CATS Update
🌼May/June
*Last* Newsletter
LANGUAGE ARTS:
Reading/Writing: This week, we’ve been wrapping up several year end projects, AR quizzes, and our final on-demand writing project. Please sign and return writing slip on Monday. We are 3 months (chapters) away from completing our Wednesday Wars novel. Ask your child about how the main character (Holling) and secondary characters (teachers, parents) deal with adversity and inner conflict.
MATH: Students are finishing up the city-planning project “Geometrocity.” Your child will record and illustrate his/her tour of the city on SeeSaw when complete next week.
SOCIAL STUDIES: Geography: Students have been studying states and capitals and should have all 50 memorized by the end of the week. Ask your child to ‘sing’ the capitals song with you! American Revolution: Students have taken on 2 projects: ‘Patriots vs. Loyalists’ and ‘Events that Led to the Revolution’. Ask your child on which ‘side’ of the war s/he is debating.
MISCELLANEOUS
Next Week’s “Special” Schedule for our 5th Graders: (6/6-6/10) THANK YOU Parents, Volunteers and PTA!
Monday:
Fro-Go Truck! @2:15
Tuesday:
Field Day! 8:00-10:30
Wednesday:
Magic Hands Assembly 10:30-11:30
Class Party/Awards Ceremony 11:30/1:00
Thursday:
5th Grade Class Carnival! 8:45-2:15 (See Flyer)
***Lunch Provided*****
Friday:
Last Day of School
Celebration of 5th Grade 10:30 on UPPER BLACKTOP under E Building. Parents welcome!
Dismissal at 12:10
Hello Parents,
The end of this year is wrapping up at a startling pace! In this whirlwind of current events, (local COVID resurgence, heartbreaking national tragedies and global distress), I hope this update finds you enjoying the love and comfort of your family. I have never been more grateful that my CATS have such an incredibly supportive family.
The Artist Exhibit was a blast and a such a great success. It was wonderful to see so many parents admiring the creative art displays & listening to the monologues that students prepared. Thank you! (Photo Gallery HERE.. password: catscounty
Here are the activities, dates and times that will fill in most of the remaining days of 5th grade.
Del Mar Visit:
Today, Tuesday, May 31, all 5th graders will go to Del Mar for a tour of their soon-to-be new school! Please make sure you have completed the permission slip on Actionaly.
CATS Created Awards (Due Tuesday 6/7)
To celebrate each other, we are going to create an award for another classmate that highlights a part of his/her personality, talents, characteristics, skills, passions, traits, hobbies, etc. You will be using items from home, school supplies, or recycled materials to create this unique piece. Please do not purchase anything. I encourage you to use MOSAIC values and Scholarly Attributes (Individuality, Compassionate, Inquisitive, Principled) to help you create the award and a few words to accompany the award. It doesn’t have to be lengthy or complex, but it should simply put a smile on his/her face. I would be happy to help you collaborate, create and inspire ideas for the award!
**Please have this project completed by Tuesday, June7h. We roll out the carpet for the CATS CLASS AWARDS Ceremony on Wednesday, June 8th at 11:30
Student Award Criteria HERE.
Monday, June 6: FroGo assembly after lunch
Tuesday June 7th: Field Day: 8-10:30
Wednesday, June 8th: Magic Assembly @ 10:30
Wednesday, June 8th @11:30**End of Year Class Party & Student Award Ceremony**
Thursday, June 9th ***Carnival Day!**** :
The 5th Grade Carnival Day will be an all day event. All 5th graders will have a pizza lunch provided by the PTA. If your child cannot have pizza, please send lunch to school with them. (Thank you PTA!)
Friday, June 10th: 5th grade Promotional Ceremony: from 10:30 - 11:30AM in the MPR (Location Subject to Change)
All families are welcome to attend. School ends at 12:10 pm that day.
9-13
Reading
The Wednesday Wars: A Shakespeare infused coming of age story for a boy living in New Jersey during the Vietnam War.
Test Prep Exercises: Students have been reviewing how to use the on-lihe S-BAC interface and practicing for the ELA portion of the standardized test. (Next Tues-Thurs)
Reminder: Bel/Tib Library Summer Reading Program. This is a great way to keep your child reading over the summer! For new and exciting novels for your child to read, please see the 2022’s Summer Reading List.
Writing:
Opinion Essay: Students have completed their final project on a chosen subject about a current event, accompanied with an illustrated artwork.
Artist Report: Students are completing a multi-paragraph artist biography. HERE is website with all the artist project information with suggested dates and sites to use for research. (password: kindness)
Social Studies
This week students continued to learn about how the American Revolution began from the 2 separated colonist groups “Loyalists vs. Patriots”. Your child has chosen (at random) a particular side in which s/he will defend during an upcoming class debate.
Math
Students continue to use Khan Academy and past review units to review skills from this year’s curriculum. We are on the 3-d building stage of our “Geometrocity”, where students are using their knowledge of geometry, engineering and creativity to create a functional, 3D city.
Science:
Spaceship Earth: This week, students discovered that the Earth is in the “Goldilocks Zone” a distance from the Sun with the right amount of light and heat for life to exist based on the amount of water, speed of rotation, and heat/light that reaches the planet’s surface.
Miscellaneous/Upcoming Dates:
5th Grade T-Shirts:
5th grade t-shirt orders were due by May 6. If you missed the deadline we have one final last call today! Orders will be placed Monday. 5th grade t shirt orders (link on-line)
Band Members:
SBAC TESTING: We are gearing up for SBAC Testing next week! This is what we know so far (subject to change):
Testing will take place from 8:30 - 10:10 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays the weeks of May 16 and May 23. The week of May 16 will be English Language Arts and the week of May 23 will be math and science. We will be doing some test prep in class and for homework for these weeks leading up to testing. What can you do to help? Please send your child to school on time and ensure they have eaten a good breakfast and gotten adequate sleep. I will be taking gum donations, so send them in. ;)
5th grade Artist Exhibit! Mark your calendar for Friday, May 27th.
All students will present their artist report trifolds in the MPR from 8:30-9:30. All families are invited! Your child will be asked to either dress up as their artist, a piece of work their artist created, or as an “art expert”. Then, when people visit them they can tell all about who their artist was and what made their artist special. We hope you can join!
5th Grade End of Year Celebration:
In June we have two exciting events planned for our 5th graders. On Thursday, June 9, we have the “5th Grade Farewell Carnival Day”. A fabulous group of parents have been working together to orchestrate this event. More details will follow.
On Friday, June 10, we will have the 5th grade promotion ceremony in the MPR. At this time all families are welcome to attend. This will take place from 10:30-11:30am. At the end we exit the MPR and gather on the field to say our good-byes. School ends at 12:10pm and then students wrap up their elementary school career and are off to middle school! As the date approaches more details will follow.
🌸🌼🐾 C.A.T.S. Newsletter 🐾💐🌷
May 2-6 Thank you all for the lovely flowers, notes, treats and gifts! I feel very appreciated!
Name:
Reading
This week we’ve been reading our class novel, The Wednesday Wars. Students have been (pre)learning vocabulary words before each chapter, and have been challenged to use these words in dialogue. Ask your child to use the word ‘nefarious’ in a sentence!
Students were treated to a visit from Ms. Alicia Bell, the legendary librarian of the Bel-Tib Library. Ms. Bell introduced and read from the new novels being offered during the Summer Reading Program. This is a great way to keep your child reading over the summer! Please see the attached list of 2022’s Summer Reading List. Ask your child which book s/he is excited to read!
Writing
Students continued to research, draft, and work on the ‘artist biography’ section of the artist report. This week your child should be preparing/completing the reproduction artwork of the chosen artist. Additionally, your child should have 2 books about the artist.
Social Studies
This week students have been learning about how the original 13 American Colonies were divided among 2 separate groups (Patriots/Loyalists) that ultimately led to the Revolutionary War. Ask your child what ‘group’ s/he must justify in our next class debate “Loyalists vs. Patriots”.
Math
Students continue to use Khan Academy and past review units to review skills from this year’s curriculum. We’ve also begun a group activity called “Geometrocity”, where students are using their knowledge of geometry, engineering and creativity to create a 3D city.
Miscellaneous/Upcoming Dates:
******Please KEEP the FOLLOWING information for your reference***********
5th Grade T-Shirts:
5th grade t-shirt orders were due by May 6. If you missed the deadline we have one final last call today! Orders will be placed Monday. 5th grade t shirt orders (link on-line)
Band Members:
Message from Mr. Gist: All band students need to bring instruments on May 9, &11,&12
SBAC Testing: (From my last newsletter - use if you like)
We are gearing up for SBAC Testing! This is what we know so far (subject to change):
Testing will take place from 8:30 - 10:10 am on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays the weeks of May 16 and May 23. The week of May 16 will be English Language Arts and the week of May 23 will be math and science. We will be doing some test prep in class and for homework for these weeks leading up to testing. What can you do to help? Please send your child to school on time and ensure they have eaten a good breakfast and gotten adequate sleep. I will be taking gum donations, so send them in. ;)
5th grade Artist Exhibit! Mark your calendar for Friday, May 27th.
All students will present their artist report trifolds in the MPR from 8:30-9:30. All families are invited! Your child will be asked to either dress up as their artist, a piece of work their artist created, or as an “art expert”. Then, when people visit them they can tell all about who their artist was and what made their artist special. We hope you can join!
