Fifth Grade Newsletter
February 2016
Reading/Language Arts
We are continuing to enhance our reading abilities through the study of writing traits. Students are learning how to better organize their writing, add more description through appropriate word choice, improve readability with sentence fluency, and more!
Mathematics
We finished our multiplying decimals unit last month with a shopping spree project!
Science
Social Studies
Parents, we are still in need of volunteers for our Biztown field trip! Please contact us if you are able to help out!
Hebrew
This month our students will focus mainly on strengthening their Hebrew writing skills. As they continue working on their movie project the students are required to use the Hebrew vocabulary in the book they read, in order to create a movie plot, similar to the one they read in their reading book. The narrative they write will include a class problem, an analysis of the problem from different perspectives (i.e. by using different “thinking caps”), possible solutions and an understanding of the class’ morals and values. Writing the scripts allows the students to experience how to convert the Hebrew knowledge they gained so far into a conversational style of Hebrew. It also strengthens their writing abilities because they are expected to be aware of their letter formation, spelling, punctuation, tenses and other grammar rules.
The students will also be required to continue practicing their reading skills (i.e. fluency, accuracy and comprehension) by reading new pages in their reading book and recording them in class.
Chodesh Tov!
Students enjoyed creating their edible arrangements for Tu b'shvat!
Torah
Exploratorium
Fifth grade will rotate this month in their modules. This allows for students to experience new adventure in learning that include garbology and rock and resources. Students will investigate and recognize that there are a variety of different landforms on Earth's surface such as coastlines, dunes, rivers, mountains, glaciers, deltas, and lakes and relate these landforms as they apply to Florida. Students will identify the patterns within the rock cycle and relate them to surface events (weathering and erosion) and sub-surface events (plate tectonics and mountain building).
Art
Spanish
Mandarin
This month we will learn about the Chinese New Year, which is on February 8th, and it is the year of the monkey. We will learn about vocabulary related to Chinese New Year, including "Happy New Year" and New Year’s blessings. Using a PowerPoint, they will also learn how to sing a Chinese New Year song, as well as play interactive games related to the celebration of the New Year. The PowerPoint will also include Chinese New Year’s traditions and cuisine. Students are learning about the 12 Chinese zodiac animals and their stories, and they will find out what zodiac animal corresponds with their birth year.