Week 16 - December 16 - 20

Cold Weather - With the changing temperatures, please be sure your child not only has appropriate clothing for the day, but understands what is expected to be worn for recess! I have several students who choose not to wear their coats out to recess. Often they are running around and I know that they are warmer than normal. I will remind them to wear them but I don't force it!

Math - We are well underway with Unit 3. The students are doing a lot of work with division and figuring out what to do with remainders. A real life application came up when I told the students that I had 2 boxes of star cookies. A serving size is 5 cookies and there are 16 servings per box. We had 23 students in class that day so the students had to figure out how many cookies each student would get and what to do with the remainder. These are the types of problems that they are learning to solve. A few students suggested that the remainder goes to me (Ha!) but they worked through to solve it. 

During vacation, please encourage your child to continue to use his or her math skills in everyday ways such as this. They could also do work using Dreambox. Each child knows how to log into this and it will keep them thinking mathematically while we are away from school. 

Reading - Please have your child read over vacation. Most students are successful at choosing books that are interesting to them and are just right. The students have a lot of access to books at school and can also do so at home. If your child has a device and an Ann Arbor Public Library card you can download the free app, Libby, and check out books through that. 

Your child could also work on Lexia during the vacation. This is also an online program that they have access to and can log into. 

Mrs. Evans is our new librarian and is able to help the students choose books as well. Our class has library on Fridays at 1:35. If you are able to volunteer your time and help students check out books, please be sure to contact her. 

Science Fair - Students should be turning in their science fair papers by Thursday, December 19th. Your child can work alone or with up to 2 other students. The fifth graders should be working on an experiment that is of interest to them. If your child is having trouble coming up with an experiment, please have him or her check in with me. We will be talking about this in class on Monday. Please let me know if your child needs support in school in order to complete the science fair. 

No School - Monday, December 23 - January 3

Week 13 - November 25 - 29

NO SCHOOL WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY

Math - The students will be taking their Unit 2 math test on Monday. We have spent a lot of time practicing division, multiplication, and converting units over the past few weeks. On Friday they brought home their Unit 1 tests. The students should be working on Dreambox throughout the week when we are not able to get it completed in class.

Reading - We are wrapping up our realistic fiction unit. The students should continue to read 20 - 30 minutes every night. I will continue to monitor the students reading progress throughout the year. In class we talk about the only way to become a better reader is to read!

Spirit Day - We are having our 5th grade spirit day on Tuesday, November 26. This is the day that the fifth grade students dress up in their best/favorite school/sport spirit wear. We encourage over the top participation on this day! At lunch the students will perform whatever skit or routine they have organized and will be judged. A trophy is up for the winner but most of all we are want the students to have a fun time before break! Any hair or face painting done at school must have a note from a parent saying that is ok. It can also be done at home before coming to school. Below is a picture of students from a previous class.

Week 6 - October 7 - 11

Conferences are beginning Monday, October 7th. On Friday, I sent home reminders of the Monday and Tuesday times. I will send home Thursday reminders early this week. If you have not signed up for a conference, please check your child's backpack for the form that has the remaining times.

These conferences are an opportunity to set goals for the coming year as well as talk about how things are going so far. Please bring your child if possible. With busy schedules, I understand when they are not able to make it!


 .  Picture Day is Thursday, October 10. Order forms went home a few weeks ago. If you need another, please have your child get one from the office. Ordering can be done online or orders with payment sent in to school up to the day of pictures.

Math -We have almost finished Unit 1 in math. The assessment is going to be on Wednesday, October 9. Students should know how to find the are of a rectangle, volume of rectangular prisms, and how to use parenthesis. Here is a link to Khan Academy that would help explain finding volume:

Finding volume

5th Grade Camp - Please be sure to complete and turn in all necessary camp forms. If you are missing anything, check the school website for the link to 5th grade camp.

Heart Healthy 101 - Our field trip is Tuesday, October 22. We will leave school around 9:15 and return around 11:30.  We could use one more chaperone if possible. Please let me know if you could join us. If it is more convenient, you can always meet us at St. Joe's and leave from there when we are done.

Week 4 - September 23 - 27

We've made it through a few weeks of school now and routines are under way. I hope everyone is getting a rhythm at home for wake ups, getting everything together, and after school reading and homework (when we have it).

Math: We are making our way through Unit 1 in EDM. You should have received the parent letter the second week of school. Our focus is on finding area, volume, and being able to multiply some mixed numbers. Students are also working their way through multiplication facts using the Xtramath program. Please support your child in using this at home nightly if he or she did not get a chance to complete it in school.

Reading: Your child should be reading between 20 and 30 minutes each night. Below is a graphic that helps explain the importance of that daily reading.


PLTW: The students are currently working on making their robots in Project Lead The Way. By the end of the session, they will have learned how to program their robot to do a job that is dull, dangerous, and/or dirty. Be sure to ask about this work! They are in groups of 3 or 4 and I'm impressed with all of the work.

NWEA: We have almost finished the first round of standardized testing that takes place in the fall. The students will take this test again in the winter and in the spring. 

Week 37 - May 27 - 31

I hope that everyone had an enjoyable and safe long weekend! It was nice to have decent weather and be able to get out for a bit. We are in for the home stretch now and need extra patience to get through. I know it's a busy time of year for everyone but it really helps if your child is getting plenty of sleep. I know that I'm trying to for myself!

Wednesday and Thursday- I will be out for training both of these days. I let the kids know ahead of time and we talked about challenges of having a guest teacher this time of year. Please remind your child of appropriate behavior. It will be helpful to check in with your child on Wednesday to find out how things are going.

Field Day! This Friday, May 31, if Field Day! Please send your child with appropriate clothes, shoes, refillable water bottle, and sun screen for the day. Students should not share sun screen due to possible allergies.

Math - We are reviewing much of what we have worked on throughout the year as well as finishing the Unit 8. If your child does not have homework, he or she should work on anything that they did not feel secure on. Khan Academy is a great resource for explanations and practice of math work.

Research reports - Students should be wrapping up their interest research reports. This was done all in school. The students are doing these in Google Docs so if you are interested, you could have them open it at home and share it with you.

Baby pictures - Thank you for everyone who has sent in baby pictures already. They are so adorable!! Please email me the baby/toddler picture as a .jpg. You can also send in an actual picture that I can scan and send back the same day.

Field trips - Thank you to all of you!! I have every field trip form signed and turned in! That was fast and great work. If you have not sent in the $6 for Buhr Pool, please do so soon. If you are unable to do this, please contact me privately or send in a note with your child. All student costs will be covered. Also, if your child will need a cold lunch from school on either June 10 or June 11 due to the field trips, the lunch lady needs to know by Friday, May 31.