Fifth Grade Newsletter
From: Miss Bane, Miss Dellano, Mrs. McCullough
Upcoming Events and Reminders
Date: April 4, 2014
Staff Pages
Check out our webpage to find updated information. Go to
the Lafayette School website and click on Staff Pages.

Yearbook Orders are due by
Friday, April 11th. Students
will not be able to order a
yearbook after this date.

Permission Slips for Edmodo
are due by Monday, April 7th.

Extra help for Miss Dellano
will be offered on Tuesday at
8:15. We will target RAFT
(answering open-ended
questions). If your child
would like to participate in
extra help, they should get a
morning pass from Miss
Dellano on Monday.
Specials Schedule
Monday – (F)
 Dellano-Music/PE
Bane-Art/DARE
Tuesday (A)
 Spanish/Academic Flex
Wednesday (B)
 LMC/PE/Applied Music
Thursday – (C)
 Spanish/Character
Friday – (D)
 Dellano-DARE/Art Bane-PE/Music
SCHOLASTIC BOOK ORDERS:
How do I order books online?
1. Click on the link:
https://orders.scholastic.com/JG7JH
2. Type in the activation code:JG7JH
Activation Code: JG7JH
Language Arts News
HW for next week:



Book Club Reading
Green, Blue, Red Response
Record Wondrous Words/Edmodo responses
Students compared and contrasted the similarities and differences of two nonfiction
texts- “Polar Bears in Peril” and “The Price of Ivory”. Students conducted a careful
analysis of the two concepts in order to discover key attributes, similarities, and
differences. The students worked in partnerships to answer a RAFT response. The
open-ended response included evidence from the text to support the
similarities/differences between the challenges these animals are facing and how
organizations are helping these animals. The students synthesized their learning by
creating a product that summarized and integrated what they learned through their
comparison. They had the option of writing a persuasive letter or writing a narrative
nonfiction story. A narrative nonfiction story is a fiction story which includes
characters, problem, and solution, but incorporates real facts from the nonfiction article
in order to tell their story.
Students worked with partners to create thick questions after reading an informational
article called “The Ivory War.” Students created a Question/Answer booklet for “The
Ivory War”, and answered each other’s questions using evidence from the text to support
their answer. Students participated in Text Talk Time to discuss new and interesting
facts that they didn’t learn from the other article “The Price of Ivory.”
Lastly, students began to learn test-taking strategies for answering multiple choice
questions. Students reviewed 3 steps to help them when taking the NJ Ask.
1. Read/Preview the questions before reading the text to set a purpose for
reading.
2. Read the text twice. Use close reading strategies learned in class to
comprehend the text.
3. Be a good lawyer! Locate the answer/evidence in the text before circling or
writing the answer. Underline the answer in the text and write the question
number beside it.
Science News
This week in science, we began a new unit. We are now working on Ecosystems. The students
discussed what makes up an ecosystem, then they did some research on different types of
biomes. Yesterday, we enjoyed the nice weather and researched an ecosystem that they
created by throwing a piece of string on the ground! They were asked to identify all living and
non-living things within their ecosystem. At the end of the week, we discussed the next
project we will be working on…Survivor Geofest!
Math News
We have finished our unit on volume and are now moving on to measurement. We will be
working on units of customary measurement, as well as units of metric measurement. We are
also working on converting units of measurement.
Social Studies News
Ch. 11 To Declare Independence or Not
Students have been learning about six prominent colonists, who are either Loyalists or
Patriots, and record these leaders’ viewpoints about American independence.
Preview

Student’s examine the role of government in their lives and identify Patriot and
Loyalist views about Great Britain’s rule of the colonies.
Visual Discovery

Student groups represent the six historical figures in a panel debate between
Loyalists and Patriots.
Reading Further

students practice presenting part of Patrick’s Henry’s most famous speech and
create their own Patriot and Loyalist rallying cries
Processing activity

Student’s write letters supporting and disputing the views of Patriots and
Loyalists.