March 2, 2018
Happy March Families!
(Line dancing in P.E.!!! WHOOO!!!)
March has certainly come in like a lion! With any luck, it will leave like a lamb! We are off to a fresh start with our final trimester. We are looking forward to meeting with you next week for parent/teacher conferences to discuss your child’s progress!
Please be sure to refer to the important upcoming dates at the end of this blog. It includes the date of an upcoming field trip and the 5th grade music performance.
Here’s what we’ve been working in this week:
Literacy
In support of our new theme, Exploring New Worlds, we are finishing up our first nonfiction shared reading text, Explorers: Triumphs and Troubles. We’ve had some lively discussions about various explorers in our history, such as Marco Polo. We also gained insight about the motivations behind various explorations, as well as the positive and negative effects they had on society.
Writing
Based on the reading we’ve been doing about explorers, students are currently planning and writing an opinion paper about what they feel primarily influenced explorers. Was it fame, wealth, the desire to find new routes—or was it to find new land to conquer? Be sure to ask your student about the topic of his/her opinion paper!
Math
In math, our first learning target for the new grading period has involved locating points on a coordinate grid. We’ve done some engaging activities with cubes and tiles in order to predict patterns. plot ordered pairs on a plane, and even write equations to solve such patterns. The strategy discussions that have been taking place around such problems have been impressive! There has definitely been some higher-level thinking going on!
Social Studies
We have started our unit on supply & demand and trade. As we progress through the unit we will learn about the history of the Columbian Exchange and the positive and negative effects which resulted from such trade.
Science
In science we’ve been learning about the states of matter. The online reading through our TCI science program has included some engaging interactive graphics for the I-Pads. With these technology enhancements, students have been able to see what happens to molecules as they change states between solids, liquids and gasses!
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Conferences will be held next week on March 8 (5:00-8:30 PM) and March 9 (10:30 AM-1:30 PM). If you haven't signed up for a time slot yet, please do so here: CONFERENCE SIGN-UP.
5th Grade Field Trip
On March 14 (Wednesday), we are going on a field trip to watch a play about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad! This ties in with our previous science and literacy units about injustice and slavery within the United States. Today, I sent home a permission slip with the students that explains more about our field trip. Please take a moment to review the permission slip, sign, and return with your student by March 12 (Monday).
5th Grade Field Trip
On March 14 (Wednesday), we are going on a field trip to watch a play about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad! This ties in with our previous science and literacy units about injustice and slavery within the United States. Today, I sent home a permission slip with the students that explains more about our field trip. Please take a moment to review the permission slip, sign, and return with your student by March 12 (Monday).
Important Dates
March 2 (Friday) - Student Progress reports available after 3:00 PM
March 6 (Monday) - Casimir Pulaski Day/No School
March 8 (Thursday) - Early Release @ 2:00 PM, Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 9 (Friday) - No School, Parent/Teacher Conferences
March 13 (Tuesday) - PTO Special Lunch (Culver’s)
March 14 (Wednesday) - 5th Grade Field Trip
March 15 (Thursday) - 5th Grade Music Performance @ 6:30 PM
March 20 (Tuesday) - No School, Teacher Institute Day/Election Day
- Ms. Nguyen
- Ms. Nguyen