Mrs. Qualley's
5th Grade
Learning Page
📧 Email Me! (kqualley@psdschools.org)
Embedded Files
Welcome to 5Q!
I’m so glad you’re here. This year we’ll work together to learn new things and continue to grow. I’m excited to see all the progress you make along the way.
Latest Updates
Friday, September 4, 2026
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
Welcome to September! Class rotations are in full swing and students are getting more organized with their materials each day. We are enjoying getting to know all fifth graders and working together to help them develop the skills they will need to be successful in middle school next year. If you have specific questions about these subjects, please contact us at:
Mike Foster- Math: mfoster@psdschools.org
Leila King- Reading: lking@psdschools.org
Kenzie Qualley- Writing: kqualley@psdschools.org
Here’s what we’ve been up to:
Content Areas
Math: We launched with the new math curriculum this week. It feels like we work at a UPS facility because we are calculating the volume inside boxes!
The concept started with how measuring space inside of containers can be done with small units like ML for water bottles or large units like Gallons for bottles, buckets, etc.
We moved on to generic “cubic units” for boxes and how these are 3-D measures rather than flat 2-D units for area or 1-D units like lines.
This unit will be our focus for the next several weeks as we move from counting layers towards the short cut of multiplying the three side-lengths (formula: volume = length X width X height for boxes).
As we develop more “formal” plans (formulas) for solving these problems, the slide shows will be posted on the math learning page so that you can see what we are working on.
Reading: We have started Module 1: Stories of Human Rights and have begun reading the related novel, Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan.
If you want to learn more, please check out Mrs. King’s learning page-Subjects-Reading
Audio links are included and will be released as we read. This is a great option for readers who need extra support as well as those who need extra time at home to stay on track with our reading assignments.
Writing: We got into the swing of things this week. We reviewed the different parts of a paragraph before writing our own!
We wrote a narrative paragraph about what we would wish for if a genie granted us one wish.
In grammar, we reviewed parts of speech and worked on revising and editing both sentences and paragraphs for grammatical mistakes.
Science: We have begun our ecology unit in Mystery Science to help prepare students for our Eco trip. Our focus has been ecosystems and food webs. We explored where leaves go after they fall off of trees through a hands-on exploration. Be sure to ask your child where all the leaves disappear to.
Eco Experience
Packets with forms are due by Tuesday, September 8th!
This includes all medication and health forms to ensure our health office has time to organize and share this information with the nurse at the CSU Mountain Campus.
Payments can be made at the School Pay website
The Ropes Course Waiver is an ONLINE FORM (see QR below)
Students must have a signed waiver in order to participate. It is best to sign it so kids have the option to use the ropes course if they choose.
We will share more information with students regarding room assignments later next week.
We will send a final trip update home later in the week as well.
Upcoming Dates
Monday, September 7: No School Labor Day
Tuesday, September 8: Eco Experience Forms due
(NOTE: A doctor’s signature is required on all med forms)
Monday, September 14- Wednesday September 16:
Eco Experience Overnight Field Trip
Sunday, September 20: Shepardson Family 4K Fun Run- 10am
Monday, September 28: No School
Monday, October 12- Wednesday, October 14: Fall Conferences- 4-7pm
Thursday, October 15: Friday, October 16: Fall Break!
Finally, thank you for attending our presentation at Back to School Night, we sure appreciate your partnership!
Have a wonderful long weekend,
Fifth Grade Team
WAIVER FOR ROPES COURSE - LINK to QR Site
Hello and Happy Friday!
We had a great first week here in Fifth Grade! We wanted to share a few important updates and reminders with you.
1. Parent Survey & Class t-shirts
Please complete the Parent Survey by Friday, August 28.
The survey includes a question about your child’s Eco Week shirt size. We need to place the shirt order next week, so please complete the survey at your earliest convenience.
Please keep in mind when choosing a size that they will need to wear this shirt throughout the whole year (please account for growth spurts).
2. Friday Folders
Most Fridays, your child will bring home a yellow Friday Folder. Please look through all of the documents in the folder and return any forms or papers that need to be signed.
The Friday Folder will be our main way of sending important documents and information home throughout the school year, so please be sure to check it each week.
3. Medical Forms for Eco Week- DUE to HEALTH OFFICE: Tuesday, September 8th
If your child needs to take medication while we are at Eco Week, you will find the necessary medical forms in their yellow Friday Folder and attached to this message.
Please note that for all over-the-counter and prescription meds, these forms must be completed and signed by a doctor. Since Eco Week is quickly approaching, please return the completed forms as soon as possible so that we can make sure everything is in place before we leave.
4. Stop and Thinks
This week, we practiced a Stop and Think form as a class. The form coming home in your child’s Friday Folder is simply part of that practice and does not indicate that your child received a Stop and Think.
