the night sky in their indoor planetarium. Our students will learn the location of some of the commonly known constellations and stars. Greek mythology and Native American legends will also be discussed. We can't wait!
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, March 14th - Early Release (Dismissal at 2:00pm)
Thursday, March 23rd - Early Release (Dismissal at 2:00pm
Thursday, March 23rd - Family Educator Conferences (5:00 - 8:30pm)
Friday, March 24th - NO SCHOOL: Family Educator Conferences (10:00 AM-1:30 PM)
Friday, March 24th - SPRING BREAK BEGINS
Monday, April 3rd - SCHOOL RESUMES
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
Band and orchestra students should remember to be prepared with their instruments and music books on the days of lessons.
