12/20/19

I hope everyone has a nice holiday season and a relaxing winter break. I look forward to seeing students back in school to start 2020.

12/19/19

It is hard to believe that we only have one day left before the winter break starts. The fifth graders continued to progress across all subjects during this Thursday.

It was a book group day during our ELA time. The students read another few chapters in their respective chapters and then did some writing pertaining to an important scene in their books.

We also had many students put the finishing touches on their Tea Party projects using the Explain Everything app on on their iPads.

12/18/19

The students had another day to use the US standard algorithm to solve some multiplication problems during math class. These last two days have been great, as I have been able to see many fifth graders persevering through some new concepts. The kids took a short assessment at the start of today's work.

A303 also met with their book buddies one final time in 2019 to collaborate on some seasonal activities.

12/17/19

Our final early release parent teacher conference day was an important one in terms of our math. The heart of today's lesson was looking at the standard algorithm for multiplication. Some of the students were familiar with these procedure while others were seeing it for the first time.

I look forward to seeing parents this afternoon.

12/16/19

The students progressed further into unit 4 in math class. It has been great seeing the fifth graders recall the work done in the first unit and apply these concepts to these more challenging problems. We had a solid math lesson today.

A303 students also met with their book groups again and progressed deeper into their novels.

12/13/19

We launched unit 4 in math class today. This unit is going to build directly off of the multiplication and division work that we did in the early stages of this year. Today's lesson centered around solving multi-step word problems in an as efficient manner as possible.

It was a pleasure to meet with many parents this week during conference time. I look forward to touching base with the rest of the families next Tuesday.

I hope everyone enjoys their weekend. Go Patriots.

12/12/19

The students are rapidly approaching the conclusion of our current math investigation pertaining to fractions and mixed numbers. Today's lesson saw the students working to practice a number of the skills that we have been exploring the last four weeks.

The fifth graders also returned to their book groups during ELA time. Each one of the groups is focusing on one of our core competencies as they are reading. This will better inform the writing that they are looking to complete at the conclusion of the day's reading.

I look forward to seeing parents and guardians during tonight's conference time.

Homework

Math - workbook page 195, due Friday 12/13

Reading - 30 minutes a night of quiet reading

12/11/19

The fifth graders officially wrapped up their first unit of writing during our ELA time this afternoon. Each student has published their opinion piece and many were able to create an impressive poster to go along with their writing. I could not have been happier with the finished products.

Homework

Math - workbook page 195, due Friday 12/13

Reading - 30 minutes a night of quiet reading

12/10/19

Although this was a very early release day, due to conferences, the students still managed to fit in a meaningful math session. The hart of today's lesson was adding and subtracting mixed numbers. Rather than solving each problem, students spent time reasoning through the first batch and making an estimate that they could explain to a peer. A productive lesson.

I look forward to seeing parents this afternoon and on Thursday night.

Homework

Math - workbook page 195, due Friday 12/13

Reading - 30 minutes a night of quiet reading

12/9/19

The fifth graders read deeper in Home of the Brave during ELA time. Today's reading will served as a jumping off point for the students before they once again met with their reading groups to read deeper into their novels.

Members of A303 also visited the book fair during the afternoon to create their wish lists.

Homework

Math - workbook page 195, due Friday 12/13

Reading - 30 minutes a night of quiet reading

12/6/19

We concluded the week by having many of the students put the finishing touches on their opinion writing pieces as well as their persuasive posters. The students worked hard on these pieces over the last three months and should feel proud of their work.

We also finished our two day lesson on the Boston Tea Party during social studies time.

The fifth graders received their report cards today and will be bringing them home.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots.

12/5/19

We dove into the Boston Tea Party during our social studies lesson. After a short documentary about the pertinent details, the students began work on a presentation about this important event using their iPads and some source documents. We will continue work with this tomorrow.

The kids in A303 also had one more productive writing lesson. We are near the finish line in our opinion writing unit and I was able to have conferences with the last few students today. Lots of quality writing being done in the classroom.


Homework

Math - workbook page 179, due Friday 12/6

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Log due on Friday 12/6

12/4/19

After our snow day, we returned to a busy day of work this Wednesday. The focus of our science lesson was exploring the constellations of our solar system. The students answered some focus questions after a short reading and then began the process of designing their own constellation.

During math class, the fifth graders worked on some problems involving adding and subtracting fractions.


Homework

Math - workbook page 179, due Friday 12/6

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Log due on Friday 12/6

12/1/19

We began the month of December by starting out work with mixed numbers during math class. This first lesson, which is part of our larger unit on fractions, was a nice start. The students completed some pages in their workbooks and then were introduced to a game that tied in nicely with one that we worked with the last two weeks.

During ELA, the fifth graders worked with their book groups to read some of their novels. A productive day.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading. Log due on Friday 12/6

11/27/19

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving.

11/26/19

Our math lesson focused on subtracting fractions. This was the first dedicated time to working on this concept. Many of the students did a nice job of carrying over some of the principals we used in adding fractions to this new investigation. This work will continue tomorrow.

We also had another writing session during the second half of the school day.

As a reminder, dismissal time is at 12 o'clock tomorrow.

11/25/19

We began our last week of November by taking a short assessment during math class. This assessment served to track the student's progress with the first batch of lessons in our fraction unit.

Later in the day, we returned to our opinion writing. The goal is to have all fifth graders completed by next Friday.

11/22/19

We concluded our last full week of school in the month of November by having our last Storytelling session with Valerie Tutson. The fifth graders did a nice job of crafting interesting personal stories these last two weeks and it was nice getting to here them tell them today.

During social studies, the kids worked on answering some questions pertaining to the Boston Massacre. Using an engraving made by Paul Revere and a short article, the students did a nice job with this.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Boys In Motion and Go Patriots.

11/20/19

The fifth graders looked to finish their taxation without representation focus questions during the early stages of our social studies lesson. We also introduced some of the pertinent details concerning the Boston Massacre, which will be out next lesson later this week.

The fifth graders also had a chance to meet with their book buddies in second grade. The pairs of kids practiced telling each other their stories that they have been working on with our guest instructors.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading and fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 11/ 22

11/19/19

The fifth graders continued their early work with adding fractions during our math investigation. Today, using blank clock faces and dice the students practiced adding fractions and discussing their strategies. This lead into completing some workbook pages.

We also finished looking at the last chapter in the first section of Home of the Brave during out ELA time.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading and fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 11/ 22

11/18/19

The students had their second storytelling session with Valerie Tutson this afternoon. They worked on editing their beginnings and endings during this time period. We will meet with her one more time later this week.

Our math lesson saw the fifth graders using clock faces to add fractions. We began the lesson with the creation of an anchor chart that contained many different equivalent fractions.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading and fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 11/ 22

11/15/19

We wrapped up another very productive week in class today. The fifth graders learned who will be in their book groups that will start next week. We also finished work on our Taxation Without Representation flip books.

The students are in the middle of a storytelling workshop. As part of that, they have all begun creating an oral story that they are going to practice telling to family members at home. They have a worksheet that family members should write down a few notes on after listening to the story being told. Kids need to have this completed by next Monday the 18th.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots.

11/14/19

The students created a flip book centered around some of the onerous taxes placed on the colonies in the runup to the Revolutionary War during our social studies time.

Fifth graders were also introduced to a new math game that involved organizing fractions cards by their value. This lead into completing some workbook pages that tied into the game.

