@5thGradeParents
Prairie View's 5th Grade News
Preview of last week's learning...
From Fish to Fossil by Andrea
Six Week Auctions- Need Donations
Week 15 Learning Targets
Language Arts- We will be finishing up our class reading of Woods Runner by Gary Paulsen and deciding on a mini-essay topic to write about. We will continue meeting in book clubs as the students read the 4th section of their Gary Paulsen book club book. As we read, we will continue looking for patterns in Gary Paulsen's writing. In social studies, we will continue to study the three branches of government and the preamble.
Math- This week will be filled with exploration, investigation and explanation. We will continue subtraction of mixed numbers and developing strategies best suited for each problem. We will learn to decompose mixed numbers, continue finding common denominators, and reducing fractions to their most simple form. A Biannual Assessment is scheduled for Thursday, and will cover everything our learners are responsible for thus far. Following the Assessment we will enter in to a unit of measurement and conversion.
Science- This week in science, our 5th graders will continue learn about our Earth. Monday we will finish learning about the characteristics of weather and climate. Tuesday we will be revisiting the water cycle and investigate evaporation, accumulation, precipitation and condensation. Wednesday and Thursday the fifth graders will begin our unit on space and Earth. They will be creating models using a balloon, sharpie, and craft bead to represent the proportion of the Earth, Sun and Moon. Important: this lab will be using latex balloons so please kindly remind you child’s teacher if they have an allergy to latex. Friday we will be learning about the Earth’s characteristics that cause seasons ( the axis, rotation, position of the sun).
Scheduled Class Visits
You child's class will be visiting the school store to purchase on the following day during recess:
Branstetter- Tuesday
Davidson- Wednesday
Fortner- Thursday
Ward- Friday
PVE Writing Rubric Expectations
Parents, we would like to refresh your memory of the 2014/2015 PVE instructional focus. Across all curricular arenas we are directing our attention to writing. It is our expectation that every student will progress at least one year in their level of writing. As a staff we have created a rubric to hold the students accountable. This rubric is posted below. When your child is writing any assignment at home, please hold them to the fifth grade standard. The rubric is not unfamiliar to the students. A checklist with goals is in their Go Folder (pictured below). Please review your child's checklist and goals with them at home. The rubric itself is in every subject notebook, and it is posted in every classroom. We are continually amazed by the quality of work our children produce and fully expect each child to meet their goal.
Stride Academy
We do have Stride Academy again this year. It is a great online program for the kids to play and have fun while strengthening their reading and math skills. It works at their level and targets specific areas of need. Please login and enjoy! Please find your child's homeroom teacher information below.
Million Word Challenge 2nd 6 Week Winner
Mrs. Davidson's Homeroom
Million Words Challenge
We challenge you! This year we will be counting minutes towards our Million Word Challenge. Our goal is for each fifth grader to read for at least 30 minutes a night or 150 minutes a week. At the end of the six weeks your child should have read a total of 900 minutes to meet the goal. All you have to do is make sure your child is logging the minutes they read every night on the back of their planner, where their homework is located, and log their total minutes for the week. Teachers will take the reading log up at the first of each week. October 3 is our first goal check. We can all get 900 minutes by then! Please make sure you are signing their planner to verify they read the minutes logged.
Bring in Boxtops!
Daily Homework and Responsibilities
Every night your child should be reading 30 minutes from a book, newspaper, blog, etc. of their choice. On the back of their planner, they have one question to answer about their reading. This should be in complete sentences and make sense. We discussed setting a routine, whether it be immediately when they get home or right before bed. Talk with your child about what routine works for your family. A great idea would be to set an alarm everyday to help remind them. 5th grade is a great year to release some responsibility to your child to complete their homework. This reading log will track their progress towards our million words goal.
** Please remember to sign your child's planner daily. This will remain in their green "Go Folder." It should GO with them wherever they go! It is an important means of communication between parents and teacher.** It also verifies their reading minutes.
Friday folders will come home on Fridays. Those will include graded work, notes from the school, and other handouts. This folder is purple. Please sign and return on Monday.
Please Bring Headphones/Earbuds/ Pencil Holder
PTA MEeting: Choir Holiday Concert
Tuesday, Dec 16, 2014, 05:30 PM
PVE
Winter Classroom Parties
Friday, Dec 19, 2014, 01:45 PM
Classroom
NO SCHOOL for WINTER BREAK
Monday, Dec 22, 2014, 07:15 AM
With your family
Contact Information
Mrs. Branstetter
Email: sbranstetter@nisdtx.org
Website: http://www.nisdtx.org/Page/44875
Phone: 8172150580
Mrs. Davidson
Email: bdavidson01@nisdtx.org
Website: http://www.nisdtx.org/Domain/1984
Phone: 8172150588
Ms. Fortner
Email: rfortner@nisdtx.org
Website: http://www.nisdtx.org/Domain/5946
Phone: 8172150583
Mrs. Ward
Email: pward@nisdtx.org
Website: http://www.nisdtx.org/Domain/1877
Phone: 8172150593