Fifth Grade Newsletter

From: Miss Bane, Miss Dellano, Mrs. McCulloughDate: January 17th 2014

Staff PagesCheck out our webpage to find updated information. Go to the Lafayette School website and click on Staff Pages.

Specials ScheduleMonday

No school

Tuesday (F) Health/Art-Bane PE/Music-Dellano

Wednesday (A) Spanish/Academic Flex

Thursday – (B) LMC/PE/Applied Music

Friday – (C) Spanish/Character

Upcoming Events and Reminders

No School on Monday, January 20th in observance of Martin Luther King Day.

Author’s Day is on January 31st.

Language Arts News

HW for next week: Fluency (skill-using context clues to help determine the

meaning of words) Book Recommendation

This week the students learned how to use context clues in reading to determine the meaning of a word. Students learned that there are many different context clues that an author will use such as: explanation, example, definition, synonym, or antonym. By using clues in and around the sentence, students learned that they can figure out the meaning of a word.

Students learned about segregation and The Jim Crow Laws in preparation for reading two stories called Lunch Counter Encounter and Goin’ Someplace Special.

Students saw that both stories related to segregation.

Lastly, the students learned a reading strategy to use while reading independently called Words of the Wiser. Signpost: Words of the Wiser: When a character (probably older and wiser) takes the protagonist aside and offers serious advice.

Text Clue: A wiser, often older, character offers a life lesson, usually in a quiet moment.

STOP and ask yourself: What is the life lesson and how might it affect the character?

This week in writing, the students were involved in an activity called Carousel Brainstorming in order to practice how to write different grabber openers for an argument essay. Students learned that by using a grabber opening such as simile and explanation, dialogue, anecdote, onomatopoeia and explanation, a question, or a cool fact, they can grab their reader’s attention right away! Students wrote a grabber opening for their essay on chocolate milk. After collecting text evidence for both sides of an argument, students chose a side: Chocolate milk should be served in school OR Chocolate milk should not be served in school. Students created a thesis for their argument using TOSSS (topic, opinion, support, support, support) in preparation for writing their argument essay. Science News In science, we are continuing to work on the skeletal system. The students have learned a wide variety of the bones. Next week, we will work on the different types of joints.

Math NewsIn math, the students completed topic 10. They worked on fun activities like mailbox math and rounded out the week by doing a fantastic job on their tests! I am very proud of their hard work on these difficult concepts!

Social Studies News

We are finishing up Chapter 6: Creating a real estate advertisement for either Jamestown or Plymouth. We will be moving into Chapter 7 next week.

Ch. 7 Comparing the ColoniesStudents learn about the similarities and differences among the New England, Middle, and Southern colonies

Preview

Students analyze how a billboard persuades people to do something

Problem Solving Group work

Students create a billboard for one of six British colonies and then try to persuade other students to settle in their colony. Afterward, students read about the six colonies and evaluate the claims of each group.

Reading Further 

Students compare and contrast the job opportunities of young colonists in each region.

Processing activity

Students synthesize their knowledge to write a letter from the perspective of someone moving to one of the colonies.