F E B R U A R Y
2 0 1 6
the
Buchan Bronco’s News
Science
Highlights
Our experiment to understand
the different ways food nutrients
move through a plant was a
great success. Although this
simple, long-standing “Celery
Experiment” is a widely used
one of teachers, it continues to
be a fast and dependable way to
show the amazement of vascular
plants.
We also used this experiment
to help us review the Scientific
Method and the Lab writing
process. The more we can write
across content areas, the better!
We will be working to clear up a
few Science Lab Report writing
details and future Science
teachers will be very proud of
this process knowledge!
Spring is
Around the Corner
Although I am sure you enjoyed the extra time with your
children (as I did with my son), it sure is nice to think ahead to
consistent weeks of learning and outdoor activities again.
Over the past few weeks, we introduced our short Social
Studies research/persuasive project and our Argumentative
Writing piece.
This week we will close out our study of Living Things as
well as Fractions. Continue to read your child’s agenda nightly
and discuss our activities using your child’s binder as a guide.
Save the Date!
The National
Aquarium &
Fort McHenry
April 11, 2016
Top five best aquariums
in the United States and
historic War of 1812
Fort.
Ford’s
Theater
May 20, 2016
A celebration of our
shared reading book, this
trip will surely spark
more visits to the
historic sites that
surround us.
FEBRUARY 2016
Science
We are studying some of the last topics of our Living
Things unit. Our next unit, Earth Changes is a student
favorite.
Science Fair
Social Studies
Students will receive a packet regarding the Science
Fair before Spring Break. This is a long-term project.
Students will be working on it until June 2nd when it is
due. Some work will be done in school, but be aware that
students will have to complete most of the work at home
in order to stay on track with the deadlines. We will go
through a topic review and approval process before
Spring Break.
Students are to conduct their experiment at home and
take pictures. The fifth grade teachers suggest that your
child completes the experiment over Spring Break.
However, some experiments are more of a long-term
type and should be started as soon as the instruction
packet is received.
Students will receive continued guidance from me in
school each week, but this is an INDEPENDENT project.
Our consistent work with the Scientific Method and
writing Lab Reports will surely “pay off” for us. This
project gives us the chance to show what we know and
how we can apply what we have learned regarding
critical thought, writing with details, organization and the
overall academic process of critical thought and analysis.
Our study of the Northeast Region is well underway. Our
persuasive, research based mini-project is guiding our
studies. This is an individual project with time given in
school, but assigned as homework too. We are now on
week three of the assignment. We again will learn the
facets of this region through video tours and guided
reading activities.
I am extra excited about this project
because research is so important for students of this age
with which to be engaged. Future academic and general
life success is marked by skills such as these.
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FEBRUARY 2016
Math
We are finishing our study of Fractions and will move right into Variables.
Then, we move on to
Probability, Mean, Medium, Mode and Range. These topics are the building blocks of Algebra, a required
high school course for graduation.
Our fifth grade teaching team is amazing and teaching Math is one of
our strongest points. Daily we complete “bell-ringers” to exercise our minds and help us reinforce skills
already learned, we review our homework for correctness to anchor learning and engage in challenging
and interesting lessons that always include direct teaching, small group reinforcement and peer practice
activities. I am pleased to share that our computation errors continue to lesson as we realize that taking
our time to work with diligence and review each step of our work with new eyes works!
Math Tips for Success
Each week work to:
1. Verbally practice Multiplication Facts.
2. Log-on and complete DremBox lessons 3-4 times
per week.
3. Have your child teach you what they learned
each day during Math class.
4. Race your child to complete the Math practice
problems that I do not assign as homework or
those assigned as homework.
5. Write a list of the Math skills known and have a
special dinner celebration!
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FEBRUARY 2016
Language Arts
Grammar
We are working with building the use of Plurals properly and how to include Prepositional Phrases
as modifiers in our sentences. We will be moving into Double Negatives, Hyphens, Conjunctions
and Interjections. A reminder, each time we complete a lesson (1-3 days) we have a summative
assessment. It is imperative that Grammar homework is complete for the practice needed.
Grammar skills lead to better writing pieces. Grammar skills help students build better sentences
and to organize details with more certainty and clarity to the reader.
Writing
Our students took to the challenge of writing an
Argumentative/Persuasive essay very well. This
curricular piece had challenged us to again follow
a procedural writing structure, but more so to take
a position on a topic of personal interest and
develop their claims with vivid language, that
Reading
powerfully make others consider their position.
We are reviewing Point of View and will move into
We are working through the development of the
more practice with Summarizing. We have been
essay’s body that must include information that
creating short Summaries of each chapter we read
states the “other side” of their position. Please
in our shared reading book, “Chasing Lincoln’s
support your child as he or she researches to
Killer.” Currently, we are on Chapter 4 of Chasing
develop his or her claims. We will finish this piece
Lincoln’s Killer. Students continue to eagerly read
by mid-March or sooner.
aloud and ask me when it is next their turn to read
 We are working on Inference, Couse and Effect,
Predictions, Fact & Opinion as well as Author’s
Style and Purpose as we read. The questions that
we work through as a group and for homework
help support our class discussions and we each
benefit in numerous academic and personal ways
by being able to answer these questions and
defend our answers.
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FEBRUARY 2016
Supports of Our Learning
DARE
Officer
Swoop
has
BYOT
discussed
We continue to experience an increased need
to have electronic devices at school. The
following is a list of our daily uses:
Peer
Pressure a great deal – there is “good” and
“bad” peer pressure. Being able to recognize
1. Research – our essays and Social Studies
research activities
2. DreamBox
3. Newsela
4. Class discussion support
5. Sustained Silent Reading - SSR
the good from the bad is a key life skill.
This week the students will engage in roleplaying,
demonstrating
making
the
right
choices when presented with a peer pressure
Our current school and class procedures for
BYOT are as follows:
situation.
1. No cell phones or iPods as school work
devices are permitted (county policy – I
tried to allow these, however it is not
working out).
2. Students’ account for their electronic
device each day by completing a “sign-in
and sign-out sheet.”
3. Students use electronics at times
permitted by the teacher.
4. Electronic devices are not permitted
inside desks.
Morning Work
Our morning work continues to be a
combination of Grammar Review as well as
Math, Science, Language Arts, Reading
comprehension, and Writing review and
practice. We review all of our morning work
for completeness and correctness.
These
As we know, resisting texting or looking at
our electronic devices for entertainment is very
tough. We have been struggling with this. To
avoid the urge to text a friend or look at pictures
and such things online, we now house our
devices on my desk and collect them for use
each time we need them through the day. So
far this approach is working well. As we work
towards developing effective use of technology
in class, I appreciate your support and
understanding.
That said, please do not hesitate to allow
your child to bring in and use an electronic
device. We need to develop effective use skills
for technology in education and not avoid its
powerful existence and equality powerful place
in the classroom.
exercises are very helpful for maintaining skill
level or clearly up any remaining issues of
understanding.
We already agree that we
have the SOL beat, so this is our way of
making sure we stay in the mindset. Please
take a look at our Morning Work in your
child’s binder.
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