Welcome to week 31! We hope that everyone had an enjoyable and restful Spring Break.
We have a new tool for parents and students to use to stay caught up on classwork in the 5th grade. We are excited to introduce to you the online assignment sheet for both Woods and Therriault's classes. This assignment sheet will be online so any parent or student can gain access to see whether they have missing assignments that need to be completed. The assignments sheets are linked to the Ridegcrest 5th Grade Web Page and use each students classroom number instead of names. Classroom numbers will be sent home via weekly evals this week if your student will not tell you theirs. Here are the links for the two classes:
Woods Assignment Sheet
Therriault Assignment Sheet
This is a new feature for us, so it may take a little getting used to. But, we are very hopeful that it will be a powerful tool for students and parents. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the new online assignment sheets.
On to the week:
In reading this week we are going to be doing some MSP preparation. We are going to be reading passages that are similar to what the students will see on the MSP next week. We are going to continue to talk about how to write a complete answer using evidence from the text. We are also going to continue to discuss test taking strategies. Students will read the questions prior to reading the passage, underline key names, dates and words while reading, and they will refer back to the passage as they are answering questions.
In addition to MSP prep, we are also going to be reading some poems and learning how to respond to questions about poetry. Students will be using skills they learned throughout the year such as inferring, synthesizing, identifying author's purpose and theme, and summarizing while reading the poems. This exposure not only meets fifth grade standards, but also will prepare students for the MSP.
The only reading homework this week will be classwork that isn't finished in class.
In social studies, students will be given some time to work with their group on their colony project throughout the week. There will be no official assignments made regarding this project this week. However, students may chose to work on their projects at home. If you are in need of the rubric and assignment explanation, please contact Mrs. Therriault.
In math we will be continuing to review the many concepts we have worked with this year. We will do this in two manners. The first, students will be taking practice MSP math sections in class and we will be scoring and talking about each section so that students can get a better sense as to what is expected of them on our upcoming MSP. In addition, we will be giving the kids an online progress monitoring test each day that covers the entire years worth of math concepts. Again, we will discuss their work each day so that each of our students are finding new ways to think and solve each problem.
That's it for now. Please be on the lookout for an MSP Goal Setting Worksheet going home with each student this week. Please fill it out with your student and send it back with your weekly eval.
Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
-Allyn and Alaina
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Week 30: Finishing Mysteries, Reviewing Major Math Concepts, and a reasearch project
Welcome to Week 30!
Over the weekend, students should have completed their mysteries and their reading comprehension packets. Over the course of the week, students will turn in their packets and their books. This week we are going to work on identifying theme. We will look at a variety of stories and other forms of media to examine theme. Students will be working as a whole group, in pairs and individually to demonstrate their understanding.
In social studies this week, students will be introduced to a research project they will be completing over the next couple of weeks. Students will work in a small group to research and create a presentation on one of the major colonies. Students will be given a rubric and a description of the project this week. They will have the opportunity to begin their research and start a plan for how they are going to present their findings. If you would like a copy of the assignment and rubric, please email Mrs. Therriault.
In math students will be completing the last section of required math before the MSP. We have moved through each of the state mandated essential learnings for 5th grade and will be reviewing many of the major concepts over the next two school weeks. These include long division, fractions, geometry, and problem solving. In addition, throughout the next two weeks we will be working on techniques that help us solve single and multi-step word problems. Strategies such as underlining the important numbers, crossing out useless information, and circling all of the parts of a question will help our students immensely as we complete the MSP just after spring break (first week of May). Much of this practice will be very much like the reading practice that students have been completing with Mrs. Therriault so it shouldn't be anything new to the kids.
In science, students will continue their work with variables. This week students will be building planes that will fly across fishing line under the power of a rubber band propeller. Students will be learning how a variable change can affect the overall outcome of an investigation. In addition, we will be working hard on science vocabulary just before the MSP as this is essential for successful MSP test taking.
Remember that this is our last full week of school before spring break begins. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks,
Allyn and Alaina
Over the weekend, students should have completed their mysteries and their reading comprehension packets. Over the course of the week, students will turn in their packets and their books. This week we are going to work on identifying theme. We will look at a variety of stories and other forms of media to examine theme. Students will be working as a whole group, in pairs and individually to demonstrate their understanding.
In social studies this week, students will be introduced to a research project they will be completing over the next couple of weeks. Students will work in a small group to research and create a presentation on one of the major colonies. Students will be given a rubric and a description of the project this week. They will have the opportunity to begin their research and start a plan for how they are going to present their findings. If you would like a copy of the assignment and rubric, please email Mrs. Therriault.
In math students will be completing the last section of required math before the MSP. We have moved through each of the state mandated essential learnings for 5th grade and will be reviewing many of the major concepts over the next two school weeks. These include long division, fractions, geometry, and problem solving. In addition, throughout the next two weeks we will be working on techniques that help us solve single and multi-step word problems. Strategies such as underlining the important numbers, crossing out useless information, and circling all of the parts of a question will help our students immensely as we complete the MSP just after spring break (first week of May). Much of this practice will be very much like the reading practice that students have been completing with Mrs. Therriault so it shouldn't be anything new to the kids.
