Newsletter for the week of November 14

Reading: This week in reading, we will be doing a variety of activities using different text.  On Monday we are going to use the website freerice.com to work on vocabulary.  As the words get harder, we will discuss on we can define the words without any context.  Then using their books for their book reports, I am going to have them select a word they don't know and use the Frayer Model to define it. On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will be using Time for Kids to work on our reading skills.  They will work on inferential questions while reading the headline story on Tuesday.  Then on Wenesday, we will use the same magazine to work on vocabulary.  Another skill that we will focus on is building and supporting plausible interpretations with evidence from the text, which we will focus on Thursday.  On Friday, students will work on interpreting information using tables, maps, and visual aides to enhance understanding of the text.

Book Report: The next book report is due on November 30, and the students will present this to the class. For this report, they will need to read a nonfiction book. The assignment is making an organizer with all the important information.  We did a practice one in class with our story about Roberto Clemente.  If you have any questions about this report please let me know.

Math: In math we have been working on unit 4. The first lesson will focus on using friendly numbers to divide. Then we will work on dividing using the traditional method and partial quotients. Last week the students learned strategies for estimating straight path distances using a map scale.  They also learned how to make magnitude estimates for division.  These estimates will help the students place the decimal while dividing and have a range of where their answer should be.  The last lesson focused on solving number stories using division.  The students had to decided what to do with the remainder.  The three choices were: round up, ignore the remainder, or change the remainder to a decimal or a fraction.  On Monday, we will learn about variables and how to solve problems with them.  On Tuesday, the study guide is due, and we will review for the test.  The unit 4 test will be on Wednesday.  Our next unit of study will be fractions.  The first lesson will focus on reviewing fractions and solving parts and whole problems.

Writing: This week in writing we will focus on the expository paper.  We will finish our practice paper on Monday and begin a new paper on Tuesday.  The prompt for our next expository will be a guess whose coming to dinner.  The prompt: If you could invite anyone living or dead to Thanksgiving dinner who would it be, and why?  We will also continue working on our dead word book. This book will have a graveyard of overused words, and the students will make a list of synonyms for these words.  We will also continue working on combining sentences to make our papers sound more fluent.

Science: We will go back to science after finishing our social studies chapters for this quarter.

Social Studies: Last week the students learned about the Pilgrims and the Puritans.  This week we will review the Pilgrims and the Puritans.  They will also learn about the 13 English colonies and their economies.  Another lesson that will be focused on this week is the different work and trade that happened in the colonies.

Spelling Unit :
There is no spelling for this week

HEALTHY SNACK LIST:
Due to life-threatening peanut/nuts/sesame allergies at every grade level and the fact that we change classes for math and flex groups, we are asking that no peanut/nut/sesame products be sent in for a nutritional snack. Also a list was sent home that stated the food items that will be allowed for snacks. The following items can be brought in: fruit, vegetable sticks, pretzels, cheese slices or cubes, raisins, cereal mix (i.e. Chex Mix), rice cakes, and crackers.

Robert Crown:
Indian Prairie School District #204 will host a parents’ orientation to our fifth grade health unit on Human Growth and Development.For your convenience, we have scheduled two dates. Please feel free to attend any one of the sessions as follows:

Thursday, November 17, 2011                                                  Wednesday, November 30, 2011
7:00 p.m.                                                                                        7:00 p.m.
Brooks Elementary School                                                          Patterson Elementary School
2700 Stonebridge Boulevard                                                       3731 Lawrence Drive
Aurora, IL 60502                                                                            Naperville, IL 60564
(Stonebridge Subdivision;                                                          (Ashbury Subdivision;
West off of Eola Rd.)                                                                    North off of 104^th St. onto Lawrence Dr.)

This unit includes, as part of its material, a visit by our students to the Robert Crown Health Center in Hinsdale.

At the health center, students have a presentation on the growth changes that are about to begin in their bodies with the onset of puberty.They also will see a twenty-minute film on human growth and development.

The purpose of the parents’ meeting is to inform you of the material your child will be seeing and to answer any questions you might have about the Robert Crown student visitation. If you have any questions about this unit or about the meeting, please contact me. I hope you will be able to attend one of the sessions.

NEW READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
There is a new reading incentive program that Mrs. May is doing. To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes in a month. That is 20 minutes a night. To learn more about the program go to Mrs. May's blog at mwlmc.blogspot.com.

