Barry 5th Grade Team Black
October 24, 2019
Important Dates and Information
10/24: Parent Teacher Conferences
10/25: No school
10/28: Southeast Regions Test
10/31: Fall Parties
11/1: Field Trip to Blue Springs School of Economics
What's Happening in 5th Grade?
Reminders
- Please check your child's planner to monitor their behavior chart, and keep updated on what we are doing in class.
- When going through your child's trapper, make sure they are with you and are not throwing away important paperwork.
- Daily Homework includes: Reading every night for 30 minutes and Math Fact Practice
- It would be a good idea for the students to keep a sweatshirt in their lockers for those days that are a little chilly.
- As the temperatures begin to cool, please make sure to send your student with a coat! We will go outside unless the temperature is 20 degrees or below.
Math
Students have started our unit on multiplying multi-digit whole numbers. We have covered multiplying greater numbers by powers of 10, estimating products, and just started multiplying 3 x 2 digit numbers. Students will be learning different methods to multiply greater numbers.
It is essential that they know their math facts fluently at this stage. Please practice at home, utilize Xtramath.org, students all have a log-in!
Homework (optional): 3-1 and 3-2 is up and due on Monday, October 28th.
Where: www.pearsonrealize.com
How to login: Username: student email (example: 2027abc@stu.platteco.k12.mo.us)
Password: pc followed by the student's computer password (example: pc1234567)
Current Homework: click on the "Classes" icon and it should lead you to current available assignments.
If you need log-in information or have any questions, please email me directly. Thank you!
ELA
We are really enjoying our figurative language unit. We are seeing how figurative language adds humor and visualization to writing. I look forward to seeing the kids incorporate it more into their pieces in the future. We are also covering theme. This unit is a review unit that I have found the kids are already very strong in. We will continue to practice this and learn to recognize themes in their own writing.
For writing, we are beginning our next writing unit on 3rd person narratives. We will work on incorporating dialogue into our stories and developing our characters in a way that makes them interesting.
For homework, the kids will have a nightly requirement of reading for 30 minutes. I was informed by many kids that they are not reading at home. This is currently all I am giving as an expectation for them. We had our first celebration with several kids participating. I hope to have an even greater number this quarter! I know they have a stronger understanding of the importance of pacing themselves to ensure they have a better chance to meet their goals. AR is an expectation that they will have all through middle school, so developing these habits and fulfilling requirements is good to figure out now as they approach actual letter grades.
Science
Students are now learning about the states of matter, physical and chemical changes. Thank you so much to those of you that have sent in donations. We are still in need of the following:
-Empty, cleaned out clear plastic bottles (12-20 oz)
-Chex/Trail Mix
-Vegetable Oil (any size)
Thanks!
Social Studies
I wanted to reach out and tell all of you who volunteered for the field trip, Thank you so much!! I wish we could have all of you, but unfortunately there was a limit. If you received a letter from me, you saw instructions for the day. Please reach out if you have any additional questions. We look forward to a fun day!!
For social studies, we are in our geography unit. The kids have tested on oceans and continents, southwest, west, Midwest and Monday, the southeast. I am very impressed with their work ethic and perseverance in learning these. It is not a simple task and requires pacing and repetition. This will be so helpful for them in future classes and studying. Our next region is the northeast region. I am planning to test this the week after our field trip on Thursday, November 7. Students get two chances to pass a map test, so I hope this helps with any frustrations they may have. Some helpful sites are sheppardsoftware.com and stack the states. A fun song for the kids to listen to as well is "Tour the States" on Youtube: https://youtu.be/_E2CNZIlVIg
We are also beginning instruction on economics to prepare for the trip. I will continue the instructions a couple weeks after the trip as well.
Contact Us
ELA/Social Studies
816-436-9623 ext. 3143
Mrs. Thompson
Math/Science
816-436-9623 ext. 3144
Follow Us on Instagram
Mrs. Thompson: @thompsons5thgrade