January 5, 2010
Parents today in class we shared our personal essays and students have a sheet of Friendly Feedback in their red folders from their peers. Your child also knows his or her essay grade. So many realistic fiction stories were not returned last time I sent them home before I hung them on a bulletin board so I decided to not send them this time. If you want to see a copy send me an email and I will reply with their essay attached since they were published in the computer lab.
Please note that I am sending a Progress Grade home tomorrow Jan. 6. Now that the last of the essays are in and last of nonfiction projects are also in and graded I have grades completed to the day. GRADES ARE ON LABELS THAT I WILL PLACE IN YOUR CHILD’S AGENDA FOR YOU TO SEE. Most students are earning A's and B's and have gone up or stayed the same since their last report card grade. Students--Keep up the great work!!
My homeroom is ahead of 5A in Health so I am providing the Health grades too. I do not have as many grades in from 5A due to all the days off that fall on the days 5A has health so I will send those later. There is currently too small of a sample to accurately evaluate the students’ performance. Thanks for your understanding.
January 4th---Welcome Back! Happy New Year and thanks so much for the gifts. I used the class gift card to enjoy a day with my family at the aquarium.
Please help me with finding missing books for example many Who Was books are missing that were borrowed during December. Please look at home for them. I borrowed them from Ms. Bubnis, her name is on the back. I would like to return all of them I have 4 of the 10 borrowed returned so far.
Aslo a reminder that students did not have to read during the break. I am returning many reading logs and cursive sheets today. The logs do not have to be returned. Some students need to finish some of the cursive sheet and return tomorrow.
As per the letter about research sent in December, I will not be collecting weekly Reader's Notebooks until the end of the month as I need time to grade notecards, outlines, drafts, and final reports that we are doing in class over the next 2-3 weeks.
See Homework page for updates too.
December 2009 Letter Sent:
As you may have heard my fifth grade students began the research process in class this week by exploring some text and selecting a historical figure to study. I did this so that next week when students go to library they may use the computer lab to print an electronic source to use after winter break. I have also been reading aloud George Vs George The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides by Rosalyn Schanzer to help students understand the time period in order to synthesis the information especially when they begin to read about their historical figure from the colonial time period. During the first two weeks in January students will used the information gathered to complete their research paper by taking notes on post-its, creating an outline using those post-its, composing paragraphs from their outlines, and later with their social studies teacher they will be creating a power point for their oral presentation. This entire process will take place in school. Again during library time children will be gathering electronic sources to use. Your child may want to gather information about his/her assigned person from an additional book from the East Brunswick Public Library. If your child would like to get another source please help your child make sure that it is an appropriate reading level. If you’d like to help your child find a source from the Internet, please make sure that it is a credible source. Many students are very exciting and are welcome to read and look for answers to the Leading Questions below between now and January.
Your child will be responsible for answering the following questions using their research materials:
1. What is your historical person’s background? When and where they lived, tell about his/her education, experiences (i.e. jobs, involvement in politics, family, apprenticeships, roles and responsibilities).
2. What were two or three of _____’s major contributions/accomplishments? Why were these contributions/achievements important? Explain with supporting details.
3. What was _____’s greatest accomplishment? Choose one of the three above and explain why it was their greatest accomplishment. Provide an explanation as to why you believe this was their greatest accomplishment.
4. What 21st Century idea(s) would benefit your historical person to read his/her goals? Why did you choose this idea? How would this idea be helpful? Be specific.
Keep these questions in mind when obtaining any additional resources.
REMINDERS:
- Your child should be able to read the information on their own.
- All research is done in class unless you child wants to read at home. Writing outlines and reports are done in school. NONE will be sent home at any time.
YOUR CHILD HAS BEEN ASSIGNED:
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PS—I will only collect one letter in the Reader’s Notebook for the month of January at the end of the month. Date to be announced.
Thank you,
Mrs. Chartoff
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