Today was an exciting day for the fifth graders. They took part in an activity block called "Winter Wonderland". This time saw the kids working on fun activities pertaining to the season. Thank you to the parent volunteers who lead this session.
Fifth graders were also able to play board games with their second grade book buddies. The older kids did a nice job of explaining the rules and playing with their younger partners.
The kids are going to have board game time tomorrow.
The last two days we have used Pixar short movies to help us better understand some important reading focus questions. The kids have enjoyed watching Soar and Snack Attack and they did a nice job responding to these questions.
We also took our final math assessment of 2022. The kids looked to answer questions pertaining to mixed numbers and adding and subtracting fractions.
There will be no homework this week and the kids are going to have board game time on both Thursday and Friday.
The fifth graders used date tables and line plots to help them answering questions pertaining to range during this morning's math lesson. Perseverance was evident throughout the classroom. This was not an easy lesson, but the kids rose to the challenge. We will continue with this important work tomorrow.
There will be no homework this week and the kids are going to have board game time on both Thursday and Friday.
The last school week of the year will see the kids looking to wrap up their posters for their book groups, complete our current science unit and lay the groundwork for the next unit of study in writing. We are also going to start another read aloud book this week. After finishing Wonder last week, we are going to turn our attention to Auggie and Me over the next few days.
There will be no homework this week and the kids are going to have board game time on both Thursday and Friday.
The kids worked on a science activity this afternoon that ties into our larger study of the water cycle. Working in small groups, the kids walked around the Thompson grounds looking for pervious and impervious surfaces. They collaborated to label and color code a school map which called attention to areas of the grounds that have quality pervious surfaces. This was a fun lesson that the kids did well with.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night and fill out reading log on a nightly basis. Due in class on Friday December 16.
Another positive math lesson was had by the fifth graders this morning. Building upon the subtraction lesson we had yesterday, the kids worked to solve some multi-step word problems and then preceded to play a game involving the deconstruction of mixed number. Solid work across the board.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night and fill out reading log on a nightly basis. Due in class on Friday December 16.
All of the book groups have finished reading their novels and today the last few fifth graders were able to complete their end of novel piece of writing. The kids did a nice job working through these books. The final task, which we began yesterday, will see the kids making a movie poster for their book. There was some nice collaboration today. We can't wait to see the finished products.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night and fill out reading log on a nightly basis. Due in class on Friday December 16.
We are approaching the conclusion of our exploration of the water cycle in science class. This week we are going to have the kids work on a few activities and take part in a few experiments to wrap up the unit.
Our focus is going to shift to subtracting fractions in math class. The fifth graders continue to impress with their resilience during these lessons.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night and fill out reading log on a nightly basis. Due in class on Friday December 16.
More fifth graders were able to wrap up their literary essays this morning. These pieces of writing are turning out well. There are only a few more conferences to go and then each of the students are going to receive a copy of their story as well as a rubric with a grade attached.
We are going to make a concerted effort to have all of the fifth graders in A303 complete with their literary essays this week. The fifth graders have worked extremely hard on these pieces over the last few weeks.
Fractions continue to be the name of the game in math class. This week we are going to continue to practice adding and subtracting fractions. Many of these lessons include fun games that will allow the kids to practice the skills we are learning.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night, fill out reader's log on a nightly basis. This is due on Friday December 2.
We wrapped up the month of November with some important review work during our ELA time. Although we are approaching the end of our literary writing unit, the fifth graders are still practicing annotation skills. The kids read two short stories by Cynthia Rylant and then responded to some comprehension questions. Many of the students are also approaching the final stages of their writing pieces.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night, fill out reader's log on a nightly basis. This is due on Friday December 2.
Fifth graders learned and then played a fraction game during math class this morning. The kids continue to devise strategies to compare the value of fractions. Using a deck of fraction cards, pairs of students verbalized their thought process when comparing two values. This was a valuable lesson and the baseline knowledge continues to grow throughout the classroom.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night, fill out reader's log on a nightly basis. This is due on Friday December 2.
These next four weeks are going to be important ones for the fifth graders. We are going to look to have all of the kids complete their literary essays. In math class, we are going to continue or exploration and work with fractions. Finally, in science class the students are going to learn about the water cycle.
Homework
Reading - 30 minutes of reading per night, fill out reader's log on a nightly basis. This is due on Friday December 2.
We finished the week on a high note. Fifth graders have launched their exploration of fractions and our lesson saw the kids sharing some of their experiences with fractions in the past. We also used fraction strips to start creating a baseline of knowledge. We will continue this work next week.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Fifth grader book groups continue their steady progress. Today was a day for the kids to respond to a writing prompt concerning the choices their main characters has been making. After that, groups continued to read deeper into their stories.
Tomorrow, we are once again going to meet with our book buddies in second grade.
This will be a week that is heavy with writing. The students are approaching the final laps of our literary essay unit. As I am holding individual conferences throughout the next two weeks, the kids are going to be peer editing and making some last minute adjustments to their pieces.
We will also have a quiz later this week in math.