5th Grade End of Year Celebration:
In June we have two exciting events planned for our 5th graders. On Thursday, June 9, we have the “5th Grade Farewell Carnival Day”. A fabulous group of parents have been working together to orchestrate this event. More details will follow.
On Friday, June 10, we will have the 5th grade promotion ceremony in the MPR. At this time all families are welcome to attend. This will take place from 10:30-11:30am. At the end we exit the MPR and gather on the field to say our good-byes. School ends at 12:10pm and then students wrap up their elementary school career and are off to middle school! As the date approaches more details will follow.
Language Arts:
Writing:
ARTIST PROJECTS are in full swing! We’ve begun our visual artist biography research this week. Students are focusing on the biography of their chosen artist, and researching the lives, artwork and impact of his/her life in history. Please refer to Ms. McKay’s website for information and due dates. (Class Code a25su5c)
Reading: We’ve begun a new class novel called Wednesday Wars. This Newbery winning novel is about a boy named Holling Hoodhood, who experiences his adolescence years during the late 60’s during the Vietnam War. Students have also been reviewing key reading concepts in preparation for the SBAC testing during mid-May.
**Please make sure your child is reading independently for at least 20 minutes daily. Although the Accelerated Reading is one of the many ways in which I can monitor your child’s progress in reading comprehension, it is a helpful indicator of the amount of independent reading, specifically books/novels, outside the classroom. It is imperative that your child is reading an appropriate, high-interest book at home to engage him/her in helping to improve reading fluency and comprehension skills.
Math: We’ve been using our class time to review this year’s curriculum using Khan Academy, Module 1-6 check-ins, Math Mysteries, and skills review activities. Additionally, we have begun our final small group project called Geometrocity, where each student uses his/her geometry skills to help in the city planning of a functional, three-dimensional city.
Science: We continued our ‘Spaceship Earth’ studies this week, specifically how gravity affects objects based on the size of the planet. Ask your child about how s/he determined how gravity would work on other planets/moons based on the activity ‘gravity jump’.
Miscellaneous:
*Peace for Ukraine
The Ukraine Fundraiser Fair Day is this Wednesday, May 4, from 1-1:30pm. This event is sponsored by the Student Council and Children For Change. Students can bring up to $20 to spend at the fair.
*Save the Date: Del Mar Sneak Peek for Parents of 5th Graders ~ May 13thJoin Principal Brian Lynch for a 5th Grade Parent Coffee on Friday, May 13, at 8:30am in the Del Mar Library. Learn more about what to expect next year at Del Mar and get familiar with the campus!
*The end of year celebration is right around the corner! This year our fabulous parent committee is even having t-shirts made for 5th grade farewell. Please place your order 5th grade t shirt orders no later than May 7, 2022. Thank you!
🌸April🌸
Upcoming Events
April 20, 2022 Ukraine Fundraiser Fair Day 1-1:30pm sponsored by Student Council and Children For Change
April 21, 2022 Open House (starts at 5:10 on lower blacktop, classroom open at 5:30)
*See you on Thursday!
4/15
Reading
This week’s reading focus has been on summarizing short stories with main/supporting ideas. WE’ve also used our Benchmark program to read and summarize the impacts of technology throughout the century.
Writing
Students are finishing up their opinion writing project on a chosen a topic in which they have a strong opinion. The class has been researching supporting facts and creating reasons and key details to support their opinion in this 5 paragraph argument.
Social Studies
This week students have been creating two research based projects about the evolution of a the 13 Colonies and specific colonial trades.
Math
This week we’ve wrapped up Module 6 and will be taking our last assessment of the year on Tuesday. Students have also completed incredibly beautiful geometric art using polygons and angles.
Science
Students created a large universe on the blacktop with sidewalk chalk. This creation was spaced appropriately based on a very scaled down model of the sun and distances between planets. We’ve also begin planetary art that will be showcased at next week’s open house!
Miscellaneous:
Upcoming Events
April 20, 2022 Ukraine Fundraiser Fair Day 1-1:30pm sponsored by Student Council and Children For Change
April 21, 2022 Open House (starts at 5:10 on lower blacktop, classroom open at 5:30)
*See you on Thursday!
☘️March☘️:
We are excited to have an Open House on April 21, 2022. It’s been 2 years since we were able to have this event in person!
3/28
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students have been working hard on reading literary essays and forming opinions. We have read exemplar essays and understand the success criteria. This week we will discuss different topics and choose our topic for the opinion essay. Students will use technology to research their opinion. They must back up their opinion with evidence.
Reading: Students finished their book review podcast that highlights one of their favorite books they’ve recently read. They used their summarizing skills, formed an intriguing opener (hook), and developed complimentary music to entice the listener, finishing it off with a visual of the book’s cover to wrap up the project. HERE is the link to the Class SeeSaw page for you to view. Enjoy! They all turned out so well!
This week we’ve been using the Roald Dahl book, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar to practice our plot and character development. The story, within a story, within a story uses a unique set of characters /traits to assist us on a meditative journey. Ask your child about these stories and characters!
Reading Research/SS: We are completing the research project on colonial life in the 13 Colonies, and practicing our summarizing skills to condense our research into one informative paragraph about the fundamentals of a colony: Economy, Daily Life, Government, Religion, Native cultures and founding members.
Math: This week we continued to learn about constructing coordinate systems on a line, plane and grid. We are investigating patterns of vertical and horizontal lines using the x and y coordinates, and create points on a plane as distances from the axes. Hopefully you got or will have the opportunity to play a game of ‘Battleship’ with your child to help us reinforce our lessons in naming points using coordinate pairs.
Science: This week students continued learning about the Earth’s orbital movement around the Sun, as a means of seeing why the constellations change. In an activity, “Universe-in-a-Box,” students will make a paper model that helps them visualize the Earth’s yearly orbit around the Sun. They will use this model to understand why some constellations are only visible during part of the year. Please encourage your child to observe the changing night sky as the winter constellations change to spring constellations!
Miscellaneous:
*THANK YOU to Lily and the Aytay family for enlightening our class regarding the Persian New Year and the activities, ceremonies, and traditions behind the celebration. We now have a very colorful class pet to enjoy observing and caring for.
*Spring Break: April 4-8
*Please check out the ‘Photo Gallery’ on our class website for photos of the latest class activities.
3/14:
Language Arts:
Writing:
This week we begin our next unit of study, opinion writing. Students will take an On Demand pre-test to determine what they know about opinion writing, then get started on writing lessons. Students will learn how to persuade, form opinions, and use counterclaims to make their writing stronger.
Additionally, your child created a fun, reflective writing activity that focuses of how lucky s/he is. Ask your child about their gratitude examples.
Reading: Students continue to work on their book review podcast that highlights one of their favorite books they’ve recently read. They used their summarizing skills, formed an intriguing opener (hook), and developed complimentary music to entice the listener, finishing it off with a visual of the book’s cover to wrap up the project. This multi-media presentation will be available for you enjoy on our class’ “Seesaw” page. They all turned out so well!
Math: Students have been learning about the how to find volume of rectangular prisms and classifying polygons this week. We’ve planned several project to go along with this (and the upcoming) module, including finding shapes around the neighborhood and creating their own geometric city.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home. Password: SanchezE4
Social Studies: We’ve begun learning about the Colonial Era, and how the 13 Colonies were settled by English men and women who wanted ‘Religious Freedom’ from the church of England. Students began learning about the specific
Science: Our class continued to learn about the phases of the moon, the earth’s rotation and it’s relationship the sun, shadows, seasons, and particularly, time of day. Each student created their own shadow clock (sundial) to measure the Sun’s apparent movement. In the activity. Ask your child about what they learned about his/her shadow!
MOSAIC - 5th grade students enjoyed a visit from our MOSAIC team on Friday. We discussed and reflected on what it means to be assertive. They emphasized how you can “be kind without being weak” and “strong without being mean”. Students practiced showing assertiveness in class as a follow up to our assembly.
3/11
Language Arts:
Writing:
This week we begin our next unit of study, opinion writing. Students will take an On Demand pre-test to determine what they know about opinion writing, then get started on writing lessons. Students will learn how to persuade, form opinions, and use counterclaims to make their writing stronger.
Additionally, your child created a fun, reflective writing activity that focuses of how lucky s/he is. Ask your child about their gratitude examples.
Reading: Students continue to work on their book review podcast that highlights one of their favorite books they’ve recently read. They used their summarizing skills, formed an intriguing opener (hook), and developed complimentary music to entice the listener, finishing it off with a visual of the book’s cover to wrap up the project. This multi-media presentation will be available for you enjoy on our class’ “Seesaw” page. They all turned out so well!
Math: Students have been learning about the how to find volume of rectangular prisms and classifying polygons this week. We’ve planned several project to go along with this (and the upcoming) module, including finding shapes around the neighborhood and creating their own geometric city.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home. Password: SanchezE4
Social Studies: We’ve begun learning about the Colonial Era, and how the 13 Colonies were settled by English men and women who wanted ‘Religious Freedom’ from the church of England. Students began learning about the specific
Science: Our class continued to learn about the phases of the moon, the earth’s rotation and it’s relationship the sun, shadows, seasons, and particularly, time of day. Each student created their own shadow clock (sundial) to measure the Sun’s apparent movement. In the activity. Ask your child about what they learned about his/her shadow!
Miscellaneous:
Puberty Talk (formerly known as Family Life): Puberty Talk/Family Life the week of March 28-April 1, 2022. There is a parent meeting on March 23 at 6:30pm via zoom.
