We e k i n P r e v i e w: September 21st-24th, Miss Wheeler Ma t h : We are coming to the end of Unit 1. The main focus of this unit is helping students develop their number sense; extending the knowledge of basic facts to find factors of larger numbers and explore divisibility concepts. The Unit 1 math test will be on Thursday. There will be a guided after school study session on Wednesday for any interested students. Please let your child know if you would like him/her to stay and make arrangements as to whether you will pick him/her up or they should ride the late bus. Also make a note of this in the Friday Folder, too. S o c i a l S t u d i e s : Students were successful learning continents and oceans and worked in small groups to make their own map of the world using torn paper to accurately represent the size and location of each continent. Next week we’ll turn our focus to developing sense of location by making a Galactic Address book and exploring various features of different styles of maps. Students will also begin to complete a world map poster to practice atlas skills. This will lay the groundwork for our final project at the end of the unit; which will be to design and create a map of a fictitious place. R e a d i n g : Reading Logs have officially begun! Your child brought home their first Reading log on Thursday and it is due next Thursday, 9/23 **with your signature***. Please check-in with him/her to see that they have a set routine to read (at least for 20 minutes, 5 days a week.) Don’t hesitate to make a note in the section next to the parent signature spot on the reading log if you have to “nag” your child about this homework. Students should be writing on the log each night they read and should NOT be filling it all out in one sitting on Wednesday night. Also let me know if you note that your child already has a strong reading habit…after a few weeks I will match them with a reading log that better fits their needs. We will spend the upcoming week developing our fluency skills and preparing for our first visit to our Kindergarten Buddies in Mrs. Hughes’ class; which will take place on Friday (if we can organize a bus schedule by then!) Wr i t i n g : We continue to build our writing community and generate a rich list of Ideas for Writing. The coming week will focus on reading, discussing and writing pattern books, alphabet books and poems. Students will also learn the procedures for partner conferences as well as begin conferencing with me. G e n e r a l I n f o rma t i o n : HOMEWORK: Our “official” homework system (as described in the Open House Packet) will begin next week. Up until now I’ve been pretty relaxed when kids have not had their homework done or left it at school or at home. The focus was on establishing a routine and orally problem solving what to do “next time” if individuals were not successful. Beginning on Monday, I will be sending home “pink” late slips for homework that is incomplete; which parents will need to sign and return so we are all on the same page. This is a great opportunity to check in with your child and their homework routine. Please contact me with questions or concerns about your child’s homework habits. Remember that it is always ideal your child to write a note if she/she cannot complete homework for any reason. CLASS MEETINGS: We began our weekly class meetings on Friday and reviewed the 8 C’s with skits. Next week we’ll begin focusing on each other to spot the 8 C’s in action. Each student will make a certificate for a classmate to be presented at next week’s meeting. PICTURE DAY: Wednesday, September 23rd. PEACE 1 DAY: MONDAY, September 21st. Wear symbols of PEACE to school! See the flyer in the Friday Folder. Opportunities for 5th graders! The Green Team (already began; (Wednesday’s after school) Civil Rights Team (already began; Wednesday’s after school) Ping Pong club for 5/6 grade will begin on Wed. Oct. 7th and will meet each Wed after school in the small gym. Science Club Tuesday, 9/22 after school and select other Tuesdays during the year. **See the middle school website for the most up to date info. about clubs and activities for 5th graders** Español, Sra. Lowery elowery@fps.k12.me.us Spanish students continued practicing greetings and farewells, and learned when it is appropriate to use certain expressions, taking into account the time of day and formality or informality of the situation. We are wrapping up the week with the telephone exercise described in last week’s WIP, wherein students hold a conversation with a fellow Spanish learner on the phone, entirely in Spanish, and turn in a written summary of their communication. This will be assigned at the start of next week, and summaries will be due in class by Friday, Sept. 25. Next week we will start learning the alphabet, beginning with the vowels. Students will learn a clapping chant to practice pronouncing the vowels in Spanish. Madame Fisher La classe de français wfisher@fps.k12.me.us Students did a great job creating their own written dialogues in pairs or groups of three and presented them to the class. We looked at the questions that I ask every day on a handout so they can see how they are written. Quelle est la date?, Quelle est la date de ton anniversaire? Comment t'appelles tu? Quel âge as-tu? Students wrote the answers and shared them with the class. Next week we will continue with this work. Students will be able to recognize the questions and provide appropriate answers to each. We will create another dialogue utilizing the new questions. Please let me know if you have any questions, concerns or comments. I am available before and after school most days by appointment.