5th Grade Newsletter
Week of May 22- 26
Art Adventure Field Trip – June 6
We will be going to the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA) on June 6 as a part of the Art Adventure program. Students will be studying 6 art pieces that we will then go view at the MIA. On this field trip, 5th graders get extra time to view other art work at the museum. I will take any volunteers who wish to help out on this day. Any and all are welcome! If you still want to join us, let me know and I will add you to my list of volunteers!
Cleaning Supplies
During the last week of school, we will be doing some needed cleaning. I have some cleaning wipes left over from the beginning of the year, but any donations for cleaning supplies would be appreciated.
Cleaning Needs: cleaning wipes, paper towels, Magic Erasers.
Reminder: No School on Monday, May 29th
Details about our week of learning
Math
Unit 7 continues with a focus on solving division story problems with remainders. We will also examine the effects of multiplying and dividing whole numbers and decimals by powers of ten. Students will learn about exponents and look at the patterns in numbers of zeroes when multiplying by powers of ten.
Language Arts
It will be our last week of Spelling.
Students will also share another Current Event news to the class. Each student is to read, summarize, and share a current news happening with the class.
Students will edit and polish their essays for our current writing unit, Informative Research Writing. All students have been researching the lives of someone who falls into our theme of “Creation & Innovation”. Students are researching and writing about the lives of artists, musicians, inventors, authors and poets.
Book Clubs meetings continue for the 2nd week and students meet to talk about the characters, plot and finding figurative language.
Science
This week students start a simple machines Lego unit this week. They also will learn about the engineering and design process as they work on creating a prototype for a marble maze. Their mission is to create a marble maze that slows down the marble the best. Teams will work on this project in preparations for the All 5th Grade Marble Maze competition during the last week of school.
Other Information
New Math Curriculum
Bridges in Mathematics
Focuses on:
Developing a deep understanding of mathematical concepts
Proficiency with key skills
Ability to solve complex problems
Showing thinking with pictures and sketches
Classroom discussions and discovering how math concepts connect
Class instruction is a combination of whole group, small group and independent activities that are problem centered
Home Connections assignments will be sent home 2-3 times a week.
- Family Letter will be sent home at the beginning of each unit.
Weekly Independent Reading Logs
Independent Reading Logs are a weekly reading expectation & homework assignment. Fifth grade expectation is that students should be independent reading for about 30 minutes, 5 nights a week.
- Students are to record their own reading time and then ask for your signature on their Independent Reading Logs each night that they read.
- Please help your student stay up to date on his/her daily reading, while also building student independence to complete this homework assignment
- Independent Reading Logs are due every Friday.
End of the Day Pick Up
If your student has a change in End of the Day plan (not mentioned on the Student Info Sheet you filled out at Open House/Curriculum Night), please send a note with your student, or send me an email. It is important that I know this information to help get your student to the right place at the end of the day.
Also if you want to give permission for your student to walk or bike home, you need to complete a permission slip in the office.
Follow us on Twitter!
- I plan to tweet out the newsletter link and occasional pictures of our learning. It can be a great way to get a peek at our day and fun happenings with the Bjerkians in 5th grade room 109.
- My Twitter handle is @mrsbjerk
Mrs. Bjerk
Email: janelle.bjerk@wayzata.k12.mn.us
Phone: (763) 745 - 5469
Twitter: @mrsbjerk