After the day off the fifth graders returned to their work this morning. We undertook a group project during math class. Using rulers and tape, the kids are attempting to find the volume of the classroom. To do this, they are going to create cubes and then work together to map the length, width and height of the classroom. This project is ongoing and will continue tomorrow.
We also had another productive writing session that included writer's conferences. The literary essays are progressing nicely.
As a reminder, the kids do not have school this Friday in honor of Veterans Day.
This short week began with quality work being done in both book groups and in science class. Today, the kids focused on eclipses during science. We are going to soon transition to learn more about the planets in our solar system. Later this week, the fifth graders will be working on a group activity to classify and group the planets by certain characteristics. They are looking forward to this activity.
As a reminder, the kids do not have school tomorrow and on Friday.
The fifth graders had a wonderful time at the Museum of Science this morning. They enjoyed their visit to the planetarium and learned a lot from the presentation they took part in.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
During math class, the students concluded the second part of a two part project involving volume. Each group was responsible for creating boxes using grid paper. These boxes needed to be able to accommodate smaller boxes created used connecting cubes. Two quality lessons. I applaud the students who were willing to share their method and solutions with the larger classroom.
Tomorrow is our field trip. As a reminder, the kids are welcome to bring a water bottle in a drawstring backpack. Nothing else (including money and snacks should be taken with them). We will be eating lunch when we return to the school.
We started the month of November off by continuing our volume lesson from yesterday. The kids are working to solve for volume of some irregularly shaped objects. Great discussion and thinking going on throughout the classroom during today's work.
The fifth graders also looked to craft concluding paragraph drafts during our writing time. The effort stood out amongst all of the kids.
We concluded the week by reviewing some of the volume concepts that have been introduced during out math session. The students were also able to spend more time adding to their literary essay drafts.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
Book groups continue to make steady progress in their realistic fiction novels. The kids continued their conversations about challenges that their protagonists are facing during our session today. The fifth graders will look to respond to another prompt during their group time next week.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out log on a nightly basis. Log is due on Friday October 28th.
Field Trip Permission Slip needs to be signed and returned to school.
The members of A303 continue to make solid progress in our new unit of study in math class. We continued to work to solve volume problems this morning. The kids are getting much better at presenting three dimensional figures visually and then labeling their dimensions. We are looking for another quality lesson tomorrow.
We are going to meet with our second grade reading buddies tomorrow afternoon. The fifth graders are excited for this activity.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out log on a nightly basis. Log is due on Friday October 28th.
Field Trip Permission Slip needs to be signed and returned to school.
Students met with their book groups. The focus of our reading today revolved around the challenges that their main characters are facing. This discussion topic lead to a writer's response. I was impressed with those students who shared their thoughts with the full class.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out log on a nightly basis. Log is due on Friday October 28th.
Field Trip Permission Slip needs to be signed and returned to school.
The last full week in October will see the fifth graders working on various parts of their literary essays. This week, there will be a focus on using quotes to support thesis statements throughout the piece. Students will also be peer editing and having writing conferences with me during the next two weeks.
We are also going to progress deeper into our second unit of study in math class. This week, solving volume problems using connecting cubes and grid paper will be a point of emphasis.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out log on a nightly basis. Log is due on Friday October 28th.
Field Trip Permission Slip needs to be signed and returned to school.
The fifth graders took their unit one test this morning during math class. They have put in commendable work throughout this unit and I am sure the results of this exam will reflect that. With the time that we had remaining, the kids selected a game from a menu to play with a partner. I look forward to starting unit two tomorrow.
The kids had a productive writing lesson to end the week. Each of the fifth graders was presented with two additional short stories during our time. At the start of next week they are going to select one of these stories with which they are going to start crafting a literary essay. We were also able to familiarize ourselves with a graphic organizer that we will be using during this process.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The fifth graders sunk their teeth into a collection of short stories during our writing time this morning. They spent time reading and annotating these three pieces. On Friday, the fifth graders are going to select one of the stories that they have read over the last three weeks and they are going to use that story as the basis of a literary essay. This work will begin in earnest next week.
Today was an exciting day as we met for the first time with our book buddies in Mrs. Dichter's second grade classroom.
And as a reminder, the reading logs are due tomorrow.
Homework
An exciting day, as the fifth graders began reading their realistic fiction books within their reading groups. We have five groups working on five different novels. The first day went well as we continued to talk about norms and expectations for these sessions. We will look to meet again on Thursday morning.
The fifth graders also had another productive division lesson during math class. The persistence of many of the students continues to shine during this time period.
Homework
This week will see the kids begin working within their realistic fiction book groups. Today was a day for the fifth graders to complete some pre-reading activities on the book that they have been assigned. On Thursday, we are going to start reading. Using sticky notes and a journal graphic organizer, the kids are going to keep track of interesting and important observations. Some of these will serve as fodder for future pieces of writing.
We wrapped up our first week of October by having a productive math lesson. The students recently transitioned to division work. Many were able to complete a word problem with accompanying visual solution that they began yesterday. These turned out well. The last two math lessons were strong ones.
