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