5th Grade Blog Update 12/15/23

 Happy Friday Families!

As we inch closer to Winter Break and the New Year, I can't help but look back on all the wonderful things our students have done so far this school year!  As we reflect on the hard work that they have done so far this school year and the progress they've made, our students will leap into the break and the new year to continue to work towards meeting their academic goals. 

Here are the concepts we are focusing on as we continue to work after Winter Break:

Literacy
Our students just wrapped up reading our shared text, "Angel Island".  The text told about the history and hardships surrounding immigrating through Angel Island in the early 20th century. We read about how Chinese immigrants wrote poems on the walls of the Angel Island immigration station and we even tried writing our own from the perspective of an immigrant! As we worked through the text, we practiced identifying while comparing and contrasting the author's point of view and the evidence they used to support their points.  When we return from break, our students will continue to practice this skill using various non-fiction texts and take their end of cycle assessment to test this standard. 

Writing
This week, we started to plan our new analytical essay.   The prompt given was "Write an essay to explain what is similar and different about the author's point of view on Reality TV".  We will continue to focus on students' organization, explaining how the evidence in their papers support the key ideas and the overall thesis, and writing effective and engaging lasting impressions within their conclusions.  

Math
Our students have worked hard to practice various multiplication strategies in order to multiply both 2-digit by 2-digit and 3-digit by 2-digit problems.  We will spend the week when we return from Winter Break to practice applying what was learned and how it relates to the standard algorithm of multiplication. We have also been learning on how to interpret line plot graphs with fractional data points!

Science
We recently wrapped up our studies about the Earth's systems.  We analyzed how farming and industries negatively impact Earth's four systems (biosphere, geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere).  We also discussed ways people could protect the Earth, which involved the conservation of resources, such as fossil fuels.  In our investigation last week, we took on 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.  The remaining time before break and the week after we return, our focus will be on describing the similarities and differences between the timing of observable changes in shadows, daylight, and the appearance of stars. We have been engaging in some fun investigations to understand these concepts, including making a "sun dial" and using a flashlight to observe how shadows change throughout the day.

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, Dec. 19-- Early Release @ 2:00 

Wednesday, Dec. 20-- PTO Special Lunch, Belmont Village Visit after school for students who are signed up

Thursday, Dec. 21st--Cat Pack activity in the a.m., Winter parties at 2:00

December 21st - January 8th--WINTER BREAK

January 15th-- No School (Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day)

Friendly Reminders

*As winter weather approaches, please make sure your student is properly dressed for recess.

*Please remind your student to charge his/her iPad and Logitech Crayon every night.

*Orchestra & Band Parents: Please make sure your students have their instrument on assigned days.

*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.

I hope everyone has a wonderful Winter Break and that you are able to take time to rest and be surrounded by Peace, Love, and Joy!