I also want to compliment the class for their attentiveness with their homework. All of the students turned in their work today and just based on initial observations, they turned out well. Thank you to parents as well for your assistance.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
These next two days will be spent ensuring that all fifth graders have completed the math and reading portions of their iReady assessments. I continue to commend the kids for staying focused on completing this pieces. Everyone is eager to be finished and we moved closer to that goal today.
The kids worked on the math portion of the iReady assessment this morning. I once again compliment the kids for putting their best effort into this important exam session. We will look to have all students complete with this when we return to school on Thursday.
We wrapped up the week and the month of September by taking our second math assessment of the school year. This 5 questions quiz will be used to gauge the kid's progress with multiplication work. Over the next two weeks, we are going to be spending some time working with division problems.
Please return any safety patrol permission slips by early next week.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The fifth graders finished their exploration of the short story Eleven during our ELA time. Each of the kids annotated and marked up their story and then pulled out some possible writing ideas that we will explore further over the next two weeks. Later this week, the fifth graders will look at a few more short stories and then look to make connections between them.
All of the kids are taking home a permission slip for Fifth Grade Safety Patrols. This is optional. Students are welcome to have this signed and returned as soon as possible.
We concluded a productive week by exploring a short story during our literary essay writing lesson. The fifth graders practiced using their annotation skills and answered some focus questions about this piece of writing. Next week the fifth graders will be exposed to a variety of short stories and will ultimately choose one to begin crafting a literary essay about.
Science time saw the kids putting the finishing touches on a model of the solar system. They were also able to share some of the interesting details that they have learned about the planets with each other.
I hope everyone has a nice long weekend.
This Thursday saw the fifth graders continuing to work on their models of the solar system. The kids have also been using their Chromebooks to gather interesting details about each of the planets. They are going to add this to their finished models. We will look to have all of the students done with this tomorrow afternoon.
It was nice to meet with so many of you last night. Thank you for taking the time to attend the curriculum night.
We transitioned to the second section of unit one during math class today. This portion will see the kids working to master various multiplication strategies. Today was a quality first lesson and the kids continue to impress with their ability to explain their logic.
I look forward to meeting with parents and families during Back to School night, which is tonight. Parents whose last name begin with letters A through L are invited into my classroom from 6 to 640. While those whose last name falls within M through Z are welcome to come in from 720 to 8. In between, there will be a presentation in the gym be the specialist teachers.
The fifth graders took their first assessment during our math time this morning. This assessment, which presented the kids with questions about multiplication and order of operation problems, will serve as a quality gauge as to where they currently stand. I look forward to going over the results.
As a reminder, this Wednesday the 21 is Back to School night. Parents whose last name begin with letters A through L are invited into my classroom from 6 to 640. While those whose last name falls within M through Z are welcome to come in from 720 to 8. In between, there will be a presentation in the gym be the specialist teachers. I look forward to meeting with families this week.
This week will see the kids launch our first science unit. We will explore the solar system, with special points of emphasis on the sun and planets. There will be an experiment conducted involving tracking the progress of the sun over the course of a school day later this week. The kids seem excited to start this work.
We also had another productive lesson centered around order of operations during our math time. Impressive partner work was in evidence throughout the room.
As a reminder, this Wednesday the 21 is Back to School night. Parents whose last name begin with letters A through L are invited into my classroom from 6 to 640. While those whose last name falls within M through Z are welcome to come in from 720 to 8. In between, there will be a presentation in the gym be the specialist teachers. I look forward to meeting with families this week.
We wrapped up a busy week by working with order of operation problems during math class. Between this work and the group work that was done on our number puzzles, it was an impressive and productive week in math class.
All of the fifth graders also finished their "Important Me" poems. These will be hung up and parents can read these during Back to School Night next week.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
We began a two day math project this morning. Over the next two sessions, the kids will be working in groups of four to solve number puzzles. Using some of the math terminology we have built recently as well as their recall of multiplication facts, the fifth graders were able to get off to a quality start with this today.
Members of A303 also concluded their pre-assessment for our first reading unit. I compliment the kids getting this piece of work done.
We began our pre-assessment for our first reading unit this morning. This assessment will ask the students to respond to four prompts concerning a short video and a short story by Cynthia Rylant. The fifth graders completed the first two questions today and will look to finish this tomorrow. The valuable data from these questions will serve me well as I establish reading groups.
The members of A303 also had another productive math class. We continued our work with arrays. I have been impressed with the work the kids have been doing in the early stages of the school year.
This is going to be a jam packed week for the fifth graders in room A303. Our first full week together will see the kids continue to work with arrays during math class. Today, many of the students were able to use math tiles to create multiplication problems and their solutions. Some nice partner work during this session.
The students also had their first music class this morning. This year the members of A303 will have the following special schedule:
Monday - Music
Tuesday - Gym
Wednesday - Art
Thursday - Gym
Friday - Library
I would also continue to encourage all of the kids to have an independent reading book with them in the classroom. Three days during the week, the students have silent, independent reading time after lunch. To best utilize this time, each student should have a chapter book with them. Thanks in advance for your help with this.
