Water Bottles

In Mezan's reading, students "walked in the character's shoes" to infer how they feel on the inside. Students are working to make claims and defend with evidence from the illustrations. In all reading classes, the Common Core State Standard (CCSS) we're focusing on this week is: 

• CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.7  Analyze how visual and multimedia elements contribute to the meaning, tone, or beauty of a text (e.g., graphic novel, multimedia presentation of fiction, folktale, myth, poem).

Below you'll see a student reading on the computer.  Every week we'll raffle off use of the computer, iPad, and Kindle Fire during Readers' Workshop.  Said students will have the privilege of reading or listening to an eBook all week long. Even better-- I've linked all devices to my digital library card, so students can check out a book of their choice. (Don't worry-- I'll make sure every student has this opportunity as we move through the year)

Homework:

• Math homework
• Read 30 minutes:  By signing your child's planner, you are communicating to me (O'Neill) that your child has read their 30 minutes of reading. I will check planners on Fridays. Please do not sign every day if your child did not read every day. Thank you!

Reminders:

• Water bottles:  If possible, please send your child to school with a water bottle.  This saves us time during transitions, after recess, etc..
• Bring back paperwork.  

Classroom Supplies:

• Click Supply List for the 5th grade supply list

Thank you,

5th Grade Team

Tuesday

In Rost's and O'Neill's rooms, we read the next sub-story in Black and White. Our objective today was to pay special attention to elements in illustrations to make connections.  Ask your child how this illustration connects to yesterday's story.

In Mezan's room, we payed special attention to setting to infer ideas about how characters feel on the inside.  Ask your child about the two illustrations below.  How is the dad feeling in the first illustration? The second? Have them use evidence from the illustrations to defend their thinking.

In O'Neill's homeroom, we did a team building activity.. Students had to work together to knock down ten cups using only balloon air to push them off a ledge. These types of quick activities (1 minute) help students get comfortable with their classmates this year. We also created our class motto for the year.  Ask your child what it is (A: Confidence. Respect. Grit.)  We decided to be successful in fifth grade (and in life), people must have these traits.

Homework:

• Math homework: multiplication grid, timed
• Read 30 minutes:  By signing your child's planner, you are communicating to me (O'Neill) that your child has read their 30 minutes of reading.  

Reminders:

• Bring back paperwork.  Thank you to families who have already returned all their paperwork!

Classroom Supplies:

• Click Supply List for the 5th grade supply list

Thank you,

5th Grade Team

Nightly Reading

In O'Neill's and Rost's classes, we read a section of the postmodern picture book, Black and White, by David Macualay. In Mezan's, we read Voices in the Park, by Anthony Browne.

Both books are divided into four sub-stories; we will read a story each day.  Through these books, students learn how to engage in meaningful dialogue, using phrases like "I agree/disagree with ____ because..." This week lays the foundation for how we will communicate and think about texts throughout the year. Both Black and White and Voices are illustrated and authored by one person; thus, every detail in illustrations are very intentional and beg readers to go deeper in their thinking. Students will especially question perspective and point of view.

• O'Neill/ Rost:  Ask your child what they predict will happen in "Problem Parents". Are there any connections to "Seeing Things" (the sub-story we read today)?
  
• Mezan:  Ask your child what they infer about what the mother is feeling in this illustration.  Ask them how they know (A: Mother is mad.  We know this because the fire tree symbolizes her anger.)
  

Homework:

• Math homework: Multiplication grid
• Read 30 minutes:  All classes need to read 30 minutes every weeknight.  Because current research argues that reading logs, questionnaires, etc. are ineffective, we will not be using any such "tool".  By signing your child's planner, you are communicating to me (O'Neill) that your child has read their 30 minutes of reading.  Additionally, in an ideal world planners are reviewed and signed everyday; however, life happens and schedules are, at times, hectic.  For these reasons, I only check planners for signatures on Fridays.

Reminders:

• Bring back paperwork.  Thank you to families who have already returned all their paperwork!

Classroom Supplies:

• Click Supply List for the 5th grade supply list

Thank you,

5th Grade Team

Goblins on the Prowl

In English Language Arts (ELA), all classes launched our first read aloud, Goblins on the Prowl, by Bruce Coville. Read aloud is a critical component in a balanced literacy approach to ELA instruction. "The single most important activity for building the knowledge required for success in reading is reading aloud to students... reading aloud should be emphasized not only in the home but also in the classroom, continuously throughout grades K--12." (Becoming a Nation of Readers, p. 23 & 51)  While there are numerous research-based benefits to reading aloud, I've (O'Neill) listed my favorite below.

Listening to a teacher aloud throughout the grades benefits and builds...

• ...students' syntactic development (Lane and Wright 2007; Mokhari and Thompson 2006)
• ...vocabulary acquisition (Beck and McKeown 2001; Routman 2003; McGee and Schickedanz 2007)
• ...comprehension and fluency(Teal 2003; Richardson 2000; Kraemer, McCabe, and Sinatra 2012; Trelease 2013)
• ...understanding of text types and structures (Donovan, Milewicz, and Smolkin 2003)
• ...affords students the opportunity to become more culturally sensitive (Morgan 2009; Routman 2003; Verden 2012)
• ...deepens emotional intelligence (Bauer and Strang 2002)

Homework:

Reminders:

• Bring back paperwork.  Thank you to families who have already returned all their paperwork! 
• Gym shoes:  Students must have gym shoes in order to play on the playground. 

Classroom Supplies:

• Click Supply List for the 5th grade supply list

Thank you,

5th Grade Team

Gym Shoes!

Hi All!

We had a great first day! Students started switching today so they were able to meet all fifth grade teachers. Fifth graders also learned and practiced our expectations; ask your child to teach you our 5 Rules (these are school wide, listed below). 

1. Follow directions quickly.
2. Raise your hand for permission to speak.
3. Raise your hand for permission to leave your seat. 
4. Make smart choices.
5. Keep your dear teacher happy.

As some of you may already know, we have a wide variety of books in Room 17 (Reading).  Students from all homerooms are encouraged to take books home; however, I (O'Neill) ask that they have no more than 3 books at home at a time and that they transport books in the Ziploc bags (given today).  Thank you! 

Homework:

• Bring back papers
• Parents: Subscribe to blog by email (top right corner of this page).

Reminders:

•  Gym shoes:  Students must have gym shoes in order to play on the playground. 

Classroom Supplies:

• Click Supply List for the 5th grade supply list

Thank you,

5th Grade Team

Welcome!

Class Blog: http://5RES.blogspot.com

Communication between school and home is crucial. This blog is the primary avenue of communication the fifth grade team will use to keep you up-to-date on what's happening in our rooms. The purpose of this website is to keep you informed about what your child's learning and doing at school, and provide you with opportunities to support your student's learning outside of school. Here you will find helpful resources, information regarding curriculum, important classroom news, as well as an updated blog. With our class blog, it is our intention, to keep you updated regarding our current goals, learning, and progress throughout the year. Each day you can expect to see homework posted as well as upcoming reminders. Please visit our blog frequently for the latest information on what we're doing in fifth grade!

• To Follow Our Blog: Have posts sent straight to your email by following 2 easy steps!  After you've completed these two steps, you will receive an email with a copy of my post, each time I post to the blog (once a day just before dismissal).  This makes it so you never have to visit the blog to see a post; i.e., you don't have to remember the web address.
1. Enter your email address in the "Follow by Email" box.  Click "Submit", and type the given code to confirm you're not a robot.
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We're looking forward to a wonderful year of learning!

Thank you for your support,

5th Grade Team