A Stop and Think is a reflection form that students may complete if they are not demonstrating our expected behaviors. Our process is to give students a first ask, followed by a second ask. If the behavior continues, the student will then be given a Stop and Think.
If your child receives a Stop and Think for a behavior concern, you will be notified by the teacher or staff member who gave it to your child. Additional information about the Stop and Think process can be found on the form coming home in the folder today.
Thank you for your continued support! We are looking forward to a wonderful year together and are so excited for all that is ahead in Fifth Grade!
We hope you have a great weekend,
Fifth Grade Team
Upcoming Dates
Tuesday, September 1: Back-to-School Parent Information Night- 5:30-7:30pm
Monday, September 7: No School (Labor Day)
Tuesday, September 8: Eco Experience Med Forms due to Shep Nurse’s Office (NOTE: doctor’s signature is required)
Monday, September 14- Wednesday September 16:
Eco Experience Overnight Field Trip
Sunday, September 20: Shepardson Family 4K Fun Run- 10am
Monday, September 28: No School
Monday, October 12- Wednesday, October 14:
Fall Conferences- 4-7pm
Thursday, October 15: Friday, October 16: Fall Break!
MATH WIN
Quick Links for Students
Quick Links for Students
https://www.khanacademy.org/join/KRY4ZX6N
Or visit www.khanacademy.org/join and enter your class code KRY4ZX6N.
News Updates
News Updates
April 22, 2026
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
We cannot believe April is almost over! We are proud to announce that we have officially finished CMAS testing! Now, it’s on to MAPS testing on May 5th and 6th. As we look ahead to Fifth Grade Promotion, we are preparing to make student certificates and plan to use the names entered in Synergy. If you would like another name printed, please let us know by Fri, May 8. We have a very busy last few weeks ahead of us so please read all of the information carefully. We are resharing our upcoming events (a recent flyer was sent home), so please don’t forget to write those in your calendar.
CONTENT AREAS:
Human Growth and Development (HGD): We have completed lessons 1-7 and will officially end this unit next week. Therefore, all HGD journals are due Mon, May 4th. They are considered complete once all assignments are initialed. This will be part of the science grade. Once again, here is the link to access all HGD lessons- be sure to select the fifth grade HGD unit! Please use this information to help guide you should you need to make up any lessons at home due to any absences or early dismissals.
Math: we will begin previewing some upcoming 6th grade math skills that build on the 5th grade skills we have learned this year. The start of middle-school-math should feel less bewildering for them in August. We are wrapping up converting measurements next week to end our 5th grade standards (e.g. 3 ft in 1 yd, 4 qts in 1 gallon, etc.)
Module Block: we are nearing the end of our final Module: The Impact of Natural Disasters. We ask that you check-in with your student about what natural disaster they have researched! They have been busy working on their final assignment for this module which is to create a PSA (Public Service Announcement) for a disaster with key information on what people should do to prepare. Students are even sharing what items belong in an emergency kit for those areas affected by such a disaster.
Writing: we finished our Peter Pan character letters. We loved getting to be so creative! We will be focusing on character development and writing in the narrative genre. Next, we will work on planning events in a story. Finally, we will draft our narratives. Be sure to ask your child about their characters and story.
Field Trip: Middle School Visits
We will be visiting Boltz & Lesher middle schools on the morning of Fri, 5/8 We should return to Shepardson around 11:15a. If your child is attending another middle school, please remember to contact them for their details regarding that morning’s plans as this is a PSD-wide middle school event that day. Each family will be responsible for transporting their student to and from their visit as we can only provide buses to Boltz & Lesher. We will all meet back at Shepardson by 11:30 to finish the day together as usual. Permission slips are due back on Mon, May 4!
Thank you!
The Fifth Grade team
Upcoming Events:
Thursday & Friday, April 23 & 24: NO SCHOOL
Thursday, April 30- Last Rollerland Night of the year, 5:00-8:00pm
Friday, May 1- Star Stampede, 11:10-11:55am
Tuesday, May 5- Math MAP Test, 10:15am
Wednesday, May 6- Reading MAP Test, 10:15am
Thursday, May 7 – PSD District Elementary Distance Runs – Timnath Middle/High School
5:30 – 6:15 p.m. 4th Grade Girls/Boys 800m run
6:15 – 7:00 p.m. 5th Grade Girls/Boys 1600m run
Friday, May 8- Field Trip: Middle School Visits! (If your student is not going to Boltz or Lesher, please make arrangements for them to visit their middle school that morning!) These permission slips are coming home today.
