ELA in 5th grade presents an increase in rigor and can be challenging for many students. I frequently remind students that challenge is a great thing, and we grow the most when we embrace it!

Here are some ways that you can help your children to navigate the school year:

• Familiarize yourself with your child's ELA Google Classroom page. This is where assignments and study materials can be found.  When students are absent, they can find a list of assignments, including all instructions on Google Classroom. 

• Encourage your child to stay caught up with the nightly reading assignments. Each student will receive a copy of the assigned reading schedule, but if you need an extra copy, please feel free to email me. While we will spend time in class reading independently, this is not always enough time to finish all assigned reading. You can hold your child accountable by asking for a summary of the chapter, a description of the characters that have been introduced, or simply reading with your child. 

• If your child gets behind in the reading and feels overwhelmed by the task of catching up, please feel free to read along with him or her. You can also find audio clips of the chapters by searching online using the title and author. It is best if students read the majority of the book independently, but a read-aloud or family reading can be a great supplement to help your child feel successful. 

• Each term, we will study a list of roots and definitions to prepare for a quiz near the end of the term. These terms, as well as links to study materials can be found on Google Classroom. Please encourage your child to study these at home so that this will be an easy way to boost his or her class average.

• Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions! I can be reached outside of school hours via email or School Status.