January 20-23: Science Camp

February 16-20: Mid-Winter Break (No School)

March 16, 17, and 19: Mid-year conferences (for select students)

March 20: Staff Development Day (No School)

April 13-17: Spring Break (No School)

Click here for the yearlong school calendar

FIFTH GRADE Science is HERE! Please refer to this letter (same letter as last week) for all the last minute details! I look forward to seeing fifth grade students no later than 8 am on Tuesday morning. This will help prevent congestion with regular school drop off.

A huge thank you to Shana Shepherd (Andres's mom) and Brian Meidinger (Hugh's dad) for coming in last week for our third Project Cornerstone lesson. They read a book called Renee Has Two Last Names, which celebrates culture and family. They then led the class in an art activity in which each student decorated a felt square that represents his or her culture. The squares will be assembled into a quilt that will hang in the classroom. As a follow-up to the lesson, a letter for families with suggested family discussion points was provided in last week's Thursday envelope.

Last Thursday, we spent some time with our Kindergarten buddies by helping them with a Science lesson. We helped them with how to make a wind sock and tried to use it to determine the direction of the wind. We also read a Science book together. In two weeks, we will have another buddies activity in which we celebrate the 100th day of school together!

We are continuing in investigation 3, which focuses on the concept of solubility. Last week, students continued to learn about the concept of solubility with some online tutorials. When we return from Science Camp, we will take an assessment covering investigation 2 and 3. To extend learning at home, try this crystal growing activity.

We are currently in a personal narrative writing unit. Students began this unit by brainstorming initial topics in class. We thought through moments that made us feel happy, confident, scared, nervous, or sad. Students then chose one topic to begin writing a story. As students write drafts over the next few weeks, they will learn about how to write an interesting beginning, how to stretch out the heart of the story, how to "show not tell," how to use narrative transitions, how to incorporate more description and figurative language, and how to write a meaningful ending. Be sure to ask your child what he or she is writing about!

We are currently in two new novel studies. Most of the class is reading a historical fiction novel titled The Watsons Go to Birmingham. It is a humorous and moving journey of a Black family traveling from Flint, Michigan, to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. The story highlights family bonds, racial tensions, and coming-of-age amidst the Civil Rights Movement. A smaller student group is reading the National Geographic biography about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Both of these novel studies are likely to trigger deep thoughts in your child about the injustice experienced by African Americans in our nation's history, so be sure to make time to hear your child's thoughts.

We are currently in a social studies unit focused on American colonies. In this unit, students will learn about the people, communities, and economies that made up the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. Their learning will culminate in a half day in school field trip in the spring called Colonial Days in which they experience "a day in the life" of the colonists. Students will participate in (virtual) cow milking, candle dipping, colonial school yard games, butter churning and more. The stations will be led by parents who will be trained by the organization hosting this event. More details on this will be shared during the school field trip as we get closer to the date.

We have PE weekly on Tuesday mornings from 8:20 - 9:05 am with Miss Kelly (our new PE teacher).  On Tuesdays, please make sure your child is wearing shoes in which they can run. I also recommend a hat and an extra water bottle for hot days. 

We have Music on Friday afternoons from 1:10-1:55 pm. We have Art every other week on Tuesday mornings from 9:30 - 10:20 am beginning the week of August 18. 

Our weekly visit to the school library will be Thursdays from 8:40 to 9:00 am. 

This year, we will be managing some assignments and hand outs (such as study guides) on Google Classroom. Students will learn how to access Google Classroom this week. Please take some time to have your child login also from a home device and then please bookmark that page so that you will be to access it quickly when needed!

If you are looking for books for your family's library, please consider ordering from Scholastic Books. You can have books shipped directly to your home or to school. Every order earns points for our class, and points help us grow our classroom library. When using the Scholastic website, our class activation code is GKMNT. Place an order of $25 or more and you can pick a FREE $5 book (use code READS at checkout). Here is an online flyer.