October Newsletter

Grade 5 – Room 20
October Newsletter
www.mrsshieldsblog.blogspot.com

It looks like Fall is finally upon us! Room 20 has become comfortable in our daily routines and have done a wonderful job working hard in the classroom. I have to thank my lucky “pumpkins” for such a great group of students!!

Language Arts:
We are continuing with our Center activities. The students are learning organizational skills as they are growing into great independent learners and workers as well as group leaders. We continue focusing on “Together is Better” with a variety of short stories, poems, and activities. We will discuss a variety of reading strategies during our Guided Reading activities. Students are also working on their Independent Reading skills practicing how to choose a Just Right book for them and reflecting on genres.
We have began to focus on the second trait of the 6+1 Writing Traits: Organization. During this trait we will practice how to organize paragraphs, research (expository writing), writing leads, and writing strong conclusions. Students have improved tremendously in one short month of writing practice! I am excited to see where our next trait takes us!!
We will continue to practice Spelling with 7 new words every six day cycle. We are currently working on Lesson 4.

Math:
Students just completed unit 1: Patterns and Equations. We will continue with unit 2: Whole Numbers. Within this unit, we will look at place value, expanded and standard forms of numbers, estimation, and problem solving.
Students have been asked to practice their multiplication tables. Learning their multiplication is very important for the entire Grade 5 math curriculum. Students should be able to identify their facts quickly. This will, in turn, make the new concepts easier for them to grasp. Please encourage your son/daughter to practice. I will be posting a variety of websites on the blog that will provide a variety of strategies to practice the multiplication tables.

Social:
We will continue with our Location unit throughout the month of October. Students will be identifying the 4 hemispheres, as well the locations of the continents and oceans. Direction and map reading skills will also be a focus during October.

Science (Mrs. Gale):
We will continue focusing on plants. Students have been assigned a plant project that will be due on October 26 th. Students will have time in class to do most of the project, with a few items or areas that may have to be completed at home.

Arts Ed (Mrs. Schentag):
The students have been busy exploring Music Genres, Musical Families, and the various instruments of the orchestra. We will continue in the Music strand by exploring the brass instruments and researching quintet, Canadian Brass.
Towards the end of October, we will begin work in the Drama strand. The unit is entitled The World of Clowns, where students will explore the skills of circus clowns and role-play a clown performance. I look forward to this humorous drama unit and will enjoy observing the student’s creativity.

Physical Education (Mr. Leidl):
The Grade 5’s will shift from sending/receiving skills to work on striking and movement pattern. Fitness planning, strength training, and flexibility skills are ongoing.

Health (Mr. Leidl):
Students will continue to work on strategies to improve their fitness and wellness. Students will begin to examine how nutrition plays an important part in the maintenance, growth, and development of the human body.

French (Mrs. Orosz):
Students have reviewed and extended known vocabulary and gestures, and are learning some more. We are beginning a new play called: L’Arbre Ungali.

I have divided the class into groups so we can share responsibility of preparing for class parties. Following the traditional costume parade we will be having a Halloween party on the afternoon of October 30. Please feel free to trade with someone if it suits you better.
Please see emailed newsletter for a list of the groups as I could not get the format to work on the blog. Thanks!

Mrs. K. Shields