Woods School

It seems like I blinked and February was over! March will be another busy month for the 5th grade. They will continue with new units in every subject. We will also begin a new novel unit this month. I am so proud of the gains that each student is making in the 5th grade classroom. I have seen much growth both academically and socially.

With the busy schedule that we lead, I am beginning to notice some boys and girls coming to school extremely tired. Please remind your child to try to get to bed early so that they have more energy for the day! Also, I am very excited to see the healthy choices that the 5th graders are bringing for snack. Keep up the good work!

During the month of March the 5th grade will begin several new units.

Science

In science, the class will begin their study on the human body. We will focus on respiration, exertion, and living a healthy life. During this unit we will make a breathing model to show how our diaphragms help in our breathing.

Math

The 5th grade will continue learning about long division. They will be completing division with one and two digit divisors. This will include whole numbers and decimals. Please remind your child to be practicing their division flash cards during this time.

Reading

It is time to begin a new novel unit! This month the 5th grade will be reading The Island of the Blue Dolphins. It is a wonderful book about adventure and survival. I think the 5th grade will really like this one!

February is going to fly by! This month will mark the next math test for the 5th grade. It will also be the month in which we will complete a fractured fairy tale unit. Be sure to be checking your child's folder for important notes and events.

5th Grade has been involved in the Counteract Program through the Town of Geneva Police Department. Officer Linder has been talking to the 5th grade about many different topics ranging from drug abuse to gang violence. It has been great to see how involved the class has been with discussions.

The chapter three exam for math is scheduled for February 8th. This test will include double digit multiplication and multiplying decimals. The next two chapters will be on division, so I have decided to combine chapters 4 and 5. As your child brings home math homework, please remind them to use their notes from class. Notes will show the step by step processes that they need to know to complete the problem.

Last month we read Tuck Everlasting. This month 5th grade will be completing a fractured fairytale project. For the past few weeks the 5th grade has been working on a fairy tale play with Mrs. Swanson during library time. It is a very amusing play about the fairy tale news! This activity has become a great way to kick off our new reading unit. The class will be introduced to several fractured fairytales. We will discuss what makes them fractured, and the unit will end with each student creating their own fractured fairytale!

I can't believe it is now 2010! The fifth grade has been making great gains this year. I am very impressed by their improvements in math and reading. It seems like every student in the class is determined to beat old math scores and reach new personal bests. Awesome job 5th grade!

At the start of every math class the students have been taking a one minute multiplication timed test. Each day they strive to beat their score from the day before. If they do not accomplish that goal they are encouraged to continue working. If they do achieve that goal then they are rewarded with a star student hole punch. When a star student is completely filled then the student is allowed to pick a prize from the prize bucket, and begin a new student card. As of now almost everyone in the class can accomplish 50 problems in one minute. The star student cards are filling up quickly!

This month we will begin reading Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt. During this unit the students will be journaling on their feelings towards certain events that take place. They will also be introduced to a varied arrangement of new vocabulary words. The unit will culminate with the class watching the movie "Tuck Everlasting". After the movie, they will be writing a paper listing similarities and differences between the novel and the movie. I think the class will enjoy this novel!

What a busy month November was! We completed so many different tasks in such a short time! State Research projects were due, along with an essay on The Witch of Blackbird Pond. We also took the WKCE tests.

The Social Studies State Research projects turned out great! Everyone had a fun time using the smart board to show their information. Also, some presenters brought in very yummy food, so thank you to everyone who helped out. The next unit in Social Studies will be taught by the class. The class will be divided into three different groups, and each group will have to present and teach their assigned subject to the class. The groups will be discussing Maya, the Aztec, and the Anasazi. Each group will create a handout, read the chapter with the class, and show the information on a power point.

The Christmas Party planning team will be meeting the first week of December to discuss the party. The party will be December 22nd. In addition to the usual December festivities, the 5th grade will also be completing a book report. The assignment was to read a Newberry Award winning book, and write a summary on it. In addition to the summary, the 5th grade students must also create a new book cover for their novel. December will also mark the second math test of the year. Chapter two was a large chapter that was broken into three sections. The final test on the chapter will be on December 18th. With all the different activities, I think it is safe to assume that December will fly by!

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.