We concluded our first week together by continuing our exploration of multiplication in math class. The fifth graders are doing a nice job of explaining their reasoning and working through these early lessons. I look forward to continuing this work next week.
During the second half of the school day, we also read the second chapter of Wonder by RJ Palacio. Next week, the students will look to respond to some focus questions about the novel.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The fifth graders in room A303 were able to use their school Chromebooks for the first time today. Using the devices, the kids were able to set up their Spy Ponders accounts as well as sign in to the class website. I greatly appreciated the patience of everyone as we got this complete together.
We also were able to take part in another introductory batch of activities that allowed the kids to learn more about each other and some of the things we will be learning about this school year.
Homework
The fifth graders received their yearbooks this morning. They were able to spend some time signing each other's books and looking through the pictures and memories. These books were a big hit.
Tomorrow will be our last day together this school year. The clap out ceremony will begin at 11:15 and the school day will end at 11:30. I look forward to seeing families tomorrow morning.
We ended the week by taking part in an excellent enrichment program called Wingmasters. The students visited with a number of birds of prey that have been saved and rehabilitated by the program and its leader Jim Parks. The kids really enjoyed this program and learned a great deal.
A wonderful organization helping out animals in need. Here is their website:
http://www.wingmasters.net/aboutus.htm
The fifth graders also had their last book buddies session with their second grade friends. They were able to exchange cards with one another.
As a reminder, we will have all fifth graders turn in their Chromebooks next Tuesday the 21st. Please ensure that all students bring their devices and chargers with them that day.
Have a nice weekend.
Field Day was a great success today. The kids worked well together in their stations and they also did a nice job helping the younger kids during their field days.
Tomorrow, the fifth grade is going to be walking to the Gibbs to visit that school. We are asking all fifth graders to come to school at 8 am to ensure we get to the Gibbs on time.
The fifth graders practiced for next week's graduation ceremony this morning. This dry run was a nice opportunity for all of the kids to see how the graduation would progress. They are excited for next week.
Tomorrow, the fifth graders are heading to Plymouth for their field trip.
Fantasy book groups and geometry work were the two main areas of focus this Wednesday. Although the kids were disappointed in the postponement of Field Day, they still put in solid work in these two subjects.
Tomorrow, we are going to look to have everyone finished with their informational writing pieces.
All of the fifth graders were able to complete their iReady testing this morning. We also had a productive geometry lesson, comparing the different characteristics of a variety of triangles.
Please make sure that the kids all have their Chromebooks each day and that they are fully charged these last three weeks of the year.
Due to tomorrow's weather, Field Day has been postponed until next Wednesday June 15th.
This is going to be a busy week for the fifth graders. Today, the kids worked on their final reading iReady testing session. We will look to have all of the kids complete with this by tomorrow.
We were also able to have more fifth graders publish their final draft of their informational writing piece. There are just a few conferences left and then all of the kids will get to take home a published draft.
On Wednesday of this week, the entire school is going to take part in Field Day. The first half of that day will see the fifth graders assisting the younger grades and the second portion of the day will see the older grades taking part in team games.
Finally, on Friday all four fifth grade classes are going to be traveling to Plymouth to visit Plimoth Patuxet. The fifth graders are eager for their first official field trip in quite some time.
Please make sure that the kids all have their Chromebooks each day and that they are fully charged these last three weeks of the year.
We began our final month of the school year with a concerted writing session. More conferences took place as other kids were making some last minute edits to their drafts. The goal is to have every student have a published piece by next Friday.
Tomorrow, the kids are going to be taking the iReady math assessment. Please have Chromebooks fully charged for tomorrow.
We finished up the month of May with a quality fantasy book group session. The students responded to a writing prompt concerning the quest that their main character is one and then they transitioned to some group reading. We are going to return to our informational writing tomorrow morning.
We returned to a normal schedule this Wednesday. Fantasy book groups and informational writing refinements were the points of emphasis during the school day. I loved to see so much progress being made towards wrapping up our final piece of writing. Our informational essays are going to be great.
Tomorrow, the kids are going to take the second session of their science MCAS test.
The fifth graders wrapped up the first portion of their science MCAS this morning. One down, one to do. All of the fifth grade classrooms will conclude the science portion of the test and MCAS as a whole on Thursday.
Fantasy book groups continued to make progress with their novels this morning. Most of the groups were able to read two full chapters and then respond to a writing prompt. The groups are greatly enjoying their fantasy books to this point.
Homework
The fifth graders practiced for their upcoming science MCAS exam this morning. By getting their feet wet with some of the site's testing features, the kids will be better prepared for next week.
We also had another very productive writing block. Compliments to all of the kids on their work the last few weeks in our writing classes.
Homework
The students met with their fantasy book groups to progress deeper into their novels. Each group was responsible for responding to a writing prompt at the conclusion of their session today as well.
Tomorrow and Thursday, the students in A303 are going to do some preparation for next week's science MCAS exam. Session one is on Monday and session two will be Tuesday.
Homework
Today was a productive day on two fronts for the fifth graders in room A303. We had another productive writing lesson during the later stages of the school day. Body paragraph drafting as well as conferences and peer editing were all taking place during this time. The papers are shaping up nicely.
