October 2015 Update

October 2015 Update

Important Dates

Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015: EDM Unit 2 Test, Whole Number Place Value and Operations
Wednesday, Nov. 4, 2015: Social Studies Chapter 4 Quiz.
Friday, Nov. 6, 2015: Science Quiz for Energy

Calendar Events

Friday, Oct. 30, 2015: The Creepy Class with Scary Scribers activity 2:00 PM- 2:55 PM
Monday, Nov. 2, 2015: No School, Report Writing Day.
Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2015: No School, Professional Development and Election Day
Thursday, Nov. 5, 2015: Picture Retake and Group Candid Photos
Wednesday, Nov. 11- 13, 2015: Fifth Grade Camp, Howell Nature Center
Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2015: Report Letter are sent home. Sign envelope and return empty
Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2015: No School, Thanksgiving Break
Thursday, Nov. 26, 2015: No School, Thanksgiving Break
Friday, Nov. 27, 2015: No School, Thanksgiving Break

Subjects at a Glance

Math (Everyday Math): We are progressing through Unit 2. This unit involves Standard/ Traditional Multiplication  and partial products algorithm. Most students in the class were unfamiliar with traditional multiplication; however, the class soon learned that traditional algorithm works best when solving 3 digit by 2 digit and 3 digit by 3 digit. This unit also includes exponential notation, traditional and partial quotient division algorithm, and interpreting the remainders.

As you have noticed there are several changes to the Everyday Math Curriculum: each unit has a two-day open response problem during the unit and for the assessment. Students are more engaged in the word problems/ story problems.

Writing: The class is learning and reviewing how to write a personal narrative. Most students have completed their first personal narrative and beginning their second personal narrative. Below are a list of the criteria for a personal narrative as a Puma Thinker:
Has all indented complete paragraphs
Has a beginning, middle and ending
has a lead which establishes the purpose
varies the sentence beginnings and lengths
shows details and does not tell (vivid word choice)
detailed setting
formatted dialogue with punctuation and correct lines
inner monologue
spells most words correctly
Has an ending that connects to the lead and ends with a bang

Poetry: Students have learned how to recognize stanzas, rhyming poems, concrete (shape) and repetition.

Social Studies: We have completed Chapter 1, Geography terms with a quiz.  In Chapter 2, Native American Environments, students completed their project dioramas or diagram pictures. Chapter 3, Native American Regions, explained how climate and place determined how Native Americans adapted to their environment. The quiz involved reading a short passage and matching the name of the environment. Students highlighted key words.  Also, students compared and contrasted 2 regions with examples. Chapter 4, Why Europeans left for the New World. This chapter will cover the following:

• Explain the technological and political developments that made sea exploration possible.
• Begin to explore negative and positive impacts of European Exploration of the Americas.
• Identify the Columbian Exchange.

Science: We have begun our study of energy. We have learned the 2 types of energy and the 8 forms. This week, we identified energy mapping and transferring of energy. our experiments.

Anti-bullying Week

This week, we learned about aggressive and passive aggressive bullies. Students also learned to protect themselves from bullies and what do to when they feel like they are bullied. The class signed an anti-bullying contract as a part of a school-wide campaign.

Preparation of Camp

You should be preparing for camp by now. You should be purchasing or collecting warm and rain proof outer ware and clothing. Prepare for cold/or and damp weather. Refer to your camp packet for more details.