🌟🌟🌟🌟SPOTLIGHTS ON THESE SHINING STARS: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Caleb Rodenbeck, Layne Webb, JJ Hendy, Anushka Yadav, Claire Ciranni, Jamie Haynes, Hadley Bennett, Quinn Wheeler and Olivia Kellerman!
🎉🎭 CONGRATULATIONS to our very own theatrical stars! Bravo!! 🎉🎭 What a fabulous performance in Frozen Jr. And THANK YOU to all the parents, students, and teachers that helped make this the most SPECTACULAR show I’ve seen in my 20 years at Bel Aire. The set, the costumes, the music, the hours of practicing & preparation…..WOW. It was truly a FANTASTIC experience.
3/4
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students have finished their informational reports on an international city of their choice. They learned how to write an organized, 5 paragraph essay with an introductory paragraph, 3 main body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. We created a city art piece to illustrate writing. These and all other artistic projects and pieces will be on display during Bel Aire’s IN PERSON Open House in April!
Reading: Students completed both class novels, The City of Ember and The Watson’s Go To Birmingham, 1963. (Ask your child to compare the movies to the books!) Students completed the novel assessment with a creative art activity called a 1-pager, where each student used their summarizing and character analysis skills, along with sketching/drawing skills to show understanding of the The City of Ember book. This week’s reading focus centered around literature themes. Students reflected on their reading progress in Trimester 2, and have made a plan to continue improving their reading skills in Trimester 3.
Book Report Podcast: Students are finishing up their ‘trailer’ podcast to entice listeners to read a chosen book from your child’s ‘favorite’ list. Ask your child about the music selection s/he’s chosen as a background tune!
Social Studies: This week we began the transition from “The Age of Sail” to Colonialism. We continue to celebrate Black History by recognizing Black Americans and the contributions s/he/them made to our country. This week we began our current events discussions with the “Flocabulary” style lesson. Ask your child about what h/she learned in this meaningful class talk.
Math: This week we began Module 5, multiplication and addition with volume and area. Students can refer to these videos for extra help. *See on-line newsletter & class website for active link.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: Students will continue to learn about how the moon, planets and earth rotate and revolve around the sun. This week we will use observations of shadows and changing patterns in the day and evening sky to help illustrate the how the earth is both revolving and rotating on its axis.
Puberty Talk (formerly known as Family Life):
This year we will teach Puberty Talk the week of March 28-April 1, 2022. There is a parent meeting on March 23 at 6:30pm via zoom. We will review the topics we cover and answer any questions you may have. Health Connected's Puberty Talk curriculum is a comprehensive sexuality education curriculum designed to educate 5th and 6th grade students about sexuality, sexual health, and the changes that 10-13 year olds face during puberty. This sequential, 5 session curriculum is intended to be delivered over the course of one week. Puberty Talk was completely revised to meet new requirements in the CA Education Code.\
Miscellaneous/Upcoming Events:
*Congratulations to our new Student Council class representatives: Gio Torres and Anushka Yadav!
March 7: No School for students-Teacher Professional Development Day
March 8-13: Bel Aire Play in the MPR
March 23: 5th grade parent Family Life informational meeting on Zoom 6:30pm
April 4-8, 2022 Spring Break
February
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students are in the drafting and revising/editing stages of writing. Prior to this, students created T-charts to organize the information for their 5 paragraph essays. This will include an introductory paragraph, three “star idea” paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph. We will wrap the unit up with an on-demand writing assessment where students will have the opportunity to show their growth in writing informational essays.
Reading: Students completed our class novel, The City of Ember, It was a thrilling ending! We plan to watch the movie on Monday during our Valentine’s Day celebration. The movie is rated PG for “mild peril and some thematic elements”. Please let me know if you do NOT give your permission for your child to view this movie, and I’ll have an alternative activity for him/her.
As we read more about the Watson family in our read aloud, we explore the impact that the civil rights movement in the 60’s made upon those that lived in the segregated southern states. We will also be watching this movie next Friday while comparing it to the book. This movie is also rated PG for ‘thematic elements’ regarding the segregated South. Again, please let me know if you do NOT give your child permission to view.
Book Report Podcast: Students are finishing up their ‘trailer’ podcast to entice listeners to read a chosen book from your child’s ‘favorite’ list. Ask your child about the music selection s/he’s chosen as a background tune!
Social Studies: We continue to celebrate Black History Month by recognizing Black Americans and the contributions s/he/them made to our country. Through various forms of art/activities, we continue to learn about and honor the struggles in which people of color have faced in America throughout history.
Math: Students are completing Module 4 this week. We’re ending the unit with dividing fractions and reviewing the concepts learned throughout this very lengthy module. Our final Mod 4 assessment will be next Thursday.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Miscellaneous/Upcoming Events:
Feb 14: Valentine’s Day Celebration! (Class list on class website) Thank you to the Ciranni and Phillips family for providing crafts and snacks!
Feb 18: Try it Truck on-campus HANDS-ON field trip! Also….80’s Spirit Day!
Feb 21-25, 2022: No School - Mid Winter Break
March 4: End of trimester 2
February 2/4
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students are in the nurturing stage of writing. They have begun creating T-charts to organize the information for their 5 paragraph essays. This will include an introductory paragraph, three “star idea” paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.
Reading: Students continue to read our class novel, The City of Ember, This week we focused on recognizing the development of the main characters, who are reacting to the imminent realization that they have no connections to their past, and are unequipped to handle the future of living without movable light or the sun. As we read more about the Watson family in our read aloud, we explore the impact that the civil rights movement in the 60’s made upon those that lived in the segregated southern states.
Book Report Podcast: Students are creating a ‘trailer’ podcast to entice listeners to read a chosen book from your child’s ‘favorite’ list.
Social Studies: We continue to celebrate Black History Month by recognizing Black Americans and the contributions s/he/them made to our country. Through various forms of art/activities, we continue to learn about and honor the struggles in which people of color have faced in America throughout history.
Math: Students continue to practice how to segregate or ‘block’ the steps of multi-step word problems using multiplication of fractions and mixed/whole numbers. This week we are focusing on conversions and ratios (days/weeks OR years/months) and how to determine when to multiply by a fraction or whole number.. Help at Home Tip! : Reinforce the concept of multiplying by fractions (smaller to bigger units) or multiplying by whole numbers (bigger to smaller units). Example: Ask your child questions that require conversion of units, such as how many weekend days are part of a week? Days < Week. 2➗7= 2/7 of a week, or if you are at school for 6½ hours, how many minutes would that be? Hours > Minutes, so 16½ x 60= 990 minutes. Once we’ve mastered this tricky concept, we will move onto the next (and last!) frontier of Module 4: Division of Fractions.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4Science: We completed the “Web of Life, Ecosystems and the Food Web” unit by finishing our daily observations of the Mold Terrariums, and observing how worms (from the soil outside our classroom!) move to transform/decompose waste into compost and cycle.
Coming Up: Astronomy & Outer Space! Our next science unit, Spaceship Earth, will begin next week.
Miscellaneous/Upcoming Events:
Check out the class website’s photo gallery for the latest photos of Design Lab, Science, and Wild Care on-site Field Trip!
Feb 14: Valentines Day Celebration
Feb 18: Try it Truck on-campus HANDS-ON field trip!
Feb 21-25, 2022: No School - Mid Winter Break
March 4: End of trimester 2
January
1/28
Language Arts:
Writing:
We are beginning the “gathering” stage of informational writing. Writers of informational writing will get ideas by researching the web & reading books that inform about a famous city in the world. Finally, students will begin anchoring their feet in places and thinking “What can I teach others?”
Students are also brushing up on language and grammar skills during our morning tasks, including Daily Oral Language (D.O.L.)
Reading: This week, while reading The City of Ember, we will compare two characters whose relationships seem to be changing. We will also check in about the character traits of various people in the story and, based on this, make predictions about who may have the key to the Pipeworks.
We continue to read about the weird Watsons and adolescent life in Michigan during the 60’s in our read aloud The Watson’s go to Birmingham, 1963.
AR: We are now halfway through the second trimester, and students should be at 50% or above with their AR reading goal. Please check in with your child to see how they are doing with their reading and their goals. Hopefully they are enjoying a great chapter book right now and have a plan for reaching…and exceeding their goal by the end of the trimester.
Social Studies: We are finishing up our Galleon trans-Atlantic voyage, wrapping up European Explorers, and gearing up for all things Colonial and Revolutionary.
Math: Students took the mid module 4 test on Friday. We will move onto the second half of module 4 which starts with multiplying fractions by fractions. Students can find the second volume of the online workbook HERE. This is helpful in the event your child leaves his/her workbook at school. The module 4 videos are helpful as well.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: In this week’s science lab activity, students created a food web from the diet of pre-historic creatures, particularly dinosaurs. Ask your child about the ‘end’ of the dinosaurs, and what creatures survived….and why! We are also tracking the evolution of our ‘molding’ food, and how the spores multiply to break down bacteria. It’s definitely an unpleasant sight…..but also very cool to watch the rapid transformation!
Miscellaneous:
Check out the class website’s photo gallery for the latest photos of Design Lab, Science, and Crazy Hat/Hair day!
Ask you child about the Zoom Assembly with the illustrator Kyle Tiernan. We made some fantastical drawings!
Upcoming Events:
Feb 4: Wildcare field trip
Feb 18: Try it Truck on-campus HANDS-ON field trip!
