Happy Friday!! I hope everyone had a fantastic week.

Science:  We spent several days reviewing for a science quiz on Chapter 9 that was given today.  The quiz was six questions and was presented as a Google Form.  The kids enjoyed getting to use the computers for the quiz and did a wonderful job.  We will start a new chapter on Force and Motion next week.

Writing:  In writing this week we have been focused on rereading and revising our letters about whether we should keep serving chocolate milk in the cafeteria or remove it from the menu.  We have spent a lot of time reading through a variety of sources to locate powerful quotes that we can embed in our letters.  The kiddos have learned that is not only important to have a strong argument but to also have evidence to support their opinion.  We have been having a lot of fun with this unit.

Math:  This week in math we have started Chapter 10: Measurement.  The first few lessons were focused on learning how to measure objects using yards, inches, and feet.  The kids also learned how to convert between each of the units.  Today we learned about how to measure the weight of objects using ounces, pounds, and tons.  We are working on mastering the conversion between these unit as well.  The kids even learned hand motions remember when they need to multiple or divide to convert!  I’m sure they would be excited to show you. :)

Reading:  During reading this week we have continued to talk about main idea and details.  We also talked about different sentece starters that can be used in our writing to introduce a quote when citing information from a source.  We have been using our new knowledge to practice for questions we will see on eValuate.

 

 

If you have not already, please submit your child’s pictures for the 5th Grade Memory Book as soon as possible.  We only have 4 kiddos that have not turned their pictures in.  If you do not have a scanner at home you may send your pictures in and they will be scanned for you and then returned.  We would like every child to have a page in the memory book!  

Upcoming Events:

3/6: Half Day

Have a great weekend,

Miss DiFranco

Happy Saturday!!   I hope everyone is enjoying their weekend!

Science: The kiddos have started presenting their Planet Research Projects this week.  The hard work that they put into their projects is obvious!  We will continue to share projects next week.

Writing:  This week we kicked off our Argument/Opinion Unit in writing.  The kids have been asked to choose a side of whether they should or should not serve chocolate milk in the cafeteria.  They have been collecting evidence for their claim and will write a letter next week that will explain their thinking.  They have gotten really into it and I am looking forward to reading their letters.

Math:  We spent a couple of days reviewing for our Chapter 10 math test this week.  The test was taken on Friday and was sent home with the kids.  They did awesome!!  I was so impressed with how well everyone did on the test.  It is evident that they are spending more time preparing for tests and I hope to continue building these habits this year.

Reading:  During reading we have been working on learning how to read multiple articles and cite them within our writing.  It has tied nicely into our writing unit.  It is important for them to understand that they must include quotation marks around text that they take directly from a source.  It is never too early to start working on this skill!

Upcoming Events:

2/23: Six Flags Scholastic Reading Logs Due

2/25: Field Trip to the Science Center

2/27: Middle School Forms Due

Have a wonderful rest of your weekend!  

Sincerely,

Miss DiFranco

Happy Saturday!!  I hope you all had a great week and are ready to enjoy a three-day weekend with the kiddos!

Science: This week in science the kids were given time to work on their research projects.  We had previously said that they would be due yesterday but I have given them a few more days to work on them because we had some changes to our schedule this week.  We also began setting up a Force Investigation in our science notebooks that will test the amount of force we need to use when pulling a toy car across a ramp covered in different materials (felt, aluminum foil, carpet, etc).  This investigation is a great way for us to review the steps in the scientific method.

Writing:  On Monday and Tuesday this week the kiddos worked to finish publishing their memoirs.  On Wednesday they were given an opportunity to share their memoir with our class if they wanted. They worked so hard and the memoirs turned out to be so heartfelt.  We are now getting ready to start our next unit on Argument/ Opinion Essays.  The kids seem excited!

Math: This week in math we have covered multiplying and dividing fractions (lessons 10.6 -  10.11).  We will finish up chapter 10 on Tuesday and then will review for our test on Wednesday and Thursday.  The test will be Friday, February 20th.  Please encourage your child to study more than a day in advanced for the test.  I will be sending some study material through email early next week.  Thank you for your support at home!

Reading: We are continuing to work in our test-preparation unit this week.  We have discussed how, as test-takers, we can predict the types of questions the test-maker might ask based on the genre of the passage.  We have also practiced predicting the answer to multiple-choice questions before even looking at the answer choices.  This helps us to not get tricked by the answers the test-makers has written.

Upcoming Events:

2/16: No School - President’s Day

2/17: PRISM Projects Due (please bring to school so they can be checked before Science Night)

2/19: Science Night

2/20: Math test

Please remember to send in the Middle School Form that was sent home on Tuesday.  You need to fill out the bottom portion and then rip off the yellow copy.  All I need back is the top copy (white form).  Thank you! Have a great weekend!

Miss DiFranco

Happy Friday!!

Science:  This week we completed several lessons on both the inner and outer planets in the solar system.  Students have had the opportunity to work on their research this week for their planet research project that is due next Friday.  I am impressed with knowledge they have gained from this chapter so far and love the excitement they have brought to each lesson.

Writing:  We have been working on revising and editing our memoirs this week.  We have learned several new strategies for rereading and adding important details to our writing. We have also been using our writing checklists to double check that we have included all of the important pieces in our memoir.  Yesterday the kiddos began to publish their writing pieces.  We will celebrate all of our hard work in writing our memoirs on Wednesday of next week.

Math:  We took our chapter 9 test on Tuesday and I was very impressed with the scores they received on this test.  I have been working with the kids on holding themselves accountable for their own learning by studying for tests at home.  Thank you for the support you provide them with.  We also began a new chapter on Wednesday.  This chapter is about learning how to multiply and divide fractions.  Today we learned how to multiply whole numbers by fractions!

Reading:  On Monday we began our test taking preparation unit.  We have been looking at texts that could appear on an ELA test and using those to predict the types of questions the test-makers may ask.  We have also practiced identifying the type of text in order for us to understand the passage more fully.  

Upcoming Events:

2/10: Middle School Presentation at Concord

2/11: Early Release

2/13: Classroom Valentine’s Day Exchange

Have a great weekend.  Enjoy the nice weather!

Miss DiFranco