April Newsletter
5th Grade News
Three-fourths of our year has passed by with the blink of an eye! We are heading into the fourth and final grading period of the year, beginning April 8th. This will be a fun last nine weeks for us as we review skills through collaborative projects, share books, take field trips, and celebrate our learning. Here are a few things to keep in mind as we enter April:
Fifth grade teachers continue to stress the importance of student independence and responsibility. Please encourage your students to advocate for themselves by letting their teachers know when they need help, made a mistake, or have a question.
The Fifth Grade Panoramic Photo will be taken in front of the school on April 11th at 11:20. Students should wear their class shirts.
Please check your child’s supply bag for missing or low supplies. Our students and classrooms are running out of pencils and glue sticks, scissors, notebook paper, notebooks AND TISSUES.
Middle School News
Urbana Middle School has recommended that families of current fifth graders sign up for the middle school's Find Out First. They'll be starting to post reminders and updates there that may apply to your soon-to-be middle schooler!
Upcoming Events
April 5th - No School
April 11th - Fifth Grade Panoramic Photo (Wear your class shirt!)
April 16th - Family Life Lesson
PARCC Testing
ELA Sessions: 4/24, 4/25, 4/29,
Math Sessions: 5/2, 5/3, 5/8, 5/9
April 18th - April 22nd - No School Spring Break
Math
This month we will be wrapping up our unit on multiplying and dividing fractions. Then, we will be studying quadrilaterals in order to classify them according to their attributes. We will focus on the “Quadrilateral Hierarchy” so that students understand that a square is always a rectangle and a rhombus, but not every rectangle or rhombus is always a square! Toward the end of the month students will also graph simple linear equations on a coordinate plane. For more information and resources about this month’s math, please see the chart at the end of this newsletter.
Social Studies
We have started Social Studies, and are studying early Explorers and their effects on the world. Next we will be learning about the colonization of the new world. Students will learn about the French & Indian War, taxation without representation, as well as major events that led to the start of the Revolution. Students will learn the differing perspectives of Patriots and Loyalists as well as the effects of the war against Britain.
There are many websites, books and videos available that support our study of the Revolutionary War. There are also many sites around the area that offer insight into colonial life. Some suggestions are Rose Hill Manor on Frederick, Mount Vernon or the Smithsonian’s American History Museum in DC. This spring would be a great time to visit these historical sites in order to enrich your child’s understanding of our country’s history!
Reading & Writing
Students will continue to read fiction and nonfiction texts in the fourth quarter. We will continue to use our “what good readers do” before, during and after reading to help us comprehend what we have read. We will practice these skills with poetry, drama, novels, short stories, and informational texts. Please continue to encourage your child to read every single day!. Our Reading Celebration is coming up (date to be determined) where we will celebrate our hard work with guest readers and good literature.