Fifth
Grade
Welcome!
Goals for fifth grade students
Students will respect the spirit of God
within themselves and others.
Students will continue to grow as
independent thinkers.
Students will grow as independent
learners.
Students will be responsible for planning
out their time.
Teaching Goals
» To give your child confidence to be an
independent thinker and an independent
learner.
» To provide a safe, fun, dynamic learning
environment.
» To stimulate your child academically and give
your child a thirst for knowledge.
» To ensure your child has the necessary skills
for middle school transition.
» To help your child grow spiritually,
academically, socially, and emotionally.
» To ensure your child knows his or her
strengths.
» To prepare your child to be a global citizen.
Class Subjects
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Reading
Writing and Grammar
Math
Social Studies
Word Study and Vocabulary
Reading
The students will continue to master the following
reading strategies and skills.
To summarize
To predict and infer
To monitor and clarify
To question
To compare and contrast
To evaluate
To make connections
These goals will be
achieved by using the
following activities
Home Reading Response
Assignments
Reading groups with novel studies
Book projects/activities
Small/large group discussions
Journal responses (Reader Response
Menu)
What is required at home for
reading?
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Every two months the class will be reading and studying different genres in
class. I’m asking your children to pick books within that genre to read at
home.
I will send home a list of suggested books; however, they may choose any
books that fit the genre and are an appropriate reading level.
We will be having a Book Award bulletin board in class where they will vote for
various categories based on the novels they read at home and in school.
Every Tuesday night they will be asked to bring home their reading journal and
answer a question on the book they are reading at home from the Reader
Response Menu.
Reader Response Menu - Appetizers are questions to answer if they are at the
beginning of their book. Entrees are questions for the middle of the book.
Desserts are questions for the end of the book.
Each entry should be added to their Table of Contents, dated, have an
appropriate title, and follow our guidelines for a good paragraph.
I am looking for them to fully develop their thinking using examples from the
book to support their answers.
Writing
Students will be exposed to many
different forms of writing.
• Students will be focusing on the 6+1
traits of writing.
Organization
Ideas and Content
Sentence Fluency
Voice
Word Choice
Conventions
+ Presentation
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Social Studies
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Topics Covered this Year
Revolutionary War
Forming a New Government
 Westward Expansion
 Civil War/Gettysburg
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We will utilize research and map skills.
● Our two big projects that will completed at
home are the Revolutionary War Board Game
and the Civil War Alphabet Book.
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Word Study and
Vocabulary
These subjects will be taught on
alternate weeks.
• We will discuss the words and
definitions on Monday
• Homework must be done each
night for review and to prepare for
the next day’s lesson
• Tests will be on Friday
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Texts used will be Words Our Way and
WordlyWise
Words Our Way
 Individualized to your child.
 Focus is on word parts, patterns, and manipulating words.
 Teaches them the rules they can use to be more efficient
spellers
 Teaches them why words behave the way they do
At Home
 Word Study notebooks should go home and come back to school
every day
 Sorting the words at home is very important
 The words are to be kept in the baggie stapled to their notebook
 Each homework assignment should have a title, a date, and be
neatly organized and written. Rulers are our friends:)
Math
• Two Groups
• Group 1: Houghton Mifflin Curriculum.
• ･Unit 1: Multiplication and Division Word Problems
• ･Unit 2: Perimeter and Area
• ･Unit 3: Addition and Subtraction of Decimals
• ･Unit 4: Circles, Polygons, Angles
• ･Unit 5: Addition and Subtraction with Fractions
• ･Unit 6: Multiplication and Division with Decimals
• Unit 7:Algebra, Functions, and Coordinate Graphing
Math
• Group 2: Scott Foresman Curriculum.
• ･Unit 1: Numeration
• ･Unit 2: Variables, Expressions, and Properties
• ･Unit 3: Operations with Decimals
• ･Unit 4: Solving Equations
• ･Unit 5: Number and Fraction Concepts
• ･Unit 6: Decimals, Fractions, and Mixed Numbers
• ･Unit 7: Adding and Subtracting Fractions and Mixed Numbers
Homework
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Each night your child will have
Word Study or Wordly Wise
25 minutes reading
Math worksheet
Reading Log question based on novel
being read at home on Tuesday nights
One additional assignment may include
other subject areas
Not including the reading minutes,
homework should take no longer 50
minutes
Responsive Classroom
• What will your child see during the day?
• Greetings, closing circle, modeling, quiet time
• Focus is on getting the children to be active
thinkers and take control of their learning
• We have begun the year focusing on
the establishment of routines both in the
classroom and in the school.
• https://www.responsiveclassroom.org
Other Class Information
Thursday folders
Planners - monthly calendar and Signs &
Symbols
SJWC (St. John’s Writer’s College)
Math Club
Young Einsteins
Volunteers
 Room Parent
 Memory Book Parent (only takes
pictures)
 Scholastic Parent
 Copy Parent
 Materials Prep Parent
Important Upcoming Dates
10/9/13 at 6:30 pm in ASH - Where do
we go from here?
10/22/13 at 6:30 pm in Mrs. Benzing’s
room - 5th Grade Parent Meeting
(Family Life/Echo Hill)
Where do we go from
here?
For parents of children in grades 3-5
Meeting date 10/9/13 (6:30pm)
We will be discussing school applications, how to select a school,
and the ISEE (Independent Schools Entrance Examination) test.
 Visit www.erbtest.org for more ISEE
information
ISEE and School Applications
• Look around at schools now
• Open House List on AIMS (also see handout)
• Check with school when applications need to
be turned in (often in November).
• ISEE test - best to take after Christmas as
your child will know more http://erblearn.org/parents/admission/isee
• Recommendations - please submit
recommendation forms as early as possible.
Questions?
Contact me:
sbenzing@stjohnspds.org