5th Grade

Jeffers Journal

Week of May 26th – May 30th

“On Memorial Day, we keep alive the memory of those who died for our country.”  Are you ready to board the learning train for another week of excitement and adventure? Please come to school each day with an open mind, positive “I can” attitude, a friendly smile, and eager to be a member of our team! 

Important Dates to Remember:

May 26^th: Memorial Day-No School or CASE

May 27^th – May 30^th– I-Ready ELA Diagnostic

May 30^th: Race for Education at LaSalle

June 2^nd: Mass with Father Ennis @ 8:50AM

June 2^nd – June 5^th: I-Ready Math Diagnostic

June 6^th: End of the Year Field Trip to Ellis Island

June 16^th: End of the School Year Mass with Father Ennis @ 8:50AM

June 18^th: Fifth Grade Graduation @ 6:30pm

June 18^th: Last Day of School

Here’s a breakdown of our learning:

1. Math: Its important children learn math facts for addition/subtraction and multiplication/division with the goal of automatic recall. Coordinate Geometry is the theme of Topic 14, which is a short topic. The key vocabulary words are: ordered pair, vertex, x-axis, and also y-axis. Last week, the students learned how to locate points on a coordinate grid. They found this lesson to be rather easy since they have been locating points on a coordinate grid on their morning math worksheet. The next lesson in the topic focuses on graphing points on a coordinate grid. The final lesson in the topic is applying the problem solving strategy of reasoning to word problems. The Topic 14 Test will be on Thursday, May 29^th. Next week, they will work on Topic 15 which focuses on Number and Shape Patterns. Every day they will complete a short Exit Ticket as a way to check there understanding of the lesson.  It is a great way for me to check and see who is ready for the next lesson.  We will also play different Math games to review previously learned concepts and skills. Students will also continue to work on their independent lessons in I-Ready Math each day. This is a great way to practice their skills.
2. English Language Arts:
   1. Grammar: Students will learn how to proofread their writing for subject-verb agreement, capital letters, and punctuation using the proofreading symbols.  We continue to review complete subject, complete predicate, simple subject, simple predicate, different kinds of sentences, verbs, and adverbs.
   2. Vocabulary: Each week students have 12 new vocabulary words and complete different activities each day (sentence completion, synonym/antonym, matching, word meaning, and context clues).
   3. Reading: An important skill we will be practicing is reading articles or passages and answering comprehension questions.
   4. Spelling:  Each week the students will be given a list of words that contain a certain spelling pattern. They will complete activities each day using the words. They will also learn some commonly misspelled words and mnemonic devices to help them remember how to spell them.
3. Science: Chemical Magic is the theme of the Science Unit we will be exploring this week. The first lesson in this unit explores whether magic potions are real. In the second lesson, students will explore whether or not it is possible to turn something worthless into gold. All of these lessons include hands-on activities and lesson quizzes to check student understanding.
4. Religion: The theme of Chapter 18 is The Sacraments of Holy Orders and Matrimony. How would you define the word commitment? Why are commitments important?  What is the Sacrament of Holy Orders?  When you hear the word faithful, what synonym pops in your head? How come in the Sacrament of Matrimony it is important to be faithful?
5. Google Classroom: Students have been using my Google Classroom to complete assignments and quizzes in English/Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. Please check with your son/daughter to show you what they have been doing.  If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to send me an email.
6. Seventh Week of Easter Mass: Our next Mass with Father Ennis will be held on Monday, June 2^nd at 8:50. Students will have the opportunity to volunteer to be an altar server and/or a lector for future Masses. If your child signs up to be a lector, he/she will receive their reading in advance to have time to practice both in school and at home.