Math:
Our first Math unit will reinforced and added onto students' understanding of Place Value Concepts and the base ten system. We explore the relationship "between & among adjacent places" on the place value chart...how ten 1's makes 10 and moves a number to the left, or how 10 wholes or 1 whole can be divided into smaller parts, moving a number 'right on the chart' to show decimal amounts .
Coming up next: Adding & Subtracting with decimals, then multiplying & dividing with decimal numbers and whole numbers [i.e 2.5 x 3, or 12.5/3]
I will continue to encourage students to practice basic multiplication & division whole number facts often, as it will continue to support their in-class content work. Please ask your child to use Reflex Math, Prodigy Math, Khan Academy practice or Zearn online, if they have extra time at home. These tools can all be accessed from either Clever or our Room 16 Google Classroom. Zearn is a tech tool we began using in class this year, and have been working on in class. Students SHOULD NOT go past the lesson we're on in class, and as a reminder they can check "Lesson # " on their homework.
Next up: Multiplication with Whole & Decimal Numbers
Social Studies/Geography: Students will begin the year learning, or reviewing, map skills in regards to looking at different types of maps-political ones with color and cities, topographical or physical maps showing elevation, or economic maps showing what different regions provide what resources. We will also learn about the different physical & geographical regions of the United States, and why some areas have different resources than others.
History:
Next up: Native American Tribes by region
Reading: Initially we will be working on "Skills Good Readers Use"-both reviewing & practicing- in our first 'Reader's Workshop' unit. These are the skills deemed essential as a foundation for fifth grade readers. Students will spend time getting explicit instruction about, and practicing: summarizing, identifying main ideas vs details, asking questions PRIOR to and DURING reading, recognizing different points of view, noticing character traits, and identifying plot elements.
Next up: Book Clubs! Students always love this unit, so hopefully it is an enjoyable follow-up and ideal setting to put our reviewed/new reading skills to work.
Writing: As per usual with each grade level, our Writer's Workshop will begin by diving into personal narratives-reviewing skills learned in previous years such as "showing, not telling" with our written language and "zooming in" on particularly important moments that have occurred within narrative stories versus long & drawn out narratives. Students have practice writing strategies such as drafting & editing with a partner, asking questions to dig deeper and find more meaningful details as well as worked on replacing "boring" words with "vivid" and more descriptive language.
Next up: We'll do a combination of book club reading groups & writing book reviews, liteary essays, etc.
Music: Students are in either a Chorus, Strings or Band class for two 30 minute sessions each week-Monday afternoons & Thursday mornings. Students should be practicing their instrument weekly from home, particularly those with tangible instruments!
Library: Room 16 students will go to the library each week for 30 minutes on Tuesday mornings, from 10:45-11:15am. Springhill Library Information From Mrs. Paschall! Anything underlined below is also a clickable link for quick access...