Mrs. Roberts
5th Grade
773-7421
sroberts@wanee.org
swolfe@wanee.org
HOMEWORK: I believe that homework is necessary for practicing skills that have been learned or for
enriching the classroom experience. There are times when students are given class time to start their homework
assignments. Therefore, homework may depend on student’s use of time at school. High performance students
take books home regularly. Homework should take an average of 30 minutes an evening or less. Homework
completion grades are based on 100% for homework completed on time or 0% for homework not completed on
time. On the evening before tests, quizzes, or projects the homework time may increase. If you feel your child is
consistently spending more then 30 minutes a night on homework, please contact me, and we will discuss the
possible reasons for this. Final grades are based on test average, quiz average, and homework completion
average. I suggest that you have your child bring home his/her homework folder & assignment notebook daily.
Go over the assignment notebook with your child and discuss the assignments from the day. Ask your child
what skill was covered in each of the subject areas. Have him/her reteach you the skills. Having to teach
someone else is a great way to reinforce learning.
RESPONSIBILITY: Students are responsible for their daily assignments, for keeping track of their own
things, for checking their papers correctly, for correcting their mistakes as we grade in class, for asking
questions when they need help, for their behavior, and for following school rules. All assignments should be
completed on time. Most assignments are due the following day unless I have stated otherwise. Students are
responsible for writing down their daily assignments in their “Daily Assignment Notebooks.”
ASSIGNMENT NOTEBOOKS: Students will each receive an assignment notebook to write down their
daily assignments. I will write down the assignments daily on the dry erase board, and students are responsible
for copying the assignments in their notebooks. There will be times when I will be asking students to get parent
signatures in their assignment notebooks. The notebooks will be checked periodically. Writing down
assignments will help prepare the students for NWMS where they are required to keep an assignment notebook.
HOMEWORK FOLDERS: All 5th grade students will be provided with a homework folder to help with
the organization of papers that need to be completed and papers that need to be taken home and left there.
Students are responsible for having their homework folder in class daily.
WEEKLY NEWSLETTERS: I will be sending home or emailing weekly newsletters on most Mondays.
If you do not have an email address on file with the school, please check with your child on Monday evenings
to see if there is a newsletter. Tests, quizzes, and news will be listed for the week.
ATTENDANCE: It is important that your child be at school every day unless he / she is sick. If work is
missed due to absence, the work will be made up at home. Please be sure to call the school in the morning if
your child is going to be absent that day. If your child will be missing more than one day, please make
arrangements to pick up his/ her assignments after school. Students are responsible for completing the missed
work and turning it in to me. For each day your child is absent, that is how many days he/she has to complete
the work. For example if your child is absent two days, then he/she has two day to complete it and turn it in.
.
MEDICATIONS: If it is necessary for your child to take medicine during the school day, it needs to be
labeled and brought to school by a parent/guardian. The school nurse will administer the medication. Let us
know if your child is allergic to any foods because we have treats occasionally.
ISTEP Test:
ISTEP is now given in two parts. At the end of February/beginning of March, the Applied Skills
(written portion) will be given in Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies. At the end of April, the multiple
choice test will be given, and the students will take this test on the computers. Please try not to schedule
appointments during school hours during ISTEP testing, if possible.
EXTRAS:
Bible: (End of September – March)
Music: two 30 minute periods each week
Art: One hour/once a week for the first trimester
P.E.: one 35 minute period each week
Computer Lab: 30-minute session per week. We will be reinforcing keyboarding skills, working in
Study Island, as well as working in Microsoft Office.
Study Trips: The Safety Field Trip (Students and Teachers) is Thursday, September 10, Elkhart
County Courthouse and Jail, Friday, October 2, Swiss Valley Ski Trip, Thursday, January 7, and a
play and dinner at Amish Acres (date to be determined). We will also be working on a community
project. In the past couple of years we have packed meals for “Feed My Starving Children.” I believe
that Feed My Starving Children will take place in April.
**Parents are invited and encouraged to join us!**
Subject Areas
GRADING SCALE
90 - 100% = A
80 - 89% = B
70 - 79% = C
60 - 69% = D
59 - Below = F
MATH: Students will be given an assignment on most days. All assignments will be graded the next day in
class. Students are responsible for asking questions about the problems that they have missed on each
assignment. I give them the opportunity to ask questions daily after going over the answers to the problem set
homework. A test will be given after each 5 lessons. Final grades are based on the tests (75%) and homework
completion on time (25%). Timed tests will be given daily.
SCIENCE / HEALTH: We read and discuss most lessons in class. At times assignments will be given for
the lessons. Quizzes over previous lessons may be expected. Chapter tests will be given and students will need
to keep and use their study guides to help them prepare for the tests and quizzes. During one of the grading
periods, students will be responsible for presenting a science experiment for the class.
***Grades will be based on test (50%), homework completion on time (25%), and quizzes (25%).
SOCIAL STUDIES: In 5th grade we study the geography and history of the United States. There is a lot of
material to be learned. The 5th grade ISTEP Test includes social studies. Students will be studying map skills as
well as the U.S. history and will be taking map quizzes over the 50 states and capitals. We will be writing state
research reports and doing other projects for our annual STATE FAIR. The STATE FAIR projects and report
will be during the last trimester.
We are beginning with map skills (including regions of the United States) and the economic system of
the U.S. Our Economic Study will help prepare students for the mini-economy program we will begin in our
classroom.
Other Indiana 5th grade social studies standards include ancient civilizations, European explorers,
America’s first settlements, Colonial times, and the people and causes of the Revolutionary War.
Homework completion = 25% of final grade,
grade
quizzes = 25% of final grade, and
tests = 50% of final
Mini-Economy
The students will have classroom jobs and get paid Bulldog Bucks for their work. The students
will be receiving a list of job descriptions, and every student will apply for a job. After each
student is hired for a job, he/she is expected to perform that job and will receive a paycheck
every other week. He/she will eventually have a savings account to keep track of deposits, and
withdrawals. Students will also have expenses: rental of desk/chair, utility costs, and taxes.
A “store” will be opened periodically for students to spend some of their money. They may
also use their money to “buy” privileges: homework passes, video and popcorn treat, eating
with a friend or teacher, etc.
Students may also be fined for behavior issues, not coming to class prepared, not following the
rules, etc. I will be giving them a list of fines in the upcoming weeks. I will also be sending
home more information about the mini-economy program in the future.
We will also have market days where the students may create their own businesses and apply
for business permits. Market Days will most likely be held every other month and usually take
place Fridays. Market Days give the students the opportunity to spend some of their money and
or make more money from their business. Tentative Market Day Dates are set for: Fridays,
October 30, December 11, February 19, and a combined Market Day with Wakarusa 5 th grade
April 15. There is a possibility that the first three Market Days might have “themed
businesses.” We are trying to promote creative thinking.
Economics is a fifth grade standard. We have many economic terms to learn before we start
with our incomes, expenses, and spending.