I saw this last year and just loved the analogy. I thought sharing it right before report cards were published might give us a little perspective on progress, potential, and academic pressure.

Report Cards will be posted in the Parent Portal on December 16th. Lafayette uses the same format as the K-3 schools when reporting on your child's progress - Standard Based Reporting. You can click here for more information on Standards-Based Report Cards.

In order to begin to understand what the teachers are reporting on, you need to know what they have been working on since August. You can gain a very full picture of what your children are working on if you visit their Google Classroom. All of our students know how to access and navigate Google Classroom so take some time over the next few weeks to sit with your child and go over their work in Google Classroom. Below is a quick overview of what has been happening during English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies.

4th Grade: English Language Arts

The students have been concentrating on reading comprehension strategies (metacognition, schema, inferring, visualizing, building interpretations, making connections, etc.) and applying them to realistic fiction. Our writing process has also focused on realistic fiction, with a concentration on craft, as well as mechanics. Supporting our ideas and written responses with text based evidence is an ongoing goal, as well.

4th Grade Math:

We have covered whole-number place value concepts and have learned several different strategies for multi-digit multiplication and division. Students have had opportunities to utilize these strategies in order to solve word problems. We will begin a unit on factors, multiples, and prime numbers, before transitioning into fractions.

4th Grade Science:

The students investigated the effect of forces on moving and stationary objects. First, to gather data, the students conducted a hands-on, marble collision experiment. They also gathered evidence from various nonfiction texts and videos and conducted an online experiment. Finally, the students used this data to create scientific models and then wrote an evidence-based scientific explanation to explain why a stationary object moves after a moving object collides into it. Next, the students explored how energy is transferred and transformed to turn mechanical energy into light energy in a hand-crank flashlight. Similar to the first investigation, students gathered evidence from online simulations and nonfiction texts and videos before creating a scientific model and an explanation to explain how a crank flashlight works.

4th Grade Social Studies:

We began the year learning how social studies works through the lenses of social scientists (historian, geographer, economist, and political scientist). Map skills are a central focus in the first unit, as well. We have analyzed several primary and secondary sources. Learning how people live, what they do and where they live is discovered through exploring the regions of the United States. We began at home with the Northeast region! We will continue to study the regions of the United States throughout the next marking period.

5th grade English Language Arts:

The primary focus for this marking period has been reading and writing realistic fiction. In reading, we developed a deeper understanding of fictional elements such as characters and themes and supported our thinking with text evidence. We also focused on determining and comparing themes across texts. Students have been learning to support their ideas with evidence from the text. Additionally, students have been working on developing good reading habits such as being able to read for longer periods of time and consistently finding “just right” books in a variety of genres. In writing this marking period we worked on fictional narratives with a focus on elaboration and author's craft.

5th grade Math:

We have explored place value concepts and how to express numbers in a variety of forms. We have also utilized the standard algorithm for addition, subtraction, and multiplication of whole numbers and decimals.

5th grade Science:

The students began the year investigating the pattern of star brightness in the night's sky. First, to gather data, the students conducted a hands-on flashlight experiment. They also gathered evidence from various nonfiction texts and videos and conducted an online experiment. Finally, the students used this data to create scientific models and then wrote an evidence-based scientific explanation to explain why some stars in the night's sky are bright and others are dim. In the next investigation, the students explored how the Earth's rotation causes shadows to change in length and direction throughout the day. Similar to the first investigation, students gathered evidence from online simulations and nonfiction texts and videos before creating a scientific model and an explanation to explain how and why shadows change throughout the day.

5th Grade Social Studies:

To start off the year, we discuss how history is a discipline of inquiry and analysis of the evidence of the past to create useful understandings of the human experience. In 5th grade, we begin the study of Native Americans before European exploration and continue into the exploration of the Americas. Then we compare regional cultures developed in the colonies because of the climate, geography, natural resources, as well as the education and religion of colonists. Now we have begun to study the systems of slavery and triangular trade between Europe, West Africa and the Americas. Students analyze how slavery affected the economy and the culture of all of the colonies and how African slaves reacted to their lives as slaves in various ways. Throughout each unit, students analyze primary and secondary sources to think critically about how people live their lives as individuals and in groups.

MINTED Fundraiser now runs year-round!! Use code FUNDRAISECHATHAMPTO to receive 20% off all Minted items, excluding fine art prints, when code is entered at checkout. 15% of the net sales from each purchase will be donated back to Chatham Schools at the end of the year!!! Thank you for your support.

The PTO has an exciting announcement! We're running a 30-day campaign with HundredX. Causes to bring you a way to create funding for Lafayette School without spending a cent. HundredX Causes is a way for people to give without spending to a cause they care about – just by sharing their opinions.

Starting November 10 through December 13, each time you share a quality brand opinion with HundredX, up to $2 goes towards Lafayette School! You can personally create up to $150 of value (by giving 75 pieces of feedback).

Please click https://hundredx.com/schools or text “SCHOOLS” to 90412 to sign up and learn more about the program. One last thing - when you join a HundredX Causes program, your personal information is not sold or shared. During the campaign, you will receive reminders from HundredX to submit feedback, which is why you submit your contact information. You may opt-out at any time.

November:

23 - Early Dismissal @ 1:00 pm

24 - 25 Thanksgiving Break

December:

15 - Night of Music 7:00 pm Gazebo

16 - Hickory Tree Pizza Day

21 - 5th Grade Band and Orchestra Concerts

23 - Early Dismissal @ 1:00 pm

Winter Break - See you in 2023!