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October Newsletter

Mrs. Mills’ Class Newsletter

Dear Families,

Our first month of school went by quickly! I have really enjoyed the time we have spent getting to know each other. Much of our focus has been on active listening, following directions, getting organized and being a respectful, responsible, caring and ready to learn Bobcat family.

As we get deeper into content, it is extremely important that students complete all assignments. Please ask your child each night to show you his or her agenda to ensure all homework is being completed. Consequences for missing assignments will be stricter starting in October as students should be fully invested in school.

Thank you! Mrs. Mills

Jacket Alert!

Fall is here, and that means cold mornings and chilly days! Please be sure to send a jacket (name on the inside label, please!) with your child to school each day as it can be chilly during recess.

Class Parties We will have two parties this year:

• Winter Party- Wednesday, December 21 • Fifth Grade Picnic- Thursday, June 8 (tentative)

Upcoming Events

October 6

PTA meeting

October 7

Fall Pictures

October 10

Columbus Day – No School

October 11

Moveable Monday schedule

Spirit Week begins

October 17

Book Fair begins

October 21

Author Visit – Kali Dakos PTA Monster Mash

October 25

Chick-fil-A Spirit Night

October 28

Book Character Parade

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Parent-Teacher Conferences Conferences begin the week of October 11th through the end of the month. If you did not sign up for a conference through Sign-up Genius, please contact me and we will find a mutually convenient time. I would like to schedule these as soon as possible. I will send home the conference dates and times over the next week.

A Note about Homework As I detailed at Back to School Night, homework will typically be review of previous concepts taught in Math and Science. I also expect my students Ito read nightly. If you find your child is having difficulty completing his or her assignments, please let me know. I often have students say “My mom/dad didn’t understand the homework.” I understand that it can be difficult to help when your child doesn’t have a text book to bring home. If your child is struggling with the math homework, please don’t hesitate to write a note at the top of it so I know. I will work with them. I ask that the assignment be attempted, but don’t expect it to always be correct. It is a way to practice concepts being learned.

A few students struggled with turning in both class and home assignments on time, during the first month of school. The students know that if they are not able to keep up their responsibilities as students, they will not be allowed to have school jobs like patrol, mentor, TTF, etc.

Here is a brief overview of assignments:

Math- A math assignment will be given most nights, Monday through Thursday (I usually don’t give Friday/weekend homework).

Science/Social Studies – A science or social studies assignment may given to reinforce concepts taught in class. Usually this is a reading and comprehension passage and may be counted toward nightly reading.

Reading- Students are expected to read 20 minutes each day of the week, including weekends I

have explained that the 20 minutes does not necessarily need to be all at once. If they can get in 5 minutes, 10 minutes, and another 5 minutes that is just as god. The point is to READ, READ, READ!

Snacks Despite my reminders, some students continue to bring small lunches for snack time. I would like to again request that students bring only one item for snack, and candy will not be allowed. A piece of fruit, small granola or fruit bar, a small baggie of carrots, pretzels or crackers are all appropriate snacks. Most days, we eat snack between 9:30 and 10:00. It is my expectation that snack be consumed within five minutes. Thanks for your help with this!

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Curriculum

Math

In Math, we are starting October with area and perimeter (rectangles and triangles). We will then be moving on to order of operations, the distributive property, algebra (variables, expressions, equations), and patterns.

Please know that if your child does not yet know their math facts with automaticity (they cannot give you an automatic answer when asked a multiplication

problem), they are going to have a very difficult time in fifth grade math.

Due to the fast pace of 5th grade math and the number of concepts we must learn prior to the SOL in May, we do not have a lot of time during class to work on these facts in isolation as these concepts are expected to be mastered prior to fifth grade. Students are given the opportunity 3-4 times a week to log on to Reflex. They should also be logging in at home if extra practice is needed.

If your child is falling behind in math, please have them visit my Math Blog nightly to practice concepts we are learning in class. All students have strengths and weaknesses and, as a result, it may take some students a bit longer to pick up certain concepts than others in class. Sometimes it takes several days and different explanations for a concept to “click” and make sense. Extra practice at home will enable them to keep up with the fast pace of fifth-grade.