Saturday, May 9- PSD District Elementary Track & Field Meet – Timnath Middle/High School
8:00 – 10:00 a.m. 5th Grade Girls/Boys
10:30 – 12:30 p.m. 4th Grade Girls/Boys
Thursday, May 14- Spring Zing, 9:15- 11:25am
Friday, May 15- NO SCHOOL
Monday, May 18- Lip Sync Showcase
Friday, May 22- Walking field trip: Warren Park, 1:15-2:45pm
Monday, May 25- NO SCHOOL
***Tuesday, May 26- Fifth Grade Promotion***
Family picnic & lawn/field games (east field) from 12:30- 1:15pm,
Families should plan to bring chairs/blankets, outdoor games, & lunches for the family picnic. Seating is not provided.
Promotion ceremony- 1:30-2:00p,
Students should wear their green ECO Experience t-shirts or a similar color for the promotion ceremony. They will use classroom chairs during the ceremony next to the grass on the blacktop. You may sign out your student after the ceremony🙂
Wednesday, May 27- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL is a HALF DAY! (no lunch is served)
April 1, 2026
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
We hope you had a fun and relaxing spring break recently! Please keep in mind that as we get closer to the end of the school year (hard to believe) in fifth grade, we typically see an increase in undesired behaviors so we’ve reminded all students that Shepardson school rules and expectations still apply until the last day of school. We really appreciate your support in also reminding them of this, as well, so we can all have a strong finish, together! We will be finishing up the year with a Promotion Ceremony at 12:30-2:00pm on the last full day of school, May 26th. It’ll be a fun day to enjoy a picnic lunch and activities followed by a ceremony. Mark your calendars!
As we look ahead to April, Human Growth & Development (HGD) will begin this Fri, 4/3 in the afternoon (2:50-3:35) and CMAS testing will begin on Mon, 4/6 in the morning (10:15-12:15). Please try to avoid scheduling appointments during these times as they require extra time and effort to make up.
Human Growth Development
Our Human Growth and Development (HGD) Unit will be starting on Fri, 4/3 as stated above. Here is the PSD HGD curriculum that has links to the lessons we use. Topics range from hormonal changes and personal hygiene (deodorant + showers!) to boundaries in healthy friendships. HGD will continue the next few weeks with nine total lessons. If your child does have to miss a lesson, we appreciate your help with delivering it at home to keep them on track. Expect to see a nightly question journal to prompt discussions at home that correspond with our lessons. We will only be looking for Parent Initials to indicate these discussions.
Class pictures/yearbooks
Finally, don’t forget to order a class picture and/or a yearbook for your child! We took our fifth grade group picture yesterday and it is not too late to still order your copy! To do so, head to the Skillman website and enter the code: SHEP2025G This photo code does work for K-5, although it shows it is only for K-4. The deadline for ordering class pictures is this Fri, 4/3. As for yearbooks, please know that they are BIG DEAL in fifth grade because it is the last one for them as an elementary student at Shepardson and they enjoy getting them signed by each other and teachers/staff during our last days together.
Note from Mrs. Lemesany (PE): Interested in helping with the 4/5 800/1600m runs or the Shep. 4/5 track meet?
Friday, April 17:
5th grade 1600m: 9:15 - 10:05
4th grade 800m: 10:10 - 11:00
Tuesday, April 21:
5th grade: 9:15 - 10:30
4th grade: 10:30 - 11:45
Contact Mrs. Lemesany if interested. slemesan@psdschools.org
Math:
We are now into sixth-grade readiness chapters as we spiral review major concepts from 5th grade. The students are feeling accomplished! (Link) This week we are analyzing line plot data and will move into a full graphing review next.
Reading:
We have begun our final module of the year! The topic is “The Impact of Natural Disasters.” Students have now divided into “expert” groups on one of the following disasters: hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanoes, tornadoes and tsunamis. So far, they are really enjoying becoming an “expert” by researching their natural disaster.
Writing:
We recently wrapped up our unit on different types of poetry. We are pausing poetry for now to begin an exciting procedural writing unit! Students will be creating their own candles and writing step-by-step guides explaining how to make them at home. We will also be tying science into the project as students learn about the properties of wax and how heat changes materials. This project is extra special because Mrs. MacLeod is our resident candle-making extraordinaire!🕯️✨
We hope you have a great week,
The Fifth Grade team
Upcoming Events:
Fri, 4/3: HGD lesson #1
Mon, 4/6: CMAS testing begins
Tues, 4/7: Arbor Day presentation
Fri, 4/17: 1600m Run
Mon, 4/20: Lunch & Learn: female hygiene (for any interested students)
Tues, 4/21: Lunch & Learn: male hygiene (for any interested students) & 4/5 Track Meet
Thurs, 4/23 & Fri, 4/24: NO SCHOOL
Thurs, 4/30: Rollerland, 5:00-8:00
Fri, 5/8: Field Trip: Middle School Visit Day
February 20, 2026
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
Happy Friday! We had a lot of fun extras in the last two weeks: Valentines parties, visits from middle school counselors (Boltz and Lesher), building paper rockets with engineers, and a musical instrument demonstration from Boltz. Next week brings a new Specials schedule and the science fair!
