Pier 20 Press Mrs. Jenkins’ Fifth Grade Newsletter

Volume 3 Issue 13 November 18, 2013

From the teacher’s desk…. I returned to school last Thursday afternoon dizzy with all the new information we received at the Professional Learning Community conference. We learned so much about how to help your children learn at high levels and I am energized to put into practice many new teaching strategies. One concept that especially resonated with me was the notion that every child learns everyday….and some concepts come more quickly to some children. But we never give up on those students to whom the concepts come less quickly. We will work and work with each child such that each learns ALL he/she needs in order to progress to his/her next level of learning.

I hope all of you enjoy a happy and memorable Thanksgiving holiday. We will soon study the events that led to the first Thanksgiving in Massachusetts. This Thanksgiving we are mindful of the pilgrims who endured hardships as they traveled across the ocean in search of a better life. We are also mindful of the Native Americans who met them here and shared their bounty with the newcomers during that cold and snowy November.

Personally, I’m grateful for the opportunity to do what I love each day – teach. Thank you for sharing your precious children with me.

❧ Happy Thanksgiving ❧

Happy Thanksgiving!

Language Arts We are three weeks into our new spelling program and I’m particularly pleased with the results. Students are recognizing patterns in spelling and applying them to new words. I’m aware that the spelling words might seem to be not as challenging as they’ve been – and perhaps that’s true. However, I’m also quite certain that the more challenging words in the past are quickly forgotten after the test. This new approach will create lifetime spellers – rather than short-term memorizers.

Math Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. How many of you have heard of this mnemonic to remember the Order of Operations? Students are using PEMDAS to evaluate expressions in math class. For example, I challenge to you to evaluate this expression: 4 – 3[4 – 2(6-3)] ÷ 2 I believe that most of your children should be able to solve this problem. Just for fun….text me your answer! I’ll compare it to your children’s answers.

This Week’s Spelling Words

Important Contact Information Cell: 203.640.3375

Email: mjenkins@canyonrimacademy.org

Website: http://jenkins5th.wordpress.com

This Week’s Vocabulary Words Word of the Week: summarize quarry posse stalactite trawled clamber cavern

Upcoming Events Nov. 20 Treasure Island/1:30 Nov. 20-21 Treasure Island/7:00 Nov. 22 Last day of 1st trimester Nov. 22 Free Dress Day Nov. 25-29 No school for students! Nov. 25 Report Cards mailed

Science and Social Studies Our final assessment on Heredity and Traits will be on Thursday. Students have learned that some off-spring look like their parents while others don’t, they’ve learned that some behaviors are inherited and others are learned, and they’ve learned that animals adapt to their environments, passing those adaptations on to their offspring. We’re moving forward through time from famous world explorers such as Magellan to the settlement of our own country. Students are learning about the original 13 Colonies and the similarities and differences between New England, the Middle Colonies and the Southern Colonies.

Remember….easy ways to enhance the budget at Canyon Rim Academy! Smith’s: Ask Customer Service to add CRA to your account. Every time you swipe your card your children get more advantages! Amazon: Shopping through Amazon? Enter through the CRA Website (under quick links) and continue to enhance our budget. Boxtops: We will continue to collect box tops. The winner at the end of the year will earn a generous reward!

Blue replay inflate exhale deflate reappear interior exile defrost reclaim inhabit explore deprive reconsider inmate excess decrease reruns exhaust delete research inhale exterior reaction install

Green hopped hoped joined acted planned saved waited wanted grabbed closed mixed helped nodded scored shouted started stirred stepped named passed dropped chewed lived seemed

Yellow thumb new blue grew truth flue plump chew do due brush glue few junk true stuck flew stew knew crew blew dew trunk sew