11/30/21

The last day of November included a fantastic Night Sky enrichment opportunity offered by the Museum of Science. After the presentation, the kids were able to ask some lingering questions. This was a great experience for the students. 

We also continued our work with adding fractions using clock faces. 

Homework

Reading - 20 minutes of reading per night. Fill out log on a nightly basis. Log is due on Friday December 3rd.

Math - Students will have a piece of math homework later this week

11/29/21

We had an excellent math lesson that focused on strategies for adding fractions. Using blank clock faces, the fifth graders worked on a series of problems. The kids did a fine job with this. We will continue this work throughout the week.

Here is a brief video explaining the clock face method:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEVD4Wz-ec8

Homework

Reading - 20 minutes of reading per night. Fill out log on a nightly basis. Log is due on Friday December 3rd.

Math - Students will have a piece of math homework later this week

11/24/21

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday and enjoys the long weekend. Look forward to seeing the kids back on Monday, when we will start session two of unit three and begin adding and subtracting fractions. 

11/23/21

The fifth graders spent some time in math creating a batch of equivalent fractions. This skill will greatly help the kids as we begin to add and subtract fractions. This particular work will begin in earnest after the Thanksgiving break.

I also wanted to thanks Mike Adams, a parent of one of our students, for coming in yesterday to talk to the kids about the solar system and get them ready for our virtual night sky enrichment program next week. The fifth graders asked some great questions and learned a lot in a short amount of time. 

11/22/21

This short week will see the fifth graders closing in on the conclusion of their realistic fiction books. The book groups continue to work well together. On Wednesday, I will collect each reader's 3-step journal. 

We are also going to continue our work with fractions as we have two important lessons that will see us comparing values and making inroads into adding fractions.

There will be no homework this week.

11/19/21

We had one final fraction lesson to conclude the school week. The students continued to compare the value of fractions using a variety of different strategies. I was impressed with the language that the kids were using and their ability to share their thinking with partners. 

I hope everyone has a nice weekend and I look forward to seeing the members of Boys In Motion tomorrow morning for the race. 

11/18/21

Fifth graders had a math lesson focused on comparing the value of fractions. Using both visuals and manipulatives, the kids completed some workbook pages and then used fraction cards to play a comparing game. They continue to impress in this new unit.

Students also rotated through their ACE block schedules. While come of the fifth graders had instruments, others were either in digital literacy class, SEL class or an extra music class.

As a reminder, both math and reading homework is due tomorrow.

Homework

Reading - 20 minutes of reading per night, fill out log on a nightly basis. Due Friday November 19th.

Math - workbook pages 127 and 128 due Friday November 19th.