New Specials Schedule:
5K:
Monday- Music
Tuesday- Media
Wednesday- Art
Thursday- Engineering & Tech
Friday- PE
5F:
Monday- Media
Tuesday- Engineering & Tech
Wednesday- Music
Thursday- PE
Friday- Art
5M:
Monday- Art
Tuesday- PE
Wednesday- Engineering & Tech
Thursday- Music
Friday- Media
Science Fair: Tri-fold boards & display materials are due in the gym by 12:30pm on Monday, 2/23. In addition to all the flyers and information sent home in Friday Folders, we hope you’ve been able to familiarize yourself with the science fair website to help answer questions.
Middle School Registration: If your student is going to Boltz or Lesher they received a packet last week to bring home and review with you to register for “elective” (specials) classes. Both Lesher and Boltz forms had QR codes linking to both their Registration website and Course Selection forms. 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.
Donation Request: We are collecting glass jars for an upcoming classroom project! If your family enjoys Oui yogurt or any other yogurt that comes in small (around 5 oz.) glass jars, we would love to take them off your hands. Please rinse them out and send them in with your child. Thank you for helping us prepare for this fun and creative project!
Math:
We are starting to change division problems to fractions in order to solve problems. (Link) As we continue in this topic, we will start dividing whole numbers by fractions and fractions divided by fractions. This is our last operation with fractions!
Reading:
We have finished reading Promises To Keep by Sharon Robinson, however, we will still be referring to it in our work and discussions. Our current focus is:
identifying the point of view of authors (including Jackie Robinson) and a filmmaker to see what they think was the most important factor for Jackie’s success in breaking the color barrier in baseball
comparing multiple points of view for similarities and differences
Writing:
Fifth graders are continuing to strengthen their opinion and persuasive writing skills! This week, students wrote opinion pieces about what they believe is the best Winter Olympic sport. They practiced clearly stating their opinion, organizing their writing with strong reasons, and supporting those reasons with detailed evidence and examples.
We hope you have a great weekend,
The Fifth Grade team
Upcoming Events:
Ongoing - 5210+ Challenge! Make sure to get at least 80 check marks for a FREE t-shirt!
Monday, February 23rd- Science Fair Boards and Materials due in the gym by 12:30pm
Tuesday, February 24th- Science Fair judging throughout the day with a recognition ceremony at the end of the day.
Friday, March 6th- Rollerland Night
Tuesday, March 10th-Thursday, March 12th - Academic Conferences 4-8:00p (sign up coming in Shepardson newsletter) LINK for those who want a conference
Friday, March 13th- NO SCHOOL and Monday, March 16th-Friday, March 20th- SPRING BREAK
*** Upcoming CMAS testing window starts April 6th. More details to come soon! ***
February 6th, 2026
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
It’s hard to believe we are predicted to have six more weeks of winter when it sure is starting to feel like spring, which will be here before we know it! As usual, we have been very productive here in fifth grade despite lots of illness and increased absences.
Absences:
If your child is absent, please be sure to email their classroom teacher so we are aware in addition to notifying the office. This helps us best support your child. Thank you for partnering with us on this active communication.
Conversations with Teachers
As a reminder, for private matters, please email your child’s teacher to discuss or schedule a meeting rather than stopping at the classroom door in the morning and afternoon. Arrival and dismissal times move quickly, and we want to prioritize greeting students and getting them ready for the day and making sure students are safe arriving at and leaving school.
Math:
We are working on simplifying and multiplying fractions (the hard part is recognizing common factors that multiply). This topic is an extension of what they learned in 4th grade:
They simply multiply the numerators. Then they multiply the denominators.
Finally, they should be practicing how to simplify the fractions to its simplest form. This may include simplifying an improper fraction (i.e. 9 5/4 → 9 + 1 ¼ -> 10 ¼ ) or it might be reducing the two parts by a common factor: 5/15 have “5x_” in common -> simplifies to ⅓)
Our materials and extra support visuals are on the math learning page! (link to page)
Reading:
We continue to work on:
identifying main ideas & their supporting details in an informational text (Promises to Keep, by Sharon Robinson) to help write summaries.
identifying factors that helped Jackie Robinson be successful in his mission to end the color barrier in baseball
forming opinions on which factor/s students think were the most important for Jackie Robinson’s success.
Please be on the lookout for assessments coming home this week. As a reminder, anyone scoring less than a 70% does have the opportunity to correct & return it for a higher grade. Students can either complete corrections at home by accessing the electronic copy of our text here on my learning page, or at school, either way is fine.
Writing:
In writing, students have continued working on opinion/ persuasive pieces. They are learning how to clearly state an opinion, develop strong reasons, and support those reasons with relevant details and examples. We are also focusing on writing engaging introductions that hook the reader and thoughtful conclusions that clearly wrap up their ideas.
