A Note from 5th Grade January 22, 2016 Reading This week we continued our fiction unit by identifying story elements in Fairy Tales and Tall Tales. Next week we will zoom in on the elements of conflict and character through our interactive reading lessons and mentor texts. During intervention block, students will continue to read Bridge to Terabithia and practice silent reading, reading dialect and fluency through the use of Reader’s theater. Students will write responses to their nightly silent reading novels and turn in a response each week for a grade. Math 5th graders are beginning Module 6, subtracting fractions with like and unlike denominators. Mrs. Kuczek’s class has started the second part of Module 6, converting measurement. All 5th graders are working individually with hands on equations. They are really beginning to understand algebraic thinking! . Social Emotional Our next Social Emotional Unit will teach students to be assertive. Topics include; dealing with teasing and bullying, dealing with peer pressure, handling issues with friends and family, asking for what they need and standing up to injustice. Social Studies In Social Studies, 5th graders will begin lesson 12 during the first week on February. This chapter is about changes in the U.S. from 1829-1848 and includes Andrew Jackson’s term as president, The American Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears. Students will learn about The Industrial Revolution in correlation with propaganda techniques and complete an in class poster project. The final lesson focuses on the struggle for reform in our country. Science Next week students will go back to court….Science court that is! In this case, Ms Swindell claims to have a secret formula to rid the body of excess gravity so you can weigh less! Ms. Swindell claims her secret formula has been tampered with and brings a lawsuit to court. Was the formula sabotaged or is it impossible for such a formula to exist? That is the question for the jury to decide through hands on experiments. A test over Newton’s Laws will be February 3rd. We will be giving the students specific Bananapolis information on February 5 th so they can begin to design their Banana mobiles! Language Arts We will work on Words Their Way this week and next.