October 7th

Written by the students in room 14

Reminders:

• Camp forms and money due on Tuesday, October 11th
• Ice Cream Social Donations due Tuesday, October 11th
• Ice Cream Social is on Thursday, October 13th from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
• American Indian Regions quiz on Thursday, October 13th
• Please send in party donations $10 covers all of our celebrations this year.
• NO SCHOOL Wednesday, October 12th

Readers' Workshop

In Readers' Workshop we have continued to work with partners and talk about our thinking.  We also worked on stopping and jotting our thinking while reading.  This helps us organize our thinking as we read.

Writers' Workshop

In Writers' Workshop we continued to write our memoirs.  We have been working on adding feelings to our writing.  We practiced showing our feelings and not just telling.  Instead of saying "I was scared." we would say "I felt like a mouse running away from a cat!" 

Math

We started Unit 2 on Place Value. We worked on place-value relationships and writing numbers in expanded form.

Science

We worked with the Water Cycle this week.  We focused on evaporation.  We placed two cups of water in the window, one hot and one cold.  Our question was "What factors make evaporation go faster?"

Social Studies

In Social Studies this week we continued to study the American Indian regions.  We also started studying European Explorers.  The first explorer we studied was a viking named Leif Eriksson.  

September 30th

Where did September go?  Our learning community in room 14 has been hard at work.  Read below to see what we have been working on in the classroom.

Reader's Workshop
In Reader's Workshop we have been working on strong partnerships.  This week we used the book Voices in the Park by Anthony Browne.  The partnerships practiced using accountable talk to discuss the book. We were able to discuss the significance of character actions, the meaning of important elements of the illustrations and we were able to make inferences about the characters.  The conversations in room 14 this week were meaningful and considerate.  We are really developing a respectful and responsible classroom community.


Writer's Workshop
We have been studying memoirs in Writer's Workshop this week.  We have used a variety of mentor text to determine the important elements of a memoir.  We came up with the following explanation.



A Memoir is ...

• One memory of significance
• A life-changing event
• A moment that the author will never forget
• A story that makes you feel something (happy, sad, proud, furious, excited, etc.)
• Important to the writer

Math

We finished our unit on area and volume.  The students in room 14 took the Benchmark Assessment on Friday.  This assessment was lengthy and took most of the afternoon.  The assessment grades are now on Skyward Family Access.  Please login to see your child's grade.  The graded Benchmark Assessments will be sent home this week. Please review the assessment with your child.  Go over any areas in which you child needs support.  Then sign the top page and return it to school the next day.  Thank you for your support!

Social Studies

In Social Studies this week we have been studying the American Indian Regions. We looked at the lifestyle, environment, food, shelter and transportation of the different regions.  We were able to compare and contrast the life of the first Americans.  

PTA NEWS 

The 2016-17 PTA Membership Drive is off to an impressive start! If you haven't yet, please send in your membership form along with $6.00 per person who joins and supports our PTA! No time to volunteer? That's OK!!! You can still be a member and support or school, with zero obligation. Members will receive a student directory, coming out this fall. Your contribution supports most school activities, events, and assemblies! Please contact Amy Kurzeja with any questions. Amykurzeja@yahoo.com 

Important Dates

• October 3rd: NO SCHOOL
• October 5th: COUNT DAY (please try not to make appointments on this day)
• October 7th: Cookie Dough Fundraiser due
• October 7th-14th: WLE Book Fair
• October 11th: All camp paperwork and tuition due (if you need financial assistance for camp please check with the front office)
• October 12th: NO SCHOOL
• October 23rd: Walled Lakes Schools Open House 1-3 p.m.
• October 24-26: 5th Grade Camp
• October 31st: 1/2 day of school 

September 16th

Written by the students in room 14

Reminders:

• 5th Grade Camp October 24-26.
• Camp paperwork and money due by October 11th
• Camp Open House September 21st 5-7 pm
• Writer's Notebook Homework due Monday, September 19th
• Half day of school on Tuesday, September 20th
• Please remember to sign your child's planner every day

Reader's Workshop

In Reader's Workshop we have been working on selecting "Just Right Books."  We have also been working on thinking about our thinking and writing it on sticky notes. We have been reading Wringer by Jerry Spinelli and Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt.  While reading reading we have been making inferences about our characters.                 