The students are in the middle of a storytelling workshop. As part of that, they have all begun creating an oral story that they are going to practice telling to family members at home. They have a worksheet that family members should write down a few notes on after listening to the story being told. Kids need to have this completed by next Monday the 18th.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - volume worksheet due Friday 11/15

11/13/19

The fifth graders took part in a workshop with the author Norah Dooley and Valerie Tutson during the early stages of the school day. The goal of the workshop is to get each student to craft an oral story about their lives that they can then share with their peers. Today was an exciting day.

During science, small groups worked with a set of planetary cards to classify planets by certain characteristics. The fifth graders worked well together during this time.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - volume worksheet due Friday 11/15

11/12/19

The students took part in a storytelling assembly lead by author Nora Dooley today. Tomorrow, each individual fifth grade class will have time to work on the ideas presented today in their classrooms.

We also had another productive writing lesson during our ELA time. The students had time to peer edit each other's first drafts.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

11/8/19

We concluded the week by continuing our investigation of equivalent fractions. The fifth graders looked to finish some workbook pages from yesterday and then they worked in pairs to organize fraction flashcards into a given order.

Our science lesson saw the students classifying planets in groups. The kids had to find details about a planet's composition, size and distance from the sun.

I hope everyone has a nice long weekend and a Happy Veterans Day to all those who have served.

11/7/19

The students explored the various taxes placed on the colonies by the British Parliament during our social studies time. They ultimately responded to some focus questions that they did a nice job with.

We also had a productive math lesson that saw the fifth graders look to compare the value of different fractions. Today's lesson produced some interesting discussions points.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, reader's logs due 11/8

Math - volume worksheet due Friday 11/8

11/6/19

The heart of our math lesson today, saw the fifth graders working with equivalent fractions. This lesson had the students using graphing paper to shade in representations of fractions. While challenging at times, the students rose to the occasion and were able to end on a strong note.

Later in science class, members of A303 were able to start exploring the planets in our solar system. The students did a little reading and then worked in small groups to classify the planets. This activity will continue later this week.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, reader's logs due 11/8

Math - volume worksheet due Friday 11/8

11/5/19

It was a big day in math class. The fifth graders have officially crossed over into unit 3. This unit will see the students working with fractions. Today served as a nice jumping off point and the kids worked well with the introductory lesson.

We also spent time writing about what we are reading during our ELA time in the second half of the day. The students continue to respond to prompts concerning the novel, Home of the Brave. 


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, reader's logs due 11/8

Math - volume worksheet due Friday 11/8

11/4/19

The first school day in November saw the fifth graders hard at work on their opinion writing pieces. Fifth graders are hard at work looking to complete the first draft of their pieces. I was able to complete a few more conferences with students who have finished their first drafts.

Math class saw the fifth graders continue to work with units of measurement in relation to volume problems. The students had a productive lesson.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, reader's logs due 11/8

Math - volume worksheet due Friday 11/8

10/30/19

The students undertook an exciting math project during the early stages of the school day. Groups were tasked with creating a cube made out of rulers and then using this object to attempt to determine the volume of the classroom. The groups worked well together during this time.

Later in the day, we met with our book buddies in second grade to work on some seasonal activities.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

10/29/19

Today, A303 began finding the volume of figures using cubic centimeters. The students continue to build off of prior lessons and today was a nice start into the second investigation of unit 2.

The second half of the day saw the fifth graders once again return to their writing. Many students are hard at work in the drafting stages of their papers. I was able to hold conferences with a few of the fifth graders today and I very much liked what I saw.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - homework will be given tomorrow night, due on Thursday

10/28/19

It was great to be able to return to a normal schedule with my students this Monday. We started the day with an excellent morning meeting. The students were able to share some of their favorite parts of science camp. Other students will be able to share their recollections as the week moves on.

The focus of the math lesson was once again volume problems. The students didn't miss a beat even after being in Rhode Island for most of last week.

Our social studies lesson centered on the Proclamation of 1763. This is the next step on the road to the Revolutionary War.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night (no log this week)

Math - students will receive some math homework tomorrow

10/21/19

I give the students a lot of credit. On a day that was hard to concentrate, because of the imminent departure for science camp, the students in A303 managed to get a lot accomplished today. We are approaching the end of the first investigation in unit 2 in math class. We also had another very productive writing day. More students began the first drafts of their opinion piece during our ELA time.

Tomorrow the fifth graders are leaving for science camp. Students should be at school at the regular time.

10/18/19

The members of A303 wrapped up the final week before science camp on a positive note. We continued to make progress in our science unit. The fifth graders began to turn their full attention to the planets of our solar system. I was impressed with the amount of background knowledge that the kids brought to today's lesson.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend and gets some rest for science camp next week.

10/17/19

The fifth graders took a short assessment during math class to track their progress through the first five lessons of unit 2. After that was completed, we continued to do some work with finding the volume of rectangular prisms using a variety of different strategies.

Today was also a writing day during our ELA time. Students continue to be hard at work gathering evidence to support their claims and crafting them into strong paragraphs. This work will continue in earnest after we return from science camp.

As a reminder, the fifth graders will be traveling to science camp next Tuesday the 22nd.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 10/18

10/16/19

The fifth graders continued deeper into our volume unit. I have greatly appreciated the level of effort that the kids have exhibited these last two days. Tomorrow, we will look to take a short assessment to track everyone's progress.

During our science work, the kids continued to explore the sun as we look to transition into the outer reaches of the solar system.

The fifth graders also met with their book buddies after lunch. Today, the kids worked together to play some interesting math games.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 10/18

10/15/19

We returned to our work with volume problems in math class. The goal of today's lesson was to find the volume of rectangular prisms and to consider how the dimensions of a figure change when the volume is doubled or halved. The fifth graders worked well with their partners in completing the tasks in this lesson.

During our writing time, the students began to use their graphic organizers to formulate their opinion pieces pertaining to zoos. I enjoyed getting to circulate around the room and talk with some students as they were organizing their thoughts.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 10/18

10/11/19

We concluded the work week by furthering our exploration of the concept of volume in math class. The fifth graders continued to use connecting cubes and grid paper to visualize three dimensional objects and then solve for volume. A really nice way to wrap up the week in math class.

During social studies, the students in A303 continued to work to complete their French and Indian War booklets. These books, which contain maps and other important factual details are turning out well.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

10/10/19

It was nice to see everyone back at school today. The fifth graders kicked off unit 2 in math class today. This unit of study will see us work with volume problems. Today's lesson saw the students using connecting cubes to create 3-D objects, which they then used to solve for volume. The kids did a fine job completing the agenda today.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, logs will be due on Friday 10/11

Math - finish workbook pages 67 and 68, due Friday 10/11

10/8/19

The heart of our ELA time saw the students working in-depth with the latest chapter in Home of the Brave. The focus of the lesson was another component of author's craft: repetition. Each student crafted a response in their reader's notebook pertaining to their close reading of the chapter. It was a very meaningful lesson.

As a reminder, we do not have school tomorrow. I look forward to seeing student's back at school on Thursday.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, logs will be due on Friday 10/11

Math - finish workbook pages 67 and 68, due Friday 10/11

10/7/19

The start of the new week, saw the fifth graders approach the conclusion of the first unit during math class. Today, the students in A303 looked to be the finishing touches on some work that was begun last Friday. There was also some time at the conclusion of the lesson for kids to partner up to play the division compare game.

