News Flash...November?!

When I realized how many Fridays have actually passed since my last News Flash Friday, I couldn't actually believe it. Since then, heritage projects and celebration have come and gone, fall turned to winter and our thoughts turn to the holiday season.  We've been BUSY everyday in 5th grade.  Here's what we've been up to.

Look for multiplication and division strands

Math-  We are finishing up Module 2 and our end of module test is scheduled for Tuesday, December 8th.  This module's focus was in multi-digit multiplication, as well as introducing students to long division with two digit divisors.  The students practiced expressing the answer in a division problem as a quotient and a remainder or adding zeros to the dividend to express the remainder as a decimal.  Please encourage your child to practice, practice, practice using one of the many tools available to them through Guilderland.  Next up, module 3 which is all about adding and subtracting fractions.



Reading- Our first unit of determining themes in fiction was long and detailed and the students produced some amazing thoughts while reading many chapter books.  This unit culminated in a book clubs and some members are still reading books that they choose together.  The skills we learned in this first unit were the foundation of skills that we will use for the remainder of the year.  We are currently in the middle of a non-fiction unit.  The major emphasis is helping your child get themselves to work to raise their level of fluency, understanding and reading of more challenging nonfiction texts.  We're reading books, news articles, info-graphics, speeches and more all while studying how text features and structures effect a readers understanding and ability to get information from nonfiction.  The culmination of this unit will be a self selected research feature article (plus on other type of nonfiction visual presentation) on a topic of choice.

Writing- Much of the month of November was spent finishing heritage.  We've recently dived in to the world of book reviews.  The students spent some reading book blogs and reviews to determine what reviews are made of and what they typically include. Then, they wrote two of reviews of their own of a book they finished this year.  From there, we jumped onto Blogger and the students created their very own book review blogs.  Ask your child what the web address is to their blog!  We then designed mini posters to hang in the hallway with QR codes so that friends in the building can visit the blogs for book recommendations.  The kids had a blast being creative and authors of their very own blogs!  Next up, nonfiction feature article writing and presentation.

Word Study- We began word study this past week.  This year, the program will continue to focus on learning patterns of spelling but all children will be exposed to grade level words including new vocabulary words that fit the pattern that we are working on that week. There are various classroom and homework activities throughout the week.  Assessments will be given on Fridays and students will also be responsible for looking for words that in their own writing that fit the patterns we are studying.  Our goal is to expose your child to more difficult words as well as teaching them skills to figure out these words both in meaning and in spelling.

Many Thanks (News Flash Friday)

Whew!  What a week it was!  We launched and dived right into researching all about our heritage and learned so much along the way about how to research effectively, what resources are available, what is important to write down and much more.  Our research continues in the coming week and here's what else we've been up to:

Reading Workshop:
We met as book clubs on Friday and began talking about the benefits of a book club and how talking with a group of peers can raise our level of understanding about a text.  I love watching the students take ownership of the clubs.  They lead everything from how the group will read each day to how many days they will take to finish the book as a group.  They even come up with consequences for not having read on any particular day.  The book your child is reading for book clubs will replace their independent reading books IF they don't finish their assigned reading in workshop.

Additionally, we had a chance to welcome Melia Steed and her therapy dog, Carly.  We have the fortune of being able to have Carly working in our classroom every Thursday starting this week!

Writing Workshop:
This is the week we will be finishing our personal narratives!  Look for them to be published on this blog later in the week.  The students worked hard all week to revise, revise, revise.  They are also beefing up their finger muscles as all final drafts need to typed.  All personal narratives need to be done by this Wednesday, October 21st.  Some students may need to type at home.  All students have access to their Google Drive at home. Please contact me if you have any trouble or questions about that.

Next up, learning to write concise, informational paragraphs from our heritage research.

Math
We are nearing the end of Module 1 and our end of module test is set for Wednesday, October 21st.  Students will have time in class for review as well as review homework.  The focus of the module was to master place value understanding, express numbers in their unit form and be able to complete all four operations with decimals.  Students can use IXL, Homework Help 5 (24 minute video review!), old homework, old quizzes, and their notebooks to practice this week.  In addition, I will be available afterschool on Monday for extra help.

Other Notes of Interest

• I'm happy, happy, happy that we are still going to be celebrating Halloween next with costumes.  The other 5th grade teachers and I have a special day planned for the kiddos so be on the look out for a note home about what we have up our sleeves for Friday, October 30th.  

