1. Fifth Grade Welcome!

2. Goals for fifth grade students Students will respect the spirit of God within themselves and others. Students will continue to grow as independent thinkers. Students will grow as independent learners. Students will be responsible for planning out their time. Students will respect the spirit of God within themselves and others. Students will continue to grow as independent thinkers. Students will grow as independent learners. Students will be responsible for planning out their time.

3. Teaching Goals  To give your child confidence to be an independent thinker and an independent learner.  To provide a safe, fun, dynamic learning environment.  To stimulate your child academically and give your child a thirst for knowledge.  To ensure your child has the necessary skills for middle school transition.  To help your child grow spiritually, academically, socially, and emotionally.  To ensure your child knows his or her strengths.  To prepare your child to be a global citizen.  To help your child love learning !

4. Class Subjects Reading Writing and Grammar Math Social Studies Word Study and Vocabulary Reading Writing and Grammar Math Social Studies Word Study and Vocabulary

5. Reading The students will continue to master the following reading strategies and skills. To summarize To predict and infer To monitor and clarify To question To compare and contrast To evaluate To make connections

6. These goals will be achieved by using the following activities  Home Reading Response Assignments  Reading groups with novel studies  Book projects/activities  Small/large group discussions  Journal responses (Reader Response Menu)

7. What is required at home for reading? Every two months the class will be reading and studying different genres in class. I’m asking your children to pick books within that genre to read at home. I will send home a list of suggested books; however, they may choose any books that fit the genre and are an appropriate reading level. We will be having a Book Award bulletin board in class where they will vote for various categories based on the novels they read at home and in school. Every Tuesday night they will be asked to bring home their reading journal and answer a question on the book they are reading at home from the Reader Response Menu. Reader Response Menu - Appetizers are questions to answer if they are at the beginning of their book. Entrees are questions for the middle of the book. Desserts are questions for the end of the book. Each entry should be added to their Table of Contents, dated, have an appropriate title, and follow our guidelines for a good paragraph. I am looking for them to fully develop their thinking using examples from the book to support their answers.

8. Writing Students will be exposed to many different forms of writing. Students will be focusing on the 6+1 traits of writing. Organization Ideas and Content Sentence Fluency Voice Word Choice Conventions + Presentation

9. Social Studies

10. Word Study and Vocabulary These subjects will be taught on alternate weeks. We will discuss the words and definitions on Monday Homework must be done each night for review and to prepare for the next day’s lesson Tests will be on Friday These subjects will be taught on alternate weeks. We will discuss the words and definitions on Monday Homework must be done each night for review and to prepare for the next day’s lesson Tests will be on Friday Texts used will be Words Our Way and WordlyWise

11. Words Our Way  Individualized to your child.  Focus is on word parts, patterns, and manipulating words.  Teaches them the rules they can use to be more efficient spellers  Teaches them why words behave the way they do  Individualized to your child.  Focus is on word parts, patterns, and manipulating words.  Teaches them the rules they can use to be more efficient spellers  Teaches them why words behave the way they do At Home  Word Study notebooks should go home and come back to school every day  Sorting the words at home is very important  The words are to be kept in the baggie stapled to their notebook  Each homework assignment should have a title, a date, and be neatly organized and written. Rulers are our friends:)

12. Math Two Groups Group 1: Houghton Mifflin Curriculum. ･ Unit 1: Multiplication and Division Word Problems ･ Unit 2: Perimeter and Area ･ Unit 3: Addition and Subtraction of Decimals ･ Unit 4: Circles, Polygons, Angles ･ Unit 5: Addition and Subtraction with Fractions ･ Unit 6: Multiplication and Division with Decimals Unit 7:Algebra, Functions, and Coordinate Graphing Two Groups Group 1: Houghton Mifflin Curriculum. ･ Unit 1: Multiplication and Division Word Problems ･ Unit 2: Perimeter and Area ･ Unit 3: Addition and Subtraction of Decimals ･ Unit 4: Circles, Polygons, Angles ･ Unit 5: Addition and Subtraction with Fractions ･ Unit 6: Multiplication and Division with Decimals Unit 7:Algebra, Functions, and Coordinate Graphing

13. Math Group 2: Scott Foresman Curriculum. ･ Unit 1: Numeration ･ Unit 2: Variables, Expressions, and Properties ･ Unit 3: Operations with Decimals ･ Unit 4: Solving Equations ･ Unit 5: Number and Fraction Concepts ･ Unit 6: Decimals, Fractions, and Mixed Numbers ･ Unit 7: Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers ･ Group 2: Scott Foresman Curriculum. ･ Unit 1: Numeration ･ Unit 2: Variables, Expressions, and Properties ･ Unit 3: Operations with Decimals ･ Unit 4: Solving Equations ･ Unit 5: Number and Fraction Concepts ･ Unit 6: Decimals, Fractions, and Mixed Numbers ･ Unit 7: Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers ･

14. Homework Each night your child will have Word Study or Wordly Wise 25 minutes reading Math worksheet Reading Log question based on novel being read at home on Tuesday nights One additional assignment may include other subject areas Not including the reading minutes, homework should take no longer 50 minutes

15. Responsive Classroom What will your child see during the day? Greetings, closing circle, modeling, quiet time Focus is on getting the children to be active thinkers and take control of their learning We have begun the year focusing on the establishment of routines both in the classroom and in the school. https://www.responsiveclassroom.org

16. Other Class Information Thursday folders Planners - monthly calendar and Signs & Symbols SJWC (St. John’s Writer’s College) Math Club Young Einsteins Thursday folders Planners - monthly calendar and Signs & Symbols SJWC (St. John’s Writer’s College) Math Club Young Einsteins

17. Volunteers  Room Parent  Memory Book Parent (only takes pictures)  Scholastic Parent  Copy Parent  Materials Prep Parent  Room Parent  Memory Book Parent (only takes pictures)  Scholastic Parent  Copy Parent  Materials Prep Parent

18. Important Upcoming Dates 10/9/13 at 6:30 pm in ASH - Where do we go from here? 10/22/13 at 6:30 pm in Mrs. Benzing’s room - 5th Grade Parent Meeting (Family Life/Echo Hill) 10/9/13 at 6:30 pm in ASH - Where do we go from here? 10/22/13 at 6:30 pm in Mrs. Benzing’s room - 5th Grade Parent Meeting (Family Life/Echo Hill)

19.  Visit www.erbtest.org for more ISEE information Where do we go from here? For parents of children in grades 3-5 Meeting date 10/9/13 (6:30pm) We will be discussing school applications, how to select a school, and the ISEE (Independent Schools Entrance Examination) test.

20. ISEE and School Applications Look around at schools now Open House List on AIMS (also see handout) Check with school when applications need to be turned in (often in November). ISEE test - best to take after Christmas as your child will know more - http://erblearn.org/parents/admission/isee Recommendations - please submit recommendation forms as early as possible. Look around at schools now Open House List on AIMS (also see handout) Check with school when applications need to be turned in (often in November). ISEE test - best to take after Christmas as your child will know more - http://erblearn.org/parents/admission/isee Recommendations - please submit recommendation forms as early as possible.

21. Questions? Contact me: sbenzing@stjohnspds.org