The fifth graders also reviewed two multi-step word problems in preparation for tomorrow's start of math MCAS testing. It very much seems like the kids are in a positive frame of mind heading into the assessment.
Tomorrow and Friday will see the fifth graders taking their math MCAS tests. Please have all Chromebooks charged and ready to go both days.
Fantasy book groups were the main order of business during our work today. Each of the groups is making steady progress through the early chapters of their fantasy novels. The level of discourse during this time continues to be worthwhile.
The students will be taking math MCAS tomorrow and Friday. Please make sure all kids have their Chromebooks and that they are fully charged for tomorrow and Friday.
The fifth graders took part in an excellent enrichment activity that tied into our Revolutionary War unit this morning. Everyone was able to explore a "Traveling Trunk" which allowed the kids to explore this time period using artifacts and documents from the era. Working in small groups, the student explored a number of stations that taught them about the early stages of the Revolutionary War leading into the battles of Lexington and Concord. Fantastic start to the school day.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, fill out reading log. Due Friday 5/6
The kids continued to work well within their fantasy book groups this morning. Both the pace and the conversations that are taking place are excellent. We will return to our fantasy books on Friday.
We turned our attention to the First Continental Congress during social studies this afternoon. Students learned about some of the participants and the importance of this body.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, fill out reading log. Due Friday 5/6
The fifth graders put some time into their informational writing piece during our ELA time. Each student has selected a Revolutionary War topic to write about and then used a graphic organizer to help them collect information from at least two sources. This will continue on Thursday.
All of the fifth grades all had their picture taken for the class yearbook.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, fill out reading log. Due Friday 5/6
The fifth graders began the day with a visit from staff from the Gibbs School. After a brief presentation, the kids were able to ask some questions that they had about sixth grade.
Later in the day, fantasy book groups were able to meets. After reading, they did some writing about the quest that their main characters are undertaking.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, fill out reading log. Due Friday 5/6
The fifth graders finished their ELA MCAS test this morning. Congratulations to all of them on wrapping this up.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The fifth graders were able to spend some dedicated time this morning taking an online ELA MCAS practice exam. This hour long session was informative for the kids to both familiarize themselves with the format and the questions that they will encounter the week after vacation
The fifth graders met with their fantasy book groups for the first time this morning. There was much excitement during this session. The kids were able to ready into the first chapters of their books and then responded to a prompt to conclude the session. A nice first start to this fantasy unit.
Tomorrow morning, the fifth graders are going to take part in a MCAS practice online assessment. It is important for all kids to have their devices and have them fully charged for tomorrow. Thanks for your help with this.
We began the final week before the spring vacation with an introductory lesson about informational writing. This week, the kids are going to practice some of the evidence gathering and organizer usage that will be of great importance during this unit. We explored a compare and contrast essay about George Washington and King George during this time.
There will be no homework this week.
The fifth graders talked about norms and expectations for their fantasy book groups, which will be starting next week during a portion of our ELA time this afternoon. The groups practiced using a graphic organizer similar to the one they will be using within their groups as well.
We continued deeper into unit seven today and began multiplying fractions by fractions with visual graphic organizers.
All of the kids are looking forward to the performance of the play during tomorrow's school day.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, log due Friday 4/8
The kids officially met with their fantasy book groups for the first time to take part in an activity pertaining to elements common to works of fantasy. They were also able to select the book that they are going to be working with starting next week. They appear to be excited a great deal by this new unit.
We also continued to learn about taxation and its role in the launch of the American Revolution during social studies class.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, log due Friday 4/8
We turned our focus to multiplying fractions by mixed numbers this morning in math class. The students worked wonderfully with partners to represent these problems visually using fraction bars. Strong lesson across the board for the fifth graders.
Many of the kids were able to complete their book creator project concerning their non-fiction book. These are turning out great and later this week, the kids will be able to present their projects to their peers in the classroom.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, log due Friday 4/8
The fifth graders are going to spend time this week wrapping up their nonfiction reading unit. Using the Book Creator app, the kids are going to compile their essays pertaining to various text features. They are also going to include some images pertaining to their book topic. The kids are eager to explore the app and today was a quality day of work.
We also continue to dig deeper into our next math unit. Today, we continued to work multiplying fractions by whole numbers.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, log due Friday 4/8
The month of April began with the students shifting their attention to multiplication of fractions by whole numbers. We used fraction strips to work through some problems today. A nice first session in this new unit.
We also began our final project within our nonfiction reading unit. The students have been creating essays pertaining to different text features of their books. Today, they began uploading these essays into Book Creator. This project will be ongoing next week.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The students in A303 concluded the month of March by wrapping up our decimal unit during math class. The fifth graders did excellent work these past few weeks and I am quite sure that will be reflected in the results from this assessment. This will be the first grade of the final term.
We also spent some time doing some writing in social studies pertaining to the Compromise of 1763. This important event laid the groundwork for future conflict between the 13 colonies and the British crown
The last week of March will see us learning about the Proclamation of 1763 and various taxes levied on the colonies by Parliament. This will lead to some creative writing and some comprehension work.
