Monday, September 7, 2015

Week of September 7 (Labor Day)

MATH 

Fourth Grade 

Last week was a busy week. The students did a great job getting their assignments in on time. We are going to continue to explore place value, rounding, estimating, and reading numbers to the millions period. On Thursday we will have a short quiz. I have introduced a fun number exercise called "Number Personalities". Your child may need a help with this activity. On Wednesday will will have a timed fact test on the squares. (2x2, 3x3). We're off to a great start!  

Fifth Grade  

5th graders learned a new way to represent expanded form which further decomposed (broke down) the digit and its place value!  This week we focus on Chapter 1, Lessons 4-6 where they will see that exponents indicate the powers of 10! We will also review multiplication by 1 and 2-digit numbers.  There will be a short quiz on Friday. 

Multiplication Facts: We will take our first recorded 2 minute timing on the squares (2x2, 3x3, etc.).  Next week will be the 2s! Most fifth graders should aim for completing 30 facts per minute. You can print your own worksheets from Math-drills.com, play online games (see Math Websites Tab above), or borrow some "Holey Cards" from Mrs. Hall. 



4th & 5th Graders
Reminder: This year the Math book contains the "Practice & Homework" pages within the student edition, so students should bring that book home each night along with their Red math folder and Red spiral (if we have taken notes in class). Also, this year's Math book has several new online components. Students have a sheet with login instructions in their Red Math Folders.  In addition to the Animated Math ModelsMega Math games, and the Student Edition ebook, new this year are:  "On the Spot Videos" for many of the lessons; an Interactive Student Edition Book which allows students to enter answers and immediately provide feedback; and, a Personal Math Trainer found at the end of each lesson in the Interactive Book.   


Math Help/Club Hours begin this week
After School (students need a "travel note")
4th Graders only: Tue. 2:20pm  - 3:15pm
5th Graders only:  Wed.  2:20pm - 3:15pm


SCIENCE 


Fourth Grade 

4th graders will be exploring mass and volume. They will use a balance and predict the approximate mass of objects in the classroom. They will also explore how mass and volume are different and learn what physical properties of matter are. They will learn what mixtures and solutions are. 

Fifth Grade 

5th graders have been given the project and rubric for making a diorama of the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere. Due date is 9-11-15

5th graders will be learning about the layers inside the earth, the core, mantle and crust. There will be a short quiz on Lesson 1 on Wednesday, 9-9-15.

We will begin Lesson 2 and investigate how the separate continents fit together as one Super Continent!! 

Reading, Spelling & Vocab Highlights
              
Reading:  Storytown Lesson 3:  Chang and the Bamboo Flute
               Genre: Historical Fiction
               Comprehension & Focus Skills: Rereading for Comprehension,
                     and Character Motives.
               Students should read the story 3 times, including once in class.
               Comprehension & Vocabulary Test on Friday.


Spelling: 
            Lesson 2 Handout page due on Thursday, September 10th.
            Spelling Menu Activity of ABC order, and optional 5 point Pretest are due
                 on Friday, September 11th.
            Test on Friday!   
                         
Vocabulary (Sadlier Blue Workbook):                      
           Unit 1 Test will be on Friday. 
           Due to the shortened week, nothing for Unit 2 will be due.
         
           See Link found in the Reading Websites Tab, and the Access Code found
                  inside student's workbooks to create a logon to practice vocabulary
                  words through a variety of games.   
         

Religion

This Tuesday's Mass is the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. We will be reading Romans 8: 28-30 and Matthew 1:18-23. In our text we will be discussing what we can do to be disciples of Jesus and have a brief overview of the church year.  We will also name and define the Seven Sacred Sacraments. Mrs. Lux's class will have a short quiz on Friday.
Social Studies & Language Arts
                     Click to see ---> Social Studies & Language Arts Blog 

Specials: Gym, LRC, Music, Spanish, Computers, Art


Other Fifth Grade News

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to email Mrs. Hall dhall@sjsdg.org, Mrs. Stillo at dstillo@sjsdg.org, or Mrs. Lux at mlux@sjsdg.org.