Blog Archives

Monday, November 1, 2021

10/29/2021

What a week we had....between Troll Tuesday, Wizards & Wands Wednesday, a Dodgeball game with Mr. Morkert's class, the 5th Grade Musical REVEAL, and Halloween....this upcoming week might seem kind of dull! 😉

Sending an extra special thanks to our Room Mom, Christine Reilly, and her wonderful parent volunteers, Asako Hoichi and Mary Blatter, for their help in making our Halloween Party so special!! We appreciate all of your hard work!!🎃 👻

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK 💡
MATH:
Last week in math we continued moving through Chapter 3. Students practiced adding and subtracting unlike fractions, and examined fractions and mixed numbers as division expressions. On Friday, we were lucky enough to have Mrs. Corley guide us in creating a super fun coding game on Scratch! It was amazing to see our class face challenges and persevere to create a working trick-or-treat game!

READING WORKSHOP:
Our small groups are up and running and we were able to devote our time continuing to focus on growing our fiction comprehension skills. Students also explored point of view during our mini-lessons as we examined the heartwarming story, "Hattie's Birthday Box."

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Our Personal Narrative writing unit began last week! Throughout the week, students explored the characteristics of personal narratives and identified writing ideas based on special objects and interesting events.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Last week in social studies, students began examining our next chapter: Slavery in the Americas. As a class, we explored what life was like in South Africa and the European Slave Trade. We also examined triangular trade, surviving the Middle Passage, slavery in the colonies, and what life was like for an enslaved person.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS 📌
MATH:
CoGAT Testing will interrupt most of our math instruction this week, but we will be able to squeeze in an examination of fractions and mixed numbers as decimals. Students will also learn how to add mixed numbers.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our fiction unit will continue this week with our mini-lessons focusing on determining theme in fiction texts.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
We will continue moving through our Personal Narrative unit. This week, students will focus on incorporating sensory details and writing about something someone has taught them.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our American Revolution unit will begin this week as we examine the rising tensions in the colonies.

UPCOMING EVENTS📆
**Gratitude Attitude Kindness Challenge Begins**
Tuesday, 11/2: CoGAT Test #1 (9:15am)
Wednesday, 11/3: CoGAT Test #2 (9:15am)
Thursday, 11/4: CoGAT Test #3 (9:15am)

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Monday, October 25, 2021

10/24/2021

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Last week of October...how can that be?? Thank you all again for your time last week during conferences! I really enjoyed meeting with each of you!! Due to last week's shortened instruction time, you will find a quick weekly update for this week only below.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS 📌
MATH:
We will continue moving through Chapter 3. Students will practice adding and subtracting unlike fractions. We will also examine fractions as division expressions.

READING WORKSHOP:
Fiction will continue to be our reading focus this week! Our mini-lesson topics will include point of view and historical fiction elements. Additionally, we are super excited to finally begin our small group instruction for guided reading and word study!!

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
We will begin our third writing unit of the year, Personal Narratives. This week students will explore personal narrative writing and focus their work on special objects, interesting events, and sensory details.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
This week in social studies we will explore the impact of slavery on Africans. Students will learn how Africans responded to enslavement in West Africa, during the Middle Passage, and in the colonies.

UPCOMING EVENTS 📆
Monday, 10/25: Monsters, Inc. Monday (Blue or Green Day...optional!!)
Tuesday, 10/26: Troll Tuesday (Crazy Hair Day...Troll Style...optional!!!)
Friday, 10/29: HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION (PM)
Tuesday, 11/2: CogAT Test #1 (9:15am)
Wednesday, 11/3: CogAT Test #2 (9:15am)
Thursday, 11/4: CogAT Test #3 (9:15am)

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Monday, October 18, 2021

10/16/2021

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It's hard to believe we're halfway through October already!! Fifth grade continues to be busy and exciting! I am looking forward to meeting with you later this week at our fall conferences! Just a reminder, if you would like to fill out the October Conference Survey form, you can access the link here.

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK💡
MATH:
Last week in math we finished up Chapter 2. Students practiced using the order of operations to simplify numeric expressions that included parentheses, brackets, and braces. We also solved real world multiplication and division multi-step problems, and took our final assessment on Friday.

READING WORKSHOP:
We officially kicked off our Fiction Reading Unit last week with a few of my favorite stories! Using the mentor texts The Raft and Don't be an Uncle Max, students examined the structure of fiction, identified words and phrases that show chronological order, and analyzed fiction story elements.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Our writers were super busy last week finishing the remaining edits on their final drafts. Through both peer and teacher conferences, students worked hard proofreading for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our Colonization unit continued last week during social studies! Students worked in their colonial groups and examined the following topics: who settled it, geography/landforms, economy, and type of government. After completing their research, students created a billboard for their colony that will be used later this week to persuade other students to settle in their colony.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS 📌
MATH:
We will begin Chapter 3: Fractions and Mixed Numbers this week. Students will begin to practice adding unlike fractions.