We are also going to conclude our non-fiction reading unit over the next two weeks. The fifth graders have one final short piece of writing to do concerning cause and effect relationship that they have noticed in their books.
We concluded our study of the French and Indian War during social studies time. The kids created a mini-booklet that charted the changing shape of the map of North America after the conclusion of the conflict. The last two social studies lessons have been excellent. Next week, we are going to start exploring the idea of taxation without representation.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
We are going to have a series of lessons over the next two weeks that will see the fifth graders working to add and subtract decimals in earnest. A few of these lessons will allow the kids to work on this skills using decimal card games. In the past few years, these lessons have gone over well with the fifth graders. I am hoping that will be the case again this year.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 3/25
The kids did some review work during math class. As we have reached the midway point of our decimal unit, it is important to periodically step back and revisit some concepts from earlier in the school year. I was impressed with how quickly the fifth graders were able to get back in the swing of work that hasn't been at the forefront of our daily learning these last three weeks.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 3/25
This week will see us learning about taxation without representation during social studies, plant life and plant nutrition during science and continuing our work with decimals during math class. The fifth graders are also going to officially conclude their opinion writing unit. A busy week ahead.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 3/25
The fifth grades took a quiz to mark the halfway point of our decimal unit this morning. Using visual representations of decimals and comparing their value were two of the skills the kids worked on. I look forward to going over the results of this assessment this weekend.
Our social studies lesson revolved around the French and Indian War. The fifth graders looked to create two maps showing the changing landscape of the North American continent during this war. Over the next few weeks we will be traveling further down the path to the creation of America.
We were also able to meet with our book buddies. I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The fifth graders took part in a presentation by the author George O'Connor this morning. This was a great opportunity for them to hear from a published author about his creative process. The fifth graders thoroughly enjoyed this.
We continued deeper into our decimal unit during math time. The students looked to represent decimals on both grids and on number lines.
Math
Finish workbook page 385, if not complete in class.
The fifth graders focused on placing decimals on number lines during our math work. This lesson served as a nice way for the kids to compare the values of decimals. The second part of the lesson saw the students working to complete some word problems.
Tomorrow, the author George O'Connor will be visiting with the fifth graders. They are excited for this opportunity.
Homework
Math - finish page 380 if not complete in class
This was a very productive week for the fifth graders. From completing their unit 5 math test, to kicking off their decimal unit to the continued quality work on both opinion pieces and nonfiction reading. The kids deserve a nice relaxing weekend. Look forward to seeing everyone on Monday.
The fifth graders worked to compare decimals during our math lesson. The first three sections of this new unit have gone well. I was impressed with the ability of the fifth graders to use hundredths and thousandths grids to show their thinking this morning. We also had time for some division practice in the second half of the lesson.
Homework
Math - finish page 369 if not completed in class, due tomorrow
We continued into our next decimal lesson this morning. The focus of the lesson was working with visuals to represent thousandths on grids. The work that has been done over the last two days has been strong. We are laying foundations for the rest of the lessons in this unit.
The fifth graders also had another productive writing lesson during our ELA time. A few more students have reached the publishing phase of the writing process.
Homework
There will be math homework given tomorrow, due Friday
We used the bulk of this early release day to kick off our decimal unit in math class. Using tenths, hundredths and thousandths grids, the kids worked to visualize equivalences between fractions and decimals. They then transitioned to some workbook pages. A quality start to an important unit.
Homework
Math - Finish workbook page 354, due tomorrow.
The next two weeks are going to be significant writing weeks for the fifth graders. There are going to be writing conferences ongoing with myself and peer editing going on as well. Students who have finished drafting and are waiting for conferences are working on posters that summarize and illustrate their viewpoints on the issue of animal care in zoos. I am looking forward to reading more pieces this week.
The fifth graders took part in an exciting science enrichment program this morning. The States of Matter presentation saw the class observe interesting experiments and in a few instances get to take part as well. This was a fantastic opportunity for all the kids and I want to thank the parents that volunteered to help out with this running smoothly.
Homework
Math - homework later this week
We met with our second grade book buddies this morning. The fifth graders were able to learn about their second grade partners and then the pairs did some reading. All of the kids really enjoyed this.
Our afternoon was spent hard at work on our opinion writing pieces. These are coming along great. This will continue over the next two weeks.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The kids put the finishing touches on their compare and contrast essays concerning their nonfiction books. These turned out well and I enjoyed getting to hear a few students share their thoughts with the class at the end of the lesson.
I continue to go through the results of yesterday's math quiz. The early going are encouraging. Lots of quality scores.
Tomorrow, we are going to meet with our book buddy classroom for the first time this year. Our class will be periodically meeting and reading with Mrs. Dichter's second grade class. The kids are looking forward to this.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out logs on a nightly basis. These are due on Friday 3/4
The fifth graders continued their work with decomposition during our afternoon science lesson. They finished reading an interesting article about mummified fossils and then answered some focus questions.