Science Fair:
By now, your student should be ready to do the actual experiment following the steps of their procedure. We did a mini-lesson on turning DATA into graphs or charts via Google Classroom. They can substitute their own data into the form and print out their own chart for their boards. Although we do not work on projects at school, we do provide them “how-to” lessons and time to type and print in case it’s needed. Due dates are intended to keep families connected to a timeline that will ensure that the project is easy to complete by the end of February. Students should be taking pictures and tracking their process in a notebook which is to accompany their trifold project board.
You can also access more information at this website: bit.ly/shepscifair. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Example of a Science Fair board:
Have a fabulous weekend,
Fifth Grade Team
Upcoming dates:
Now-Feb 20- Science & engineering fair tasks: conduct experiments or develop a solution and design/build a prototype.
***(Take pictures, record data into science fair notebooks! All information/data needs to be in the science fair notebook and on your display board!)***
Friday, February 13th- Valentine’s Day party, 3:00p
Monday, February 16th- NO SCHOOL for students, staff on duty
Thursday, February 19th - Boltz Music Showcase at Shepardson (during specials)
Friday, February 20th- Science & engineering fair: results & conclusion should be completed
Saturday, February 21st- Shepardson Trivia Night
Monday, February 23rd- Science Fair Boards and Materials due in the gym by 4pm
Tuesday, February 24th- Science Fair Judging throughout the day with Awards at the end of the day.
Tuesday, March 10th-Thursday, March 12th - Academic Conferences 4-8:00p
Friday, March 6th- Rollerland Night!
Friday, March 13th- NO SCHOOL
Monday, March 16th-Friday, March 20th- SPRING BREAK
January 23, 2026
Dear Fifth Grade Families,
We are in full swing with the second semester and have been very productive here in fifth grade. There will be LOTS going on between now and spring break, so please note the event dates at the bottom of this letter.
Field Trip:
We are heading to CSU next Wed, 1/28 for the Women’s basketball game and will need one parent volunteer from each homeroom to please attend for extra support. Be sure to email your homeroom teacher ASAP to express your interest. Signed permission slips should be returned no later than Mon, 1/26. We will be eating lunch there at Moby Arena so ALL students need to bring a brown bag lunch that can be entirely thrown away when finished. Please reply by Monday if your child will need a sack lunch provided by Shepardson. CSU states: “Please bring ONLY brown bag lunches with disposable items. No utensils, Nalgene bottles, or lunch boxes are permitted.” Keep in mind that water bottles need to be disposable as well. Please label lunches and water bottles. Please, no colored or flavored drinks (Gatorade, sodas, etc.).
Students should wear their Shepardson or CSU gear (ECO shirts are the perfect green!).
Buses will depart Shepardson around 10:00 am.
Buses will depart CSU around 1:00 pm.
Math:
We are working on adding and subtracting fractions (the hard part is regrouping part to whole and whole to parts). This topic is an extension of what they learned in 4th grade:
students learned that in order to add fractions, they must have the same denominator (or same-sized 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. This may include simplifying an improper fraction (i.e. 9 5/4 → 9 + 1 ¼ -> 10 ¼ )
Our Topic 7 Assessment should be by the end of January. It will include improper fractions and mixed numbers as well!
Reading:
We have begun our work in Module 3: Athletes for Social Change. While we continue to work on identifying main idea & supporting details in an informational text (Promises to Keep, by Sharon Robinson) to help write summaries, we are also now:
discussing/identifying factors that helped Jackie Robinson be successful in his mission to end the color barrier in baseball
Please keep in mind that you can access an electronic copy of our text here or on my learning page, as well.
Writing:
In writing, students have been working on opinion/ persuasive pieces. They are learning how to clearly state an opinion, develop strong reasons, and support those reasons with relevant details and examples. We are also focusing on writing engaging introductions that hook the reader and thoughtful conclusions that clearly wrap up their ideas.
Science Fair:
By now, your student should have completed typing up their procedures and list of materials. Now they are ready to do the actual experiment following the steps of their procedure. They will submit a copy of their Procedure steps on Google Classroom on Friday. Due dates are intended to keep families connected to a timeline that will ensure that the project is easy to complete by the end of February. Students should be taking pictures and tracking their process in a notebook which is to accompany their trifold project board. We are sending these home today.
Use the materials list to get materials to do the experiment. You can also access more information at this website: bit.ly/shepscifair. Please let us know if you have any questions.
Example of a Science Fair board:
Have a fabulous weekend,
Fifth Grade Team
Upcoming dates:
Jan 23-Feb 20- Science & engineering fair tasks: conduct experiments or develop a solution and design/build a prototype.