In science, students will continue their work with variables. This week students will be building planes that will fly across fishing line under the power of a rubber band propeller. Students will be learning how a variable change can affect the overall outcome of an investigation. In addition, we will be working hard on science vocabulary just before the MSP as this is essential for successful MSP test taking.
Remember that this is our last full week of school before spring break begins. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Thanks,
Allyn and Alaina
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Week 29: Bar and Line Graphs, Mysteries, and MSP practice
Welcome to Week 29!
We need to send out a huge THANK YOU to all of the parents and families that helped out during our Giving Back Day. The entire day was a huge success. We couldn't have done it without the parents who attended, the food that families donated, and the flexibility of everyone to pickup their student late at night. Thanks for making this such a great event!
On to the week:
In reading this week we are going to continue to work with our mysteries. While still focusing on the components of a mystery, we are spending a lot of time working on how to write a complete answer. Students are being asked to use their written response rubric to check to see if their responses are complete. A complete written response will include writing in complete sentences, using the stem of the question to start the response, providing text evidence to support an answer, and an explanation of the evidence. Students are struggling to provide evidence from the text. To provide text evidence, students need to use a specific example from the text to explain their answer. If you are interesting in seeing a copy of the rubric, please email Mrs. Therriault and she can send you one. Students will continue to have reading homework this week. It is our expectation that students do the reading and start their reading comprehension packet at home. Students are given time in class to meet with a group, discuss the story, finish any work and fix past responses. Student work will not be checked off as completed until all mistakes have been fixed and resubmitted to Mrs. Therriault.
We are also working with some MSP type questions during our reading block. Such work will include a short passage (fiction, non-fiction and poetry) with multiple choice questions and short answer responses. We are using these activities to practice writing complete responses, as well as to learn test taking strategies. Students are learning to read the questions before reading the passage, underline key words or concepts, circle dates, and star information that might be related to a question. By helping the students to be more active readers, we are giving them skills to understand and remember what they read. This work will be done as a whole class, as well as small groups.
In math this week we are going to hit our final chapter before full-time MSP practice begins. This week we will be looking at survey data and how we can use that data to create a bar and line graph. In addition, we will be learning about mean, median, mode, and range. In addition, some students will be working on strengthening their math skills during our RTI sessions. We are hoping that if we can identify deficiencies, complete some extra tutoring and practice, that this will help each of our student be successful on the upcoming MSP.
We are also starting our final science unit of the year. We are concluding science with a look at variables. We will be identifying independent and dependent variables and the affect that those variables have upon an investigation. We will have three fun, but valuable lessons over the course of the next three weeks. In addition, we are going to continue asking our students to practice writing questions, hypotheses, and conclusions as good practice for the science MSP.
That's it for now. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Allyn and Alaina
We need to send out a huge THANK YOU to all of the parents and families that helped out during our Giving Back Day. The entire day was a huge success. We couldn't have done it without the parents who attended, the food that families donated, and the flexibility of everyone to pickup their student late at night. Thanks for making this such a great event!
On to the week:
In reading this week we are going to continue to work with our mysteries. While still focusing on the components of a mystery, we are spending a lot of time working on how to write a complete answer. Students are being asked to use their written response rubric to check to see if their responses are complete. A complete written response will include writing in complete sentences, using the stem of the question to start the response, providing text evidence to support an answer, and an explanation of the evidence. Students are struggling to provide evidence from the text. To provide text evidence, students need to use a specific example from the text to explain their answer. If you are interesting in seeing a copy of the rubric, please email Mrs. Therriault and she can send you one. Students will continue to have reading homework this week. It is our expectation that students do the reading and start their reading comprehension packet at home. Students are given time in class to meet with a group, discuss the story, finish any work and fix past responses. Student work will not be checked off as completed until all mistakes have been fixed and resubmitted to Mrs. Therriault.
We are also working with some MSP type questions during our reading block. Such work will include a short passage (fiction, non-fiction and poetry) with multiple choice questions and short answer responses. We are using these activities to practice writing complete responses, as well as to learn test taking strategies. Students are learning to read the questions before reading the passage, underline key words or concepts, circle dates, and star information that might be related to a question. By helping the students to be more active readers, we are giving them skills to understand and remember what they read. This work will be done as a whole class, as well as small groups.
In math this week we are going to hit our final chapter before full-time MSP practice begins. This week we will be looking at survey data and how we can use that data to create a bar and line graph. In addition, we will be learning about mean, median, mode, and range. In addition, some students will be working on strengthening their math skills during our RTI sessions. We are hoping that if we can identify deficiencies, complete some extra tutoring and practice, that this will help each of our student be successful on the upcoming MSP.
We are also starting our final science unit of the year. We are concluding science with a look at variables. We will be identifying independent and dependent variables and the affect that those variables have upon an investigation. We will have three fun, but valuable lessons over the course of the next three weeks. In addition, we are going to continue asking our students to practice writing questions, hypotheses, and conclusions as good practice for the science MSP.
That's it for now. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Sincerely,
Allyn and Alaina
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