Week 6

Reminders:

- Please consider signing up as volunteer at the International Festival
- October 9th Pershing Middle School Tour

- October 19th International Festival & early dismissal

- October 23rd 6-7:30pm Middle School Night

- Magnet Application window opens September 28th and closes December 7th

Math:

Multiplication of decimals by whole numbers and by other decimals. We will also use various models to show decimal multiplication. Problem Solving Quiz on Friday

English/Language Arts/Reading:

- Book Clubs, final meetings this week

- Quizlet Week 6 and spelling on Friday

Science:

Review for unit test on matter this Friday, October 5th

“Bob the Ice Dude” assignment due Monday, October 1st

Steve Spangler's Density Tower

Explanation of Density

Mixtures, Solutions, Solubility

Magnetism, Conductivity

TED-ed Mixtures:

How to Separate Mixtures and Solutions based on Properties

Looking for a fun science project to do this weekend?

https://www.stevespanglerscience.com/lab/experiments/homemade-rock-candy/

Social Studies:

13 colonies brochure due on Wednesday, October 3rd

There will be a open note quiz on the 13 colonies on Thursday.

Week 5

Reminders:

- Roberts Elementary School Climate Survey
- We will tour Pershing Middle School on Tuesday, October 9th. Parents who are interested in joining us as a chaperone for the trip, please email me
- October 19 - Early release (11:30am) and International Festival
- October 23 - Middle school night 6-7:30pm
- September 28th - Magnet application window opens (closes December 7)

Math:

- On Monday we will review for the unit 1 test. Math notebooks are an excellent study tool, as well as previous blog post tutorial videos, and the Go Math book. The test will cover prime & composite numbers, simplifying fractions, mixed & improper fractions, multiplication (2 by 3 digit numbers) and division (2 digit divisors with remainders), compatible numbers, expanded form and notation, and decimal place value (to the thousandths place). Test on Tuesday.

- On Wednesday we will begin learning how to add and subtract decimal numbers to the thousandths place value.

- Problem of the day quiz on Friday

English/Language Arts/Reading:

Book Clubs - as a reminder, students have book club work to complete everyday. Any work that does not get finished in class, becomes homework. Students are expected to read the assigned pages and complete their job in their book club notebook daily. Descriptions of job requirements and a grading rubric can be found in that notebook, and reading assignments and a schedule of jobs are marked on the green bookmarks. We have had many (too many) conversations about how jobs must be complete before the day of the meeting, and they must show 5th grade (or higher!!!) effort/quality. This is imperative, as each member of the book club relies on their group. When a job is incomplete or of sloppy/poor quality, it negatively impacts the group as a whole.

Week 5  Quizlet and spelling on Friday

Science:

This week’s focus will be on mixtures and solutions and how to separate them.

We will be starting our “Bob the Ice Dude” project on Monday and it will be due the following Monday, October 1st

Steve Spangler's Density Tower

Explanation of Density

Mixtures, Solutions, Solubility

Magnetism, Conductivity

TED-ed Mixtures:

How to Separate Mixtures and Solutions based on Properties

Studyjams You will see scrolling topics under science.  Find the one on Matter. The three videos I suggest are: Properties of Matter, Solids Liquids Gases, and Physical and Chemical Changes in Matter.

Social Studies:

13 colonies brochure project - In groups, students will be creating a brochure inviting others to come live in New England, Middle Colonies, or Southern Colonies.

Week 4

Reminders:

Early dismissal - September 21st

Math:

This week will cover place value to the thousandths place, rounding and estimating with decimals, comparing and ordering decimals, and rewriting fractions as decimals. We will review the following topics on Friday for a unit test on Monday, Sept. 24:

• multiplying and dividing powers of 10
• multiplying and dividing whole numbers
• prime and composite numbers
• decimal expanded notation
• rounding and estimating decimals
• comparing and ordering decimals
• rewriting fractions as decimals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JB3bNfLqEM  Decimal place value

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MIn3zFkEcc Rounding decimals to the tenths place

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jcW-ZgpRbM Base 10 fractions to decimals

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do_IbHId2Os Convert fractions to decimals

* Problem of the Day Quiz on Friday

English/Language Arts/Reading:

Book Clubs! We started our first book for book club this week. Each student was assigned a novel with their group, and we plotted out a reading schedule on their green bookmarks. It is imperative that all group members read to the exact page assigned (no reading ahead or falling behind), come with their job completed in their book club notebook, and are ready to engage in conversation each day. The book club notebook has a blue paper glued in with an explanation of each job and its requirements, there is also a white rubric with expectations for the daily meetings.