***(Take pictures, record data into science fair notebooks! All information/data needs to be in the science fair notebook and on your display board!)***
Wednesday, January 28th- Field Trip: CSU Women’s Basketball Game 9:45a-1:30p
Friday, February 13th- Valentine’s Day party, 3:00p
Monday, February 16th- NO SCHOOL for students, staff on duty
Thursday, February 19th - Boltz Music Showcase (during specials)
Friday, February 20th- Science & engineering fair: results & conclusion should be completed
Saturday, February 21st- Shepardson Trivia Night
Monday, February 23rd- Science Fair Boards and Materials due in the gym by 4pm
Tuesday, February 24th- Science Fair Judging throughout the day with Awards at the end of the day.
Monday, March 3rd - NO SCHOOL for students, staff on duty
Tuesday, March 10th through Thursday, March 12th - Academic Conferences 4-8:00p
Friday, March 6th- Rollerland Night!
Friday, March 13th- NO SCHOOL
Monday, March 16th-Friday, March 20th- SPRING BREAK
Friday, January 9, 2026
Dear Shepardson Families,
Happy New Year! We hope you had a wonderful holiday season and winter break with your families. We were happy to welcome everyone back this week and have been settling back into our school routines, reconnecting with each other, and reviewing school wide expectations with “behavior bootcamps.”
Report cards will be available on Parent Vue at 4:00 this afternoon. If you have limited access to technology and cannot access it digitally, please don’t hesitate to reach out so we can send home a paper copy with your student.
We are proud to share that we completed all mid-year testing in December prior to break (Dibels, Acadence, & MAPS) and PBL panel presentations that are all now complete. Students completed their PBL by going to panel on Wed, 12/17 and did a great job! Thank you to the many parent volunteers who were present and helped provide feedback! Now, on to the science fair!
Science Fair:
We are about to begin the process for the Science & Engineering Fair, which is required in Fifth Grade. Students can choose either an engineering design project or science fair project. They may do it individually or with ONE partner! We will be guiding students through the framework as well as learning details about the process with Mrs. Woodcox, but the actual project itself is completed stage-by-stage AT HOME.
The first milestone will be having a proposed project by Wednesday, January 14th. Please complete the proposal at home by Wednesday, January 14th, so parents or guardians are informed of the ideas and may provide input as needed. The Friday Folder contained details and a link to the Mrs. Woodcox’s Science Fair Website. https://sites.google.com/psdschools.org/shepstemsciencefair/home
There was also a flyer with QR codes to help you determine your child’s plan!
Have a wonderful weekend,
Fifth Grade Team :)
Upcoming Dates:
Friday, Jan. 9- Reports card available on ParentVue
Monday, Jan. 12- Hearing & Vision Screening, 9a-12p
Wednesday, Jan. 14 - Science/Engineering Fair PROPOSAL DUE (see link)
Friday, Jan. 16- Field trip: YES concert at the Lincoln Center, 12:25-1:10p and Rollerland Night, 5-7p
Monday, Jan. 19- NO SCHOOL
Friday, Jan. 23 - Science Fair Research Phase/Develop an Experiment Procedure by this date. Engineering Project - Brainstorm a Solution for your Prototype
Wednesday, Jan. 28- Field trip: CSU Women’s basketball game
Friday, Feb. 13- Valentine’s Day class party, 3:00pm
Monday, Feb.16- NO SCHOOL
Monday, Feb. 23- Science Fair projects due in the Gym
Tuesday, Feb. 24- Science and Engineering Fair
Friday, November 21, 2025
Dear Shepardson Families,
It’s finally here: Thanksgiving Break!!! While we are all ready for it, our team would like to take a moment to let you know how grateful we are for you and your children! We couldn’t be more appreciative of your support and their curiosity. We love this group of fifth graders! This is a tough job to be certain, however, it is one we highly value and are committed to each day. We are so thankful we get to work with such fantastic families each day here at Shepardson, many thanks to you all!
Math
In mathematics, we are revisiting dividing numbers. This requires a review of the connection between multiplying and dividing as “inverse-operations,” which allows them to lean on their comfort with multiplication to help them think through a division problem. After break we will be looking at the “area-model” view of division followed by the “standard-algorithm” that we (at least Mr. Foster) grew up using. Our hope is to develop confidence determining how large numbers are shared-equally through division. As always, class materials are shared on Mr. Foster’s math learning page!
Reading
In reading, we are currently working in Module 2 which centers on the topic of Biodiversity in the Rainforest with an emphasis on informational (non-fiction) text reading. Students are showing great interest in this topic and enjoying learning all they can about why rainforests are important and should be studied. Our work is currently focused on the different types of text structures found in informational texts and how this applies to writing summaries.
Writing
In writing, students have been working on a writing piece describing their favorite plate of food, and they also completed an art project to accompany their work. As we wrap up this unit, we will begin incorporating daily writing warm-ups to strengthen skills and build stamina in preparation for the upcoming MAPS testing and the spring CMAS assessments. Looking ahead, we will be working on narrative writing to supplement their learning in Module Block.
