Precepts

ROST  Last week we finished our read aloud, Wonder.  When strong readers finish a book-- especially a really powerful one-- we don't just move on.  We want to reflect on the text, consider its theme and the author's intent behind writing the novel.  To let the story linger in our hearts a bit, thoughtful readers...

• ...consider a relationship that stood out the most.
• ...think about critical scenes that really tugged at our hearts.
• ...consider how the text might change us.

To facilitate this, parallel to the characters in the text, students wrote their own precepts, rules/phrases to live by.  Check them out!

In all reading classes we continue to practice and prepare for PARCC. A reminder will come home tomorrow outlining testing days and times for fifth grade.

Homework: 

• Read 30 minutes
• Math homework

Reminders: We are collecting the following items in homerooms:

• Baby pictures: At your earliest convenience, please email your homeroom teacher a digital copy baby picture. If you are unable to send a picture digitally, we are also collecting hard copies.  
• White shirts (for tie-dye): Due May 5
• DC permission slips: Due May 5
• DC money: Due May 5
• Middle school band slips

Upcoming Dates:

• Early Dismissal: Friday, April 28
• PARCC Math: May 2-5
• PARCC ELA: May 10-12
• DC Trip: May 25

Thank you,

Mrs. O'Neill

PARCC Practice & Prep

For the next few weeks leading up to PARCC testing, all classes will be learning test taking strategies to help them read and answer evidence-based multiple choice and written response questions.  While this can be pretty grueling, we want to make sure students feel comfortable and confident when they take the ELA PARCC test (May 10-12).

Homework: 

• Read 30 minutes
• Math homework

Reminders: We are collecting the following items in homerooms:

• Baby pictures: At your earliest convenience, please email your homeroom teacher a digital copy baby picture. If you are unable to send a picture digitally, we are also collecting hard copies.  
• White shirts (for tie-dye): Due May 5
• DC permission slips
• DC money
• Middle school band slips

Upcoming Dates:

• Board Game Day: Friday, April 21
• Riverside students filled the tube again.  To celebrate students voted to bring in a board game to play
• PARCC Math: May 2-5
• PARCC ELA: May 10-12
• DC Trip: May 25

Thank you,

Mrs. O'Neill

Quarter 4 is busy for 5th graders!

Welcome to Quarter 4! As your child winds down their elementary school career, we have many fun events planned for them. Please remind your child to continue to complete homework and to come to class ready to learn so that they don't miss any of these fun activities. As always, please contact us if you have further questions.
(This was also sent home today attached to the Washington DC field trip permission slip.)

Upcoming 5th Grade Events

1. Tie-dyed t-shirt project
We will be tie dyeing t-shirts for students to wear on our trip to Washington, DC. Students should bring a cotton t-shirt that fits them to school by May 5 to participate in this fun project.
If you will be buying a pack of t-shirts, please consider donating the leftover shirts for students who do not have one.


2. 5th Grade PARCC testing
We will be taking the Math PARCC the mornings of May 2, 3, 4 and 5. We will be taking the Language Arts PARCC the mornings of May 10, 11 and 12. Please try to avoid scheduling appointments the mornings of these days.

3. Spring Concert
If your child plays and instrument or is in Chorus, the Spring Concert performance will be held on Tuesday, May 9. 

4. Magnolia Middle School meeting
MMS will hold parent meetings and tours on Tuesday, May 16. A flier was distributed about this in March. Please contact MMS with any questions about this event.

5. Field Day
Weather permitting, Field Day will be held Friday, May 19.

6. Washington, DC field trip
This extended day trip will take place on Thursday, May 25. Students will arrive back at Riverside Elementary at 6:00pm and will need to be picked up by a responsible adult. No students will be permitted to walk home. For more details see the permission slip that was sent home Tuesday.


7. Baby/Toddler Picture
At our End of the Year Ceremony, we would like to project a baby or toddler picture of your child on the screen as he/she receives their certificate. Digital pictures are preferred, but we can take printed ones as well. Please email your child’s picture to Mrs. Mezan at shelley.mezan@hcps.org as soon as possible.


8. End of the Year Ceremony
Our end of the year celebration will take place the morning of Friday, June 9.

:) Mrs. Mezan

Reading Update

O'NEILL & ROST  Fifth graders are learning to write in response to their reading.  Annotating as we read helps students read to learn and teach, adding information to their schema (background knowledge).  Additionally, students are learning to note the types of facts the author includes and pay attention to how the author is trying to make the reader feel.  This helps readers determine the author's point of view or bias. 

Target Learning Goals:  Readers of informational text/ nonfiction read differently by...

• ... stopping, thinking and jotting when we...
• ... come to an unknown word.
• To figure it out, we can read around the word and use text features.
• ... are bursting with curiosity.
• ... learn new information.
• To reflect on new information, readers can think/ write, "I used to think _____, but now I know ______" and "This is important because... "
• ... consider the emotion the author is trying to evoke to grow ideas about their point of view.  
• To do this, we used emojis to identify the emotion.  Then we considered emotion and text structure to synthesize the text/ author's point of view.
• ... cloud and star evidence that supports the author's point of view.

