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March 28th, 2024

Dear Fifth Grade Families, 

We cannot believe it is already almost April! We have a busy month ahead of us so please read all of the information carefully. Also, our upcoming events have been updated below, so don’t forget to write those in your calendar :)  The first is a reminder that Shepardson is hosting an “Understanding Autism” Parent Night TONIGHT from 6p to 7p in the Media Center. Pizza and childcare is provided!

5th Grade CONTENT AREAS: In mathematics, we will start a new topic on line plots. Students will be using data to create a graph. Then, they will compare/contrast and interpret what the data shows. Following this topic, we will transition to geometry to identify and compare shapes based on their properties (parallel lines, number of sides, acute/obtuse/right angles, etc).

In literacy, we have moved onto our final Module: The Impact of Natural Disasters. We ask that you check-in with your student about what natural disaster they are researching! The final assignment for this module is to create a PSA (Public Service Announcement) for a disaster with key information on what people should do to prepare.

Our Human Growth and Development Unit will be coming up starting the second week of April. Here is the PSD Health webpage in Curriculum that has links to the lessons we use. To see lessons by grade level, visit the Human Growth Development and Sexuality Units web page; the 5th grade lessons are at the top of the three sections. A homework journal will come home every day we have a HGD lesson with a brief overview of what we learned and some discussion questions to go over with your student. We ask that you initial or sign the journal as well as read it each day it comes home. This journal will remain confidential between you and your student.

Thank you!

The Fifth Grade team

Upcoming Events:

Monday, April 8th - Class Pictures! & Solar Eclipse! (Bring eclipse glasses if you have them)

Tuesday, April 9th (5F), Thursday, April 11th (5K), and  Friday, April 12th (5B) - Safe Routes comes during P.E. (Bring your bike to the front of the school in the morning of your P.E. day)

Tuesday, April 09 - Human Growth and Development Begins!: Lesson 1 Introduction 2:30-3:25p

Tuesday, April 09 - Thursday, April 11 - CMAS ELA Testing Day 1, 2 and 3 10:15a-12p

Friday, April 12 - CMAS Science Test Day 1 10a-12p

Tuesday, April 15 - Thursday, April 17 - CMAS Math Testing Day 1, 2, and 3 10a-11:30a

Monday, April 15th - Clothing Drive Ends!  CMAS Science Day 2 10a-12p

Tuesday, April 16 - Rock Band Concert in the gym @ 6:30p

Thursday, April 18th - Grade 5 Mile

Friday, April 19th - No School! 

Sunday, April 21st - Rock Band Concert at Avogadro’s Number @ 2p

Monday, April 22 - CMAS Science Day 3 10a-12p

Monday, April 29th - Walking Golf Field Trip to Collindale 10a-12p (Bag lunch needed)

Science and Engineering Fair

(January - February, 2024)

February 16, 2024

Dear Fifth Grade Families, 

Happy Friday! We had a lot of fun things going on this week: Paper rockets with HP software engineers, Math Olympiad practice, Valentines party, birthdays, and Middle School Counselors from Boltz and Lesher came to visit. With that being said, this letter is LONG, but has IMPORTANT INFORMATION BELOW!

SCIENCE FAIR UPDATE: We have 1 more week before students should be done with their science fair project (scientific method or engineering & design). We expect students to be done by Wednesday, February 21st so they can focus on working on the tri-fold, science fair notebook, and presentation to the judges. You have received notices from Mrs. Woodcox in your students’ Friday Folder with updates as well. Please check out the science fair website for more information: https://sites.google.com/psdschools.org/shepstemsciencefair/project-checklist 

MIDDLE SCHOOL REGISTRATION: if your student is going to Boltz (link) or Lesher (link), they received a packet yesterday to bring home and complete with you. There is a GOOGLE FORM to select elective choices for each school. If you do not have access, then these paper copies are due back to school by Friday, February 23rd. For other schools, (link) search under the Middle School tab and launch your school’s website. Then please search for “registration” - call them directly for more information.