During our math time, the kids took an ordered pair graphing assessment. They appeared to do very well with this and I look forward to going over the results.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out logs on a nightly basis. These are due on Friday 3/4
The month of March began with a productive lesson pertaining to our non-fiction reading unit. Each student completed their descriptive essay about the chapter of the book they are currently on. They also had some time to share their observations with a peer.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out logs on a nightly basis. These are due on Friday 3/4
It was great to return to the classroom after the vacation week. The kids spent some time during our morning meeting sharing the highlights of their time off.
Today was a big writing day for the fifth graders. Conferences have begun in earnest with individual students. While those are taking place other kids are working to add rich details and sourcing to their body paragraphs. We will have another writing session tomorrow morning.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and fill out logs on a nightly basis. These are due on Friday 3/4
I hope everyone has a great vacation week and I look forward to seeing everyone back at school next week.
The fifth graders continued to work on area and perimeter problems during math class using math manipulatives to help them solve word problems. Quality work was being done throughout the classroom during this time.
As a reminder, this Friday, will be board game day. Each student is welcome to bring a board or card game to school with them.
The final week before the February vacation will see the fifth graders wrapping up some important pieces of work. Today was the second to last day of colonial poster/report work. The kids are in the home stretch and the posters are turning out great.
We are also going to finish the first portion of unit five in math class. The work with line graphs and data tables has been uniformly strong these past two weeks and I anticipate that will continue this week.
On Friday, we are going to have another board game day, so the kids are welcome to bring in one board or card game.
We concluded a productive week with another batch of growth stories leading to the creation of data tables during math class. The work that the boys and girls of A303 did this week in math class was top notch.
The fifth graders were also able to put into another solid amount of time with their colonies posters. These are turning out great and I can't wait to see the finished products next week.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The fifth graders took part in a science lesson that focused on decomposers. This lesson was lead by Sarah Huber, the district science coach. There were also some animal guests who took part in the lesson as well. The kids learned a lot and enjoyed this lesson a great deal.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and complete log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 2/11
The fifth graders had an SEL lesson lead by Thompson parent Judy Hsu this morning. This was a nice addition to our normal Wednesday and the kids were a receptive audience.
We also continued our opinion writing work. The fifth graders worked to craft their lead paragraphs during our time this afternoon. We will return to this work on Friday.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and complete log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 2/11
The fifth graders continued to work with temperature during math class. Using data tables to collect and organize information and then responded to some questions. These first two lesson in our new unit have gone very well.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and complete log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 2/11
Math - homework later this week
We kicked off our next unit of study during math class. Unit five will see the students working with data tables. To ease into the new work, the fifth graders worked with temperatures ranges of major American cities and answered questions pertaining to the changes throughout the course of the year.
Today was also a significant day in regards to our writing. Each student began to officially craft their opinion piece pertaining to zoos. Using graphic organizers, we worked to clearly state our positions in a lead paragraph. This work will be ongoing over the next few weeks.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night and complete log on a nightly basis. Due Friday 2/11
Math - homework later this week
Our groups returned to their colonies project this afternoon. There has been much headway made in their posters. Each group has officially begun and there was great teamwork on display. We will look to have groups conclude this work sometime next week.
We wrapped up the month of January by returning to our work from last week in both math and ELA. During math class, the students had another meaningful lesson pertaining to multi-step word problems using data tables. Our ELA work involved concluding a piece of writing that we began last week about a group of elephants that were evacuated from the African country of Swaziland to ensure their survival. The students were deeply invested in this story.
Homework
Math - homework will be given later this week
We concluded the school week with another science session that involved food webs. The work that was being done over the last two weeks in science class has been top notch. Many of the students were able to complete at least two of our online food webs. Very impressive work.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend and that all of the fifth graders are able to help shovel.
After our zoom visit yesterday, the fifth graders looked to craft a short piece of writing that used material that was presented to them yesterday as their foundation. They were also looking to compare and contrast the presentation with an article that we had read two weeks ago. The kids are still talking about our enrichment yesterday and they had a productive writing lesson.
Homework
The fifth graders were fortunate to take part in a zoom call with Kaitlyn Willgohs. Ms. Willgohs is a recent graduate of Eckerd College, with a degree in animal studies. She has studied with a focus on animal behavior and wildlife conservation. The students were able to hear about her experiences working with wildlife both in the wild and in zoos. This was a great opportunity for the kids to conduct some first hand research into their opinion writing pieces. They were engaged throughout and made a great audience. Thanks again to Kaitlyn.
We had a solid chunk of time to work on our 13 colonies project during social studies time this afternoon. The fifth graders worked in their small groups to gather information from three different sources to further their understanding of the regions and the people who lived there. This information was compiled in graphic organizers which will help with the poster part of the project. We will continue to work on this on Friday.
Homework
The fifth graders had time for an interesting math lesson on this early release school day. We looked to solve some multi-step word problems that involved two digit divisors. This was a nice start to a lesson that will continue tomorrow.
I look forward to meeting with parents and guardians this afternoon.
Homework
The fifth graders are approaching the conclusion of our second investigation in unit four in math class. We continued to work on different techniques to solve division and multiplication word problems during our math time this morning. Early next week the kids will take a short assessment on this unit.