We were also able to dedicate some time to our writing in the later stages of the school day. Many of the students have begun to use a graphic organizer to formulate their opinion of the state of zoos in 2019.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, logs will be due on Friday 10/11

Math - finish workbook pages 67 and 68, due Friday 10/11

10/4/19

Members of A303 were introduced to a new math game that tied in nicely with our current division of study. The students partnered up to play one another in a division compare card game. This lead into finishing two workbook pages. It was a productive week in our math investigation.

Later in the school day, we zeroed in on key turning points in our reading books. The children practiced this skill with our anchor text and then applied the lesson with their independent reading books.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots.

10/3/19

Students began work on a pamphlet concerning the French and Indian War. This first lesson in our Revolutionary War unit has given me a chance to see the level of background knowledge and passions for history in evidence in many of the students. We will look to finish this project tomorrow.

The focus of our math investigation today was in using division cluster problems to solve different problems. The fifth graders did a nice job working with these.

10/2/19

The focus of our math lesson was exploring the relationship between multiplication and division. Students used a variety of strategies that we have dealt with the first month of the year to figure their way through a collection of problems. We also took an assessment to track the understanding of the student's work with division.

An exciting lesson during social studies took up the bulk of the second half of the school day. The fifth graders began to compile a graphic organizer which will serve as our guide book during this unit. We also began to get into the important details surrounding the French and Indian War.

10/1/19

The month of October saw the members of A303 looking at the life spans of animals in the wild compared with their counterparts kept in zoos. The fifth graders were then tasked with composing a short essay which explained the findings of the charts we looked at.

During our math time, students continued to work with division problems in the context of field day stories. The students continue to build their confidence with these problems.

Tomorrow, the fifth graders will have their picture day. We will also meet with our book buddies in second grade.

9/27/19

The fifth graders finished the week by having another meaningful reading lesson. The fifth graders once again responded in their reading journals based off of the text we are reading called Home of the Brave by Katherine Applegate. This text is really spurring conversation amongst the students which is great to see.

We also looked at multiple towers during math class which lead into some division work.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend and as always go Patriots. 

9/26/19

The students put the finishing touches on a division poster that incorporated some of the key vocabulary and division strategies that we have been working on this week. I applaud those who also took the time to present their posters to some of their peers.

Fifth graders also returned to their reading notebooks to add another entry in a similar vein to yesterday's work. The students continue to build their writing muscles and it is great to see.


Homework

Math - worksheet due Friday 9/27

Reading Log - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, log due on Friday 9/27

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/25/19

During our math work today, the fifth graders began to work on division problems. The fifth graders did a great job of working through our multiplication work and now we will be taking some of those practices and carrying them over.

We focused on author's craft during our reading lesson. The students were introduced to reader's notebooks journal entries and then students responded to a prompt that dealt with a read aloud book.


Homework

Math - worksheet due Friday 9/27

Reading Log - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, log due on Friday 9/27

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/24/19

We spend time digging into an article about the mental well being of animals that are kept in certain zoos during our ELA time. This built nicely upon yesterday's lesson and required the fifth graders to compile specific details that spoke to the article's theme. A very productive lesson.

Homework

Math - worksheet due Friday 9/27

Reading Log - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, log due on Friday 9/27

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/23/29

During our ELA time, the fifth graders looked closely at a video concerning the Phoenix Zoo and their efforts to rehabilitate the population of an animal on the brink of extinction. This lead into a short writing piece. This lesson and others to follow with help students begin to form their first opinion that will lead to a published essay.

We also continued to work on alternative solutions to multiplication problems in math class.

Homework


Math - worksheet due Friday 9/27

Reading Log - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, log due on Friday 9/27



Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/20/19

We concluded the week by continuing our work with cluster problems in math class. Some of the students also were able to partner up to play another round of the product compare multiplication compare game.

The students in A303 also did an admirable job of wrapping up their work on the iReady assessments. There are a few students who will look to complete these sometime next week.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots.

And as a reminder: Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/19/19

The members of A303 began to work their way through the fall portion of the ELA iReady assessment this morning. I compliment the students for being diligent with this important piece of work. We will look to have all students completed with the math and ELA sections by tomorrow.

As a reminder, the fifth graders should have their math homework and reading logs ready to turn in tomorrow.


Homework

Math - order of operation worksheet, due Friday September 20th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out reading log on a nightly basis, due Friday September 20th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/18/19

The fifth graders worked on the math portion of their iReady assessment during the early stages of the school day. This assessment will serve as an informative baseline for the teachers as we dig deeper into the first unit of study. We will look to complete the ELA portion of the exam over the next two days.


Homework

Math - order of operation worksheet, due Friday September 20th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out reading log on a nightly basis, due Friday September 20th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/17/19

The students were introduced to a comparing product game in math class. After completing some multiplication problems, the fifth graders paired up and worked to compare the answers to problems that they dutifully recorded using their data collection tables.

We also undertook a comprehension activity that saw the kids read an article and watch a short video and look to write about both.


Homework

Math - order of operation worksheet, due Friday September 20th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out reading log on a nightly basis, due Friday September 20th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/16/19

We returned to our work with multiplication during math class. The heart of today's lesson, saw the fifth graders working on using arrays to solve 2-digit by 2-digit problems. Most students were able to finish their multiplication word problem posters as well.

Later in the school day, the members of A303 completed their unit one writing pre assessment. These valuable pieces will serve as a nice guide for me as we prepare to launch our first writing unit this week.

Homework

Math - order of operation worksheet, due Friday September 20th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out reading log on a nightly basis, due Friday September 20th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. These documents should all be returned by Friday September 27th

9/13/19

The students worked to craft a word problem that matched a 2 digit by 2 digit multiplication problem during math class. I was great to see the students using different strategies to solve this initial problem.

Later in the school day, the members of A303 worked to respond to an opinion writing prompt. The fifth graders were given a window of time to create an opinion piece. This will serve as a nice way for me to gauge where the students stand before we kick of unit 1 next week.

Students were also informed of their selection for patrol jobs in the first half of the school year. Those that were picked will start their jobs next Monday the 16th. AM patrol should arrive at school around 755.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots.

Homework

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. 

9/12/19

The fifth graders in A303 took a short assessment to track their progress and understanding of the first investigation of unit 1. I look forward to going over the results.

During our ELA time, students looked to answer some comprehension questions pertaining to a short story that was read.

I look forward to seeing parents and other family members during curriculum night tonight.


Homework

They also received a form to be returned if anyone is in need of child care during curriculum night next Thursday the 12th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. 

9/11/19

The fifth graders continue to work with order of operation problems during our math lesson. Tomorrow, we will take a short assessment to gauge where the students stand with the material from the first five lessons.

We also had an informative reading lesson which dealt with genres and picking appropriate texts to reading by reading level.

Homework

They also received a form to be returned if anyone is in need of child care during curriculum night next Thursday the 12th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. 

9/10/19

We made nice progress on two different fronts during math class. Students were introduced to order of operation problems. This was a productive period that will serve to inform our work over the next two lessons. Groups also were able to continue to work on their number puzzles


Homework

Students also received a permission slip for safety patrols. These should be signed and returned as soon as possible. 

They also received a form to be returned if anyone is in need of child care during curriculum night next Thursday the 12th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. 

9/9/19

We began our first official week together by continuing to work with multiplication arrays during our math workshop. The fifth graders continue to impress in the early going with their ability to collaborate and to explain their thinking to one another. For the next few days, the members of A303 will continue to work on number puzzles in small groups.