Within our read aloud novel, Chains, we will focus on honing our summarization skills and use exercises to target and describe the most important events as they come about.

Quizlet Week 4 and spelling quiz on Friday

Science:

Properties of matter - density, electrical conductivity, magnetism, temperature, and solubility.  States of matter - characteristics of a solid, liquid, and gas.

Steve Spangler's Density Tower

Explanation of Density

Mixtures, Solutions, Solubility

Magnetism, Conductivity

TED-ed Mixtures:

How to Separate Mixtures and Solutions based on Properties

Studyjams You will see scrolling topics under science.  Find the one on Matter. The three videos I suggest are: Properties of Matter, Solids Liquids Gases, and Physical and Chemical Changes in Matter.

Social Studies:

Colonial America. We will learn about why each of the 13 colonies were settled and what economic strengths each colony had.

Week 3

Reminders:

• No school on September 10th
• Curriculum Night/Open House will be September 13th at 6pm
• Early dismissal on September 21st

Math:
Powers of 10 division
Estimation with 2 digit divisors
Division of compatible numbers
Division with two digit divisors (Example: 576 divided by 18) Math Antics
- Problem Solving Quiz on Friday
- Please continue to practice multiplication fact fluency!

English/Language Arts/Reading:

Continue Chains read aloud, quiz on Thursday.

We will begin our first book club this week, I am so excited!
- Reading Daily (minimum of 20 minutes of reading)
- Week 3 Quizlet and spelling quizzes on Friday

Science:

We are beginning our unit on matter and its properties…. what matter is, what it isn't, the main states of matter, and changes in states. StudyJams has some great videos to review. You will see scrolling topics under science, click on matter. The three videos I suggest are: “Properties of Matter,” “Solids Liquids Gases,” and “Physical and Chemical Changes in Matter.”

Social Studies:

We are continuing our unit on early explorers and also covering essential map skills, which despite technological advances, is good for all to know! Our explorer/colonist essay will be due on Wednesday. As a reminder, you are writing home to your king or queen (Spain, England, or France) and explaining the details of your voyage, and what you’ve encountered since arriving in this “new world.” Please display your knowledge this time period and of the 3 F’s or 3 G’s of exploration. Be as creative in your final product as possible, this is our first display project of the year!

Week 2

What a great first week this has been! I already know this is going to be an awesome year!

Reminders:

• Parents, please remind your students how they will be going home each day.
• No school on Labor Day, September 3rd
• No school on September 10th
• Curriculum Night/Open House will be September 13th at 6pm
• Early dismissal on September 21st

What’s coming up this week?

Math:

1. Prime, composite, factors
2. Multiplying by powers of 10
3. Multiplying by 2-3 digit numbers (Check out these helpful videos!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJ5qLWP3Fqo & https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVYwunbpMHA
4. Estimation with 2 digit divisors
5. Division of compatible numbers

• Fluency with multiplication facts is crucial in fifth grade. Please continue to practice from home! Multiplication Practice Games  
• Our weekly problem solving quiz will take place on Fridays. Students took their first “practice quiz” last week, but going forward, these will be graded. The weekly quizzes directly reflect the “problem of the day”  and “exit ticket” questions we practice M-Th. 

English Language Arts (ELA):

• Continue reading “Chains” aloud as a class
• Letter writing
• Daily independent reading (while individual reading assessments take place)
• Content vocabulary quiz Quizlet: Week 2
• Spelling quiz on Friday - Leveled lists will be distributed on Tuesday

Science:

• Scientific Method (variables, controls, experimental design) and Science Tools

Social Studies:

• Age of Discovery
• Early Civilizations
• Migration to the New World
• Letter to Spain/England/France 

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