READING WORKSHOP:
Fiction will continue to be our reading focus this week! Our mini-lesson topics will include analyzing characters and exploring point of view.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Students will share their published pieces this week during our Gallery Walks. We will also spend some time reflecting on our writing work.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
We will wrap up our study of the colonies this week with our billboard presentations, and a whole class examination of the similarities and differences between the colonial regions.

UPCOMING EVENTS 📆
Thursday, 10/21: NO SCHOOL (Conferences)
Friday, 10/22: NO SCHOOL (Conferences)
Monday, 10/25: Monster's, Inc. Monday (Wear blue or green day)

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Tuesday, October 12, 2021

10/9/2021

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Thankful for another fun and productive week in fifth grade! On Thursday, we kicked off our Colonization Unit with an exciting Breakout focused on the lost colony of Roanoke. It was amazing to see our class put their collaboration skills to the test in order to successfully solve the breakout together! 💗

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK💡
MATH:
Last week in math we wrapped up our division practice. Students also learned how to use the order of operations to simply numeric expressions that include parthenses, brackets, and braces.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our Launching unit came to an end last week as we finished the last of our mini-lessons. Students compared characters in stories and practiced using nonfiction text features to better comprehend the main idea. Additionally, students reviewed reading log data and reflected on their reading habits.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Our writers were super busy last week! As we began to move through the writing process, students spent time analyzing and revising their drafts. We revised our writing for overused words and created strong opening sentences. Students also peer conferred with their writing partners, and reflected on their final draft revisions.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our Colonization Unit officially began last week! After successfully completing our Roanoke Breakout, we began to focus on the essential question of the unit: How were the three colonial regions alike and different?
Students divided into groups based on the six featured colonies in our Social Studies Alive text. Beginning next week, each colonial group will examine the following topics regarding their colony: who settled it, geography/landforms, economy, and type of government. Upon completion of their research, students will create a billboard for their colony and try to persuade other students to settle in their colony.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS📌
MATH:
We will wrap up Chapter 2 this week in math. Students will practice solving real world multiplication and division problems. We will review the major concepts from the chapter on Thursday and take our final assessment on Friday.

READING WORKSHOP:
Students will set new reading goals this week! We will also begin our Fiction reading unit. This week's mini-lesson topics will include elements of a story, character analysis, and point of view.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
This week our writers will finish up their drafts and proofread for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Students will continue working in their colonial research groups!

UPCOMING EVENTS 📆
Wednesday, 10/13: Witchy Wednesday BLACKOUT Day
Thursday, 10/14: Throwback Thursday WHO'S WHO GAME
**If you haven't already sent in a picture of your child, please do so before Thursday.**
Friday, 10/15: CHAPTER 2 MATH TEST (Anderle)
Fantasy & Frights Friday (afternoon fort day)

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Monday, October 4, 2021

10/2/2021

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Happy October!! (Can you believe it??) Things are moving along in fifth grade and our class continues to strive to be the best versions of themselves! Last week we met our First Grade Buddies from Mrs. Copersmet's class, and had the BEST time learning all about each other. I have to say, there is nothing cuter than watching those first graders looking up in admiration at their buddies. It is absolutely heart warming! 💗💗💗💗

HERE'S WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK💡
MATH:
Last week in math we focused on division. Students practiced dividing by tens, hundreds, and thousands. Later in the week we moved into dividing two and three digit numbers by two digit divisors.

READING WORKSHOP:
Our readers were busy last week studying their reading lives! We began collecting reading data with our new "reading habits" reading log, and made plans for ourselves as readers by creating a virtual reading bookshelf. Students also examined our book talk criteria, and began planning for their first book talk of 5th grade! Finally, students spent time reviewing story elements, and how identifying these components of fiction help us better understand what we're reading.

WRITERS'' WORKSHOP:
Our writing focus last week shifted from creators to editors as we examined the writing process. Students began by selecting a draft from their writing notebook to use for publication. After selecting drafts, we spent the remainder of the week revising our work. Students looked for places in their writing that were confusing or needed to be deleted.

SCIENCE:
We began wrapping up our Earth in Space unit last week with an examination of constellations. Students learned that constellations are patterns of stars that represent the shape of a person, animal, or mythical figure. After studying constellation patterns, students discovered that different constellations are visible during different seasons of the year. Using seasonal constellation charts, we created graphs to represent constellation visibility and analyzed this data to draw conclusions about the patterns we noticed.

THIS WEEK'S HIGHLIGHTS📌
MATH:
This week in math we will continue practicing division. Students will also learn the order of operations.

READIING WORKSHOP:
Our mini-lessons this week will focus on characterization, and finding the main idea in nonfiction texts.. Students will also examine their reading log data.

WRITERS' WORKSHOP:
Writers this week will continue to revise their story drafts. We will focus on revising for overused words and strong opening sentences. Students will also have another opportunity to peer confer!

SCIENCE:
Our Earth in Space unit will come to an end with a final assessment on Thursday.

SOCIAL STUDIES:
Our Colonization unit will continue this week!

UPCOMING EVENTS 📆
Monday, 10/4: PICTURE DAY!
Thursday, 10/7: Earth in Space Assessment
Monday, 10/11: NO SCHOOL (Institute Day)

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