Important Dates:
Family Math Night Tuesday, November 15 at 6:30
Math Test Wednesday, November 16
Band Concert Wednesday, November 16 at 6:30 at Hill
Robert Crown Parent Session Thursday, November 17(See above)
Paw Print Redemption Day Thursday, November 17
Book Report due on Wednesday, November 30

Homework November 8

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on November 30

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Journal page 109 #s 1, 2, 3, & 4

5B Math - Study Guide, Test on Monday, Study Link 3.8, Study Link 3.9

5V Math - Mock Test(optional), Test tomorrow

Social Studies - Worksheet 44

Homework for November 7

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Nov. 30

Spelling - Contract & Test due Wednesday

5P Math - Study link 4.3, Study Guide due next Tuesday, Test next Wednesday

5B Math - Study Guide & Test on Monday

5V Math - Study Link 3.9 & 3.10 (optional)

Newsletter for the week of November 7

Reading: This week in reading, we will be doing a variety of activities using different text.  On Monday we will be doing an extended response with the story Roberto Clemente.  The prompt for the extended response will be: What are Roberto Clemente's most admiring qualities.  Use information from the text and your own ideas to answer the question.  On Tuesday and Wednesday, we will be using Time for Kids to work on our reading skills.  They will work on inferential questions while reading the headline story.  Then on Wednesday, they will be using a graphic organizer to write down the main idea with details.We will also work on defining words. 

Book Report: The next book report is due on November 30, and the students will present this to the class. For this report, they will need to read a nonfiction book. The assignment is making an organizer with all the important information.  We did a practice one in class with our story about Roberto Clemente.  If you have any questions about this report please let me know.

Math: In math we will start unit 4. The first lesson will focus on using friendly numbers to divide. Then we will work on dividing using the traditional method and partial quotients. This week the students will learn strategies for estimating straight path distances using a map scale.  They will also learn how to make magnitude estimates for division.  These estimates will help the students place the decimal while dividing.  The last lesson this week will focus on solving number stories using division.  The students will have to decided what to do with the remainder.  The three choices are: round up, ignore the remainder, or change the remainder to a decimal or a fraction.

Writing: This week in writing, the students will review the 4 square organizer.  We will go over the different components and fill one out together.  Then we will define what an expository paper is and use our organizer to write one.We will also continue working on our dead word book. This book will have a graveyard of overused words, and the students will make a list of synonyms for these words. I also would like to do a lesson on the use of transitions to make our sentences sound more fluent. Last week we worked on combining sentences to make our papers sound more fluent, and next week we will continue working on this skill.

Science: We will go back to science after finishing our social studies chapters for this quarter.

Social Studies: This week in groups, the students will continue to create their own colony and develop a vision of their colony 3 years out. They will have to develop a political system, create a flag, name the colony, create a story of the discovery, map the location, figure out a 3 year plan to pay back their charter, and look at the economy. Each group will then present their colony on Monday to the class.  The fifth grade team decided to give them one more day to work on their project.  On Tuesday the students will learn about the Pilgrims and the Puritans.

Spelling Unit 10:
crisis     knives     media     roofs     pianos     waves     wishes     armies     briefs     videos
heroes     data     bacteria     oxen     tomatoes     canoes     berries     loaves     lives
messages     foxes     breaths     tragedies     buses     skis     hypotheses      analyses    
phenomena     vertebrae     antennae     arteries     monkeys     journeys     hooves     magnetism
voyageur     conclusion     portage     mission     replies

HEALTHY SNACK LIST:
Due to life-threatening peanut/nuts/sesame allergies at every grade level and the fact that we change classes for math and flex groups, we are asking that no peanut/nut/sesame products be sent in for a nutritional snack. Also a list was sent home that stated the food items that will be allowed for snacks. The following items can be brought in: fruit, vegetable sticks, pretzels, cheese slices or cubes, raisins, cereal mix (i.e. Chex Mix), rice cakes, and crackers.

Robert Crown:
Indian Prairie School District #204 will host a parents’ orientation to our fifth grade health unit on Human Growth and Development.For your convenience, we have scheduled two dates.Please feel free to attend any one of the sessions as follows:

Thursday, November 17, 2011                                                  Wednesday, November 30, 2011
7:00 p.m.                                                                                      7:00 p.m.
Brooks Elementary School                                                           Patterson Elementary School
2700 Stonebridge Boulevard                                                        3731 Lawrence Drive
Aurora, IL 60502                                                                          Naperville, IL 60564
(Stonebridge Subdivision;                                                            (Ashbury Subdivision;
West off of Eola Rd.)                                                                    North off of 104^th St. onto Lawrence Dr.)