• Please check your child's heritage folder each and every day.  We are currently on pace with the Heritage Calendar that I shared with you last week.  As of today (Sunday), all students should have clear, detailed notes for Geography, Climate, Economics and Government.  If your child falls behind in researching and needs longer than our 45 minute class, they will be expected to finish the research for homework.  If that isn't complete, I will be keeping kids in from recess.  This is an important project that no one can afford to fall behind on.  Thank you for all the help you've already given.

• Also regarding the heritage project, your child started a Google Doc to gather images from the internet that they might want to use on their tri-fold boards.  When they are ready to begin designing the board, you can simply print the document.  If you don't have a printer at home, your child may use morning work, snack or recess time to print.  

All About Heritage (News Flash Friday)

If you haven't had a look in your child's homework folder yet, please do!  In it, you'll find a large, yellow packet with everything you need to know about our upcoming, highly anticipated heritage project!

We had a 5th grade class meeting today about it after lunch and the kids were excited to get started. The first step is to talk with your child about your family's country of origin.  A phone call to grandma or grandpa may even need to be in order this weekend. The goal of this project is to get kids talking about their own family history.  So, take some time to talk and then together, select a country from your past your child is interested in researching.  Please sign and send back the packet with your child and we will be sure to add it to their heritage project folders that we will be putting together on Tuesday after the long weekend.

We will begin researching your child's selected country in school on Tuesday.  This is a link to a calendar (updated link Monday, 10/12) (one will be sent home too) for you to refer to so that you know what we're working on in school and what can be done at home.  This is very big project and we need to work together to keep your child on track and not get behind and overwhelmed.  I will be offering Mondays and Thursdays for afterschool help throughout the month to help out.  Please encourage your child to attend one or both of those sessions if they need extra time or support.

There are many pieces to this project and the yellow packet as well as the calendar have all the due dates.  Thanks in advance for all your help and support!! I promise the work your child puts into this project in the next month will all be worth it on the morning of the celebration.

Other tidbits from our week:

• We're getting ready to begin our first round of book clubs. We met our group members and previewed titles to read.  The clubs should be up and reading by the end of next week.  The reading they need to do for book clubs will replace any independent books they currently reading for the time being.  
• We had a real evacuation from the building on Thursday and we spent the 40 minutes waiting outside silently playing math games and making shadow pictures.  The kids were really very well behaved and patient! 
• We wrapped up our Science and Social Studies units this week because we are suspending switching for these classes until after our heritage research is complete.  
• We are preparing signs for our BINGO night coming up next Friday, October 16th!  We are in need of baked goods and drinks to sell.  All money raised that night will go towards reducing the cost of the Bronx Zoo ticket costs!  

Have a great long weekend!!
PS:  I never know who is or isn't reading my posts so please make me feel better by leaving a comment below.  

Say What...?! (News Flash Friday)

Wednesday, I was walking with the class past the Math room in the 2-3 hallway and noticed that the board outside had the number 13 on it, meaning the 13th day of school.  I literally stopped in my tracks almost in shock as I turned to the kids and said, "13?!  That's it?"  Just barely two weeks have passed since we first said hello to each upon walking into room 203.  This realization hit me hard.  It made me aware of two things: one, your children have been working hard and well in the past two weeks and two, I needed to give more credit where credit is due...it's due to you and your children.  So, thank you for an amazing first two weeks of school.  Here's what we've been up to.

• On Friday, September 17th, we met with our kindergarten buddies from Mrs. Zimmerman's class.  We read an amazingly inspiring story called, The Dot by Peter Reynolds and then each decorated 1/2 of a dot in our own unique way.  We put the dots together to symbolize how two different people can be a part of whole friendship.  (Pictures to follow!)

• We had our first "payday" today!  After working for two weeks at our jobs, the students finally get to experience earning their first paycheck.  Their salary, along with any credits they earned during the weeks will be combined.  The students will then deposit their checks into "The Bank of Hart" and keep a running total of these deposits and any future withdrawals in their account register, which will be located in the back of their Math notebooks.  The students will hold on to their jobs for another two weeks, earn another paycheck and then have the opportunity to shop at our school store.  I'm very pleasantly surprised how well the students are doing in their jobs and I can't wait for payday!  

• Over 75% of our class has signed up for the Wonder book club!!  Hooray for 5H!! Once you've started reading Wonder, please visit our book club blog.  Here, we'll post questions, discussion points and videos for you and your child to discuss prior to our meeting on December 10th.  We encourage you to visit the blog often and leave us a comment!  

• Have you checked out the Homework calendar this week?  I've added a new online resource to help out with Math at home.  We are starting lesson 10 on Monday.  I hope it's helpful!

Fall Conferences

I was so happy to meet so many parents at Back to School Night last week.  In the stack of papers I shared, one of them was a questionnaire for you to complete about your child before we meet for our fall conference.  I've made this form digital!  Please feel free to use this or the yellow paper version.

