Road to Revolutionary War & Wax Museum Morning Meeting in the Library with Mrs. Griffin Upcoming Standardized ERB Testing Friendsfest! This week we discussed the time period leading up to the Revolutionary war. Students created illustrations for corresponding historical facts about the road to revolution, beginning with the ending of the French and Indian war and ending with the official beginning of the Revolutionary war. See below for photos of their artwork and relevant historical information. This morning we spent first period-our morning work period- in the library for an extra session with Mrs. Griffin. We were all lucky enough to enjoy a snack that Mrs. Griffin brought for us! First, we had a fairly typical morning meeting. We sat in a circle and greeted each other, then shared a small detail about our upcoming weekend that we were looking forward to. Next was an activity, where students shared a compliment to a classmate that had been assigned to them previously. After, Mrs. Griffin and I discussed with the class how to begin research for Wax Museum amongst the stacks of wonderful literature at our library. We also had a quick refresher of expected behaviors in library. I've enjoyed inviting specialist teachers to our homeroom to join us for morning meetings, or taking the morning meeting to their teaching spaces. It strengthens the connection between homeroom and specials, and encourages students to pay closer attention to behaviors and expectations across all subjects, knowing that all teachers work together and communicate frequently. These reminders are often helpful at mid year :) Beginning the week of February 5 we will be practicing our standardized testing strategies to prepare for the ERB testing that all Friends Academy 5th graders take part in. The tests are broken up by subject and content, and are 45 minutes or less per segment. Once the testing is complete we will submit the student answers for grading via mail. When we have the scores, parents can come in meet with Jamie to view their child's individual scores. Friends Fest, our annual family-friendly fundraiser, is on Friday, February 23rd. Don’t forget, the deadline to register and receive a free t-shirt for your child is Thursday, February 1st! Click here to learn more and register! Similar to last year, they will be running an online auction in tandem with FriendsFest. Some items available last year included: tickets to a Bruins game, a ski package to The Hermitage, pottery by our own Wendy Goldsmith, and an interior design consultation. If you would like to contribute something to this year’s online auction, please call Jodi Pink at 508.999.1356, or send her an email at [email protected].
Our last bit of news is that our conference sign up sheet is posted outside our classroom, and I invite you to sign up now! I have three slots available on Wednesday afternoon February 14, and all day on Friday the 16th available. Email me for potential times if you would prefer to sign up via email. I look forward to being together again with your child leading us through their year so far and sharing goals for the rest of the year. I hope you have a nice weekend! I am looking forward to a handstand workshop with one of my favorite yoga teachers in Providence. I'm excited to get upside down and push my limits! Best, Sarah
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Persuasive Essay Writing and Tuck Everlasting Wrap Up 13 Colonies New 4/5 Activities! Picture Book Sharing Hello families of 5A! Happy weekend. This week we began our Tuck Everlasting persuasive essay. Students use the "ORCEOS" model to help them remember the structure of a strong persuasive argument. See below... O-Give Your Opinion R-List Some Reasons C-Address the Conflicting Point of View E-Explain or give Evidence to back Your Opinion up O-Restate your Opinion S-Solution (if it applies) The question they were answering was: "If given the chance to live forever, would you take it?" I am impressed by their arguments and their deep thinking, as always. Once we publish our essays we will say goodbye to Tuck Everlasting and hello to My Brother Sam is Dead-a historical fiction novel about the Revolutionary War. In Social Studies we are studying the 13 original Colonies. We have a quiz on Tuesday, so students should be studying over the weekend. Quiz on Tuesday will include: -a mapping component: students must place the 13 original colonies on a blank map (with a word bank) -13 colonies vocabulary (9 words from our readings on 13 colonies) -information about who lived in what colonies, their ways of life, and geographical conditions (from "The English Colonies Grow" reading) Once we are confident in this area, we will move on to studying events leading up to the Revolutionary War, and get deep into...WAX MUSEUM! Next Friday 4th and 5th graders get to begin their new 4/5 activity on Friday afternoon last period. These offerings include writers workshop, tea set clay building, mindful art, wood shop, card games, band of friends, and random acts of kindness club. Kids are excited to get involved in new activities with some of their favorite teachers and some new friends. This week we were inspired by Mr. Kennedy's sharing at all school meeting of one of his favorite picture books, Last Stop on Market Street. We headed right to the library and checked out our own favorite picture books from (earlier) childhood. A few kids are reading their selected books each morning, and it brings me so much joy. I think they are enjoying it too! The stories give us feelings of nostalgia and allow students to present to the group without preparation and pressure to create content. Plus we get to practice being good audience members. See below for photos of our first readers in the limelight! It was nice seeing many of you at game night last night! I hope you have a good weekend!
Social Studies: French and Indian War and 13 Colonies and .... Wax Museum! Language Arts: Tuck Everlasting and Persuasive Writing Math: Fractions continued... Secret Snowflake Sledding! Upcoming As we enter the second half of the school year (how?!?!) we are beginning to make our way in history towards the Revolutionary war, but first we made a pit stop at the French and Indian War. Next we are moving on and studying the 13 original colonies, and then Revolutionary War! We will read the historical fiction story called My Brother Sam is Dead to accompany our studies. Below are maps to show the growth of the settlements into colonies. Students brought home some weekend homework yesterday, and even though they don't normally have homework on weekends, this was an exciting assignment! They are being asked to read brief descriptions of unsung heroes of the American Revolution and list four possible figures they would like to represent for the entirety of the Wax Museum project. This project is part research, part writing, part creative, and it culminates in a community wide event during which students dress up as their figure and present a speech from their perspective. As we discussed in homeroom, Wax Museum is a sort of rite of passage in 5th grade. On their homework this weekend, there is a spot for a parent signature. We are asking parents to get involved so that we can ensure students truly took care to select the figures they are interested in and followed the directions of the assignment. I thank you for your teamwork on this! We will keep you posted on any further information. This week in language arts we finished Tuck Everlasting! The students really enjoyed the book and had such amazing discussions about it, analyzing the text on a deeper level. Some of the discussions and questions we dealt with included:
Fractions This week and next we will be wrapping up our current unit on fractions. (Next comes multiplying and dividing fractions, and converting fractions to decimals!) Then we will have a test on adding and subtracting fractions, including word problems, next Friday. Next we will move onto multiplying and dividing fractions. Secret Snowflake has been such a blast this week. I have especially loved seeing the students excitement as they deliver their small gift to their recipient. Students are doing a great job of keeping their secret to themselves, and trying their best to let the gifting remain a mystery until the very end! On Tuesday, for our last secret snowflake day, students will bring a book, either new or used- for their friend to either keep or borrow- wrapped and unlabeled. We will gather together as a grade and take guesses as to who had us. Then comes the big reveal! We ask students to write a short note on the inside of the book to their giftee. This note can either be on the book itself or on a post it. Sledding! Upcoming dates and events
-No school Monday AND Tuesday is a Monday schedule. -ERB testing will begin in late January/early February -Feb 16 is student led conferences Have a great long weekend, all! Sarah |