Science

We will be continuing with our unit on sound and will soon move on to light. These concepts build upon the types of energy students learned about in 3rd and 4th grade science. Be sure to ask your student what they are learning during class and to show you their Science Notebooks!

Social Studies

Students will learn about the five themes of geography and the Northeastern region of the United States. A map test will be given at the end of October which will require students to name (and correctly spell) the states on a map of this region.

Writing Workshop

Students will start and complete a personal narrative this month. We will use several “mentor texts” as models to develop how writer’s work and to improve our craft. We are emphasizing writing a good topic

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sentence and using adjective and adverb descriptors to make our writing “come alive”.

Reading Workshop

We will continue our first unit, Interpretation Book Clubs: Analyzing Themes, in which students are learning to think about texts on a deeper level by examining characters feelings, thoughts and actions more closely. Students are learning to write about their reading, analyzing the overall message of their books.

Tips for a Successful Fifth-Grade Year!

One of our goals this year is to help your child develop skills that will help them to be successful in middle school. In order to do this, we need your help! Please consider the following ways you can assist your child in becoming better-prepared for 6th grade!

1. Take time to read with your child daily and ask them questions about their reading • Questions should require thoughtful responses, not just relaying back information or

answering yes or no. Some examples include: • What is the setting of the story (where and when it takes place)? • What is the main character’s MAIN PROBLEM in the story? • How is the problem SOLVED in the story? • How would you describe the main character? What are some of her

characteristics? • What is the MAIN IDEA of the story? (Or, what is the article MOSTLY about? Or,

what BEST tells what the story is about?) • Retell the story in your own words. • Summarize the story in 3 sentences (beginning, middle, and end). • Is this a fiction or non-fiction book? How can you tell? • What do you think the main character would MOST LIKELY do if …? (inferring) • Why does the main character MOST LIKELY do …? • What lesson does the main character learn by the end of the story? • What is the MOST LIKELY reason that ________ happened? • What did the main character do FIRST? • What is the BIGGEST difference between [reptiles and amphibians] [Heather

and Jonah]? • What would be another good title for this story?

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2. Discuss your child’s agenda with him or her nightly 3. Create a designated “Homework Spot”

• A quiet spot is best • Make sure the area is well-lit • Have all materials needed accessible- pencils, erasers, notebook paper, highlighters

glue, scissors, colored pencils, etc.- Having materials handy gives students fewer reasons to leave their spot until they are finished (and possibly to get distracted on their way to finding a writing utensil)

• If you don’t have a desk for your child to work at, create a portable “Desk-in-a-box” your child can take to a quiet location

o Plastic bin, paper box with lid, large tray- as long as it holds all necessary materials and is easily transported, anything goes!

4. Complete all assigned homework- Homework assignments are purposeful, with the intent to allow for the practice of skills learned in class and to help the teacher see how students are progressing

I understand that things happen and students might OCCASSIONALY not be able to complete an assignment on time, A parent note is requested when this occurs. If students are late on more than three assignments in a quarter, I strongly suggest they shift their priorities to school and away from whatever else is preventing them from doing their jobs as students. School doesn’t only teach children academic content, it also helps prepare them for successful adulthood. It helps prepare children for “the real world” when they will be expected to complete their work and meet deadlines.

5. Study for all tests. • Students should schedule time to study in the days prior to tests. “Cramming” sessions

should be avoided as they do not result in retention- when studying in this fashion, students usually forget the information right after the test! It is best to review content at least 30 minutes every day before the test, with opportunities for “brain breaks” to avoid burning out if studying for more than 30 minutes at a time.

6. Get a good night’s sleep each night 7. Bring a healthy snack to school-Sugary foods make for sleepy, inattentive students 8. Take advantage of educational events in our area. 9. Value your child’s uniqueness and avoid comparing him or her to others. 10. Remember- What you say matters!

• Avoid telling your child that “I was never good at (insert subject here).” Students might use these statements as hereditary “proof” that they are destined to do poorly in certain subjects.

11. Study for tests! 12. If your child is having trouble, please encourage them to tell me! I want to help my students

succeed in fifth-grade and will help them come up with strategies to succeed.