Monday -PE -Studyhall before and after school | Tuesday -O&A to Pacific -Studyhall before school | Wednesday -Art -Studyhall before school -OBOB 3:30-4:15 | Thursday -Studyhall before school | Friday -Art -Studyhall before school |
1/18--No School to observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day
1/21--Wizard of Oz performance, please bring $5 to school
1/27 & 1/28 -- No School-- for teachers to work on report cards
2/4--Geography Bee @ the Library at 10:00
*If possible, please send $5 along with your child to pay for our theatre tickets to Wizard of Oz.
Literacy
- Writing homework = Typing Web or Mission Statement - due Friday 1/15
Merlins worked on writing mission statements as a way to kick of the new year. We started by writing
A mission statement, collaborative as a class. Then, by using a website that had different prompts,
Merlins wrote their own mission statement. Those who aren’t finished should complete the assign-
ment as homework this week. You should definitely check out what your kiddo wrote—they are
sounding amazing and inspiring.
We focused our reading time on a variety of things this week: re-organizing our library, free reading
And reading “small moment” stories like Owl Moon. I was blown away by the conversations we
had as a class regarding this story. You should read it with your child—there should be a copy of it
in their binder.
Ask, what techniques did you like in story Owl Moon?
Listen to your child his / her mission statement.
Extend the learning by writing a mission statement as a family.
Project
Our project work this week focused on remembering our expectations as a team. Overall, I am
impressed with the number of kids transitioning quickly and reminding the class of how to be
ready to go when the transition is over. It’s made for a smooth week return from winter break.
This week we’ll kick off our Colonial America simulation by forming groups, learning about maps, and
perhaps sailing to the New World.
Ask, how did you make for successful transition back to school?
Listen to your child explain the team-building Erin had us do on Tuesday.
Extend the learning by researching reasons why peopled sailed to the Americas.
6th Grade Math
We’re nearing the end of the 4th and last block in our Introductory Algebra textbook. This block
has a wide variety of content covered, so it will be a difficult test. This past week we looked at
linear functions. We learned how to graph points when given a linear function. We also learned how
to write the function based on coordinates or a line plotted on a graph. We’ll finish the block this week,
but won’t start the test until the 19th.
Ask your child to explain y = _____ + /- _______x
Listen to your child explain how you would graph y = 3 + 4x
Extend the learning by finding linear functions that apply to our life.
5th Grade Math
Last week, 5th grade mathematicians spent time reviewing fraction concepts we learned and practiced before winter break, and took the unit test on Thursday and Friday. Most students completed the assessment. This week, students will get their test back and use homework time this week to make any needed corrections. Proficiency of these skills is reflected in a score of 80% or above. Students that score below 80% will have the opportunity to retake the test next week.
This week, we will take an important detour from fractions for a bit to revisit multiplication. We will briefly review multiplication of powers of ten and the shortcut rule that follows an understanding of place value, then spend time learning and practicing the standard algorithm for multiplication, emphasizing the logic behind it.
Please take some time this week each night to help your 5th grader develop fluency of multiplication facts to 10 x 10. Having these facts memorized will be an important tool in your child's mathematical tool belt, for years to come.
ASK your 5th grader to explain a x (b + c) = ( a x b ) + ( a x c )
LISTEN to your 5th grader explain why 23 x 10 = 230
EXTEND THE LEARNING by using both the distributive law (the long way) and the standard algorithm (the short way) to compute 69 x 52