Writer's Workshop

In Writer's Workshop we have been filling our writer's notebooks.  Our writer's notebooks will help us generate writing ideas this year.  Today we created a heart map that included all the pieces of our heart.  Ask your 5th grader about his or her heart map.

Homework: Decorate your writer's notebook

Math

In Math this week we have been working on area and volume.  

We know the formula for area is area = length x width.

The formula for volume is volume = length x width x height.

                       

Social Studies

In Social Studies we learned about primary and secondary sources.  We have also been studying American Indian cultures.

Science

In Science we have been studying our solar system. We learned how far each planet is from the sun.

Getting to Know Each Other

Welcome to the Athan/Faley classroom blog.  We have had a great first week back to school. We have been spending a lot of time getting to know each other and learning the classroom routines and procedures.  Please continue to check our blog to hear about our learning.

Learning About Our Classmates

Welcome Back!

May 26th

Written by the students in room 14

Reminders

• Field Day - June 3rd (if you would like to volunteer click on the link below)

Field Day Sign Up

• Pajama Day - Pay $1 to wear your pajamas to school Friday, May 27th
• DIA Field Trip - June10th (please return permission slips ASAP)
• Math BA - Wednesday, June 1st
• Science BA - Thursday, June 9th
• 5th Grade Graduation - Wednesday, June 15th (donations are still appreciated)

Readers' Workshop

We have been working on our reading book clubs.  We began writing Reading Notebook reflections after we meet with our book clubs.  We have been monitoring how our thinking changes as we talk with our peers.

Writers' Workshop

We have been working on writing poetry.  We have been finding poetry that we find intriguing and using the poets as mentors in our own writing.

Math

We are finishing up Unit 8.  Our next Math BA is on Wednesday, June 1st.

Science

We are also finishing our ecosystem unit.  We have been studying life cycles, food chains, and food webs. Our Science BA is on Thursday, June 9th.

Social Studies

We have been talking about social injustice.  This week we have been talking about slavery and the Civil War.

May 12th

We have had a busy few weeks in 5th grade.  Sorry the blog has not been updated in a while.  Here is what we have been working on.

Readers' Workshop

We have been working on regulating our own book clubs during Readers' Workshop.  We are in small groups of five or less.  The groups were selected based on the books we wanted to read.  Each day we assign pages to be read.  Then the facilitator comes up with questions to drive the discussion.  We meet everyday to discuss the assigned reading.  The facilitator also has to keep the conversation going.  During the conversation, the "conversation recorder" creates a diagram to show the conversation flow.  This way we make sure everyone is included in the conversation.

Writers' Workshop

In Writers' Workshop we have been studying poetry.  We have been using the book "Love that Dog" by Sharon Creech to study poetry.  Each day we study a new poem and notice different author's craft.  We have noticed repetition, rhyme, shape, descriptive language, shape, music, noise, visual details, symmetry and personification.  We have been trying these crafts in our own poetry

.

Math

We finished up Unit 7 in math this week. In Unit 7 we studied geometry, multiplying and dividing fractions, collecting and using fractional data, and rules, tables, and graphs.  We completed our benchmark assessments yesterday.  All scores are in Family Access.

Social Studies

We just finished Unit 4 in Social Studies where we studied the Revolutionary War. We took our Unit 4 assessment today.  Ask your 5th grader how they did.

Science

In Science this week, we have been studying ecosystems.  We created aquariums and terrariums.  Ask your 5th grader about his or new fish. 

Reminders

• Wednesday, May 18th: 5th grade class picture
• Tuesday, May 24th: Sarah Banks Visit 
• May 24th-25th: Musical Instrument Rental Nights
• Monday, May 30th: NO SCHOOL
• Friday, June 3rd: Field Day
• Friday, June 10th: Field Trip to DIA
• Wednesday, June 15th: Graduation