LDES Families-

January was been a busy month as students completed middle of the year assessments and reflected on their growth so far this year. Mrs. Sinkler, our SEL Counselor and Ms. Williams, our Social Worker, completed hygiene classes for all students, and students received a free toothbrush, toothpaste, and other items. This month we will have awards assemblies to celebrate our students academic success and their growth! Awards Assemblies will be on Friday, February 17th. 4th grade is at 12:30 PM and 5th grade is at 1:30 PM. Assemblies will take place in the gym.

We also have started our multiplication fact challenge where all 4th graders take weekly multiplication quizzes and classes compete with knowing their multiplication facts. Every 4th grade student has a set of multiplication cards, and we are asking that they practice their facts every night! 5th grade students are participating in a science vocabulary challenge and are receiving vocabulary cards to practice every night. 5th grade classes are also competing weekly against each other with science vocabulary quizzes. We are so proud of all the hard work and growth our students have made. Spend a few minutes talking to your child about their goals why goals are important!

Mr. Hewitt and Mrs. Mosley

• citing evidence and making inferences using details in the text (RL.1)
• identifying theme(s) and summarizing (RL.2)
• analyzing the story's plot with an in depth study of characters and character relationships (RL.3)
• understanding and applying grade level vocabulary using context clues and other strategies (RL.4 and L.4)

We will also be continuing our learning of grammar skills - understanding and applying nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, proper nouns, pronouns, and simple/complex sentence structure.

Below are questions that students will need to be able to answer when reading their chapter book during this unit:

• What are the major events that happen in the story?
• What details help you understand what is happening to the characters?
• What inferences can you make and what details from the text support your inferences?
• What does the text say? What do you think about that? Why is that important?

• What is the theme of this story?
• What details from the text led you to determine the theme?
• What details would you include from the beginning, middle, and end to summarize the story?
  

• How does _______ (character name) act at the beginning of the story? Why?
• What details in the text about the character’s thoughts, words or actions help you describe that character?
  
• How does the setting contribute to the story or a character’s actions?
• How does the character’s behavior change from the beginning of the story to the end? What details help you know this?
  

• What does the word/phrase ________mean in this sentence?
• What words do you know in the sentence that can help you figure out the meaning of that word or phrase?

*If you would like to take a deeper look at the NC Standard Course of Study for English Language Arts, please click on a link below.

• 4th grade NC ELA Standards
• 5th grade NC ELA Standards

• Explaining why a fraction is equivalent or equal to another fraction, with attention to how the number and size of the parts differ even though the two fractions themselves are the same size. (NF.1)
  
• Comparing two fractions with different numerators and different denominators, using the denominators 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, and 100. (NF.2)
  

*Check out these YouTube videos that explain the skills above!

• What are Equivalent Fractions
• Finding Equivalent Fractions Using Skip Counting
• Comparing Fractions

*If you would like to take a deeper look at the NC Standard Course of Study for 4th grade Math, please click on the link below.

4th grade Math Standards

• Dividing a whole number by a decimal and divide a decimal by a whole number, using repeated subtraction or area models. Decimals should be limited to hundredths place. (NBT.7)
  
• Solving real-world problems with multi-digit whole numbers and decimal numbers.(NBT.7)

*Check out these YouTube videos that explain the skills above!

• Dividing Decimals with Box Method
• Dividing Decimals with Whole Number Divisors
• Dividing Decimals with Decimal Divisors
• Dividing Decimals Using Models
• Decimal Division Models

*If you would like to take a deeper look at the NC Standard Course of Study for 5th grade Math, please click on the link below.

5th grade Math Standards

• Compare the physical properties of samples of matter (strength, hardness, flexibility, ability to conduct heat, ability to conduct electricity, ability to be attracted by magnets, reactions to water and fire). Students know that samples of matter have many observable properties that can be measured. (P.2.1)
  
• Explain how minerals are identified using tests for the physical properties of hardness, color, luster, cleavage, and streak. (P.2.2)
  

Check out this website for more information and help with the explanation of the skills above.

Science Study Jams (Igneous Rocks)

Science Study Jams (Metamorphic Rocks)

Science Study Jams (Minerals)

*If you would like to take a deeper look at the NC Standard Course of Study for 4th grade Science, please click on the link below.

4th grade Science Standards

• Explaining how gravity, friction, and change in mass affects the motion of objects. (P.1.1)
• Inferring the motion of objects in terms of how far they travel in a certain amount of time and the direction in which they travel. (P.1.2)
• Predicting the effect of a given force or a change in mass on the motion of an object. (P.1.4)
• Illustrating the motion of an object using a graph to show a change in position over a period of time. (P.1.3)

Check out this website for more information and help with the explanation of the skills above.

Science Study Jams (Force and Motion)

*If you would like to take a deeper look at the NC Standard Course of Study for 5th grade Science, please click on the link below.

5th grade Science Standards

Social awareness: The ability to understand the perspectives of and empathize with others, including those from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and contexts. This includes the capacity to feel compassion for others, understand broader historical and social norms for behavior in different settings, and recognize family, school, and community resources and supports.

Such as:

• Taking others’ perspectives

• Recognizing strengths in others

• Demonstrating empathy and compassion

• Showing concern for the feelings of others Understanding and expressing gratitude Identifying diverse social norms, including unjust ones

• Recognizing situational demands and opportunities

• Understanding the influences of organizations and systems on behavior

• February 17th- Honor Roll/Award Assembly (4th grade-12:30 PM and 5th grade-1:30 PM in the gym)
• February 20th- Presidents Day (Teacher workday-No School for students)
• February 21st- Book Fair Begins (opens each day from 12:30 PM-2:00 PM & during Media Specials for students)
• February 27th- Last day of Book Fair and Donuts for parents (7:45 AM-9:00 AM-all parents are welcome)
• February 28th- Progress Reports will go home for students
• March 10th - Last day for LDES t-shirt and hoodie sale!

Our teachers do an excellent job of communicating information regarding our programs and activities going on in our school. Here is way you can stay informed proactively:

A phone call or an email is an efficient way to communicate with your child’s teacher. Please remember that our teachers are with students throughout the day and will return the call/email as soon as they are able. At times, this may be the next school day.