Also, if you did not yet get a chance to sign up for parent conferences, please use this link to do so.  I look forward to meeting with you this fall.

2015-2016 School Year Welcome

Welcome to our website for the 2015-2016 school year.  This is the spot to find information, notes about upcoming events, assignments, important announcements, photos and anything else about our days at Westmere.  Feel free to leave a comment below and share what you're looking forward to this year.

Mrs. Hart's Summer Welcome Letter 
(assignment for the 1st week of school at the end of the letter!)

Parents, please take a moment to fill out the following parent questionnaire as soon as possible.


  

Don't forget you can drop off your supplies in your locker at the walk through night, Wednesday, September 2nd from 5-6:30. See you Tuesday, September 8th for your first day of 5th grade!

Catching Up

A little bit of snow fun this past week.

Each year, after the holidays have wound down, the month of January races toward us with lightning speed and really, from now until June, it never slows down.  So when I needed to look up something on the blog and realized how long it's been since I last updated it, I panicked!  So consider this a bit of a catch up for you and hopefully, it won't be so long until my next one!

Math-  We just finished the 3rd module centered around adding and subtracting fractions with a heavy focus on operations with mixed numbers.  The students felt confident overall with this subject as it was review from 4th grade.  The module was relatively quick as will the next one, multiplying and dividing fractions.  We hope to finish and have the assessment before February break.

Remember, there are some awesome online resources that can help your child in supporting homework in each lesson of the modules as well as reviewing previously covered material to keep it fresh in their minds.  I also can't endorse practicing Math facts enough.  Knowing them fluently and quickly is literally half the battle in our Math class.

Homework Help videos for the Modules we are using
IXL for spiral practice (user name and password are both student ID)
Reflex for fact fluency (hartcheri)

Reading-  We are wrapping up a book club unit on Keeping Track of Characters.  Students chose and read a book with their peers and their challenge was to apply the skill of paying attention to characters and their traits, noticing when those traits began to change in the story and why and then finally being able to re-identify the traits the character took away from the story and why.  This often tied into the theme of the story as well.  This kind of close reading can be hard because our voracious readers just want to read.  I can say that more than a few lightbulbs have been turned on because as we are reading other shared texts like The One and Only Ivan, they are noticing important spots or times of change and shout it out.

One way you can help is to add the question, "What are you reading?' to your dinnertime conversation but don't stop there!  Add in questions like, what is your character like?  Do you relate to him or her?  What's the major problem he or she is going through?  Have you noticed anyone that has an influence on your character?  How is the character changing?  And finally, read what they are reading!  It's fun to be able to talk about the books your children are reading (and there many good ones!)  Here are a few favorites floating around our room (just to name a few).

• The Land of Stories (all 3!)- Chris Colfer
• The Maze Runner- James Dashner
• Bystander- James Preller
• A Week in the Woods- Andrew Clements
• Lucky: Maris, Mantle and My Best Summer Ever
• The One and Only Ivan- Katherine Applegate
• Harry Potter- JK Rowling
• Don't Feed the Boy- Irene Latham
• El Deafo- Cece Bell
• A Tiger Rising- Kate DiCamillo

Writing-  We've been studying how to be journalists!  The students self selected a topic they wanted to know more about and we spent a large portion of time learning proper research skills, including how to cite a sources and note taking (using Google Docs).  From there, we used National Geographic Kids as our model to write interesting, informative paragraphs that worked hard to keep the reader's attention.  Using Google Drawings, we then learned the dos and don'ts of graphic design and worked to create eye catching, gorgeous but informative articles ready for publication.  The final week is coming up.  All articles are due this Friday, February 6th.  Ask your child to show his or her article in their Google Drive.  Next up...opinion writing!

Science-  We are at the end of studying the digestive system (quiz on Monday!) and will be spending the next two weeks working with partners to dream up and design a digestive system game.  The object, of course, is to get through the digestive system without getting "hung up" along the way.  The students have already researched 10 healthy and 10 unhealthy things you can do for your digestive system along with 5 diseases or disorders.  From there, they will write "situation" cards that will be used in a fun, cooperative game.  Stay tuned for photos of the final projects.

Other

• A final fundraiser (through Krause's candy) will be coming home Monday.  All orders will come in by March.  Please be on the lookout for that information.
• Our NEW book club selection is Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.  The meeting date to follow soon!  Check out the write up in the Altamont Enterprise of our last selection, Wonder.
• Bronx Zoo commitment letter is due back to school Monday.  We need to make some financial decisions based upon how many chaperones are attending.