We had a great couple of weeks together in fifth grade! We heard lots of great things about this grade from their fourth grade teachers and we can already tell that this is going to be a fantastic year.
Over the past couple of weeks, we have spent time getting to know each other, our classroom and our routines.Here are some highlights of things we have done together.
Reader’s Workshop
We began our launching unit for Reader’s Workshop during the first week of school. We will spend time over the next couple of weeks practicing the routines of Reader’s Workshop. We began by asking students to think about the best of reading times and the worst of reading times. Then, we started discussing ways we can make reading the best it can be this year. Students have also been working hard at building their reading stamina. Students are expected to read 30 minutes each night for homework. Students are also given about thirty minutes of reading time in class every day. Students have Reader’s Notebooks they will use in fifth grade to keep track of lessons, jot ideas as they are reading and write about their reading. Later this week, we will discuss choosing “just right” books, make a list of “on deck books” and begin writing book reviews! This year, students will participate in an online blog where they will write monthly book reviews. This will be a resource all students can then use when they are trying to find a book to read. We will share out our blog with you once students have written their first review!
Writer’s Workshop
We begin Writer’s Workshop in fifth grade by helping students write “fast and furious.” This launching unit is all about helping students become excited about writing and breaking the “I have nothing to write about” mantra that can sometimes plague students. Students each have their own Writer’s Notebook which they use to practice the strategies we learn in Writer’s Workshop. This week we focused on strategies for generating ideas. Students wrote about the history of their name, brainstormed what topics they always carry with them in their “Writer’s Backpack,” learned how to use loops to help us come up with story ideas and Power Writing! Power writing will be a routine students will continue both at school and on Wednesdays for homework. For Power Writing, we choose a word that all students then write about for ten minutes. This writing can be a story that is sparked by the word or just anything they can think of that relates to the word. This is used to help build students writing fluency. Students are keeping track of how many pages and words they can write in ten minutes.
Math
We want students to be excited about math! We cover a lot of fun, challenging and real world math problems in fifth grade. We started off the year reviewing basic algebra and asked the students to share about themselves using numbers, expressions, and equations. Look for their “Figure Me Out” work when you join us for Back to School Night. We worked with a partner and explored number patterns with a real world problem called Bucky the Badger. An engaging problem, it fostered great “math talk” among the students as they worked away in their Math Journals to figure out how many push-ups the football mascot, Bucky, had to complete.
Community Building
Of course, we have spent a lot of time getting to know each other, our classroom and our school. One of the first activities we did involved students completing a poster walk jigsaw in which they had to think about the kind of year they want to have in fifth grade. Then, from here we were able to create a Classroom Constitution. We all agreed to do our best to follow these rules in order to have a great year together.
Students also learned about setting SMART goals. We discussed what each letter in the acronym SMART stands for and students then began creating their own. For a goal to be SMART, it must be: specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and timely. Students then each set their own SMART goal they will be working on for the next six weeks. Many of these goals require students to do a little “extra” work at home sometimes. That might mean reading a little more, studying their facts or doing some extra writing. Please check in with your child about their goal and ask them how you can help support them at home.
Lastly, students have created beautiful “selfie silhouettes” that represent their likes/dislikes, fears, accomplishments and dreams for the future. These have been a great way for students to learn more about each other. We can’t wait for you to see them at Back to School Night.
Science
We will begin science this week. During these first two weeks of science we will be helping students learn the skills of scientists. We will begin with two activities that ask students to make claims based on specific evidence. Then, we will teach students about the scientific process, testable questions and designing and conducting investigations. Students will have two different opportunities to then practice these skills in engaging, hands on work. The first activity will involve paper airplanes and the second relates to building a chair out of newspaper. If you have any extra newspaper you can donate to our classroom we would appreciate it!
Back to School Night
Please join us for Back to School night on Wednesday, September 21st. Specialist teachers will be in their classrooms to greet parents from 6:45-7:15. You are welcome to our classroom at 7:00. We will try and begin our presentation as close to 7:10 as possible. During this presentation we will review the curriculum for the year. At 7:40, Matt Lucey will then address parents in the amphitheater (providing the weather cooperates).
We are looking forward to seeing all of you next week!
