| What's Happening in 5th Grade | | The 5th grade class continues to impress! Several of kids are currently playing basketball, almost half of the class auditioned for the Spring Musical, and the entire group is regularly complimented by the Middle School faculty.
We will be creating Valentine's Day cards with our 1st grade buddies next week! The 5th graders really enjoy their time with the 1st grade and I know it is a mutual feeling.
The trip to Ski Liberty was a big success (no one got hurt and everyone made it home!) The kids really look forward to new experiences and they genuinely enjoy spending time with each other. Many thanks to Mary Waldhorn for organizing our trip to Mount Vernon; the kids asked great questions and they were super hosts for our Peruvian guests. The kids also enjoy their birthday celebrations (there were many in January!) as they share snacks and get to pick a favorite cartoon to watch during snack time! A special "congratulations" to Ben Waksberg as he predicted the date of our first full day "Snow Day" of the year--January 18th (it was his birthday!) |  |
| Language Arts | | "...the history of a kid is one part fact, two parts legend, and three parts snowball." Thus starts Maniac Magee, a truly amazing book that we are reading right now. Filled with bigger than life characters and events, we, the readers, follow Maniac's search for a home of his own. Along the way the author deals with some pretty important themes, such as homelessness and racism. It is a book you very well might want to read; it is a thought-provoking adventure for readers of all ages. As we read, I am asking students to become actively involved in the reading process, making brief chapter notes that summarize plot and character development. Additionally, they are to record lines that they found either memorable or confusing, or with which they made a personal connection. By recording them and the page number, we can discuss them in class and refer back to them quickly. These are strategies the best readers use routinely, and it is important that our children learn to do this. We are also working on finding textual support for opinions. Right now we do this mostly in discussion or in groups, but increasingly it will be expected in written answers, so students must be willing to skim through pages they have read. I have taught them to look for key words and to use one finger to "pull" their eyes across the lines and pages at a rapid rate. The goal is to find the key word, quickly read around it for relevancy, then either use it or continue scanning. Having your child watch you doing this is a great reinforcement. So the next time you are using the phone book, or t.v. guide, or searching for information in a newspaper article why not show your child how you do it?
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| Mr. Hitselberger's Math | | Fractions. Fractions. It used to be a standard joke in my math class that if a student wanted to wear the scariest possible Halloween costume, he or she should dress up like a fraction. Middle school students would run screaming into the night to avoid a fraction. This year, though, there is a new mantra. Now we say that "fractions are our friends." Our study of fractions attempts to tie fractions into every other part of math. A fraction, after all, is just a division problem. Even better, as soon as you write a fraction, not only do you have the division problem, but you have the answer to it as well. 3 divided by 4 can be written as 3/4 (a fraction which simply means "3 divided by 4") and the answer to that problem is also three-fourths. Write the problem and you've got the answer. There are seventeen different rules for fractions. Many people learn fractions by trying to memorize the seventeen different rules and then remember which rule applies to which situation. Are common denominators needed for addition? What about multiplication? Do the denominators have to be the lowest before the problem can be started? And what about mixed numbers? In class, we are trying to limit our rules to just a handful that make sense. | |
| Mrs. Nikitina's Math | | In
Math, the students continue their study of fractions as they multiply and
divide fractions and mixed numbers. They write and solve equations involving
multiplication and division of fractions. In addition, students use their
knowledge of fraction computation to change units within the customary system
of measurement. | |
| Social Studies | | Our study of the Louisiana Purchase and the travels of Lewis & Clark had an added appeal since these men were joined by Seaman, a hard-working Newfoundland! We have many dog lovers in the group, and they enjoyed the many stories found in the journals of these American explorers. The students have become careful readers, solid researchers, and they always ask great questions during frequent class discussions.
We faught the many interruptions of January with our study of The War of 1812, the writing of our national anthem, and a case study on Andrew Jackson. Was he a good President? He did represent the "common man" and many more Americans were involved in the democratic process as evidenced by the huge increase in voters in the 1828 election. However, his removal of American Indians (the "Trail of Tears") is often seen as cruel and unnecessary.
Students will explore the emerging Industrial Revolution in America, as well as the many reform movements (women's rights, abolitionism, public education, etc.) as we set the stage for the Civil War. | |
| Science | | In Science, the students continue a
unit on motion. They learn to recognize and describe the relationships among
speed, velocity, acceleration, and momentum.
They analyzed and explained the
three laws of motion and learned how inertia and gravity interact to make an
orbit. The students explained the law of universal gravitation and evaluated
the impact of research and technology on scientific thoughts, society, and the
environment. They also extended chapter concepts with hands-on investigations
and connected the chapter ideas with the contributions of scientists. | |
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| | Upcoming Events | | February 10 1:30 Dismissal
February 14 2:10 Valentine's Day Party
February 21 Presidents Day (no school)
February 25 Professional Day (no school for students)
March 1 Reenrollment Deadline
March 3 1:30 Dismissal
March 4 Family Fun Night
March 9 End of 2nd Trimester
March 11 Faculty In-Service (noon dismissal for students)
March 18 Noon Dismissal (Spring Break begins)
March 28 Classes Resume | |
| Art | | The fifth graders did a terrific job leading the school in learning about Haiti for our Goats for Haiti fundraiser. They each made a PowerPoint presentation about an aspect of Haiti such as food, arts , natural resources and natural disasters. They presented their PowerPoints during morning meeting in December and January. They also did an artwork typifying Haitian art traditions. We viewed a movie about the great African American artist, Jacob Lawrence and the children heard a book written and illustrated by him about Harriet Tubman. They created a runaway slave scene using Lawrence's style of exaggeration. Next they will do a cut paper image of a famous African American in his bold, shape style.
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| Physical Education | | Fifth grade is working hard to build their fitness levels with different games and activities. They are also enjoying playing Hand Ball. They are working hard to master their throwing, catching, and team work skills to outsmart the other team. They are doing a great job! | |
| Music | | The New Year began with a belated performance of the Holiday Show. The enthusiasm and energy was alive and well and has continued throughout the classroom activities. The students have begun instruction on the guitar. They have learned the chords C, G7 and F. Preparations are underway to begin learning songs of the Civil War for their presentation in May. Dancing, singing and playing instruments abound in class. Stop by and join us! | |
| Spanish | | This month students studied clothing accesories and learned how write sentences describing the color of each accessory. Students also learned about the two ways to using the pronoun "you" in Spanish. | |
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