Next week will wrap up our final full week in school before summer break. Students will continue to finish up their work in each of their classes and take part in some extra enrichment programs as we end the year. Students will take part in an etiquette class sponsored by the PTO, participate in the GCS talent show and enjoy our Spanish Fiesta Primavera! It should prove to be a great balance as we prepare to say “Goodbye” to Fifth Grade and “Hello” to summer!
Fifth graders have been busy creating their final projects for reading. In addition to including essential elements to help players understand the plot and theme of their fantasy book, their creativity is showing as they design fun interactive game boards with detailed instructions. In math class, fifth graders enhanced their knowledge of shapes by examining angles. They used shape pieces to think critically about the number of degrees in each angle.
Next week will wrap up our final full week in school before summer break. Students will continue to finish up their work in each of their classes and take part in some extra enrichment programs as we end the year. Students will take part in an etiquette class sponsored by the PTO, participate in the GCS talent show and enjoy our Spanish Fiesta Primavera! It should prove to be a great balance as we prepare to say “Goodbye” to Fifth Grade and “Hello” to summer!
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Math: In math this week, fifth graders continued their study of geometry. They refined their strategies for problem solving using the coordinate plane. Specifically how to analyze number patterns and determine ordered pairs to graph. Students also sorted shapes into various categories based on their attributes. There was an emphasis on the many different types of triangles and quadrilaterals. Fifth graders can practice these skills at home by searching for examples of these shapes in their everyday lives.
Writing: Fifth grade writers took their final on-demand writing assessment of the year this week! We continue to put final touches on our informational magazines, and worked hard on aspects of elaboration in our writing. For example, writers worked to find topic-specific vocabulary that may need further explanation for the reader, and then defined or explained the vocabulary within the text. Students also worked on noun-verb tense agreement this week. Reading: In Reading this week, students continued to read with their partners in their fantasy books. During our read aloud, Thief of Always, as well as our own reading is identifying the quest and how the main character(s) approach their external and internal journey. As we look at the quest and the theme of a story, we are practicing how to analyze parts of a story and relating it to the whole, overall message. In addition, students are excited to begin their planning for their final project- creating a game, developing a “facebook page” for the main character or filling a Mystery Bag with props and clues about essential story elements. Reading:In addition to taking the Star reading this week, we continued to read from The Thief of Always. In our discussions, we transferred some of the mini lessons concepts to our independent and partner reading. While students are meeting in their partnerships and discussing, analyzing and writing reflections on their books, I have begun to meet with students individually to complete a Fountas and Pinnell reading assessment with each student. In addition to checking in on students’ fluency and accuracy, I also have a chance to check their comprehension. I enjoy the time meeting one on one with the students and checking in on the progress that they have made over the course of the year. The data and anecdotal observations from these assessments provides valuable information for the start next year. Math: In math this week, fifth graders concluded their study of fractions. They examined two recipes and used their knowledge to modify the ingredients to make triple or half. From there classes were very excited to apply their learning to a recipe for no bake cookies. Students learned how to measure ingredients and loved eating the final product. To end the week, fifth graders began a study of geometry by looking at the first quadrant of the coordinate plane. Writing: Our informational magazine work continues in fifth grade. Several students are busily writing final sections on their topic, while others are copying and pasting their text into a template to look more like a magazine with pictures, sidebars, and other text features. Next week, we continue these final stages and also take our final on-demand writing assessment of the year. Math: In math this week, fifth graders concluded their study of fractions. First, they thought critically about fractions as division and expressing remainders as fractions. Students solved real world problems involving boxes of crayons to practice this skill. From there, fifth graders studied line plots containing fractional data. They examined the line plots to determine such attributes as mean and range. Next week, classes will complete a performance task that involves baking cookies and start their next unit on geometry.
Reading: As we begin our unit exploring fantasy stories, students have been enjoying our read aloud, The Thief of Always, written by Clive Barker. During our class discussions, students have begun to explore character development, the connection between mood and setting, and the gateway between the “real” world and fantasy. Students have chosen their own fantasy books to read with a partner and to apply the information we talk about in our mini lessons to their own stories. In addition to being entertaining, students have begun to notice that fantasy stories have important life lessons to teach the main characters, as well as the reader. Writing: In writing this week, we are nearing the final stages of our informational magazines! Students are in various stages: writing, revising, choosing pictures, creating text features, etc. By the end of next week, we will start to copy and paste each element of writing into a template to create our magazines. We also studied Anglo-Saxon base words and compound words this week. Of course we couldn’t let the great weather be ignored, so we took our notebooks outside on Wednesday for some nature-inspired writing. Math: In math this week, fifth graders continued their study of fractions. First, they used representations and reasoning to divide a whole number by a fraction. Students thought critically about real world situations such as dividing ribbons to make bows for baskets and and cups of flour to make batches of cookies. From there, fifth graders looked at dividing fractions by whole numbers. Real world applications were again helpful to enhance their knowledge of this skill.
Reading: This week in reading, students read and analyzed three articles on social media and its impact on children. Students were asked to reflect on the information provided in each of the articles, to notice the different authors’ perspectives and their intended audience and to synthesize their new learning in order to formulate their own opinion. Students also shared their book recommendation letters with each other and peer edited in order to strengthen their final draft. Students will compile their letters into a book and present it to the public library and our school library so that other students may use it as a resource when trying to chose a great read! Writing; Fifth grade writers primarily worked on their Smarter Balanced Assessment in writing classes this week. When finished with testing, students continued work on their magazine projects. Math: In math this week, fifth graders continued their study of fractions. They used representations and reasoning to multiply a whole number by a fraction or mixed number Students did a great job utilizing fraction bars to show their thinking. From there, students focused on multiplying fractions by fractions. They examined their models and developed an algorithm to be used for any equation. To end the week, fifth graders transferred their knowledge from fraction bars to arrays.