Homework

Students also received a permission slip for safety patrols. These should be signed and returned as soon as possible. 

They also received a form to be returned if anyone is in need of child care during curriculum night next Thursday the 12th.

Fifth graders also have a number of forms to fill out and return related to science camp. These are part of a larger packet that contain valuable information about the upcoming trip. We are also in need of chaperones who would be willing to stay overnight in Rhode Island. Please let me know if you would be able to help in that regard as soon as possible. 

9/6/19

We concluded our week by continuing to work with prime, composite and square numbers in math class. Using these terms, students worked through number puzzles which required them to find numbers to match certain clues. The students did a fine job these last two days.

The fifth graders also put the finishing touches on their Important Me poems. These will be on display during Curriculum Night next week.

Next Monday, the fifth graders will be receiving a packet of information about science camp. There are a number of documents in the packet that will need to be filled out and returned. The Thompson fifth grade classes are going to science camp from October 22nd and will be returning on October 25. I will also be sending home a flyer next week that will be asking for chaperones for science camp week.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots.


Homework

Students should decorate their writing notebook covers. I would like all students to have this done by next Monday, as it will serve as our share out during morning meeting.

Students also received a permission slip for safety patrols. These should be signed and returned as soon as possible. 

They also received a form to be returned if anyone is in need of child care during curriculum night next Thursday the 12th.

9/5/19

The fifth grade students had their first official math lesson today. We spent time looking at multiplication arrays and began to build our working math vocabulary that will serve as throughout the first two months. I was impressed with the work the students completed today.

We also undertook our first social studies lesson. Fifth graders worked on some basic map skills and we ended the lesson with some latitude and longitude problems.

A very productive day.


Homework

Students should decorate their writing notebook covers. I would like all students to have this done by next Monday, as it will serve as our share out during morning meeting.

Students also received a permission slip for safety patrols. These should be signed and returned as soon as possible. 

They also received a form to be returned if anyone is in need of child care during curriculum night next Thursday the 12th.

9/4/19

It was great to spend a full day together in room A303. The students worked on a number of different items throughout the school day. Fifth graders partnered up to fill out a graphic organizer related to the qualities and actions one would see in a "great classmate".

Later the students undertook some multiplication practice in a short math lesson and will also used our iPads to create subject matter folders on Goggle Drive, which will serve as houses for work to be done throughout the school year.

A very productive day.

Homework

Students should decorate their writing notebook covers. I would like all students to have this done by next Monday, as it will serve as our share out during morning meeting.

Students also received a permission slip for safety patrols. These should be signed and returned as soon as possible. 

6/19/19

I hope everyone has a great summer vacation.

6/18/19

The fifth graders were fortunate to have some time in the spray park today followed by Italian Ice that was delivered to the building.

Members of A303 also undertook their last official math lesson of the school day.

Tomorrow is the last day of the school year and dismissal will be at 11:30. I look forward to seeing families during the clap out at the conclusion of the day.

6/17/19

Students worked to put the finishing touches on their Thompson CARES posters. These will travel with them to the Gibbs next year.

6/14/19

We wrapped up our last full week of the school year by working on a few different items. The fifth graders are all working to create posters that represent the Thompson motto of "CARES". These posters will travel with the students to the Gibbs next year and will serve as the focus of their first full all-school assembly.

In math class, we had a lesson that focused on properties of quadrilaterals. Our work from the prior two days informed the student's efforts.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

As a reminder, the students have pizza/movie day on Monday. Every student needs to have returned their permission slip to participate in this event. 

6/11/19

The focus of today's math lesson was quadrilaterals. The students worked to classify different figures based off of shared characteristics. We continue to build our working vocabulary.

We also began to undertake the first portion of our end of year social studies assessment. This exam will see the students write about what they believe are the two most important amendments in the Bill of Rights as well as the duties of the three branches of government.

Students should return their permission slips for the movie day on Monday June 17th and Urban Air on Thursday the 13th as soon as possible. 

6/10/19

The fifth graders had their celebration of learning ceremony today. It turned out perfectly. The students received their certificates and it was a great day.

Students should return their permission slips for the movie day on Monday June 17th and Urban Air on Thursday the 13th as soon as possible. 

Also, Field Day is this Wednesday. 

6/7/19

We concluded the week by taking a quiz in math class to gauge student's progress with recent lessons about converting units of measurement.

The fifth graders were also fortunate enough to have an enrichment opportunity with a program called WIngmasters. Jim Parks brought various birds of prey that have been rescued and rehabilitated by to health into the school for the children to learn more about. It was a great day.

http://www.wingmasters.net/aboutus.htm

Students should return their permission slips for the movie day on Monday June 17th and Urban Air on Thursday the 13th as soon as possible. 

Also, Monday the 10th is the fifth grade celebration of learning. I look forward to seeing families on this important day. 

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

6/6/19

Today, the fifth graders traveled to th Gibbs School to tour their new surroundings. The kids were able to visit some of the classrooms and teachers that they will have next year.

We also continued our work with decimals during math class.

As a reminder, students should return their signed permission slips for both the movie/pizza day and our trip to Urban Air as soon as possible. 

Homework

Reading - logs due on Friday June 7th

6/4/19

We built off of yesterday's math lesson by during our attention to measurement conversions in standard U.S. units. The students continue to persevere through some early struggles and had a productive lesson. I saw some great partner work today.

We also began our final iReady math assessment during the early stages of the day.

As a reminder, students should return their signed permission slips for both the movie/pizza day and our trip to the Gibbs School, which is this Thursday.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night, logs due Friday June 7th

Math - finish page 115 by Wednesday June 5th

6/3/19

The first school day in June saw the fifth graders working with converting metric units of measurement in math class. We have touched upon this topic at different points earlier in the year, but today's lesson was a nice way to reintroduce ourselves to the material. The students did a nice job of recalling key details and working their way through new problems.

Reading groups are also putting the finishing touches on their fantasy book club mural posters.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night, logs due Friday June 7th

Math - finish page 115 by Wednesday June 5th

5/30/19

After taking a great field trip to some important Revolutionary War sites around Boston yesterday, the fifth graders took part in the spring concert. I applaud their effort and think that the songs they performed turned out well.

During math class we began to work with dividing decimals.

5/28/19

Today, the fifth graders took part in a school wide spring concert practice. This is in preparation for Thursday's performance. The fifth graders did a great job.

During math class, we began dividing decimals by powers of ten. This was a nice lesson to kick off the week. This work will be ongoing.

5/24/19

We wrapped up the week by continuing to work with multiplying decimals. The students first worked to estimate their products and then multiplied through the thousandths place.

Students were also able to collaborate with their fantasy book groups on a project that will serve to complete this reading unit.

I hope everyone has a nice long weekend.

5/23/19

The fifth graders began to prepare for next week's field trip to The Old South Meeting House. When we visit this site, the fifth graders will engage in a mock debate. They will imagine themselves as either patriots or loyalists and will engage in a debate concerning the British tax on tea. Each fifth grader will be assigned a role to play at the debate.

We also had another productive writing session during our ELA time.

As a reminder, all permission slips for next week's field trip should be returned by this Friday.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 497 and 498 due Friday May 24th

5/22/19

It was nice to return to our normal schedule today. A concerted effort was dedicated to our writing and Bill of Rights work. The class as a whole continues to do fine work in terms of their informational writing pieces.