Feb 21-25, 2022: No School - Mid Winter Break
March 4: End of trimester 2/Last day to take AR quizzes!
1/14
Language Arts:
Reading:
*City of Ember: Our class novel explores a futuristic, dystopian society that survived an apocalypse and now relies on dwindling supplies, including electricity, to survive.
*The Watsons go to Birmingham, 1963: Our class read aloud explores the civil rights movement of the 1960’s.
Writing:
*Narrative Writing & Poetry: The students completed 2 very descriptive essays and began a poetry unit about what they know best: Themselves.
*Galleon! Students have been creating log entries for their Galleon (S.S.) simulation. The latest log entry is a remarkable contrast to the first log entry. Emotions, humor and rich language pepper these imaginative narratives and I’m so delighted with the progress!
Speaking/S.S.
*Explorer Reports: Learning groups are researching an explorer, ruler, or significant person of the Exploration Era.
Math:
*Multiplication of Fractions and whole numbers: Students continued to learn about multiplying with fractions.
Please remember that your child is encouraged to practice Reflex Math 2-3 time/weekly to gain/maintain math facts recall.
Science: The Web of Life: Students continued to learn about consumers, producers, and particularly decomposers this week. We’ve begun a long-term science experiment with our learning groups involving food, a “terrarium”, and a variety of conditions. Ask your child about the contents of his/her terrarium and the variables used for observation.
Miscellaneous:
Jan 17: No School - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
Jan. 26: Virtual art “field trip”
Feb 21-25, 2022: No School - Mid Winter Break
March 4: End of trimester 2
1/7
Happy New Year! I hope 2022 brings wonderful things for everyone!🎉
Language Arts:
Writing: Students created, drafted and polished a descriptive/persuasive piece on their dream (gingerbread) homes this week. The details of the rooms and décor are deliciously descriptive! Ask your child about the how s/he laid out the floorplan of the luxurious palace.
During our Galleon! time, students have been writing log entries about the perils of the trans-Atlantic passage abord a galleon with a very unique crew of classmates. I am so impressed with the quality AND quantity of the weekly log entries! Stay tuned for a mini-portfolio coming home in their folder.
Reading/Social Studies: We’ve begun lessons to help us recognize the ‘Author’s Purpose” in books, articles, etc. Ask your child to give an example of the 3 primary writing purposes: Persuade, Inform, Entertain. (P.I.E.)
We’ve begun a new read aloud, The Watson’s Go to Birmingham, 1963. The storyline, about life in the segregated South, has sparked deep and meaningful conversations regarding the Civil Rights Movement of the 60’s and gives a foundation to the teachings of MLK Jr. We will be starting a new class novel called City of Ember, which is a historical fiction about children surviving in a dystopian society.
Math: This week students began lessons in their math workbook volume #2 ! It begins with Module 4, which delves into division and multiplication of fractions and whole numbers. Students can find the second volume of the online workbook HERE. This is helpful in the event your child leaves his/her workbook at school. The module 4 videos are helpful as well.
Science: We continued our science unit on The Web of Life, where students explore how organisms depend on one another and form an interconnected ecosystem. Students have been playing the “Eat or be Eaten” card game with table mates and exploring the functional concepts of consumers, producers and decomposers.
Miscellaneous:
*There will be no school on Monday, 1/17, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
December 10-17
Language Arts:
Writing: This week students wrapped up their National Park research project and presented them to the class. Ask your child about the positive feedback and compliments s/he received after presenting the National Park slideshow!
Reading/Social Studies: We continue to read the adventures of ‘Charlotte Doyle’ upon the doomed Seahawk with a dicey crew and maniacal captain. Ask your child how Charlotte’s character has changed throughout the novel.
Students continued their voyage upon the Galleon ships. So far, all crews seem to be running a smooth vessel and have experienced pleasant weather for their maiden voyage. Have your child tell you about the crew in which s/he’s signed on!
Math: This week students completed Module 3 (Fractions) and the first volume of our 5th grade math notebook! Yay! Our class enjoyed a review game of ‘Stinky Feet’ and will finish out the year with Math Mystery challenges and other fun math projects to wrap up this year’s new math skills.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: We are on our third unit of science called The Web of Life. In this unit, students explore how organisms depend on one another and form an interconnected ecosystem. Students investigate food chains, food webs, and the importance of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
Miscellaneous:
*We will have a ‘Winter Fair’ on Friday, December 17th, sponsored by the Bel Aire Student Council and you! Please contribute store bought ‘goodies’ to sell during the winter festival. Thank you in advance for your contributions!
*Thank you to all the families who contributed to our Adopt-a-Family! What a successful turn out of thoughtful gifts we received.
*We will be wrapping up our Secret Snowman activity during next Friday’s classroom winter party celebration. A HUGEThank you to Anne Ciranni for supplying crafts for the students to enjoy during next Friday’s party!
Writing: This week students wrapped up their National Park research project and presented them to the class. Ask your child about the positive feedback and compliments s/he received after presenting the National Park slideshow!
Reading/Social Studies: We continue to read the adventures of ‘Charlotte Doyle’ upon the doomed Seahawk with a dicey crew and maniacal captain. Ask your child how Charlotte’s character has changed throughout the novel.
Students continued their voyage upon the Galleon ships. So far, all crews seem to be running a smooth vessel and have experienced pleasant weather for their maiden voyage. Have your child tell you about the crew in which s/he’s signed on!
Math: This week students completed Module 3 (Fractions) and the first volume of our 5th grade math notebook! Yay! Our class enjoyed a review game of ‘Stinky Feet’ and will finish out the year with Math Mystery challenges and other fun math projects to wrap up this year’s new math skills.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: We are on our third unit of science called The Web of Life. In this unit, students explore how organisms depend on one another and form an interconnected ecosystem. Students investigate food chains, food webs, and the importance of producers, consumers, and decomposers.
Miscellaneous:
*We will have a ‘Winter Fair’ on Friday, December 17th, sponsored by the Bel Aire Student Council and you! Please contribute store bought ‘goodies’ to sell during the winter festival. Thank you in advance for your contributions!
*Thank you to all the families who contributed to our Adopt-a-Family! What a successful turn out of thoughtful gifts we received.
*We will be wrapping up our Secret Snowman activity during next Friday’s classroom winter party celebration. A HUGEThank you to Anne Ciranni for supplying crafts for the students to enjoy during next Friday’s party!
December 3
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students have begun Trimester 2 with learning the expository writing process. Students have researched several aspects of a specific National Park, and will continue to elaborate these points with details and descriptive writing.
Reading/Social Studies: Students continue to learn about the essential need for water and the stages of the water cycle. Student created a unique ‘experiment’ that actually ‘made rain’ inside our own classroom! In this unit, students will read and compare selections about water to understand the importance of water to society.
Students have also begun to write ‘Log Entries’ based upon their adventures in the Galleon simulation. These log entries will require students to use their narrative skills to convince the reader that s/he is a committed sailor on a mission for their sovereignty. Have your child tell you about the crew in which s/he’s signed on!
Math: This week students hit the middle of Module 3 (Fractions) and took a mid-mod ‘check-in’ . (See Friday Folders).
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: In this week’s science lab activity, students ‘Make it Rain!” with a water cycle prototype. Students continue to learn about the essential need for water and the stages of the water cycle. Ask your child if s/he ‘made it rain’ inside our own classroom!
Miscellaneous:
*Adopt-a-Family opportunities end next Friday on December 10th.
*Over the next few weeks Dr. Gold will be presenting the Touch Program to all 5th grade classes. Feel free to read over the information and discuss with your child.
*We will have a ‘Winter Fair’ on Friday, December 17th, sponsored by the Bel Aire Student Council and you! Please contribute store bought ‘goodies’ to sell during the winter festival. Thank you in advance for your contributions!
Writing:
Students have begun Trimester 2 with learning the expository writing process. Students have researched several aspects of a specific National Park, and will continue to elaborate these points with details and descriptive writing.
Reading/Social Studies: Students continue to learn about the essential need for water and the stages of the water cycle. Student created a unique ‘experiment’ that actually ‘made rain’ inside our own classroom! In this unit, students will read and compare selections about water to understand the importance of water to society.
Students have also begun to write ‘Log Entries’ based upon their adventures in the Galleon simulation. These log entries will require students to use their narrative skills to convince the reader that s/he is a committed sailor on a mission for their sovereignty. Have your child tell you about the crew in which s/he’s signed on!
Math: This week students hit the middle of Module 3 (Fractions) and took a mid-mod ‘check-in’ . (See Friday Folders).
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: In this week’s science lab activity, students ‘Make it Rain!” with a water cycle prototype. Students continue to learn about the essential need for water and the stages of the water cycle. Ask your child if s/he ‘made it rain’ inside our own classroom!
Miscellaneous:
*Adopt-a-Family opportunities end next Friday on December 10th.
*Over the next few weeks Dr. Gold will be presenting the Touch Program to all 5th grade classes. Feel free to read over the information and discuss with your child.
*We will have a ‘Winter Fair’ on Friday, December 17th, sponsored by the Bel Aire Student Council and you! Please contribute store bought ‘goodies’ to sell during the winter festival. Thank you in advance for your contributions!
November 12
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students have begun a writing journey through cities and National Parks this week. Have your child tell you about what s/he chose and the information learned through research.
*Your child should have shared a writing folder of their trimester 1 writing with you. Please sign the acknowledgement form and return to Ms. McKay.
