5-2 Updates ~ 03/08

5-2 Updates ~ 03/08

Hello 5-2 Families ~

Looking forward to breaking into the 50's this week!  Hoping it stays that way, so that maybe....just maybe...it might feel like spring for Spring Break :)

Please note:  There seems to be some confusion among a few students about policy on winter wear, particularly in the last few days as the temperatures increased slightly.  Your child is expected to put on the winter gear that they bring in from home when they go out for recess.  Some students believe the winter gear is optional, but it is not.  If you send it, the assumption is that you want them to wear it.  I did remind them if they do not want to wear the winter gear, then they are to have a conversation with you as parents, and leave the gear at home.  There is still an great deal of snow on our blacktop, and even as it melts, it will be wet and muddy mounds for quite some time.  Students also may not take gear off outside and leave it anywhere - this is a policy that is consistent year round.  Even in the warmer months, if students wear a jacket outside and decide they no longer need it, they must tie it around their waist.  Please let me know if you have any questions about our policies.  Thank you!

Important Dates
PARCC Testing ~ 
- Monday, March 9th, 1:30-3:00 - Math #1
- Tuesday, March 10th, 1:30-3:00 - Math #2
- Wednesday, March 11th, 1:30-3:00 - ELA #1 (Literary Analysis)
- Thursday, March 12th, 1:30-3:00 - ELA #2 (Research Simulation)
- Friday, March 13th, 1:30-3:00 - ELA #3 (Narrative Writing)

Please encourage your child to get a full night's sleep this week, and please do your best to minimize absences during these times.  It can be very challenging to schedule make-up tests since our window to do so is small.  Students often feel overwhelmed at missing instruction in order to makeup tests later in the week, resulting in additional homework.  Thank you for your support!

** Please be sure your child has several #2 pencils for the PARCC tests **

Students will also NOT be assigned homework the night before an PARCC test to minimize demands on their time and to ensure a good night's rest :)  

Friday, March 13th ~ Progress Reports sent home

Thursday, March 19th & 20th ~ As you have heard, these are now student attendance days due to the number of extreme weather days we have had to take this winter.  This means we will no longer meet for parent-teacher conferences.  Many questions during the 5th grade spring conferences are about middle school transitions, including placement into classes.  I will do my best to continue to update you via this blog about the transitions, and try to answer those questions that I am frequently asked about the transition.  Several other questions are related to the end of the year 5th grade activities.  Again, I will keep you posted about all those activities via this blog.  If you have ANY questions at all, please do not hesistate to contact me.  I fully appreciate the additional anxiety families feel during this transition, and want to make it as smooth as possible :)

If I feel it is important to still meet with you about the progress of your child, I will reach out to you individually to set up a time to meet.  If I do not reach out to you, please assume your child is making progress and I have no concerns about them.  Several parents have approached me about setting up a conference time because those days have been canceled.  If you have pressing concerns, I would be happy to meet with you.  But if you have questions that can be answered via email, please feel free to contact me this way instead.  It can get challenging trying to schedule 22 parent-teacher conferences after school :)   That being said, I would be happy to meet with all 22 of you if there is a need!

Math

This week was spent reviewing math concepts and problem solving skills for the PARCC this week.  I sent home copies of these tests as information for both you and your child.  We started Unit 8 on Friday, and will continue this week - but there will be no math homework assigned during this week.  They will be given time in class to complete independent math work (study links) to give them continued practice on the skills learned during the lesson.  In this unit on fractions, we will be adding and subtracting mixed numbers, then moving on to multiplying and dividing fractions.  This is a challenging unit - please encourage your child to own their learning and "check in" with themselves to be sure they are understanding the concepts taught.  Encourage them to practice the learned skills at home by using Khan Academy and seek support when they are struggling!

Social Studies

We spent this week discussing the events following the Revolutionary War, and how our government was formed.  They learned about the problems with the Articles of Confederation, and the Branches of Government.  We worked on our Branches of Government project on Thursday and Friday in class, and some students brought them home to finish up as homework.  This week, we will read a great story, Unite or Die!  They will have the chance to participate in a drama with the same title, as students become delegates from states and debate the problems our country encountered in its infancy.  Eventually, we reached a compromise at the Constitutional Convention, where our current form of government was formed.  Students will also be reading an informational text, titled Constitutional Convention in small groups, and comparing the informaiton to Unit or Die!  We will be taking the Chapter 14 assessment on Monday, 3/16 after the PARCC Assessment is complete.

Reading

We spent most of our reading time this week practicing our test taking skills for the PARCC assessment.  I've sent these practice tests home as well so you can review the  new Common Core expectations.  Since we have PARCC scheduled during our reading and writing block this week, we will be taking a break from instruction.

Writing

Since students will be expected to write a Personal Narrative for the PARCC Assessment, we spent time in writing this week reviewing the expectations for a Personal Narrative.  Students had fun writing about coming home and finding a dog on their front porch - their stories are very entertaining!  I'll be sending home the grades for these narratives during the week.  Please look for the writing rubric for a sign and return.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
 - Nelson Mandela

Stay Warm!