This unit includes, as part of its material, a visit by our students to the Robert Crown Health Center in Hinsdale.

At the health center, students have a presentation on the growth changes that are about to begin in their bodies with the onset of puberty.They also will see a twenty-minute film on human growth and development.

The purpose of the parents’ meeting is to inform you of the material your child will be seeing and to answer any questions you might have about the Robert Crown student visitation.If you have any questions about this unit or about the meeting, please contact me.I hope you will be able to attend one of the sessions.

NEW READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
There is a new reading incentive program that Mrs. May is doing. To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes in a month. That is 20 minutes a night. To learn more about the program go to Mrs. May's blog at mwlmc.blogspot.com.

Important Dates:
Book Fair Begins
Presenting colonies Monday, November 7
PTA meeting on Monday, November 7
Picture Re-Take Day Tuesday, November 8
Spelling Test Wednesday, November 9
Conferences Wednesday night from 4:30 - 8:00  This is a regular school day.
Conferences Thursday, November 10 from 8:00 - 8:00  There is no school today.
No school on Friday, Novmeber 11
Book Report due on Wednesday, November 30

Homework for Nov. 4

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Nov. 30
Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

Homework for Nov. 3

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Nov. 30

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Journal page 101

5B Math - Study Link 3.7

Homework for Nov. 2

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on November 30

5P Math - Study Link 4.1

5B Math - Quiz on Thursday

5V Math - Study Link 3.7

Homework for November 1

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on November 30

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Journal page 100 #s 1, 3, 4

5B Math - Journal page 106

5V Math- Study Link 3.5

Please Return Report Card Envelopes

Homework for Oct. 31

Reading - Read 20 minutes

Spelling - Test & Contract due Wednesday

Report Card Envelopes Need To Be Returned

Newsletter for the week of October 31

Reading: This week in reading, we will read the story We'll Never Forget You, Roberto Clemente. We will continue with vocabulary and using context clues to define words.  The words for this week are dedicated, lineup, ace, error, artificial, and control tower.  One of our focus skills for this week is the reading strategy of SCAN and RUN.  The S stands for survey headings and turn them into questions.  C is capture the pictures/graphics/maps.  The A stands for attack boldface words, and N means to note and read the lesson questions.  In RUN, R stands for read and adjust speed.  U stands for use word attack skills, and N means notice and check parts you do not understand.  We will also work on using graphic organizers and outlining to understand what we read. 

Book Report: The next book report is due on October 31, and the students will present this to the class. For this report, they will need to make a newspaper page. The assignment has the requirements copied on the back. If you have any questions about this report please let me know.

Math: In math we will start unit 4.  The first lesson will focus on using friendly numbers to divide.  Then we will work on dividing using the traditional method and partial quotients.  This week the students will also learn strategies for estimating straight path distances using a map scale.

Writing: This week in writing, the students will continue to create a written story for a wordless picture book. We will also continue working on our dead word book. This book will have a graveyard of overused words, and the students will make a list of synonyms for those words. I also would like to do a lesson on the use of transitions to make our sentences sound more fluent.

Science: We will go back to science after finishing our social studies chapters for this quarter.

Social Studies: This week in groups, the students will continue to create their own colony and develop a vision of their colony 3 years out. They will have to develop a political system, create a flag, name the colony, create a story of the discovery, map the location, figure out a 3 year plan to pay back their charter, and look at the economy. Each group will then present their colony on Friday to the class.

Spelling Unit 9:
level     double     metal     evil     travel     couple     needle     battle     candle     article
equal     civil     capital     original     individual     material     angel     camel     illegal
stencil     brindle     possible     personality     wilderness     humorous     morsel
superficial     inseparable     indomitable     astronomical     indispensable     impeccable
beautiful     technological     hysterical     atom     proton     electron     molecule     element

HEALTHY SNACK LIST:
Due to life-threatening peanut/nuts/sesame allergies at every grade level and the fact that we change classes for math and flex groups, we are asking that no peanut/nut/sesame products be sent in for a nutritional snack. Also a list was sent home that stated the food items that will be allowed for snacks. The following items can be brought in: fruit, vegetable sticks, pretzels, cheese slices or cubes, raisins, cereal mix (i.e. Chex Mix), rice cakes, and crackers.

