Math: We are now working on Chapter 6, which focuses on adding and subtracting fractions with unlike denominators. We will complete lessons 6.4-6.7 this week. We will take the Mid-Chapter Checkpoint quiz on Wednesday, covering lessons 6.1-6.5. Go Math Animated Math Models are now available for extra help under the "Go Math Resources" tab. There will be one page of homework assigned nightly in addition to any work not completed during class. Some assignments will also be available on the Think Central website. For user name and password questions, contact Mrs. Brannock at [email protected].
Language Arts Centers: Students are now working on literacy centers. Students will work in these centers in their reading groups. They cover a variety of language arts skills. This week we will be working on the following: capitalization, simple and compound sentences, verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and irregular verbs. Students will be expected to turn in their work for each center and they will be graded.
Reading groups: I have revised reading groups. Each group will be reading a novel and working on various common core reading skills. The novels we will be reading are: My Life as a Fifth-Grade Comedian, Radio Fifth Grade, The Tiger Rising, and Misty of Chincoteague.
Reading homework: There will be one page of reading homework assigned nightly. This week we will be focusing on determining the theme of a story from details in the text, including how characters in a story respond to challenges; summarizing the text.
Reading Skill Practice: We will be working a variety of reading skills. Students will read a short passage and then answer questions about the passage. We will be taking periodic comprehension tests on the reading passages. I will also be testing students on reading fluency. This week we will be focusing on using the relationship between particular words to better understand each of the words.
Spelling and Grammar: We will be working to spell grade-appropriate words correctly. Students will complete a packet practicing the week's spelling and grammar skills in class. They may take it home to study as well. Students will take a test on Friday over the week's spelling words as well as the grammar skill. This week we will be working on words with Long o, i, and a and capitalizing specific names of people, places, and things. The spelling words are: approach, noble, spoken, obey, throat, smiling, they've, knight, tomorrow, program, apply, variety.
Social Studies: We have started a unit on the American Revolution. We will begin working on a author study of Jean Fritz. Students will be working in groups to read a short nonfiction book by Jean Fritz. Each group will be reading a different book about a revolutionary figure. Students will then present information about their book to the rest of the class.
Science: We will be watching the movie Finding Nemo as a culminating activity to our fish unit. Students must have a signed permission slip in order to watch the movie.
Writing and Grammar: Each day students will complete a writing warm-up which will cover many writing and grammar skills. This week, our focus will be on demonstrating command of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and . Students will also write a quickwrite each day on a given prompt. Students should be writing at least a paragraph each day.