As a reminder, all permission slips for next week's field trip should be returned by this Friday.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 497 and 498 due Friday May 24th

5/21/19

The students officially wrapped up the final session of their fifth grade MCAS testing today. Tomorrow we will resume our regular schedule.

As a reminder, students should bring back a signed permission slip for the field trip on May 29th by Friday May 24th.

5/20/19

The fifth graders completed the first of two sessions of their science MCAS exam today. Tomorrow will be session 2.

As a reminder, students should bring back a signed permission slip for the field trip on May 29th by Friday May 24th.

5/17/19

The fifth graders are getting to the later stages of their informational writing pieces. I have very much enjoyed getting to conference individually with writers the last two weeks. The strides that they are making with their work on a daily basis are noticeable. We have had a very productive week of writing.

As a reminder, the fifth graders are taking their two sessions of science MCAS Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Permission slips for upcoming field trip should also be returned as soon as possible.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

5/16/19

We continued to work with the amendments of the Bill of Rights during our social studies time. Students did some reading and used a graphic organizer to dig into the fifth and sixth amendments today.

Permission slips for upcoming field trip should also be returned as soon as possible.

Homework

Science - open response question due Friday May 17th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night 

5/15/19

The fifth graders continued to work on fraction decimal equivalents during our math investigation today. The students are doing a fantastic job of reasoning through these problems and using information learned in prior lessons.

Permission slips for upcoming field trip should also be returned as soon as possible.

Homework

Science - open response question due Friday May 17th

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night 

5/13/19

The fifth graders worked with decimal equivalents during our math lesson today. The central part of our lesson was creating a table that organized fractions and their decimal equivalents. This table will be used over the next two lessons.

During science class, the members of A303 spent some additional time preparing for next week's science MCAS exam. 

Homework

Science - open response question due Friday May 17th

Math - homework will be given later this week

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night 

5/10/19

The students finished up a fantastic week this Friday. We spent some time exploring the Bill of Rights during social studies class. We also had a great ELA class. Some students worked on their informational writing pieces while others met with their fantasy book clubs.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

5/8/19

We continued to look at some sample MCAS questions during our science time. The focus of the questions today concerned the solar system and weather.

During math class, we began to work through some problems concerning dividing with fractions. The kids have done a fantastic job this week working on these problems. A really nice effort across the board.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Science - Animal adaptation and food chain packet, due Friday May 10th

Math - workbook pages 462 and 463 due Wednesday May 8th

5/7/19

The fifth graders looked at problems in math class that required them to divide fractions by whole numbers. Students did a nice job of applying points learned yesterday to today's work. Tomorrow, we will take a short assessment to track progress made the last two weeks.

As a reminder, the fifth graders will have another yoga session tomorrow.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Science - Animal adaptation and food chain packet, due Friday May 10th

Math - workbook pages 462 and 463 due Wednesday May 8th

5/6/19

The new week began with a focus on continuing to progress with our informational writing. Many students took another large step during our work today. This work will continue over the next two weeks.

During our science time, the fifth graders looked at some questions to prepare us for the upcoming science MCAS test. The students did a nice job of reasoning through these problems.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Science - will be given tomorrow and due on Friday

Math - workbook pages 462 and 463 due Wednesday May 8th

5/3/19

The fifth graders completed the second and final session of their math MCAS exam today. I applaud the effort and dedication that the kids showed these last few weeks in working through their their regular class work as well as the standardized testing.

Next week, it will be nice to resume our regular work. I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

5/2/19

The fifth graders completed the first session of their math MCAS during our time today. Tomorrow, they will look to finish the second and final session.

5/1/19

The students were fortunate to have a yoga session right before lunch today. We thank the parent volunteers for setting this up. It was a nice treat the day before math MCAS begins.

We continued deeper into unit 7 during our math class. The focus of today's work was on multiplying fractions by mixed numbers while showing answers with a visual.

Tomorrow and Friday, the fifth graders will be taking their two sessions of math MCAS.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

4/30/19

The fifth graders continued to make steady progress in their writing on the final day of April. Many students are in the process of typing their next draft. Other students are working to peer edit each other's pieces.

As a reminder, the fifth graders will be taking their math MCAS exam on Thursday and Friday this week. As such, there is no written homework this week.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

4/29/19

One of our last school days in the month of April saw the fifth graders once again meet with their fantasy book groups. The reading groups are progressing into the later stages of their novels and will soon turn their attention to a piece of writing.

Later in the day, the members of A303 looked at some multi-step word problems in math class that tied in nicely with recent lessons.

As a reminder, the fifth graders will be taking their math MCAS exam on Thursday and Friday this week. As such, there is no written homework this week.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night

4/26/19

The fifth graders wrapped up the week by continuing to make steady progress with both their informational writing and their current math unit. I applaud the effort that was on display by the students today. It was a great week.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

4/25/19

The students completed their second and final session of ELA MCAS testing early today. The kids worked hard throughout and I am sure that will be reflected in the results. Tomorrow, it will be nice to resume a normal schedule once again.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 441 and 441, due Friday April 26th

4/24/19

The fifth graders completed session one of their ELA assessment today. I was proud of the effort that the students put into their testing today. Session two will be tomorrow.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 441 and 441, due Friday April 26th

4/23/19

The fifth graders continued to be hard at work on their informational writing pieces during our ELA session. Some of the kids were putting the finishing touches on their first draft. This was a productive time for the members of A303

As a reminder, on Wednesday and Thursday this week the students are going to take the two sessions of their ELA MCAS exam. We ask all students to try their hardest to arrive at school on time so that testing may begin on time.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 441 and 441, due Friday April 26th

4/22/19

It was nice to see everyone back after the vacation week. We spent some time during our morning meeting having the kids share some of the high points of their breaks.

During social studies class, we finished up our work with the Battle of Yorktown. The fifth graders used maps to explore the battlefield and then answered some focus questions.

As a reminder, on Wednesday and Thursday this week the students are going to take the two sessions of their ELA MCAS exam. We ask all students to try their hardest to arrive at school on time so that testing may begin on time.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 441 and 441, due Friday April 26th

4/12/19

I hope everyone has a great vacation week. As a reminder, the fifth graders will be taking the two sessions of their ELA MCAS exam on April 24th and 25th.

4/11/19

The focus of today's work in math class was continuing to multiply whole numbers by fractions. Emphasis was paid on using visual representations to explain reasoning. We had a productive lesson.

We also explored the deciding battle of the Revolutionary War. Students spent time exploring the ins-and-outs of the Battle of Yorktown.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - workbook pages 423 and 424, due Friday April 12th

4/10/19

Students took one final online practice ELA MCAS exam today. I very much appreciated the work that the fifth graders put into this and I feel confident that the students will do well on their ELA exam when they take it the week after April vacation.

Later in the school day, we began unit 7 in math class. This unit will see the kids begin to multiply fractions by whole numbers.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - workbook pages 423 and 424, due Friday April 12th

4/9/19

It is hard to believe, but today the members of A303 completed the last lesson in our decimal unit. We wrapped up by working with decimals in both expanded and standard forms. The kids did a great job working through this investigation. Tomorrow, we will take an end of unit assessment.

Earlier in the school day, many of the students began to collect background information in their informational writing pieces. It is great to hear the enthusiasm that the kids are bringing to their last unit of writing.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - students will receive homework tomorrow 

4/8/19

Many of the fifth graders took part in the school play or musical during the day. The students in A303 were able to watch the musical. All of the students who took part in both productions did a great job. The hard work and practice paid off.

