March Newsletter

Hopefully the lucky Leprechaun will bring us some nice, spring weather very soon! The month of March is very busy for Room 20! As the end of the year starts approaching we have many things to get through. Here is a review of the month...


Language Arts

Students will continue Guided Reading through the use of Centers. Students continue to do a wonderful job in their small groups and are working hard to complete the individual stories.

Each of the students have been a sign in name and password for Raz-Kids. Raz-Kids is an online reading program that tracks each individual student. Students will be receiving a mark based on the results of this program. Each student has a folder of books assigned to their name. Each of these books has comprehension questions based on the story read. I encourage students to work with Raz-Kids at home, as well at school. The Web site can be accessed through my blog.

Spelling lessons will continue as we have all year. Please remind your son/daughter to practice their spelling words.

We are starting to focus on Word Choice in our writing program. Within this trait students learn how to find “exciting” words for the more common words they use in their writing. We use many sources to find these new words that make writing fun. I am very proud of the improvements the students have made in writing! Keep up the great work!!

Independent Reading

We are refreshed and ready to work after our week off. This month our focus is on visualizing as we read. Visualizing as we read is one of life’s great pleasures. It transports us to another time and place or even into another being. It is what brings us back to reading when we stray into other pastimes. What can be a better vacation from reality than escaping into the movies in your mind? In addition to motivating us to read, visualizing plays another important role: If we do it well, it helps us to more fully comprehend text. We visualize what is important to us and remember what we visualize. If we want our students to get the most out of what they read, then we must teach them how to do this, and to do this well.

Math

We are wrapping up our Measurement unit with a unit test on Thursday. Look for the test review on Tuesday.

Our next unit, Fractions and Decimals, will focus on comparing and ordering fractions, equivalent fractions/decimals, adding/subtracting decimals, and problem solving.

Students will also be preparing for the Saskatchewan AFL (Assessment for Learning) that is coming up in April. This assessment is given by the government and assesses the students on the entire year of Grade 5 Math.
Science

Students will be continuing with the unit Forces and Simple Machines. Students are in the midst of designing a bridge that will withstand a wind test and a weight test. We will also look at push and pull factors, along with designing an Egg Protector! Gears and simple machines will also be a focus of the remainder of this unit.
Social

We will also be continuing with our current unit, Canada's Influences, throughout the month of March. We are currently discussing a variety of explorers that have impacted Canada. During the month of March, we will focus much of our time on Acadia and New France.

French – Mrs. Orosz

Students will engage in activities on the SmartBoard, based on the story “L’Arbre Ungali.” Along with vocabulary review, they will do related written activities, drawings, and games. The class will participate in re-telling the story with different words.

Health/Physical Education – Mr. Leidl

Students will review their wellness plans designed at the beginning of the school year and to begin revising for the final term of the year. Focus will be on written goal setting, action plans and initiative. The HIV/AIDS unit will also be completed by the end of the month.
Run, jump, and throw will be the physical education emphasis for the month of March as students prepare for the GSSD Elementary Standards Track and Field Meet scheduled for the 4th of April in Yorkton.
Art – Mrs. Schentag

Students have completed the Visual Art unit demonstrating some wonderful creativity with their "Me" boxes. We will now begin a Dance Unit, entitled, Surprise Endings. Students will learn about the Elements of Dance and apply this knowledge to their dance creations. They will also create storyboards with a surprise ending and then tell their stories using movement and dance. As well, students will analyze the dance elements viewed in dance videos and peer performances and interpret stories being told through dance. I look forward to another fun-filled movement experience with the Grade 5's.