Reading: Students began reading pieces of text from the Benchmark unit “Water: Fact and Fiction”. This unit asks the essential question, “What does water mean to people and the societies they live in?” In this unit, students will read and compare selections about water to understand the importance of water to society.
Math: This week students began Module 3: Fractions! Students learned how to add, subtract, and create equivalent fractions with unlike denominators.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: In this week’s science lab activity, students ‘Make it Rain!” with a water cycle prototype.
Social Studies: This week we’ve been introduced to several English and French explorers. Students also learned about the meaning of legends, and how the East Coast Penobscot tribe used them to pass on ideas of how rivers were formed.
*******Ask your child about how WATER was a common link in all subjects this week!******
Miscellaneous:
Conference Week 11/15-11/19: Dismissal at 12:10pm. Students will be released before lunch. *Choice Lunch is still available for pick-up prior to dismissal. Please make sure your child knows where to go at 12:10 each day next week.
*Conferences Reminder: In-Person is now available as an option! (Same day/time)
*Student report cards will be sent home today. (Friday)
*Over the next few weeks Dr. Gold will be presenting the Touch Program to all 5th grade classes. Feel free to read over the information and discuss with your child.
*Thanksgiving Holiday: 11/22-11/26. No School. (Enjoy!)
Writing:
Students have begun a writing journey through cities and National Parks this week. Have your child tell you about what s/he chose and the information learned through research.
*Your child should have shared a writing folder of their trimester 1 writing with you. Please sign the acknowledgement form and return to Ms. McKay.
Reading: Students began reading pieces of text from the Benchmark unit “Water: Fact and Fiction”. This unit asks the essential question, “What does water mean to people and the societies they live in?” In this unit, students will read and compare selections about water to understand the importance of water to society.
Math: This week students began Module 3: Fractions! Students learned how to add, subtract, and create equivalent fractions with unlike denominators.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: In this week’s science lab activity, students ‘Make it Rain!” with a water cycle prototype.
Social Studies: This week we’ve been introduced to several English and French explorers. Students also learned about the meaning of legends, and how the East Coast Penobscot tribe used them to pass on ideas of how rivers were formed.
*******Ask your child about how WATER was a common link in all subjects this week!******
Miscellaneous:
Conference Week 11/15-11/19: Dismissal at 12:10pm. Students will be released before lunch. *Choice Lunch is still available for pick-up prior to dismissal. Please make sure your child knows where to go at 12:10 each day next week.
*Conferences Reminder: In-Person is now available as an option! (Same day/time)
*Student report cards will be sent home today. (Friday)
*Over the next few weeks Dr. Gold will be presenting the Touch Program to all 5th grade classes. Feel free to read over the information and discuss with your child.
*Thanksgiving Holiday: 11/22-11/26. No School. (Enjoy!)
November 12
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students have begun a writing journey through cities and National Parks this week. Have your child tell you about what s/he chose and the information learned through research.
*Your child should have shared a writing folder of their trimester 1 writing with you. Please sign the acknowledgement form and return to Ms. McKay.
Reading: Students began reading pieces of text from the Benchmark unit “Water: Fact and Fiction”. This unit asks the essential question, “What does water mean to people and the societies they live in?” In this unit, students will read and compare selections about water to understand the importance of water to society.
Math: This week students began Module 3: Fractions! Students learned how to add, subtract, and create equivalent fractions with unlike denominators.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: In this week’s science lab activity, students ‘Make it Rain!” with a water cycle prototype.
Social Studies: This week we’ve been introduced to several English and French explorers. Students also learned about the meaning of legends, and how the East Coast Penobscot tribe used them to pass on ideas of how rivers were formed.
*******Ask your child about how WATER was a common link in all subjects this week!******
Miscellaneous:
Conference Week 11/15-11/19: Dismissal at 12:10pm. Students will be released before lunch. *Choice Lunch is still available for pick-up prior to dismissal. Please make sure your child knows where to go at 12:10 each day next week.
*Conferences Reminder: In-Person is now available as an option! (Same day/time)
*Student report cards will be sent home today. (Friday)
*Over the next few weeks Dr. Gold will be presenting the Touch Program to all 5th grade classes. Feel free to read over the information and discuss with your child.
*Thanksgiving Holiday: 11/22-11/26. No School. (Enjoy!)
Writing:
Students have begun a writing journey through cities and National Parks this week. Have your child tell you about what s/he chose and the information learned through research.
*Your child should have shared a writing folder of their trimester 1 writing with you. Please sign the acknowledgement form and return to Ms. McKay.
Reading: Students began reading pieces of text from the Benchmark unit “Water: Fact and Fiction”. This unit asks the essential question, “What does water mean to people and the societies they live in?” In this unit, students will read and compare selections about water to understand the importance of water to society.
Math: This week students began Module 3: Fractions! Students learned how to add, subtract, and create equivalent fractions with unlike denominators.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: In this week’s science lab activity, students ‘Make it Rain!” with a water cycle prototype.
Social Studies: This week we’ve been introduced to several English and French explorers. Students also learned about the meaning of legends, and how the East Coast Penobscot tribe used them to pass on ideas of how rivers were formed.
*******Ask your child about how WATER was a common link in all subjects this week!******
Miscellaneous:
Conference Week 11/15-11/19: Dismissal at 12:10pm. Students will be released before lunch. *Choice Lunch is still available for pick-up prior to dismissal. Please make sure your child knows where to go at 12:10 each day next week.
*Conferences Reminder: In-Person is now available as an option! (Same day/time)
*Student report cards will be sent home today. (Friday)
*Over the next few weeks Dr. Gold will be presenting the Touch Program to all 5th grade classes. Feel free to read over the information and discuss with your child.
*Thanksgiving Holiday: 11/22-11/26. No School. (Enjoy!)
November 4
Language Arts:
Writing:
We are in the “publishing/celebrating” stage of writing. This week students will read their personal narrative to others in the classroom by using loud, clear voices. We will also be celebrating other writer’s work by listening and giving feedback. In addition to completing our stories, students will complete a post-test narrative that they will present during next week's conferences.
Reading: We finally finished our class novel, Blood on the River! Everyone was very engaged in the plot and character shifts, and the cultural conflicts between European settlers and the Native Americans that defined the history of the Colonial Era.
Math: This week students completed Module 2 and finial assessment. Next week we will begin Module 3: Fractions!
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts*** REFLEXLink from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: This week students continued to learn about the water cycle and how our fresh water cycles through multiple stages.
Miscellaneous:
Conferences Reminder: In-Person is now available as an option! (Same day/time)
Student report cards will be sent home electronically on Friday, November 12th. Conferences will be the following week, & we will be reviewing the report card, answering questions, & going over your child’s progress & goals. Please make sure your child knows where to go at 12:10pm daily the week of Nov 15-19.
Over the next few weeks Dr. Gold will be presenting the Touch Program to all 5th grade classes. Feel free to read over the information and discuss with your child.
October 29
Language Arts:
Writing: Students continue to edit and revise their personal narratives. They are reviewing the rubric and grading example essays in order to learn more about how to become a peer editor and begin editing their peers' essays for a final revision. We are excited to have our final drafts completed and showcased very soon!
Reading: This week’s focus in our class novel, Blood on the River, is character shifting. We are learning when to acknowledge changes in behavior (from hate to love, scared to emboldened) in each of the characters. The subtle context clues in the text are getting easier to spot, but the impact of how these shifts will help the survival of the colony is significant.
Social Studies: Students are completing presentations of group research projects and moving onto settlements in North America ‘colonized’ by European countries with hopes of the 3 G’s: Gold, God, Glory
Math: This week students practiced multiplication and long division of 3 and 4 digit numbers/dividends using the standard algorithm. See mid-mod 2 assessment in your child’s newsletter folder. Please sign and return on Monday.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts***
REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: This week students will learn more about the earth’s hydrosphere, and where fresh water comes from. In collaborative groups, students created an aquifer model to illustrate how groundwater is a reliable source of water. Students will also be creating a model of the ocean and sky to recreate how these two interact during the water cycle process.
Miscellaneous:
Conferences:
There has been a **CHANGE ** in this year’s conferences. In-Person is now available as an option! (Same day/time) ZOOM conferences are also still available. I will send out a reminder next week where you will have an option to edit your preferences.
A HUGE THANK YOU to our Halloween party coordinator Anne Ciranni, Claire’s mom, for putting together the snacks and crafts to make our first and fabulous Halloween party on Friday! *See Photo Gallery
5th Grade Parent Zoom with Dr. Gold:
Interested in learning more about the upcoming developmental changes in your child? Please join Dr. Gold on Wed, Oct 27th from 8:30 - 10:00 at this link. If you’re unable to attend, we can send a recording of the session afterward.
October 15
Language Arts:
Writing: Students are approaching the “editing and revising” stage of writing for their personal narratives. They will review the rubric teachers use when grading their work so they are aware of requirements and “grade” example essays so they learn more about how to become a peer editor.
Reading: While reading our class novel, Blood on the River, we’ve been focusing on how to summarize chapter events in similar fashion as their narrative writing process. We determine the BIG things that happened, and then create a sentence or two that envelops these events.
Social Studies: wStudents began presenting group research projects this week.. We learned the criteria stated in the ‘Oral Presentation’ rubric, and adjusted the presentations (content, enthusiasm level and eye contact) to improve the overall delivery.
Math: This week students continued to practice multiplication of 3 and 4 digit numbers and decimals using the standard algorithm. Next week will mark the middle of Module 2. We will be reviewing the previous lessons Monday and Tuesday, and take the Mid-Module 2 assessment check-in on Wednesday.
****Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts***REFLEX Link from home Password: SanchezE4
Science: This week our class previewed the unit of the water cycle and earth’s systems. This unit encourages students to consider the profound importance of water as a natural resource. Students will investigate the distribution of water, how it cycles through Earth’s systems, and explore how it affects human societies.
Mr. David Nettell: We had the pleasure of hosting Mr. Nettell in our classroom on Thursday. This was such a treat for all of us! For those of you new to his program, he is an enthusiastic educator who promotes positive decision making and social critical thinking in our children through classroom based challenges. (See photo gallery)
Miscellaneous:
October 27: Picture Day retakes
October 29: Halloween Parade
October 8
Language Arts:
Writing: Students will begin revising their writing, meeting with their peers and teacher, sharing their personal narrative drafts and giving and receiving feedback on their stories. Students will be looking at ways to “paint a picture” and hook their reader right from the beginning, as well as conclude their story so that the reader clearly understands the relevance and importance of the event.
Reading: We are still reading Blood on the River. Students are captivated by Samuel’s journey to the New World. Students focus on character development as well as the story plot. We have great discussions about what is happening in the book and what we predict will happen next. Students take chapter notes and complete thought provoking questions while citing text evidence from the book.
We are halfway through Trimester 1, and students should be ½ way to making their AR goals. Please take a moment to look over your child’s Mid-trimester AR progress sheet, (ATTACHED) and a list of quizzes taken so far. Sign and return with newsletter on Tuesday.
Math: This week students will continue to work in Module 2 on multiplying 3 and 4 digit numbers as well as multiplying with decimals. We are focusing on the standard algorithm and students are expected to show all of their work. Students also revisited the area model/window method/partial product method of multiplication learned in 4th grade to compare products.
*Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts.*
REFLEX Link from home. Password: SanxchezE4
Science: We wrapped up our Chemical Chaos this week and completed the final assessment. Next, students will be learning about the Earth’s m most important resource: Water.
Save the Date
A beloved Bel Aire event is BACK! Fall Festival Family Night returns on Thursday, October 14th from 5:00-6:30pm. Join the Bel Aire community in celebrating the arrival of fall with traditional festival games, a fun photo booth to create memories, arts and crafts, spirit wear for sale and many other fun things to do!
Miscellaneous:
*CONGRATULATIONS to our new Student Council Class Representatives: Lily and Claire!
October 111: No School-Professional Development for Staff
October 12-15: Book Fair in the MPR
October 14: 5pm Fall Family Festival 5pm
October 27: Picture Day retakes
October 1st
Language Arts:
Writing: Students are in the “nurturing” stage of writing. Students have begun crafting their stories in chronological order and will begin drafting their personal true stories (narratives). They are really focusing on getting to the heart of the story by slowing down and elaborating on the important moment bit by bit so readers feel like they are right there with them.
Reading/Social Studies: In our class novel, students continued to read about the voyage of the ‘Susan Constant’ through the eyes of Samuel, a 12-year-old boy. He and Captain John Smith are on a mission to colonize the ‘New World’ with other gentlemen, Captains and commoners while experiencing terrifying encounters with the Natives of the Dominican and Caribbean Islands.. We’ve also continued our author study on Chris Van Allsburg, now reaching our 5th story in which students compare and recognize the author’s purpose in his plot journey with an inevitable twist.
Students continued to research 4 regions of the country and prepare cre a presentation illustrating a particular Native American culture in collaborative groups.
Math: This week students completed Module 1 and finished with the final assessment on Wednesday. We are starting Module 2, Multi-Digit Whole Number and Decimal Fraction Operations. This unit builds on Module 1 where we learned about place value, exponents, and multiplying and dividing decimals.
HERE is a link to the resource page with resources, videos, and at-home help understanding each lesson in the 5th grade curriculum.
*Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts.*
Science: This week we learned how chemical reactions create new materials that have useful and interesting properties. Your child conducted an investigation to determine if the mixing of various substances resulted in a new substance. In this case, your child discovered how to make a type of “goo” similar to other goos, like Silly Putty and Play-doh. (See video in the photo gallery on our new class “CATS” website.
Miscellaneous:
October 6: Walk and Roll to School Day
October 8: Student council reps give speeches to their class
October 8: Pajama Day and MOSAIC Assembly (bring a blanket to sit on outside)
October 111: No School-Professional Development for Staff
October 12-15: Book Fair in the MPR
October 12: Student Council elections for President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer
October 15: 5pm Fall Family Festival 5pm
Writing: Students are in the “nurturing” stage of writing. Students have begun crafting their stories in chronological order and will begin drafting their personal true stories (narratives). They are really focusing on getting to the heart of the story by slowing down and elaborating on the important moment bit by bit so readers feel like they are right there with them.
Reading/Social Studies: In our class novel, students continued to read about the voyage of the ‘Susan Constant’ through the eyes of Samuel, a 12-year-old boy. He and Captain John Smith are on a mission to colonize the ‘New World’ with other gentlemen, Captains and commoners while experiencing terrifying encounters with the Natives of the Dominican and Caribbean Islands.. We’ve also continued our author study on Chris Van Allsburg, now reaching our 5th story in which students compare and recognize the author’s purpose in his plot journey with an inevitable twist.
Students continued to research 4 regions of the country and prepare cre a presentation illustrating a particular Native American culture in collaborative groups.
Math: This week students completed Module 1 and finished with the final assessment on Wednesday. We are starting Module 2, Multi-Digit Whole Number and Decimal Fraction Operations. This unit builds on Module 1 where we learned about place value, exponents, and multiplying and dividing decimals.
HERE is a link to the resource page with resources, videos, and at-home help understanding each lesson in the 5th grade curriculum.
*Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts.*
Science: This week we learned how chemical reactions create new materials that have useful and interesting properties. Your child conducted an investigation to determine if the mixing of various substances resulted in a new substance. In this case, your child discovered how to make a type of “goo” similar to other goos, like Silly Putty and Play-doh. (See video in the photo gallery on our new class “CATS” website.
Miscellaneous:
October 6: Walk and Roll to School Day
October 8: Student council reps give speeches to their class
October 8: Pajama Day and MOSAIC Assembly (bring a blanket to sit on outside)
October 111: No School-Professional Development for Staff
October 12-15: Book Fair in the MPR
October 12: Student Council elections for President, VP, Secretary and Treasurer
October 15: 5pm Fall Family Festival 5pm
August/September News
9/24
Language Arts:
Writing: Students have been “collecting seeds” to write about in our narrative writing unit. This week they will do several more Quick Writes and narrow down the “Seed” in which they’ll write their personal narrative. (“Seed” stories are small moments in time rather than lengthy “watermelon” stories.) Our 5th grade narratives need to be a focused moment of time, have a “Big Thing that Happened”, and have an emotional or meaningful relevance to the writer.
Reading/Social Studies: We continued to read about the journey of Samuel and Captain John Smith on their voyage to settle in the ‘New World’. This week students are using text evidence to better understand characters and are also using their inference skills when the author omits certain details from the story.
We’ve continued our author study on Chris Van Allsburg, identifying his signature plot twists, style of writing and moral lessons. Ask your child about our Friday’s ‘strips of fun’ exercise!
In our Social Studies lessons, students are creating a presentation illustrating a particular Native American group. Each student group will be collaborating on a specific aspect of how the natives survived in their environment based on geography, resources, technology (YES, technology!), and cultural influences.
Math: This week students will wrap up Module 1 by rounding/estimating, multiplying and dividing decimal fractions and whole numbers. We will complete the module review next week and take the End of Module 1 Assessment on Wednesday. HERE is a link to the resource page with resources, videos, and at-home help understanding each lesson in the 5th grade curriculum.
*Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts.*
Science: This week we continued to investigate the properties of matter by dissolving everyday chemicals to make solutions and by exploring simple yet surprising chemical reactions. Ask your child about what/how acids react to various ingredients, and how s/her modified the ‘explosive’ experiments to achieve his/her group’s desired reaction! (See video in the photo gallery on our new class “CATS” website.
9/17
Technology Help:
Many of the apps we use for learning are housed in ClassLink. This makes a more streamlined approach for students to login to one app and then have access to all the subscriptions the district provides for us. Our amazing tech department is offering a webinar on Tuesday to educate families on how to do this from home. If you want to try it on your own this is the link students need to use.
https://launchpad.classlink.com/login
Then your child enters their reed schools email address and new password. Once they enter Classlink all the school apps should appear and be accessible.
Communication Tools for Parents and
Students at RUSD - Parent Webinar
Tuesday, September 21, at 6pm we will be offering a webinar for parents.
Please attend this webinar to learn about some of the following communication tools offered at RUSD:
When: Tuesday, Sep 21, 2021 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Communication Tools for Parents and
Students at RUSD - Parent Webinar
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://reedschools-org.zoom.us/j/82090314040
Design Lab/Library:
Library: This week students had the first of many lessons in digital citizenship. The first lesson focused on proper 'netiquite' and the appropriate ways to navigate the school issued iPad.
Bel Aire Design Lab: Ms. Commesso, or D-Lab Instructor, went over the various stages of Design process and thinking - “Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, & Test”. Students were then challenged to design a prototype of a vehicle of their choice, then to use the same materials to create a piece of furniture.