Robert Crown:
Indian Prairie School District #204 will host a parents’ orientation to our fifth grade health unit on Human Growth and Development. For your convenience, we have scheduled two dates. Please feel free to attend any one of the sessions as follows:

Thursday, November 17, 2011                                                      Wednesday, November 30, 2011
7:00 p.m.                                                                                         7:00 p.m.
Brooks Elementary School                                                              Patterson Elementary School
2700 Stonebridge Boulevard                                                           3731 Lawrence Drive
Aurora, IL 60502                                                                             Naperville, IL 60564
(Stonebridge Subdivision;                                                               (Ashbury Subdivision;
West off of Eola Rd.)                                                                       North off of 104^th St. onto Lawrence Dr.)

This unit includes, as part of its material, a visit by our students to the Robert Crown Health Center in Hinsdale.

At the health center, students have a presentation on the growth changes that are about to begin in their bodies with the onset of puberty. They also will see a twenty-minute film on human growth and development.

The purpose of the parents’ meeting is to inform you of the material your child will be seeing and to answer any questions you might have about the Robert Crown student visitation. If you have any questions about this unit or about the meeting, please contact me. I hope you will be able to attend one of the sessions.

NEW READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
There is a new reading incentive program that Mrs. May is doing. To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes in a month. That is 20 minutes a night. To learn more about the program go to Mrs. May's blog at mwlmc.blogspot.com.

Important Dates:
Book Report due on Monday, October 31
Parade & Halloween Party Monday, October 31
Spelling Test Wednesday, November 2
Paw Print Redemption Thursday, November 3

Homework for Oct. 28

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Oct. 31

Language Arts - Extra Credit Scary Story due on Oct. 31

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

Please Return Report Card Envelopes

Homework for Oct. 27

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Oct.31

Language Arts - Extra Credit Scary Story due on Oct. 31

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday.

5P Math - Test tomorrow

5B Math - Study Link

Homework for Oct. 26

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Oct. 31

Language Arts - Stuffed Animal Memoir due tomorrow, Extra Credit Scary Story due on Oct.31

5P Math - Study Link 3.9, Study Guide due tomorrow, Test on Friday

5B Math - Study Link 3.4

5V Math - Study Link 3.3

Homework for Oct. 25

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Oct. 31

Language Arts - Extra Credit Scary Story due on Oct. 31

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 3.8, Study guide due on Thursday, Test on Friday

5V Math - Study Link 3.1

5B Math - Study Link 3.3

Homework for Oct. 24

Reading - read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Oct. 31, Time for Kids sheet due tomorrow if they did not finish in class

Language Arts - Extra Credit Scary Story due on Oct. 31

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Journal page 81 #s 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, & 4 select 2, Study Guide due on Thursday, Test Friday

5B Math - Study Link 3.2

5V Math - Study Link 3.1

Conference note if you have not turned it in.

Newsletter for the week of October 24

Reading: This week in reading, we will use a variety of literature to teach our skills.  We will continue with vocabulary and using context clues to define words.  We will be reading articles from the Time for Kids magazines and using read alouds to teach our skills.  This week in reading we will be distinguishing between significant and minor details in a reading selection.  We will also be reading to form an opinion and take a stance using our Time for Kids magazine, and working on higher level thinking skills.

Book Report: The next book report is due on October 31, and the students will present this to the class. For this report, they will need to make a newspaper page. The assignment has the requirements copied on the back. If you have any questions about this report please let me know.

Math: In math we started unit 3. The first two lessons focused on data collection, organization, and interpreting data. The third lesson focused on finding the measurements of angles inside a polygon without using a protractor. The students will use a circle to figure out these measurements.  Last week we worked on the different types of angles and measuring them using a protractor. The acute angle is less than 90 degrees. An obtuse angle is greater than 90 degrees but less than 180 degrees. A right angle is exactly 90 degrees, and a reflex angle is greater than 180 degrees but less than 360 degrees. Then they learned about the radius and the diameter of a circle. They also learned about the measurements of vertical and adjacent angles. Adjacent angles form a straight angle so the sum of the angles equal 180 degrees. Vertical angles have the same measurement. They also learned about the different types of triangles, and how to use a compass to copy them.  This week the lessons will focus on the properties of polygons and tessellations.  The test will be on Thursday.