Later in the day, we returned to one of our final lessons in our decimal unit in math class. We will look to wrap up the unit later this week.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - there will be math homework later this week 

4/5/19

The fifth graders spent some time preparing for their ELA MCAS exam. They looked at a practice exam that helped to familiarize them with the ins and outs of the online testing site. I appreciated student's attentive during this practice.

We wrapped up a productive week in math class by spending time working with small groups to play some of the various decimal games that were part of our investigations this week.

I hope everyone has a great weekend and good luck to the students in the plays.

4/4/19

We continued to progress in both our work with decimals as well as our fantasy book clubs. The students have had a great week and I compliment everyone for their continued effort.

We ended the school day by starting to investigate the Battle of Yorktown during our social studies time.

Tomorrow, the members of A303 will take an online practice ELA MCAS assessment to prepare us for the real exams the week after April vacation.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading and reader's logs due Friday April 5th

Math - workbook pages 405 and 406 due Friday April 5th

4/3/19

The students continued to add and subtract decimals during our math lesson. Small groups reasoned their war through some more challenging word problems. Then using decimal grids they represented answers. We wrapped up the day's lesson by having some students share out their thinking. A great day's work.

Later in the school day, the human respiratory system was the focus of our exploration during science class.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading and reader's logs due Friday April 5th

Math - workbook pages 405 and 406 due Friday April 5th

4/2/19

The students worked to subtract decimals during our math work today. The last two days have been very productive for the fifth graders. I was impressed with the level of discourse that the students are using when they are discussing problems together.

During writing class, the students continued the early research stage of their informational piece. Students are using graphic organizers to compile informational that will help them begin to construct their pieces. Later this week, the members of A303 will look to start working on their lead paragraphs.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading and reader's logs due Friday April 5th

Math - finish workbook pages 400 and 401 if not done in class, due tomorrow 4/3

4/1/19

This week will see the fifth graders working on adding and subtracting decimals during math class. We began the week by making estimates before adding the values displayed on decimal cards. Tomorrow, similar strategies will be used to subtract values.

Our social studies lesson focused on the strategies used by both militaries during the Revolutionary War. We also were able to spend some time gathering information for our informational writing papers.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading and reader's logs due Friday April 5th

Math - students will receive math homework tomorrow

3/29/19

We wrapped up the month of March by working in small groups to solve a math word problem and then to show our thinking on poster paper. This week has been a meaningful one in our math investigations. The students made great progress in working with decimals.

Later in the school day the students did some work in crafting a practice informational piece of writing in response to a science article concerning bats.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

3/28/19

The fifth graders worked on some adding fraction problems during math class. The core of today's lesson was using a partner game called filled two. This activity saw the students using visual representations to add decimals. It was a productive lesson.

During science class, the circulatory system was the topic of discussion. After a short video, the fifth graders read and article that help inform them as they answered some focus questions.



Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - finish workbook pages 384 and 385 due Friday March 29th

Workbook pages 387 and 388 due friday March 29th

3/27/19

Today, the students took a short assessment to gauge their progress with the first half of our current decimal investigation. Students worked to represent decimal value on arrays and rounded decimals. I believe that fifth graders are in a nice place with their math work.

We also continued to work in social studies on comparing and contrasting the Continental Army with the British army both at the start of the Revolutionary War and as time progressed.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - finish workbook pages 384 and 385 due Friday March 29th

Workbook pages 387 and 388 due friday March 29th

3/26/19

The fifth graders began to look at informational writing pieces in preparation for their own pieces. Today, the students worked in pairs to read an informational article and then answer some focus questions pertaining to the piece. Later this week, the fifth graders will begin the early stages of their final unit of writing.

All four fifth grades also joined together to rehearse for the spring concert.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - workbook pages 384 and 385 due Friday March 29th

3/25/19

The fifth graders took an online MCAS practice exam during the first half of the day. Students practiced logging into the exam site and worked through some math problems in the allotted time.

Later in the school day, our math lesson centered on rounding decimals to the nearest tenth, hundredth and thousandth. Tomorrow, students will receive some math homework.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - students will receive math homework tomorrow

3/22/19

The members of A303 wrapped up the week by finishing up some poetry work with an ORQ. The question asked the students to compare and contrast two different poems. Fifth graders did a nice job of finishing this task on a high note.

We also had a visit from Kristen DeFrancisco, the principal of the Gibbs School. She spoke to the students about the their upcoming transition and was able to answer some questions that the fifth graders had.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

3/21/19

Progress continued to be made in both ELA and math today. The fifth graders are progressing deeper into their fantasy novels. Reading groups are doing a nice job of using their 3-step journals to guide their reading and to probe into some of the deeper themes in the stories.

Math class saw the students work to place decimals on number lines with partners. This work will continue into tomorrow.


Homework

Math - workbook pages 359 through 364 due Friday March 22nd

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

3/20/19

The students spent time working on an open response questions as part of our MCAS preparation during ELA time. The fifth graders were tasked with comparing the speaker's attitude in two poems. I thought that the kids did a nice job of analyzing these two pieces and that was reflected in the written responses.

We also continued to make steady progress in our decimal unit. Today's focus was on comparing the value of decimals using hundredths grids.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 359 through 364 due Friday March 22nd

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

3/19/19

The students worked with decimals in the thousandths place during our math lesson. They worked to represent decimals as part of an area and later identified decimal and fraction equivalents to help them solve some challenging problems.

The fifth graders also had another day to work together in fantasy book clubs.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 359 through 364 due Friday March 22nd

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

3/18/19

The fifth graders began unit 6 during math class. This unit focuses on decimals and making a meaningful connection between fractions and decimals. The students worked on some problems involving tenths and hundredths today.

During our ELA time, the students in A303 spent time reading some poetry and answering some focus questions that linked two poems. The kids worked well on this material.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 353 and 354 due Friday March 22nd

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

3/15/19

The fifth graders presented their character trait posters to their peers today. The posters themselves turned out great and I was terribly impressed with the student's oral presentations. They spoke knowledgeably about the characters that they selected. A really nice ELA block today.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. 

3/14/19

The students met with their fantasy book clubs for the first time today. The focus of today's lesson was the setting of each story. I was impressed with the level of discourse as well as the enjoyment that each group had working with their respective stories. A solid first day with this new unit of study.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, logs due Friday March 15th

Reading project due in class on Friday March 15th

3/13/19

The fifth graders spent some time reading each other's final writing pieces during our last workshop centered around zoos in 2019. The students all worked hard on these papers and should feel proud of the results.

During social studies class, the members of A303 began their study of the Declaration of Independence and its importance in American history.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, logs due Friday March 15th

Reading project due in class on Friday March 15th

3/12/19

Fifth graders continued to analyze and compare numerical patterns generated by different rules in math class. The last two days have seen the students in A303 working well together in small groups. The work that they are doing with coordinate grids continues to impress. We will continue this work throughout the rest of this week.

Another accomplishment saw all of the students cross the finish line in their opinion writing concerning zoos. The kids did a great job on these research papers and I can't wait to read the finished products.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, logs due Friday March 15th

Reading project due in class on Friday March 15th

3/11/19

The students looked at living creatures from the Monterey Bay during our science lesson. Using the background knowledge that we established last week, students worked in their science groups to explain the transfer of energy throughout this new food web.