Best,
Mrs. McLoughlin and Mr. Shilalie
Over the past couple of weeks, we have spent time getting to know each other, our classroom and our routines.Here are some highlights of things we have done together.
Reader’s Workshop
We began our launching unit for Reader’s Workshop during the first week of school. We will spend time over the next couple of weeks practicing the routines of Reader’s Workshop. We began by asking students to think about the best of reading times and the worst of reading times. Then, we started discussing ways we can make reading the best it can be this year. Students have also been working hard at building their reading stamina. Students are expected to read 30 minutes each night for homework. Students are also given about thirty minutes of reading time in class every day. Students have Reader’s Notebooks they will use in fifth grade to keep track of lessons, jot ideas as they are reading and write about their reading. Later this week, we will discuss choosing “just right” books, make a list of “on deck books” and begin writing book reviews! This year, students will participate in an online blog where they will write monthly book reviews. This will be a resource all students can then use when they are trying to find a book to read. We will share out our blog with you once students have written their first review!
Writer’s Workshop
We begin Writer’s Workshop in fifth grade by helping students write “fast and furious.” This launching unit is all about helping students become excited about writing and breaking the “I have nothing to write about” mantra that can sometimes plague students. Students each have their own Writer’s Notebook which they use to practice the strategies we learn in Writer’s Workshop. This week we focused on strategies for generating ideas. Students wrote about the history of their name, brainstormed what topics they always carry with them in their “Writer’s Backpack,” learned how to use loops to help us come up with story ideas and Power Writing! Power writing will be a routine students will continue both at school and on Wednesdays for homework. For Power Writing, we choose a word that all students then write about for ten minutes. This writing can be a story that is sparked by the word or just anything they can think of that relates to the word. This is used to help build students writing fluency. Students are keeping track of how many pages and words they can write in ten minutes.
Math
We want students to be excited about math! We cover a lot of fun, challenging and real world math problems in fifth grade. We started off the year reviewing basic algebra and asked the students to share about themselves using numbers, expressions, and equations. Look for their “Figure Me Out” work when you join us for Back to School Night. We worked with a partner and explored number patterns with a real world problem called Bucky the Badger. An engaging problem, it fostered great “math talk” among the students as they worked away in their Math Journals to figure out how many push-ups the football mascot, Bucky, had to complete.
Community Building
Of course, we have spent a lot of time getting to know each other, our classroom and our school. One of the first activities we did involved students completing a poster walk jigsaw in which they had to think about the kind of year they want to have in fifth grade. Then, from here we were able to create a Classroom Constitution. We all agreed to do our best to follow these rules in order to have a great year together.
Students also learned about setting SMART goals. We discussed what each letter in the acronym SMART stands for and students then began creating their own. For a goal to be SMART, it must be: specific, measureable, attainable, relevant and timely. Students then each set their own SMART goal they will be working on for the next six weeks. Many of these goals require students to do a little “extra” work at home sometimes. That might mean reading a little more, studying their facts or doing some extra writing. Please check in with your child about their goal and ask them how you can help support them at home.
Lastly, students have created beautiful “selfie silhouettes” that represent their likes/dislikes, fears, accomplishments and dreams for the future. These have been a great way for students to learn more about each other. We can’t wait for you to see them at Back to School Night.
Science
We will begin science this week. During these first two weeks of science we will be helping students learn the skills of scientists. We will begin with two activities that ask students to make claims based on specific evidence. Then, we will teach students about the scientific process, testable questions and designing and conducting investigations. Students will have two different opportunities to then practice these skills in engaging, hands on work. The first activity will involve paper airplanes and the second relates to building a chair out of newspaper. If you have any extra newspaper you can donate to our classroom we would appreciate it!
Back to School Night
Please join us for Back to School night on Wednesday, September 21st. Specialist teachers will be in their classrooms to greet parents from 6:45-7:15. You are welcome to our classroom at 7:00. We will try and begin our presentation as close to 7:10 as possible. During this presentation we will review the curriculum for the year. At 7:40, Matt Lucey will then address parents in the amphitheater (providing the weather cooperates).
We are looking forward to seeing all of you next week!
Best,
Mrs. McLoughlin and Mr. Shilalie