Writing: This week in writing, the students will finish writing a memoir from the point of view of their stuffed animal.  In groups, the students will create a written story for a wordless picture book.  We will also create a dead word book.  This book will have a graveyard of overused words, and the students will make a list of synonyms for those words.  I also would like to do a lesson on the use of transitions to make our sentences sound more fluent.

Science: We will go back to science after finishing our social studies chapters for this quarter.

Social Studies: This week in groups, the students will continue to create their own colony and develop a vision of their colony 3 years out. They will have to develop a political system, create a flag, name the colony, create a story of the discovery, map the location, figure out a 3 year plan to pay back their charter, and look at the economy. Each group will then present their colony to the class.

Spelling Unit 8:
American     frozen     button     chapter     tractor     golden     taken     harbor     father
color     ancestor     hidden     hamburger     theater     weather     beckon     cannon
comparison     elder     turban     desperate     frostbitten     laden     emergency     straighten
forbidden     sovereign     battalion     examine     amplifier     renovator     reverberate
calendar     interpreter     wanderer     proprietor     conestoga     indigo     despair     Congress

HEALTHY SNACK LIST:
Due to life-threatening peanut/nuts/sesame allergies at every grade level and the fact that we change classes for math and flex groups, we are asking that no peanut/nut/sesame products be sent in for a nutritional snack. Also a list was sent home that stated the food items that will be allowed for snacks. The following items can be brought in: fruit, vegetable sticks, pretzels, cheese slices or cubes, raisins, cereal mix (i.e. Chex Mix), rice cakes, and crackers.

Robert Crown:
Indian Prairie School District #204 will host a parents’ orientation to our fifth grade health unit on Human Growth and Development.  For your convenience, we have scheduled two dates.  Please feel free to attend any one of the sessions as follows:

Thursday, November 17, 2011                                                       Wednesday, November 30, 2011
7:00 p.m.                                                                                           7:00 p.m.
Brooks Elementary School                                                                Patterson Elementary School
2700 Stonebridge Boulevard                                                             3731 Lawrence Drive
Aurora, IL 60502                                                                                Naperville, IL 60564
(Stonebridge Subdivision;                                                                  (Ashbury Subdivision;       
West off of Eola Rd.)                                                                         North off of 104^th St. onto Lawrence Dr.)

This unit includes, as part of its material, a visit by our students to the Robert Crown Health Center in Hinsdale.

At the health center, students have a presentation on the growth changes that are about to begin in their bodies with the onset of puberty.  They also will see a twenty-minute film on human growth and development.

 The purpose of the parents’ meeting is to inform you of the material your child will be seeing and to answer any questions you might have about the Robert Crown student visitation.  If you have any questions about this unit or about the meeting, please contact me.  I hope you will be able to attend one of the sessions.

NEW READING INCENTIVE PROGRAM:
There is a new reading incentive program that Mrs. May is doing. To earn the prize, the fifth graders will need to read 400 minutes in a month. That is 20 minutes a night. To learn more about the program go to Mrs. May's blog at mwlmc.blogspot.com.

Important Dates:
Conference Notes due Monday, October 24
Spelling Test Wednesday, October 26
Math Test Thursday, October 27
Report cards go home Friday, October 28

Homework for Oct. 21

Reading _ Read 20 minutes, Book Report due 10-31

Language Arts - Extra Credit: Scary story due on 10-31

Spelling - Contract & Test due on Wednesday

5P Math - Study Guide due on Wednesday, Test on Thursday

Conference note due on Monday

Homework for Oct. 20

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Oct. 31

Lanuage Arts - Extra Credit: Scary Story due on Oct. 31

Spelling - Contract & Test due Wednesday

5P Math - Study Link 3.5 Practice only, Journal page79 #s 2, 3, 5, & select 2 from 6, Study Guide due Wednesday, Test on Thursday

Conference Note due on Oct. 24

Homework for Oct. 19

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on Oct.31

Language Arts - Extra Credit: Scary Story Contest due Oct. 31

5P Math - Journal page 61, study guide due on Wednesday, Test on Thursday

5B Math - Test tomorrow, Study Link 3.1

5V Math - Brainteaser

P.E. - Test tomorrow

Conference form due back by Oct. 24

Homework for Oct. 18

Reading - Read 20 minutes, Book Report due on 10/31

Spelling - Test & Contract due on Wednesday

5P Math - Journal page 74 All

5B Math - Test on Thursday, Study Guide

PA Flex - Write paragraph on your opinion

Bring Stuffed Animal