Math class saw the fifth graders working with different sized arrays to establish formulas to solve for the perimeters. The small groups worked well together and it was nice to hear students verbalize their thought processes during the share out portion of the lesson.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, logs due Friday March 15th

Reading project due in class on Friday March 15th

3/8/19

The students wrapped up the week by digging into another lesson focused on using visuals to solve area and volume problems. The students are formulating some rules for how to solve these problems in small groups.

We also are just about at the finish line for our opinion writing papers.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.


Also, students received a reading project that will be due in class on Friday March 15th

3/7/19

The fifth graders progressed into the final investigation of unit five during math class today. This investigation will see the students analyzing geometric patterns. Today's lesson saw the students using tiles to solve for the area and perimeter of different sized shapes.

Later in the school day, the members of A303 continued to work with food chains and food webs during science class. The kids also began to create a miniature ecosystem using living red worms. The kids did a nice job of working together to set this up.


Homework

Math - workbook pages 307 and 308 due Friday March 8th

Also, students received a reading project that will be due in class on Friday March 15th

3/6/19

The students had one of our final opinion writing days during ELA time. Many students have finished typing their pieces and are not working in collaboration to finish last minute revisions. A303's work these last two months with this unit of writing has been top notch. I can't wait to read all of the finished products next week.

During math time, the fifth graders took a quiz that gauged their progress from the last two weeks of coordinate grid work.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 307 and 308 due Friday March 8th

Also, students received a reading project that will be due in class on Friday March 15th

3/5/19

The students returned to school after the snow day and worked through part one of a two part math lesson. Fifth graders continue to work with coordinate grids and data tables. They had to complete a data table and then take that information and graph it using ordered pairs.



Homework

Math - students will receive math homework tomorrow

Also, students received a reading project that will be due in class on Friday March 15th

3/1/19

We began the month of March by undertaking a group science project. Students took part in a lesson that explored food chains and food webs. After answering some group questions and watching an introductory video, the fifth graders worked together to sort cards that contained information about different predators and prey creatures. The groups constructed food webs to represent the ecosystems. The students did a great job of working together.

During social studies, the kids finished answering some questions pertaining to the Battle of Bunker Hill. This tied in nicely with our Revolutionary War reenactors visit from yesterday.

Also, students received a reading project that will be due in class on Friday March 15th

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

2/28/19

We concluded the month of February by exploring the Battle of Bunker Hill during social studies. The students watched a short documentary which served to help them complete a data table concerning the battle.

This tied in nicely with our next lesson in math class. We looked at more data about student's heights to organize into coordinate grids.


Also, students received a reading project that will be due in class on Friday March 15th


Homework

Reading - reader's logs due on Friday March 1

Math - workbook pages 283 and 284 due Friday March 1

2/27/19

The students began their living systems unit in science class. We answered some focus questions in watched a video pertaining to the impact of biological systems when they become unbalanced.

Later in the school day, fifth graders created coordinate graphs using data about the height of fellow students.

Also, students received a reading project that will be due in class on Friday March 15th


Homework

Reading - reader's logs due on Friday March 1

Math - workbook pages 283 and 284 due Friday March 1

2/26/19

We returned to our graphing work during our math session today. Students created their own coordinate grid that used temperature data from two large American cities. It was great to see students using key vocabulary words from yesterday's lesson and crafting explanations for their thinking.


Homework

Reading - reader's logs due on Friday March 1

Math - workbook pages 283 and 284 due Friday March 1

2/25/19

It was nice to see everyone back in the classroom today. During morning meeting, students were able to share some of their favorite moments of the vacation.

We began unit 5 during math class. Today's lesson focused on the data displayed in coordinate graphs. The students were tasked with answering questions pertaining to a certain graph. We also continued to expand our working math vocabulary. A productive day.

The students also began to learn more about the Battle of Bunker Hill during social studies class. This work will continue later this week.

Homework

Reading - reader's logs due on Friday March 1

Math - finish page 277 if not done in class. There will be more homework given tomorrow for the whole class

2/15/19

I hope everyone has a nice vacation week. I look forward to seeing students back the last week of February.

2/14/19

The students were visited by Holly Goldberg Sloan and Meg Wolitzer, the authors of the new book To Night Owl From Dogfish. The kids were able to hear about their writing process and ask them some questions. It was a great time.

Later in the school day, the members of A303 completed their persuasive letters during social studies class.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 264-265 due Friday the 15th

Reading - 30 minutes

2/13/19

The students completed one of their final lesson in our earth/sun science unit. The focus of today's work was on weather and climate. Each fifth grader was tasked with responding to a short essay in which they wrote of the differences between the two.

Today was also another writing day. Many students have completed a writer's conference and have partnered up to edit each other's pieces.


Homework

Math - workbook pages 264-265 due Friday the 15th

Reading - 30 minutes

2/11/19

The fifth graders are making nice progress with their opinion writing pieces. Many students have moved on to their second drafts. These drafts are incorporating the edits and revisions that students have been focusing on in the last few lessons.

During math class, the fifth graders continued to work on multi-step word problems. Each day that the fifth graders have worked on these they have made steady progress.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 264-265 due Friday the 15th

Reading - 30 minutes, reader's log due Friday the 15th

2/8/19

The students in A303 wrapped up the week by completing the math portion of their iReady assessment.

The students were also fortunate enough to have an enrichment opportunity called Bash The Trash. During this time, the fifth graders used recyclable materials to create musical instruments. This lead into an end of the day parade where the entire student body paraded through the school playing their created instruments. It was a nice way to end the week.

2/7/19

The students took the first portion of their math iReady assessment this morning. This online exam will serve as a nice glimpse into where students stand at the halfway point of the school year. Part two will be tomorrow.

During math class, the fifth graders continued to use data tables to solve multi-step word problems that require the students to use multiplication and division operations. The kids did a great job of working together today.

We also were joined by Nick, a student teacher from Lesley University. Nick will be with us every Thursday over the next eleven weeks.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - workbook pages 253 and 254. Due Friday the 8th

2/6/19

The students learned about the events leading up to and during the Second Continental Congress. Fifth graders then put themselves into the shoes of John Adams as they began to construct a persuasive letter to convince George Washington to lead the Continental Army.

We also began the final investigation in our fourth math unit. This lesson dealt with solving complex multi-step word problems.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - workbook pages 253 and 254. Due Friday the 8th

2/5/19

The students wrapped up the second investigation in unit 4 during out math time. We spent time using different strategies related to division to solve some multi-step word problems. Tomorrow, we will begin investigation three.

We also continued to work on opinion writing. Students used a portion of their ELA time to make some self edits to their early drafts.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - homework will be given tomorrow, due on Friday

2/4/19

The fifth graders matched the Patriots be giving a Super Bowl winning effort to launch the week. In reading class, the kids worked on an editorial that will serve to wrap up our work with the clean water unit.

During science class we focused in on climate. The students did some reading and answered the important focus questions.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Students will also receive math homework tomorrow

2/1/19

The students began the month of February by completing their iReady reading mid-year assessment. Next week, we will look to undertake the math portion of the exam.

Later in the school day, the fifth graders completed their Paul Revere graphic novels during social studies class. We also continued to highlight efficient ways to solve division problems.

The kids had another great week.

I hope everyone has a great weekend.

Lets go Patriots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY8exXZgyqc&t=626s

1/31/19

We wrapped up the month of January by continuing to progress on a number of fronts in A303. A number of writers met with me today to look at an early draft of their opinion pieces. The students have done a nice job of applying some of the key parts of the last few writer's lessons to their work.

Later in the school day, our science lesson saw the students using a graphic organizer to gather information about the concepts of weather and climate.


