Jeffrey/Mead Team Blog
May 15 - 27
Math
Each day students participate in a Number Talk which are designed to help students become flexible, accurate and efficient when making calculations. The strategies we are teaching help students solve problems across all four operations. We are working on subtraction and multiplication strategies as well as fraction strategies.
This month students are revisiting coordinate planes and using a compass to create a map of a mole's den. The month will end with a treasure that they have put to the clues together to find.
Mrs. Mead's class continued Unit 4 and have been focusing on the standard algorithm for multiplication. Student's have been making connections between the algorithm and partial products. Ms. Jeffrey''s class finished Unit 4 and took the post assessment. They began Unit 6 with learning about angle types and how to measure them.
Math Stars
Students can work on their math stars worksheets independently at school and home. Worksheets should be handed in Thursday morning for double stars. They will have the opportunity to ask questions and get help on Thursday and resubmit their math stars for single stars. We hope kids have fun with this extra math opportunity!
Math Stars will wrap up by the end of May. Students should submit orders by Friday, June 3.
Read Aloud
Mrs. Mead's class is reading Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. This is a former Golden Dome List. The main character is Kyle Keeley and he loves games, especially games made by Mr. Luigi Lemoncello. At the start of the story, Kyle gets grounded and loses the privilege of electronics. This is happening at the same time that the new public library is opening in his town. The library is being opened by Mr. Lemoncello and Kyle wants to be a part of the library lock-in that is happening for 12 year old's. He works hard and ends up getting picked. After a fun evening at the library Kyle and the other 12 year old's wake up expecting to go home but find out they are a part of a bigger game- Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's library. The prize if they win is to be the spokesperson for Mr. Lemoncello's games this coming holiday season.
Writing
Ms. Jeffrey's students continued working on their narratives by adding more details and expanding on the problem(s).
Mrs. Mead's class is working on narrative writing. Students have planned out their stories after narrowing down their focus to manageable size. Students are drafting their writing before we are adding things like similes, metaphors, and dialogue.
Reading
Ms. Jeffrey's class began reading novels in verse. They are reading with a partner or in a small group. They have five assignments in total, which are due on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Mrs. Mead's class has pivoted based on feedback from students. Some students were really enjoying Chomp and took the option to continue reading this book. Others chose to leave the book and choose a book with a partner instead. We will be sharing figurative language, themes, character traits and more with each other about all books being read.
Social Studies/Science
Ms. Jeffrey's class began a Science Court on soil and its importance to plants.
Mrs. Mead's class is focusing on water systems. This past week we learning about the conditions needed in order for rain to occur. We are connecting each experiment we do to the causes of the Dust Bowl.
Puberty Unit
It is time for our science/health unit about the human body focused on puberty and the human reproductive systems. This unit will take place during the week of May 31-June 3, and then possibly a week after as well. We will focus on the physical and emotional changes that occur during puberty and briefly introduce the basic structure and function of human reproductive systems. Students will be participating in whole group discussions and have private reflection time.
5th to 6th Grade Parent Night
Mrs. Mead's Virtual Open House
Student Technology Tools
The following is a list of online programs students may use this year. Others could be added as the year progresses. Individual student password documents will be shared with students. We will be send home a permission form regarding student technology programs in the first weeks of school.
Safari Montage
Scholastic News
eSpark
BrainPop
Spelling City
Book Creator
Typing Club
IXL
Khan Academy
Prodigy
Masks
Masks are now optional at school. We will still have masks available in classrooms if students decide they want them during the day. In our classrooms we have talked about what it looks like and sounds like to be respectful of other decisions around masking.
FMS Newsletter
Celebrations
Early Dismissal Procedure
IMPORTANT! Procedure for Early Dismissal
In the event that your child needs to be dismissed early, the following protocol must be followed:
On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday - you must pick up by 2:00 p.m.
Wednesday- you must pick up by 1:00pm.
Send your child’s teacher and Kim Kedzierski (kkedzierski@ewsd.org) an email first thing in the morning letting them know what time your child needs to be dismissed, the reason why and the name of the person picking them up. Or, you can also call the attendance line at 879-6326 and leave a message stating your child’s name, time leaving, the name of the teacher, the reason why, and the name of the person picking them up.
When you arrive to pick up your child, please pull up to the front of the building and call Kim at 879-6326 to let her know you’re here
Important Dates
May 30 Memorial Day - no school
June 1 All Library books due back
June 10 Move Up Day
June 16 Last Day of School (report cards go home)
Contact Us
Karen Jeffrey: kjeffrey@ewsd.org
Kelsey Mead: kmead@ewsd.org
Website: https://www.ewsd.org/Domain/379
Location: Founders Memorial School, Founders Road, Essex Junction, VT, USA
Phone: 802-879-6326