News Letter 1/31-2/2

Weekly Newsletter Grade 5

Dates: 29  Jan. - Feb. 2 2018             

Dear Parents,

Curriculum Information for this Week:

Literacy: Grade 5 students are generating ideas for their fantasy writing and continuing to dig deep into the elements of fantasy in their book group discussions.  They have been learning about the importance of power, character development, conflict and setting in the development of a theme.  The understanding that they develop in their book club will be used to support their writing piece.  Take the time to discuss story ideas at home.  What are some of the ideas you have generated so far for a fantasy story?

Math: The students continue Unit 4: Place Value and Decimal Operations. This week students will continuing their work with dividing decimals using a variety of manipulatives to show their thinking and continuing to review. The assessment will be the end of this week.

Unit of Study: Students are continuing with their human body system rotations  Each class will participate in rotations for the different body systems of the human body.  Respiratory, immune, circulatory, muscular, skeletal and digestive systems will be covered during class rotations.  The nervous system will be addressed in each rotation. 

For more information and ways to support your child please visit the Parent Learning Connection page.

Important Reminders/Information: (also see GLC Updates)
Wed. 31 Jan: No School (Wednesday...we do have school Thursday)
Fri. 2 Feb: 100th Day of School (students may wear a shirt with a number on it)

Highlight last week:
Students have some great story ideas for fantasy!

News Letter 1/22-1/26

Weekly Newsletter Grade 5

Dates: 22-26 Jan. 2018           

       

Dear Parents,

Curriculum Information for this Week:
Literacy: Grade 5 students are beginning their fantasy writing! This unit integrates reading and writing, taking a close look at elements of fantasy in book club and read aloud books and considering how to include these elements in writing.  Students will follow a story mountain in order to include problems and solutions as characters go on a quest.  Take the time to discuss these elements at home.  How is it possible to base fantasy writing on real life events and themes?

Math: The students continue Unit 4: Place Value and Decimal Operations. This week students will begin dividing decimals using a variety of manipulatives to show their thinking, considering whether we are sharing or grouping our numbers.

Unit of Study: Students have completed a quick assessment on cells and tissues in order to prepare for our rotations regarding the human body.  Each class will participate in rotations for the different body systems of the human body.  Respiratory, immune, circulatory, muscular, skeletal and digestive systems will be covered during class rotations.  The nervous system will be addressed in each rotation.

For more information and ways to support your child please visit the Parent Learning Connection page.

Important Reminders/Information: (also see GLC Updates)
Mon. 22 Jan: ES semester 2 ASA registration closes in PowerSchool
Wed. 31 Jan: No School
Highlight last week:
A successful Free Dress day took place on Friday, with donations for the Chin Refugee organization.

Weekly News Letter January 15-19

Weekly Newsletter Grade 5
Dates: 15-19 Jan. 2018  
          
Dear Parents,
Curriculum Information for this Week:
Literacy: This week the students will continue with our Fantasy reading and writing units. Our Fantasy book clubs are in full swing. This week students will take a writing pre-assessment to determine what they already know about writing fantasy and they will continue to meet with their book clubs. Ask your child about their book club book!
Math: The students will continue Unit 4: Place Value and Decimal Operations. This week students will begin multiplying decimals using a variety of manipulatives to show their thinking.  We will focus on reasonableness as well as estimation in order to check our answers and guide our thinking.
Unit of Study: Last week during science students tuned-into science during our science rotations. The main idea of the unit is that body systems are interdependent. This week we will dive a bit deeper into cells as the building blocks of life and be able to explore different types of tissues and cells with microscopes in the lab. Ask your child about the different types of tissues and cells they saw.
For more information and ways to support your child please visit the Parent Learning Connection page.
Important Reminders/Information: (also see GLC Updates)
Mon. 15 Jan: G5 Human Body Systems science unit lab lessons begin: observing and sketching human tissue samples using traditional microscopes. Observing & sketching human skin using a USB digital microscope.
ES semester 2 ASA registration opens in PowerSchool
Tues. 16 Jan: U11 Soccer starts
Mon. 15 Jan: G5 Parent Service and Sustainability Workshop from 9:00-9:45 in the Community Room
Fri. 19 Jan: Free Dress Day
Mon. 22 Jan: ES semester 2 ASA registration closes in PowerSchool
Highlight last week:
The students participated in the Human Body Systems Tuning-in Rotations last Tues. morning.

Weekly News Letter January 8-12

Weekly Newsletter Grade 5

Dates: 8-12 Jan. 2018               

Dear Parents,

Happy New Year and welcome back to semester 2 in G5! We hope you had a
relaxing holiday with your family and friends.

Curriculum Information for this Week:

Literacy: This week the students will start new reading and writing units. The reading unit is
titled, U3R: Fantasy Book Clubs and the writing unit is titled, U3W: Fantasy Writing.
The students will begin by doing a tuning-in to the fantasy unit by identifying the
elements of fantasy.  In the first part of the reading unit, readers will read alongside the
characters keeping track of problems, identifying internal and external character conflicts
and themes that run through fantasy books and history. Our daily read alouds will also be
fantasy books.The students will begin their writing fantasy unit next week by completing a
writing pre-assessment.

Math: The students will continue Unit 4: Place Value and Decimal Operations.
They will begin the week reviewing adding and subtracting decimals, before they move
into multiplying decimals.

Unit of Study: The students will begin their second science unit: Human Body Systems.
The main idea of the unit is that body systems are interconnected.
Tuning-in to the unit rotations around the G5 classrooms will happen on
Tues. 9 Jan. from 11:30am-1:00pm.

Here is a quick description of what the students will experience in each teacher’s classroom:

JV - Jumping Rope (observation of what your body is doing)

LT - What is system?

MM - Hand in a Bag (touch and hearing - senses)

DH - Muscular & Skeletal systems. Observe what your body is doing when performing
some simple yoga moves.

CC - Heart Rate

AS (Amy Schneider) - Germs

For more information and ways to support your child please visit the
Parent Learning Connection page.

Important Reminders/Information: (also see GLC Updates)

Mon. 8 Jan. - day 5: First day of semester 2. New parent & student orientation
from 9:00-11:00 am in the Studio

Tues. 9 Jan. - day 6: G5 Human Body Systems science unit tuning-in activity rotations
from 11:30am-1:00pm

Mon. 15 Jan: G5 Human Body Systems science unit lab lessons begin: observing and
sketching human tissue samples using traditional microscopes. Observing & sketching
human skin using a USB digital microscope.

ES semester 2 ASA registration opens in PowerSchool

Mon. 15 Jan: Parent Workshop - Service and Sustainability

Mon. 22 Jan: ES semester 2 ASA registration closes in PowerSchool

Highlights in the week prior to the semester break:

The students completed their first science unit titled, ‘Sustainable Energy’.
They completed their sustainable energy PSAs (Public Service Announcement) using iMovie,
OR a podcast using GarageBand on the sustainable form of energy they wrote about in
their information essay. A G5 ‘gallery walk’ was also held on Tues. 12 Dec. in the
G5 classrooms from 12:00-12:45 pm, which was a  celebration of learning where
students and teachers experienced the variety of presentations outside their own classroom.