We were also able to return to our opinion writing topic during ELA time. Within the next two weeks, students are going to begin their research into the topic in earnest.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend.
The fifth graders continued to refine their division strategies in the early portion of the school day. Using starter problems, the kids then looked to complete some multi-step word problems. Quality work being done throughout the period.
We also returned to another mini-lesson pertaining to opinion writing. The kids looked at some data tables pertaining to the lifespans of elephants living in different circumstances and then responded to some focus questions. We will have another writing lesson tomorrow.
Homework
Math - workbook page 241, due Friday 1/21.
During our ELA time, the fifth graders wrapped up a pre-assessment concerning our next reading unit of study. This unit, which will see the kids working with complex, non-fiction texts, will start in earnest over the next few days. The pre-assessment will provide valuable insight into where the students stand in regards to some of the important focus questions from the unit.
We also returned to our work about the original 13 colonies during social studies time after lunch. Over the next two weeks, the kids will be broken up into small groups and assigned a colonial region. They will work to create a poster pertaining to some of the key components of each of the regions. We continued to lay solid groundwork for this project during our lesson this afternoon.
Homework
Math - workbook page 241, due Friday 1/21.
We returned to school after the long weekend and continued to make progress in unit 4 during our math time.
The fifth graders also began their new read aloud book called Number the Stars.
I look forward to meeting with parents this afternoon. As a reminder, next Tuesday the 25th is also an early release day for conferences.
Homework
Math - there will be math homework later this week
A highly productive week concluded with more work being done in our division review unit. The fifth graders did a commendable job with a batch of word problems today. There was also an opportunity for students who finished that work to segue into some math puzzles that challenged the students with some interesting number sense ideas.
I hope everyone has a nice weekend. Go Patriots.
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night. Fill out log on nightly basis. Due Friday 1/14
Math - workbook page 223, due Friday 1/14
We launched our latest reading unit during our ELA time this morning. This new unit, which revolves around works of non-fiction will see the students working with complex texts and looking to compile information and sources for a research project. Today, was a great opportunity for the students to familiarize themselves with some of the components of complex, non-fiction texts.
The fifth graders also worked to solve division word problems during math time. The central part of today's work saw the kids create a word problems and then solve it with a visual representation on a piece of poster paper.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night. Fill out log on nightly basis. Due Friday 1/14
Math - workbook page 223, due Friday 1/14
The fifth graders continued onto the next lesson in our opinion writing unit during our ELA time. Working in pairs, the kids read an article that concerns an affliction that some animals develop when kept in captivity. They then looked to gather evidence pertaining to the article's main idea. This was a valuable lesson that seemed to engage the students.
We also took our first assessment of the new year during math class. This multiplication quiz will offer valuable feedback as to where the kids are in terms of their unit four progress.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night. Fill out log on nightly basis. Due Friday 1/14
Math - workbook page 223, due Friday 1/14
The fifth graders undertook the next lesson in their opinion writing unit this afternoon. Looking at a short news video from Phoenix, the kids learned about a zoo's efforts to save a highly endangered animal. Using this video to gather evidence about a zoo's role in the world they then filled out a graphic organizer. We continue to do a fine job laying the groundwork for more significant pieces of writing to come.
Homework
Reading - 25 minutes of reading per night. Fill out log on nightly basis. Due Friday 1/14
Math - homework later this week
The students were able to refine their standard algorithm work from yesterday's math lesson. In the span of two lessons, I was impressed with the strides that many of the students made. We were also able to have the kids solve some word problems using the array method. A productive lesson all the way around.
I look forward to meeting with parents during conference time tonight.
Here is the zoom link for that:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84373961885?pwd=SURhNE81bk1pNVh0bnkvNU9pRHpiZz09
We launched our next writing unit during our ELA time this morning. This unit of study will see the kids working on an opinion research topic. To lay the groundwork for future lessons, the fifth graders read an article about pet ownership and then used a graphic organizer to practice the skill of supporting one's' opinion with ample evidence. This was a productive lesson that the fifth graders were engaged with throughout.
Our math time was spent focused on refining our use of the standard algorithm to solve multiplication problems. Some of the students have this skill mastered, while others are working diligently to practice this method. I was impressed with the perseverance that was in evidence. We will continue with this work tomorrow.
We continued with the next lesson in unit four during math class. This unit will serve as a timely review of multiplication concepts. The goal is for the fifth graders to refine some of the skills that they built earlier this year. Many of the students were able to complete are parts of our agenda during this sessions today.
Our class is also approaching the end of our second read aloud book this year, Auggie and Me. We will look to finish this book and complete a piece of writing some time next week.
The students returned to the classroom for the first time in the new year today. Everyone was excited to see one another after the time off. Our morning meeting time allowed the kids time to share some memories and highlights from their vacation week.
This week and the next few weeks are going to be important ones for the fifth graders. We began a new math unit today and over the next few days will also kick off new reading and writing units of study. I am looking forward to getting into this new material with the fifth graders.
There will be no homework this week. As a reminder, this Thursday the 6th, virtual parent conferences will be held from six to eight o'clock.
