September 2014 Newsletter

Curriculum

Math: 5^th: We have completed the beginning of the year diagnostic test for Envision Math. We have also taken the beginning 5/6 Math Skills Test. We are working on passing off math facts for Math All Star Awards! Fifth grade will be working in Topic 1: Place Value. The lessons are as follows: Place Value, Tenths and Hundredths, Thousandths, Decimal Place Value, Comparing and Ordering Decimals, Problem Solving: Look for a Pattern. We will then move on to Topic 2: Adding and Subtracting Decimals

        6^th: We have completed the beginning of the year diagnostic test for Envision Math. We have also taken the beginning 5/6 Math Skills Test. We are working on passing off math facts for Math All Star Awards! Sixth Grade will be working in Topic 1: Numeration. The lesson are as follows: Place Value, Comparing and Ordering Whole Numbers, Exponents and Place Value, Decimal Place Value, Multiplying and Dividing by 10, 100, and 1000, Comparing and Ordering Decimals, Problem Solving: Make and Organized List. We will then move on to Topic 3: Operations with Decimals

Spelling/Vocabulary: Spelling and vocabulary lists will be given for each FULL week this month. I will make an adjustment for the first week of September, which includes Labor Day. Spelling Tests will usually be every Friday. This is also the day that ALL spelling practice work MUST be turned in for full credit!

Reading: We will be reading the basals and working on fluency, comprehension, and text analysis. Remember that each Wednesday is BASAL HOMEWORK NIGHT! Students need to bring their basal/Chrome Book home to reread the story and write a summary on their planner sheet.  Make sure your student is doing 20 min of reading Sun-Thurs with a short summary on their planner sheets. Parent Signatures earn 3 EXTRA CREDIT points!

*Each week, students who complete their reading with 5 summaries, turned in ON TIME, will receive 1 Read to Ride ticket for the end of the year bike drawing.  

*The first planner sheet will be due Friday August 29. The next planner sheet as well as spelling and vocabulary worksheets will be due Friday Sept. 5.

Language Arts: We will be working on Unit 1: Sentences. We will then move to Unit 2: Nouns.

Writing: We will introduce the writing process, and six +1 traits of writing. We will preview the four types of writing: expository, narrative, persuasive, and argumentative. We will begin working on expository and narrative writing. We will also begin the Four Square Method of organizing writing.

Announcements

*Labor Day is Mon. Sept. 1. NO SCHOOL on this day!

* Students are expected to earn 60 AR points throughout the course of this year.

*Spotlight: We will spotlight Paige H,, Mya Bonner, and Kyden Peters this month! You may send a class snack on the day we spotlight your child (optional). I will send home all the necessary materials needed for this activity when it is your student’s turn.

*Bus training for grades K-6 is scheduled for Sept. 3.

*Hearing screenings for FIFTH grade are scheduled for Sept. 10.

*We have been beginning to check out student Chrome Books! Please sign and return the Chrome Book paperwork and return it to school ASAP! I would also like the students to bring headphones or ear buds to accompany their Chrome Book at school!

*The Character Education Trait for the month of September is Respect.

*News assignments for this month are as follows: Caleb B. – Sept. 9, Kydon D. – Sept. 23, Keith D. – Sept. 29, and Trinity H. – Oct.7.

*The FIRST BOOK ORDER is attached! If you are interested in ordering books, please send your order forms along a check made out to Scholastic in a sealed envelope with your child’s name on the front. These orders are due  FRIDAY SEPT. 5!  

*Please feel free to visit our class blog at mrsgeorgesfantastic5th6thsplit.blogspot.com to keep up to date on things happening in the classroom and at school.

*Please watch for your child’s weekly behavior chart. These are half size sheets telling how your child’s behavior was during the week!

*I have contacted those parents who marked that they are interested in volunteering in the classroom on their parent survey. I will have a schedule set up next week, and volunteering time will begin in September! If you are still interested in volunteering and I have not contacted you to set up days and times, please let me know and I will add you to our volunteer schedule! Thanks!

*We appreciate ALL the wonderful donations of school supplies so far! If you are still planning on donating, please send your donation of pencils, cap erasers, lined paper, glue, notebooks, highlighters, sticky notes, or composition notebooks to school! THANK YOU FOR HELPING OUR CLASS!

sarah.george@beaver.k12.ut.us      Phone: 386-2822

	Notes From Mrs. Stewart: *We have taken our Science and History Pretests for both grades. *We will be previewing ALL science and history concepts that will be taught throughout the year.