Reading: In reading this week, students began to present their “debates” to the class. While listening to the various ways each group decided to present their information, students were asked to look for evidence of research and an understanding of the topic, strongly developed claims and persuasive arguments and evidence of the other sides perspective, by including the counterclaim and rebuttal. Students provided great feedback to their peers and were impressed by the creative ways the various advocacy topics were presented. Writing: Fifth grade writers have done a great job resuming their magazine projects. We’ve also started studying etymology (the origin of words). We begin with a brief history of how English has been formed from many other languages, particularly Anglo-Saxon, Latin, and Greek. Next week, students will take the Language Arts portion of the Smarter Balanced Assessment in writing classes, as well as continue their magazine projects and study of etymology. Math: In math this week, fifth graders continued their study of fractions. They thought critically about strategies for multiplying whole numbers by fractions utilizing real world scenarios. Students also spent time working on their SBA assessments. I am so proud of their hard work and dedication to achieving their personal best on the tests. After vacation, students will continue refining strategies for multiplication of fractions and examine division. They will also create line plots to display a data set of measurements in fractions of a unit.
Reading: In addition to our continuing work on our Advocacy issues, 5th graders have been reading and analyzing poems, ranging from William Blake to Jane Yolen to Shel Silverstein. Students noticed the rhythm and tone of the poems. We also focused on the choices each author made when choosing different types of figurative language to include in their poems; alliteration, personification, metaphor, simile and onomatopoeia. Writing: Fifth grade writers are making great progress on their research topics. Students are finding many interesting facts and making decisions on what to share in the magazines they will be creating. Writers are making decisions about how to convey different types of information - asking themselves: “Which text structure works best for this subtopic?”, or “Can I create a timeline, graph, or chart to show this information?” The process will continue after we return from break. Reading: In Reading this week, fifth graders looked at several examples of other students petitioning for change. In one video, students proposed the need for a Crayola Marker Recycling Program and, in another, students created a petition in hopes of convincing Dunkin Donuts to stop using styrofoam cups. We examined how the students presented their information and what methods and evidence were most effective. Students continued to work in their groups to research their own topics and to plan for their final presentation. During this time, students continued to practice their note taking skills, negotiate with each other about the importance of their claims and consider their sources in order to determine the reliability and the intention of each author.
Math: In math this week, fifth graders continued their study of fractions. They applied their problem solving skills to real world situations involving addition and subtraction. Students also thought critically about an Exemplars task to determine how many hours someone would need to work in order to purchase a new item. To close the week, fifth graders began their study of multiplying fractions. Writing: Fifth grade writers wrapped up the return letters to their German pen pals this week, and continued work on their research projects. Students are working to write about their topics using multiple text structures (descriptive, fact/opinion, question/answer, etc.) and to incorporate text features such as graphs, pictures with captions, and sidebars to teach about their topic. Additionally, we wrapped up our current word study unit and took the end-of-unit quiz. Reading: After students completed their pre-assessment for our Argument and Advocacy Unit in Reading, we introduced vocabulary such as substantiated and unsubstantiated claims and noticed the difference between expressing an opinion and providing evidence and facts to strengthen an argument. Students worked in groups to take a gallery walk around the classroom to learn about various advocacy topics. In the end, they decided as a group on a topic of interest. Over the next couple of weeks, they will access various resources to learn about their topic, explore both sides of the issue and end the unit by have a friendly debate in class.
Math: In math this week, students continued their study of fractions. They started with a review of converting mixed numbers to improper fractions and improper fractions to mixed numbers. Next, students used fraction pieces to help find common denominators in order to add and subtract fractions. Students also discovered strategies utilizing least common multiple to create these common denominators. To end the week, fifth graders thought critically about problems involving adding and subtracting fractions. They applied the skills they learned to discover the answers. Writing: Our fifth grade writers received letters from our new pen pals in Germany this week! Each student is responding to their individual pen pal with information about their hobbies and interests, as well as asking questions to learn more about their new friend. Our German friends also sent us treats, so we are brainstorming a snack to send them that might not be well-known in Germany, but is common here. (Pez is one possibility, since they are made right here in CT.) Students also continue their individual research projects with the goal of writing a brief magazine on their topic. Reading: Students have started their preliminary exploration of our Opinion/Advocacy Unit in Reading. After reading and taking notes on the various viewpoints in several articles on the use of cellphones in schools, they met in groups to share their post-its and analyzing their findings. Eventually, they had to work together to negotiate in order to formulate a thorough and cohesive response to a set of questions. Though many students found the process to be a bit challenging, students noticed to different skill sets needed to write a response while working as a group. Some observations included “I write at a faster pace than my teammates”; “I don’t think their evidence is a major detail”;“I like having support to come up with ideas and have someone check my work” and “It’s easier to edit the writing when it isn’t just your own”. Students benefited from supporting, debating and modeling for each other. Math: In math this week, fifth graders continued their study of fractions. They thought critically about adding and subtracting fractions through reasoning about fraction equivalents and relationships. Students also represented fractions on a number line and used equivalencies to place fractions on a set of number lines (fraction tracks). The tracks were used to play a new game called “Fraction Tracks”. Writing: Fifth grade writers continue their research on individual topics for our information unit. Students are using both books and online sources to read specifically for the answers to questions they have about their topics. We are exploring methods of note-taking throughout this process. Additionally, students worked with various spellings for the “er” sound and multiple vowel digraphs… where two vowels adjacent to each other make one sound, rather than a new sound or both vowel sounds. |
AuthorMiss Grace Archives
June 2016
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