Fifth Grade News

August 22nd, 2025

Miss the Sky Ranch Meeting? Here's the Info!

If you were unable to attend the Sky Ranch Informational Meeting, we have compiled all the information shared below, which includes a slideshow and a packet. The end of the packet contains important health forms and permission slips that must be filled out by September 15th. Let us know if you have any questions!

Sky Ranch Slideshow

Sky Ranch Informational Packet

Sky Ranch Payment Site

URGENT - CAMP PARTICIPATION AGREEMENT & DIETARY RESTRICTIONS

Sky Ranch requires all staff, chaperones, and students to fill out a participant agreement. If you have dietary restrictions, it is also very important that you fill out the camp's dietary restrictions form. Please have both of these filled out by September 19th.

Sky Ranch Participant Agreement

Sky Ranch Dietary Restrictions Form

Sky Ranch Chaperone Information

If you are interested in being a chaperone for our Sky Ranch trip on October 15- 17, please fill out the application linked below. Be sure to read all of the chaperone information/expectations at the top of the form before deciding to fill it out.

Chaperone applications are due on Friday, September 5th.

Sky Ranch Chaperone Application

Thank you to those of you who are volunteering your time to help us out!

Curriculum Night

Thank you to everyone who attended 5th-grade Curriculum Night last week. We look forward to a wonderful year with your children! If you missed the meeting, the slideshow we shared is linked below:

5th Curriculum Night Slideshow

Save the Date

Thursday, August 28th

-Kinder-4th Curriculum Night @ 5:30-6:30

Monday, September 1st

-Labor Day holiday (NO SCHOOL)

-1st Sky Ranch payment due ($91) if using payment plan

Friday, September 5th

-Sky Ranch chaperone applications due

Who Do I Email?

We know it can be confusing to determine which teacher to email for a specific situation.

For academic questions/concerns/comments, please email your child's specific teacher:

5th Math - ashley.carter@gcisd.net
Science & Social Studies - christi.robertson@gcisd.net
ELAR - elizabeth.quiroz@gcisd.net

For generic 5th-grade questions/concerns/comments, please email your child's homeroom teacher.

I-Ready Assessments

Next week, students will be taking their beginning-of-year i-Ready diagnostic in Math. Please refrain from absences and appointments at these times, if possible. Below are the dates for the assessments:

Monday, August 26th & Tuesday, August 27th - Math i-Ready Diagnostic

Upcoming Curriculum

Reading/Language Arts:

I can explain the author's purpose within a text.
I can analyze how the use of text structure contributes to the
author's purpose.
I can identify different types of sentences (declarative,
interrogative, imperative, exclamatory) and use these types of
sentences in my writing.
I can write responses that demonstrate understanding of texts.

Math:

I can use symbols (<, >, =) to compare two decimals to the thousandths place and order decimals
I can round decimals

Science:

Students compare and contrast matter based on magnetism.

Social Studies:

I can describe ways humans have impacted the environment.
I can identify resources produced in the 13 Colonies.
I can identify different types of regions.
I can describe the physical characteristics, climate, and human characteristics of the United States.
I understand the positive and negative effects of human-environment interaction.

Canvas

Students will be working with Canvas throughout the school year. Many used it last year in 4th grade, but we will work to help them become more familiar with the platform in the coming weeks.

We suggest you use the pairing feature in Canvas, which allows you to "observe" your child's classes to see their daily lessons and assignments, and allows you to see what they have or have not turned in. We have placed a link below that will show you how to become an "observer" in your child's Canvas account.

Becoming a Parent Observer in Canvas

Growth Mindset: A Life Skill

We will be working with students on a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset this year. We will be encouraging students to become more growth-minded. To understand more about a growth mindset and a fixed mindset, please watch the video below.

We also recommend a wonderful book by Carol Dweck called Mindset. It is an easy read and describes the growth mindset vs. the fixed mindset in an understandable way.

GT Corner

Do you struggle with coaching your child through his/her emotional intensities? The book entitled Emotional Intensity in Gifted Students: Helping Kids Cope with Explosive Feelings by Christine Fonseca provides examples of how to coach your child in these situations. The book is approachable as it is free of educator jargon, offers easy-to-implement ideas, and is a relatively quick read. Although it doesn’t provide the magic wand we’d all love, we would recommend this book to anyone wanting some additional information/ideas for these situations.

Lead With GCISD

The district was buzzing with excitement as we kicked off another school year! To see GCISD's first day of school pictures, click the link below.

GCISD's First Day of School Photos

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