TLGs in Action:  

MEZAN  We've begun our unit on reading nonfiction/ informational text.  Fifth graders are learning that readers of nonfiction read differently than readers of fiction.  Because nonfiction can be complex and very factual, we're learning that we read with a pen, annotating to help us process information and break text down into manageable pieces. When your child reads their 30 minutes, encourage them to read nonfiction, using codes to break down the text and make sense of it (see anchor chart for codes).  

The One and Only Ivan finished their book trailer, check it out by clicking here.

Target Learning Goals (TLG):  Readers of informational text/ nonfiction read differently by...

• ... previewing texts using H.I.V.E..
• we consider: Headings, Interest, Visuals & Vocabulary, and Engagement
• ... gathering our schema (background knowledge) to ready/ warm up our minds.
• ... coding text to break it down and make sense of it.

TLGs in Action: 

Above students are playing Word Study Match Up. This requires students to match a word study word with its synonym and antonym.  Ask your child for one of the words they had today.  Have them tell you its synonym and antonym. 

Homework: 

• Enjoy your weekend! :)

Reminders:

• Baby pictures: At your earliest convenience, please send in a baby picture.  We're collecting them for fifth grade graduation.
• White shirts: At your earliest convenience, please send in a white shirt that can be tie-dyed for our DC trip. 

Upcoming Dates:

• Third Quarter Ends: Today is the last day of the third quarter. Check Edline post.
• Band Day: Tuesday, March 28
• Early Dismissal:  Friday, March 31 (next Friday) is an early dismissal.
• Strings Day: Tuesday, April 4

Thank you,

Mrs. O'Neill

Math Update

In math we are now multiplying and dividing fractions. As we focus more on dividing fractions, your child will be learning how to interpret a fraction as division of the numerator by the denominator. We will be showing our answers as fractions and mixed numbers.

After students model division of fractions, we will be learning a catchy song entitled "Keep, Change, Flip" to help remember the steps.

Please continue to...

• expect 8- 10 problems of math homework each week night
• monitor your child's math grade on Edline
• support your child at home by asking them what they are learning in math class 
• use the EnVision website for extra practice and games

Please feel free to contact me with any questions! 

Mrs. Mezan

shelley.mezan@hcps.org

Room 24 Dr. Seuss Door Contest Entry

We decorated our door for Dr. Seuss week. Our entry was entirely student crafted and based upon "The Tooth Book" by Theo Lesieg, later republished under the Dr. Seuss moniker. Both names are pen names of author and cartoonist, Theodore Geisel. Here's a look at what the class came up with:

Reading Update & Reading Week Schedule

O'NEILL & ROST  We've begun our unit on reading nonfiction/ informational text.  Fifth graders are learning that readers of nonfiction read differently than readers of fiction.  Because nonfiction can be complex and very factual, we're learning that we read with a pen, annotating to help us process information and explore main ideas within texts. 

Target Learning Goals:  Readers of informational text/ nonfiction read differently by...

• ... previewing texts using H.I.V.E..
• we consider: Headings, Interest, Visuals & Vocabulary, and Engagement
• ... gathering our schema (background knowledge) to ready/ warm up our minds.
• ... using text features and context clues to determine meanings of topic-specific words.
• ... monitoring our comprehension and synthesizing by paraphrasing and sketching.
• ... reading with a pen, using boxes and bullets to jot down facts and main ideas.

TLGs in Action:  

MEZAN  The past few weeks we have been learning strategies that help us think and grow ideas about themes, life lessons, etc..  When you child is reading at home, encourage them to think about theme.  Ask them: What did the character learn? What did you (the reader) learn?  What mistake did the character make?

Target Learning Goals (TLG):  To develop ideas about themes, readers can...

• ... consider characters' mistakes.
• ... think about what the character learned.
• ... pay attention to what characters teach each other.
• ... pay attention to the problems in the story (we use the theme process chart to help us do this, see below).

TLGs in Action: 

To celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday, all classes are decorating their doors.  Here are some snapshots from Mrs. O'Neill's homeroom:

Homework: 

• Enjoy your weekend! :)

Reminders:

• 
  

Upcoming Dates:

• Tuesday, February 28:  Dress like a professional (Riverside students filled the tube again and voted for this reward)
• Next week is Reading Week! See the schedule below.

Reading Week Schedule: February 27 - March 3

• Mellow Monday: Wear your pajamas and get cozy while reading your book (Slippers are NOT allowed).
• Twilight Tuesday: Bring in a flashlight to read with during Reader's Workshop.
• Wear Your Words Wednesday:  Wear your favorite t-shirt with appropriate words for everyone to read!
• Dr. Seuss's Birthday Celebration: Wear RED and WHITE, or a Dr. Seuss shirt.
• Book Character Day: Dress up as your favorite book character.

Thank you,

Mrs. O'Neill

Science / Social Studies Update

We are working to wrap up our Native American reports in social studies. We are currently working on final drafts and typing up our final versions of the reports for submission. These have been a long term collaborative activity with Ms. Kavanaugh in the media center. There will be development of a PowerPoint presentation following the completion of the report for sharing research with the class. Once we have completed these reports, we will be moving into settlements and colonialism.

In science, we are in full swing with our plant growth exploration and comparison. We're investigating different mediums, different plants, and different lighting conditions to see how these factors impact plant growth and development. Student will have an option to bring their lettuce plant home at the end of our observations.