Reading: Reviewing Blood on the River, students discussed the challenges aboard a galleon ship as Samuel and the crew prepare to travel towards the New World. Characters are developing, and we are taking a close look at the various social standings of these characters and how it impacts group dynamics and personalities.
Math: This week students will wrap up Module 1. We will review all of module 1 near the end of the week and prepare for our end of Module 1 test which will take place September 28. HERE is a link to the RUSD math page that has the math workbook (should your child leave it at school) as well as homework helper videos. HERE is the link to the Duane site on youtube for homework help.
Is your child interested in a weekly math challenge? All students are welcome to join Dr. Gold’s Math Club on Tuesday mornings at 7:30AM in Room C-3! Please email Dr. Gold at agold@reedschools.org if your child is interested.
Science:
This week we continued our very odorous dive into “Chemical Magic.” We discovered how to remove copper layers off pennies, turn steel ‘swords’ into ‘gold’, and then turn our pennies green by rapid oxidation. (See photo gallery)
Social Studies: We continue to learn about adventures in discovering the ‘New World’. Students are trying to solve the mystery of the ‘Lost Colony’ of Roanoke Island, and have completed their very own ‘globe’.
Writing
This week students will be in the “gathering” stage of writing, where they’ll be focusing on an emotion and the memory attached to it. You will likely see your child beginning to work on generating ideas for these stories, where they’ll pull from their own lives and write about a very specific memory that is short in time but significant to their life.
9/10
Language Arts:
Writing: Students continue to build writing skills with their daily lessons from Ms. McKay. This week the writing focus is on the structure of narrative stories, starting with the BTH (Big Thing that Happened). Additionally, students exercised their figurative language skills in the form of acrostic and Haiku poetry.
Reading/Social Studies: Students continued read our class novel, Blood on the River . This week we’ve begun our weekly reading response activities, where students reflect on the book their reading (independently) and answer deep questions relating to character relationships, connections to real life, making predictions, etc. while supporting the paragraph with evidence from the text. This week we used our class novel as a springboard in order for the students to understand the expectations of this weekly assignment. We continued to dive deep into our author study of Chris Van Allsburg. Ask your child about the 3 books we’ve read that have the effective formula of moral, life lessons, and especially his signature ‘twist’ at the end of each story.
Math: Students continued to reinforce their whole number/decimal fractions place value skills with this week’s lessons involving rounding, comparing and converting to the metric system. We finished the week with a Mid-Mod check-in.
Your child now has an activated account in Reflex Math, now called Explore Learning. Discovery. The link can be found in your child’s Classlink account, which can be accessed via home and/or school.
Science: We began our journey in our Chemistry unit this week. Ask your child about oxidation, chemical and physical reactions!
Design Lab: Students had fun during their first D.L. lesson! Building and creating a prototype of a helpful vehicle was this week’s focus. (Photo’s Attached.)
Miscellaneous:
*Some of you are having trouble getting into our GC website. I’m working with IT to solve the issues. I’m sorry for the inconvenience! Hopefully the matter will be solved soon.
*Students began Typing Club this week. Feel free to have your child practice this at home to strengthen his/her speed.
9/3
🐾
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students continue to express their creative selves in the form of poetry this week. Ask your child about the Haiku s/he created with Ms. McKay.
Reading:
Students should have come home with several books from their first visit to the Bel Aire library! Next week we will launch the class novel, Blood on the River, which illustrates the cultural conflict between Native Americans and European settlers.
Read Aloud:
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. This historical story documents a young girl on a passage from Europe to The New World, and illustrates nautical life on a voyage with exciting adventures, new relationships and even mutiny!
Social Studies:
We’ve begun a geography/art project, where each student is creating his/her very own GLOBE. Ask your child about the 7 continents and the “new ocean”!
Ask your child what s/he predicts will happen during this fateful voyage during the 19th century.
Author Study:
We’ve added another Chris Van Allsburg story, Probuditi, to our study. We made note of the structure of these books which include a moral, a lesson, and of course….a twist!
Math: This week students reviewed number sense and began Mod 1 in Eureka Math. We’ve learned how to multiply whole numbers and decimals by powers of 10, as well as how ‘expand’ large numbers and decimals.
Miscellaneous:
*We will be having our first class ‘auction’ next week. Students will be able to spend their hard earned cash on items such as games, stuffies, gadgets, etc. We will also be changing up our seating arrangements and jobs.
*Please let me know if you are having problems joining our Google Classroom or signing into the Actionaly site.
50 Best Books (from readbrightly)
90 Most Popular Books for Tweens
*Ms. Alicia Bell’s 2020 Summer Reading List attached
Fondly,
Stacia Sanchez
BTSN S. Sanchez Keynote z21-22_.pdf
Bel Aire Books 2021 (2).docx
1st day letter to parents.docx.pdf
E-4 Schedule 2021-22.docx
8/27
Welcome to the new school year! This newsletter (sent home each Friday) will cover the week’s lessons and summarize class and school activities. Please sign and return the top section and keep the bottom section for your reference. This newsletter will also be on-line under the tab “C.A.T.S. News” on our Google Classroom.
Language Arts:
Writing: We’ve been doing all kind of writing this week: Poetry, creative story-telling, and journaling. Students created a newspaper ‘article’ about themselves and wrote a friendly, informative letter to me. Ask your child what s/he learned about his/her classmates during our ‘all-some-one’ and Kahoot activities!
Reading/Social Studies: We’ve begun a new class novel called The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. This historical story documents a young girl on a passage from Europe to the USA, and illustrates nautical life on a voyage with exciting adventures, new relationships and even mutiny! Ask your child what s/he predicts will happen during this 19th century voyage.
We’ve author study on Chris Van Allsburg. Students are learning how to identify his signature plot twists, style of writing and moral lessons with each weekly activity. Ask your child about our Friday ‘strips of fun’ exercise!
Math: This week we’ve been learning about how we can be persistent and persevere in challenges and using the 100’s chart to help us solve problems. We’ve been building a strong foundation of learning through ‘Growth Mindset’. This is the understanding that the brain can get stronger and smarter with new learning. Ask your child to explain the difference between ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindset. Students have also been reviewing basic 4th grade operational skills (division, subtraction, multiplication) and place value.
Science: Students enjoyed the Marshmallow Challenge activity. Ask your child about the simple yet tricky criteria and how collaboration is so important for success!
Miscellaneous:
*Back to School Night is next Thursday, September 2nd at 6:00pm
*SMILE! Friday September 3rd is Picture Day.
*There will be no school on Monday, September 6th. (Labor Day)
*THANK YOU to the Aytay family for our class set of cool and comfortable masks!
Welcome back to a new school year! This is the first of my weekly e-mails informing you of your child’s classroom experiences in 🐾 CATS Country🐾.
I hope you have found the time to read my introduction letter I sent home in your child’s Friday folder. If not, I’ve attached it, along with our daily schedule, for your reference.
Here’s a list of reminders, dates and highlights for the upcoming weeks:
🐾 Sign and return the Bel AIre Handbook Agreement and Tech Agreement forms (included in your child’s Friday folder)
🐾 Expect to receive and sign a weekly CATS Newsletter sent home each Friday and returned Monday.
🐾 Add Ms. Karyn McKay, your child’s writing teacher, to your teacher contacts: kmckay@reedschools.org
🐾 Join our class’ Google Classroom page to be informed of daily HW and long term assignments. (Invites will be sent this week)
Mark your calendars!
-Bel Aire Back to School Night is September 2nd, 6:00 pm
*Class photo day: Friday, September 3rd
*Labor Day: Monday, September 8th. No School.
Please let me know if there is a family member you would like to add (or delete) to my weekly email list.
Finally, I am so thrilled about our CATS class this year! What a wonderful group of learners. I truly hope that your child anticipates an eventful and enlightening year….because I certainly do!
Thank you for being an integral part of our CATS family. I’m looking forward to a memorable and successful year together!
Language Arts:
Writing: Students have been “collecting seeds” to write about in our narrative writing unit. This week they will do several more Quick Writes and narrow down the “Seed” in which they’ll write their personal narrative. (“Seed” stories are small moments in time rather than lengthy “watermelon” stories.) Our 5th grade narratives need to be a focused moment of time, have a “Big Thing that Happened”, and have an emotional or meaningful relevance to the writer.
Reading/Social Studies: We continued to read about the journey of Samuel and Captain John Smith on their voyage to settle in the ‘New World’. This week students are using text evidence to better understand characters and are also using their inference skills when the author omits certain details from the story.
We’ve continued our author study on Chris Van Allsburg, identifying his signature plot twists, style of writing and moral lessons. Ask your child about our Friday’s ‘strips of fun’ exercise!
In our Social Studies lessons, students are creating a presentation illustrating a particular Native American group. Each student group will be collaborating on a specific aspect of how the natives survived in their environment based on geography, resources, technology (YES, technology!), and cultural influences.
Math: This week students will wrap up Module 1 by rounding/estimating, multiplying and dividing decimal fractions and whole numbers. We will complete the module review next week and take the End of Module 1 Assessment on Wednesday. HERE is a link to the resource page with resources, videos, and at-home help understanding each lesson in the 5th grade curriculum.
*Please be sure that your child is practicing his/her Reflex Math at home to help memorize multiplication facts.*
Science: This week we continued to investigate the properties of matter by dissolving everyday chemicals to make solutions and by exploring simple yet surprising chemical reactions. Ask your child about what/how acids react to various ingredients, and how s/her modified the ‘explosive’ experiments to achieve his/her group’s desired reaction! (See video in the photo gallery on our new class “CATS” website.