Homework

Math - workbook pages 225 and 226 (due Friday 2/1)

Reading - logs due Friday 2/1

1/30/19

The students took the first portion of their mid-year iReady reading assessment today. I applaud the effort that the students put into this. Part 2 will take place on Friday.

Later in the school day, we returned to the Battles of Lexington and Concord during our social studies time.


Homework

Math - workbook pages 225 and 226 (due Friday 2/1)

Reading - logs due Friday 2/1

1/29/19

The students turned their attention to one final writing piece in our clean water reading unit today. Fifth graders are looking to compose an editorial in which they speak to the ongoing water problems faced by many in the world. They will also look to suggest a solution that may make a change for the better.

We continued to look at division problems during our math time.


Homework

Math - workbook pages 225 and 226 (due Friday 2/1)

Reading - logs due Friday 2/1

1/28/19

Time was dedicated in writing class to the rules of using quotes. We wanted to focus on some of the grammatical areas that will be of importance this year and moving forward into sixth grade and beyond.

Later in the school day, we looked at Paul Revere's Ride. A poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow was examined.

Homework

Math - workbook pages 225 and 226 (due Friday 2/1)

Reading - logs due Friday 2/1

1/25/19

The fifth graders made excellent progress in all areas today. Math class saw the students cycle back to working with some division problems. The members of A303 created posters that encompassed a story problem, a visual representation of the story and a solution.

During social studies, we began to look at the famous ride made by Paul Revere.

I hope everyone enjoys the weekend.

1/24/19

The students continued to work on their opinion writing during ELA. Special attention was given to attributing credible sources inside the student's writing today. I was also able to spend some time conferencing with some of the writers.

The main topic of discussion during science class was the water cycle. We were able to make some nice connections with our current reading unit as well.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - workbook pages 221 and 222 due Friday 1/25

1/23/19

We spent more time looking at the standard U.S. algorithm during math class in preparation for an assessment tomorrow. I applaud the students for continuing to work through these problems and striving to master this strategy.

We continued to work with the book, The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind during reading class. The kids were tasked with responding to a short writing prompt at the conclusion of the lesson.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - workbook pages 221 and 222 due Friday 1/25

1/22/19

The students returned to their opinion writing pieces during ELA time. Today's writing lesson began with some instructional time on the proper use of quotations. The students then worked on incorporating reliable sources into their body paragraphs.

We ended the day by continuing to practice our standard algorithm during math class.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - workbook pages 221 and 222 due Friday 1/25

1/18/19

The students continued to work with the standard multiplication algorithm during math class. I applaud the effort of the students in working with a concept that some of them are unfamiliar with. You could see, just in the last two days, the progress being made.

Students were also able to finish a digital project that they developed concerning one of the books in our clean water reading unit.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots 

1/17/19

The focus of our writing lesson was incorporating opposing opinions into our body paragraphs and then refuting those opinions with strong, factual evidence. The students continue to impress me with their dedication to the overall topic and one can see the early stages of strong pieces being created.

In math class, we began to take a look at the standard multiplication algorithm. This work will continue into tomorrow's lesson.



Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 1/18

Math - workbook pages 203 and 204 due Friday 1/18

1/16/19

We began unit four during math class this afternoon. This unit will focus on multiplication and division problems that build on the ones we have worked on earlier this year and ramp up the difficulty level. Today was a solid first lesson.

During our reading lesson, the students worked with their reading groups to brainstorm some possible solutions for the ongoing water crisis faced by some parts of the globe. They then spent some time working on a project on their iPads that relates to the book, One Well.


Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 1/18

Math - workbook pages 203 and 204 due Friday 1/18

1/15/19

The students are wrapping up our current fraction unit in math class. The students finished one of their final workshops today. Tomorrow, we will take a quiz as we prepare to transition to the next unit.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 1/18

Math - finish workbook page 195 if not done in class

1/14/19

The fifth graders continued to work on their opinion writing pieces today. Many of the students have segued from their introductory paragraph into their body paragraphs. Today was a nice day for the students to continue to fashion their evidence into paragraph form. I was able to touch base with many students and was impressed with the lead paragraphs that I was reading.

A big day in social studies daw us begin to tackle the Boston Tea Party. The wealth of background knowledge that the kids are bringing to bear on their work continues to impress.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 1/18

Math - finish workbook pages 194 and 195 if not done in class

1/10/19

The focus of our writing lesson today was crafting a lead paragraph for our opinion pieces. Over the last two weeks, the students have been gathering evidence to stake a claim concerning zoos and the work that they are doing. The fifth graders did a great job of remaining on task and we had some time towards the end of the session to share out ideas.


Homework

Writing - Answer three questions pertaining to A River Ran Wild. Each of these questions can be answered on the paper given. At least 5 sentences per answer. Due Friday January 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - workbook page 185 - 186 due Friday the 11th

1/9/19

The fifth graders finished exploring the Boston Massacre during social studies class. We spent time taking a close look at the engraving made by Paul Revere, which served to start uniting the colonies in their opposition towards Great Britain. The kids then turned their attention to creating a timeline of events on that winter night in Boston.

Reading class saw the members of A303 continuing to answer questions pertaining to One Well. It was great to hear students connected this new text with the one that we finished working with last week.


Homework

Writing - Answer three questions pertaining to A River Ran Wild. Each of these questions can be answered on the paper given. At least 5 sentences per answer. Due Friday January 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - workbook page 185 - 186 due Friday the 11th

1/8/19

The fifth graders were presented with an article that laid out evidence for and against zoos during writing class. Using a graphic organizer, they collected evidence and began to formulate their thesis statement for their longform opinion writing pieces.

We also spent some time answering some questions pertaining to the first portion of the new book One Well. 


Homework

Writing - Answer three questions pertaining to A River Ran Wild. Each of these questions can be answered on the paper given. At least 5 sentences per answer. Due Friday January 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - there will be some math homework given later this week.

1/7/19

The first full week of the new year began with the students moving on to the second anchor text in our clean water unit. One Well is a book that stresses the interconnectivity of all of the water on the planet. Reading groups responded to come focus questions about the first section of the book.

During math class, the students continued to use various strategies for adding and subtracting fractions to help them play another fraction track game.


Homework

Writing - Answer three questions pertaining to A River Ran Wild. Each of these questions can be answered on the paper given. At least 5 sentences per answer. Due Friday January 11th.

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading per night

Math - there will be some math homework given later this week.

1/4/19

The fifth graders wrapped up a short but productive week today. Reading groups put the finishing touches on their timeline posters. These posters pertained to the events of the book A River Ran Wild. They turned out great. Next week, we will start looking at another anchor text in the unit.

We were also fortunate to have an enrichment opportunity through the Museum of Science. The fifth graders were shown a number of different experiments that tied into states of matter. It was an informative and exciting session.

I hope everyone has a nice weekend.

1/3/19

The fifth graders continued to look at taxation without representation during social studies. After answering some focus questions, the students created a flip book pertaining to this next step on the road to the Revolutionary War.

Members of A303 worked with data in graph form during our writing lesson. Students compiled some statistical evidence that will play a part in our ongoing unit of writing. The kids were invested throughout this work.

Tomorrow, we will have some visitors from the Museum of Science. The fifth graders will be sitting in on an enrichment lesson that will be focused on the states of matter.

Homework

Reading - 30 minutes of quiet reading

Math - workbook page 177 and 178 due tomorrow Friday 1/4