Sunday, November 1st, 2009

Dear 5th Grade Families,

   Welcome back to our 5th grade note pad.  We are making great progress in class.  Your child's goal sheet with notes from your family conference will be coming home this week.  As always, if you need to contact me, there is a link to my email above or for urgent matters, my home number is 213-341-1218 and my cell number is 323-655-2516. 

(No calls after 8pm,please)

                My best,

                Jude

Social Studies:  Currently students are studying and discussing landscapes, shelter, and resources of the first Americans.  Some of the tribes we will focus on are: Iroquois, Haida, Lakota, and Navajo.  I'd like to start taking our class to the Mid Valley Library for research.  If you have not turned in a permission slip, please do.  These forms are available in the office.  Also, please make sure your child has a Los Angeles Public Library card.

Math:  We are working on methods in mental calculations, word problems using bar modeling, multiplying and dividing with 2 digit numbers.

 Science:  We are experimenting with saturated solutions of salt water and epsom salt and water.  This week, we will do an experiment with a mystery substance. 

Students will be working on comparing reactants and products before and after a chemical reaction as well as making atom and molecule models.  

Language Arts:  We have just completed our first whole group book club reading of Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson. Students are reviewing vocabulary and making art projects related to a theme in the story.  Our next book club reading will be In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson by Bette Bao Lord.  Themes in this story include family and friendship.  This story details a year in the life of a young girl named Sixth Cousin as she journeys from China to America.

Students are working on root words, prefixes, spelling, and vocabulary such as sub-, super-, trans-, pre-, and circum-.  Each week students focus on one root and a new word list.  They are quizzed on the word list each Friday. 

Our first edition of OCS Times was distributed on Friday, 10/31.  It is beautiful.

I'd like to order cursive writing books for each of my students from www.upub.net.  They cost $4.50 each.  If you can contribute, please send cash or check made out to OCS.  Thanks!

PE: On Mondays this month, students will be working with CSUN Kinesthesiology students.  

Music: Music with Emily Wells is on Tuesdays from 2:20-2:50.  Dave Curtis works with our class in small groups on Thursdays from 11:30-2:30. 

Art:  The arts are integrated into all curricula areas. 

FIELD TRIPS:

LA Times, Riley's Farm Revolutionary War Adventure,  Huntington Library, and/or the Science Center.  Unfortunately, the Privateer Lynx is moving to the East Coast this year. I am looking for an alternative field trip.