Healthy Hearts
We are fortunate to have UCHealth educators visiting us when we return from break to provide a unique opportunity for students to learn about heart-healthy living while also offering a free, personalized health screening so kids can start “learning their numbers.” The private health screening is optional with your permission. If you and your child are interested, please complete the permission form at the following link: redcap.link/hhscreening UChealth staff are unable to provide the screening without your permission, so please make sure to complete this form if you are at all interested. Otherwise your child will only participate in the in-class portion of Healthy Hearts on Monday, 12/1 and Tuesday, 12/2.
Hygiene
As fifth graders continue to grow, many are reaching stages of development where regular/daily hygiene becomes especially important. Lately, we’ve noticed that many students are beginning to experience stronger natural body odor, which is very common at this age. To help keep everyone comfortable and confident throughout the school day, we kindly ask for your support at home with daily hygiene routines. This may include regular bathing, using deodorant, and making sure clothes worn to school are clean. We truly appreciate your partnership in helping our students develop healthy habits and feel their best at school. If you have any questions or need resources, please feel free to reach out.
Thank you for your continued support! Have a wonderful Thanksgiving week,
Fifth Grade Team
Upcoming Dates:
Monday & Tuesday, Dec. 1 & 2- Healthy Hearts presentations, 1:10-2:10p
Tuesday, Dec. 9- Math MAP test, 10:15a-12:15p
Wednesday, Dec. 10- Reading MAP test, 10:15a-12:15p
Friday, Dec. 12- Healthy Hearts screenings, 9a-12p
Monday, Dec. 15- Spelling Bee, 9:00a-12:00p, Internet Safety presentation, 2:30p-3:30p
Wednesday, Dec. 17- PBL panel, 11:00a-12:20p
Friday, Dec. 19- Last day of first semester, winter party, 3:00-3:35p
Tuesday, Jan. 6- First day of second semester
Friday, Jan. 16- YES concert field trip, 12:25-1:10p
Friday, October 24th, 2025
Dear Shepardson Families,
We sure hope you had a wonderful long weekend/Fall Break last week! Thank you for your time and support during Academic Conferences, we truly value your input and partnership on behalf of your fifth grader. We have a lot of upcoming fun things planned so please read carefully to stay informed!
Read-A-Thon
Next Friday, 10/31 will be “party-central” at Shepardson. Costumes are to be based on book characters and may only include a mask during the parade at 9:15am but must be removed afterwards. Please remind students that their costumes cannot include weapons or gore. The school hosts a read-a-thon most of the day, so kids are encouraged to bring their favorite blanket, pillow/stuffed animal and a flashlight/headlamp to get COZY with their books! The fifth grade party will be at 3:00p until the end of the day. Thanks to the Room Parents for setting up the fun celebrations!
***We are planning to reward our students by watching the PG movie, “Holes,” next Friday. They have been listening to it as a read aloud and are loving it! It is a live-action movie on Disney+. If you prefer that your child not watch it, please let us know by Wed, 10/29. Students who opt out will participate in an alternate activity during the viewing.***
School of Choice
The application process will be opening up soon on Monday, 11/3! Make sure you check out which school is your neighborhood Middle School if you don’t already know: https://www.psdschools.org/school-resources/school-locator . Many middle schools have opportunities for 5th graders to shadow middle school students to experience the school in an authentic way and can help you decide on where to go. Here are some important dates and links to use:
Mon., Nov. 3, 2025 – School of Choice online enrollment for K-12 students begins!
Mon., Nov. 3 - Dec. 15, 2025– First-round school choice application period. Bookmark this page, where the school choice application will become available on Nov. 3rd.
Thurs., Nov. 6 - Lesher Open House & Curriculum Night, 6:00-7:30p
Wed., Nov. 12 - Boltz Open House, 5:00-7:00p
Field Trips: Fifth Grade will be going to Boltz Middle School for their electives showcase on Tues, 11/11, 9:15-11:00a. Those permission slips will be coming home soon for you to sign.
Reading: In Unit 2, we have been discussing metaphors in our reading of Esperanza Rising. This work has included identifying them and understanding their meaning so we can continue the work of identifying themes that are present in this story. Be sure to ask them where in the story arc we currently are (Rising Action) and why. I’d love for them to be able to explain this to you. We also continue to work on written responses to reading by answering comprehension questions for practice.
Writing: This week we have been writing paragraphs about how characters in Esperanza Rising react to various events. Students have done an amazing job including topic sentences, evidence from the text with reasoning and a strong concluding sentence. We also took some time to write poems about falling leaves to practice metaphors, synonyms and antonyms.
