5th Grade Newsletter

April 24th-April 28th

Religion – We continued working on Beatitudes this week.  Next week we will finish this unit and move into a unit on Morality.  We will be finishing the year discussing the importance of Mary in our church as well as the mysteries of the Rosary.  Students will be assessed in May on the Hail Holy Queen and The Apostles’ Creed.  Please continue to add these to your daily prayers at home.

Reading/Language Arts –  We continue to complete mini lessons/activities for the comprehension strategies.  Mrs. Schaffer’s class has started with the Special Needs Lit Circle Unit.  Students will work in a group to read a novel based on a character with a special need and will research a special need and present the findings to the class. Mrs. Anderson’s class is continuing with Lit Circles.  Mrs. Alsin’s Class is continuing to read the whole class book Bridge to Terabithia.

Math –  We are continuing to study the concepts of fractions to increase the student’s understanding of WHAT happens when fractions are multiplied by fractions, fractions multiplied by a whole number, or mixed fractions by mixed fractions.  The students are starting to feel a lot more comfortable with the understanding of these concepts.  It has been fun to watch the light go on!!! :)       

Science -We continued our unit over weather this week and how to measure it.  We discussed severe weather, how to stay safe, weather instruments, the atmosphere, air pressure, the water cycle, and the 4 main clouds.  Our test over this unit is Monday.  We reviewed Thursday and played Kahoot today.  Your child should have their ISN which has all they need to study for this exam.

Language Arts – We will end our Poetry Unit with the Poetry Slam on Monday!  A traditional Poetry Slam is a contest in which poets recite their poems in front of an audience, usually in a public space such as a coffee shop or cafe.  A panel of judges is present to give each poet a score based on a “free verse” poem.  Poetry Slams began in Chicago in 1984 when a poet named Mark Smith launched a Poetry reading at a Jazz Club.  The idea took hold and spread to other big cities.  Schools often replicate the idea as a forum to share poetry as well.  Mrs. Schaffer’s classroom will turn into a “cafe” with baked goods and hot chocolate to celebrate and share poetry. Please have your child bring a coffee mug on Monday.  We’ve also started a unit on adjectives and will begin a Persuasive Writing Unit next week.

 

Spelling –  Our next Spelling list includes words that have the Greek or Latin Roots audi, aero, ambi, and anti.   We will also re-visit Antonyms.