We are off and running in third quarter ! We are using more and more technology in our classroom! Ask your students about: literature circle jobs on the Chromebooks, research for our expository writing state’s report, and WINN activities. This week we all read in our literature circle books, worked on researching for our state’s report, took our STAR Math test,  and completed a fun science and social studies activity! We also had the opportunity to watch the inauguration today. It was a great lesson in democracy.

We had lots of students move up a level on Super Improver. Ask your student where they are on our chart! Some students are on their way to making it to the top! To move up, they just need to show improvement in anything!

We are going to participate in National Kindness Week next week in our classroom. It is important to me to instill kindness and respect to others to the students in 5A! Kindness Challenge: Post a picture on the blog each day of you doing something kind for someone or write a few sentences telling me something that you did kind for someone!  On Friday, we will celebrate our kind acts in class! 

Congrats to Nithila ! She is our Wonderful Wildcat!

An important reminder: we are beginning quarter 3! The work level will continue to increase as the students are now half way through their 5th grade year. Please encourage your student to check the blog, stay on top of  his/her assignments, and do their best! I’m so please with everyone so far! I know we can continue to grow and learn the second half of fifth grade! 

Important Dates:

Wednesday, Feb 1- Family Skate Night from 5:30-7:30 at Peoria Roller Skating Rink

Friday, Feb. 3- Book Jacket project due!

Friday, Feb. 3- School Spelling Bee- 8:15 am in gym

Tuesday, Feb. 14- Valentine’s Day party

Reading/Lang. Arts:

• We will continue with  our literature circles. Students are really enjoying their books and some are even reading ahead.
• In addition to the nightly reading, they need to complete the chapter assignment in their literature circle booklet. For each chapter, the students must write the strategy they used and how they used it, a sentence summary, and draw a picture of what the chapter was mostly about.
• Students also need to look for words they don’t know and try and figure out the meanings.
• Ask your student about their literature circle job and how they are logging the information as a Google Doc to share with their group!
• Book jacket projects went home Thursday. They are due on Friday, Feb. 3. This project is in place of a test for their literature circle book. Please ask your student to look at the requirements so that they don’t wait until the last minute to complete it.
• Our reading logs will be due each Friday. Please make sure that your child is reading for 100 minutes each night and it writing about the strategy he/she used to help them read. Please remember to sign the log so that I know they have completed their assigned reading. Students are able to use their literature circle book as the book for the reading log. 
• There will be no spelling lists or test for the next few weeks. We will focus on the spelling bee words and hold several class spelling bees to determine who will represent 5A at the school spelling bee. I sent home a list of words to practice and this link will provide additional activities.
• file:///C:/Users/marnott/Downloads/Spelling%20Bee%20Task%20Cards%20(1).pdf
• Journal entries for next week are due on the assigned day. We spoke in detail about how they need to set up their entry and how important it is to “show me how they know” with evidence from the text. Students must include specific examples of how the person they choose persevered throughout their lifetime. This piece is  4 paragraphs in length. Students will have time to work on it in class, but it may need to be completed at home.
• We will review the parts of speech in English and learn indirect objects.
• Students will also learn about how to make compound and complex sentences and how to use it in their writing pieces.

Math: 

• We did a great job with  number patterns and line plots. Students have been introduced to this during daily math and we took a quiz today over this material.
• Next week we will move into volume and measurement. This is chapter 15 in our book.
• The new math expectations are to complete 3 nights per week on a math centered website: Khan Academy, Moby Max, or Frontrowed. When students complete their 20 minutes for the night, please sign the calendar so that I can ensure they did the assignment.
• Remember, if you feel your child needs extra help with the math concepts, I have a math group each morning in our classroom beginning at 7:25!
• Please encourage your child to work on Xtra math, Frontrowed, or Khan Academy at night. 
• Science: 
  •  We will expand on our study  about forces in motion and simple machines.
  • As we continue to study this unit, there are a variety of science experiments students will complete in class.

  Social Studies: 

  • We will take a test on Chapter 5 on Friday, Feb. 3.
  • Ask your student about their invention! I think they had a lot of fun creating one!
  • Daily Geography is a big part of our social studies grade. Most of the time spent on this is at home. Please encourage your student to take their time, use complete sentences, and do their best work.

   

  Our week in pictures…..