January 28, 2013

Multiage News

January 28, 2013

What We’ve Been Up To

Whew!  We have been keeping busy at school.  Last week began our new Fractions Unit in math, continued work on our Fiction writing unit, began our new Book Clubs, and began discussion of the first groups into North America.  We had two spelling bees, two lockdown drills and a Science Camp Meeting.  All of this in a three day school week!

This week

READING                 We will begin our Text Structure Unit by looking at Expository text in the form of articles.  We’ll be analyzing the articles to look for understanding of it through the layout and pros/cons on a topic.  We will be meeting in our book clubs and small skill groups.  Since it is the beginning of the new quarter, students will be given their new reading requirements.

WRITING                 We have selected one of our FICTION drafts to take through the writing process.  We will be revising the piece this week, making changes and improvements before publishing.  Peer Conferencing will give us the support and ideas we need to make our stories the best they can be.

MATH                      We will be working with fractions the next few weeks—adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing (5^th).  I am going to try to follow the 5^th grade curriculum, and add pieces of 4^th grade fraction work in when necessary during this unit.

SCIENCE                  We continue on with the Forces and Motion unit.  This week we will learn about Balanced/Unbalanced Forces and also Measuring Forces.  Science QUIZ Tuesday.  Students received Study Guide on Friday.

SS                            We will be following the Mayflower voyage and what the first English settlers were like.  We’ll be looking at the land and the hardships of these people.  A Colonial Scavenger Hunt will kick off our study.

BRAINSTORMERS Assembly will be Friday.

A Few Dates Coming Up

January 28               PTO Meeting

Feb. 7                      District Late Start

Feb. 18-19               Winter Break

5^th Grade Science Camp

Last week you received the medical form for camp.  Please send that back to school as soon as you can.  If you want to chaperone, you must contact Mrs. Thomas via email ASAP.  At this time, ALL CANDY MONEY IS DUE.  Each box sold will deduct $25 from camp bill.  Camp is the week before Spring Break.  I will assume your child is going unless you let me know otherwise by the end of this week.  Thanks!

Report Cards

I will be sending home 2^nd quarter report cards later this week.  There is no official grade in reading this quarter, as there is a more comprehensive reading assessment attached and also a copy of the STAR reading test, taken in December.  You will also receive a copy of the MAP Math test that we will take this week.

Congrats—Laura Howey 4^th grade Spelling Bee finalist and Mia Moberly 5^th grade Spelling Bee grand champion.  Awesome job to all of our spelling contestants-great job by all!!