5th Grade
Keefe, Kingsley & Ward
Upcoming Events
December 4th: No School (Term 2 Ends)
December 11th: Christmas Clearing Council Gifts due
December 21-23: Poetry Reading (More Information to Come)
Christmas Clearing Council
The holidays are just around the corner! Horizon will be spreading the holiday cheer by helping out families in need. Each grade level will be responsible for two children. Fifth grade is sponsoring a 13 year old girl who wants to be writer when she grows up. She is the oldest and has three younger siblings. She loves music and singing. The other child we are sponsoring is a 10 year old boy who loves football; his favorite team is the Packers! He has three sisters. Below you will find gift ideas.
If you choose to donate, please bring gifts by December 11th. We ask that you do not wrap anything, just label the age and boy or girl. If you would like to make a money donation, gifts will be purchased from them with money collected.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful giving and making a child's holiday a little bit brighter.
For Christmas she is wishing for:
- Clothes size 10/12 in women's
- A radio
- Pens & Pencils
- Slippers
- Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul
- Fuzzy blanket
- PJ's
- Nail Polish
For Christmas he is wishing for:
- Football anything (football, hats, shirts (size large), cards)
- Packer anything! (jersey)
- Movies
- Athletic pants (size 10/12)
- Socks
Reading
Partner reading is going well. Goals are being achieved and reinforcing concepts are being written before we begin our second book. Students first partner books need to be completed on Monday so they can complete the assignments and conference with me.
We are focusing on understanding and interpreting a story and as readers, paying attention to:
* theme: What is the central idea or message? We know that it is often inferred, there is a central idea or message and a book can have more than one theme.
* characters: their traits, motivations, relationships, life lessons
* plot: How do events that happen later connect to earlier ones?
* setting: Mood, changes, how does the setting affect characters?
* repeating objects: Why is that object spotlighted? Does it stand for something?
Small strategy groups are continuing to reinforce concepts and we are building our reading goals to achieve great success.
Thank you for wonderful conferences, it is a pleasure to work with great parents who want the very best education for their children.
Writing
The Thankfulness Essay Contest was optional for students. Entries were due on Monday at the end of the day. One winner will be selected from each category.
Math
Students worked on multiplying fractions, whole numbers, and mixed numbers this week focusing on why this works. As a result, students understand why the standard algorithms work using visuals and showing each step in the process. When students are able to show their thinking they are increasing their number sense, which is crucial in high math classes.
Next week students will have a quiz on multiplying fractions, whole numbers, and mixed numbers on Tuesday, December 1. There will be review homework on Monday that will further prepare your child for the quiz.
If you have not yet, please take a look at the following recipe that students will be making in class to see if there are any allergy concerns you might have for your child. Students will be using their knowledge of multiplying fractions to alter the serving size of a Chex® Mix recipe. Also, if there is a substitute I could use, please let me know. I would like every child to participate in this activity. Thank you to parents who have already contacted me in regards to any allergies that your child might have concerning this recipe.
Social Studies
Science
In the past week, students have taken their worm quiz, worm anatomy quiz, wrapped up the feeding worms lab, asked big questions, and began a new lab. When students return from break, they will plant corn seeds in two cups. One cup has organic material and the other has inorganic - students hypothesized which corn plant would grow best.
The four opportunity for science was due this week on Monday.