MIDDLE SCHOOL IMMUNIZATIONS: The district health team would like to remind everyone that all incoming 6th graders require a Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) booster. As you meet with your child’s doctor in the coming months, please arrange to receive this vaccine in preparation for their entry into middle school. For more information, please see the PSD Immunizations Page. 

5th Grade CONTENT AREAS: In mathematics, we started working changing division problems to fractions in order to solve problems. As we continue in this topic, we will start dividing whole numbers by fractions and fractions divided by fractions. 

In literacy, we are finishing up our reading of Promises To Keep by Sharon Robinson. Once done, the students will be working on an opinion essay to determine what factors led to Jackie Robinson’s success in establishing social change.

Thank you!

The Fifth Grade team

Upcoming Events:

Ongoing - Science Fair Projects and data collection should be underway

Ongoing - 5210+ Challenge! Make sure to get at least 80 check marks for a FREE t-shirt!

Feb. 19 - President’s Day (no school)

Feb. 24 - PTO Fundraiser Trivia Night at the Rio

Feb. 26 - Science Boards Due by 4PM

Feb. 27 - Science Fair! Awards at 2:45pm

Feb. 28 - CSU basketball game field trip

Mar. 01 - Internet Safety lesson

Mar. 04 - Lip Sync! 9:15am

Mar. 04 - Scholastic Book Fair Begins!

Mar. 05 - Mar. 07 - Academic Conferences 3:45am-7:45pm

Mar. 09 - Mar. 17 - SPRING BREAK!

Upcoming testing window starts April 8th for CMAS and MAPS. TBD

January 17, 2024

Dear Fifth Grade Families, 

Happy Wednesday! We hope you all had a relaxing holiday and a lovely, albeit unexpected, 4-day weekend! It’s going to be another short week ahead, but we should be back to normal by next Monday :) We have a field trip tomorrow! We are going to see the Yes! Concert at Timberline Church from 11:45am to 2pm. Students do not need to bring a bag lunch because we will eat earlier than normal in the cafeteria before we go. If you did not sign the permission slip, please email or call us!

In mathematics, we are working on adding and subtracting fractions. The students have been shown that in order to add fractions, they must have the same denominator (or parts in the whole). Then, they can add or subtract the numerators. Finally, they should be practicing how to simplify the fractions to its simplest form. Our Topic 7 Assessment will be on Friday, January 26th. It will include improper fractions and mixed numbers as well!

In literacy, we are finishing up our Module 2: Biodiversity in the Rainforest. Students are working on a first-person narrative based on an event in the book “The Most Beautiful Roof in the World” by Kathryn Lasky. They will practice how to describe the situation, character and problem. Then, they will use pacing and sensory details to smoothly allow the reader to follow the story. Finally, the students will provide a clear and satisfying conclusion. This final grade for our second module will be due on Thursday, January 25th on Google Classroom.

We are using our Science Fair as a final capstone of 5th grade PBL. They will choose one of the following focuses: Scientific Method with an experiment or Engineering & Design with a solution to a problem. Once they choose a focus, they will submit a proposal at this link:bit.ly/shepsciencefairproposal. You can also access more information at this website: bit.ly/shepscifair. 

Please let us know if you have any questions. 

Have a fabulous week,

Fifth Grade Team 

Upcoming dates:

Thursday, January 18th: Field Trip to the Yes! Concert 11:45-2pm (no bag lunch needed)

Friday, January 19th: Shepardson Rollerland Night 4-7pm

Thursday, January 25th: First-Person Narrative Due!

Friday, January 26th: Science Fair plan/procedure is due to your students’ teacher

Friday, January 26th: Math Topic 7 Assessment (Adding and Subtracting Fractions)

Monday, January 29th: Reading Module 3 Begins: Athlete Leaders of Social Change

Monday, January 29th: Shining Star Assembly @ 2:45pm

Tuesday, January 30th: Unified Basketball!