9/17
Technology Help:
Many of the apps we use for learning are housed in ClassLink. This makes a more streamlined approach for students to login to one app and then have access to all the subscriptions the district provides for us. Our amazing tech department is offering a webinar on Tuesday to educate families on how to do this from home. If you want to try it on your own this is the link students need to use.
https://launchpad.classlink.com/login
Then your child enters their reed schools email address and new password. Once they enter Classlink all the school apps should appear and be accessible.
Communication Tools for Parents and
Students at RUSD - Parent Webinar
Tuesday, September 21, at 6pm we will be offering a webinar for parents.
Please attend this webinar to learn about some of the following communication tools offered at RUSD:
- Features in ClassLink for parents and students
- ALMA and Actionaly - how and why we use them
- Google Classroom and other student services
- New Help Desk - how to report tech issues
- Parent controls for students who bring home their iPads
When: Tuesday, Sep 21, 2021 06:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Communication Tools for Parents and
Students at RUSD - Parent Webinar
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://reedschools-org.zoom.us/j/82090314040
Design Lab/Library:
Library: This week students had the first of many lessons in digital citizenship. The first lesson focused on proper 'netiquite' and the appropriate ways to navigate the school issued iPad.
Bel Aire Design Lab: Ms. Commesso, or D-Lab Instructor, went over the various stages of Design process and thinking - “Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, & Test”. Students were then challenged to design a prototype of a vehicle of their choice, then to use the same materials to create a piece of furniture.
Reading: Reviewing Blood on the River, students discussed the challenges aboard a galleon ship as Samuel and the crew prepare to travel towards the New World. Characters are developing, and we are taking a close look at the various social standings of these characters and how it impacts group dynamics and personalities.
Math: This week students will wrap up Module 1. We will review all of module 1 near the end of the week and prepare for our end of Module 1 test which will take place September 28. HERE is a link to the RUSD math page that has the math workbook (should your child leave it at school) as well as homework helper videos. HERE is the link to the Duane site on youtube for homework help.
Is your child interested in a weekly math challenge? All students are welcome to join Dr. Gold’s Math Club on Tuesday mornings at 7:30AM in Room C-3! Please email Dr. Gold at agold@reedschools.org if your child is interested.
Science:
This week we continued our very odorous dive into “Chemical Magic.” We discovered how to remove copper layers off pennies, turn steel ‘swords’ into ‘gold’, and then turn our pennies green by rapid oxidation. (See photo gallery)
Social Studies: We continue to learn about adventures in discovering the ‘New World’. Students are trying to solve the mystery of the ‘Lost Colony’ of Roanoke Island, and have completed their very own ‘globe’.
Writing
This week students will be in the “gathering” stage of writing, where they’ll be focusing on an emotion and the memory attached to it. You will likely see your child beginning to work on generating ideas for these stories, where they’ll pull from their own lives and write about a very specific memory that is short in time but significant to their life.
9/10
Language Arts:
Writing: Students continue to build writing skills with their daily lessons from Ms. McKay. This week the writing focus is on the structure of narrative stories, starting with the BTH (Big Thing that Happened). Additionally, students exercised their figurative language skills in the form of acrostic and Haiku poetry.
Reading/Social Studies: Students continued read our class novel, Blood on the River . This week we’ve begun our weekly reading response activities, where students reflect on the book their reading (independently) and answer deep questions relating to character relationships, connections to real life, making predictions, etc. while supporting the paragraph with evidence from the text. This week we used our class novel as a springboard in order for the students to understand the expectations of this weekly assignment. We continued to dive deep into our author study of Chris Van Allsburg. Ask your child about the 3 books we’ve read that have the effective formula of moral, life lessons, and especially his signature ‘twist’ at the end of each story.
Math: Students continued to reinforce their whole number/decimal fractions place value skills with this week’s lessons involving rounding, comparing and converting to the metric system. We finished the week with a Mid-Mod check-in.
Your child now has an activated account in Reflex Math, now called Explore Learning. Discovery. The link can be found in your child’s Classlink account, which can be accessed via home and/or school.
Science: We began our journey in our Chemistry unit this week. Ask your child about oxidation, chemical and physical reactions!
Design Lab: Students had fun during their first D.L. lesson! Building and creating a prototype of a helpful vehicle was this week’s focus. (Photo’s Attached.)
Miscellaneous:
*Some of you are having trouble getting into our GC website. I’m working with IT to solve the issues. I’m sorry for the inconvenience! Hopefully the matter will be solved soon.
*Students began Typing Club this week. Feel free to have your child practice this at home to strengthen his/her speed.
9/3
🐾
Language Arts:
Writing:
Students continue to express their creative selves in the form of poetry this week. Ask your child about the Haiku s/he created with Ms. McKay.
Reading:
Students should have come home with several books from their first visit to the Bel Aire library! Next week we will launch the class novel, Blood on the River, which illustrates the cultural conflict between Native Americans and European settlers.
Read Aloud:
The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. This historical story documents a young girl on a passage from Europe to The New World, and illustrates nautical life on a voyage with exciting adventures, new relationships and even mutiny!
Social Studies:
We’ve begun a geography/art project, where each student is creating his/her very own GLOBE. Ask your child about the 7 continents and the “new ocean”!
Ask your child what s/he predicts will happen during this fateful voyage during the 19th century.
Author Study:
We’ve added another Chris Van Allsburg story, Probuditi, to our study. We made note of the structure of these books which include a moral, a lesson, and of course….a twist!
Math: This week students reviewed number sense and began Mod 1 in Eureka Math. We’ve learned how to multiply whole numbers and decimals by powers of 10, as well as how ‘expand’ large numbers and decimals.
Miscellaneous:
*We will be having our first class ‘auction’ next week. Students will be able to spend their hard earned cash on items such as games, stuffies, gadgets, etc. We will also be changing up our seating arrangements and jobs.
*Please let me know if you are having problems joining our Google Classroom or signing into the Actionaly site.
50 Best Books (from readbrightly)
90 Most Popular Books for Tweens
*Ms. Alicia Bell’s 2020 Summer Reading List attached
Fondly,
Stacia Sanchez
BTSN S. Sanchez Keynote z21-22_.pdf
Bel Aire Books 2021 (2).docx
1st day letter to parents.docx.pdf
E-4 Schedule 2021-22.docx
8/27
Welcome to the new school year! This newsletter (sent home each Friday) will cover the week’s lessons and summarize class and school activities. Please sign and return the top section and keep the bottom section for your reference. This newsletter will also be on-line under the tab “C.A.T.S. News” on our Google Classroom.
Language Arts:
Writing: We’ve been doing all kind of writing this week: Poetry, creative story-telling, and journaling. Students created a newspaper ‘article’ about themselves and wrote a friendly, informative letter to me. Ask your child what s/he learned about his/her classmates during our ‘all-some-one’ and Kahoot activities!
Reading/Social Studies: We’ve begun a new class novel called The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. This historical story documents a young girl on a passage from Europe to the USA, and illustrates nautical life on a voyage with exciting adventures, new relationships and even mutiny! Ask your child what s/he predicts will happen during this 19th century voyage.
We’ve author study on Chris Van Allsburg. Students are learning how to identify his signature plot twists, style of writing and moral lessons with each weekly activity. Ask your child about our Friday ‘strips of fun’ exercise!
Math: This week we’ve been learning about how we can be persistent and persevere in challenges and using the 100’s chart to help us solve problems. We’ve been building a strong foundation of learning through ‘Growth Mindset’. This is the understanding that the brain can get stronger and smarter with new learning. Ask your child to explain the difference between ‘fixed’ and ‘growth’ mindset. Students have also been reviewing basic 4th grade operational skills (division, subtraction, multiplication) and place value.
Science: Students enjoyed the Marshmallow Challenge activity. Ask your child about the simple yet tricky criteria and how collaboration is so important for success!
Miscellaneous:
*Back to School Night is next Thursday, September 2nd at 6:00pm
*SMILE! Friday September 3rd is Picture Day.
*There will be no school on Monday, September 6th. (Labor Day)
*THANK YOU to the Aytay family for our class set of cool and comfortable masks!
Welcome back to a new school year! This is the first of my weekly e-mails informing you of your child’s classroom experiences in 🐾 CATS Country🐾.
I hope you have found the time to read my introduction letter I sent home in your child’s Friday folder. If not, I’ve attached it, along with our daily schedule, for your reference.
Here’s a list of reminders, dates and highlights for the upcoming weeks:
🐾 Sign and return the Bel AIre Handbook Agreement and Tech Agreement forms (included in your child’s Friday folder)
🐾 Expect to receive and sign a weekly CATS Newsletter sent home each Friday and returned Monday.
🐾 Add Ms. Karyn McKay, your child’s writing teacher, to your teacher contacts: kmckay@reedschools.org
🐾 Join our class’ Google Classroom page to be informed of daily HW and long term assignments. (Invites will be sent this week)
Mark your calendars!
-Bel Aire Back to School Night is September 2nd, 6:00 pm
*Class photo day: Friday, September 3rd
*Labor Day: Monday, September 8th. No School.
Please let me know if there is a family member you would like to add (or delete) to my weekly email list.
Finally, I am so thrilled about our CATS class this year! What a wonderful group of learners. I truly hope that your child anticipates an eventful and enlightening year….because I certainly do!
Thank you for being an integral part of our CATS family. I’m looking forward to a memorable and successful year together!
