Book Report: Your book report for February must be a historical fiction. The presentation will be Wednesday, February 29. For this book report the you will create a book quilt, which should be a 3x3 quilt block with each of the squares being about 8x8. You should share something from the book in each of the 9 squares. Some examples would be: character traits, setting, summary, illustration, conflict, solution, your favorite part, etc. Make sure all 9 squares are filled in, and you will share your quilt with the class.
Math: In math we have been working on unit 7. The first two lessons focused on standard notation, exponential notation, and number word notation. Last week the students learned about scientific notation and using parentheses. They also learned about the order of operations. The order is parentheses, exponents, multiplication/division, and addition/subtraction. The students made line graphs and worked on short answer responses. Last week the students continued to work on order of operations, and adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers. On Monday & Tuesday we will review the concepts that were taught during this unit, and on Wednesday they will take a test.
Writing: This week in writing the students will continue to work on researching an event in history. Our prompt is: If you could go back in time and change an event in history what would it be. The class will make two timelines. The first showing how history really evolved with all the major events before and after the event. They will also make a parallel timeline showing how the world might have been different if they could go back in time to change the event. Imagine if JFK would have lived because you stopped Oswald... what would the next few decades been like? Would the U.S. have gone to war in Vietnam? Would RFK have run for president and been killed like his brother? The final project will include these two timelines showing what the world was like and how it would be different and a written plan explaining how they would actually succeed in stopping the event. We will also work on using the BIG6 steps for research. These steps are task definition, information seeking strategies, location and access, use of information, synthesis, and evaluation.
Science: We have finished the digestion unit and our next unit will focus on stars. This unit will be done after our unit in social studies.
Social Studies: This week in social studies we will be focusing on the colonial trade routes and cities, towns and farms. We will also be learning about slavery in the colonies, Frederick Douglass, and the North and South growing apart.
Spelling Unit 19:
remove interview repeat interrupt respect interfere represent relocate international
review interpret interstate remarkable intermediate intersection recommend interject
intervene resource remained interdependent interconnect recognize reassure recede
interact reactivate reinvestigation recaptured interdepartmental interplanetary intercostals
recuperate recurrent intergenerational planetarium neutral telescope photosphere
chromosphere
BOX TOPS:
The PTA is always collecting box tops. They can be found on many different products such as: Progresso soups, Kleenex boxes, Suddenly Salad, Hamburger Helper, Tuna Helper, and many more products. Check all of your purchased goods and send in your box tops. This is an easy way for the school to make money to enrich our children at May Watts.
READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes for this month. The prizes this month will be a ticket to the Kane County Cougars May Watts Night on May 24 & a free personal pizza at Pizza Hut. The Kane County Cougars ticket includes a free hot dog and drink voucher, tshirt, and an opportunity to run around the bases.
Important Dates:
Valentine's Day Parties Tuesday, February 14
Spelling test Wednesday, February 15
Math test Wednesday, February 15
Robert Crown Followup Thursday, February 16
President's Day - No School Monday, February 20
Parent Teacher Conferences - No School Tuesday, February 21
Book Report due Wednesday, February 29
Final manuscripts for young authors due on Thursday, March 1
