Snyder and Davis 5th Grade News… 9/27/13
Live Kind Choose Happiness Unleash Learning
What we have been up to…
Math: Students have been adding and subtracting decimals. Groups participated in stations that reviewed several concepts about decimals…place values, rounding, ordering from least to greatest, etc. We continue to problem solve and engage in Number Talks. I will be working with students on Monday during part of their recess if they still need help with rounding of decimals.
Reading: Are you a reading detective? We discovered that authors leave behind clues for the reader to make meaning. Inferences help us read deeper in the text rather than just retelling a sequence of events. When we infer, we are thinking about little details that may turn out to be important later. We used our inferring skills to help solve the mystery of Grandpa’s Teeth by Rod Clement. We related to a boy in the book, Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe, as we inferred his feelings about capturing fireflies and releasing them again. We also put our detective inferring skills to use as we discussed what a group of prairie dogs would do when faced with a similar dilemma of dealing with a ball of fuzz in the book The Great Fuzz Frenzy.
As we continued reading The One and Only Ivan, we reflected on the clues that the author provided us early in the book that are turning out to be important later in the book. We are understanding Ivan more by noticing these changes happening within him.
Science: We continue to focus on the effect variables have on our investigations. We learned that only one variable should be different in an experiment and that is what is being tested. We began a new investigation, working through the design process and conducting a controlled experiment. We will continue collecting data to analyze and formulate conclusions. Ask about our pendulum experiment!
Social Studies: Classes continue map skills…working on latitude and longitude. We will tie this concept into math…coordinate grids.
Word Study: We had our third spelling test. These should be returned to the students on Monday of next week. It will be normal routine for us to have a pretest on Monday and words should come home that day. We have talked about picking appropriate words for our skill level…not too hard that it leads to so much frustration, but challenging enough so we are learning new patterns and vocabulary. Parent activity will be assigned on Monday for homework (choose 1) and S.O.S. (choose 1) on Tuesday evening. It has been fun to see the variety of S.O.S. assignments that I receive. Some students choose a traditional paper/pencil approach to learning while others are creating game boards or testing out their technology with Google docs, Prezi, Wordle, etc. Tests will be on Fridays. Thanks for any support with these skills.
Upcoming events:
Friday, October 4 Interims sent home with students (progress report will be sent each 12 weeks)
Book orders due today for Snyder and Davis classes. No cash orders please. You may send the order form in on/by this date or order online.
Thursday, October 10 Picture Day…info sent later
Wednesday, Oct. 23 Donuts for Dads…information will be sent later
Reminders…
If you have not reviewed your child’s emergency form online yet, please do
this as soon as possible on Home Access. Reminder papers went home today about this important issue. Our school really needs updated information on every child. Thanks for taking care of this.
Celebrations:
Thanks for the generous contributions to Hilliard Crossing’s Walk-a-thon. We have a wonderful PTO that established this great fundraiser. Students and staff appreciate your support. Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Snyder enjoyed walking some laps to the song, “Maniac” today…memoriesJ
Live Kind Choose Happiness Unleash Learning
What we have been up to…
Math: Students have been adding and subtracting decimals. Groups participated in stations that reviewed several concepts about decimals…place values, rounding, ordering from least to greatest, etc. We continue to problem solve and engage in Number Talks. I will be working with students on Monday during part of their recess if they still need help with rounding of decimals.
Reading: Are you a reading detective? We discovered that authors leave behind clues for the reader to make meaning. Inferences help us read deeper in the text rather than just retelling a sequence of events. When we infer, we are thinking about little details that may turn out to be important later. We used our inferring skills to help solve the mystery of Grandpa’s Teeth by Rod Clement. We related to a boy in the book, Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe, as we inferred his feelings about capturing fireflies and releasing them again. We also put our detective inferring skills to use as we discussed what a group of prairie dogs would do when faced with a similar dilemma of dealing with a ball of fuzz in the book The Great Fuzz Frenzy.
As we continued reading The One and Only Ivan, we reflected on the clues that the author provided us early in the book that are turning out to be important later in the book. We are understanding Ivan more by noticing these changes happening within him.
Science: We continue to focus on the effect variables have on our investigations. We learned that only one variable should be different in an experiment and that is what is being tested. We began a new investigation, working through the design process and conducting a controlled experiment. We will continue collecting data to analyze and formulate conclusions. Ask about our pendulum experiment!
Social Studies: Classes continue map skills…working on latitude and longitude. We will tie this concept into math…coordinate grids.
Word Study: We had our third spelling test. These should be returned to the students on Monday of next week. It will be normal routine for us to have a pretest on Monday and words should come home that day. We have talked about picking appropriate words for our skill level…not too hard that it leads to so much frustration, but challenging enough so we are learning new patterns and vocabulary. Parent activity will be assigned on Monday for homework (choose 1) and S.O.S. (choose 1) on Tuesday evening. It has been fun to see the variety of S.O.S. assignments that I receive. Some students choose a traditional paper/pencil approach to learning while others are creating game boards or testing out their technology with Google docs, Prezi, Wordle, etc. Tests will be on Fridays. Thanks for any support with these skills.
Upcoming events:
Friday, October 4 Interims sent home with students (progress report will be sent each 12 weeks)
Book orders due today for Snyder and Davis classes. No cash orders please. You may send the order form in on/by this date or order online.
Thursday, October 10 Picture Day…info sent later
Wednesday, Oct. 23 Donuts for Dads…information will be sent later
Reminders…
If you have not reviewed your child’s emergency form online yet, please do
this as soon as possible on Home Access. Reminder papers went home today about this important issue. Our school really needs updated information on every child. Thanks for taking care of this.
Celebrations:
Thanks for the generous contributions to Hilliard Crossing’s Walk-a-thon. We have a wonderful PTO that established this great fundraiser. Students and staff appreciate your support. Mrs. Davis and Mrs. Snyder enjoyed walking some laps to the song, “Maniac” today…memoriesJ