December News
Reading 2016
Notes from Our Classroom...
Dear parents,
I cannot believe it is already December. Time is flying by. We are close to our winter break, but we still have much to accomplish before we get there. Encourage your students to stay focused and do their best. We still have assignments to complete and they need to keep up with their work.
We have been working on finding the main idea and writing summaries of what we read. We are considering the details of the text and discerning what are significant details and what are minor details. All of this leads into our study of text structure. Recognizing the structure of the text helps us in comprehending what we read, and recognizing the author's purpose.
Last week students received their final project assignment for the novel, There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom. They will be making a time capsule, and hopefully they all made it home with their empty Pringles can. We went over the assignment in class, but I would encourage you to read over it with them again. They all were sent home with a copy of the assignment and the rubric that will be used to grade it. I look forward to seeing what they will create/write! The rough draft for that is due Dec. 13th, and the final project needs to be turned in on Friday, Dec. 16th.
One last thing...but important thing... I want to mention is about our progress in our reading rotations that happens each day. Overall, I am proud of the students and the responsibility they are showing as fifth graders and the work they are engaging in. I have begun to staple the work done in class together and give back to students on Mondays. This week, I am giving students' homeroom teachers the work from last week to put in students' Tuesday Packets so that you can see it. In future weeks I will continue to give it to students at the beginning of the week so that we can go over it and review it. I will send it home with them so that they can share it with you. If your students' grades have taken a "dip," this will allow you to look at their progress this week. The motto in class right now is "Slow down, take your time, and think!" Informational texts are read differently than fictional stories. I think every student could stand to hear this again from you at home. Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions.
The next Newsletter will be sent in the new year...hard to believe! Joy, Peace, and Blessings to each of you and your children this season!
Happy Holidays!
Mrs. Walldorf