5CE March Update
Curriculum Overview
We are hopeful that beautiful flowers will be out and about soon! Until then, please enjoy our plans for blossoming in the classroom this month! :)
Reading Workshop
5th graders will be reading and enjoying short stories as a whole class, in partnerships, and independently during the month of March. We will use these stories to analyze motivations of our characters and to determine the author's larger lesson that is being presented. Close reading of these texts will allow students to think critically about what they're reading, as well as develop and support their own theories about the books.
Students will continue to read their own independent books, as well. Through daily IR (Independent Reading) checks, students share what they're currently reading with each other, and we hare generating lots of enthusiasm around our book choices! If you need a book recommendation, ask your child! (wink, wink!)
Students will continue to read their own independent books, as well. Through daily IR (Independent Reading) checks, students share what they're currently reading with each other, and we hare generating lots of enthusiasm around our book choices! If you need a book recommendation, ask your child! (wink, wink!)
Writing Workshop
This first week and a half of March, students will continue to put the final edits and revisions on their research papers. Students worked long and hard at school (and at home) to put together structured and informative papers on a self-selected topic related to our science and social studies units. They can't wait to share their published pieces with their classmates!
After spring break, students will begin their unit on Literary Essays. These essays really empower students to think deeply about what they're reading and EXPRESS those thoughts in writing. Students will use the same short stories that we're using in Reading Workshop to develop these essays. March writing activities will have us reading and responding to conversational prompts that will help push our thinking and writing to the next level. Open up your child's writer's notebook to see what they are thinking about; be prepared to be impressed!
After spring break, students will begin their unit on Literary Essays. These essays really empower students to think deeply about what they're reading and EXPRESS those thoughts in writing. Students will use the same short stories that we're using in Reading Workshop to develop these essays. March writing activities will have us reading and responding to conversational prompts that will help push our thinking and writing to the next level. Open up your child's writer's notebook to see what they are thinking about; be prepared to be impressed!
Math
Students finished up their work with percentages this week and began our new unit on Statistical Measures. Students will collect and analyze sets of data in order to find the minimum, maximum, range, median, mode, and mean (average). Understanding when and how to use each measurement is important, and students will learn to appreciate how outliers can affect their results as well.
In addition to data collection, students will also learn how to interpret and create line graphs by hand and on the computer. We have many fun activities in store for your kiddos, and we know that they are going to enjoy these interactive units.
Please click on the link below to be directed to an interactive lesson on mean, median, mode, and range! This activity provides great review and practice of these concepts!
In addition to data collection, students will also learn how to interpret and create line graphs by hand and on the computer. We have many fun activities in store for your kiddos, and we know that they are going to enjoy these interactive units.
Please click on the link below to be directed to an interactive lesson on mean, median, mode, and range! This activity provides great review and practice of these concepts!
Social Studies
Students just finished presenting their projects on Early Man and are ready to dig deep into Ancient Egypt. We will begin our unit by studying the geographic features of Egypt and the Near East, including the Nile River, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Taurus Mountains, in order to better understand how geography influenced historical events in this region. Students will also physically re-create and interact with the landscapes of Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Canaan to understand how environmental factors affected human settlement in these regions. We will finish out the month of March by studying six different Mesopotamian civilizations, noting and discussing key achievements and maps of each empire.
Reminders!
*Spring Break: March 17-21 (Enjoy!)
*Operation Helping Hand: Please send in spaghetti sauce and/or canned tomatoes with your child to help support 2nd grade's community service project. Thank you!
*Operation Helping Hand: Please send in spaghetti sauce and/or canned tomatoes with your child to help support 2nd grade's community service project. Thank you!