Reminder: Online Science Text
I have set up the online version of our Science text for students to use at home or school. Students may continue to use their actual textbook, but the online version is now available for those students who would like to access it. The link and directions for logging in are available on the Prairieview website. Please click the following links and check it out.
Login page: https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do
Directions for logging in: http://www.ccsd66.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/prairieview/Think_Central_ScienceText_Instructions.pdf
Subject Update:
- ELA (English/Language Arts) - Students will identify point of view, think about how a character's perspective affects a story, summarize texts, and use context clues to determine the meaning of unknown words. Students will also work with a new list of word parts and develop a "bold beginning" or "hook" for their best life event story.
- Science - We will read about different kinds of consumers, and learn how energy passes from one organism to the next through food chains.
- Social Studies - We will read about the Spanish conquests in North and South America. We will identify the advantages of Cortes and the conquistadors against the mighty Aztec Empire.
- Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We have launched into our first Digits unit about expressions and equations. Topic 1 (similar to a chapter) will help us understand variables and expressions. Students will be working with numerical and algebraic expressions. translating between words and math, and representing word problem with algebraic expressions.
Mark Your Calendar:
Oct. 1 - Kate Klise Author Visit (6:30 - 7:30 p.m.)
Oct. 6 - Fall Picture Day!
Oct. 9 - Early Dismissal (11;35 a.m.)
Online Science Text
I have set up the online version of our Science text for students to use at home or school. Students may continue to use their actual textbook, but the online version is now available for those students who would like to access it. The link and directions for logging in are available on the Prairieview website. Please click the following links and check it out.
Login page: https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/ePC/start.do
Directions for logging in: http://www.ccsd66.org/wp-content/uploads/pdf/prairieview/Think_Central_ScienceText_Instructions.pdf
District Dash & TEAM66 Community Day
I hope you have marked your calendar for the upcoming events on Saturday, September 26. There are so many wonderful activities planned, and I know that I don't want to miss out. If you attend, you could even purchase raffle tickets for a chance at throwing a pie in Mrs. Strong's face! Although it's not something I would typically enjoy, it's all in the name of fun and fundraising.
Subject Update:
- ELA (English/Language Arts) - As we continue our unit, Challenges, we will finish our close reading of Langston Hughes's poem, Mother to Son. Then we will use a variety of resources about Jackie Robinson to look at the challenges he faced when breaking the color barrier in baseball. Students will also build vocabulary, work with word parts, work on writing, and continue learning about the uses of commas.
- Science - We will begin our life science unit: Interactions Among Living Things. Chapter 5 is about energy and ecosystems. We will learn how plants produce food in the first lesson.
- Social Studies - Students are pretending to be Christopher Columbus, writing letters of request to King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain for a second voyage to the New World. They are incorporating specific details learned from a variety of sources. Then we will read about Spanish conquests in North and South America.
- Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will begin our first unit in the Digits program about expressions and equations. Students will learn how to read, write, and evaluate numerical and algebraic expressions this week. Since this is the first time students are using an online program, we will spend some time in class getting familiar with the different features of it.
Mark Your Calendar:
Sept. 24 - Early Dismissal (11:35 a.m.)
Sept. 26 - District Dash & TEAM66 Community Day
Chromebook Reminders
Please remember that Chromebooks will come home every day to be charged for the next day. Students will be issued earbuds this week to use when needed. Our students are doing a wonderful job being responsible and respectful with their devices - let's keep up this great work!
Subject Update:
- ELA (English/Language Arts) - We will launch our first reading unit theme - Challenges. Our essential questions: How are challenges conquered in literature and informational text? How do characters, real and fictional, respond to challenges (both positively and negatively)? How do challenges affect you and those around you? Students will also continue building stamina for Read to Self, and write about one of their Best Life Events. In addition, students will do some Word Work with prefixes and roots, and practice using commas in a series.
- Science - Students should have a good understand of the Scientific Method after conducting our Pencil vs. Ziploc Bag experiment. We also did some activities in class to identify the inquiry skills used in each step of the process. There is a Scientific Method Quiz planned for Tuesday, September 15th!
- Social Studies - We will continue to learn about Christopher Columbus and the Columbian Exchange. We will compare and contrast Columbus to another famous explorer, and discuss the impact of the Columbian Exchange on both the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
- Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will continue our work with perimeter, area, and volume of rectangular figures using whole number, fraction, and decimal measurements; and working to understand the difference between linear, square, and cubic units. An open-note Homework Review is planned for later in the week. Ask your child to explain the difference between perimeter, area, and volume, as well as the units used to measure each.
Mark Your Calendar:
Sept. 14 - Magazine Drive Kick-Off
Sept. 24 - Early Dismissal
Curriculum Night Follow-Up
Thank you to all the parents who were able to attend our 5th Grade Curriculum Night. If you were unable to make it, information was sent home with your child on Thursday.
*All parents need to complete and return 2 items: the Information Sheet and the bottom section of the 5th Grade Policies cover sheet. Please return these items as soon as possible.
M.A.P. Testing
Our class will be taking the M.A.P. tests for Math and Reading on Wednesday and Thursday. Please encourage your child to do his/her best!
Subject Update:
- ELA (English/Language Arts) - We will continue to build our reading stamina, as well as review some key reading strategies. We will work together to find the "gist", summarize, and annotate a text. Students will also plant more "seeds" for writing by generating a list.
- Science - EEEWWWW! That was the sound students made when we worked as scientists to make observations of sewer maggots. Ask your child to tell you all about them. Next week, we will identify the steps of the scientific method and use those steps to conduct a hands-on experiment.
- Social Studies - The students should know the distance between Spain and the Bahamas by Tuesday. This will help us understand the long journey made by many early explorers to the New World. We will also work to understand the Columbian Exchange and how that led to European settlements.
- Mrs. Strong's Math Class - We will continue our work with perimeter, area, and volume of rectangular figures using whole number, fraction, and decimal measurements; and working to understand the difference between linear, square, and cubic units.
Mark Your Calendar:
Sept. 7 - No School (Labor Day)
Sept. 8 - Chromebook Distribution
Sept. 9-10 - M.A.P. Testing
