Welcome to 5th Grade Back to School N ight Fifth Grade Team Members Cathy Golub JoAnna VanDraska Jen Koerner Tami Rockey

Ways to Communicate Check the classroom website: Read the monthly classroom newsletter. Note in the Assignment Notebook Planner Weekly Report in Green Folder Send a quick note with your child to school. Before or after school phone call: or

5th Grade Daily Schedule 8:10-8:30 Morning Work 8:30-9:30 Math 9:30-10:30 Specials (and restroom break 10:30-11:30 Reading 11:30-11:50 Workshop 12:12;15 Language Arts 12:15-12:45 Lunch 1:00-1:30 Recess 1:30-2:00 Science 2:00-2:30 Spelling / Language Arts* ** 2:30-3:00 Social Studies *= Band meets-Tuesday and Thur sday **= Strings meet- Wednesday and Friday

Success = giving my best every day! 1. Students will be recognized in a positive manner when academic performance/behavior is appropriate. Positive recognition will include, but not be limited to verbal praise, extra free time, personal activity time, class incentives, grade level incentives, and extra recess. 2. When a student makes choices that include poor behavior or performance the student will be required to take responsibility for his or her inappropriate choices. A. First time - Warning B. Continued behavior - Teacher marks on the weekly clipboard C. Continued behavior - Time Out – removed from class or from recess for a period of time. The child might be placed in a buddy room. D. Problem continues - Conference with student/parents/teachers /administrator SEVERE Academic/Behavior Problems In case of severe behaviors such as fighting, destruction of property, obscene language, threats, cheating ……steps 1-4 may be bypassed.

Procedures and Assignments Always use your planner, even when you are absent you should copy from another student. If no assignments, write “no assignment” or draw an “X”. When finished with the work make an x in the little box to show you are finished. Keep track of all finished or graded work in your folders until the end of each quarter. If you are absent, you must find out what you missed. You may call and ask for your assignment to be sent home with a classmate or sibling.

Reading Information * Reading for Meaning * Text Structures * Elements of a story * Author’s purpose and point of view * Reading all types of literature We do a combination of guided reading, direct instruction (whole and small group), and reciprocal teaching to meet all children’s needs. Homework Expectations We expect students to read for at least 75 minutes a week.

Wonders Spelling A Spelling Process Spelling is linked directly to vocabulary, reading, and writing. The focus is on developing word knowledge and good spelling habits. A spelling assignment will be given on Monday and due on Thursday. Students will take a test on Friday.

5th Grade Writing Focus Six-trait writing Writing short essays and research papers– narrative, expository, persuasive, and technical Proofreading & Peer Editing Grammar Use of Figurative Language

5th Grade Math Concepts Place value of whole numbers & decimals Division & Multiplication of larger numbers Interpreting graphs, tables, & charts Verbalizing Math Processes & Skills Simplifying fractions Adding, subtracting & multiplying fractions Mixed numbers Problem Solving Decimals and Percentages

Science Experiments Weather Earths Atmosphere Electricity Matter Organ systems of the body Personal care and Nutrition

Social Studies Explorers Colonies American Revolution American Government American Heroes Industrial Revolution Civil War

Student Expanding Folders Planner/Assignment Book This will contain your child’s assignments and needs to be filled out completely returned to school the following day. Weekly Report Every Friday students will bring home a report of how well they worked during the week. It will list any work that was not turned in during the week. They may make up missed work. Please sign this to show that you have read the report. Frequently their grades will be attached to this. Friday Papers Your child will get many papers returned on Friday. They will also receive important information from the office and myself. Please look over the materials that will be in their expanding folder.

Daily Assignments 5 h graders are expected to read every night and record minutes. Parents must sign in their planner for the 75 minutes they have read. This is a big part of their reading grade. 5 h graders are expected to read every night and record minutes. Parents must sign in their planner for the 75 minutes they have read. This is a big part of their reading grade. * 5 th grade students are expected to have an average of 50 minutes of “homework” each night. Some nights they will have less, others more. * Any assignments not completed in class will be considered “homework” and will be due the following day unless otherwise noted. If an assignment is not completed the following day, points will be deducted and the student will work on their assignment(s) during recess time. If a student has completed all work on the task completion sheet, he/she will be allowed to participate in “Fun Friday ” from 2-2:30.

Field Trips

We Love Book Orders Book orders will be sent home occasionaly. Attached to each order, you will find a reminder about the due date and payment information. We will be ordering from Scholastic. No cash please! Checks made out to Scholastic only!!

Celebrating Your Child’s Birthday  Please feel free to send treats to school for your child’s birthday.  Please send treats that can be cleaned up easily and do not require cutting. For example: Cupcakes, Cookies, or Ice Cream Bars.  Please send napkins, spoons, forks, etc. if needed for the treat.  Birthdays are celebrated at the end of the day and it is best to send the treats to school in the morning.

I promise you every day your children will learn something. Some days they’ll bring it home in their hands. Some days they’ll bring it home in their heads. And some days they’ll bring it home in their hearts.