Math: This week we have been reviewing multi-digit multiplication and finding which strategy works best for them to better understand how multiplying numbers works. We demonstrated our understanding of the concept on posters to show previous learning. Soon we will include decimals in multiplication; stay tuned! As always, the class slideshows are on the math learning page!
PBL: We have officially kicked off our Fall Problem Based Learning unit on Horsetooth Reservoir. We are addressing the question, “How can we keep Horsetooth Reservoir safe, clean, and enjoyable for everyone? If you’re an expert or connected to the park or water quality, we’d love to have you share your expertise with our fifth graders! Stay tuned for more!
Have a wonderful weekend :)
Fifth Grade Team
Upcoming Events:
Monday, October 27th- Thursday, October 30th- Lockdown Drill Week
Friday, October 31st - Read-A-Thon Book Character Costume Parade & class party
Thursday, November 6th - Rollerland Night, 5-8p
Tuesday, November 11th - Boltz Elective Showcase 9:30-11:30a (PERMISSION SLIP)
Thursday, November 13th - STEM Night @ Shepardson! 5:30-7:30p
Monday, November 24th - Friday, November 28th - Thanksgiving Break!
2025_ ECO Reminder letter.docx - Google Docs.pdf4K Fun Run Registration 2025.pdfImportant Updates:
Important Updates:
Friday, August 29, 2025
Dear Shepardson Families,
Wow, is it almost September already?! Class rotations began this past Monday which means your child went to other classrooms for: ALL Block- Writing (MacLeod), Math (Foster) and Module Block- Reading (King). They are getting more organized with their materials each day! We are so proud of these students and the skills they are developing to be successful in Middle School next year. If you have specific questions about these subjects, please contact us at:
Mike Foster- Math: mfoster@psdschools.org
Leila King- Module Block: lking@psdschools.org
Emma MacLeod- Writing: emacleod@psdschools.org
Eco Week
The slideshow presentation featured at Back to School this past week is now on our learning pages. Here is a link to a webpage with specifics, documents, menu links, etc.
Packets with the forms are due Monday, September 8th!
Eco Week Medications and Health Forms are due the same week: the health office must organize, label, and share a spreadsheet of these to the nurse at the CSU Mtn. Campus by Friday, September 12th.
Please note that the Ropes-Course WAIVER is an ONLINE FORM!
Starting the week of September 8th, we will begin sharing-out further information with students regarding room-assignments, hike preferences, etc.
Email your student’s teacher with any questions.
We have gone over our Shepardson Respect Code (Respect for self, others, and the world) as well as what that means in different parts of the school like the playground, walkway, lunchroom, as well as classroom. Fifth graders are now into established-routines in our classrooms.
We have started getting to know each other to find what we have in common, and what we do not have in common because we are all unique and it should be celebrated.
Reminders:
Please fill out & submit any outstanding Parent Home Surveys or Technology Contracts by Tuesday, Sept. 2nd.
Pay special attention to providing your child’s shirt size on the Parent Home Survey. Shirts are being ordered on Friday!
Have a wonderful long weekend,
Fifth Grade Team
Upcoming Events:
Monday, Sept. 1st - Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
Thursday, Sept. 4th- Picture Day & Lockdown Drill
Wednesday, Sept. 10th- Choir starts
Friday, September 12th - Rollerland 4-7p
Wednesday, Sept. 17th-Friday, Sept. 19th- ECO Experience field trip
Sunday, September 21st - Shepardson 4K @ 10a
Friday, August 22nd, 2025
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome back to the first FULL DAY of school! I hope your family has heard of GOOD THINGS so far!
Next week we have an important date for you: Back to School Night is Tuesday, October 26. We offer two sessions: 5:30-6:15pm OR 6:30-7:15pm. The agenda is an overview of our grade-level, including the start of rotations, followed by a short informational guide for ECO WEEK. We will hand out the Eco Week packets, share out particulars/point-of-contact, etc. and our school nurse, Jane Houghton will share pertinent information regarding meds and health plans. PLEASE NOTE: ALL MEDS REQUIRE A DOCTOR’s SIGNATURE on the form you will receive! The other form is new: CSU is requesting “emergency-contact” information (the rest is optional).
This packet has some general information to help you prepare for the trip which is scheduled Wednesday, September 17 through Friday, September 19th. Included are forms and other relevant important information about our Eco Experience Field Trip coming up. We look forward to seeing you Tuesday evening!
Some quick notes:
Your student will be bringing home notices, homework, and completed assignments in their “Friday Folder”. Please empty and return it to school to be filled the following week.
Next week we begin our class rotations and will start with academic learning in earnest! We are excited for this to begin!
We are utilizing a planner each day to write upcoming assignments and dates. Please use this as a communication tool with your student and their teacher.
Enthusiastically,
Fifth Grade Teachers
Mike Foster Leila King Emma MacLeod
mfoster@psdschools.org lking@psdschools.org emacleod@psdschools.org
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