Welcome to Fifth Grade
2014-2015
Comments and Questions
 Feel
free to ask anything along the way.
 I’d love to meet you after the PP. That
would be a good time to share with me
anything you think will help make your
child’s year the best it can be.
Communication needs to be open and
honest in the best interest of your child.
Communication
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The best way to contact me is through email. I check it before
school, during lunch, and after school.
Erin.Reynolds@lz95.org
Website: http://www.lz95.org/classes/room223_ereynolds/
To call me: 847-540-3464
My Voicemail: 847-540-5281
If you need immediate attention, please call the school office. 847438-2351
If there are concerns that I, or any other staff member have
concerning your child, you will be contacted right away.
I will be making frequent contact to update you specifically on your
child’s success and progress.
I will be sending home The Reynolds Reporter and updating the
class website two times a month.
Classroom Information
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Students may bring a healthy snack and a water
bottle to school each day.
 Birthdays will be recognized over the loud
speaker and in the classroom.
 All cell phones must be turned off during school
hours and must remain in backpacks during
school hours.
Classroom Management
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Our overall goal is for the children to be
responsible, respectful and safe.
 Students have created their own class rules to
follow this year.
 The entire grade will be doing the Fix-It plan.
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Students will be given two verbal warnings
Students will then be given a Fix-it plan
If the students do not fix the behavior, a parent
signature on the fix it plan will be required.
Two Fix-It sheets in one week will result in a phone
call or email home.
Homework
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All homework will be recorded in the assignment
book. Materials needed will be placed in the
expandable folder. This will go home and return
the following day.
 A punch on the H.O.T. ticket is also given each
day when the student brings in assignments,
assignment notebook, and expandable folder.
 Homework will be a part of their participation
grade and is still a requirement.
Homework Expectations
 Reading
–read at least 30 minutes every
night.
 Math – nightly assignments & study math
facts as needed
 Occasional word work, science, social
studies, and writing assignments
Expandable Folder
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The students will bring their Expandable Folder home
each night. This folder will contain any notes from the
office or me, and your child’s homework and classwork.
Please do not remove anything from this folder unless
the child confirms. We will periodically clean the folder
out to keep it organized.
Use this time as an opportunity to have a conversation
with your child about their work.
Friday Folder
 Every
Friday, your child will bring home
their Friday Folder, seperate from their
Expandable folder.
 This
Literacy
During this morning block, we will follow the workshop model for
literacy instruction. Components of a workshop model include read
alouds, direct instruction mini-lessons, small group instruction, time for
independent practice, writing about reading, conferring with the
teacher and time for collaborative conversations. Students will read
and work with a wide variety of authentic literature and trade books.
Reading Fundamentals is the series K-5 classrooms will use to guide
reading instruction. Each Unit of Study includes mentor texts, a variety
of leveled books for guided reading and independent reading, and a
selection of digital shared teaching resources that systematically
integrate reading skill/strategy instruction with the study of genre. For
more information visit www.schoolwide.com.
Reading
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Reader’s Workshop Model - Components include
guided small group reading, interactive read aloud,
shared reading, and independent reading. Schoolwide is
the district-wide curriculum we will be utilizing during our
Reading/Literacy Block
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5th Grade Genre Units – Fiction, Non-Fiction, and
Poetry.
Math
The implementation of the Illinois Common Core State Standards
brought shifts to math instruction.
 Greater focus on fewer topics
 Coherence: Linking topics and thinking across grades
 Rigor: Pursue conceptual understanding, procedural skills and
fluency, and application with equal intensity
For more information about the shifts to the Common Core, please visit:
http://www.corestandards.org/other-resources/key-shifts-inmathematics/
Math Continued
We will be using Stepping Stones by Origo to guide our
math instruction. Stepping Stones is an online teaching
resource that is fully aligned to the Common Core State
Standards. Students have print journals, but there will not
be a printed mathematics textbook. The focus of the
Stepping Stones series is an emphasis on conceptual
development of mathematics. You can expect your student
to have many hands-on experiences with manipulatives
and visual representations in addition to traditional
computation. Number sense and fact fluency will continue
to be emphasized.
For more information visit
www.origoeducation.com/steppingstones
Writing
The writing curriculum emphasizes the three writing genres
mentioned in the standards, informative/explanatory,
narrative, and opinion, as well as poetry and creative
writing. Write Source is the textbook series used to support
the writing curriculum in our elementary schools.
Resources for parents and guardians:
 For more information about the Common Core State Standards visit:
http://www.corestandards.org/
 To see resources compiled by the Illinois State Board of Education
visit: http://isbe.net/common_core
 To view resource guides created by the Illinois PTA for parents visit:
http://isbe.net/common_core/htmls/resources
Word Study/Phonics/ Spelling
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We will provide direct instruction of word study as it is
developmentally appropriate for our students and in the
context of literacy instruction. Word Study is based on
learning word patterns rather than memorizing words.
We will be learning and implementing the program,
Words Their Way to support a developmental approach
to word study. Full implementation of Words Their Way
will begin during the 2015-2016 school year.
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For more information visit
http://mypearsontraining.com/pdfs/TG_WT
W_WordStudy.pdf
Science
In Fifth grade we will study units on earth, life, and physical
science topics over the course of the school year. The
current text resource for science instruction is National
Geographic Science. The series offers a broad range of
print and digital resources as students engage in science
study and inquiry.
Social Studies
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Fifth grade students learn about the building of our
nation. A variety of textbook resources are used.
It will be integrated with reading and writing.
Students will practice research skills and note taking.
ASSESSMENTS
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Fountas and Pinell:
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Fall October 13th- November 13th
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Spring: April 2016
PARCC – Partnership of Assessment of Readiness
for College and Careers
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http://www.parcconline.org/
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Computer based test in Mathematics and
Language Arts/Reading
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April 4th – May 3rd
Map testing dates
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Fall: September 8th-23rd
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Spring: May 15th – 27th
Taft
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Our outdoor education takes place at Lorado
Taft Campus in Oregon Illinois on the NIU
owned campus. It’s a 3 day, 2 night learning
fun-filled extravaganza that is one of the
highlights of your child’s 5th grade year.
 Dates this year are February 22-24 (MTW)
 There will be in informative parent meeting in the
upcoming months. The cost is roughly $200.00.
We will be fundraising to offset that cost if
interested.
Human Growth and Reproduction
the spring of 5th grade, the science
curriculum includes a two week study on
human growth and reproduction.
 More on that as the time approaches.
 You may want to consider having “the talk”
sometime before May, 2016.
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Hallway Duties
 If
you did not sign up for a fall conference
in the hall, please do so before you leave,
and take a reminder slip.
 Room Parent volunteer sign up is in the
hall as well. Please consider helping out.
 Please take a minute to fill out the Tshirt
order form for your child, it is due
September 9th .
Growth Mindset
www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWv
1VdDeoRY
Thank you, and get ready for a
crazy fun year!