The Buzz in Room 218!
Mrs. Crickenberger's Class-January 31 Edition
Baby/Childhood Photos Needed!!
In order to prepare for a special end of year presentation, as well as an exciting display in the yearbook, we are asking for some help from you. We are requesting that one early childhood or baby photo of each 5th grader be sent in as soon as possible. A notice went home in Monday folders a few weeks ago, but I thought I would give another reminder. The photos will be given to Ms. MacPherson, our library assistant, to organize for these upcoming projects. If you prefer to send an electronic copy, feel free to email the photo to: kmacpherson@k12albemarle.org. When sending all photos please be sure to include your child’s name. All photos will be returned upon completion. If you have any questions please feel free to contact Kelli Crickenberger (kcrickenberger@k12albemarle.org).
We thank you in advance for your support in these fun projects!
Congratulations to Jack!
Recess in the Winter
Classroom Needs & STEAM Project Needs
Also, in Social Studies we will be working on a new STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math) project. If you have any cardboard or old boxes that you don't need please send them in as soon as possible.
Report Card Timeline Update!
Valentine's Celebration
Reading
- There are two new tasks that students will be working on during Language Arts. One is Inferencing Task Cards and the other is Curiosity Research Cards. Be sure to ask your child about these new task cards!
- Most reading groups are in the process of either continuing to explore the historical fiction genre or beginning to explore the realistic fiction genre. Please be sure to ask your child which book their reading group is reading.
- Mrs. Dettmann will continuing to meet with her reading groups. Her reading groups will meet twice a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10:20-11:00am. If your child is in her reading group please contact her with any questions or concerns at mdettmann@k12albemarle.org.
- Weekly Reading logs are assigned each Monday. Students are required to read a total of 120 minutes per week. Students do not have to read each day, but rather can map out their weekly reading requirements to coordinate with their busy schedules. Students should fill in the number of minutes, title of the book and have an adult initial next to each of the reading days. Weekly reading logs will be a part of their reading grade. Please email me if you have any questions about the weekly reading logs.
Word Study & GLOW
- We have recently begun a new word study program called GLOW (Greek/Latin Origin Words). This is a program that all students will be doing during homeroom time on Thursdays. Here is some additional information about GLOW:
- GLOW incorporates images and provides opportunities for students to learn both socially and recursively. We paired roots and affixes with images because humans are able to recall images, even images we've seen just once, with great reliability, even after long periods of time**. We created lessons that encourage social interaction because, according to Robert Marzano in his book Building Academic Vocabulary: Teacher's Manual (page 29), "interacting with other people about what we are learning deepens the understanding of everyone involved." GLOW provides recursive learning opportunities because the more we see, hear, and speak, the greater our chance or remembering. According to the ASCD's Educational Leadership article, "The Words Students Need" (October 2010), "probably the most consistent finding related to good vocabulary instruction is that students need multiple exposures to a word to learn it well (Lawrence, 2009; Nagy, Herman, & Anderson, 1985)."
- Word Study and Root Word Study groups are continuing to meet. Students who are in homeroom word study will be getting their sort assigned each Monday. The students will then have the next few days to complete their word work online in Google Classroom, and it will be submitted to me on Friday afternoon. They will also take their quizzes on Friday. For students in Root Word Study with Mrs. Dettmann they will take their quizzes and turn in all assigned work every other Thursday.
Writing
- Hopefully you enjoyed reading your children's persuasive essays. Many of them were very excited to share them with you. In writing we are now beginning to focus on research writing. In class we are working on research skills, evaluating appropriate resources, and citing sources. The students will have been tasked to come up with a research question based on any of the 4th or 5th grade Science or Social Studies learning standards. Once they create their research question they will be going through the research process, writing their papers, and then creating a works cited page. All of this will be done at school, but be sure to ask you child what topic they are thinking about choosing.
Social Studies & Science
- As of Friday, January 29th, the students are now in homeroom with me studying the Civil War and then we will move on to Reconstruction. This unit will go through Friday, February 26th. During these two units we will be working on a STEAM project based on the book, Henry's Freedom Box, by Ellen Levine. In this book a slave figures out a way to ship himself to freedom. This is an outstanding book that is based on a true story. The students will be doing research on lives on slaves during this time period and then will actually construct a box that could be used to ship a person to freedom.
- The next Science unit, which will review all four grade Science material will be with Mrs Greenwood, will start on Monday, February 29th.
Birthday Celebrations
Important Dates
- February 9th-PTO Meeting
- February 9th-19th 6th Grade Henley Class Recommendations will be made
- February 12th-Valentine Lunch Celebration
- February 15th-Snow Make Up School Day (previously a teacher workday)
- February 18th-ACPS Spelling Bee
- February 22nd-BEE Program Spring Registration
- February 25 & 26 Student Variety Shows at 6:30pm
- March 1-Student Holiday (Green Teacher Workday)
Mrs. Kelli Crickenberger
Email: kcrickenberger@k12ablemarle.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/k12albemarle.org/5th-grade-nwes/homeroom-buzz/ms-day
Location: 5870 Rockfish Gap Turnpike, Crozet, VA, United States
Phone: (434) 823-5120