News from Room 52

We have started a new math unit!  Unit 3 will focus on fractions.  The concepts within the unit include:

• adding/subtracting fractions with a common denominator
• adding/subtracting fractions with an uncommon denominator
• changing mixed numbers to improper fractions
• changing improper fractions to mixed numbers
• finding a fraction of a whole
• find probability using fractions
• comparing fractions
• finding equivalent fractions

I have sent home a checklist of the “power standards” of this unit.  Please take a look at this list and discuss the concepts with your children.

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Anchors away!  Your 5th graders are getting ready to sail to the “New World” tomorrow.  The kids are currently in a unit called “Discovery”.  In this unit, the students are colonists making their way to the newly discovered land to their west.  They will undergo all of the joys and challenges that the real colonists faced when making their way to the New World.  They have already proven themselves worthy of sailing by completing mapping assignments, named their colonies and ships, obtained and spent their “wealth units”, came up with their own colony compact (rules), and loaded their ships with people and cargo.  Let’s hope they have a safe trip across the sea!

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Supporting our Troops

Our homeroom class has sent a care package to Seargent Jeffrey Sullivan and his platoon.  This was the second package that we have sent to the soldiers, and since we sent our first package, we have gotten a letter back from them.  Our most recent package included “Happy 2008″ cards for each of the soldiers and other various goodies!

“WHO GOES THERE?…”

Could it be Columbus, Magellan, Pizarro?  We have just wrapped up our explorers unit!  Each student worked with a classmate on choosing one of the many explorers we learned about in chapters three and four.  Once they chose their favorite explorer, they did some research about their explorer to learn more facts about them.  They then created a poster with a map and various facts about their explorer.  On the day they presented their poster, one person from each pair dressed as the explorer and the other person dressed up as the person (or thing) that the explorer encountered.  Please stop by and see your child’s work at confrerence time!

Hero/Heroine Papers

Each student has chosen an everyday hero/heroine that is important in their life.  Then, they began writing a phasal biography (telling about a part of a person’s life) about that person.  They then created a paper doll which will become a replica of their hero/heroine.  These will be completed next week.  Please look for these at conference time!

Lines, Rays, Angles, Polygons…

These are just a few of the vocabulary words we are studying in math.  We are currently working on learning concepts in Mini-Unit B.  We will be testing on this unit shortly.

Young Picassos

Your child has recently created their own masterpiece based on the cubism style of Pablo Picasso.  Mrs. Erickson presented a lesson filled with information and art samples of Picasso.  They are wonderful!

Conferences

I look forward to meeting with you during conference time (end of January).  Your kids are wonderful, and I can’t wait to share information with you:)

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Greetings, families!

It seems as though birds are everywhere in 5th grade!  In science, we have just taken our Birds and Flight test. The unit covered: the four forces of flight, variables that effect flight, and the physical features of birds (wings, beaks, and feet).  Along with learning about what birds look like, we have learned about the foods and habitats of different birds.

We are also in the middle of doing a bird research project!  Over the past couple of weeks, the students have been using their reading skills to find the main ideas and important facts on their birds.  Now they are using their writing skills to take what they learned and turn it into a multi-media project!

Now that the Bird unit is finished, we are moving into the world of explorers! The kids and I are excited to begin our adventure!

***Report Cards went home yesterday. Please look over the report cards with your children, discuss their grades, and sign/return the envelope.

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Wow! Lots of exciting things have been happening in Room 52! Let me share a few with you:

Social Studies: We have completed our Native American unit. Within this unit, the students learned about the food, environment, location, shelter, and interesting facts of the early Native American tribes (Northwest Coast, Eastern Woodlands, Plains, Southwest, and Middle America). They were assessed a few weeks ago; ask your child what they learned from this unit!
Science: We have been studying different biomes from around the world (Tropical Rainforest, Tundra, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Savanna, Desert, Grassland). The kids used the wireless iMac lab to research a specific biome. We then had a Turning Point assessment (an interactive assessment tool) on Environments. The next unit coming up is “Birds and Flight”.
Reading: We have started our 5th grade research projects! The children will each have a specific bird that they will research, and then they will complete a multi-media project to display their research.
Math: We have begun Unit 2 which focuses on adding and subtracting decimals. There will be basic fact testing (multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction) and computation testing coming up within the next couple of weeks.

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Mid-trimester reports were sent home today!  Please look over, sign, and return them as soon as possible.  We will be discussing these reports at conferences (10/9, 10/11, and 10/15).  I look forward to seeing you!

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Yesterday, the students planted terrariums!  Terrariums are mini-gardens that are grown in a closed container. The seeds the students planted in their terrariums are:

• Corn
• Barley
• Radish
• Pea
• Clover

In cooperative groups, students will observe their garden, collect data, record findings, and draw scientific conclusions based on their findings.

**Science/Social Studies connection:  We have just learned about the early American farmers and how they developed agriculture so they would not have to “hunt and gather” any longer.  Throughout the terrarium activity, the students will be doing what the early Americans had to do in order to survive!

**Conference Slips will be going home today: Please put the date on your calendars and sign/return the slip.  See you soon!

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Greetings, families!  I am very excited to start communicating with you through my blog.  This blog will replace my classroom newsletter.  You will find up to date information on all of the important things going on in 5th grade at Woodland.

Social Studies 

The students are currently formed together as bands of nomads working together to hunt the Wooly Mammoth.  They will be learning about the tools and techniques that were used to hunt large animals.  Shortly, we will be discussing hunting, gathering, and early farming.

Reading/Language

The students have recently completed an assessment on the 4 types of sentences.  Please ask your children about this assessment; they seemed to have a great time with it!  Fluency testing is almost completed; I am thoroughly impressed with how well the kids are doing with these tests.  Please continue to encourage your child to read aloud at home. 

We are continuing to have a great year…your children are awesome! 

Please make sure that you have all of the beginning of the year paperwork in!

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