Dear Families,
Wow. After only two weeks of classes, I have really lost track of time! I apologize for not keeping up with the blog posts!
There are several important things going on in class right now, but first, what came home in your child's friday folder:
1) Permission form - I sent home a permission form, requesting your permission to use videos from our classroom in my school work at the University of Washington. It is for educational purposes only, and none of the images or videos would leave the UW Classroom. No social media, no youtube, etc. Please sign and return by Monday, so that I can get started on my assignment.
2) 5th Graders Math Tests - My 5th graders are bringing home their first math test of the year. Please look it over, sign the coversheet, and send the entire test back on Monday. I reference the tests for my report card grades, so it would be very helpful to have it!
3) Scholastic Book Orders - My class code is QKKR6. No pressure to order, but if that is something that you want to do, you can do so at any time, just let me know that you submitted an order so I don't forget about it!
What we are working on in class:
1) Reading - We have been working on doing a deep analysis of characters in our books. I am modeling with our read aloud Goldfish Boy and students are practicing with a book they have chosen for themselves.
2) Writing - We are working on powerful personal narratives. I am encouraging students to write about something IMPORTANT to them. Not necessarily just the time they went to the park and skinned their knee. This has many students perplexed, because it is the first time they have been asked to think about something that could have an emotional connection, and put it down on paper. It takes a lot of courage to do that! I am hoping they will be up for the challenge.
3) Math - 4th graders have started their 2nd Unit earlier this week on Multiplying and Dividing Decimals, while 5th Graders have started their 2nd Unit on Integers and computation with negative numbers.
4) Social Emotional - Since it wasn't done in any of the 4th grade EAP classes last year, I have started with the 4th grade Second Step curriculum, but am using the 5th grade activities to help supplement. As a whole, our class has been pretty responsive to the homelink worksheets, you should have gotten 4 of them by the time your child gets home tonight! Thank you for your participation in these activities, it helps them to see such positive role models at home!
5) Inquiry - While not an actual "subject" I have started working on the skill of being curious in our class this week. It is so interesting to watch their eyes light up with wonder at so many different, but awesome things! One of their favorites was this article on bridges: Popular Mechanics Strangest Bridges
I can't wait for more inquiry based lessons and explorations soon!
Science and Social Studies schedules are in draft form and we are finalizing student lists etc. I am hoping by the end of next week we might be ready to (finally) start rotations! We will do our best to also switch these up for each different unit.
Please don't hesitate to let me know if you have any questions about all of the great things we have going on in our class!
All the best,
Mrs. Hart
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