Welcome
to Fifth Grade! Welcome
to Fifth Grade!
Below is an overview of what I expect from your child this year and
what you can expect from me!
Homework is given nightly and due the next class day unless otherwise noted on the homework board in our classroom. Fifth graders are expected to make use of their planner every day. Please make sure your student is bringing it home and using it to check due dates!
I allow plenty of time in class most days to work on most homework, math excluded, so your child should have little homework most evenings.
It is an expectation that both you and your fifth grader check their grades online each week and monitor if work is missing. Late work is accepted but will incur one “late point” for small assignments and one point per day for long-term reports and projects.
Text: Math (Houghton Mifflin)
Units:
Tests are given every two-three weeks. Our textbook offers many different resources to help prepare for tests including chapter reviews and a website: www.eduplace.com/map.
Text: Write Source (Great Source Education Group)
We explore different modes of writing throughout this school year through writing, reading, listening and speaking. As we explore each mode, we will take part in writer’s workshops. This is a way for your student to break down their writing into steps allowing them a more thoughtful writing experience. After each unit, the fifth graders will each compose a piece using the writing process. This includes brainstorm, pre-write, first draft, peer editing and final draft. We will word process our final drafts.
We begin the year learning about the seven traits of writing: Ideas & Content, Word Choice, Voice, Sentence Fluency, Conventions, Organization and Presentation. These fifth graders are assessed on these seven traits with each writing assignment they turn in this year. After each major writing assignment, the fifth graders will be graded with a rubric specific to that mode of writing.
Modes of Writing:
Text: Voices Reading (Zaner-Bloser)
We are pleased to introduce an exciting new reading curriculum adopted into grades Kindergarten through sixth this school year. Voices Reading is a character education infused literacy program. Through six themes taught during the school year, the fifth graders will apply reading strategies with a diverse selection of reading materials highlighting such themes.
Your student is also responsible for one book report book every six weeks. This book will be their choice, but needs to be included in the assigned genre.
Text: Sitton Spelling (Educators Publishing Service)
Since its adoption three years ago, we have found that this spelling program has exceeded our expectations. This program integrates spelling with writing by assessing students on their ability to apply their spelling knowledge to their everyday writing.
Students will have a Weekly Writing Prompt each week to respond to using their spelling list and they will also have one assignment that is meant to be a parent/student collaboration.
Text: Wordly Wise (Educators Publishing Service)
We will have a Wordly Wise list every other week. Our test is every other Wednesday and on the Wednesdays we do not have a test, we will be engaging in activities to help in learning the current vocabulary list. As we begin the year, we go over the book’s first lesson in detail as a class to determine strategies for completing.
Text: Blessed are We (RCL Benziger)
We are pleased to announce the adoption of a new religion curriculum school-wide for the 2011-2012 school year. Blessed are We is a comprehensive religion program that integrates the four pillars of the Catechism of the Catholic Church into the unit structure of our textbook. In fifth grade we focus on the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church.
Text: Science (Harcourt)
In class, we explore science through three large units. All units are supplemented with a variety of resources including magazines, picture books, videos and labs. We will focus on approximately one large unit of study each trimester:
Text: Building a Nation (Scott Foresman)
In addition to using our textbook, we will also be incorporating some Interact Kits into our Social Studies units which focus on American History. The Interact Kits we will be using along with our textbook are:
WHEW!
That about wraps up our year. Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have any questions or concerns. Fifth grade is an immense leap, but I am confident your student will grow and learn with every challenge he or she is faced with.
Thank you!
Jenny Fulwiler