Fifth Grade Newsletter
From: Miss Bane and Miss Dellano
Upcoming Events and Reminders
Date: October 4, 2013
Staff Pages
Check out our webpage to find updated information. Go to
the Lafayette School website and click on Staff Pages.
Specials Schedule
Monday- Spanish/Character
Thank you for placing online
orders for Scholastic Books!
We earn a free book for our
classroom library with every
order.
Buehler Field Trip is scheduled
for Tuesday, October 8th.
Tuesday- Buehler Field Trip
Wednesday- Spanish/Academic Flex
Thursday- Bane- Art
Dellano-Music
Both-PE
Friday- Spanish/Academic Flex
Great Sites for Researching:
Follett Destiny
http://destiny.chatham-nj.org/?
1564Nav=|&NodeID=2967
This link can be found on our homepage
Then choose Webpath Express
No sign in required
Nettreker
Great site for research.
http://school.nettrekker.com
User name: laf
password: 12345
Roller Skating party
is on October 9th.
Please encourage
your child to wear a
helmet! No
homework will be
given on this night.
Language Arts News
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
Skills of the Week: Story structure/plot, character traits
Students learned about story elements and the structure of a story. Students
were able to identify these elements in various stories read in class. Students
read a story called The Wise Old Woman and identified the setting, characters,
rising action, problem, antagonist, protagonist, climax, falling action, and theme or
message in the story. Students also learned sign language and used symbols to
identify these story elements in each story. In addition, students made
predictions for a story entitled, Miss Alaineus by taking a book walk. The students
listened to Miss Alaineus read aloud and then engaged in a discussion about the
character’s personality and traits. The students created a character trait hand
chart to identify the character traits of the main character, Sage and used
evidence from the text to support each character trait.
Students learned a new strategy for generating ideas for personal narratives.
Students thought of a place that matters to them and listed small moments that
occurred in one of those places. Students wrote stories of a time in their special
place. The students learned to use descriptive adjectives and create mind pictures
in order to make their narratives more powerful. We discussed that the secret to
writing powerful narratives is to experience the story so that readers can
experience it too.
Writing Technique of the Week to Raise the Level of Narrative Writing:
 Dream the dream of the story and then write in a way that allows readers to
experience the moment along with you.
Science News
We are getting ready to blast off to Buehler and have done a lot of interesting and informative
prep. Students learned about the work that they will be doing at Buehler and used that
information to apply for the jobs that they were interested in. Also, this week we learned how
to read task cards and created our own airplanes to launch. We learned about comets and
meteors and finally, we created our own spectroscopes which students will be coming home
with today!
Math News
Topic 2 is now under our belts in math. The students worked hard rounding whole numbers
and decimals, as well as reviewing whole number addition and subtraction. During our review
of addition, we also recalled the addition properties. Next week, we will be moving into
multiplication. We will be working on math facts in class, so please try to work on them at
home, as well! Remember, there is a link to multiplication wheels and to multiplication
computer games on my website! 
Social Studies News
Unit2: American Indians and Their Land
Overview
Students learn why the first Americans migrated to North America and how they
adapted to the environments there. Students relate their experiences in adapting to a
new place and reenact such a move.
In a Visual Discovery activity, students use maps and photographs to trace migration
routes of the first Americans and summarize how they adapted to different
environments. This week, the students created summaries for each section using
important key words.
Students do an act-it-out activity on adaptations made by the Inuits in the Arctic. This
week, the students studied a picture and created answers to interview questions. Each
group was interviewed about how they have adapted in their environment.
Lastly, students study the way the Sioux recorded their history and how geography
affected events in their lives. Lastly, students apply their knowledge by creating
illustrated vocabulary charts.