| What's Happening in 5th Grade | | I just can't keep up with this 5th grade! It's almost December, and I feel like the year is just flying by! I continue to marvel at the "character" of this great group of boys and girls. Ask them about Mrs. Hughson's reaction to their behavior in music class last week! It doesn't surprise me. The spirit of the Holidays is alive and well! We will have one more "formal" buddy time in December with the 1st graders; we will be providing waffles on December 8th so we might need an extra waffle iron or two. The Holiday Shop will be that week, as well. |  |
| Language Arts | | Once Upon A Time…
In the upcoming weeks we will begin to look talk about the 5th grade Children’s Book Project. It is a very special project that requires a great deal of time, care, planning and perseverance. But in the end, the effort is worth it! I have decided to start earlier than ever before to try and avoid the end of the year of year time crunch and the pressure that comes with it.
In these first weeks we will be reading a variety of children’s books, identifying commonalities, patterns, and features that are specific to the genre. The children are welcome to write a story totally of their own devising, if they so choose. However, for some a totally “blank” page is overwhelming (just ask any published author!). To provide some support for these writers, last year I introduced “pattern” books as an alternative choice. These books, ones in which the author used a specific, and usually repetitive format, proved to be a great success. They gave the students an established format with which to begin, yet still allowed them to create their own original characters, settings, and plots.
The weeks leading up to Christmas are busy ones, and thus it is a perfect time to start exploring these pattern books, discussing ideas, and begin to plan for their own. Once back from holidays, each student will receive the formal planning guide, which will contain all the steps, and requirements of the project, so the students (and you) can plan and meet the deadlines we set. Look for it then! Two’s Company, Three’s A Crowd? ---Don’t Believe It!
During the latter part of November the students have been introduced to a powerful strategy for writing, for speaking, and for organizing….the power of three! There is something special, maybe even magical, about the number three. It’s everywhere; indeed, it’s omnipresent! ("omni ", meaning “all” or “every”. Great vocabulary root to learn. Couldn’t resist!)
Think about it. Lights! Camera! Action! Ready! Aim! Fire! Friends, Romans, countrymen…!
Once you start, it’s hard to stop! But more importantly, it is a very effective strategy for the children to use in their daily schoolwork. Often students feel overwhelmed when they are first given an assignment. But think how much less daunting the task becomes when you approach it this way. For any topic, think of 3 points you might discuss, or 3 subtopics, or 3 sources you might use. Suddenly, it becomes much more manageable.
It will take time and repetition, but we will use this approach whenever we can. The great part is that it arises naturally so often. We have already discussed the fact that an introductory paragraph has three parts, there are 3 parts to an essay, and within that essay there should be 3 supporting paragraphs in the body.
In the writing process, we will also utilize this strategy. For example, during the revision stage, I might ask them to find three “weak” verbs and replace with more “vivid” ones, or I will ask them to experiment with 3 different types of lead sentences for their story.
No matter the application, three of anything is a finite, “doable” amount. Having an end in mind and knowing what is expected builds confidence and independence. Students with these qualities are far more likely to succeed in their personal and academic lives. I would encourage you to use this strategy at home. Remind them to use this strategy. Suggest they break study time into 3 shorter periods, and if you are reading over a piece of their writing, compliment them on 3 word choices, or 3 different aspects, and limit yourself to 3 ideas for improvement! ?
When you start looking, you’d be surprised how many “3’s” there are all around us! I must warn you; once you begin to pay attention, it’s addictive!
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| Mr. Hitselberger's Math | | As the first trimester comes to a close, the fifth grade math class is getting used to a new vocabulary in math. To the old familiar words such as add, subtract, factor, and product are added new words such as expression, term, simplify, and evaluate. We are moving into concepts necessary for algebra and beginning to think of letters in math problems just as unknown values. Dealing with signed (positive and negative) numbers and remembering to apply the order of operations are now daily operations and will continue to be part of math for the rest of the year. In the new trimester, we will learn how to solve equations and deal with inequalities. By the end of December, students should be able to graph inequalities on number lines and recognize the difference between “10 and over” and “over ten.” We will also have a practical math experience with catalog shopping, showing how math is needed in everyday life. The fifth class will also be participating in the international Math Olympiad. This is the first year that Barnesville has fielded a team and I am very excited about this activity. After the official test day for the Olympiad, we will have the opportunity to share results and strategies for using math to become efficient problem solvers. | |
| Mrs. Nikitina's Math | | In Math, the students focus on several fraction concepts and properties in preparation for computing with fractions. They use the idea of divisibility and their mental math skills to investigate prime numbers and prime factorization. They work with the concepts of greatest common factor and least common multiple as they find equivalent fractions, simplify fractions, convert mixed numbers, and express fractions in simplest form. | |
| Social Studies | | Another big test is out of the way! We have covered Articles I-III of the Constitution, and we will be looking at several Supreme Court cases before moving into our history textbook. Lewis and Clark, Thomas Jefferson, the War of 1812, Andrew Jackson, and the Industrial Revolution will occupy much of our time over the month of December. | |
| Science | | In Science, the fifth graders investigated properties of acids and bases. They learned what acids and bases are and used supporting evidence to predict if common household substances are acids or bases. The students got to know what the pH scale is, learned about the pH range and the colors associated with several indicators. They determined the pH of the substances and described the results of the investigation and characteristics of each substance. The students examined a neutralization reaction and discussed how changes in pH affect the environment. | |
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| | Upcoming Events | | - October 4 School Pictures
- October 8 Dance for 6th-8th graders...stay tuned for info about a 5th grade event that night!
- October 21-22 Conferences
- October 23-14 Barnesville Basement
- October 29 Halloween Celebration...class party in the afternoon
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| Art | | The sixth graders are just finishing up creating their own legendary creature and writing a small myth about it. After Thanksgiving break they will be modelling an imaginary mythic animal out of clay. We will then start a research project about gods and goddesses in Ancient Civilizations. This will culminate into a mask assignment where the children will create a mask around an important theme, such as fire, war, wisdom etc.. | |
| Physical Education | | Fifth grade is working up a sweat in the gym! They have been working hard on their heart rate lab; testing their heart rates through a variety of activities. They showed that they are in great shape, with the Presidential Fitness Testing. Net Games, have given them a chance to work on their serving, spiking, volleying, and setting skills. They are going to continue to work on their volleyball skills, but take some breaks for some holiday activities! | |
| Music | | October has been a busy month for music students. Piano instructions continue to support the theory needed to play other percussion instruments as well as other musical applications. We are in full swing for the Holiday Show. Feet are stomping and voices are ringing. Be sure to mark your calendar for December 14, 2010 at 7:30pm for the Holiday Show. The students will surely melt your heart with their Frosty the Snowman routine! | |
| Art | | The fifth graders successfully completed their still life paintings which are presently being exhibited in the art hallway. We will start our mairtime paintings in the style of Joseph Turner who was the forefather of Impressionism. Hopefully this month we will also begin a unit about American women artists, first learning about the work of Georgia O'Keefe. | |
| Spanish | | This first month fifth graders have been learning basic greetings and reviewed days of the week, number 1-31 and the months. We are also practicing a dance to celebrate the "Hispanic Heritage month" | |
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