Language Arts:
All students have been preparing for National Novel Writing Month, better known as NaNoWriMo! They’ve participated in lessons about main/supporting characters and villains, setting, dialogue, and various stages of a plot over the past few weeks and are now ready to start writing their novels. This month they will be letting go of their inner editor and focusing on writing, writing, writing. It’s exciting to see their creativity and confidence building each day.
Math:
Module 2: Multi-Digit Whole Number Multiplication and Division
Science
This month our students are rotating to Ms. Brigulio and Ms. Kesten for Science in the Design Lab.
Ms. Brigulio Summary
Students are learning about variables and how scientist use critical thinking, careful observation, and measurement to conduct experiments. The big ideas in the variables unit are system and variable. Any collection of objects that is working together we identify as a system. The systems we will work with are a pendulum and a boat. In each system the interacting parts influence how the whole system behaves or performs. If the parts of the system can change, those parts are variables.
Ms. Kesten Summary
The students have been working on a series of projects in the new and improved Purcell Design Lab. During this science rotation they will complete the Air Rocket project and the 3D Coding project.
Social Studies
Our class has been studying the three branches of government, how a bill becomes a law, how a presidential election works (electoral college vs. popular vote, polls), studied past presidents, and even got to cast our own student vote on Newsela! Wow, is our class excited about all the ins and outs of this subject area! Next week we'll get to compare how students across America voted, compared to adults.
Later this month in Social Studies we'll begin studying the Age of Exploration by answering the following Big Questions:
Teaching alongside our nonfiction studies, students will begin reading our second literary book of the school year, called The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. It is an historical - fiction novel about a young girl in 1687 who moves to the Connecticut Colony. Readers are given a realistic and vivid portrait of colonial New England and sketch the larger transatlantic issues that defined the colonies’ political landscape.
Walker Creek Information
1. We still need more male and female cabin leaders! With eight 5th grade classes this year, we'll need about 14 men and 14 women to make this happen. IF we don’t get enough parent cabin leaders, we can’t go to camp. If you can go, please email me. We sure would appreciate it. And if you know anyone who's arm you can twist, please do so ;)
2. All students were given a Walker creek packet to give to you. Hopefully you have that.
3. Please consider attending the Walker Creek Outdoor Ed Parent Information meeting on Wednesday, November 9th at 7:30am in the Bel Aire library. This will be a chance to ask questions, watch a video, and learn more about this great experience. (Optional)
3. Please consider attending the Walker Creek Outdoor Ed Parent Information meeting on Wednesday, November 9th at 7:30am in the Bel Aire library. This will be a chance to ask questions, watch a video, and learn more about this great experience. (Optional)
Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday November 1, 8-9am - Dia de los Muertos gallery walk for parents
Tuesday November 1, 6:30-7:30pm - Parent meeting for school play
Wednesday November 2, 8:30-9:30 - Parent meeting for school play
Friday November 4 - End of trimester; AR deadline
Monday November 7, 1-2pm - 5th grade Shakespeare assembly
Wednesday November 9, 7;30-8:30am - Parent meeting for Outdoor Ed
Wednesday November 9, 10:30-11:20 - 5th grade AR assembly
Friday November 11 - Veteran’s Day, no school
Monday November 14 - Friday November 18 - Conference week, early dismissal @11:50
Tuesday November 22 - Grandparents’ Day
Wednesday November 23 - Friday November 25 - Thanksgiving recess, no school
All students have been preparing for National Novel Writing Month, better known as NaNoWriMo! They’ve participated in lessons about main/supporting characters and villains, setting, dialogue, and various stages of a plot over the past few weeks and are now ready to start writing their novels. This month they will be letting go of their inner editor and focusing on writing, writing, writing. It’s exciting to see their creativity and confidence building each day.
Math:
Module 2: Multi-Digit Whole Number Multiplication and Division
- In Module 2, students apply the patterns of the base ten system to mental strategies and the multiplication and division algorithms.
- Specifically the first half of the unit covered multi-digit whole number multiplication and problem solving with multiplication. The second half of the unit covered multi-digit whole number division and problem solving.
- Mixed into the whole module was measurement and unit conversion and multi-step problem solving.
Science
This month our students are rotating to Ms. Brigulio and Ms. Kesten for Science in the Design Lab.
Ms. Brigulio Summary
Students are learning about variables and how scientist use critical thinking, careful observation, and measurement to conduct experiments. The big ideas in the variables unit are system and variable. Any collection of objects that is working together we identify as a system. The systems we will work with are a pendulum and a boat. In each system the interacting parts influence how the whole system behaves or performs. If the parts of the system can change, those parts are variables.
Ms. Kesten Summary
The students have been working on a series of projects in the new and improved Purcell Design Lab. During this science rotation they will complete the Air Rocket project and the 3D Coding project.
Social Studies
Our class has been studying the three branches of government, how a bill becomes a law, how a presidential election works (electoral college vs. popular vote, polls), studied past presidents, and even got to cast our own student vote on Newsela! Wow, is our class excited about all the ins and outs of this subject area! Next week we'll get to compare how students across America voted, compared to adults.
Later this month in Social Studies we'll begin studying the Age of Exploration by answering the following Big Questions:
- Why did Europeans sail to new places?
- Who were the explorers and what did they find?
- What explorations were made by land?
- Where in the Americas did European countries claimed land?
Teaching alongside our nonfiction studies, students will begin reading our second literary book of the school year, called The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. It is an historical - fiction novel about a young girl in 1687 who moves to the Connecticut Colony. Readers are given a realistic and vivid portrait of colonial New England and sketch the larger transatlantic issues that defined the colonies’ political landscape.
Walker Creek Information
1. We still need more male and female cabin leaders! With eight 5th grade classes this year, we'll need about 14 men and 14 women to make this happen. IF we don’t get enough parent cabin leaders, we can’t go to camp. If you can go, please email me. We sure would appreciate it. And if you know anyone who's arm you can twist, please do so ;)
2. All students were given a Walker creek packet to give to you. Hopefully you have that.
3. Please consider attending the Walker Creek Outdoor Ed Parent Information meeting on Wednesday, November 9th at 7:30am in the Bel Aire library. This will be a chance to ask questions, watch a video, and learn more about this great experience. (Optional)
3. Please consider attending the Walker Creek Outdoor Ed Parent Information meeting on Wednesday, November 9th at 7:30am in the Bel Aire library. This will be a chance to ask questions, watch a video, and learn more about this great experience. (Optional)
Upcoming Dates:
Tuesday November 1, 8-9am - Dia de los Muertos gallery walk for parents
Tuesday November 1, 6:30-7:30pm - Parent meeting for school play
Wednesday November 2, 8:30-9:30 - Parent meeting for school play
Friday November 4 - End of trimester; AR deadline
Monday November 7, 1-2pm - 5th grade Shakespeare assembly
Wednesday November 9, 7;30-8:30am - Parent meeting for Outdoor Ed
Wednesday November 9, 10:30-11:20 - 5th grade AR assembly
Friday November 11 - Veteran’s Day, no school
Monday November 14 - Friday November 18 - Conference week, early dismissal @11:50
Tuesday November 22 - Grandparents’ Day
Wednesday November 23 - Friday November 25 - Thanksgiving recess, no school